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It used to be true that a vacation meant getting away from one's day-to-day surroundings for the promise of leisure and relaxation. While that's still true, today's travelers expect more from the promise.

For previous generations, leisure and relaxation often meant being idle. When the World War II generation wanted to get away, some could afford to be pampered, but most did not do much more than eat, drink, and be merry. It was a generation that was content to spend a weekend camping at a local lake, gamble in Las Vegas or Lake Tahoe, or take a cruise in the Caribbean. Leisure activity was to them, essentially, an unheard-of oxymoron.

Not so anymore. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), baby boomers have, in recent years, embraced greater willingness to travel, and have the resources to do it. But while that much is true, adventure has become a big part of their travel plans.

A recent AARP survey of 1,594 respondents ages 41 to 59 shows that about 55% of boomers consider themselves adventurous, and a whopping 77% feel they are more adventurous than their parents. The survey suggests that huge numbers of seniors are traveling, and that they want to participate in healthy activities when traveling. The baby boomer generation, unlike their parents, is not content to lie around on the beach or get their only exercise playing one-armed bandits.

You can bet that the travel industry is capitalizing on this trend. In fact, a recent relationship between AARP and Travelocity has resulted in Passport, a travel service site aimed at the baby boomer market. There are over 81 million people in the United States 50 or older, which equates to roughly 28% of the U.S. population. It's a segment that controls 67% of the nation's wealth, has more than 750 million dollars in discretionary income, and owns more than 28 trillion dollars in assets. Baby boomers also want to spend that hard-earned money wisely, knowing that self-gratification means eating well, drinking moderately, getting in a good hike or a few good ski runs, and earning a good night's sleep while away from home.

Boomers know how to use the Internet, too, with nearly 40% of them booking their travel on the worldwide web. And, like much of the younger generation, they are looking for ways to streamline their lives, favoring e-commerce sites that allow them to quickly and easily pay for their vacations instantly via credit card, without writing checks or hassling with follow-up phone calls to book tours.

While good diet and exercise is uppermost in the travel plans of baby boomers, they also want intellectual or cultural stimulation, many having identified community heritage, artisan crafts, local theatre, naturalist-led hikes, and wine education as motivations for booking vacations in a given region.

Today's mature travelers, then, are not content to while away their leisure hours idly. They want to learn, feel, see, and do. And they have the desire, tools, and discretionary income to do it.

Russ Beebe is an experienced wine taster and hiking guide who leads naturalist tours in the California wine country. Discover how you can enjoy the quintessential California experience at californiawinehikes.com.

A whitehead is a form of acne that doesn't become inflamed or infected. They look like tiny, white, raised spots. They are typically found around the nose, cheekbone or wherever there is fine skin present. The following tips can help you to get rid of whiteheads and prevent new whiteheads from forming.

The first step in how to get rid of a whitehead is to apply a hot, wet compress to the whitehead in order to open the pore so you can get rid of a whitehead. Next take a sterile needle and pop the whitehead. Then gently squeeze to get rid of whitehead. Before and after doing this you should wash your hands and face in order to avoid spreading the infection.

To prevent future whitehead breakouts and to get rid whiteheads you should exfoliate your face with a scrub that is suitable for your tone of skin. In order to get rid of a whitehead you should exfoliate at least two to three times a week.

When it comes to how to get rid of whitehead it is best to use a natural exfoliate such as oatmeal with yogurt for those with oily skin or milk if you have dry skin. Applying this paste and leaving it one for a couple of minutes will help you to get rid of whitehead.

Another part to how to get rid of a whitehead is to keep your skin clean by washing with warm water and a mild soap at least twice a day. In order to properly get rid of whitehead you should steam your face over hot water once every three days in order to unclog your skin pores.

If home treatments aren't successful then you should talk with your dermatologist about additional methods. A dermatologist can recommend the best medical treatment for how to get rid of whitehead. They can also prescribe medications that will help prevent future breakouts of whiteheads.

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Acne is a skin condition that may appear as reddish bumps on the skin. Blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, and comedowns can collectively comprise the condition of acne. Acne can occur on the face, back, chest, and other parts of the body, and it may be found on children, young adults, as well as adults.

There are many factors that may bring about acne, which includes excessive oil production by the skin, blockage of pores by hair follicles or dead skin cells, and possibly hormonal changes in the body. Acne may be in the form of pus-filled bumps because of formation of bacteria beneath the skin. Most adolescents would experience acne during their puberty years because of changes in hormone levels that occur during this time.

Because acne is common, there have been many products developed to specifically target the said problem. Examples of these known treatments include creams and ointments, which aim to reduce the inflammation or swelling of acne. Such creams contain the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide, which is known to have anti-bacterial properties. Most facial washes or scrubs have also been specially formulated for clearing the pores and getting rid of acne. These may contain salicylic acid, which helps rejuvenate the skin by peeling off dead skin cells.

It is always said that one of the best forms of treatment lies in prevention. In order for one to be acne-free, one must observe a proper skin care regimen, which includes cleansing, toning, and moisturizing on a daily basis. According to the Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007, even the diet of a person can affect the occurrence of acne on the skin. From a research done in Melbourne, Australia, it was found that switching to a low-sugar diet can improve the skin condition and prevent acne.

Regarding clinical procedures, most dermatological clinics offer special acne facials for patients with severe acne. Phototherapy or light therapy, surgical extraction, and skin peeling are among the treatments which skin care professionals provide. According to sources, there are also pills that may be taken to help reduce acne and prevent it as well.

Like with any other health concern, it is best to consult with a medical practitioner before attempting to use any product or treatment for getting rid of acne. Only a doctor can determine which of these procedures are safest for you, and which will provide you with more satisfying results.

Whatever you choose to do, don't miss the reviews of these Acne Products, which are proven to work. Probably the best acne products you will find anywhere, and they all include a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. That means money back if your acne don't go away.

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Choosing a health insurance plan is not as easy as it used to be. The distinctions among health plans have begun to blur as
health benefits companies compete for your business.

Although there is no best health benefits plan, there are carriers that are a better fit than others for your business and your employees health care needs.

As chief executive officer of VISTA, a health benefits company, I am not immune to the skyrocketing cost of health care. As an
employer, I face the same challenge you do of keeping health care costs affordable for VISTAs 1,000 Florida employees. My responsibility also extends to more than 10,000 South Florida employer groups and 330,000 VISTA members.

While many CEOs, presidents and CFOs complain about the cost of providing health benefits for their employees, they are rarely
engaged in the process of selecting a health benefits company.
Fortunately, South Florida employers enjoy a highly competitive marketplace when it comes to purchasing health benefits. While
there are many carriers to choose from, the differences among each are few. The network of providers, plan designs and services are all very similar.

So all things being equal, why pay more? How do you know which health benefits company is the right fit for your business?
Ask yourself these questions.

As an employer, how much can I afford to contribute to the premium?

What benefits will serve the majority of my employees?

Will offering employees more choices save or cost me money?

Does the plan have an adequate number of providers?

Evaluating cost

Business owners are searching for ways to reduce their health care expenses. Look for a carrier that administers your health benefits plan efficiently.

Administrative charges are a carriers overhead costs. They are included in your premium and can vary significantly. These charges include processing and paying claims, answering
customer calls, marketing and advertising costs, and broker commission payments. Carriers with lower administrative costs usually are much more affordable than those with high administrative costs. When reviewing proposals from health
benefits companies, ask what they will charge you for administrative expenses.

Offering employees a choice

Giving employees the freedom to choose their health plan will help educate them about the valuable benefit you offer, satisfy
their need for health benefits and keep your premium contributions within your budget. Plan choices may vary by co-payment, network access and employee contribution. It will be the employee, not the employer, who is responsible for evaluating and choosing his or her health benefits plan.

Employees will have to determine how often they use health care services, what they estimate those costs to be and how they want
to access and pay for those services.

An adequate provider network

No health benefits plan covers every health expense an employee may have or includes every physician. You are purchasing group
coverage. As a business owner, you must evaluate whether the health benefits pIan you are considering offers an affordable level of benefits and a network that provides adequate
accessibility for your employees.

Your bottom line

In South Florida, there can be as much as a 15 percent difference in cost among the health benefits companies you have to choose from. The health plan you select should be cost-competitive and offer a choice of health plans and an extensive provider network to meet the needs of your group.

Whether your company has 20 employees or 1,000, your level of engagement in the decision-making process is vital in determining how health care costs will impact your companys
bottom line. Standing on the sidelines could be a price you cannot afford to pay.

RONALD J. BERDING is CEO of VISTA, a health benefits company headquartered in South Florida with more than 330,000 members. His expertise in health care and insurance spans 30 years. Berding was a member of the Gov. Chiles Task Force on Claims Payment and the Small Group Insurance Reform Committee under Florida Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher. He also served as chair of Floridas Consumer Assistance Plan. VISTA, through its affiliated companies, Vista Healthplan Inc., Vista Healthplan of South Florida Inc. and Vista Insurance Plan Inc., offers a choice of health benefit plans including health maintenance organization (HMO), preferred provider organization (PPO) and point-of-service (POS). Contact Berding through VISTAs Web site, http://www.vistahealthplan.com, or at (954) 858-3000.