one one you re Do you know the health screenings you need to stay in top health? - Eat Well, Live Well - Get Connected To Lose Weight

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1 spring 2008 one TO one you re Unique Do you know the health screenings you need to stay in top health? - Eat Well, Live Well - Get Connected To Lose Weight -Tackle Your Stress A hiker enjoys Castle Peak, near Stanley

2 welcome: get up, get out, get healthy Spring is a season of new beginnings, making it a great time to recommit to a healthier lifestyle. As the buds of spring emerge, most of us will feel motivated to break out of our winter hibernation habits. Some of us will need extra motivation. You ll find exactly that in this issue of One to One, with articles on spring fitness and good nutrition that can put you on a healthier path or keep you on the one you re on. There s also valuable information about preventive screenings and health tools for men and women. And, as always, you ll learn more about what Blue Cross of Idaho has to offer. We want you to take full advantage of your benefits, including the many extras and special programs we provide to help our members maintain their commitment to good health. So take a quick read, and then get out there and live well. We re here to help Joshua Roper/idahostockimagES.com (cover), 2008 Marjorie McBride/ idahostockimages.com (top left) = mat ters of the he art Jump Start Your Health Do you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes? Then you know that you re at risk for heart disease. It s time to call Blue Cross of Idaho about our Healthy at Heart program. When you join the year-long program, you ll receive a welcome kit, a health manager reference guide, healthy hints tip cards and a bimonthly newsletter. Call (800) , ext. 6924, or TTY/TDD (800) to learn more. 2 Guide to a cardiovascular risk management program for healthcare organizations HEALTHY AT HEART TM

3 = Q & A I recently retired. My wife and I have been looking forward to this stage in our lives for a long time, but now that it s here I Q feel more stress than relief. What can I do? A Stress is a part of everybody s life whether it s caused by negative changes like divorce or death, or by seemingly positive ones like a birth in your family or retirement. However, long-term stress will hurt your physical health and impact your relationships. It contributes to high blood pressure, weakens your immune system and aggravates other health conditions. You should take it seriously. To help manage your stress, start by making small changes in your lifestyle. Exercise is a good way to let go of stress, so why not take a dance class with your wife? Go for a walk or start gardening more regularly. Another way to reduce stress is by exercising your mind. Start writing a journal or stress log to express your thoughts. Set aside time each day to try your hand at a quiet game like Sudoku or bridge. = Test your stress level in our online Health Library. Go to and under the Health & Wellness menu, choose Health Library. = pharmacy generic update Below, we list the brand-name drugs (by condition) recently released in a generic form. Medication Use Brand Name Generic Name High blood pressure Altace Ramipril Stomach/ulcer Protonix Pantoprazole Nausea/vomiting associated with chemotherapy Kytril Granisetron 3

4 Prevention: his & hers health Care ( When it comes to preventive screenings, ) men and women have their differences. What s good for the goose is good for the gander, as the saying goes. But if you re talking about preventive health screenings, what s good for her can be a bit different from what s best for him. Certain preventive health screenings are important for everyone, but men and women have their own unique health care needs. Here s a general checklist of the preventive and immunization services you should be asking for. For Him and Her Men and women should consider these screenings part of their routine preventive care: Cholesterol: Every five years, although your doctor may recommend a different frequency if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of heart disease or are a smoker. Blood pressure and weight: Checked once a year at least, but your doctor will probably check it at every office visit. Blood glucose: This test for diabetes is often routine, but is especially important if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or other risk factors such as being overweight. Colorectal cancer: Starting at age 50, you should have a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) every year, a flexible sidmoidoscopy every five years and a colonoscopy every 10 years. Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV): Once after you turn 65. 4

5 Influenza vaccine: Recommended annually. Just for Him Men should also be screened for these conditions: Prostate cancer: Recommended annually beginning at age 50. Just for Her Women need these screenings to help prevent female-specific issues: Breast cancer: Conduct a self exam every month and, starting at age 50, get a mammogram annually. Cervical cancer: Get a Pap smear annually. Osteoporosis: Bone density tests beginning at age 65. Education for Everyone Prevention is the best medicine, but a healthy dose of education never hurt anyone, either. That s why Blue Cross of Idaho offers members an extensive online Health Library at, where you can learn more about your health. The site also offers interactive quizzes and calculators to help you manage your health, a symptom checker and links to support groups for specific conditions. And it s there whenever you want it, at no cost. To access the online Health Library, visit and click on the Health & Wellness tab. Under the same tab, you ll also find a section on preventive guidelines. If You Have Diabetes, Take Note: People who live with type 2 diabetes have a unique set of preventive care guidelines. Here s a schedule for you to follow: - Every 3 to 6 months, your doctor should review your blood sugar levels and blood pressure, check your feet for signs of injury or infection and conduct a hemoglobin A1c test (unless your sugar levels have remained consistent for a significant time). - Every 6 months, you should visit your dentist who will check for gum problems. - Every year, you should see your eye doctor for a dilated eye exam. You should also visit your physician for a fasting cholesterol test, a thorough foot exam and a urine test for protein levels. 5

6 Nutrition: eat well LIVE well Nature provides an abundance of nutrition. You ve seen those ads for fad diets and nutritional supplements. But consider this: nature s already provided the secret to sustaining and nourishing your body in the form of fruits and vegetables. The vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables are key to keeping our bodies functioning and thriving. Here s the scoop on some of the most important nutrients for your body: Vitamin promotes sources Vitamin A Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Vitamin B9 (Folate) Beta Carotene healthy vision, bone growth, cell reproduction energy, metabolism red blood cell growth healthy vision, growth, cell division carrots, winter squash peanuts citrus fruits and juices, leafy vegetables carrots, cantaloupes, pumpkins, tomatoes Potassium cell and muscle growth citrus fruits, apples, bananas, cantaloupes, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, peas = Learn more online: Our online Health Library offers even more information about how to eat healthy. Go to, and select Health Library from the Health & Wellness menu. Then, search for nutrition. The Most Valuable Produce Not all vegetables are born equal. Here are three you should put on your grocery list every week: Broccoli: Packed with nutrients and high in vitamin C, calcium and protein, broccoli may protect against ovarian and breast cancers and help slow aging. Onions: With calcium, iron and potassium, onions appear to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal cancers, slow the growth of cancer cells, and may even lower cholesterol. Tomatoes: High in vitamin C and lycopene, these fruits may cut gastrointestinal cancer risk by 50 percent as well as reduce prostate cancer risk by 22 to 35 percent. They also appear to lower heart disease risk. When Your Diet s Not Enough If you smoke, drink regularly or are having trouble maintaining a balanced diet, you may want to consider a supplement or multivitamin. Check with your doctor to determine which is right for you. 6

7 Get connected: lose weight, feel great A personalized health program can help you improve your lifestyle for the better and for good. Losing weight can feel like a solitary battle. But sticking to healthy lifestyle changes doesn t mean you have to go it alone. WellConnected, Blue Cross of Idaho s online health and well-being program, offers a highly personalized 12-step health and well-being program, designed to change long-held behaviors and help you reach your goal weight. How It Works You ll answer a short questionnaire at the start of the Lose Weight, Feel Great program, and your responses will drive the content you receive. Weight loss tools include s, quizzes and polls, an online weight tracker, interactive food and activity journals, and other personalized content. Each of the program s steps will examine a different topic. Interactive features instill a healthy approach to weight loss and will help you drop 5 percent of your weight in 12 weeks. The Benefits Abound By shrinking your waistline, you re also decreasing your risk for heart disease, diabetes and other health problems. = Start Today To begin this personalized health improvement plan, visit bcidaho. com, login as a member by clicking the member button on the left-hand side of the main page. (If you re not registered, refer to the back page for instructions.) From there, click the login button under WellConnected. 7

8 are you registered yet? You re busy. You don t have time to hunt for answers to your health insurance questions. No problem. Just go online to. By registering on the site, you gain 24-hour access to information about your plan coverage including claim history, benefits and eligibility, and deductible balance. You can also print out an Explanation of Benefits. The Member section also allows you access to our new decision support tools and Wellness support tools. And it s all strictly protected to ensure your information is kept private and confidential. Visit. sign up today 1. Go to bcidaho. com and click on Members in the Select a Secure Log-in box. 2. Click Register Now. 3. Enter your name, date of birth, Enrollee ID Number and Program or Group Number (you ll find those numbers on your ID card). 4. Pick a username and give us your address. We will send a password to your address that you can customize on our site E. Pine Ave. Meridian, ID (888) PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE P A I D One to One IS H1350 H1302 H5862 CS (03/08) Published by McMurry All rights reserved. No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. The information in this publication is intended to complement not take the place of the recommendations of your health care provider. Consult your physician before making major changes in your lifestyle or health care regimen. McMurry makes no endorsements or warranties regarding any of the products and services included in this publication or its articles.