$#|+!!! I'm Not As Healthy As I Thought I Am

As you know, I'm thinking about getting term life insurance. As part of the application process, I'm supposed to undergo a blood test to see what rates I qualify. When I requested my quotes, I assumed I'm super healthy and used the "preferred rates" vs. "standard rates."

After all, although my weight has been steadily increasing the past couple of years (I'm currently 5'1" and 116 lbs), my BMI is 21.9, which is normal. My blood pressure is also generally good -- my systolic (upper number) is usually under 100 and my diastolic (lower number) is usually under 70.

I knew my waist-to-hip ratio wasn't all that great (I'm an avocado shape at 0.77 ratio), I didn't think this was a big deal since, again, my BMI is normal.

Although I do occasionally binge eat, I generally try to eat healthy. I've started incorporating more veggies into my diet and I take a multi-vitamin everyday.

The worst part of my lifestyle, though, is that I'm generally sedentary and rarely work out. I hate physical exertion, but since I'm not overweight, I figured my sedentary lifestyle is still okay.

Anyhow, I decided to go to my local pharmacy to get a cholesterol/blood glucose test for $25 before I submit my term life insurance application. I could've asked my primary physician to do the test under my health insurance plan, but I kind'a wanted to know what my numbers are before any insurance company does. I'm glad I did, since my numbers weren't as good as I thought they would be.

The Good
My total cholesterol was 188. The benchmark is to keep it under 200 mg/dl, so I'm good here.
My triglycerides was 101. The benchmark is less than 150 mg/dl.

The Ugly
My HDL ("Good Cholesterol") was 39. For women, the benchmark is greater than 50 mg/dl. 39 is considered "poor."

My LDL ("Bad Cholesterol") was 129. I'm supposed to keep it less than 100 mg/dl.

I guess I'm going to have to start exercising regularly and with greater intensity. Before, my only motivation to exercise was to lose weight. Now, it seems like my health is at risk. Oy gevalt!

An Annoying Expense

No, I'm not talking about car repairs or Swiffer refills. I'm talking about having to replace my "fat" (not phat) jeans. My one and only pair of jeans that fit me, has given up its ghost. I now need to replace it.

About a couple of years ago, I was invited to an old college friend's wedding. He happens to be a childhood buddy of my ex, so I knew the ex would be at the wedding. I dreaded seeing my ex, not because we had a horrible break-up, but because I had gained 25 lbs since our break-up.

Now mind you, I'm not fat. I'm relatively slender, compared to the average American woman. I was also extremely skinny while I was dating my ex during college (approx. 95 lbs).

Although I didn't have any residual feelings for my ex, my vanity couldn't allow him to see me 25 lbs heavier. I started exercising regularly and went on a strict diet. I managed to bring my weight down by 15 lbs. I was pretty happy being 105 lbs and I thought I looked pretty good! I was pretty certain that I could maintain this weight and got rid of a lot of my "fat" clothes.

As they say, the best laid plans of mice and men. Now that the wedding has come and gone, I lost motivation to keep exercising. (See the "exercise jar" on the right sidebar?) I've also started "emotional eating". And guess what? I'm back to my pre-wedding weight. **Sigh**

I guess I could try to squeeze myself into my "skinny" jeans. But I'm afraid of creating an unsightly muffin top. Or worse yet, a cracked muffin top.


I guess I have 2 options: (1) buy a replacement "fat" jeans, or, (2) lose weight.

I'm just not sure which route to take...

TMI Monday - - Thank Goodness I Have Health Insurance

** Warning: Adult TMI content below, not suitable for children. **

If I ever had doubts about whether I should remain single for the rest of my life, a recent date removed all reservations. I swear, my love life resembles a Farrelly Brothers movie.

What does this have to do with health insurance? Let's just say a recent out-of-town date ended with a visit to the ER. And don't worry -- it had nothing to do with domestic violence, injury or illness. It was just a tragicomic, embarrassing debacle.

I previously wrote about how I may consider dating younger men. (One matter of note: I previously referred to myself as a "cougar" but apparently, I am actually a "puma"). I was kidding when I wrote that post, but I recently hooked up with a nice, handsome young man 6 years my junior. (Score!)

Unfortunately, my romantic out-of-town date with the cub ended with a "disappearing" ... ummm.... "protection." (This apparently happens more often than one would imagine.)



We turned over the sheets, looked under the bed and looked all over. There was only one place it could be and I couldn't retrieve it myself. *Cr&p!* And as Murphy's Law would dictate, (1) it was the weekend, (2) we're out of town, and (3) it was after-hours, so I couldn't go to my regular doctor. I had no choice but to go to the ER to get it removed.

After 5 hours of waiting in the ER and numerous embarrassing explanations to the intake nurse, the intern, and the attending, I was free. (And in more ways than one, since I'm no longer speaking with the cub.)

How much did this procedure cost? According to my health insurance records:
Hospital Charge: $587.50. Insurance Paid: $537.50
Doctor Charge: $112.00. Insurance Paid: $47.17 (In-network, negotiated rate)
My total responsibility: $50.00

Thank goodness this out-of-town ER was inside my insurance network. I can't imagine what it would have cost if it wasn't.

Even with the in-network rates, I would've been out-of-pocket $699.50 for something so ridiculous if I was uninsured. I really don't know whether the contemplated health care overhaul is a good thing or not, but if it's going to reduce the number of uninsureds, I'm not so sure it's not a good thing. (Has my double negative confused you yet?)

On a side note, I also think this is a sign that I should stay away from dating... or, perhaps maybe I need to stay celibate.

I'm Back... Sort Of...

My death march travel is over for now. One thing I discovered is that I'm a total pansy. During the past 7 weeks of traveling to the east coast every other week, I suffered one physical ailment after another. The ailments ranged from the run-of-the-mill cold, zit outbreaks, cold sore flare-ups and finally the flu. I'm glad I don't have to get another coast-to-coast flight anytime soon.

I've gotten over the flu, but my chest congestion is lingering and I'm completely fatigued. I have some good news to report soon so hopefully I'll be 100% recovered by the time I report about it.

Thanks again everyone for following up. I'll be back real soon!

Interesting Conversations With Fellow Plane Passengers

I went on a business trip to Vegas yesterday and had interesting conversations with my fellow plane passengers to and fro.

On my way to Vegas, I sat in a row with a very bling-ed out woman and a not-so-bling-ed-out man, both probably in their 40s. We started talking about how it was amazing that R-rated (if not X-rated) photos are allowed to be passed out on the Strip to pedestrians. I laughed and said that I witnessed an older man (probably in his 70s and 80s), giddily collecting the flyers as if he was a young boy collecting baseball cards. I thought the dirty old man was strangely "cute".


The male passenger then proceeded to tell us that he has one regret in his life. He said he wished he had hired a stripper/hooker on his dad's deathbed. Whoa! TMI buddy!! He said his dad was a "dirty old man" with tubes coming out of every orifice of his body and he probably would have enjoyed seeing/touching a beautiful young woman before he went. Okaaaay.

The other passenger and I started giggling uncomfortably. To break the awkwardness, I said something to the effect of, "On my deathbed, I'm not sure I want to see a naked man." The other passenger hastily added, "I want someone to bring me a big diamond. That would make me smile." We were able to change the topic from there.

But the man's comment did get me thinking -- what I would want on my deathbed? Having my loved one by my side is a given. But is there something more that could bring me joy in that circumstance? Can something that is bought allow me to go in peace? Hmmm... I'd have to think about that.

On my return flight, I sat next to a man who works for a local upstart company called Pathway Genomics. It's one of those companies that you send samples of your saliva to test your DNA for information regarding your ancestral path and genetic disease and conditions. The ancestral path test costs $199 and the health test costs $250.



My father suffers from dementia, which may or may not be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease. I'm so afraid of developing this condition that I avoid aluminum products. I am strongly tempted to partake in this test just to find out.

This got me wondering - Do I really want to know what disease I may be prone to? Would the results encourage me to be healthier? But if the disease has no cure, would I be unnecessarily devastated?

I've got some questions for my readers:

1. On your deathbed, other than having your loved ones at your side, is there something you'd want?
2. Would you pay $250 to find out about potentially inherited diseases?

Eating Healthy Is Making My Wallet Skinny (But Not My Waistline)

I’ve been making a conscious effort to incorporate more vegetables and fruits in my diet lately. But I have noticed that it’s not cheap to eat healthy. For example, I bought the following during my most recent grocery shopping expedition:

½ gallon milk: $1.99
4 grapefruits: $1.00
2 mangos: $2.58
1 lb strawberries: $1.50
½ pint blueberries: $1.50
1 bunch fresh spinach: $.99
1 broccoli crown: $1.15
1 pack frozen corn on the cob: $2.50
1 green onion: $.89
2 V-8 bottles (on sale): $5.98
1 yellow onion: $.28
TOTAL: $20.36

If you notice, there’s no protein (okay, except the milk) or carbs in this shopping list and this will probably only last me about a week. If I were to add protein and carbs, you can expect the cost to be closer to $30 to $34/week.

On the other hand, I can eat value meals at fast-food establishments for about $2/day-$4/day and also enjoy the added “benefit” of not having to hassle with prepping and cooking.

I’m embarrassed to admit, I considered eating fast-food value meals (99 cent cheeseburgers, anyone?) and compensating by taking a multivitamin. But I quickly rejected that idea when I read that a recent 8-year study concluded that multivitamin intake did not protect post-menopausal women from cancer, heart attacks or strokes.

The study concluded what we’ve known all along – vitamins are better obtained through a healthy diet rather than through pill form. Healthy people who eat enough calories from a varied diet do not benefit from multivitamin supplements. However, multivitamins are probably necessary for individuals who are not getting an adequate diet for whatever reasons (poverty, disability, etc.) So basically, multivitamins are not a substitute for healthy eating but is more like an insurance policy in case your diet falls short.

It’s just a darn shame that eating healthy costs more than eating junk. It’s no wonder that scientists are worried that the current recession could cause an obesity epidemic.

And here’s another rant: Medicaid generally covers the cost of multivitamins but multivitamins are not reimbursable through FSA plans. Yet another inconsistency between our governmental agencies. It’s not like the $15.49 multivitamins I get from Costco will break my bank, but it would be nice if I can pay it with pre-tax money.

My New Exercise and Veggie "Swear Jar"

Back in August 2008, I wrote down my health goals, since staying healthy is one of the most important ways to protect one's wealth.

Let's see how I've fared since then:

1. Maintain An Appropriate Weight
Back in August, I was 105 lbs and I'm now (*gasp*) 110 lbs. (My weight normally fluctuates between 105 lbs and 120 lbs.) The ideal weight range for someone my height is 97.9 – 132.3 lbs.

My BMI went from 19.8 to 20.8. The normal BMI range is between 18.5 to 25.

So far so good. But...

D'oh!!! I went from a pear shape to an avocado shape with a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.77 (was 0.74). BlueCross' website says:

Even though your hips are easily larger than your waist, your risk is higher than a pear's (but lower than an apple's). Unlike fat on your hips, which tends to just sit there, the fat you carry around your middle or on your upper torso is easily converted into energy whenever your body runs short. That process raises cholesterol levels and blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease or stroke. It also causes insulin resistance, a common prelude to diabetes. After menopause, women are much likelier to gain weight around their middles and on their upper torsos.

I could be wrong, but I think this is telling me I'm getting a bit pudgy around the center.


2. Get Immunized and Tested
This is a success, thanks to my health insurance and wonderful FSA plan. I saw my primary physician, gynecologist, dentist and optometrist last year for a check up. I also got my yearly flu shot.

(I still haven't been tested for my cholesterol level and I still don’t know when I got my last tetanus/diphtheria shots, though. Big woop.)


3. Eat Fewer Salty Snack Foods and More Fruits and Vegetables
Still needs significant improvement.

Ever since I cut out beer from my regular budget, I haven't had the need to eat as many salty snacks.

But I still don't eat as many fruit and veggies as I should. My only regular consumption of fruits and veggies is my daily 1/2 grapefruit and 1 cup V8. That's pretty bad, huh?


4. Exercise
Stil a complete and total failure. I get ZERO exercise. I can't get motivated to even walk around the block.

~~~

In order to motivate me to eat more veggies and get some exercise, I've decided to start a "swear jar".

My initial goal is to:

1. Eat at least 2 extra servings of fruit and vegetables (in addition to my grapefruit and V-8) daily, AND


2. Walk at least 30 minutes, 3 times a week (minimum).

For every day that I don't satisfy my goal, I'll throw in a dollar into my "Swear Jar". Unlike the Budweiser commercial, I won't use it to buy beer, though. The Swear Jar money will go towards paying down my stupid credit card debt.

I see this as a win-win situation. If I satisfy my goal, I've improved my health. If I don't satisfy my goal, I'll pay off my credit card sooner.

Based on past experience, I'll bet that my credit card balance will go down faster than my waist size. Several years back, I started a Swear Jar for Lent. After 3 days of putting quarters into the jar, I eventually just stuck $40 in there and kept track of my utterances on paper to make sure I didn't exceed 160 swear words. How much do you want to bet that I'll be scraping together $22 to cover the rest of the month?

Thank Heavens For My Flexible Spending Account

Sallie's Niece recently wrote about her misadventures with vision insurance. This reminded me that I need to get new frames.

I got my eyes examined last October and I looked into getting new eyeglasses at that time. However, my optician told me that my vision plan would not cover the glasses since I purchased contact lenses within the past 12 months. Under my vision plan, I can get new frames every 24 months, or, contact lense every 12 months. However, I cannot get both in the same year.

I just went back to my optician to buy my glasses not realizing my prescription expired in October. Doh!! Fortunately, my optician made an exception. Phew!

Notwithstanding my vision plan, though, my new glasses cost me $281!! This is due to the fact that in addition to the new frames, I also requested thin lenses (or else I'll look like I'm wearing coke bottle bottoms), anti-glare coating and Transition lenses. (After all, I live in sunny Southern California and I can't wear sunglasses over my glasses.)



Thank heavens I currently have a $330 balance in my flexible spending account. Every year, I elect to contribute $20 per paycheck towards my FSA on a pre-tax basis. Since it's a "use-it-or-lose-it" plan where I’ll forfeit any money I haven’t spent by December 31, this is money well spent. (And this means my glasses are paid with pre-tax money. Yeay!)

I think many employers are conducting open enrollment for employee benefits now. I highly recommend that everyone contribute some money into their HSA. It's never a bad idea to put some money away for your health, especially on a pre-tax basis.

Egads! Future Beauty Items I May Need To Start Budgeting

Completely oblivious to my biological age, I consider myself very youthful looking. But yesterday morning, as I was brushing my hair, I noticed an unusually shiny, reflective strand of hair on my left temple. I initially thought it was just the reflection of the fluorescent bulb on my dark hair. But I soon discovered, to my horror, that it was a single, long, silvery strand of gray hair.

Panicked, I plucked the offending hair, and then I inspected my face closely. And there it was – the deep lines running from corners of my mouth to the sides of my nose that I never noticed before.

My graying and wrinkling have officially started. In time, the smoothness of my skin will give way to fine creases and wrinkles. I can only stem the tsunami of gray hair by plucking for so long.

This begs the question: What will I need to start budgeting for age-related vanity costs? Is there anything I can do to minimize these age-related vanity costs?

I figured since I better be prepared sooner rather than later, I began to research my hypothetical future beauty maintenance budget.

HAIRCARE
I’ve never dyed my hair. Ever. So I'm not quite sure what I’m in for.

I took an unscientific poll of my older female friends who have their hair colored professionally and regularly. My poll revealed that my friends get their hair professionally colored (not including touch-ups) every 4-6 weeks at $200-$300/pop. This would mean that assuming I get my hair colored professionally 8 times a year at $250/coloring, I would need to budget $167/month.

$167/month x 12 months = $2,004/year! If I instead saved $167/month in a 3% APY savings account for the next 20 years, I would save approximately $55,000. I don’t think I’ll be dying my hair professionally any time soon.

I checked Ulta.com and found that Clairol’s Perfect 10 hair color normally costs $12.99 and the Root touch-up kit costs $5.99. It’s my understanding that at-home hair dyes don’t cover gray as well as professionally dyed hair. But at $20/month, the at home hair-dying seems like a much better and affordable alternative for me.

My Potential Future Vanity Monthly Budget: $20/month for hair-dyes


SKINCARE
About a year ago, I upgraded my moisturizer to an anti-wrinkle formula with SPF 15 sun protection. I researched whether there was something else I could do to help slow down the aging process on my face.

What I Can Do For Free:

Avoid the sun - Check

Don’t smoke - Check

Get adequate sleep – Usually okay

Sleep on my back – This one is going to be difficult. I love sleeping on my side and tummy. But sleeping on my side exacerbates the wrinkles on my cheek and chin. Sleeping on my tummy causes furrowed brows. Darn it!

Don’t overwash face - Check

Things That Aren’t Free But Are Probably Included in My Current Budget Anyways:

Wear sunscreen/use moisturizer - Check

Don’t squint – wear sunglasses (and eventually, use reading glasses) - Check

Eat more fish – Check. Apparently, the essential fatty acids of Omega-3 help nourish skin and keep it plump and youthful, helping to reduce wrinkles.

Eat more soy – Check. Animal studies show certain properties of soy may help protect or heal of the sun’s photoaging damage. In one recent human study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, researchers reported that a soy-based supplement improved skin’s structure and firmness after just six months of use.

Eat more fruits and vegetables– Needs significant improvement. The anti-oxidant compounds in dark fruits and vegetables fight damage caused by free radicals, which in turn helps skin look younger and more radiant, and protects against some effects of photoaging.

Extra Stuff I Am Seriously Considering Budgeting For In The Future:
The following are items that I am considering for my future budget. I have put them in the order I am likely to do:

At-home Chemical Peels: DIY chemical peels use low concentrations of alpha or beta hydroxyl acids to remove top layers of dead cells. The DIY peels purportedly will give me a “healthy glow” but won’t penetrate enough to improve wrinkles. According to Ulta.com, Neutrogena’s Advanced Solution Facial Peel will cost about $25.00 per jar.

At-home Dermabrasion Kits: The DIY dermabrasions kits rely on exfoliating “crystals” that I rub onto my face with a scrubbing wand. After a few weekly treatments of this treatment will allegedly cause my skin to “appear smoother” without much improvement in texture. According to Ulta.com, Neutrogena’s Advanced Solution MicroDermabrasion kit will set me back about $40. If I don’t see much improvement with the DIY facial peel, I may consider moving onto this item.

My Potential Future Vanity Monthly Budget: $25/month for DIY Facial Peel


Stuff I May Consider In The Future But Not Likely to Budget Any Time Soon:

Chemical Peels at Medi-Spas or Doctor’s Office: Chemical peels at a medi-spa or a doctor’s office uses a higher concentration of acids that dissolve the top layers of dead cells, revealing fresh skin. At my local medi-spa, the Biomedic Micro Peel costs $95 and the Cosmelan Peel (whatever that is) costs $800/treatment.

Dermabrasions at Medi-Spas or Doctor’s Office: The combination of abrasion and suction stimulates collagen production, helping improve fine lines and minor scars," says Debra Jaliman, MD, a clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The 30- to 45-minute procedure leaves skin slightly pink for up to a few days. After five monthly sessions, skin is smooth and glowing. My local medi-spa charges $95/treatment.

Stuff I Won't Consider Anytime In The Near Future But Never-Say-Never Items:

Wrinkle Fillers (e.g. Restylane, Juvederm, etc.): These are considered the putty and spackle of medicine. In this treatment, doctors fill wrinkles with a variety of substances, including collagen, hyaluronic acid, and other synthetic compounds. Treatments last 6-12 months. My local medi-spa charges $550/1.0 cc syringe and $300/0.4 cc syringe (for touch-ups) for Restylane injections.

Botox: An injection of this purified version of the A-Botulinum toxin relaxes the muscle just underneath the wrinkle, allowing the skin on top to lie smooth and crease-free. Treatments last 3-6 months. My local medi-spa charges $295/1 area - $775 /3 areas.

CONCLUSION
This little research project was an eye-opener. It appears that in the near future, (i.e., in the year or so), my beauty budget will only increase by $45/month.

The cosmetic procedures offered by my local medi-spa is prohibitively expensive since it appears that I'll need to get multiple treatments per year ad infinitum. The treatments also are pretty distasteful since it involves injecting toxins or acids and/or scraping off or peeling off my outer-dermis.

But the biggest concerns I have in starting these cosmetic procedures is that it may become a gateway towards other more invasive procedures. I know this is a big leap, but if I start using cosmetic procedures and surgeries to compensate for personal insecurities or lack of self-esteem, it can lead to a never-ending personal hell where I'll end up looking like Jocelyn Wildenstein.

Perhaps the best thing for my budget (and myself) is to accept myself as-is and to grow old gracefully and naturally as much as I can.

My TMD and HSA

Last year my dentist found a cavity in my top-left wisdom tooth and recommended that I have it pulled. Being an anti-dentite, I haven’t had it done.



Since about a couple weeks ago, I started experiencing serious pain in my left jaw. I was concerned that I would need major dental work (i.e., oral surgery to extract the wisdom tooth). Truth be told, I was more worried that I'll have to pay major out-of-pocket expenses and that my health spending account (aka "Flexible Spending Arrangment" per IRS) wouldn't have enough money to cover it.

Before I go on, I have to sing a little praise about health spending accounts. Every November, when I make changes to my company benefits, I elect to contribute $20 per paycheck towards my HSA on a pre-tax basis. When the new year rolls along, I will immediately have $520 (i.e., $20 x 26 paychecks) in my account that I can use towards qualified medical expense at any time regardless of the amount I’ve actually contributed!

The draw back to the HSA is that it’s a use-it-or-lose-it plan where I’ll forfeit any money I haven’t spent by December 31. The HSA still is a great deal since my taxable income is reduced by my contribution and my out-of-pocket medical expenses are paid with pre-tax money!

I visited my dentist today and as it turns out, I was diagnosed with temporomandibular disorder (TMD). The causes of TMD are presently unknown but emotional stress is often cited as a cause of TMD (and teeth grinding).

As I’ve said in my prior post, I expect to be laid off at the end of the year. I didn’t think that I was too stressed about this but apparently I am.

The bright side of this all is that all I need to treat my TMD are Advil, a warm compress, soft food and time. No money out of my HSA or my pocket! Yeay!

Biggest Future Unknown Financial Threat – Health Costs

I plan to retire when I’m 67 although I'd like to downshift my career when I hit 55 or so. But what if my health deteriorates before then? What will also happen to Medicare? What if I’m underinsured/uninsurable due to a pre-existing disease?

For retired couples today, Fidelity is recommending a reserve of $225,000 just to cover medical costs! Assuming a present day cost of $113,000 for a single person and a yearly 4% inflation rate, I’ll need to have $365,000 saved by age 67 to cover medical costs alone!

I’ve concluded that in order to ensure wealth, I also need to be more proactive with my health now.

Here are some of my health goals:

1. Maintain An Appropriate Weight
Check. I’m 5’1”, 105 lbs and my BMI is 19.8. The ideal weight range for someone my height is 97.9 – 132.3 lbs.

Additionally, I’m also pear shaped with a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.74.
This means I have the lowest risk of heart disease and diabetes. Sweet!

2. Get Immunized and Tested
Semi-okay. I go to my yearly check up with my gynecologist. I go to my primary doctor to get a flu shot every year. I go to my dentist and optometrist yearly as well. When I used to test my blood glucose regularly (before the meter ran out of battery) and my blood glucose was always normal.

I’ve never been tested for cholesterol and don’t know when I got my last tetanus/diphtheria shots, though.

3. Eat Fewer Salty Snack Foods and More Fruits and Vegetables
Needs significant improvement. Given the choice, I’d be eating potato chips, beer and ice cream for dinner every night. I hate salads too.

I found that this health goal is easier to accomplish by eating from the 14 Super Foods.

At present, the only items I’m eating regularly on this list are: tomatoes, grapefruit, soy and tea. 4 out of 14 is not good at all. My shopping list should start including broccoli, spinach, carrots, blueberries, yogurt, chicken, salmon, oatmeal, nuts and beans.

4. Exercise
Complete failure. I’m, shall we say, athletically challenged. I need to get back into the habit of walking at least 30 minutes a day. Thus far, I probably walk 30 minutes a week.