S I M P LY W E L L We l l n e s s T i p s a n d E n c o u r a g e m e n t f ro m H e a l t h A l l i a n c e
Helpful Resources Diabetes
• American Diabetes Association, diabetes.org • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cdc.gov/diabetes • National Diabetes Education Program, ndep.nih.gov • For Kids: kidshealth.org (search for “diabetes”) Asthma
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, nhlbi.nih.gov (search for “asthma”) • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cdc.gov/asthma/inhaler_video • American Lung Association, lung.org/asthma • For Kids: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, aaaai.org (search for “kids”)
We Help You Reach Your Resolutions Whether you reached your goals last year and want to build on your success or you fell a little short and want a fresh start in 2016, Health Alliance offers lots of extras to help you get to where you want to be. From exercising and eating healthy to quitting tobacco, we can help with your resolutions. Here are just a few of the many programs we offer. Rally for Your Health If your resolution deals with eating healthier, exercising, reducing stress or improving your sleep schedule, RallySM can help you reach your goal. This easy-to-use digital health experience offers missions and advice for your specific health needs. It also gives you a health test to help you know which areas you may want to improve and rewards you as you achieve your missions.
Make Health Your Habit in 2016—p. 1 Make Meds a Priority This Year—p. 3 Keep Up on Diabetes Testing this Year—p. 5 Asthma Awareness—p. 6
Go to HealthAlliance.org to learn more about these programs and other extras we offer to help you reach your 2016 goals.
Lace Up Your Sneakers If you’re a Health Alliance Medicare Advantage member, you have access to the SilverSneakers® fitness program at no extra cost. You can have gear sent to your house to help you exercise in the comfort of your own home. If you prefer a more social workout, you can join a gym that participates in the SilverSneakers program. Learn more at HealthAllianceMedicare.org.
Quitting Can Be Good If you use tobacco, quitting is one of the best things you can do. Make 2016 the year you end your tobacco use with our helpful resources. Quit For Life®* (1-866-784-8454) gives you lots of tools to help you stop, like one-on-one coaching, a quit plan just for you, Text2Quit and an online learning and support community called Web Coach®. Rally also offers missions to help you quit tobacco. *Call the number on the back of your ID card to check if your plan includes Quit For Life.
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Make Health Your Habit in 2016
As nice as it would be, you can’t promise yourself you won’t get sick in 2016, but you can take steps to help you stay healthy and prevent diseases. Now that you’ve cleaned up the confetti and turned the page on 2015, here are some healthy habits to pick up for the new year.
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Get Your Annual Checkup Make sure to see your doctor this year for your annual wellness visit. Talk to him or her about any tests you should have, like colorectal cancer screenings or mammograms, and how often you should have them. Your wellness checkup and screenings help your doctor find cancer or other problems early so that you can get treatment before the problems get worse. Most plans cover wellness screenings at 100 percent. Call the number on the back of your ID card to check your coverage.
Know Your Blood Pressure Your blood pressure is a key part of your health. High blood pressure raises your risk of heart disease, congestive heart failure (weakened heart) and stroke (sudden stop or lessening of blood supply to your brain). The first step to having a healthy blood pressure is knowing what it is in the first place. Make sure you ask your doctor what your blood pressure is at each of your doctor visits. If the reading seems unusually high, ask for another reading later in the appointment. You can also track your blood pressure at home. Talk to your doctor about how often and what time of day you should take it. Here are some tips to help you choose a blood pressure machine.* • The American Heart Association recommends using a machine with an arm cuff rather than a wristband, so buy one with a cuff to get the most accurate reading. • Make sure you get a machine with the right size of cuff for your arm. Measure around your upper arm before you buy.
Once you buy a machine, follow these steps. If you’ve just exercised, smoked or had caffeine, wait at least 30 minutes before taking your blood pressure. • Sit with your feet flat on the floor and your back against the back of a chair. Don’t talk. • Rest your arm on a flat surface. Make sure your upper arm is level with your heart. • Follow the directions for using your cuff to make sure you have it in the right spot. • Record your blood pressure and the date and time you take it. Share your records with your doctor. • If you get one high reading, take your blood pressure again. Talk to your doctor if you keep getting high results. • If the top number (systolic) is 180 or higher or the bottom number (diastolic) is 110 or higher, call your doctor right away.
Get Your Flu Shot
Flu season is in full swing, and the best way to help you avoid getting or spreading it is with a flu shot. Your plan covers flu vaccines at 100 percent at in-network pharmacies or providers, but if you get the shot at the doctor’s office, you might have a copay for the office visit. Keep up on other recommended shots you need and make sure you’re getting your kids all the shots they need, too. Check out our Health and Wellness section at HealthAlliance.org or go to cdc.gov to see what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends.
Medicine, weight loss, exercise and eating less salt can help lower your blood pressure. Ask your doctor what your blood pressure goal should be and what you can do to reach it. Target Blood Pressure 18–59 ➞ < 140/90 60 years or older ➞ < 150/90
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60 years or older with diabetes and/or kidney disease ➞ < 140/90 Go to the American Heart Association's website at heart.org for more info.
*Your plan does not cover home blood pressure machines.
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Make Meds a Priority This Year If you take prescription medicine, one of your goals this year should be to take it how and when your doctor directed.
Remember to Take Your Meds
Your doctor may prescribe more than one medication at a time. Ask about when to take them and if there could be any negative side effects of taking multiple meds. If you have any negative side effects, call your doctor right away.
Here are some tips to help you remember to take your meds.
Never stop taking prescription medicine on your own, even if you start feeling better or think your symptoms are under control. You and your doctor should make that decision together.
Prescription meds work best when you take them on time and as directed. Skipping doses could make them less effective.
• Take your meds at the same time each day. Taking them before or after a daily event, like brushing your teeth, will help you remember. • Use a weekly pill box with separate sections for each day or time of day. • Use a medicine calendar or set a reminder on your cell phone. • Ask family or friends to help remind you to take your meds.
Your Pharmacy Can Help If you need help to stay on top of your meds, your pharmacy is a great resource. • Ask about automatic refills to make sure you don’t fall behind on your meds. • See if the pharmacy can call, email or text you when it’s time for a refill. Some pharmacies even have refill reminder apps. • Your pharmacist can answer questions about your meds or how to take them.
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Talk to your doctor if you have questions or are having trouble keeping up on your meds. Your doctor can also help you figure out a simpler routine for taking multiple meds.
Asthma By taking the right medicine at the right time, you can breathe better and have fewer flare-ups, which means being able to do more of the things you love. Remember to use your long-term medication regularly and keep your inhaler close in case of an emergency. Flare-ups can happen quickly, so you should do everything you can to prevent them and be ready if they happen.
High Blood Pressure There are several kinds of medicines that help control high blood pressure, and some work differently than others. That means you may need more than one med to manage your blood pressure. If so, make sure you take the right meds at the right time. You and your doctor might have to try different meds or a combination of meds to see what works best for you. Be sure to tell your doctor right away if you have any negative side effects.
Diabetes If your doctor tells you to use insulin and/ or other medicine for your diabetes, follow his or her directions. If you skip your insulin, your blood sugar level will be too high. This could lead to serious health problems, like damage to the eyes, nerves, kidneys, heart or blood vessels. Too much insulin can also harm your health. Low blood sugar can lead to diabetic shock (a condition that could cause fainting, coma or even death). If you are 40 or older, talk with your doctor about taking a statin medicine. Statins lower your cholesterol to help prevent heart attacks and stroke.
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Keep Up on Diabetes Testing this Year Controlling your diabetes is about more than just your blood sugar level. Diabetes can affect your health in other ways, so you need certain tests and exams to make sure you are as healthy as possible.
The American Diabetes Association recommends getting the following services each year. Make a goal to get all of them checked off your list in 2016. • A1C test—two to four times a year with a goal of less than 7 percent • Blood pressure check—at each doctor visit with a goal of less than 140/90 • Retinal eye exam—once a year • Urine test for protein—once a year • Foot exam—once a year (more often if you have foot problems) • Flu shot—once a year
If you have type 2 diabetes, you and your doctor probably came up with a treatment plan when you were first diagnosed that focused on diet and exercise. For some people, making those lifestyle changes is enough to control their blood sugar. However, many people with type 2 diabetes eventually have to take insulin, sometimes paired with an oral medicine. Using a syringe to take insulin is the most common way, but there are other options, like insulin pens or pumps. Talk to your doctor about what’s right for you. Taking insulin doesn’t mean you failed at controlling your diabetes. Diabetes is a progressive disease, which means it changes and can get worse over time. Sometimes even eating right and exercising can’t stop it from getting worse. That doesn’t mean you should give up on your healthy habits, though. Even if you begin taking insulin, diet and exercise should still be part of your treatment plan. If your doctor says you need to start taking insulin, don’t be discouraged. It just means it’s the best way to control your diabetes at this time.
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Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about your treatment plan or questions about taking insulin.
Insulin Doesn’t Equal Failure
Asthma Awareness Don’t Let Winter Bring You Down Along with the freezing temperatures and poor road conditions, winter weather brings other worries for people with asthma. And even the perks of winter, like cozy fireplaces and fuzzy blankets, can spell trouble.
Winter Weather Warm-Up Tips
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Cold, dry air can make your airways constrict and bother your already-sensitive lungs. • Bundle up. It’s hard to escape the cold air in the winter, so wear a scarf or mask to help warm up the air you breathe in. Scarves and masks that aren’t too fuzzy and can be washed work best. • Try to exercise indoors. If you need to exercise outside, make sure to cover your nose and mouth. • Don’t warm up by a fireplace. The smoke or fumes could trigger an attack.
Fight Winter Sickness
Winter is cold and flu season, which can be extra serious for people with asthma. • Get a flu shot to help you avoid getting the flu. • Wash your hands often. You can also wipe down phones, keyboards, door handles or other surfaces you touch frequently. • Ask your doctor before taking any over-the- counter medicine for colds or other sicknesses.
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If you have asthma, here are some tips to help you cope and even thrive this winter. Avoid the Effects of Indoor Triggers
When it’s freezing outside, you spend lots of time indoors, meaning you’re around indoor triggers, like mold and dust mites, for long periods of time. • Remove mold from surfaces in your home. • Clean bedding and other dust mite-prone surfaces often, using water that is at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit. • Use only washable materials on your bed. Pick synthetic pillows and mattress pads rather than feather or wool ones. • Put a dust-proof cover over your mattress and box springs. Winter weather doesn’t have to keep you from enjoying life. Take a few extra steps to help make sure your asthma doesn’t control you this season. Always have your inhaler on hand and take any prescriptions you have as directed. For more info on asthma tips, go to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America website at aafa.org. 6
PRESORT STD US POSTAGE PAID CHAMPAIGN, IL PERMIT NO 488 301 S. Vine St. Urbana, IL 61801
Health Alliance Medicare is an HMO and PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Health Alliance Medicare depends on contract renewal. This information is not a complete description of benefits. Contact the plan for more information. Limitations, copayments and restrictions may apply. Benefits and copayments/coinsurance may change on January 1 of each year.
Black-Bean Chili Ingredients 1 cup diced onion 1 cup diced green bell pepper 1 pound ground chuck 1 1/2 cups no-salt-added beef broth 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained 6 tablespoons fat-free sour cream 6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Health and wellness or prevention information
Preparation Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add first 3 ingredients; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well; return meat mixture to pan. Add broth and next 8 ingredients (broth through beans); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Ladle chili into soup bowls; top with sour cream and cilantro. qm-simplywell-1215 â&#x20AC;˘ Y0034_16_40835
Nutrition information per serving 346 calories (30% calories from fat); 11.6 g fat; 4.3 g saturated fat; 35.5 g carbohydrate; 25.4 g protein; 5.5 g fiber; 44 mg cholesterol; 4.9 mg iron; 529 mg sodium; 103 mg calcium. (Recipe from cookinglight.com)