Kapnick Insurance Group's Maria Hicks talks about our Monthly Health Spotlight: Financial Wellness

This week we are going to discuss how stress can speed up the aging process. Unfortunately, everyone becomes stressed at some point but what people need to be careful of is the amount of chronic stress in their life. Chronic stress can cause a number of health issues, one being an increased risk of heart disease. It is also known to contribute to hypertension, insulin resistance, weight gain, insomnia and impairment of the immune and central nervous system. Recent studies have also shown that stress damage to DNA is behind the cause of wrinkles and gray hair.

This week we are going to talk about the importance of lifelong exercise. If you enjoy playing with your grandchildren, walking the mall, or just meeting up with your friends, it is imperative that you remain active as you age. Staying active is crucial to one’s health and independence. By not remaining active, simple things you have always enjoyed or even taken for granted will start to become harder. For example, individuals who do not continue to stay active develop musculoskeletal issues (aches and pains) and are at increased risk of falls. You are also at higher risk of heart disease, dementia, diabetes, stroke, and some cancers.

In this blog I wanted to highlight one of our many Key Property and Casualty Carriers. Plans are to sprinkle these snapshots into this blog space as time goes on. Central Insurance out of Van Wert Ohio is indeed a key carrier for Kapnick. Over the past few years Kapnick and Central have built a strong relationship based on mutual trust. Central’s capability and business appetite matches very well with Kapnick for business insurance and Personal Lines. They work hard for our clients to provide comprehensive and affordable insurance programs.

Living in Monroe, Michigan, the year 1876 certainly rings a bell for me. This of course is the year that Monroe’s hometown boy General George Custer met his demise in the Black Hills area of the Western US. Why do I mention this? This is indeed the same year that Central Insurance was started. I think that puts into perspective just how long Central Insurance has been providing Insurance policies. Today, Central writes over 328,000 insurance policies for policyholders in 18 states. These States overlap very well with Kapnick and the heart of its geographic business. Central's home office is located in Van Wert, Ohio, with regional offices in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, and Van Wert, Ohio.

This week we are going to talk about the importance nutrients as you age. Healthy eating habits is important at any age, but as we become older we have to be more aware because our bodies have different needs. Making sure certain nutrients are incorporated into your diet becomes especially important for good health.

It has been well documented that prolonged stress and its accompanying emotional strain compromises our immune system responsible for fighting off disease. A well-known researcher and authority on stress, Dr. Hans Selye, defined stress as "the rate of wear and tear on the body." Over 1,200 hormones are released into the blood during a stress response, putting extra demands on our body. Psychological stress not only makes us feel tired and older, but there is now proof that stress ages us on a cellular level.
Recently, scientists have identified a direct link between stress and aging. In one study, researchers have shown that chronic stress speeds up the shriveling of the tips of the bundles of genes inside the cells. This shortens the life span of the cells and also deteriorates them. This process is associated with aging, cancer and dying at younger age.
Most of the stress we deal with today is self-generated by our mind in the form of worry, anger, fear of growing older, thoughts of negative experiences, relationship problems, financial issues, traffic and so on. By realizing and connecting the dots that much of the time our thoughts create the actual stress response, we can increase this awareness and learn not to be controlled by stress-producing thoughts. As an employer, you can encourage employees to make time each day to relax, let go of stress, center ourselves and create the balance they need to live healthy lives.
Therefore, the more times an individual experiences the stress response and the more prolonged it becomes, the faster a body will age. A recent study has demonstrated that there is no such thing as a separation of mind and body. Staying productive, healthy and mentally fit depends on how well employees manage their stress. The following are steps you can share with your employees to reduce stress.

This week we are focusing on brain health. When people think about staying fit, they generally think from the neck down. But the health of your brain plays a critical role in almost everything you do; thinking, feeling, remembering, working, playing and even sleeping.

Kapnick Insurance Group is continuing its steady growth. If you or professional minded folks you know in Southeast Michigan or Northwest Ohio are looking for an exciting opportunity that includes the following, please contact me.

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Recently, this email arrived in my email box from the head of our IT Department: