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Welcome to HEALTHYROADS!In this monthly newsletter, you’ll find a collection of articles on popular health and wellness topics. If you’d like additional guidance and support in your quest to lose weight, improve nutrition, develop an exercise plan, reduce stress, or quit smoking and haven’t discovered our Weight Management, Tobacco Cessation, and Wellness programs, we encourage you to call us today. Some or all of these programs may have been purchased for you by your employer. To take advantage of all that Healthyroads has to offer, visit us online at www.healthyroads.com or call us toll-free at 877.330.2746.

M600-5883A-UOA SEPT (09/15) © 2015 American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH). All rights reserved. Healthyroads, Healthyroads Coach, and the Healthyroads logo are trademarks of ASH. Healthyroads, Inc. is a subsidiary of American Specialty Health Incorporated. Healthyroads is a health education and wellness program; it is not insurance. Exclusively distributed by Healthyroads, Inc., PO Box 509040, San Diego, CA 92150-9040.

Wellness and Healthy LivingNew Mobile Health Care Apps

There is a new generation of mobile health care apps that may take personal health care to a whole new level. Imagine using your smartphone to “see” your doctor or retrieve your own test results. Or checking your blood sugar and reading the results right on your phone. Such tools may help you take charge of your health by:

À Saving time and money. Apps have the potential to make health care more convenient and affordable. Think of the time and money you might save with a 30-minute online doctor’s appointment by smartphone.

À Improving communication with your doctor. Mobile health care apps may make your health care team easier to reach. This can help you stay in touch with your doctor when you have questions or need changes to your treatment plan.

À Simplifying self-care. Some apps can remind you to take your medicines. Others will mail you refills when they’re due. You can also get your own health records, scans, and test results from your phone or tablet. Some even help track blood sugar and blood pressure when used with compatible testing devices.

If you are new to such apps, you may have some questions and concerns, such as:

À Privacy and security. There are laws that help guard your health information. Look for health care apps that adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

À Accuracy and reliability. This is more of a concern with apps that help track blood pressure or blood sugar. Your doctor may be able to suggest an app he or she knows and trusts.

À Availability and cost. Many apps are not yet approved by the FDA. Some apps require a prescription from your doctor. Some apps charge a fee but some accept insurance. Ask your doctor what he or she recommends for your needs.

Taking charge of your health by playing an active role can help you live a healthier life. While apps are not a substitute for in-person care, they can help support your needs and complement your health care team’s services. That can make it easier to manage your health. Work with your health care team to find out whether some of the new apps can help you meet your goals.

01Wellness and Healthy Living New Mobile Health Care Apps

02Nutrition and Weight Management Good Foods, Bad Bugs

03 Active LivingHow to Give Yourself a Great Massage

04Life Skills Financial Stress and Your Health

NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER 2015

HEALTHYROADS®

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COACH TIP:Cooking for the week and storing portions in sealable containers can help you eat healthfully. But if you want to keep leftovers for more than 3 or 4 days, freeze them right away.

IMAGINE...Getting a report on your health that’s specific to you . . . in just minutes. Healthyroads.com can help you gauge your current health and find ways to improve it.

Log on towww.healthyroads.com today.

Nutrition and Weight Management:Good Foods, Bad Bugs

Preparing fresh foods at home is one of the healthiest ways to eat “clean” and reach or stay at a healthy weight. But many healthy, fresh foods can be hosts to pathogens that can make you sick. You can destroy or curb most of them if you practice food safety. Think you know the rules of food safety? You might be surprised by a few. Practice these habits to help keep bad bugs at bay:

Clean

À Wash your hands with soap and warm water before and after handling food.

À Wash your cutting boards, countertops, dishes, and utensils with hot, soapy water.

À Wash fruits and veggies (even those you will peel) before eating or cutting into them.

Separate

À Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood away from other foods in your shopping cart, grocery bags, and fridge.

À Use separate cutting boards: reserve one for meats, poultry, seafood, and eggs.

À Don’t place cooked meat where raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs were prepared.

Prep and cook

À Don’t thaw frozen foods on countertops. Harmful bacteria can grow quickly on foods at room temperature. Thaw foods in the fridge or defrost them in a microwave.

À Don’t rinse your meats before cooking them. Rinsing doesn’t remove all contaminants and can actually help spread them around your kitchen.

À Use a food thermometer to test doneness of meats, poultry, seafood, and eggs. Print a temperature chart at FoodSafety.gov and keep it handy in your kitchen.

À Reheat leftovers to 165 degrees; hot dogs and deli meats should be steaming hot.

À Reheat sauces, soups, and gravies by bringing them to a boil.

À Be sure to cook beans, especially kidney beans, thoroughly. Note that slow cookers may not get hot enough to cook some beans safely. Stovetop boiling is best.

Chill

À Keep your fridge at 40 degrees or lower and your freezer at 0.

À Put large portions into smaller, covered containers; refrigerate or freeze immediately.

The best version of “clean” eating means fresh, whole foods prepared safely. In short, more good foods and fewer bad bugs equals a win-win.

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SERIOUS ABOUT QUITTING?We at Healthyroads understand the challenges of quitting smoking. That’s why we offer a comprehensive Tobacco Cessation program that provides you with the best techniques to help you quit—once and for all. From our coaching program and educational materials to our online resources and nicotine replacement therapy products (if included in your benefit), we give you every chance to succeed. For anyone considering quitting smoking, take the first step and visit www.healthyroads.com or contact us at 877.330.2746.

Your tight, aching muscles are probably crying out for a massage. A good massage can get blood flowing to your muscles and help you work out the kinks. But not everyone has the time or money to get a professional massage. No problem. You can also get benefits from massaging yourself—and you don’t need hand strength or fancy equipment. These 3 self-massage tools are cheap, easy to use, and—in 2 cases—use your body weight.

Tennis Ball

Forget expensive hand-held massagers. The best (and cheapest) massage tool around is a simple tennis ball. Tennis balls have exactly the right balance of firmness and give to release tight muscles. They work great for the back, shoulders, and feet.

To use a tennis ball, lie down on your back on carpet and put the ball under a sore spot. Hold it there for 1 to 3 minutes, letting gravity and pressure do the work. After a couple of minutes, you will feel a melting release in the muscle. You can also put 2 tennis balls in an old tube sock, knot between them, and knot the open end of the sock. Place the balls on either side of your spine. Or stand on a ball and slowly roll it from heel to toes.

Foam Roller

A foam roller is an inexpensive tube of hard foam, about 6 inches in diameter and 1 to 3 feet long. It is used to work out knots in muscles and can be bought at any sporting goods store. You can use a foam roller under almost any part of your body, but it’s great for big areas like the thighs and back. Put the roller under you and slowly roll until you find a tender spot in the muscle. Stay on the spot, letting pressure soften it, or

use small back and forth movements. Be careful not to go fast or apply pressure to the extent that it becomes painful.

Your Hands

Last but not least, your own hands make great self-massage tools for your face, scalp, neck, and shoulders. Use your fingertips to massage circles on your forehead, temples, and underneath your cheekbone. Grasp your scalp with fingertips or the heel of the hands and rub. Or grasp your neck, or the tissue at the base of your neck where it meets the shoulder, and hold for a minute, until you feel the tissue soften.

If you have health issues—including muscle, joint, spinal, or nerve problems—or questions about any of these techniques, be sure to talk with your doctor before trying them out. Don’t keep living with aching muscles when you can help relieve them. It’s all in your hands.

Active Living How to Give Yourself a Great Massage

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GET STARTED with Healthyroads today!

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À Telephone sessions with a Healthyroads Coach®

À Award-winning materials

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For more information, visit us online at www.healthyroads.com or call us toll-free at 877.330.2746.

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Money problems are common, and it’s normal to worry about them when they strike. But stressing about money can wear down both your mind and body. It may even raise your risk for health problems like high blood pressure and stroke. So, what can you do to ease the burden of financial stress?

Create a budget. With a budget, you may be able to see your finances more clearly. A budget helps you manage your money by showing you how much you spend compared to how much you earn. Do a quick online search for “budget calculator” to create your own budget. Or, visit this site: http://www.calculator.net/budget-calculator.html.

Ease credit card or student loan debt. High interest rates and late payment penalties can be tough to escape. A nonprofit credit counselor may be able to help. A credit counselor can help you find ways to pay down debt or lower interest rates. To find a credit counselor, visit: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/1351/how-do-i-find-credit-counselor.html. If you are employed, see if your company has an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP counselors are there to help during times of hardship.

Seek financial assistance. You may be eligible for government assistance. Check online at www.benefits.gov for more information. You can also visit www.USA.gov and search for “Help for difficult financial times.”

Make healthy choices. Too often, people cope with financial stress by turning to unhealthy habits, such as binge eating or alcohol abuse. But healthy habits and actions can help perk up your mood and your energy. This can help you stay focused and on task with your financial goals.

Keep these tips in mind:

À Eat foods that support good health. That means plenty of fresh veggies and fruit, whole grains, and lean proteins like tuna, fresh eggs, skinless poultry, or low-sodium canned beans.

À Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. Being active can help raise your energy and lift your spirit.

À Relaxation skills like meditation, belly breathing, mental imagery, and mindfulness can help ease stress. Look online, get books at the library, or look for free instruction. Tai chi and yoga can help, too. Look for free, local classes to get started.

Financial stress can be a heavy burden, but it doesn’t have to be. You are not alone. This type of stress is not uncommon, and there are people and groups who want to help. By making smart, healthy choices and seeking debt counseling or other support if you need it, you can get back on track again.

Life Skills Financial Stress and Your Health