Winter Respiratory Viruses

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Offered by: Richard W. Martin, M.D. – Brighton Pediatrics, P.C.

Cold weather means busy pediatricians’ offices and a lot of absences from school. We’re not sure why some viruses thrive and multiply better in cold weather, but it may be because people are spending more time crowded indoors, and because some viruses spread better when the air is dry.

Four important respiratory viruses to know about are parainfluenza, influenza (A and B), RSV, and rhinovirus. Parainfluenza (specifically type 1) is the most common cause of croup in young children and peaks in the fall. Croup presents with a distinctive cough that sounds like a seal barking, a hoarse voice, and sometimes a distinctive sound called stridor with breathing in.

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), which usually peaks in January and February, is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (not to be confused with bronchitis). RSV is so common that almost all children have had at least one infection with RSV by the time they reach two years of age. Many children just have a runny nose and cough but, mostly in children under two years of age, it can work its way down the respiratory tract into smaller airways called bronchioles, causing wheezing and breathing difficulty.

Influenza occurs from late fall to early spring, usually peaking in February. Common symptoms include fever, chills, headache, achy muscles, cough, stuffy nose and sore throat. Influenza may lead to secondary bacterial infections including ear infections and pneumonia.

Rhinovirus, the “common cold” virus, is present throughout the year but peaks in the cold weather months. Almost half of all upper respiratory infections are caused by rhinoviruses. In addition to the common cold, they can also sometimes cause bronchiolitis (second most common cause after RSV).

Good handwashing is the best way to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses. The next time your physician or nurse practitioner tells you, “It’s just a virus,” you can ask them, “Do you mean just a rhinovirus?”

Visit our website at: www.brightonpeds.com

Click here to view Brighton Pediatrics on The Brighton Buzz Business Directory

8 Of The Most Important Things Denver Area 1st-Time Home Buyers Need To Know

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Offered by: Dan Cochran – The Haven Team, Keller Williams
  1. You may qualify for buyer programs that could make your down payment lower (or no down payment at all).
  2. Don’t assume that your mortgage payment will be a lot higher than your current rent.
  3. Put your money in your pocket! Home values in the Denver market have been increasing. They’re predicted to increase another 4%.
  4. Bidding wars aren’t what they used to be. A misconception is that the Denver market is so crazy that people are never going to be able to buy a home without overpaying for it. The market has shifted and it is becoming more of a buyer’s market.
  5. Loan pre-approval is best. A clean, well-written offer can beat a higher offer, especially if the buyer is pre-approved (as opposed to being pre-qualified).
  6. Set some extra cash aside when purchasing your home. You will need earnest money to put down when you put a contract on a home, you will need to pay for an inspection, an appraisal and possible closing costs.
  7. Work with a Realtor that is working for YOU. We are here to work for YOU and what YOU want.
  8. Start early. Think about where you want to live and how much you can pay. Once you know more of what you want, we can set up a search for you that includes the areas you are interested in at your price range and you can start your new home search!

You are invited to our First Time Buyer Class on Saturday, January 25th from 12-2pm at Creative U located at 43 N Main St, Brighton, CO 80601.

We would love to answer all of your questions about your home buying experience.

We would love to be your Real Estate Partner! -Dan and Beth Cochran

Are You Protecting Yourself? Identity Thieves Are Everywhere…

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Offered by: Jennifer Bell – Bell Benefits, LLC

I am the kind of person who really likes to protect people. When any of my clients has an issue with their Medicare insurance, I want them to know they can call me to help them resolve their issues:

This is why I have a certain passion toward protecting yourself against identity theft.

Identity theft is one of the leading crimes in the world. With scams happening right and left, it’s hard to know who to trust. Does Microsoft really know when you have a software problem and send you a blue screen to call them? Does the IRS really make threatening calls to scare you half to death? The answer is an overwhelming NO.

Call their bluff. Rather than believing a caller or a pop up message on your computer, search out the company’s main number and give them a call to see if they really are trying to get in touch with you.

With the holidays just past and tax season ramping up, be on high alert. Documents are flying through the mail and thieves will do whatever they can to get their hands on your tax return so file early.

Identity Theft Protection plans are great. I have compared a variety of carriers and found that I really like the services from IDShield. They offer monitoring of all areas of your identity, consultation services when you have questions, and the best part is having a licensed private investigator to put the pieces back together for you when identity theft occurs. To find out more about this, you can visit: www.LegitPlan.com

Add Some Warmth And Good Cheer For The New Year!

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Offered by: Jan Hepp-Struck, Hepp Realty

Winter in Colorado generally means colder weather. But just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean your home’s interior has to match! With some very minor additions or changes, it’s easy and inexpensive to create a cozier living space and enjoy a warmer winter hibernation.

Arrange furniture to create a sense of intimacy.

Always choose and arrange furniture with the purpose of your room in mind. If your furniture is spaced too far apart, it will make conversations awkward and strained.

Use area rugs to divide larger spaces.

Airy, open rooms with sparse furniture arrangements often feel cold and sterile. Adding area rugs can break these spaces into smaller, more defined “living” areas. Example: a corner area rug can offset a small office area or reading nook, while a larger rug can tie together an informal living area.

Get creative with color accents.

A touch of color can immediately impact the perception of a room. If you’re looking for a warm, autumnal feel, go with a variety of rich red and orange tones. Use throw pillows, blankets and other textured accents to make the room pop. A basket full of blankets or quilts can be convenient and aesthetically pleasing. If your home has natural woods or exposed brick, tie these elements into your design plan with coordinating colors.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year—may it be full of warmth, abundance, health, and good cheer! For proven expertise in establishing your home value and/or searching for a new or existing home, please call Jan at (303) 520-4340.

Click here to view Hepp Realty on The Brighton Buzz Business Directory

Hepp Realty

A New Year… A Time To Reflect, Review, And Renew!

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Offered by: Melissa Rippy – Rippy Insurance Agency / Allstate

It’s a New Year and time to reflect and move forward. When was the last time you reviewed your insurance policies? Have you had any major life changes in the last 12 months? Perhaps in the last year have you got married, there was a birth or loss of a child for your family, you purchased a home, had a job change or are going through the loss of your spouse. If your insurance policy hasn’t been updated since your life has changed, make sure to schedule an insurance review with your agency to go over your policy.

The Rippy Agency is locally owned and operated and here to service your insurance and financial needs six days a week. Our team brings over 20 years of insurance industry and claims experience so we can provide the very best agency experience for you. If you have an accident, the Rippy Agency will not tell you to call a 1-800 number or file a claim online. I recently had a client tell me another insurance agent in town advised their client who was just involved in an accident they are in sales, not claims. This is not the experience you should expect, nor is it the experience you will receive at our agency.

We are your trusted advisors to provide you guidance about the best policy for your needs. We are also here to walk you through any claims process and answer questions that will arise throughout your year. We are here to help.

Click here to view Melissa Rippy, Rippy Insurance on The Brighton Buzz Business Directory

Allstate Rippy Insurance

Resolution Or Procrastination?

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Offered by: Michael A. Dolan – Dolan & Associates, P.C.

Resolution: The act of being determined upon a course of action. Procrastination: To put off until another day or time.

These two words have very different meanings, but around New Year’s Eve they always seem so similar. Why is it that we resolve to do the important things we know we should do, and then spend the next 365 days doing other things? One of the things this often applies to is estate planning.

Procrastinating in this area can result in your family spending large amounts of your hard-earned wealth taking care of you and your assets during a disability late in life. It can also result in a complete mess upon your death, causing your children and other family members to fight, potentially destroying relationships. Lack of planning can cause unintended consequences, resulting in the wrong beneficiaries receiving more than you intended, or your children writing a big check to the government.

These unintended consequences won’t bother you after you’re incapacitated or dead. But if they bother you now, why are you resolving to worry about them for another year? Do something about it now!

We are confident that taking the time to do your estate planning won’t make you die any sooner or live any longer. But we do know for certain that a properly designed and implemented estate plan will make life a whole lot easier for your family, both emotionally and financially. So instead of Resolution or Procrastination, why don’t you commit to Completion?

If you would like to learn more about available estate planning options, visit: www.EstatePlansThatWork.com to sign up for a complimentary educational workshop.

Click here to view Dolan & Associates on The Brighton Buzz Business Directory

Dolan Associates

Health & Wellness

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Offered by: Shelly George – Evolve Ortho-Bionomy®

With the New Year around the corner, I’ve been wondering what those two words actually mean to me. Wellness is being happy, mentally and physically. Health means to have an absence of disease and the ability to have movement physically, and growth mentally.

I take care of myself with Ortho-Bionomy emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually. To find my health and wellness, I have to find me, find my center.

I also use Ortho-Bionomy to manage my life-work balance, it becomes easier to be healthy and well. I look for small miracles in everyday occurrences in my office. I feel calm, creative and connected. I can emotionally regulate, have a little more resilience, pay more attention, and consequently, have much better social skills. The benefits are less anxiety and stress, a freedom and lightness to my days. I find meaning in family, community, my career and my art, all of which lead to my health and wellness.

Every once in awhile, I let my practice slip. I work too many hours. I over-commit. I over-book myself, which leads to eating more, exercising less. Maybe something traumatic happens that really throws me off center. Noticing how I feel, I immediately get an Ortho-Bionomy session. I use it to learn about me, to feel where I’m off center. To feel where I am.

Coming back to me is a practice. Ortho-Bionomy is my medium. You’re my canvas. Are you healthy and well?

Managing The Emotions Of Volatile Markets

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Offered by: T. Lloyd Worth – Worth Wealth Management

How do you stay focused on your goals when the markets get volatile? Take this short quiz to uncover your feelings about investing.

  • When do you plan to stop working?
    • a. 40 years or more
    • b. 20 years
    • c. 10 years or less
  • When the stock market drops 10% or more, how do you feel?
    • I pay no attention.
    • I become a little concerned, but generally stick to my investment game plan.
    • I freak out.
  • How often do you check your retirement account balance?
    • Once a year
    • Three or four times a year
    • Every day
  • Which of the following statements captures your feelings about losing money in the short run?
    • Markets go up and down every day. Over longer timeframes, their historic tendency has been to rise.
    • I check to see if my asset allocation is significantly out of balance, but generally don’t do anything about it. Markets eventually recover.
    • I feel sick, and want to sell everything.
  • What’s the most important factor when thinking about risk and reward in your retirement plan?
    • It’s time in the market, and not timing the market, that counts.
    • I accept risk as a normal part of investing. Without some level of acceptable risk, I cannot expect to get a reasonable return.
    • The risk of losing money in the markets is intolerable to me.

Score your answers:

Give yourself 20 points for each answer “a”; 15 points for every “b” and 5 points for each answer “c”. Total your score.

80 to 100 points (Green light): You are comfortable with maintaining your long-term investment strategy through volatile markets.

40 to 79 points (Yellow light): The risk of loss is somewhat concerning to you, whether that’s because you are getting closer to retirement age or feel anxious when markets go down. Think about resetting your asset allocation to be more conservative.

20 to 39 points (Red light): The risk of losing money is weighing heavily on you. Spend some time to understand how stocks, bonds and cash investments have performed historically, and consider working with a financial advisor who is sensitive to your feelings and who may be able to suggest investment products that seek to limit losses.

The scores are based on generally accepted investment principles and are not intended as investment advice or recommendations.

There is no guarantee that a particular investment strategy or asset allocation will meet your objective.

Additional factors should be considered as part of a comprehensive review of your individual financial situation.

T. Lloyd Worth may be reached at (303) 558-0214 or email: Lloyd.Worth@LPL.com WorthWealthManagement.com

Worth Financial Partners

This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal or investment advice. If you are seeking investment advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.

Kmotion, Inc., 412 Beavercreek Road, Suite 611, Oregon City, OR 97045; www.kmotion.com

© 2018 Kmotion, Inc. This newsletter is a publication of Kmotion, Inc., whose role is solely that of publisher.

The articles and opinions in this newsletter are those of Kmotion. The articles and opinions are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Nothing in this publication shall be construed as providing investment counseling or directing employees to participate in any investment program in any way. Please consult your financial advisor or other appropriate professional for further assistance with regard to your individual situation.

Why Hire A Personal Chef

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A healthy option, not just for the rich and famous…

Offered by: Mike Mullen – MM Cookery LLC

Each person has different struggles they face. Some find they don’t have enough time in the day. Others wish they had more quality time with family. And more and more people want to have a healthier lifestyle.

Not everyone realizes that a lot of the problems they face in these categories could actually be resolved by hiring a personal chef. The problem is that so many times when we think of a personal chef, we think only the rich and famous could afford such a treat.

But what if your evening was freed up when you got home from work? What if you could reduce the amount of time spent preparing a meal and spend more time enjoying the meal with your family? What if you didn’t throw away half your groceries because you never used them?

How about trying to eat healthier? We all have excuses as to why we cannot do this. But what if you could?

Take away the meal planning, grocery shopping, prepping and clean up from the equation and picture the meals prepared and ready for you. All you do is pull what you want out of the refrigerator and heat up.

People who use these services describe it as exciting and exhilarating to open their fridge and see it full of ready to eat, healthy meals.

There is no need to try and tackle this alone. As a personal chef, I like to consider my clients likes, dislikes, dietary restrictions and goals. Whether you are vegan, gluten free, enjoy multicultural cuisine or just want down home goodness, I can work with you.

Call me today for a free consultation – 904.466.0554

What Does It Take To Be Happy?

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Offered by: Willy Strohmeier – Colorado Karate Club

It is a week before rank testing and seven year old Cayden just learned that he is eligible to test for his green belt. After class he runs to his mom and exclaims: “Mom, I’m testing for my green belt, all my hard work has paid off!”

As his mom related this to me, I was secretly filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment, because I knew how diligent he had been in his training, inside and outside of class. From that simple, single phrase, it became evident that he had learned a lot more than his Karate moves. He had learned how to set goals and the value of discipline, hard work, and commitment.

While each student is different, I am happy to see and hear similar stories from just about every one of our students. No matter where someone may be today in their formation; for me, as an instructor, I am greatly encouraged every time a student comes through our doors, because I know that qualities such as confidence, discipline, hard work, focus, respect, etc. are skills that can be taught and learned at any age.

Now, every so often, I find a student who is naturally inclined toward these positive traits, but that’s quite seldom. For most of us, we have to consciously work at developing and maintaining good habits. So it is important to have a coach, a teacher, or a mentor who can help you get going and stay the course. That’s what we do at Colorado Karate Club, we strive to instill these habits into every one of our members, and once acquired, to fully develop the person’s potential as a martial artist, and most importantly, as a happy and successful individual.

As for Cayden, he had a great test, and along a few of his classmates earned his green belt this past December. Which means that he is now working on new goals with new challenges. And I look forward to watching him and his classmates continue to grow in every way. In our students’ achievements we see clearly that happiness is not pleasure, happiness is Victory!

Click here to view Colorado Karate Club on The Brighton Buzz Business Directory

Colorado Karate Club