Aim for Healthier Hydration with a Habit-Building Beverage

Aim for Healthier Hydration with a Habit-Building Beverage

(Family Features) Begin building tiny, healthier practices into routines you already have to help make it easier to establish habits you can stick to. This concept is called “habit stacking,” and it can help you improve habits from morning to night.

Consider those busy mornings when you need an on-the-go solution rather than opting for sugary foods and drinks, turn to Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothies that include unsweetened green tea. When incorporated as part of an overall healthy diet, unsweetened tea can support heart health.

This no-sugar-added recipe from Lipton, a proud national sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Life is Why campaign, can help you enjoy healthier mornings while checking emails or hydrating before heading to the office.

Choosing beverages with no added sugars can contribute to a healthy heart, according to the  American Heart Association, making these smoothies perfect for building into a morning routine. Because it’s predominantly water, which is needed to keep your body running at its best, unsweetened tea provides a delicious way to hydrate without ditching those healthier habits.

Visit Heart.org/eatsmart to find more habits that contribute to heart health.

Watch video to see how to make this recipe!

Green Tea Berry Banana Smoothies

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association
Servings: 4 (1 1/2 cups per serving)

• 3          cups water
• 8          single-serving green tea bags
• 16        ounces frozen mixed berries (about 3 cups)
• 2          medium bananas, peeled, cut in half and frozen
• 1          cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 2          teaspoons fresh-grated peeled gingerroot (optional)
• 2          teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
• 2          teaspoons chia or flax seeds (optional)

1. In small saucepan over high heat, bring water to boil. Remove pan from heat. Submerge tea bags. Steep 4 minutes. Discard tea bags. Let tea mixture cool 30 minutes. Pour into pitcher. Refrigerate 2 hours, or until chilled.
2. In food processor or blender, process tea, berries, bananas and yogurt until smooth. Add gingerroot and vanilla, if desired, and process until smooth. Pour into four glasses. Sprinkle with chia seeds, if desired.

Nutritional information per serving (without optional ingredients): 136 calories; 1 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, trans fat, polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat); 3 mg cholesterol; 23 mg sodium; 29 g carbohydrates; 5 g fiber; 18 g total sugars (0 g added sugars); 8 g protein.

SOURCE:
American Heart Association

(Family Features) Every day, criminals target older Americans with one goal – to steal their Medicare numbers and other protected health information. To fraudsters, this information is just as valuable as credit card information. These criminals steal Medicare numbers and unlawfully bill Medicare for medical services that were never provided to the patient or overbill for provided services.

Medicare Fraudsters

When criminals commit fraud, and falsely bill Medicare, people’s medical records may become inaccurate and they can suffer delayed or even be denied care. In the end, Medicare fraud costs taxpayers billions of dollars every year. Each dollar lost to fraud takes away resources intended for people with Medicare.

Protect Yourself
Fraudsters are getting creative and new scams are continually emerging. The best thing you can do is beware of people who contact you for your Medicare number or other personal information. You may be contacted by phone, text or email by someone posing as a Medicare representative, a health care provider or even a medical equipment company. If someone you don’t know asks for your Medicare number, hang up or delete the message – this is a scam.

Consider these tips to help protect yourself against Medicare fraud and stay one step ahead of fraudsters:

• Guard your Medicare card just like your Social Security card and credit card.
• Only share your Medicare information with your trusted health care providers.
• Be skeptical of free gifts, free medical services, discount packages or any offer that sounds too good to be true.
• Always check your Medicare claims statements to make sure they are accurate. Call 1-800-MEDICARE if you suspect you or Medicare has been billed for a service you did not receive.

Watch Out for Medicare Hospice Fraud
Beware of scammers offering older Americans in-home perks, like free cooking, cleaning and home health services, while they are unknowingly being signed up for hospice services. The scammers then unlawfully bill Medicare for these services in your name.

Criminals are using every avenue they can to sign you up including door-to-door visits, false advertising, phone, text and email. Hospice care is for people who are terminally ill and only you and your doctor can make this serious decision if you need end-of-life care.

Remember this advice to avoid hospice scams:

• Your doctor is the only one who can certify you’re terminally ill (with a life expectancy of 6 months or less). If you are not terminally ill, you should not receive hospice care.
• Never accept perks or gifts in return for signing up for hospice services.
• Medicare will never provide “free” services like housekeeping.
• Be suspicious if someone offers you free services like housekeeping or cooking in return for your Medicare number.
• Medicare will never come to your home.

Report Medicare Fraud
Reporting Medicare fraud protects you and millions of other people with Medicare and those with disabilities. If you or someone you know has experienced Medicare fraud or suspect an offer you’ve received is a scam, report it as soon as possible. You will never be in trouble for reporting fraud.

To learn more, visit Medicare.gov/fraud. To report potential fraud, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Information provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Our Lifestyle section on STM Daily News is a hub of inspiration and practical information, offering a range of articles that touch on various aspects of daily life. From tips on family finances to guides for maintaining health and wellness, we strive to empower our readers with knowledge and resources to enhance their lifestyles. Whether you’re seeking outdoor activity ideas, fashion trends, or travel recommendations, our lifestyle section has got you covered. Visit us today at https://stmdailynews.com/category/lifestyle/ and embark on a journey of discovery and self-improvement.

COLUMBUS, Ohio /PRNewswire/ — Rally House, a national retailer of sports apparel and gifts, continues to grow in the Columbus, Ohio, metro after opening Rally House Tanger Columbus. Rally House opened their first Columbus storefront in August of 2022 with Rally House Lewis Center. Today, after opening their doors to Rally House Tanger Columbus, the company proudly operates five brick-and-mortar locations in the Columbus area. Find Rally House Tanger Columbus on the east end of the Tanger Outlets Columbus near Old Navy.

Rally House is ecstatic to open yet another store in the Columbus market. The new location opens just a little over a month after the establishment of Rally House Reynoldsburg; the company’s exponential growth in the area allows new customers access to top-notch sports gear across Columbus. “We work hard and play hard here at Rally House,” Aaron Johnson, VP of Marketing, said. “We’ve launched two stores in the Columbus market within the past two months, taking the total new store count in Ohio to six for the year, with more on the horizon. To finally open doors and greet customers makes the hard work worth it!” 

At Rally House Tanger Columbus, fans will find a massive selection of Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Blue Jackets, Guardians, Reds, Crew, and Cavaliers gear, to name a several teams available in-store. Additionally, customers can shop collegiate gear for the Buckeyes, Bearcats, Ohio Bobcats, Dayton Flyers, and Miami RedHawks. Gear is available in fan-favorite brands, like Nike, ’47, Adidas, Champion and more.

Beyond sports, Rally House invites shoppers to embrace local brands and Ohio pride with the new store’s dedicated local section. Carefully curated and stocked with home décor, apparel and gifts, customers will enjoy browsing the section that celebrates Columbus and Ohio.

The team at Rally House Tanger Columbus cannot wait to help shoppers find the perfect outfit for game day, work or any other occasion. Customers are encouraged to check out www.rallyhouse.com for even more team gear and shipping options nationwide.

The company recommends customers visit the Rally House Tanger Columbus store page and follow on Facebook (@RallyHouse) and Instagram (@rally_house) for current store information and updates.

About Rally House

Rally House and Sampler Stores Inc. is a family-owned specialty boutique that offers a large selection of apparel, hats, gifts and home décor representing local NCAA, NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS teams in addition to locally inspired apparel, gifts and food. Proudly based in Lenexa, Kansas, Rally House operates 225+ locations across 21 states.

SOURCE Rally House