On Oct. 6, 2014, the Supreme Court announced that it would not review lower court decisions that had struck down state laws prohibiting same-sex marriage in Virginia, Utah, Oklahoma, Indiana and Wisconsin. Same-sex marriages had been put on hold in these states while the cases were being appealed. However, the lower courts’ rulings will now stand, and same-sex marriage may take place in these states, effective immediately.

Following the Supreme Court’s June 2013 ruling that invalidated part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a number of state and federal courts addressed same-sex marriage. Several courts ruled that state bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional, clearing the way for same- Read More

On Sept. 26, 2014, the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury issued final regulations expanding one category of excepted benefits. Excepted benefits are certain categories established under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that are not governed by the HIPAA portability regulations.

Employee benefits that qualify as excepted benefits under HIPAA are also not subject to the market reforms under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the prohibition on annual limits and the preventive care coverage requirement.

These final regulations, issued on Sept. 26, simplify the requirements for limited-scope vision or dental benefits to qualify as excepted benefits, and the regulations also Read More 

A few days ago I flew home on Southwest Airlines. I have flown Southwest many times and have become accustomed to being offered peanuts and being asked “what would you like to drink”?

This time was a bit different. After replying “water, please” to the drink question, I was asked a series of other questions:

‪▪ Would you like it still, sparkling or seltzer?

▪ ‪Chilled or un-chilled?

▪ ‪Lime or no lime?

I smiled watching how much this flight attendant appeared to love his job. I had never been asked these questions on a Southwest flight. I felt like I was at a fancy restaurant.

I was surprised at the range of choice for my simple request for water. It reminded me of how often we do not recognize the choices we have in life. It is easy to get stuck in a rut of doing things the way we always have, whether or not it works for us.

A few weeks ago I sent out a survey. One of the questions was “what gets in the way of you committing to your health and self-care?” The number one answer was “I don’t trust myself to follow through.”

I understand the feeling of not being able to trust yourself to follow through. I felt that way for years. I believe part of the reason we do not trust ourselves is because we have tried so many things that do not work for our unique bodies and lifestyles.

We often think it requires willpower, restriction, and months of misery to get the results we desire when it comes to our health and well-being. No wonder it is hard to commit to ourselves.

Here are some questions for you: 
What if it could be easy and fun? 
What if you reached out for support rather than trying to figure it all out on your own? 
What if you could create new healthy habits that last a lifetime? 
What if you made the decision to lovingly cheer yourself on instead of beating yourself up?

We always have a choice. Sometimes it is just hard to see all the options available to us.

With love- Michelle

P.S. In case you were wondering, I chose the chilled water with lime.

©2014 Befriend Your Body | 18609 Crossview Road Boyds, MD 20841

Trick-or-treating for Halloween candy caps off the month of October for most children, but with the sugary holiday comes the potential for something much scarier than plastic lawn ghosts—cavities and dental bills. Whether your children are consuming large quantities of sugary treats or not, maintaining dental hygiene is an important habit to teach children. The best time to instill good dental habits is when your child is still young.

• Begin teeth-cleaning as soon as teeth appear in your infant’s mouth; this may include using a soft cloth to wipe your child’s gums.

• Start brushing when your child’s first teeth appear. Read More