aid claims / payments will be sorted from Regine’s practice side.

As National Health Reference Price List ( NHRPL) rates will be used, payment—depending on the type of plan and the corresponding funds— are guaranteed. Order online for hassle free information on what to eat and what to eat less of plus portion size information.

If you do not wish to visit the web page, then please e-mail Regine on Regine@regine.co.za and request further information on the dietary treatments avail-able.

I am wishing you good dietary habits for the upcoming year.

Regine

A new year has begun, together with new medical aid benefits for dietetics, which allows you to start 2008 in fulfillment of your health and wellness goals.

Apart from aspiring to vitality, weight reduction and the change of dietary habits for health con-ditions have topped the lists for new year resolutions.

As a paying member and con-tributor to your medical aid fund, you have the right to claim dietetic benefits yearly - you will now have the opportunity to request online diets without having to submit claims your-self—your claims will be proc-essed online by Regine.

Please peruse the list on page 4 — these are the medical aids that cover dietetic treatment.

Visit my web page on www.Regine.co.za — it takes less than 1 minute to complete the form and to order your PDF diet online. Medical

It is always wise to know your blood lipid profile, glucose levels and blood pressure readings in order to implement health plans that can minimize the risks of heart disease.

A lipid profile measures total cholesterol levels, in addition to measuring triglycerides, HDL, LDL, non– HDL and TC/ HDL ratios, with a resultant Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) risk analysis, expressed as a percentage.

It is recommended that a lipid profile is per-formed in adults and children who are geneti-

cally predisposed to CHD — 6-weekly until results are satisfactory, and every 4—6 months thereafter.

Numerous diet therapies exist for the reduction of any of these values or a combination thereof.

Nutrition forms an integral part of CHD and hypertensive therapy, in addition to medical intervention, stress control, increased physical activity, weight reduction and the cessation of smoking.

Add a lipid profile to your February 08 to-do-list for peace of mind.

As of immediate effect, your Medical Aid Benefits for Die-tetics can be checked and claimed online by Regine.

Medical Aid Benefits For Dietetics - 2008

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Hyperten-sion

2

Reiki healing 2

Coffee cus-toms

2

Dry eyes 3

Children and nutrition

3

Yoghurt 3

Medical aid benefits

4

Check Your Lipid Profile

R E G I N E G R A Y R D ( S A )

C O N S U L T I N G D I E T I C I A N

0 8 2 3 5 4 8 8 5 0 VIRTUAL NEWSLETTER

J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 8 R E G I N E @ R E G I N E . C O . Z A

S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N T E R -E S T :

• Weight re-

duction re-duces high blood pres-sure

• Detoxify with

Reiki

• Dry eyes

explained

• Medical Aids

that pay for dietary treat-ments — a comprehen-sive list of schemes and sub-schemes

• Be informed,

Be healthy!

P A G E 2

Reiki (pronounced

Ray-Key) is a method

of natural healing

based on the

application of

Universal Life

Force Energy

(the name

literally means

Universal Life

Force Energy).

Reiki Healing

Coffee Customs Worldwide

Weight Reduction And Hypertension One out of 4 adults suffer from high blood pressure worldwide. Only 3 out of 10 patients’ blood pressure is under control.

The higher your blood pres-sure, the shorter your life expectancy, due to the in-creased risk of stroke or heart attack. Other complica-tions of untreated hyperten-sion include kidney damage, eye damage or heart failure.

Overweight, a high fat diet, lack of exercise, over- con-

sumption of salt and alcohol, smoking and a low potassium-to sodium ratio in your diet (K-factor of 3 or less) are contributing factors to hyper-tension.

A blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg is considered normal.

Latest research shows that both the upper and lower values need to be in a normal range, not just the lower value (diastolic). Regular checks can be performed by your doctor, pharmacist or

other health care profession-als.

A modified diet, focusing on an improved K-factor and weight reduction can contrib-ute significantly to the nor-malization of your blood pres-sure levels.

A weight reduction of 10% of your present weight—if over-weight or obese—can reduce your upper systolic value by 10 mmHg and your diastolic value by 20 mmHg.

use milk (or a non-dairy creamer) with or without sugar (or a sugar substitute). In Germany and Switzerland, people enjoy coffee with equal parts of hot chocolate; and the Belgians just add chocolate. In Mexico, it is drunk with cinnamon. The Ethiopians serve coffee with a pinch of salt tossed in, and the people of the Middle East

Once forbidden to women, thinking it would make them sterile, coffee has become the world’s favorite drink.

It is brewed in various strengths and served with additions according to local custom.

In Italy, most people drink espresso with sugar. The Eng-lish and a lot of Americans

drink their brew with carda-mom and spices. Australians like coffee with whipped cream, and the Egyptian peo-ple take coffee strong and black, adding sugar only at weddings.

Recently, coffee has been attributed to reducing the incidence of diabetes, but of increasing hypertension. Moderation is the key.

Meridian Style Reiki involves channeling energy directly into acu-pressure points in order to manifest quick and effective healing.

Reiki is non-invasive and can, together with nutritional modification, en-

hance the immune system, detoxify the body and ener-gize and balance glands and

bodily functions.

Says Tanja, Reiki Master:” the benefits of Reiki healing allow for deep relaxation, vitaliza-tion of body, mind and spirit, balancing of energy fields, enhancing creativity, enhanc-ing spiritual growth and awareness, relieving pain and unblocking chakras and me-ridian pathways.

Phone Tanja on 082 459 0337 or 011 793 7325 for more information.

Coffee is enjoyed in a

variety of ways world-

wide.

V I R T U A L N E W S L E T T E R

Ask The Optometrist: Dry Eyes P A G E 3 R E G I N E @ R E G I N E . C O . Z A

Dry eye syndrome is character-ized by red, burning, scratchy eyes

which can occur any time of the day or night.

Common causes are environmental factors, air condi-tioners, extended

computer viewing, ageing, lack of tears, dehydration and in severe cases lack of vitamin A (Xeropthalmia).

Dry eyes are more common at high altitudes than at sea level and women present with a higher

frequency than men. Dry eye treatment involves the use of natural tears, available at optometric practices and pharma-cies. A high daily water intake and vita-min and mineral supplementation with anti-oxidants can have a posi-tive effect. It is important to have a correct dry eye diagnosis by an optome-trist as many conditions have simi-lar signs and symptoms. Regular eye checks should occur every 12—18 months for optimal eye comfort and visual efficiency.

mended for low fat diets, which are prescribed for weight reduc-tion, cholesterol reduction, diabe-tes and macular degeneration.

Flavored yoghurts and frozen yoghurts, unless specifically sugar- free, are high in sugar, which in-creases the kilojoule content of the product without providing additional nutritional benefits.

Q: What is yoghurt? What makes it so special? Which type may I eat on a weight reducing, hyperten-sion and hyperlipoproteinemia diet?

A: Yoghurt is nutritionally similar to milk, providing rich sources of calcium, phosphorus, high quality protein and riboflavin.

Fat free yoghurts are recom-

Acidophilus yoghurt contains healthy bacteria Lactobacillus aci-dophilus which are normally pre-sent in the intestines and can be destroyed by infections or penicil-lin use.

The production process of yo-ghurt allows lactose to be broken down to lactic acid, which makes yoghurt more digestible than milk.

It’s gratis, its fun, and it expands their general knowledge base.

Shopping and food selection at home is a great learning me-dium—teach kids how to read labels, what that information means on a basic level—and ensure that there is always a fresh supply of fruit and vegeta-bles in your home.

Improved nutritional principles can be taught to children in everyday situations.

Parents with a basic knowledge of nutrition can set a basis for im-proved food choices at an early age and hence have a huge impact on the positivity with which chil-dren will view their nutritional habits as adults.

Michael Gray answers optometric queries

Teaching Children About Nutrition

Questions In Practice: Yoghurt

Yoghurt means “fermented milk” and originates from the Balkans. Yoghurt contains special bacterial cultures.

Michael says:

”Obtain the

correct

diagnosis for

dry eyes —

treatment is

usually straight-

forward in the

form of natural

tears”.

List of medical aids that carry dietetic benefits: Bankmed Discovery - Anglo Vaal, Discovery, CSIR, Edcon, IBM, LA Health, Lonmin, NASPERS, Quantum, Retail, Tsogo, Umed Nedcor Aacmed - Anglo American Afrox Altron Amanzi-Global Amanzi-U-Natal Bepmed Bestmed Bonitas BPSA Cape Medical Carecross - AECI, De Beers, Nedcor, Old Mutual, Oxygen, Remedi, Wooltru, Bankmed Carecross, Bestmed Carecross, Eyethumed, Day 1, Ingwe, Medipos, Meridian, Moremed, Open Plan, Renaissance, Resolution, Thebemed Cawmed Commed DCMed De Beers Discovery - Anglo Vaal, CSIR, Edcon, IBM, LA Health, Lonmin, Naspers, Quantum, Retail, Tsogo, Umed Engen Eternity - CAMAF Farani - Bonitas, Farani, Eclipse, Ingwe, Liberty, Medihelp, Medshield, Renaissance, Sizwe Fishmed Foschini True State Med GS Med Genesis Gen-Health Golden Arrow GEMS Holcim Hosmed Ingwe Integrated Health - Medimed, Medisense, Minemed, Rumed, Suremed Klerksdorp Medical Aid - KDM, Klerksdorp Mines Liberty Medicover Medihelp Medscheme-Medware - Eyethumed, Fedhealth, Libcare, Sasolmed Medscheme-Nexus - AECI Carecross, AECI Healthcare, Barloworld, BMW, DCMED, Ellerine, Massmart, Metrocare, Parmed, SABC, Siemens, Stocksmed, WITS, Xtrata Medshield Meridian Methealth - Metropolitan Mex MHG - Open plan Midmed Momentum Moremed MP Health Witbank Munimed - Munimed, World Bank Mutual & Federal Nampak Naspers Netcare Nimas NUFAWSA Old Mutual - PHP Billiton, Clicks, Imperialmed, Medipos, Nedcor, Old Mutual Staff Omnihealth Opmed Oxygen PG Bison PG Group Pharos Pick ‘n Pay Platinum Polmed Polprismed Primecure - Dunns, Furnmed, GEMS, Global Primecure, NBC Prime Cure, Protea, Primecure Profmed Protector Health Purehealth - NBC Rand Mutual Assur Rand Water REMEDI Renaissance Sa Breweries Samwumed Sappi Selfmed Sigma health - Prosano Sizwe Spectramed Status - Biz Health, CIMAS, Compcare, Good Hope, Grintek, Lifemed, Protea, Tiger Brands Telemed Thebe Topmed Transmed Triangular Health - Automed, Ingwe Calabash, Medcor, Medshield, Mimed, Pathfinder Wooltru

Medical Aids That Cover Dietetic Benefits: Contact Me

Please contact me at: 082 354 8850 or Regine@Regine.co.za. www.Regine.co.za