|
It’s often said that a woman’s softest spot is her heart. Unfortunately, it is also her most vulnerable. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women. The American Heart Association reports:
One in five females (U.S.) has some form of cardiovascular disease
- 64 percent of women who died suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms
- One out of every 2.5 women die of heart disease, stroke, or other cardiovascular disease*
These sobering statistics are the result of several factors. First and foremost, most women are unaware of the symptoms of heart disease – which differ from those experienced by men. (See “Warning Signs” article below.) Second, by age 45, women have higher cholesterol levels than men. And third, women tend to live longer, providing more opportunities for heart problems to develop.
While some risk factors, such as heredity, age, and race, cannot be changed, the U.S. Department of Health reports that women can lower their risk of heart disease by
as much as 82% just by leading a healthy lifestyle. This includes regular exercise, maintaining a balanced diet, and keeping a careful eye on weight and cholesterol
levels. For more information on heart disease and women, please consult your physician and visit the American Heart Association at www.americanheart.org.
*American Heart Association Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2004 Update, “General Heart Disease and Stroke Facts about Women.” Via web at http://americanheart.org/downloadable/heartsmart/1082152512419GRFWWomensFacts.doc
While women may experience many of the same symptoms as men (pressure, shortness of breath, nausea, etc.), only 30% of women reported having chest pain or discomfort before their heart attacks.* The American Heart Association reports that women may also experience symptoms not typically associated with a heart attack. Among the most common symptoms reported by women participating in a recent study were:
*Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, “Unusual Fatigue May Be Warning Symptom of Heart Attack in Women,” Page 1, 11/04/03
When was the last time you took a good look at your life insurance needs? If it’s been more than a few years, you may want to think about conducting a quick life insurance analysis to see if your lifestyle and finances have undergone any changes. To begin, ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I better off financially than I was the last time I bought insurance coverage?
- Do I have significant changes to debts or assets?
- Has my family grown in recent years?
- Has the buying power of my insurance benefit eroded over time?
Depending on your answers, you may find that your life insurance needs have changed. Perhaps you had other life insurance coverage that has expired or you now have a grandchild you would like to help send to college. If you discover that you need additional protection, we can help.
The AARP Life Insurance Program from New York Life has a number of life insurance options that may be right for you. For example, we offer additional term coverage that could bring your total level of coverage up to $50,000 (currently available in most states). Or you may be interested in our new AARP Young Start juvenile life insurance plan, which is an extremely popular way for AARP members to help protect their loved ones and help guarantee the future insurability of their grandchildren. Your customer service representative can provide complete details on these and other insurance options (certain conditions and coverage limitations may apply).
Just call our toll-free customer service line at 1-800-695-5164 for more information on these and other affordable ways to enhance the financial security of your family. Our knowledgeable customer service representatives can offer assistance in helping you meet your insurance needs.
Participants in the AARP Life Insurance Program now have the added convenience of using their home computer or phone to make service requests – seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Through our toll-free customer service line (1-800-695-5164), English- and Spanish-speaking customers can verify payments and review billing information, as well as request forms and duplicate contracts. What’s more, this system now provides phone numbers for AARP, as well as for all the other member service providers.
Services are also available at www.nylaarp.newyorklife.com.
There you can access information about your contract, make changes to your personal information, download forms and duplicate contracts, even enroll in or change your Automatic Premium Payment options.
To take advantage of this new service, follow the simple steps below.
Regardless of age, type of insurance coverage, or gender, AARP members who participate in the AARP Life Insurance Program from New York Life have the same reasons for purchasing life insurance coverage. Here are a few examples:
- to cover funeral expenses
- to provide supplemental, as well as primary, insurance coverage
- to cover existing debt
New York Life Insurance Company is proud to have underwritten the public television series “Slavery and the Making of America.” Narrated by acclaimed actor Morgan Freeman, the series tells the story of American slavery through the lives of individual enslaved men, women, and children. The four one-hour programs illustrate that these were not passive victims but survivors who refused to concede their culture, character, or spirit to the system that persecuted them. This series is part of a broader Company educational initiative that includes" sponsorship of www.slaveryinamerica.org (other series information is available at www.pbs.org/slavery). “We are pleased to continue our support of the fine educational programming that PBS is known for, and to offer a companion Web site that will energize and enhance classroom learning for millions of students,” said New York Life Chairman Sy Sternberg.
Did you know that the most common form of cancer in the United States is not breast, lung, or even prostate cancer? According to the National Cancer Institute, skin cancer is the most common of all carcinomas found in the U.S. today. In fact, it is estimated that some 40–50% of all Americans who live to the age of 65 will be diagnosed with skin cancer at least once.1
Fortunately, skin cancer is one of the most preventable of all cancers and, if diagnosed early, is also one of the most curable. Here are some tips to help lower your risk factors and protect yourself from this all-too-common disease:
1. Shun the Sun: Since the ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun is the primary cause of skin cancer, you should limit your exposure as much as possible. This is especially true in mountainous, arid, or tropical regions where the sun is more intense.
2. Keep Covered: Whenever venturing into the sun, try to wear long, non-porous clothing, hats, or sunscreen with an SPF factor of at least 15.
3. Start Early: Since the effects of radiation are cumulative, the less exposure you receive at an early age, the less chance you will develop the disease later in life.
4. Know Thyself: If you are lighter-skinned and tend to freckle or burn easily, you are in a higher risk category and should take appropriate precautions. People over the age of 50 should be particularly vigilant since most cases of skin cancer appear later in life.
5. Conduct Routine Self-Examinations: In addition to your regular doctor visits, the American Cancer Society recommends monthly self-examinations. Be on the lookout
for any unusual sores, blemishes, or discolored patches that appear.
Also, be sure to watch for any irregularly shaped or multicolored moles. If you discover any suspicious changes in your skin, be sure to have them examined by a physician as soon as possible.
With the proper precautions, it’s possible for even the most fair-skinned person to avoid skin cancer. And with early detection and treatment, those who develop the disease are almost always able to enjoy a full recovery.
For more information, please consult your physician or visit the National Cancer Institute at www.cancer.gov or the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.
1National Cancer Institute, “What You Need to Know about Skin Cancer,” NIH Publication No. 95-1564, Page 5, Updated 9/16/2002 at http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/skin/page5
Think about it. Life is a constant journey toward new learning and new perspectives. For AARP members, that journey can run at the speed of the Internet with AARP Books, a new publishing initiative from AARP and Sterling Publishing Company.
With a few keystrokes, members can visit AARP’s online bookstore at offers.aarp.org/books4 to find the authors, titles, and subjects that interest them.
The newest title in the series is the AARP Crash Course in Estate Planning. Scrutinized for accuracy by AARP’s legal specialists, this indispensable volume covers every aspect of planning an estate and creating a will.
Other AARP Books titles of interest include:
Caring for Your Parents: The Complete AARP Guide – Filled with inspiring stories from real people and packed with creative ideas, this insightful book shows readers how caring for your parents as they age can deepen the bond between the generations.
My Soul Looks Back in Wonder:
Voices of the Civil Rights Experience
– A compilation of stirring, thought-provoking accounts of the civil rights movement from people with firsthand experience of that tumultuous period in history.
Crosswords to Keep You Sharp – Not only will you find these puzzles fun, but you are likely to pick up some useful information along the way. The book will keep you busy for hours, happily working on 50 mind-boggling puzzles.
The above titles are available online at offers.aarp.org/books4 or from fine bookstores, including Barnes & Noble.
|
