prevention

As many of those over 40 know, eyesight seems to get worse every year thereafter, resulting in a hearty sprinkling of reading glasses around the house. When you think about it, we rarely think about our ocular health unless our eyes are giving us problems.
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There's nothing like an injury in the backcountry to ruin a good summertime adventure. As outdoor enthusiasts know, minor injuries are easy to come by and can include anything from strained muscles, campfire burns, poison ivy rashes, twisted ankles, sunburns, various cuts and scrapes, and the list goes on. And while these may not seem like a big deal on paper, they have a way of crushing the fun.
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Let's face it... the days of soaking up the sun for that "healthy tan" are clearly over. Fears of skin cancer – namely melanoma – have overridden most peoples' desire for sun-kissed skin. But in the summer, when outdoor adventures like hiking, biking, and water sports beckon, many tend to spend a lot of time in the sun doing what they love.
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Personal Umbrella Policies are liability insurance policies with very high limits of protection, typically starting at $1,000,000. They are designed to add a layer of protection above other kinds of personal liability coverage such as the liability protection found in a personal auto, homeowner or boat insurance policy. These kinds of policies are meant to protect you should you be deemed legally responsible for injury to persons or property. Personal injury can include non-physical injury like libel or slander.
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For nature lovers, many of the most memorable moments take place in the great outdoors, whether it's catching your first trout on a fly rod or summiting a peak. This is also where people often find the most solace, as time in nature can bring a sense of peace. Unless, of course, things go wrong.
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Even businesses with the most effective Human Resources Departments and the happiest of employees are vulnerable to lawsuits. Unforeseen situations can quickly escalate, positive working relationships can turn sour, and employees can become litigious, sometimes without valid reason. Unfortunately, even the most bogus claims must be addressed in court, and legal fees associated with winning a lawsuit can exceed $250,000, which hardly feels like a victory.
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In a world full of visible dangers, the last thing anyone in Illinois wants to think about is the invisible ones. But they're there and, believe it or not, many of them may be lurking inside your home. According to the CDC, each year, approximately 430 people in the U.S. die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning and more than 50,000 are treated for it. Mold is prevalent in an estimated 70 percent of American homes. And the EPA and Surgeon General attribute more than 21,000 annual deaths from lung cancer in the U.S. to radon exposure.
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Nobody likes to go to the doctor, especially when they aren't sick. But preventative healthcare is a huge piece of the long, healthy, and happy life puzzle. Annual wellness exams often include a general screening, vitals check, labs, and maintenance for chronic health conditions. In fact, it isn't uncommon that these annual exams identify early-stage diseases like cancer, concerning blood pressure and cholesterol levels, thyroid dysfunction, and a host of other common deficiencies and abnormalities. And, since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated 100 percent coverage for preventative care, there's no excuse for missing your annual physical.
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It's an invisible facet of the aging process, but more critically linked to maintaining health, functionality, and autonomy than perhaps all else: brain health. From infancy to adulthood, the brain is in a constant state of growth, forming more than a million new neural connections every second in the earliest years of life and achieving 90 percent of its adult volume by age 6.
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Winter is coming, whether we're ready or not. Every year, despite all of fall's colorful warning signs, shorter days, and brisk mornings, the first blanket of white always seems to come as an abrupt surprise, dusting all that summer gear you never made it around to storing with regret. This year, no regrets! You're going to clean up, check, and double-check your way to being properly prepared. And here's how you're going to do it.
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Swimming pools are wonderful complements to summer weather. Few things are better than stepping outside your home for a cool dip, hosting poolside parties or watching your kids play themselves to exhaustion in the water. Most of us understand that pools also pose a danger but it is important to understand the extent of that danger, the components and preventative measures we can take to keep our pools safe.
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Does your home need a new paint job or a quick refresh on the trim? Are the gutters overflowing with the remains of fall foliage? Or are larger issues demanding immediate attention, like doors and windows, the roof, or the foundation? Whether you thrive on weekends filled with do-it-yourself projects or hide at the mere suggestion, summer's long days and generally agreeable weather in Illinois offer the ideal opportunity to take on the range of home maintenance and improvement tasks to preserve value and functionality for years to come. Here are a few considerations for fixing up the exterior of your home in the months to come.
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Fraudulent charges to your personal or business accounts can be both financially and emotionally devastating. Even if you do eventually recover the funds, the stress and time that results from having been stolen from can take a toll.
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For many, summer ushers in sunny afternoons spent lounging by pools, floating lazy rivers, and taking the boat out for waterskiing, fishing, and all things wet and wonderful in Illinois. And, whether by a backyard kiddie pool or a local pond, children are particularly enamored, making water safety a foremost concern for parents.
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How old is too old to drive? It's not necessarily an easy question to answer. Depending on physical health, skill, vision, and even location, elderly drivers can be capable of safely and predictably handling a vehicle well into their seventies and even eighties. And, as baby boomers age further into their golden years, an increasing percentage of drivers will find themselves in that bracket. In fact, the Federal Highway Commission's 2016 data noted a record 41.7 million drivers over the age of 65. That's nearly one in five of the licensed population, an increase of 15 million over 20 years ago. By 2020, drivers aged 75 and older numbered more than 17 million. And, by 2030, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that one out of every four drivers will be an older adult.
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Summer's generally agreeable weather and extended daylight hours in Illinois make it an ideal season to tackle renovations, remodels, and other household fix-its. Still, these projects aren't without inherent challenges and risks. A little due diligence at the onset can do much to minimize unhappy surprises and make for successful, stress-free (or, at least, as close as it gets) renovations.
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As winter thaws into spring blossoms, summer beckons with backyard cookouts and campfires under the stars. Like many people in Illinois, spring also means an overhaul of all the recreational toys and gear that make those summertime adventures comfortable, including the family camper. Here are some considerations when readying your RV for all the camping and travel expeditions ahead.
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It's a subject we hear a lot about these days in the news: Drought. According to drought.gov in March of 2022, over 58% of the lower 48 states are currently in a drought. With a collective global force greater than all other natural disasters in the past 40 years, droughts around the globe eventuate in as much deadly destruction as any other extreme weather event. Droughts can be declared in as few as 15 days and can last a week, a month, a year, or longer.
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Winter is almost over and trees are budding with the first signs that spring is in the air. A crocus pops its sweet purple plumes through the last ice crystals and we heave a collective sigh of relief that, with the winter chills, the myriad of mucus-producing viruses is finally leaving the building. And then, for many, that first fatal sneeze. Spring, in all her verdant glory, has ushered back in seasonal allergies and the snotty noses and congestion we hoped not to revisit until the fall. For many of us in Illinois, seasonal allergies aren't just a nuisance, they prevent outdoor recreation, socialization, yard maintenance, and a host of other activities that make summer, well, summer.
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Large or established businesses often have top level management and policies guided by a board of directors. But boards exist all around us and not just in a corporate setting. In each case, individual board members can be held liable for their actions or the actions of the board of directors and subject to lawsuits.
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You get to the end of your flight reservation and the page comes up: For a few extra dollars, would you like to purchase travel insurance for your trip? Or maybe you're planning that once in a lifetime trip, and an experienced agent has suggested you purchase a travel policy. So what should you do?
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The holiday season is upon us, meaning it's time to be jolly, gather with friends and family, and, hopefully, stay safe. But in addition to the things we're all wishing for, the holidays can bring some unwanted gifts in the form of accidents, damages, or injuries that might result in an insurance claim. So what are the most common holiday-related insurance claims and how can you avoid them? Read on to find out.
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Most of the modern world is plugged in these days to smartphones, ipads and laptops, among other things. And many of us complete the loop by coaxing earbuds into our ears, turning up the sound to shut the world out, even just for a minute. But this practice, along with the increased amount of dangerous noise present in the modern world, is causing epidemic levels of early hearing loss in children, adults and teens. Read on to find out what you can do:
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Boating season is on the horizon in most parts of the country, and for boaters, it's time to get your vessel out of storage and start performing the necessary inspections and maintenance to ensure that you're ready to hit the water as soon as the weather allows. Follow these tips to get your boat water-ready for summer:
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When Hurricane Katrina touched down in 2005, humans were not the only species affected by its destruction. And because emergency relief agencies were not in the business of saving pets, nearly half a million animals were left behind, devastating many owners and causing public outrage on their behalf. Passed in 2006 as a direct result of Hurricane Katrina, the Pet Evacuation and Transportation Act now requires state and local agencies to consider pets and service animals in their emergency preparedness plans. While most of us won't experience a disaster like Hurricane Katrina in our lifetimes, it's still up to us to consider our beloved companion animals when planning for emergencies, big and small. Here are a few things you can do:
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Everyone in Illinois agrees that cyber safety is important, but what, exactly, does it mean to be "safe" online? And what do parents really need to know? Here are the top five things you can do to teach your kids how to become responsible digital citizens:
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There are plenty of potentially hazardous activities that go along with the holiday season and the start of winter, such as stringing up Christmas lights, navigating the icy roads, and hopping on those skis or other snow sports equipment, just to name a few. This is also the time of year when we break out the snow shovels and ice melt, so that we, and our neighbors and visitors, can safely navigate our walkways and sidewalks.
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Asbestos is a hidden health hazard that can lurk right in the place where you should feel the safest: home. While those who work in the construction industry are considered the most vulnerable to asbestos exposure, especially repeated exposure, it's important to keep in mind that even very limited exposure-such as what you might experience during a simple renovation project-can have long-term negative effects. Make it a priority to prevent you and your family members from coming into contact with this dangerous material.
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Before winter strikes in Illinois, most of us tuck away our summer clothes and bring out the sweaters, coats, and scarves that will keep our bodies cozy when there's a chill in the air. But how many of us take similar steps to prepare our homes for winter weather? Readying your home for winter, also known as "winterizing," will not only help you and your family to stay snug and warm while saving money on energy bills, but it may also protect your home from damage that can lead to costly repairs.
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