This section displays the last 50 news articles that were published.

Updated10/14/2012 01:05 PM

It's a difficult situation to imagine: your child has a life-threatening condition and their only hope is a bone marrow donation.That's exactly what happened with a family in California two years ago. A local college student stepped up and gave them the gift of life. Our Elyse Mickalonis has the story.

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CORTLAND, N.Y. -- SUNY Cortland Junior John Stephens is dedicated on the field and in school.

He loves the school, its a great program, being on the football team, great coaching, great staff, he has it great up here, he loves it," said John's father, Paul Stephens.

But it was a choice the Goshen-native made two years ago that many say truly defines him.

John was ready to donate and at the time he could have lost some potential time on the field, but he was willing to do that," says Paul Stephens.

Stephens and his parents participated in the football teams Get in the Game, Save a Life National Marrow Donor Program Drive during a recruiting visit at Cortland in 2010.

A swab of his mouth to obtain cheek cells proved that he was a perfect match for a newborn girl with leukemia.

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SUNY Cortland student helps save a life

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Health and Fitness episode 1 - Video

Last week at the Association for Applied Sport Psychology annual convention I had the opportunity to listen to Joan Duda share insights from her lifes work. Dr. Duda is world renowned for her examination of motivational processes in sport and exercise. Over the course of an hour, she reminded the audience of how so many answers to success at fitness have been clearly outlined in research and theory but have been stifled in the marketplace.

The Biggest Loser was shared as an ignominious example of the marketplace trumping good science. Weeks of watching [insert your favorite celebrity trainer here] yell at, humiliate, and bully obese contestants provides no template for a successful exercise environment in non-reality t.v. reality. In a lot of regards it is actually a pretty good recipe for failed habits and poor health and wellness. The Loser coaching stumbles to fulfill all three core human needs identified by self-determination theory, one of the most prominent and respected motivation theories at this time: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Autonomy Individuals need to feel a sense of leadership and decision making during their exercise experience. Personal trainers provide the expert exercise knowledge, but the exerciser ought to be in charge of the experience.

Competence Exercisers need to view fitness programs as appropriately challenging and feel positive feedback for their efforts throughout activity. When failure is a black and white option that includes self-worth stealing embarrassment, motivation loss is not far behind. Positively viewed challenges followed by positive support create deep wells of energy.

Relatedness Throughout the fitness journey it is necessary to form connecting relationships, rather than divisive ones. When competitiveness, comparisons, and drill sergeant trainers alienate exercisers, long term success at wellness behaviors are unlikely. Connecting and accepting exercise communities are healthy both physically and spiritually.

Watch closely, reality television fails miserably on the above motivational foundations. Does your exercise environment pass the motivation litmus test?

If its your type of entertainment, watch reality t.v. If fit living is your goal, make your own reality.

Dr. Adam Naylor leads Telos Sport Psychology Consulting and is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Boston Universitys School of Education. He has a decade and a half of experiences working with professional through amateur athletes of note: US Open competitors, NCAA champions, Olympians, Stanley Cup winners, and UFC martial artists. Beyond sports, over the past five years he has served as a corporate performance and wellness consultant. He can be reached at adam@telos-spc.com. Follow him on Twitter @ahnaylor.

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Loser: Good for Entertainment, Bad for Fitness

By Bill Victor, for The Columbian

Monday, October 15, 2012

When I think of the countless buzzwords that get thrown around the fitness, health and wellness world, the one that seems to reoccur with frequency is "antioxidant."

If one were to conclude that this term bombarding the airwaves with regular frequency is a good thing, they would be right. Understanding how antioxidants work, why they work, and better yet, what they do for us can significantly change the way we approach food, and appreciate how powerful the synergy of certain foods can be in our body.

To translate the term "antioxidant" literally would include breaking its name into two distinct parts. "Anti," meaning "against," and "oxidant," or oxidation, which is a process by which unstable electrons are fractured from their regular orbit around healthy molecules and instead begin attacking healthy cells. This release of "free radicals" can create a chain reaction continuing to upset or bombard the stable electron "orbit" of other healthy cells, ultimately damaging or terminating them. Fortunately, one of the miracles of the human body is its ability to create new cells.

To the rescue arrive the antioxidants which, in essence, consume or neutralize these free radicals and stop the cell destruction process occurring in the body.

Supplements?

Oxidation in the human body is significant because it is responsible for many different diseases, the aging process and general health. The causes of oxidation are a result of pollutants, mental stress, sunburns, poor dietary choices and environmental hazards. These events initiate the process of cells dying and ultimately making the body more vulnerable to disease and degeneration.

It is important to mention that oxidation is not only a result of external events, but is also a product of respiration, metabolism and inflammation, which are unavoidable.

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Just what is an antioxidant?

INDIANAPOLIS & NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

In a continuing effort to promote well-being, WellPoint, Inc. (WLP) has extended its current contract offering Healthways (HWAY) award-winning SilverSneakers Fitness Program to eligible members of several WellPoint affiliated health plans. SilverSneakers, the acclaimed exercise program designed to keep older adults active and healthyi, is provided to more than 700,000 eligible Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement members of WellPoints affiliated plans.

The SilverSneakers Fitness Program is designed exclusively for older adults. The program engages participants in active behavior change through access to a variety of physical activity venues and senior-specific programming that incorporates physical activity, nutrition, cognitive and social experiences.

SilverSneakers is a great way for Medicare beneficiaries to get started or continue with an exercise program because it groups participants with their peers and provides them with age appropriate exercises, said Leeba Lessin, senior vice president and president of WellPoints senior business. We are very pleased to be able to offer it to eligible members in many WellPoint affiliated plans and we encourage them to take advantage of it.

Physical activity can play a critical role in the prevention and treatment of various chronic illnesses. A published Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that individuals who participate in SilverSneakers programs have lower long-term medical costs and require fewer hospital admissions.ii A separate CDC study found that SilverSneakers provided tangible health benefits for high-risk members. Members with diabetes who were active in SilverSneakers were admitted to the hospital less often, had lower inpatient care costs and had significant reduction in overall health care costs after only a year of participation.iii

There is growing recognition that the most effective solutions are based on collaborative efforts that help individuals, wherever they may be on the health continuum, avoid the next episode of care. Research has consistently demonstrated that SilverSneakers improves the health and well-being of participants through its unique combination of exercise and social support, said Ben R. Leedle, Jr., Healthways president and chief executive officer. Many of WellPoints affiliated plans have provided SilverSneakers access to eligible Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement members since 2003. By continuing to offer the SilverSneakers program, WellPoint has confirmed its commitment to providing time-tested, proven solutions to help improve not only the physical health of plan members, but also their overall well-being.

The SilverSneakers Fitness Program was founded in 1993 and serves more than 9 million eligible members. The Healthways fitness center network offers convenient access to more than 15,000 participating fitness and wellness facilities nationwide.

The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information, contact the plan. Benefits may change on Jan. 1 of each year. Limitations, co-payments and restrictions may apply. The SilverSneakers Fitness Program is provided by Healthways, Inc., an independent company. SilverSneakers is a registered mark of Healthways, Inc.

About Healthways

Healthways is the largest independent global provider of well-being improvement solutions. Dedicated to creating a healthier world one person at a time, the Company uses the science of behavior change to produce and measure positive change in well-being for our customers, which include employers, integrated health systems, hospitals, physicians, health plans, communities and government entities. We provide highly specific and personalized support for each individual and their team of experts to optimize each participants health and productivity and to reduce health-related costs. Results are achieved by addressing longitudinal health risks and care needs of everyone in a given population. The Company has scaled its proprietary technology infrastructure and delivery capabilities developed over 30 years and now serves approximately 40 million people on four continents. Learn more at http://www.healthways.com or http://www.silversneakers.com.

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WellPoint Affiliated Plans That Offer Healthways SilverSneakers® Fitness Program Extend Contract

StepForward to Better Health (http://www.Stepforwrd.com) Introduces Helpful Wellness Tracking Program on New Website

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October 15, 2012

These additions and changes better help the community connect with the common goal of continuously providing the best tools possible to help each other keep track of their health. By integrating features such as a news ticker, health journal, and daily reports and challenges, StepForward to Better Health helps stepforwrd.com members meet their five pillars for wellness every day.

Stepforwrd.com is meant to help people from all walks of fitness and health form a cornerstone for long-term wellness, said Renee Perschin-Usem, President of StepForward. The StepForward to Better Health team has been hard at work making site improvements to provide more interactive content and an improved user experience. We are very excited to launch our redesigned site to help our members take that step towards better health.

The StepForward to Better Health website provides helpful tools and resources such as a user-friendly dashboard where members can see where they stand on their daily improvements, intake, exercise and more. Tools such as a welcome-page dashboard, Twitter challenges, and wellness ideas work together to help members form healthy habits and live an active lifestyle. With the help of useful online health and fitness tracking tools at Stepforwrd.com, members can now learn about wellness and help the community make better choices each day toward better health and happiness.

About StepForward to Better Health

StepForward is a wellness community and program meant to help users achieve overall wellness through a healthy mind, body, and spirit. The StepForward program is evidence-based and created with user-friendly simple steps to help you break the cycle and Step Forward to better health. While helping consumers to track their own health habits, StepForward also gives useful and inspirational advice and suggestions. This lifestyle program is based on five pillars that are often overlooked in our daily lives: exercise, sleep, water, food and medication. To learn more about StepForward and to take advantage of their free fitness and health tracking tools, please visit http://www.Stepforwrd.com. StepForward is powered by iMobile Wellness, LLC.

Elizabeth Maxim Marketing Maven Public Relations, Inc. (310) 341-7351 Email Information

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StepForward Launches Redesigned Website Offering New Community Features, Enhanced Navigation and User-Friendly Dashboard

Well-being enhancement company Healthways (HWAY) and Coventry Health Care (CVH) recently revealed an understanding to provide the SilverSneakers Fitness Program to Coventrys qualified Medicare Advantage enrollees in 13 states. Starting from January 1, 2013, as per a three year deal, SilverSneakers will become available to enrollees in the states of Wyoming, Utah, Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Kansas and Illiniois.

Coventry has provided fitness regimens to its Medicare Advantage enrollees since 2009. Coventry and Healthways started their relationship in 2012 by providing SilverSneakers to eligible Coventry enrollees in Florida.

For health plans inclusive of SilverSneakers provision, Coventrys Medicare Advantage enrollees will have complete and free access to SilverSneakers facilities throughout the U.S.

Bethesda, Maryland based Coventry Health Care is a large managed health care company. The company provides a complete portfolio of fee based and risk products including Medicare programs.

The Healthways model encourages people to make favorable lifestyle changes that lead to enhanced well-being, reduced healthcare costs, improved performance and economic value for customers. The company has invested in technology platforms that provide scalable support with large populations. It has tie-ups with a large proportion of U.S. health plans and counts many millions of lives in its customer base.

Due to its unique scalable business model, Healthways shares may present a long-term investment opportunity, although it faces many challenges in the short term.

Healthways is the leader in a strategically critical and rapidly evolving part of the health care services market. Its fitness program (SilverSneakers) for seniors is available at over 15,000 centers across the U.S. and is available to over nine million eligible enrollees through Medicare Supplement, Medicare Advantage plans and group retiree plans. Healthways competes with Express Scripts (ESRX) among others.

We currently have an Outperform recommendation on Healthways. The stock retains a Zacks #1 Rank, which translates into a short-term Strong Buy rating.

Read the Full Research Report on HWAY

Read the Full Research Report on ESRX

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CVH Widens Use of HWAY Program

I have about $700,000 and plan on retiring soon at age 62. How can I make this money last at least 30 years? -- Steve, Vevay, Ind.

Making sure your money lasts isn't your only goal for retirement. Presumably, you also want to be able to draw enough from your savings to live relatively comfortably the rest of your life. And I assume you would like to have some flexibility about how you tap this nest egg, so you can fund not just regular living costs but unexpected expenses and the occasional splurge.

I mention this not to quibble, but because understanding that you actually have several goals is important when deciding how to manage your $700,000 stash.

If making sure you didn't outlive your nest egg were your only consideration, you could simply put your entire 700 grand into an immediate annuity, a type of investment that gives you a monthly check the rest of your life. As long as you're prudent about how you go about it -- sticking to highly-rated insurers, spreading your money among enough companies to assure you're fully covered by your state's insurance guaranty association -- you could sit back and collect $3,600 a month, possibly more, for as long as you live.

But you would also give up something -- namely, access to your money. Once you buy the annuity, you can no longer dip into your stash for emergencies and such. You receive only the monthly payments. And unless you buy an immediate annuity with an inflation rider -- which usually means accepting an initial payment that's about 25% less than one without inflation protection -- the purchasing power of your monthly check will decline throughout retirement.

Such shortcomings are why putting your entire stash in an immediate annuity probably isn't the right way to go.

There's another option, however, that can give you the flexibility you need, plus a good shot at inflation protection. Just invest your 700 grand in a relatively conservative mix of stock and bond funds -- say, 50% stocks-50% bonds -- and withdraw the cash you need each year.

To increase the odds that your money will last at least 30 years, you could follow what's commonly referred to as the "4% rule" -- that is, withdraw 4% of your nest egg's value the first year of retirement, $28,000 in your case, and increase that amount by the inflation rate each year to maintain your purchasing power.

Although the probability can vary depending on the assumptions you make about inflation and investment returns, there's roughly an 80% chance your money will last at least 30 years if you follow this regimen. Plus, you would have the opportunity to dip into your stash for extra cash should you need it.

But this approach has drawbacks, too. One is that while your chances of running out of money too soon are low, they're not zero. There is still a meaningful risk. That's especially true if your investments take a big hit early in retirement. In that case, the combination of investment losses, plus withdrawals could so deplete your portfolio's value that your nest egg could run dry well before 30 years.

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How to Make Your Retirement Savings Last

LAFAYETTE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Sitzmann Lavis White, LLC (dba SLW Retirement Plan Advisors), a retirement plan advisory firm, is pleased to announce that John Negrete has joined as a Retirement Plan Advisor.

Mr. Negrete came to SLW from M Advisory Group (formerly Cal-Surance in Torrance, CA) where he served as a Retirement Plan Advisor for many of their qualified plan clients. John specializes in provider due diligence, fiduciary oversight and employee communications related to 401(k), 403(b), 457 and other qualified plan types.

We are thrilled to have John join the team, said Nathan White, Managing Principal of SLW. Johns strong communication skills and first rate experience with a well-respected firm in Southern California will be a tremendous value to our growing clientele. Also, John will bring an enhanced focus on marketing which will allow us to expand into multiple markets throughout the West Coast. We couldnt be happier that he has made the move.

Mr. Negrete graduated from the UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts. He maintains his FINRA 7, 66 and California Life Agent licenses and is also fluent in Spanish. John, his wife Kat, and son Johnny will be relocating to Northern California next month.

About SLW Retirement Plan Advisors

SLW Retirement Plan Advisors (SLW) is a retirement plan advisory firm based in Lafayette, CA. SLW is a Registered Investment Advisor with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and focuses on Qualified and Non-Qualified plans in multiple plan markets. As a leader in fiduciary risk governance, investment due diligence and plan benchmarking, their technical proficiency are unmatched nationwide. For more information, please visitwww.slwadvisors.com.

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John Negrete Joins SLW Retirement Plan Advisors

If you remember the slogan, This is not your fathers Buick, read on.

As a baby boomer, the life you live in your later years is also not going to be your fathers retirement."

Baby boomers face a different reality and environment in which their parents retired, and it's going to be tougher for many boomers to enjoy a similar standard of living post work life.

The chart below comes courtesy of the Center for Retirement Research (CRR) at Boston College, and is based upon national data going back to 1983. Each line represents a different year and illustrates the amount of assets owned by various age groups compared to their income. As you might expect, at younger ages people have less accumulated wealth than their older counterparts. However, by age 60, the wealth-to-income ratio has increased to roughly four to one.

The chart emphasis that over the past 25 or so years, the pattern of wealth accumulation has been extremely stable- except in the most recent survey. As you can see by the dashed line, in 2010 wealth accumulation was lower across virtually all age groups, illustrating the impact of the severe recession. The steady high unemployment rates forced many people to draw down retirement savings and other accounts prematurely because they simply needed the money.

In addition, there was also a huge decline in the value of two significant assets classes: residential real estate and stocks. Compare how high the wealth-to-income ratio was in 2007, when both stocks and, to a larger degree, home prices were soaring. A year later, both markets went bust and so did the wealth people thought they had accumulated--as illustrated in the 2010 line.

The wealth-to-income ratio is a good predictor of how much income someone can replace once they retire. The fact that Americans at every stage of life are accumulating assets at a below-average rate is a trend CRR labels particularly alarming.

Here's the problem: Even if the wealth-to-income ratio at retirement age gets back to where its been historically--roughly four to one--the Center for Retirement Research warns that future retirees are still going to be in trouble. Changes in several factors have made financing todays retirement more expensive than in the past and as a consequence, the retirees of today and tomorrow really need to be entering this stage of their lives with significantly more wealth than previous generations, not less.

Senior CRR research economist Anthony Webb, says the danger is that pre-retirees today may figure, Ive accumulated about the same amount [of assets] as my parents and theyre OK, so Ill be OK.This is a false logic. Your parents may have been OK, but youre going to live longer, face lower interest rates and have higher health-care costs.

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Retirement Risks are Rising for Boomers.. and Beyond