All About Collagen THE PROTEIN THAT HOLDS US TOGETHER
Even if you have heard of collagen, chances are you don’t know much about what it does for the human body. Collagen makes up a third of the body’s proteins. In some ways, it is the glue that holds our bodies together (the first part of “collagen” comes from the Greek word “kolla,” meaning “glue”). Getting your body to produce more collagen can have amazing health benefits, particularly for those who are aging and noticing more wrinkles.
Fortunately, there are certain foods and nutrients you can consume to boost your collagen production and keep your skin smoother and stronger for longer. Collagen begins in the body as procollagen, which is created when two amino acids, glycine and proline, combine. Vitamin C aids this process, so any foods with high concentrations of these nutrients help your body produce more collagen. Egg whites are a great source of proline, along with foods like asparagus, cabbage, and dairy products. Additionally, pork skin, chicken skin, and gelatin all have high levels of glycine. If you want to get your vitamin C levels up, citrus fruits, bell peppers, and strawberries are tasty choices. Watch out for foods and habits that can damage your collagen production, like eating lots of refined sugar, exposing your skin to too much sunshine, and smoking. By adopting habits and diets that enhance collagen production, you can keep yourself looking younger and feeling better, even as you get older. This is important: As part of the certification, the physician must determine a plan of care from the in-person meeting. Your plan of care will describe the type of services and care a person will receive for their health concerns, including: • A list of the variety of services, supplies, and equipment needed • The health care professional who will deliver these services • How often services will be needed • The beneficiary’s function limitations • Nutritional requirements • The results the physician expects from the treatment The home health agency is responsible for providing all the care listed in a person’s plan of care. The agency may do this through its staff or an arrangement with another agency. Finally, the doctor certifies the person as eligible for an initial 60-day benefit period. At the end of the period or before, the doctor may recertify the person or, if the person’s condition has changed, determine the care is no longer needed. Only the doctor can certify the patient or make changes to the plan of care, not the home health agency. If you have any questions, trust your Medicare experts to help and give us a call! We know how confusing this process can be, and Omaha Insurance Solutions is on your side.
There are around 16 types of collagen proteins in the body, but type 1 collagen makes up roughly 90% of a person’s collagen count. Type 1 collagen gives structure to our tendons, bones, connective tissues, and skin. When we’re younger, our bodies produce enough collagen to keep our skin tight and strong. However, as we age, our bodies naturally produce less collagen, which contributes to thinner skin and wrinkles.
Last edition, we talked a little bit about home health care and how it differs from home care. Today, we want to explain the process of receiving home health care a bit more. While Medicare covers home health care, the Medicare beneficiary must meet particular criteria in order to maintain a status of medical need: 1. A physician must certify that skilled care is needed and must prescribe the plan of care. 2. A participating Medicare-approved home health care organization must provide the care. 3. The patient must need at least one of the services: intermittent skilled nursing care, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, or continued occupational therapy. 4. The patient must be confined to the home. A physician must meet face to face with the patient 90 days before the start of home health care or within 30 days after the start of home health care. They must sign and date a certification that the patient needs skilled care and meets all the Medicare eligibility criteria for home health care.
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