Lyndon Thomas Insurance October 2017

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LYN’S LEDGER

Lyndon Thomas Insurance

Oct 2017

We Help You With Medicare.

A Dizzying Experience

NOT YOUR AVERAGE SATURDAY

I ’ve been blessed with good health for my entire adult life. Aside from bad knees and the occasional flu bug, I’ve never had a major medical issue. Recently, however, I had an experience which offered me a small window into what some of my clients have to live with on a daily basis. It gave me a greater appreciation of how hard life can be when you have a persistent medical condition. It was a Saturday afternoon like any other. After attending a local high school graduation and changing a tire on the van, I went back home after lunch and sat in my recliner to relax for a little bit. When I stood up, I felt a little light-headed and woozy. I figured I could maybe walk it off, so I went to run a few errands downtown. Walking around downtown over the next 30 minutes, I began to feel increasingly dizzy. It got so bad that as I approached intersections, I made sure to watch my feet and take slow, deliberate steps so I wouldn’t end up falling down in the road. My final stop was at the market just a block from my house. As I left, I was in such bad shape that I had to essentially ride the shopping cart home. There was no way I could’ve walked unaided, so I hung on for dear life and let the cart do most of the work. The second I got home, it was back to the recliner, where I sat spinning for the next four hours. During this time, my wife was frantically Googling symptoms. I had all the telltale signs of a heart attack, just minus chest and arm pain, so we felt secure that, at the very least, something else was going on. Once I was feeling well enough to move, there was no doubt where my next destination would be. We were headed to the ER.

After Dr. Nelson ran some tests to make sure we knew what it wasn’t, our suspicions were confirmed. I had suffered a brief but severe bout of vertigo. Dr. Nelson told us that this happens when the crystals in your inner ear migrate to a part of the ear where they don’t belong, throwing off your equilibrium and making even basic movements difficult. He told us that it might happen again, or it might’ve been a one-time occurrence. With this type of vertigo, there’s really no way of knowing. By the time we returned from the hospital, I felt fairly normal again — aside from the fact that it was 1:00 a.m., way past my normal bedtime. Fortunately, I haven’t had a recurrence of vertigo since, but it will probably be a while before that day isn’t lingering in the back of my mind. I do know, however, that if I ever start feeling that way again while out of the house, I’ll be looking for a shopping cart to ride home again! It was an alarming experience and unpleasant in the extreme, but ultimately it reinforced just how fortunate I have been in terms of health. Many of you have to deal with much more serious medical issues every day, and while I cannot say I know what that must be like, that Saturday afternoon on spin cycle gave me a window into a world that I hadn’t previously experienced. Four hours of severe vertigo helped me develop a greater empathy for folks dealing with an illness. Here’s hoping that the only “Vertigo” in my future involves Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak!

– Lyn Thomas

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www.LT-ins.com

Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com

Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com

L yndon Thomas Insurance

4WAYS YOUMAY BE ABLE TO PREVENT DEMENTIA BEFORE IT STARTS

It’s that time of year again! As the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) gets into full swing, you’ve noticed your mailbox TIME TO THINK ABOUT CHANGE companies. While it may seem a bit overwhelming, there is one item of mail you really should be looking for. It’s the Annual Notice of Change from the Medicare Advantage Plan or Stand- Alone Prescription Drug Program, of which you are currently a member. Also affectionately known as the “Ay-nok,” the ANOC notifies members of changes to their current plan for the coming year. All changes, such as the raising or lowering of premiums, copays, coverages, or other contract modifications are lifted out and printed in the ANOC. Aspects of the plan not included in the ANOC remain the same for the next year. As you review the ANOC for your plan, if you decide the changes identified are manageable and you are happy to continue with the plan you’re on, then you need do nothing for your plan to continue next year. However, there are four things you may want to do:

From the moment you wake up in the morning, it feels like a dense fog fills your head. When you drag yourself out of bed and go to make yourself a plate of eggs and toast, it suddenly seems like a much more complicated task than before. You lose track of time, and the smell of smoke enters your nostrils. Frantically turning the burner off, it occurs to you that you can’t remember the day of the week. According to Time Magazine, 47 million people around the world live with some type of dementia. Typically, as we age, we’re told that all we can do is hope for the best and bide our time until there’s a cure, but recent research by the Alzheimer’s Research Center paints a different picture. A set of simple lifestyle changes may be the key to staving off cognitive decline as we get older. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 50 percent, according to Help Guide, and it can even slow the onset of already-present cognitive decline. Walk or swim for about 150 minutes each week, along with two to three sessions of moderate resistance training, as well as balance and coordination exercises. Check out eldergym.com for more info on staying active as you age. Heart-healthy eating may also protect the brain. Limit your intake of sugar and saturated fats and eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Replace butter and margarine with olive or canola oil. Two diets that have been linked to heart health are the DASH diet (dashdiet.org) and the Mediterranean diet. Frequent social engagement may help keep your brain sharp. Make efforts to speak face to face with someone you’re close to as often as you can. Try to make new friends, volunteer, join a club or social group, get to know your neighbors, or connect with people over social media. Mental stimulation may also be important to brain health as we age. Study something new to you, such as a foreign language or a musical instrument. Make reading books and newspapers part of your regular routine. Try doing crossword or sudoku puzzles. It’s not difficult to find an activity you enjoy that will also help keep your brain active.

1. File your ANOC and Evidence of Coverage in a safe place for reference.

2. Keep your eyes peeled for your member ID card for the new year.

3. Move all that AEP fourth-class junk mail straight to the recycle bin.

4. And start getting ready for the holidays.

However, if the ANOC reveals changes to your current plan that inspire you to take a look at other plans available to you, then, as your full-service Medicare agent, I am here to answer questions about your coverage options with other plans and to help you determine the best plan for you in 2018. I contract with five Medicare Advantage health plans and many prescription drug programs, so I’m here to help!

You can reach me with questions by cell or text at 805-798-3245 or email at Lyn@LT-ins.com.

2 216-B E. Matilija St, Ojai, CA 93023 www.LT-ins.com CA# 0D96309

We Help You With Medicare.

Please Don’t Keep Me a Secret!

Medicare and its related insurances aren’t the easiest thing to understand. The Annual Enrollment Period can be difficult to understand for many people. I’ve been at this business for nearly 15 years, so I am able to help people walk through not only their Initial Enrollment Period, but the Annual Enrollment Period as well. It is a real joy for me to wrap up an appointment or call and hear the words, “Now I understand!” I have learned that if I help people understand their health care coverage first, they have a much better experience, and the commissions take care of themselves later. If I’ve gained favor as your agent, please don’t keep me a secret during this Annual Enrollment Period. Your friends and neighbors may have questions about their Medicare options. Call 805-646-6409 or visit our downtown Ojai office at 216-B E. Matilija Street (across from Rainbow Bridge). I am also available for in-home appointments. Visit our website, LT-ins.com, for a list of Annual Enrollment Sales meetings.

VISIT US AT OJAI DAY! Stop by our booth in front of The Oaks of Ojai. Get a free bottle of water and a 2018 update on your plan. Lyndon Thomas Insurance Saturday, October 21, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ojai Avenue in Downtown Ojai

SUDOKU

SAUSAGE AND BARLEY SOUP

It’s a great time of year to warm up with a cup of soup, and this comforting, guilt-free dish comes together in a flash.

Ingredients

• • • •

Cooking spray

1 (14½-ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped ¼ cup uncooked quick-cooking barley 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach

6 ounces turkey breakfast sausage 2½ cups frozen bell pepper stir-fry

• •

2 cups water

Instructions

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium- high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat. 2. While sausage cooks, place stir-fry and 2 cups water in a blender; process until smooth.

3. Add stir-fry puree, tomatoes, and

barley to sausage in pan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts.

Solution

Recipe courtesy of CookingLight.com.

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CA# 0D96309

805-646-6409

Lyndon Thomas Insurance

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

PO Box 207 Ojai, CA 93024

INSIDE

CA# 0D96309 | www.LT-ins.com | 805-646-6409

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ADizzying Experience

Can You Prevent Dementia Before It Starts?

Time to ThinkAbout Change

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Please Don’t Keep Me a Secret!

Sausage and Barley Soup

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The Origin of the Snickerdoodle

The Mysterious Origins of the SNICKERDOODLE

Did you know that October is National Cookie Month? That’s right! You have a full month to celebrate one the world’s most popular desserts. Who doesn’t love a good cookie? After all, they come in all sorts of flavors, shapes, and sizes. Take the snickerdoodle, for instance. The exact origins of this cinnamon-and-sugar-covered cookie are unknown, and, not surprisingly, there are many cookies with mysterious origins. Many recipes were passed down from home bakers, the unsung inventors of today’s classics. The name “snickerdoodle” suggests it may have come from Germany or was crafted by a German baker in the United States. Interestingly enough, the cinnamon-and-sugar cookie is hard to find outside of the U.S. and Canada. The entry for snickerdoodle in the “Joy of Cooking” cookbook references a German pastry called the Schnecknudel, or “snail noodle.” It’s possible the name snickerdoodle was derived from the word Schnecknudel ; however, they are very different baked goods.

The Schnecknudel gets its name from its appearance — a snail shell. Not unlike a traditional cinnamon roll, the Schnecknudel is a sweet yeast dough roll. It’s certainly not a cookie. According to “The Food Lover’s Companion,” a Barron’s publication, the word “snickerdoodle” may stem from New England bakers who love to name their culinary creations with words that sound whimsical. Consider other New England treats such as jolly boys (a sweet, doughy fried bread) and tangle breeches (a sweet, flaky fried bread).

No matter where the name comes from, one thing is for sure. You can’t beat the buttery, cinnamony, sugary delight that is the snickerdoodle!

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216-B E. Matilija St, Ojai, CA 93023

Published by The NewsletterPro • www.NewsletterPro.com

Published by The NewsletterPro •www.NewsletterPro.com

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