on the LEVEL Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Welfare and Pension Funds How Can You Reduce Your Risk?

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1 on the LEVEL Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Welfare and Pension Funds Spring 2017 Type 2 Diabetes is on the Rise. How Can You Reduce Your Risk? Type 2 diabetes a condition in which the body does not properly process food is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans (including more than 200,000 children) are living with diabetes right now. And here s a frightening thought: 86 million Americans are considered pre-diabetic or likely to develop diabetes. Of those at risk, 90% of people don t even realize it. Without taking action, 15 30% of pre-diabetics will develop type 2 diabetes within five years. What s Inside? 2 3 Who s at Risk? What is Diabetes? Diabetes: Prevention Through Nutrition 86,000,000 Americans Considered Pre-Diabetic Quick Tips for Healthier Eating Are you a statistic? Take Advantage of Free Screenings Managing Diabetes Diabetes Help Need Help? Call ComPsych You re most likely to get diabetes if you: 30,000,000 Americans are Diabetic 15 30% of Pre-Diabetic Americans will develop Type 2 diabetes. 90% of PreDiabetics don t even know it. Quit For Life! Welcome to the Spring 2017 issue of on the Level. We have a new look hope you like it! Have a family history of type 2 diabetes Had gestational diabetes or gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds Have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) Are African-American, Native American, Latino, or Pacific Islander Are overweight or obese, especially around the middle (belly fat) Have high cholesterol, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and high LDL cholesterol Don t get regular exercise Are older than age 45

2 What is Diabetes? Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose (sugar) for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get absorbed by cells of our bodies. If you have diabetes, your body does not make enough insulin or does not respond properly to insulin. This causes sugars to build up in your blood. Diabetes can lead to serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations. Diabetes: Prevention Through Nutrition The good news? Type 2 diabetes can be prevented. If you re pre-diabetic, lifestyle changes can greatly decrease your odds for developing full-blown diabetes. It s important to lose any excess weight, exercise regularly, stop smoking and treat high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Proper diet is essential to preventing diabetes. Make sure your daily menu consists of plenty of fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes), with a limited amount of saturated fat. Visit the American Diabetes Society website at for recipes, meal planning ideas and tips for dining out. 2

3 Quick Tips for Healthier Eating I t s not always easy to make the right choices when it comes to food. Here are some ideas to help tip the odds in your favor. l T ry starting meals with a salad or a broth or tomato- based soup with lots of vegetables. This helps you eat more good-for-you veggies while filling you up before you get to the higher fat and calorie courses. l I n restaurants, ask if meats can be grilled rather than fried, and request sauces and dressings on the side. Remember to choose fruit, salad or other vegetables as side items, rather than french fries. Ask your server to box up half or two-thirds of your meal before it ever touches your plate. l Put healthy snacks in plain sight. A study found that people who put fruit on their kitchen counter weighed 13 pounds less, on average, than those who did not have visible fruit. And those with soda in their refrigerator weighed 24 to 26 pounds more than those who were soda-free. l Use a smaller plate to trick your brain into thinking you re eating more. One study found that people ate about 45 percent more food when they used a 10-inch plate versus an 8-inch plate. l Food served from the stovetop prompted people to eat 25 to 30 percent less than the same food served family style at the table. When food is piled on serving dishes on the table, it s easy to reach for seconds. So make sure you have to get up to get more. l People who ate while reading, watching TV, or playing games were likely to consume as much as 25 percent more food than if they were not distracted. l Dimmed dining room lights can help you avoid overeating. Bright lights may encourage you to eat faster and consume more. l At the grocery store, walk down the healthy aisles first. You re more likely to buy foods from the first three aisles in which you shop than from the rest of the store. Attend the Diabetes Education Seminar! If you or a loved one has diabetes, mark your calendar for Saturday, September 16th at 10:00am and plan to attend the Diabetes Education Seminar at CRCC s Office in Lisle, IL. Look for more information, including registration information in the next issue of on the LEVEL. 3

4 Take Advantage of Free Screenings Through Health Dynamics! Health Dynamics offers a comprehensive preventive care exam for you and your spouse, free of charge, that can measure your risks and screen for certain conditions. If you re concerned that you may be at risk for diabetes, schedule an appointment through Health Dynamics. Your exam includes a thorough blood chemistry analysis, including a fasting plasma glucose test used to diagnose diabetes. (Not applicable to Medicare-eligible retirees.) Normal fasting blood glucose or blood sugar is between 70 and 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl). The standard diagnosis of diabetes is made when two separate blood tests show that your fasting blood glucose level is greater than or equal to 126 mg/dl. If your results show that you re diabetic, pre-diabetic, or at risk for becoming diabetic, a professional Health Educator will answer your questions and help you create a personal health improvement plan. To locate a Health Dynamics provider, call or visit their website at (username: hdhelpsu and password: hdhelpsu). Representatives are available Monday Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CT). Remember, the preventive care exam is covered at 100% with no co-pays or deductibles. To locate a Health Dynamics provider call or visit username: hdhelpsu and password: hdhelpsu. Managing Diabetes with a Glucometer and Testing Strips If you have diabetes, you know the importance of testing your blood sugar level to find out how certain foods, medications, and activities affect your diabetes. Just a reminder that One Touch Glucometers and diabetic testing strips are covered under the Mail Order/Home Delivery prescription drug benefit at 100% with no copayment. If you are using a different glucose testing system, you may be eligible to receive coverage under the medical portion of the Plan if they are purchased through a durable medical equipment (DME) provider. This coverage would be subject to the Plan s applicable medical deductibles and coinsurance. To order the OneTouch system at no charge, visit and input order code 573EXP333 or call and provide order code 573EXP333. 4

5 Diabetes Help is Just a Tap Away Managing type 2 diabetes takes a lot of time and effort each day. Fortunately, there are smartphone apps that can help. From monitoring your blood sugar and remembering your medications, to counting your calories and logging your workouts these free apps can make your daily tasks easier. Search on these titles in your phone s application store to find out more. Glucose Buddy (iphone and Android) This app stores manually logged data such as insulin, glucose readings, and carbs with an online account. CalorieKing Food Search (iphone only) It s important to track your calories, fat, carbs, and more when managing type 2 diabetes, and these two apps can help with that. Both apps give detailed nutritional information for many foods and restaurant menu items. SparkPeople (iphone and Android) This app allows you to enter your daily food intake by either typing it in or scanning its barcode. You can track what you eat, how much you exercise, and how much water you consume. There are also articles on health and fitness, exercise tips with demo videos, in addition to a points system to keep you motivated. OneTouch Reveal (iphone and Android) Apps that sync with your glucometer can help save time and frustration. The OneTouch Reveal app connects to the OneTouch Verio Flex meter. It organizes the readings into simple charts and graphs to help you identify trends in your blood sugar level. Plus, it lets you track insulin doses, exercise, and carbs. MySugr (iphone only) The MySugr app prompts you to test your blood sugar, imports glucometer results, and can even create and reports to get an estimated HbA1C. Need help? Call ComPsych! Health issues can lead to stress, which can affect your work and family life. ComPsych GuidanceResources provides support, resources and information for personal and work-life issues through your Member Assistance Program (MAP). GuidanceResources is confidential and provided at no charge to you and your dependents. You may be eligible to receive up to five FREE confidential counseling sessions. Call ComPsych at when you need support. Counselors are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. (Not applicable to the Retiree Plan of Benefits.) Call ComPsych at when you need support. Counselors are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. 5

6 Quit For Life! You Can Quitting tobacco products is one of the best things you can do immediately to improve your heart health. Did you know that after a year of being a non-smoker, your risk for heart disease is lowered to half that of a smoker s? To help you reach your tobacco-free goals, contact the Quit For Life program. Quit For Life helps tobacco users overcome their physical, psychological and behavioral addiction to tobacco using a mix of medication support, phone-based coaching, web-based learning and social support. When you join the Quit For Life Program, you will create a Quitting Plan that is designed to meet your individual needs and provide you with as much help as you need, when you need it. Don t delay studies show that those who try to quit with the help of an integrated program like Quit For Life are more likely to succeed. Call 866-QUIT-4-LIFE ( ) to register. When you call, identify yourself as a member of the Chicago Carpenters. Or enroll online at Select Enroll online now to begin the registration process. You must be eligible for benefits at the time of your enrollment. The Quit For Life Program is free of charge to you and your eligible dependents age 18 and older. Don t delay! Call 866-QUIT-4-LIFE ( ) or enroll online at and get started today! Participant Services Health Benefits: Phone: /Option 3 Fax: Retirement Benefits: Phone: /Option 4 Fax: Contributions & Collections: Phone: /Option 5 Fax: Administration: Phone: /Option 7 Fax: Website: The information provided in on the LEVEL is of a general nature only and does not replace or alter the official rules and policies contained in the official plan documents that legally govern the terms and operation of the Welfare Fund. If this newsletter differs in any way from the official plan documents, the official plan documents always govern. Receipt of this newsletter does not guarantee eligibility for benefits. The Trustees have the right to modify benefits at any time. 6 LIE AL TRADES D PRINTIN G UNION LABEL COUNCIL CHICA O, IL G 212