January 2013 Newsletter

What´s New at Savon

Text Of The Month
Contest Winners
Keeping Fit With Jourdin Hendershot - Fitness Advice For Wheelchair Users
Grandma's Kitchen With Grandma C. - Cowboy Caviar - A Great Dip!
To Your Health - Simple Things We Do That Damage Our Teeth
News You Can Use - News From Inside Your Dental Plan
Fun Facts - Crazy, Zany Facts About Our Presidents We Bet You Didn't Know
Dental Talk - A Member Chat Forum

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Text Of The Month:

Mom: Your great aunt just passed away. LOL
Me: Why is that funny?
Mom: It's not funny son! What do you mean?
Me: Mom, lol means laughing out loud!
Mom: Oh my goodness! I sent that to everyone I thought it meant lots of love. Now I’ll have to call everyone back, oh God.

Congratulations To:

B. Villalovos of Peoria, AZ Winner of our December early payment drawing for 1 free additional year of membership.

Congratulations to our winner and thank you to everyone that entered the drawing.

Keeping Fit With Jourdin Hendershot:

Fitness Advice For Wheelchair Users

Are you a wheelchair user or do you know someone who uses a wheelchair? Many wheelchair users overlook physical fitness and exercise. Physical activity is just as important to the health of a wheelchair user as it is to a non wheelchair user.

The pushing motion that moves a wheelchair shows only the chest and shoulder muscles are being used. This means that the back muscles are not involved causing them to become weak.

An active life which includes excise is important to both your psychical and mental health Exercise helps to ensure that the body is fit and the muscle tone is retained.

A lack of exercise can lead to an increase in blood clots and also higher chances of contracting illness. Sitting in the same position can cause body sores which are painful and difficult to alleviate.

Here are some activities you can do to improve your fitness:

Cardiovascular exercise:

Your goal is to raise your heart rate, and be warm enough to break a sweat and be slightly out of breath.

Start out with 10 minute sessions and work your way up to a 20 minute session. Here are some good cardiovascular exercise ideas:

Wheelchair sprints

Resistance training (using resistance bands. The bands are available in different strengths so you can choose one which is best suited for you)

Rowing machine that attaches to the wheelchair

Wheelchair sports (basketball, volleyball, rugby, skiing, football, table tennis, tennis, track and field, and even golf)

Muscle-strengthening exercise:

Before you begin doing any strength training exercises, you should warm up with stretches for five minutes. After the exercises, there should also be five minutes of cooling down.

Pushups are one form of strength training. Apply the brakes on your wheelchair and place your hands on the armrest. Holding the armrest, lift your body a few inches off the seat and slowly sit back again. Repeat this five times and increase the number of sets gradually. Take breaks in between and be careful not to overexert.

You can also do overhead stretches which involves sitting straight and extending both hands above the head while inhaling. Interlock your fingers and turn your palms towards ceiling. Then, exhale and push your hands slightly backwards. Hold the position for few seconds and return to original position. Repeat the set five times. You can also use free weights or dumbbells for bicep curls and lateral raises.

You can also look into a gym that is adapted to wheelchair users, they will have the proper equipment to help you strengthen other muscles.

Remember: Always consult your physician before starting any new exercises or activities.

If you have questions you would like to discuss with Jourdin, feel free to drop her an email by clicking here.

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Grandma's Kitchen With Grandma C.:
With a recipe submitted by Dawn L. of Glendale, AZ

Cowboy Caviar - A Great Dip!

Ingredients

2 8oz cans of original Rotel
2 8oz cans of whole kernel corn
6 green onions, diced
1 small bag of grated cheese
½ cup of sour cream
½ cup of mayonnaise

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Transfer mix into a glass cake pan and chill for at least one hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Served cold with chips, this makes a great dip for any occasion.

If you have a recipe that you would like to share with Grandma C., drop her an email by clicking here.

To Your Health:

Simple Things We Do That Damage Our Teeth

Aside from brushing your teeth and an occasional toothache, most people don‘t give much thought to their teeth. Most people don‘t realize how food, beverages and even sports can be a hazard to the health of their teeth. Don‘t become part of the 25% of Americans over the age of 65 that have lost all of their teeth. Here are some things you can do to protect your own.

Sugar

Sugar is the #1 enemy to your teeth and the longer it stays in your mouth, the more damage it does to your teeth. Acid producing bacteria in your mouth consumes the sugar and the acid eats away at the tooth enamel. You should try to avoid foods soft sticky candies because they tend to stick in your teeth and cover them in sugar longer than other foods. On the other hand, dried fruit like raisins aren‘t any better so try fresh fruit instead.

Beverages

Soda (even sugar free), juices with sugar added and club soda are all just plain bad for your teeth. Alcohol is also acidic and can erode teeth. Alcohol also dries out your mouth thus reducing the amount of saliva you produce. Saliva is important because it helps remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth‘s surface and less plaque means less risk for acids to cause decay. It is also a good idea to rinse your mouth with water between drinks.

Smoking and Chewing Tobacco

Cigarettes contain nicotine which yellows your teeth and can also lead to oral cancer. Chewing tobacco is worse for you because the tobacco and carcinogens are in direct contact with your gums and soft tissue for an extended period of time.

Other Risks

If you use your teeth as pliers or scissors - for such things as snapping of bottle caps, removing tags from clothes, breaking open nuts or to open bags, you are in danger of wearing down or even breaking your teeth.

Medicines such as some pain relievers and antihistamines - just to name a couple, tend to cause dry mouth. Dry mouth slows saliva production putting you at a higher risk for cavities. If you are taking a medicine that is causing your mouth to dry out, discuss it with your doctor.

Grinding or clenching your teeth - while you are sleeping. Most people don‘t realize that they are doing this because they do it in their sleep. If you wake up in the morning and you teeth or jaw is sore that could be a telltale sign that you have this problem. Left unattended this can cause your teeth to wear down and can lead to a problem known as T.M.J. Visit your dentist and explain the problem because there are plenty of appliances out that can help.

Chewing – on ice, pens, pencils, bobby pins or anything not intended to be eaten can cause wear and tear on the teeth and the enamel covering the teeth. If your teeth are worn or chipped, these things can crack and damage the tooth structure.

Sports - If you play contact sports, always wear a mouth guard. You can pick one up at a sports store or have your dentist make you a custom one for maximum protection and comfort.

The above health material is provided as an information service. It should not be used for diagnostic purposes nor is it intended to take the place of the important relationship between you and your doctor.

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News You Can Use: News From Inside Your Dental Plan

Our MemberSHIP is back in port!

Senior Plan Open Enrollment Now Underway!

The Savon MemberSHIP is back in port and this time it is accepting members age 65 or older. Only the primary member is required to be age 65 or older.

The Senior Plan offers all the benefits of the Basic Plan but at a reduced membership fee. To make this Open Enrollment even better, we have rolled back the price of the Senior Plan to our 1992 prices.

The single plan is just $49.00 plus a one time processing fee of $5.00. Renewals will be billed at $49.00 per year

The double plan is just $74.00 plus a one time processing fee of $5.00. Renewals will be billed at $74.00 per year.

The memberSHIP will leaving on April 30, 2013 so tell your friends to get on board now!

Fun Facts:

Crazy, Zany Facts About Our Presidents We Bet You Didn't Know

John Quincy Adams used to get up two hours before sunrise to go skinny dipping in the Potomac River.

Andrew Jackson was the only president to ever kill a man in a duel.

Ulysses S. Grant was arrested for speeding while driving a horse and buggy in Washington, DC. He had to pay a fine of $20.00 and walk back to the White House.

Warren G. Harding once lost all the White House china gambling, on one hand of cards.

President Ford was the only President not elected as President or Vice President. He was appointed Vice President by President Richard Nixon and then became President when Richard Nixon resigned. Ford was a model for Cosmopolitan and Look magazines in the 1940's.

President Reagan loved jelly beans and used to keep a bowl of them on his desk. His nickname was Dutch.

George Bush was the captain of the baseball team at Yale University.

When Bill Clinton was in high school he shook hands with President John F. Kennedy in the Rose Garden, his nickname as a child growing up in Arkansas was Bubba.

Come back for more in next months issue!

Dental Talk - A Member Blog Forum:

Come blog with us! Dental Talk with Savon is a fun forum to post your interesting topics! Your comments are welcome, it‘s free to use and no membership is required.

Some of the topics include;

These are just a few of the topics. Our blog site contains many other interesting topics. Please join us!!