Here are ways to afford medications
IF you’re one of the 25 percent of women 18 to 64 who regularly skip their prescribed medication, you may be dimming your chances for long-term survival.
According to a study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, in the U.S. women are 54 percent more likely to skip needed medications than men are. Why? Because so often health insurance is tied to employment. Women are less likely than men to have full-time jobs and they earn less.
Among the most frequently prescribed medications for (non-pregnant) American women age 15 to 44 are levothyroxine (for low thyroid conditions), albuterol (for asthma) and SSRIS (to treat depression and anxiety). Until health care coverage is sustained, equal and affordable for all, if you’re having trouble paying for your medications, look at these resources:
— Needymeds: needymeds.org or email them at
DRS. OZ AND ROIZEN info@needymeds.org. They have info on assistance programs, databases and organizations that offer drug coupons and rebates.
— Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PHRMA) created the medicineassistancetool. org website to help patients get medicines for free or nearly free. Info also is at Rxassist.org.
Going with the grain A study in Public Health Nutrition found that when presented with mocked-up grain products, 31 percent of U.S. adults incorrectly identified the healthier options for cereal, and 47 percent goofed regarding bread. When estimating the whole-grain content of real products, 43 percent overstated it for honey wheat bread and 51 percent for 12-grain bread.
Why does this happen? Because of intentional misdirection on the packaging, say researchers from Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Use of words like “multigrain,” “whole grains” and “12-grain,” as well as packaging that’s brown or has an official-looking “whole grain” stamp, is most likely to cause consumers to mistakenly think the food contains highly healthful ingredients. Unfortunately, none of those “signals” tell you the product contains 100 percent whole grain and nothing but that grain.
The researchers point out that 42 percent of Americans’ calories come from low-quality carbohydrates, so it’s important to know if you’re getting minimally or unprocessed grains. Your smart steps: Only go for products that say “100% Whole Grains,” and read nutrition and ingredient labels.