In This Issue:n Dealing with Pesky Outdoor Summer Pests

n Preventing and Treating Night Leg Cramps

n Healthy Recipe: Hummus

n Nutritional Updates for Ages 50+

n Health Flash

n Protect Your Online Identity

n Don’t Let Stress Grind You Down

n Customer Service Center

Dealing with Pesky Outdoor Summer Pests

601 E. Britton Rd.Oklahoma City, OK 73114

A Kemper Life & Health Company

Summer is finally here! With the warmer days and evenings, we all like to spend more

time outdoors. Those warmer temperatures also bring about an onslaught of pesky insects that can pose serious health dangers.

Bees and Wasps: When you see a bee coming your way, decide what you are dealing with. Honey bees are rather small, fuzzy, and dark brown. They aren’t very aggressive. They’re after flowers, not you. Nonetheless, you should never disturb a colony of bees.

Wasps, however, may be aggravated just to see you in their territory. If you encounter them, back away slowly and stay calm. Waving your arms and sudden movements will only attract more of them.

At a picnic, keep food and drinks in covered containers until ready to serve so they don’t attract bees. Keep soda can openings covered to keep them from crawling inside... a very unpleasant surprise.

Mosquitoes: These invasive pests can carry the debilitating, and sometimes deadly, West Nile Virus. You should remember the “Five Ds” of mosquito avoidance:

1. Dusk until dawn. Limit time spent outdoors from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most active.

2. Drain any standing water where mosquitoes could lay eggs.

3. Dress appropriately. Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when you’re headed into mosquito country.

4. Doors and barriers. Install screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes from entering.

5. DEET. Apply an insect repellent containing DEET if you will be outdoors for very long.

Ticks: These small, parasitic creatures feed off the blood of animals and humans. Ticks spread disease – some of them quite serious with long-lasting effects including Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain

Spotted Fever. If you are going to be in an area where ticks are present, spray repellents on your shoes and clothing. People who have been in the wooded or grassy areas should inspect themselves, their clothing, and their pets for ticks. Many tick species exist, and some are quite tiny, so it is important to be diligent.

Chiggers: Although they are extremely small in size, their bites pack a powerful punch. You don’t notice chiggers at first, but when you eventually do feel them, it will be intense itching. While chiggers do not carry disease, infections can develop if you give in to the temptation to scratch the rash.

It can take anywhere from one to three weeks for chigger bites to heal. You may use anti-itch medications or apply ice to the bites for relief. Avoid very hot baths and showers. It is a common misconception that chiggers burrow under the skin. They do not, so there is no need to try to remove them.

Summer 2014Insurance Benefits Provided by Reserve National Insurance Company

SOLUTIONSfor an Active Lifestyle

Healthy Recipe:

Mediterranean HummusWith the help of a food processor, this recipe couldn’t be easier! Hummus is a staple of the Mediterranean diet, and is packed with healthy fiber. Serve it as a dip with carrots and other raw vegetables, or with crunchy pita chips.

1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas) 2-3 cloves garlic 1 tsp. salt 1/2 c. tahini 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

Cook garbanzo beans in liquid until heated. Pour off liquid and reserve. Mince garlic with salt in food processor, add beans and pulse 10 times. Add tahini, lemon juice and reserved bean liquid. Process until mixture is consistence of creamy paste. Spoon into a serving bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Garnish with olive oil, toasted pine nuts and/or paprika. Makes 2 cups.

Preventing and Treating Night Leg CrampsIf you occasionally get cramps in your legs at night, you know how painful they can be. Cramping usually occurs in the calf muscles. Cramping in the thighs or feet is less common.

Prevention

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic say these actions help prevent night leg cramps.

• Be sure you are adequately hydrated. Drink water and other liquids throughout the day, especially if you have engaged in physical activity. Continue drinking fluids after being active. It helps muscles contract and relax.

• Stretch before bed, especially muscles that have cramped before. For a calf stretch, step forward on the offending leg and slightly bend your knee. Hold for several seconds.

• Wear shoes that have proper support to help prevent leg cramps.

• Do some light exercise for a few minutes before retiring. Ride a stationary bike, for example.

• Loosen the bed covers and bed sheets at the foot of the bed.

Treatment

Pain from leg cramps can last from a few seconds to 15 minutes or more.

• Stretch the leg out to relieve a sudden spasm. Or hold the top of your foot up toward your head to relieve a calf spasm. Gently massage the area.

• Use cold or heat. Apply a cold pack, a warm towel or a heating pad. Taking a hot bath or shower can help.

If frequent cramping interferes with your sleep, see a doctor to make sure there is not an underlying condition that may be causing the leg cramps.

BRAIN TEASER: FAMOUS MOVIE STAR CITY

Nutritional Updates for Ages 50+

What is the biggest misconception regarding the role of nutrition as it relates to heart disease? Nutrition can have a direct impact on heart disease. One big example is the importance of vitamin B12. In adults over 50, there is a decreased ability to absorb vitamin B12. A person can actually get heart disease with a vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 can be found in fortified cereals, lean meats, fish and low-fat dairy.

In what ways is hydration even more important as people age? Older people have a decreased thirst sensation, so they can get dehydrated easier. This can lead to several different kidney and urinary tract issues. Don’t rely on your thirst as an indicator for fluid

needs. Fill a large water container and make it a goal to drink at least two of them daily, in addition to the water you take in through foods and other beverages.

What changes can people prediabetes make to their diet that will have a big impact in delaying or preventing their blood glucose levels from reaching type 2 levels? The best thing they can do is eat less food at a sitting and instead eat more frequently. Meal skipping and then “mega-mealing” really challenge the body. The other big thing is to increase physical activity. Exercise helps pull glucose out of the bloodstream, so it is nature’s best way to balance the body’s processes.

Questions and answers from the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics

An Active Lifestyle May Fill Exercise Requirement

Research on exercise science at Oregon State University shows that small increments of daily activities, even of one-to-two-minute duration, can have positive health benefits, including preventing high blood pressure and high cholesterol.The study showed that 43 percent of those who participated in short bouts of activities met the recommended 30 minutes a day. This might include yard work and gardening or housework. Less than 10 percent of those in structured exercise groups met the minimum because they were more sedentary the rest of the day.

15-Minute Refresher Naps

If you need a quick recharge in a busy day, you might try this unusual method recommended by caring.com: the caffeine nap.Set the stage for your nap by darkening the room and getting a comfy place to lay down. Set the alarm clock if time is crucial.Here is the unusual part of the refresher: before you lie down for your nap, drink a cup of coffee. After 15 or 20 minutes, the coffee will help you wake up refreshed.

Hot Weather Fluid Intake

During hot weather you will need to increase your fluid intake, regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. During heavy exercise in a hot environment, drink two to four glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour.Don’t drink liquids that have alcohol, or large amounts of sugar. These actually cause you to lose more body fluid.

Health Flash

Protect Your Online Identity

Identity protection has been in the news lately, and with good reason: cybercrime incidents are on the rise and show little sign of slowing down.

Your first line of defense is a good anti-spyware software and firewall for your computer. Beyond that, your best defense involves a few common sense best practices.

Use an alternative identity, with a second email address, for public sites. If your information gets in the hands of spammers, you can delete that identity and create a new one.

If an email link looks suspicious, it probably is. If a link in an email does not look suspicious, it still may be. Don’t click on anything that you are not absolutely certain is a legitimate link.

Share personal details about yourself only with trusted sites and people or companies that you know. When filling out forms, only give the basics that are required to submit the form.

Check with your credit card company to see if they offer an online pay service that will give you a one-time card number. More companies are looking at this option as credit card theft increases.

Change your passwords often. The suggested number of characters: 14. The most often-used password: password. Don’t be an easy target.

Customer Service Center We’re Here to Help!

Change of Address? Please let us know!

To better serve you as a policyholder, we must keep your current address and phone number in our records. If you have moved or changed phone numbers recently, please call our Customer Service toll-free line at 855.516.8528. You may also email us at customerservice@kemperseniorsolutions.com. To ensure that we update your records correctly, please include your policy number(s).

If you change addresses in the future, you will also need to fill out a Change of Address at your local United States postal facility. Before submitting your Change of Address card, please discuss your planned change with a U.S. Postal Clerk and have them examine your change on your card. Incorrect Change of Address submission can be a big irritation for you – and a problem for us.

Kemper Senior SolutionsP.O. Box 9965

Austin, TX 78766

Kemper Senior Solutions’ Customer Service Department may be our policyholders’ best friend. These Austin, Texas-based workers solve problems every day for Kemper Senior Solutions customers across the United States. If you have a question about a claim, premium payment or your policy, please give one of our Customer Service Representatives a call. They’ll give you the personal attention you deserve.

KemperSenior Solutions

Customer Service:855.516.8528

8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through FridayTimes are Central Time Zone.

You can also reach us by email: customerservice@kemperseniorsolutions.com

Please have your policy number in front of you when calling, and/or

include it within your email.

Published Quarterly for Kemper Senior Solutions PolicyholdersSOLUTIONS

Copyright ©June 2014 by Reserve National Insurance Company, 601 E. Britton Rd., Oklahoma City, OK 73114. Kemper Senior Solutions Newsletter is published quarterly for policyholders of the Kemper Senior Solutions line of insurance products underwritten by Reserve National Insurance Company. Any medical information in this publication is meant to complement the advice and guidance of your physician, not to replace it.

Insurance provided byReserve National Insurance Company

A Kemper Life & Health Company

Don’t Let Stress Grind You DownBruxism is a condition in which you grind, gnash or clench your teeth. Some people unconsciously clench their teeth together during the day or grind them at night, known as sleep bruxism.

Bruxism may be mild, or it can be frequent and severe enough to lead to jaw disorders, headaches, earaches, and damage to the teeth and tongue. If you have sleep bruxism, you may be unaware of it until symptoms develop.

Causes of bruxism include: • Anxiety, stress or tension,

including suppressed anger or frustration.

• Having an aggressive or competitive personality type.

• An abnormal alignment of the upper and lower teeth.

• A side effect of psychiatric medications or antidepressants.

A complication can develop in the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) in front of your ears. You feel it when opening and closing your mouth. There are other causes of jaw or ear pain, including ear infection.

Medications are not very effective for bruxism, except for a muscle relaxant that can be taken before bed for sleep bruxism. Stress management seems to work better. Mouth guards also help, and are available at pharmacies or custom made by your dentist.

Behavioral therapy includes practicing proper mouth and jaw position. Rest your tongue upward with your teeth apart and your lips closed. This should keep your teeth from grinding and your jaws from clenching.

“You may experience

irritability and pain in the hands and wrist... and

that’s just from trying to get the cap off.”

Just for Laughs...