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The numbers are in and AIG, Allstate, Metlife, State Farm, and New York Life are not going to be happy-their industry continues to decline in profitability. This slide began in 2007 and shows no sign of letting up in 2010.

The numbers come from industry data collector and analyst SNL Financial, who showed that the industry lost over $900 million in quarter-two of 2010. Their net income, not profit, is down from this same time last year.

The bright side, the better capital and surplus numbers that are 17% higher than second-quarter 2009, are not enough to restore confidence in share-holders and brokers on Wall Street either.

However, the big shots at AIG, New York Life, etc, are still talking quite a game. They claim that the present market is an opportunity to grow stronger. They see that 2/3 of Americans are uninsured and think that they can capitalize on it. It’s tempting to dismiss this as bombast meant to boost the company’s stock prices. However, they are backing it up with action.

Tens of thousands of new agents are being hired this quarter. And hiring shows no signs of slowing down. Read the rest of this entry »

This is one of those things it’s easy to say, but harder to do in the real world. It’s like the equally annoying, “Pull yourself together”. As if you had not realized you were a mess and needed to do something about it. Well, if you were able to do any pulling in the right direction, you would have done it weeks/months ago. Why is it people seem to want to judge you for your weaknesses and failings. Why can’t they be sympathetic and be more positive?

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is really one of those phobias but, rather than include it alongside a fear of flying or of spiders, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) prefers to treat it as being a disorder in its own right. It does not matter whether the APA is right about the label, the reality of the problem is very real to all who suffer it. Except of course, those who have SAD live in fear of what people are saying about them. Hopefully, the fact the APA spend months if not years discussing whether SAD people should be in a class of their own should not make them more afraid.

So how do we recognise SAD? Well, at one time or another, we all get worried about appearing in public. Some shake at the thought of having to speak in front of an audience. Others worry if they have a job or some other duties involving meeting and interacting with people. “What will these people think of me? Will they find fault with what I say or do?” But it becomes SAD when you get way beyond simple shyness or nervousness. This is the type of anxiety that starts weeks or months in advance of any “event”. It’s usually one or two specific types of activity. Most social “everyday” living will be unaffected. We don’t stop going out shopping because we fear the mailman knocking at the door. But if you know you have to make a presentation to a meeting or take responsibility for a function or occasion, then the anxiety can build to traumatic levels. This happens even though the occasion should be joyous, e.g. the rest of the family coming round for Thanksgiving. Read the rest of this entry »

If speaking in general terms, painkiller medications (analgesics) include any drug substances that can deliver pain relief effectively when used. In most cases these substances affect the central nervous system and decrease the intensity of pain signals transmitted to the brain or block these signals from entering the brain altogether. Thus, pain is eliminated without affecting the conscious state or providing anesthetic effects (numbing a part or the entire body and making it insensitive to any contact). There are many drugs that deliver pain relief effects to various extents, but they are usually grouped into two distinct classes: narcotic and non-narcotic painkillers. Different sources also suggest non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and other similar medications such as aspirin to painkillers because they are also known to provide pain relief effects to different degrees. Still, with these drugs the primary effect is elimination of inflammation (which can lead to pain relief in certain situations) and not the pain relief itself. That’s why it’s wrong to consider aspirin and any other anti-inflammatory drugs as painkillers. Non-narcotic analgesics Acetaminophen is regarded one of the most popular and widely available non-narcotic painkiller drugs out there available as an over-the-counter medication. Acetaminophen is very popular because of the low price and high effectiveness in cases of mild to moderate acute pain. So it has a wide range of applications where it can be used effectively. However, it requires the user to learn rules of safety when using it, because it may cause serious problems if taken in a wrong way. It may even lead to fatal outcomes if the dosage is exceeded. Taking more than 4000mg of Acetaminophen daily or consuming it over a long period of time delivers serious impact to the liver. Mixing it with alcohol will increase the impact and can even lead to liver failure? The outcomes are usually very serious and sometimes tragic so it is very important to keep the dosage low and avoid taking the drug for a long period of time. A little known fact is that more than 600 over-the-counter medications contain Acetaminophen in different amounts, so even if a person keeps the dosage low he or she may be mixing different drugs containing the substance and getting a high dosage in the end. Most commonly it is found in cold and cough medications. So make sure to study the contents of the drugs you’re using if you’re taking Acetaminophen for pain relief. Narcotic analgesics There are two main groups of narcotic painkillers known: opiates and opioids. Opiates are the older type of narcotic painkillers representing natural substances derived from opium (strong natural drug). Opioids are synthetic derivatives of opiates that are created to provide the same nerve-blocking effects but without the narcotic effects of opiates (lack of concentration, hallucinations, changed mind state). Read the rest of this entry »

When looking for a comprehensive diet that will ease your GERD symptoms you have to be prepared for extensive experiments because there’s not simple solution to this problem. There are a lot of people with acid reflux problems out there and most of them don’t even think of ways to relieve the condition. And the hardest part of it is that everything is individual and what might work for one person could be ineffective for the other. Although there are some suggestions on diet for GERD that you may found useful. The most obvious diet for GERD consists of foods that are typical to your regimen and are included in common nutritional charts. There are no strict diet rules for acid reflux patients as some may think. It all boils down to eating low fat foods such as turkey and fish along with greens and other vegetables. When it comes to breads it is suggested to eat whole grain wheat breads made with low fat milk. To help you better understand the range of products you’ll have to stick to with GERD you simply have to avoid all foods that actually trigger acid reflux symptoms in your case. These products usually contain spicy, salty and acid ingredients that can cause irritation in the stomach and esophagus. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that all GERD patients have to avoid spicy foods. Fact is that some people with acid reflux problems don’t have any symptoms while eating these foods while having bad heartburn after eating fruits or other products that are considered to be normal. So it’s all very individual and you have to know your personal preferences. There are specific types of foods that are usually seen as being good for GERD patients. These foods include fruits and vegetables, egg whites, fish, ground beef, cheese, chicken breast and turkey. By sticking to these types of food you’ll be able to control your acid reflux symptoms because these foods are considered to be chemically neutral and do not cause excessive acid production in the stomach. Otherwise you may constantly need drugs like Nexium to calm down the acid in your stomach and stop that awful heartburn. However, it’s not only in the food you eat. Certain lifestyle changes are also very good for controlling acid reflux problems and it can amaze you how simple this all may sound. First of all, any GERD patient should avoid eating right before bedtime. Different clinical trials have shown that eating in less then three hours before bedtime significantly increases the risk of experiencing heartburn and other GERD symptoms. But it’s not only a matter of sleeping right after bedtime. Your position after taking the meal is what is really important. Read the rest of this entry »