Tag: honey bees

Do you really need to take a statin?

Greetings and may this blog find you in great health with your Medicare insurance coverage working properly.

Remember, if there’s a big problem with your coverage, please book a time on my calendar. If it’s a quick question, email Gray@TheBig65.com and we’ll do our best to get it sorted, promise ☎️.

Well, it’s a wet, windy day here in Colorado. Plato was in desperate need of a grooming session. Q said he was bringing in too much debris every time he went outside so off to the groomer he went.

Plato and Quantz together in Colorado.

I prefer him with long hair, but life’s all about compromises, right?

I’m not a big fan of going to the doctor (or the groomer), but I am a total believer in preventive medicine, stopping small problems from becoming big ones. Clip the hair before it becomes knotted, visit your primary before uncontrolled cholesterol sends you to the Emergency Room.

Today, let’s dig in on cholesterol and statins.

Plato back from the groomers and looking fine.

According to this article, roughly one in four Americans over the age of 40 are prescribed a statin to reduce cardiovascular disease.

A happy gentleman holding a fish in the middle of a river.

Many patients hesitate to take statins due to potential side effects like muscle pain or diabetes risk, leading them to seek over-the-counter supplements like plant stanols/sterols, red yeast rice, niacin, fiber, and fish oils containing omega-3 fatty acids (see Jason’s freshly caught fish above).

Haas in the Shenandoah Valley holding a Morel mushroom.

Now you can live a healthy life, like my little brother Haas, and go out into the Shenandoah Valley and hunt your own Morel mushroom (just remember the leading cause of death to mushroom hunters is poisonous mushrooms). Morel mushrooms do have compounds that may reduce the oxidation of cholesterol. Sadly, mushrooms alone may not be enough.

Research indicates that while some supplements may slightly reduce cholesterol, they’re not as effective as statins and lack evidence in reducing the risk of heart attack or stroke.

A gentleman enjoying his backyard in Colorado.

A study in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that statins reduce LDL cholesterol by 38% on average, whereas the most effective supplement, red yeast rice, only reduced LDL by about 7%.

Of course, I still have a cognitive bias about raw honey. Some studies say it may slightly improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Regardless, be sure to have a heart to heart with your Primary Care provider.

Beekeepers working with bees in a backyard in Colorado.

You may remember that last week we split the hives and sent the Queens north to start new hives (this is done so that the existing hive doesn’t grow too big and swarm to a new location.) Once the Queen is removed, the hive gets busy creating Queen cells to produce a new Queen

Shava the beekeeper holding bees.

I’m happy to report the hives are looking good and we should have new Queens shortly, We hope to have even more honey to share with clients this September, keep your fingers crossed! No prescription required.

Honeybees in the honey comb.

I had to laugh at this picture of our Air Force son Nicholas from years gone by when he was still a twerpasaur. We’d been on a road trip somewhere in the Midwest when he picked up this moustache at some novelty store. He thought it was the coolest thing.

Nicholas as a young kid wearing a fake moustache.

Fast forward eighteen years and Nicholas texts us this picture of himself working on the flightline at 3:00 AM on a US base in Britain, with the same dang moustache. No matter what you do, the young uns grow up and do what they gotta do.

Remember all of our soldiers in your prayers. They are working hard to protect our freedom.

Nicholas as a young man working at 3AM with his natural mustache.

Keep squeezing the juice out of life and look for ways to help others!

If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

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Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

 

Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
Book a time on my calendar here
Happy with my Service? Click Here to Leave a Review.

Karl Bruns-Kyler is a Medicare insurance broker and independent Medicare agent licensed to help Medicare recipients in thirty states around the country, including:

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin

The Big 65 Medicare Insurance Services does not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent 10 organizations that offer 50 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

Karl Bruns-Kyler of The Big 65 Medicare Insurance Agency.

Are you Type 3?

Happy Veterans Day,

May this note find you in great health during the madness of the Medicare Annual Election Period. Book a time here if we still need to speak.

Despite all the noise out there distracting everybody, we have so many reasons to give thanks for all those who have served and continue to serve our great nation.

Nicholas on a jet.

Airman Nicholas doesn’t fly these bad boys. He works on the equipment that makes sure they are able to take off and land safely. He just returned from deployment in a hot spot back to his base in the UK.

He and his buddies were so excited to be photographed inside the aircraft they help keep in the skies. I sure hope you find a way to honor a Veteran in your life.

Lori the retired cross-country coach in Colorado.

This is my busiest time of the year, but no matter what, I force myself to get outside every single day to stay grounded. I met retired cross country coach Lori on the trails behind our house.

Such an impressive woman because she never stops. Lori said she doesn’t run as much as she used to and she gives herself permission to walk for parts of her run.

Adapt, modify, improvise, that’s one of the secrets to aging well.

Karl working with honey bees in his backyard.

One of the things I absolutely had to do between client calls was to prep the bee hives for winter: ten pounds of sugar, two cups of water, and a couple of pollen paddies for good measure. The hole on top allows air to circulate through the hive.

Karl being stung by bees in his backyard.

Of course, like an idiot, I didn’t quite get the neck of my suit completely zipped. This was going to be a fun video, instead I got a Darwin award running away and about 20 bee stings. Thank goodness I’m not allergic.

Phil in Ohio working on his bee hive with his grandson.

Wish I had the patience and the knowledge of client Phil in Ohio, teaching his grand varmint how to capture a swarm of bees.

Life’s great joy is interacting with the young’uns. Are you finding ways to connect with young people? That’s another secret to aging well.

Cute kid in Ohio after working with his grandfather's bees.

Of course the greatest reward of keeping bees, is honey. Congrats to Jo, Anju, Melissa, and Rosemary for correctly naming the movie and the characters our daughter and her friends dressed as for Halloween. Your honey is on the way!

One of Karl's clients receiving honey from Karl and Plato in Colorado.

We visited Sus this weekend in Fort Collins and also dropped off honey to a couple of clients. It’s always fun to see people face to face.

Another client of Karl's holding a jar of honey as Plato looks at the camera.

Honey is healthier than sugar, no doubt, but it also needs to be consumed in moderation. The topic of sugar got me reading up about diabetes.

What’s more, did you know that Alzheimer’s is sometimes referred to as Type 3 Diabetes?

Quantz in CO.

While Alzheimer’s may not involve elevated blood sugar levels like traditional diabetes, research has uncovered compelling links between insulin resistance and the development of Alzheimer’s.

This emerging concept suggests that the brain’s impaired ability to respond to insulin may contribute to the accumulation of toxic proteins and inflammation, ultimately leading to cognitive decline.

Becky and Joe each holding cold drinks on a beach in Mexico.

Understanding Alzheimer’s as Type 3 Diabetes highlights the importance of lifestyle choices and proactive measures to protect brain health.

  • Eat healthy foods.
  • Stay active.
  • Manage stress.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Keep your mind busy.
  • Watch your weight.
  • Stay social.

These steps can help protect your brain from Alzheimer’s (Type 3 Diabetes).

Concert photo contest for The Big 65 clients and friends.
Of course, everything in moderation, right?

Colorado client of The Big 65 holding a jar of fresh honey from Karl Bruns-Kyler of The Big 65 Medicare Insurance Services.

Keep squeezing the juice out of life!

Medicare questions or problems?

Book a time on my calendar or email Gray, Gray@theBig65.com.

If family or friends need help… referrals are the lifeblood of my business.

Let us know what’s going on and please send pictures :).

 

Karl Bruns-Kyler
(877) 850-0211
Book a time on my calendar here

Happy with my Service? Click Here to Leave a Review.

As a novice to navigating the Medicare system, I cannot recommend the services of Karl enough. His knowledge has saved my wife and I a lot of money, both on the Medicare supplement insurance and the drug coverage. Costs you nothing to listen and has saved up thousands of dollars over time.
– Robert B

Happy with my Service?
Click Here to Leave a Review.

Karl Bruns-Kyler is a Medicare insurance broker and independent Medicare agent licensed to help Medicare recipients in thirty states around the country, including:

Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin

The Big 65 Medicare Insurance Services does not offer every plan available in your area. Currently, we represent 10 organizations that offer 50 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.

The Big 65 Medicare insurance services red white and blue logo.