(NAPSI)—If you’re part of the soon-to-be-senior generation, it’s a healthy idea to learn all you can about Medicare, the U.S. government?administered health insurance program for seniors, before you’re eligible.

Supplementing Your Coverage

Medicare is similar to a major medical plan, but like other health insurance programs, it doesn’t cover everything. Combined with rising health care costs, this can lead to a financial burden, but one that may be eased with supplemental coverage.

Medicare Supplement is add-on insurance coverage that can help pay expenses not covered or only partially covered by Medicare, such as deductibles, co-pays and other out-of-pocket expenses.

“Medicare Supplement plans generally work like major medical insurance,” says John Fauzey, national director of senior products for Combined Insurance, a leading supplemental insurance provider. “The supplemental policy helps make up the difference between what Medicare pays and what you are charged for care. For example, with hospitalization, Medicare will pay all but $1,132. A Medicare Supplement policy can be purchased to cover that $1,132.”

Finding The Right Protection

All Medicare Supplement policies are not created equal. It’s important to find the right coverage for your specific needs.

Fauzey offers these tips:

• Look for a policy that goes into effect the moment you qualify for Medicare.

• Be sure pre-existing conditions are covered immediately and that there is no waiting period or reduction in benefits.

• Find a policy that lets you choose your health care providers (as long as they accept Medicare).

• Look for an insurance provider that offers comprehensive customer service beyond a toll-free number.

• Take the time to assess your personal situation.

A knowledgeable professional can help you identify your needs and thoroughly explain what options are available to you. Once you understand your needs, finding the right policy is much easier. Visit www.combinedinsurance.com to get started.

(NAPSI)—Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. live with Type 1 diabetes.

Typically diagnosed in childhood, people with Type 1 diabetes have a pancreas that is unable to produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar, or glucose. Therefore, they must take insulin injections or use an insulin pump. Most people understand that having diabetes means carefully monitoring food intake and taking insulin to prevent the long-term complications associated with high blood glucose. But people with diabetes and their families will tell you it’s actually low glucose, called hypoglycemia, that keeps them up at night—literally.

Parents of children with diabetes spend a lot of time monitoring glucose levels and adjusting insulin dosages and carbohydrate intake (because carbohydrates turn into sugar when processed by the body). Most parents get up several times a night to check their child’s glucose because it’s terrifying to face the possibility that, in severe cases, their child could die in the middle of the night from hypoglycemia.

KK Kessel is an 11-year-old with Type 1 diabetes who’s had two seizures as a result of nighttime hypoglycemia. His mother, Britta Bushnell, says, “The constant vigilance required to care for a child with Type 1 diabetes is beyond what most people can know.”

Technology available to help these families manage diabetes includes insulin pumps—small external devices that deliver insulin around the clock—and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems that measure glucose levels every five minutes and deliver alerts based on those levels.

In addition, the most recent innovation is the first-of-its-kind mySentry™ Remote Glucose Monitor, which could dramatically change nights for parents of children with diabetes. When used with an integrated insulin pump and CGM system, mySentry allows parents to see real-time insulin pump status and glucose trends—and hear alerts and alarms at their bedside—while their child sleeps in his or her own room.

For example, an alarm could alert parents in the middle of the night if their sleeping child’s glucose levels are falling, allowing them to take necessary action to prevent hypoglycemia. With mySentry, Britta says, “We don’t have to worry about him sleeping through lows and not treating them in the middle of the night, like we worried about for a long time.”

For more information, visit www.medtronicdiabetes.com/mysentry1.

For important safety information, please visit medtronicdiabetes.com/importantsafetyinformation.

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Know your legal rights in personal injury cases

(ARA) – You’re a passenger in a friend’s car when it’s struck by a truck running a red light. Your child is bitten by the neighbor’s dog and requires a trip to the emergency room. You’re skiing at a well-known mountain resort when a snowboarder who was drinking hits you from behind and knocks you unconscious. You eat a hamburger at a local restaurant and later become seriously ill, the result of an E. coli bacterial infection.

Americans of all walks of life experience personal injuries every day – many of them through no fault of their own. They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. While most can recover from these injuries, the road to recovery is long for others. Some may never again be able to lead normal, healthy lives.

What should you do if you’ve been involved in an accident that left you with injuries? According to FindLaw.com, the nation’s leading source of free online legal information, people who have been injured should act quickly to ensure that their rights are protected and they receive fair compensation to pay for medical treatment and lost wages.

Here are some tips from FindLaw.com to keep in mind if you’re involved in an accident:

Seek medical help immediately. It’s important to seek medical help as soon as possible to recover from your injuries – and to establish they were caused by the accident and not by a previous incident. Medical bills and receipts will be crucial in demonstrating the extent and nature of your injuries.

Call the police. Sometimes it’s critical to call legal authorities into a situation to not only provide immediate help, but also to establish a legal record of an accident or incident. For example, the neighbor’s dog gets off its leash and attacks your child, resulting in a trip to the emergency room where your child receives stitches. Filing a police report may be the right thing to do to protect your rights and prevent the dog from attacking another child in the future.

File an accident report. If you’re involved in a workplace accident – either you were injured or were a witness to an accident – file a report with the person responsible for a safe working environment. Following this procedure will be critical to creating a safer work environment, and to recovering compensation for injuries and lost wages.

Document the accident. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident, it’s vital that you document what happened. The longer you wait, the greater the possibility that memories fade and physical evidence disappears. This involves writing down what you remember about the accident, identifying all possible witnesses and obtaining detailed observations from them about what happened, and preserving evidence that may be essential to proving your claim (including photos and video). The more information you have to lend credibility to your claims, the greater the chance you will be believed and recover compensation for the damages you suffered.

Find the instructions. Every year, thousands of Americans suffer personal injuries when using a product. If it happens to you, be sure to keep the item exactly as it was when the injury took place. You also should store any instructions, labels, warnings or packaging that came with the product in a safe place.

Contact a personal injury attorney. An experienced personal injury attorney can help determine if your case is strong enough to file a claim. In addition, a personal injury attorney can help evaluate any offers you may receive from the insurance company representing the person or company that may have injured you. To find a personal injury attorney in your area, consider using the attorney locator at FindLaw.com.

Keep track of the time. Every state has laws regarding time limits under which you can file a personal injury lawsuit. This is called the “statute of limitations.” In some states, you may have only a year to file a lawsuit involving an auto accident. If you miss the deadline, your claims may be dismissed. That’s why it’s important to contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after an accident.

Recognize that you may be at fault. There’s always a chance that you may be partially at fault in an accident. For example, if you were hit by a car while bicycling, you may be at fault if you did not follow the road regulations for cyclists in your state at the time of the accident. This could affect any compensation you may receive for your injuries. If it’s determined you were 50 percent at fault, for instance, your compensation may be reduced by that amount.

To learn more about your legal rights if you’ve been personally injured, visit FindLaw.com.

Local attorneys

(NAPSI)—It may not be summer here inNorth America, but no need to miss out on the freshness of the season. Nutritious and delicious fresh nectarines, blueberries and other delights fromChileare available all winter long in your grocery store.

It’s summer inChile, where the climate, soil and water yield consistently high-quality fruit that meets the highest assurance standards in the world. That’s good news, because natural fruits are not only good to eat, they’re good for you. A half cup of blueberries packs a bounty of fiber, vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants into only 40 sweet calories. Eating blueberries may also help prevent cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

Fresh fruits can satisfy a sweet tooth without adding unhealthy fat or excessive calories because fruits contain naturally occurring sugars in calorie-free plant fibers and water. They help you fill up without filling out.

Here’s a great way to enjoy summer fresh nectarines and blueberries:

Fresh Chilean Nectarine and Blueberry Cobbler

1? cups flour

½ cup sugar, divided

6 Tbsp. butter, cut into pieces

1½ Tbsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

¾ cup heavy cream, divided

4 cups fresh Chilean blueberries

1½ lbs. (6 medium) ripe Chilean nectarines, pitted and cut in eighths

Preheat oven to 350° F. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, ¼ cup of the sugar, butter, baking powder and salt. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1 Tbsp. of the cream. Add the remaining cream to flour mixture; process until dough starts to form a ball, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; gently pat it together. Divide dough into eight 2-inch balls; flatten into rounds; wrap and refrigerate at least 20 minutes. In a shallow 2½-quart baking dish, combine blueberries, nectarines and 3 Tbsp. of the sugar. Arrange dough rounds on top. Brush rounds with reserved cream; sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar. Bake until the filling bubbles and the topping has browned, about 50 minutes. Serves 8. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

Learn More

For more recipes, visit www.chileanfruitonline.com.

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Stay Bone-Healthy This Holiday Season and New Year

(ARA) – Winter weather with snow and ice. Holiday parties with tasty treats. The holidays can be a lot of fun, but it is also important for those who have osteoporosis to learn how the season might impact their bone health and what they can do to make healthy New Year’s resolutions.

Osteoporosis, a disease which causes bones to become brittle and more likely to break, threatens nearly 44 million Americans, 55 percent of which are age 50 or older. Nearly one in two women over age 50 may experience an osteoporosis-related fracture in her remaining lifetime. For those at higher risk for fractures, or broken bones, a fall on an icy walkway can be dangerous. In addition to the risk of falling, the holiday hustle and bustle can make it hard to stick to a healthy diet and commit to regular exercise, which are important for people with osteoporosis.

“People suffering from osteoporosis can take extra precautions to avoid suffering an osteoporotic fracture, including being extra vigilant about falling in inclement weather during the winter months,” said Barbara Dehn, nurse practitioner at the Women Physicians Ob/Gyn Medical Group, Mt. View, California. “It’s also important to be more mindful of getting appropriate amounts of calcium and vitamin D while indulging on holiday foods. Post-menopausal women should also see a doctor regularly and follow a treatment plan as directed.”

Thinking ahead to the New Year, it’s always a good idea to commit to living a healthier lifestyle. This includes seeing a doctor regularly. If you are concerned about osteoporosis, a doctor can determine whether you should have a bone mass measurement, also called bone mineral density or BMD test, and can also prescribe treatments to help prevent loss of bone mass. Loss of bone mass means that bones get thinner and are more likely to fracture.

“If you’re a post-menopausal woman, it’s important to see your doctor about osteoporosis screening. If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, your doctor may consider several treatment options. One prescription medicine – once monthly Boniva (ibandronate sodium) tablets – is used to treat and help prevent osteoporosis in women after menopause. Boniva helps increase bone mass and helps reduce the chance of having a spinal fracture (break). It is not known how long Boniva works for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis and you should see your doctor regularly to determine if Boniva is still right for you,” Dehn said. “This coming New Year, be sure to take your medication as directed by your doctor to help prevent bone loss in 2012.”

Here are some tips for a safe and healthy holiday season and New Year:

• Keep yourself safe from a fall

• Stay alert and focused
• Wear well-fitting shoes with good treads, especially when walking outside on snowy or icy terrain
• Use night lights when navigating your home in the evening
• Make sure holiday decorations do not block or narrow walkways – indoors and outdoors
• Have your vision checked regularly

• Remember that getting appropriate amounts of calcium and vitamin D are important for bone health

 

• Women age 50 and older need approximately 1,200 mg of calcium each day and foods like milk and dairy products, legumes and certain green vegetables are the best sources of calcium

 

• Vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption and it is recommended that men and women over age 50 get about 800-1,000 international units of vitamin D each day

 

• People can receive vitamin D through sunlight, dietary supplements and through vitamin D-rich foods like fatty fish and vitamin-D fortified orange juice

• Get active – speak with your physician about activities you can do to build or maintain bone strength

 

• Take osteoporosis medications as directed by your healthcare professional
• Find a support system – visit MyBoniva.com to join a free program that includes a welcome kit, quarterly newsletters with helpful tips on leading a healthy and active life, and monthly e-mail reminders to help you remember to take your medication

 
Please see below for Important Safety Information.

Indication
Boniva is a prescription medicine used to treat or prevent osteoporosis in women after menopause. Boniva helps increase bone mass and helps reduce the chance of having a spinal fracture (break).

It is not known how long Boniva works for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. You should see your doctor regularly to determine if Boniva is still right for you.

Important Safety Information
You should not take BONIVA if you have certain problems with your esophagus, (the tube that connects your mouth and stomach), low blood calcium, cannot sit or stand for at least 60 minutes, or are allergic to BONIVA or any of its ingredients.

BONIVA can cause serious side effects including problems with the esophagus, low blood calcium, bone, joint or muscle pain, severe jaw bone problems, and unusual thigh bone fractures.

Before starting BONIVA, tell your doctor if you have problems with swallowing, stomach or digestive problems, have low blood calcium, plan to have dental surgery or teeth removed or have kidney problems

Stop taking BONIVA and tell your doctor right away if you have pain or trouble swallowing, chest pain, or severe or continuing heartburn, as these may be signs of serious upper digestive problems. Call your doctor immediately if jaw problems, hip, groin, or thigh pain develop, or if you have symptoms of low blood calcium such as spasms, twitching, cramps in your muscles, or numbness or tingling in your fingers, toes, or around your mouth.

Follow the dosing instructions for once-monthly BONIVA carefully.

The most common side effects are back pain, heartburn, stomach area pain, pain in your arms and legs, diarrhea, headache, muscle pain, and flu-like symptoms.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch, or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

Talk to your doctor for more information or if you have questions about your treatment.

Please see full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for additional important safety information.

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Savings on Prescriptions

(ARA) – Patients looking to save money on their prescription medications are sometimes unaware of the resources available to them that can help ensure they get the medications their doctor prescribes at the appropriate co-pay.

Those patients with health insurance that includes a prescription drug plan have access to certain brand and generic medications, based on their formulary. However, when it comes to cost-saving options for prescriptions, there are several ways patients can lower their bill from the pharmacy.¹

Know Your Formulary
There is a reason your formulary is also called a preferred drug list, as it includes those preferred brand and generic medications, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which are covered by your health plan at different co-pay levels. Therefore, medications not on your formulary may cost you more.²

Commonly, formularies have a 3-tiered system, where Tier 1 represents the lowest co-pay for brand-name drugs and generics, with higher co-payments for Tiers 2 and 3.²

Create a list of medications you are currently taking and compare it to your formulary. Knowing which medications are on your formulary and at what tier will help you better work with your doctor to prescribe preferred medications that are appropriate for you, which in-turn will add up to savings.³

In the case of branded medications, some are considered to have excellent formulary coverage. For example, NEXIUM® (esomeprazole magnesium), a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), has excellent formulary coverage for 2011 with 72 percent of patients with private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare Part D having access to it at the Tier 1 or Tier 2 level.⁴

Look for Prescription Savings Cards
Some brand-name drugs offer their own savings cards, extending additional discounts to patients prescribed these drugs, potentially lowering their co-pay. After making a list of your medications, visit the websites for these drugs or call the manufacturer to see if they offer a savings card and if you are eligible to use one the next time you fill a prescription.

One example of a brand-name prescription savings card is for the medication NEXIUM. The NEXIUM Savings Card offers eligible patients instant discounts on their prescriptions for NEXIUM, potentially saving the patient up to $600 annually, with most patients paying $18 each on up to 12 prescriptions of NEXIUM.^5,6 The card does not require activation or program enrollment. Patients can simply download one from purplepill.com or receive a card in the mail by calling 1-800-503-9880, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm ET.^5,6

Enroll in Patient Assistance Programs
Another valuable resource to help lower the cost of prescription medications is enrolling in Patient Assistance Programs (PAP). These programs are offered by states and pharmaceutical manufacturers to assist patients in accessing medicines they need to stay healthy, sometimes at little to no cost to patients. As every program is different, it’s important to check the eligibility requirements to see if you are able to enroll and begin saving on your prescriptions.⁷

Register for Mail Order
Finally, mail order is an additional savings method that you can enroll in, depending on the options in your health insurance, which offers discounts on the prescription medications you take on an ongoing basis.⁸

You should speak with your health insurance company to see if there is a mail order program that is a part of your plan and if you are eligible to participate. In some cases, enrolled patients can order up to a 90-day supply of medications at a discounted price, and with the convenience of not having to visit the pharmacy to refill a prescription.⁹

All of these options for saving on prescription medications are readily available either on your health insurance company’s website or the websites of the medications you are taking.  Work with your doctor to discuss options that meet both your medical and financial requirements so you are getting the treatment that is best for you.

Important Safety Information about NEXIUM

• Symptom relief does not rule out the presence of other serious stomach conditions
• Talk to your doctor about your risk for:

• bone fractures if you take multiple daily doses of NEXIUM for a long period of time
• low magnesium levels if you take NEXIUM for a long period of time

Approved Uses for NEXIUM

NEXIUM is prescribed to treat the symptoms of acid reflux disease, which typically include persistent heartburn on 2 or more days per week, despite treatment and change of diet.

For many people, NEXIUM is also prescribed to heal damage to the esophagus called erosive esophagitis. This damage may be caused over time from stomach acid wearing away the lining of the esophagus. Only a doctor can diagnose this condition. With NEXIUM, most erosions heal in 4 to 8 weeks. Your results with NEXIUM may vary.

Please read the full Prescribing Information on purplepill.com and discuss it with your doctor or health care professional.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

¹ Blue of California. “Drug Formulary.” Available at https://www.blueshieldca.com/bsc/pharmacy/faqs/pharmacy_faqs_drug_formulary.jhtml. Accessed on March 15, 2011.
² Aetna. “Build in ways to save on prescription drugs.”  Available at http://www.aetna.com/employer-plans/sas/healthysavings/pharmacy.html. Accessed on July 19, 2011
³ BCBS of Tennessee. “Top 10 Ways to Save Money.” Available at http://www.bcbst.com/learn/pharmacy/top-10.shtml. Accessed on July 19, 2011
⁴ Data on file, # [1247300, 1045404]: Fingertip Formulary database as of May 24, 2011.
⁵ Atlas # 1245901: Wolters Kluwer Pharma Solutions, Dynamic Claims, six months ending March 2011. Accessed on May 23, 2011.
⁶ Atlas # 1315801 7/11.
⁷ RxAssist. “Frequently Asked Questions About Patient Assistance Programs.” Available at http://www.rxassist.org/faqs/default.cfm#1. Accessed on July 25, 2011.
⁸ WebMd. “Beyond the Pharmacy: Online and Mail Order Prescription Drugs.” Available at http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/beyond-the-pharmacy-online-and-mail-order-prescription-drugs. Accessed on July 20, 2011.  
⁹ BCBS of Michigan. “Mail Order Prescription Drug Program.” Available at http://www.bcbsm.com/member/prescription_drugs/mail_order.shtml. Accessed on July 20, 2011.

1344500 8/11

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Keep your home pet-friendly and fresh

(ARA) – Of course you love your pets, but let’s face it: Sometimes they smell. And whether you are hosting guests or trying to sell your home, the last thing you want visitors to remember is an offensive odor. Luckily, there are a number of ways to eliminate those less-than-pleasant pet odors and let your home’s personality shine.

Refreshing walls
Paint is one of the most dramatic and cost-effective ways to give your home’s interior a new look, and now it can also give your home a new fresh scent. Dutch Boy’s Refresh paint features odor-eliminating technology from Arm & Hammer. It reduces odors caused by pets and other sources, keeping your home smelling as good as it looks. Proven to reduce household smells, a coat of Refresh paint will prevent bad odors from lingering for months. By trapping and neutralizing odor molecules, this paint doesn’t cover up unappealing smells, but actually reduces them. And Refresh paint is available in Dutch Boy’s broad range of colors, so you can reduce unpleasant smells without compromising your decorating taste.

Clean with steam
Even if your pet isn’t allowed on the furniture, your home furnishing fabrics are holding onto  unpleasant scents. Though you may vacuum regularly, animal hair and dander are trapped in the fibers of your cushions, curtains, sofa and other decor. Using a steam cleaner is the best way to eliminate bad smells in upholstered furniture and other items that cannot be laundered. Hire a professional service to treat the common areas in your home, or purchase a steam cleaner specifically designed for pet hair removal. Deep-clean common area fabrics several times each year, and to help maintain a fresh smell day to day, use an odor-neutralizing fabric spray regularly.

Hit the floor
The biggest source of your home’s objectionable smell could be right under your feet. As anyone who has house-trained a pet knows, they don’t always get it right, and sometimes those accidents go unnoticed and cause stains to inevitably set in. To remove odors of any age, scrub bare floors with white vinegar and water or an odor-neutralizing cleaner, and thoroughly wash carpets and rugs using an odor-neutralizing shampoo. You can also hire a professional to clean the carpets and provide extra deodorizing treatments. If stains or smells remain, you’ll likely need to replace the carpet and padding. If this is the case, be sure to scrub the floor beneath before laying new carpet down. After the carpet has been thoroughly cleaned or replaced, regularly use carpet deodorizer formulated for pet odors when vacuuming.

Scented accessories
Tie a ribbon on your odor-free home with strategically placed candles and air fresheners. Choose classic scents that complement your decor, and use a variety throughout the home to avoid an overpowering result. Many candles and fresheners offer odor-neutralizing technology as well as pleasant scents, ensuring unfavorable smells are not only covered up but eliminated. Jars of potpourri or scented crystals add touches of personality to any room decor as well.

No matter what types or the number of pets that share your home, these tips will help keep it smelling fresh all year round.

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New medicine approved by FDA to treat type 2 diabetes

(ARA) – Diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) affects approximately 25.8 million Americans and an estimated 220 million people worldwide. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type, accounting for an estimated 90 to 95 percent of diabetes cases. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body either does not properly produce, or use, the hormone insulin.

Now there is good news for people with type 2 diabetes. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved TRADJENTA(TM) (linagliptin) tablets, a new prescription medication used along with diet and exercise, to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.

TRADJENTA (pronounced TRAD gen ta) can be used alone or with other commonly used medications for type 2 diabetes – metformin, sulfonylurea or pioglitazone. TRADJENTA lowered hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C or A1C) levels up to 0.7 percent (compared to placebo) in clinical trials.

A1C is measured in people with diabetes to provide an index of blood sugar control for the previous two to three months.

TRADJENTA should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes or for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine). It has not been studied in combination with insulin.

“Many people with type 2 diabetes are not able to control their blood sugar with diet and exercise alone and may also require one or more medications,” says Dr. John Gerich, professor of medicine, at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. “The FDA approval of TRADJENTA is exciting because there is only one dose to remember for patients, regardless of kidney or liver impairment. With TRADJENTA, physicians will have another option for managing type 2 diabetes, a potentially devastating condition.”

TRADJENTA is a tablet that can be taken once a day, with or without food. It lowers blood sugar by increasing incretin levels, which increase insulin levels after meals and throughout the day.

It was approved based on a clinical trial program which included approximately 4,000 adults with type 2 diabetes. Included in the program were placebo-controlled studies evaluating TRADJENTA alone and with other commonly-used medications for type 2 diabetes.

TRADJENTA lowered fasting plasma glucose (FPG) compared to placebo, when used as monotherapy and in combination with metformin, sulfonylurea or pioglitazone. FPG is used to determine glucose levels in a fasting state, usually upon waking up in the morning.

It also lowered two-hour post-prandial glucose (PPG) levels compared with placebo as monotherapy and when used in combination with metformin. PPG is used to determine glucose levels after meals, usually two hours after eating.

To learn more about TRADJENTA and for full prescribing information visit: www.TRADJENTA.com or call Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at (800) 542-6257.

Please report any unexpected effects or product problems to the Boehringer Ingelheim Drug Information Unit by calling (800) 542-6257.

What is TRADJENTA?

TRADJENTA is a prescription medicine that is used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. TRADJENTA is not for people with type 1 diabetes or for people with diabetic ketoacidosis (increased ketones in the blood or urine).

It is not known if TRADJENTA(TM) (linagliptin) tablets is safe and effective when used with insulin.

Important Safety Information

Who should not take TRADJENTA?
Do not take TRADJENTA if you are allergic to linagliptin or any of the ingredients in TRADJENTA.

Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction to TRADJENTA are rash, raised red patches on your skin (hives), swelling of your face, lips, and throat that may cause difficulty breathing or swallowing. If you have any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, stop taking TRADJENTA and call your doctor right away.

What should I tell my doctor before taking TRADJENTA?
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you take other medicines that can lower your blood sugar, such as a sulfonylurea or insulin. If you take TRADJENTA with another medicine that can cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), such as a sulfonylurea or insulin, your risk of getting low blood sugar is higher. The dose of your sulfonylurea medicine or insulin may need to be lowered while you take TRADJENTA. Signs and symptoms of low blood sugar may include headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, confusion, irritability, hunger, fast heart beat, sweating, or feeling jittery.

Also tell your doctor if you take rifampin (Rifadin(R), Rimactane(R), Rifater(R), Rifamate(R)), an antibiotic that is used to treat tuberculosis.

TRADJENTA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how TRADJENTA works.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

What are the possible side effects of TRADJENTA?
The most common side effects of TRADJENTA include stuffy or runny nose and sore throat.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.  Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call (800) FDA-1088.

NEWS FROM TOOLS-AND-THINGS .COM, Please Note
Do to tornados on April 16th 2011 we have a waiting list for furniture repairs and finishing, so please call (919-803-4425 for more detailed information on how long the list is or growing.
We repair and refinish furniture here in our small shop in west Raleigh NC, and I’ve been involved in working for over 25 years. We have never tried to get too big to do a good job for our customers. We ‘ve only posted one ad to promote the business in 14 years, most our business is word-of-mouth. We stay busy and we never take on more than we can handle. I work mostly a one man operation, with two part-time helpers.

We repair and refinish almost any kind of furniture, from wood to metal and modern to antique. We take our work very serious and aim for customer satifaction.
We repair tables, chair, beds and headboards, damaged by water or pet. Broken spindles,regluing joints, dowels, inside outside furniture, restoration of modern and antiques. We also strip off old finish for all natural look, fill and sand, polish and buff, hand strip and chemical strip, specialty paint finishes, hardware restoration. All types of top coats: Varnish, Lacquers, polys, shelac, oils, waxes, paints, stains.
We can get the job done and satisfy our customers at a great price! If you live in or arround Raleigh NC we can help you. including Cary NC, Apex NC, Garner NC, Holly Springs NC, Clayton NC, Fuquay-Varina NC and area’s within reasonable driving range.
BIRDHOUSES, FEEDERS, YARD DECOR & OUTSIDE FURNITURE.

All our birdhouses, bird-feeders and butterfly houses come with a 30 days return policy.

We are always adding new products so feel free to check back often. We want to make you a lifetime customer by giving you the best in products and services. We ship most orders 24-48 hrs if in stock items and after customer’s payment has processed.

Do to high gas prices, higher shipping rate and increases in shipping supplies, we try to ship the most economical way. Please call if you need to order or get more information on a product or service:919-324-8905

Please Note: That these handcrafted items are not massed produced they are handmade, one at a time, in our small shop here in Raleigh NC. Our wooden birdhouses and bird feeders are made from the very best woods and plywoods that can be used for outside products. We use waterproof glues and sealers to make sure our handi-crafts stay together in wet and harsh weather.

Our metal top bird houses and birdfeeders have extra thick and insulated tops to help from over heating. We use only woods that hold-up year round and is harmless to human and animals. We do use presure treated lumber for planters, garden art, and some pic-nic tables and they are all sealed or painted to prevent contact.

Do to the tornados in April this year we are still cleaning, repairing and rebuilding from the damage, untill we are completely finished with rebuilding we won’t add any more pictures of our new products, but feel free to call and inquire about our products and services. We only make our blue bird houses in the Fall Season at this time, do to early nesting of bluebirds in North Carolina in Spring.

At peak times (April-July, we may get orders that leave us temporary out of stock or I may have discontinued an item before taking it off our website. In this case call me. Please allow 2-3 weeks for your order to be filled and shipped if the products you order is out-of-stock..Look For Our New Bluebird Design Comming This Fall!

We invite you to shop our online store and our retail business with confidence. We adhere to a strict privacy that means your information will not be shared, sold. or otherwise distributed

Free Appliance and Electronics pick-up for recycling, Stoves, Dryers, Heaters, Freezers, Refrigerators, Computers, Washers, Radios, TVs, Tools, Metal Furniture and other appliances that you are trashing or nedd recycling. We pick-up free and disasemble and properly recycle all parts.
We pick-up in Raleigh, Cary, Garner, Holly Springs and some outside surrouning areas. If you have these items to be removed and it is out of our pick-up area you may still call us and we may be able to remove the item or find someone else to pick-up item. Please do not set your item out untill you have got a confirmation of pick-up form us. Do to high gas prices you must set-up a time for us to pick-up these items and confirm your address and what is to be picked up.

We also have these items checked for salvaging or repair, if repaired we give to persons free, or charge for repair cost and parts if needed only. We do not repair these appliances ourselves and not in the repair business, but we will try to salvage and donate appliances if repairs is not costly and is worth the effort and not just a delay to end up in landfills. Call 919-324-8905 OR 919-803-4425
If no answer please leave voice mail and someone will contact you and set-up a time to remove your items at your convenience. Thank you; Tools-and-Things

The national lighting design competition, Lighting for Tomorrow, hosted by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency and the American Lighting Association will feature guest judge, Chad Ray, owner of Zebulon based multitude of sustainable companies, Shields of Green (

http://www.shieldsofgreen.com).

Chad Ray is co-owner of the Shields of Green companies (
http://www.shieldsofgreen.com), a multigenerational and family owned multitude of companies all focused on sustainability, energy conservation, and stewardship. The Shields of Green companies include Ray Family Farms, a Bunn, NC based organic farm, Olde Heritage Builders, a Zebulon based Green home building company, Build Trust Contractors, a group of sustainable construction experts, Energy Savers of NC, a residential energy auditing company, and many more. In addition, Chad Ray, known as “the green building guy”, is a Green consultant with years of experience as a speaker and advisor on sustainability efforts throughout the building process.

Ray has been invited to judge this year’s national lighting design competition, Lighting for Tomorrow. The efforts of the Lighting for Tomorrow Competition are to advance the energy –efficient lighting industry and encourage innovation in the new use of light sources. This competition is backed by about two dozen energy efficiency organizations from the US and Canada who have pledged over $150,000 to help fund this national competition.

This year, Lighting for Tomorrow is designated into two specific categories, lighting control devices and solid state lighting fixtures and replacement lamps. The lighting control category will be judging the products based on functionality, ease of use and installation, innovation and ability to work with other systems and existing lights. These specific lighting control devices must be compatible with both LED and florescent technologies.

The solid state lighting competition division is in its fifth year, and will feature designs judged on the basis of performance, style and energy efficiency of the lights. This competition is open to a very broad range of residential lighting applications and fixture types as well as replacement lamps.

The Lighting for Tomorrow winners will be announced at the American Lighting Association Conference in Palm Beach, Florida from September 11th-13th. Winners will be promoted by energy efficiency programs across the US and Canada.

For more information about Lighting for Tomorrow, visit
http://www.lightingfortomorrow.com. For more information about Shields of Green, visit
http://www.shieldsofgreen.com
SOURCE:WidePR.com

Free business listing in two of North Carolina’s top Business Directories, add your business and website: Garner NC City Guide

Wake County NC Business Directory and Resources

Guidance for gardeners: avoiding injury and discomfort

(ARA) – Warm weather is here and it’s time to get the garden going. Gardening is good for you on many levels – from the mental health boost you get from doing something relaxing to the physical benefits of exercise, time outdoors and adding fresh vegetables to your diet. Bending over to weed, gripping gardening tools and the general physical effort of gardening, however, can make existing aches and pains worse, or even cause new ones.

This summer, take steps to ensure your gardening experience is as comfortable and beneficial as possible. Here are some ideas for avoiding injury and irritating existing conditions while gardening:

Warm up

You wouldn’t go jogging or work out without doing some light stretching and warm-up exercises, and you shouldn’t jump into gardening without warming up first. Before stepping into your garden, do some stretches to limber up, especially your arms, legs and back. When you’ve completed your gardening chores for the day, finish up with more stretching.

Banish bending

Many Americans suffer from chronic back pain, and while it’s important to keep moving despite discomfort, it makes sense to minimize activities that could create or worsen pain. Bending over to work in the garden can be hard on your back. If back pain is a concern, consider planting your garden in raised beds this year, or working with container gardens. Elevated beds require you to bend less when doing typical gardening chores. And container gardens can be placed on tables or deck railings to make it easy to reach plants.

Protect hands and wrists

Weeding, hoeing, raking, shoveling – the repetitive motions of gardening can lead to hand and wrist pain, and worsen existing conditions such as arthritis. Taking steps to minimize irritation and discomfort while you work can help ensure your gardening tasks don’t create aches or worsen pain. Consider wearing an Arthritis Glove, like the Imak-made glove commended by the Arthritis Foundation, to provide mild compression and warmth while you work. Because the gloves are made of cotton Lycra with an open fingertip design, they won’t make your hands hot or hinder movement. Designed by an orthopedic surgeon, the Arthritis Gloves are also fully washable, so you don’t have to worry about getting a little dirt on them as you go about your gardening tasks. An added bonus – wearing any kind of glove can help you avoid another common gardening injury: blisters.

Guard skin

Sunburn and insect bites are also a risk for gardeners, who spend a lot of time outdoors. While most insect bites are just an irritation, sunburn can cause serious, long-term skin damage. To ward off mosquitoes and other biting bugs, apply an insect repellent. Prevent sunburn by always wearing sunscreen – the kind that blocks both UVA and UVB rays – whenever you’re outdoors. Use a wide-brimmed, lightweight hat to shade your eyes and keep the sun off your head. Take frequent breaks and drink plenty of water, especially on hot days when you’ll be out for several hours.

Move wisely

Lifting can be another source of back pain, and gardening often involves lifting, whether it’s heavy bags of soil or seed, or a full basket of the fruits of your labor. Remember to lift from a squatting position, with your back straight, so that your legs do the work, not your back. When kneeling down, use gardening knee pads or even just a rolled up towel to cushion your joints from the hard, damp ground. Remember to minimize twisting motions that can inure your back and joints.

With a few precautions, you can ensure this summer’s gardening activities remain safe, enjoyable and pain free.

Free Business Listing Wake County NC Businesses

Free pick-up of old unwanted appliances for proper recycling in Raleigh, Garner, Cary, Holly Springs Call 919-803-4425 or 919-324-8905