FEATURES

Health 2

Stephen’s Story

The Importance of H20

Preventa� ve Care Covered

With No Cost Sharing

Nutri! on & Fitness 3

Fit Tip

Get Organized For Success

Cartoon

Healthy U! 4

FITBIT Challenge Winners

Be a Friend

Employee Assistance

Program

Exercise to Kickstart Your

Heart

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‘Publica� ons/Informa� on’

Spring 2016

We all know how important it is to have our fi nancial bank account in order. If there is no money in the account, we are unable to respond to the bills that come in. The same is true for our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual “bank accounts”. When these are drained, it is diffi cult to respond in a positive way to the challenges life presents to us.The New Year is the time when we typically focus on making positive changes in many of these areas, but how are you doing now? Let’s take a moment

for a springtime check-up: Emotional: Sometimes we choose to wall off some “negative” feelings because they can be very painful to deal with. But keeping feelings stuffed away can drain the emotional bank account. Simply becoming aware of such emotions and identifying them can be a fi rst step to help you top off this side of your bank account.

Spiritual: Is your spiritual bank account healthy or are you in debt? Options in this category include prayer, meditation, yoga, chi gong, tai chi, centering exercises or quiet time. If you are feeling overly stressed, which approach might be a good option for you?

To continue having a healthier and happier 2016, let’s ensure all of these

accounts are “topped off”!

Physical: How are you doing in terms of your physical bank account? Are you getting enough movement in your day? Physical activity promotes healthy aging, raises protective HDL cholesterol, reduces anxiety and stress, strengthens bones and the heart, controls blood pressure and adds to a fulfi lling life.

Mental: Thoughts are very powerful. Do you know your body can’t tell the difference between what you imagine and what you experience? For example, just thinking about a scary movie can increase your heart rate. Your hands might even feel cold and clammy. If you recall a relaxing time at the beach, your pulse can slow down. And that’s just thinking about it! Are you content with the way you are handling negative thoughts? Does your mental bank account need some topping

off?

Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live. – Jim Rohn

Are You Investing In Yourself?

2 Health

The Importance of H2O

Water is an essential component of our bodies. Keeping water in our bodies during the hotter months is especially important as dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion. Here are some tips to stay hydrated while working or playing outdoors:

• Drink before signs of thirst appear.

• Thirst is a signal that you are already well on your way to dehydration.

• Drink more than thirst demands and continue to drink throughout the day.

Don’t like plain water? Try adding fruit, herbs and even vegetables for an extra fl avor kick!

Strawberry & Cucumber

Tomato-Basil

Pineapple-Mint-Ginger

Jalapeño

Watermelon-Mint

Did You Know?The average American drinks 20 oz of water

daily, which is 2.5 cups.That’s about 44 oz shy of where we should be.

Checkups, Screenings, Vaccines, Prenatal Care,

Contracep� ves and More with No Out-of-Pocket Costs

Good news! Your health benefi ts cover the services listed here with no cost to you as part of your preven� ve care.This includes rou� ne screenings and checkups. It also includes counseling you get to prevent illness, disease or other health problems.

You won’t have to pay out-of-pocket for these preven� ve visits when you visit a doctor in your provider network.But these services are generally not preven� ve if you get them as part of a visit to diagnose, monitor or treat an illness or injury. Then copays, coinsurance and deduc� bles may apply.

ASBAIT & Meritain Health follow the recommenda� ons of na� onal medical socie� es about how o� en children, men and women need these services. Be sure to talk with your doctor about which services are right for your age, gender

and health.

Immuniza� ons:

Doses, recommended ages, and recommended popula� ons vary.

• Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus (DPT)

• Hepa� � s A and B• Herpes zoster• Human Papillomavirus

(HPV)• Infl uenza• Measles, Mumps,

Rubella (MMR)• Meningococcal

(meningi� s)• Pneumococcal

(pneumonia)• Varicella (chicken pox)

Counseling for:

• Alcohol misuse• Diet (for adults with

hyperlipidemia and other known risk factors for cardiovascular and diet-related chronic disease)

• Obesity• Sexually Transmi# ed

Infec� on (STI) preven� on (for adults at higher risk)

• Tobacco use (including programs to help you stop using tobacco)

Medica� ons and supplements:

• Aspirin for men and women age 45 and older with certain cardiovascular risk factors

• Vitamin D supplements for adults age 65 and older with certain condi� ons

• Tobacco cessa� on medica� ons approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administra� on (FDA), including over-the-counter medica� ons when prescribed by a healthcare provider and fi lled at a par� cipa� ng pharmacy

Covered preven� ve services for adults generally include:

Screenings for:

• Abdominal aor� c aneurysm (one-� me screening for men of specifi ed ages who have ever smoked)

• Alcohol misuse• Blood pressure• Cholesterol (for adults of certain ages or at higher

risk)• Colorectal cancer (for adults over 50)• Depression• Type 2 diabetes (for adults with high blood pressure)• HIV• Lung cancer (for adults age 55 and over with history

of smoking)• Obesity• Syphilis (for all adults at higher risk)• Tobacco use

Preven� ve Care Covered With No Cost Sharing

Stephen’s Story

Baseline: “Stephen” is 57 years old and enrolled in Disease Management in November 2014 with a

primary diagnosis of diabetes. He also had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, atrial fi brilla� on,

primary lateral sclerosis (a neuromuscular disease), and chronic pain. Stephen reported his A1C was

between 11 and 13 percent, much higher than the recommended 7 percent or lower for diabetes

pa� ents, and he was taking eight medica� ons to manage his condi� ons. Stephen had started the

process of losing weight and controlling his condi� ons due to encouragement by his doctor.

Interven� on: Stephen and his nurse health coach had regular coaching calls where they worked

together to set Stephen’s short and long-term goals. They discussed how to change his lifestyle habits

to manage his health, including diet, exercise and safe physical ac� vi� es. Stephen was having some

hypoglycemic episodes, but with changes in his habits and medica� on adjustments the episodes have

stopped.

Results: Stephen has improved his diet and now uses an ellip� cal 20 – 30 minutes a day. To date, he

has lost 55 pounds, and his A1C has decreased to 5.2 percent. Instead of eight medica� ons, he now

takes two — a common thyroid prescrip� on and a small dose of medica� on to manage his diabetes.

Stephen’s PAM™ score has increased from 63.2 to 100. He said he is extremely confi dent that he is

doing all he can to manage his health and that he will con� nue his healthy habits.

Nurse Health Coaching.

A dedicated nurse will work with you to help you understand and manage

your condi� on, and achieve a healthy heart lifestyle.

Call 1.888.610.0089 to enroll.

Healthy ea� ng

habitsLost Weight Decreased

blood sugar levels

Reduced need

for medica� on

Increased PAM

Nutrition and Fitness3

Get Organized For Reduced Stress!

Many of us have good intentions of getting organized, whether it is in our personal or professional life, but something always seems to happen in between setting the goal and actually becoming organized. Developing good organizational skills is a key ingredient for success in work and life. Although some people by nature are more organized than others, anyone can put routines and systems in place to become more organized and productive. A few suggestions for improving organization success:

Write things down. Don’t rely on your memory. Make a “master project list” of all the tasks you need to accomplish. Be as thorough as possible.

Prioritize. Focus 80% of your time and energy on the 20% of your work that is really important.

Avoid urgency. Do not sacrifi ce important long-term projects by focusing all your attention on urgent ones.

Practice effective fi ling. Develop systematic ways of organizing your existing fi les. Ask yourself: Do I need to save it? Do I use it regularly?

Take time to plan. Planning early will save you time, energy and frustration in the end.

Organization, time management and planning are all skills that can be learned and implemented to help you eliminate stress in your daily life.

FIT TIP:

Sitting is the New SmokingFrom the driver’s seat, to the offi ce chair and back home to the couch, sitting is taking its toll on American health. According to Dr. James Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative and inventor of the treadmill desk,

“Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.”

The term “sitting is the new smoking” has risen in popularity of late because, like smoking, the effects of long-term sitting are not reversible through exercise or good habits. Indeed, research links a highly sedentary lifestyle with a shorter life span and increased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, among other serious health problems.

So how can we counter balance sitting all day? Set an alarm or app to get up and move every 20-45 minutes. Take advantage of standing and do some light stretches to help alleviate neck, back and shoulder pain. Research indicates that periodic workplace stretching may reduce pain by up to 72 percent. A bit of exercise in the workday can relieve both physical and mental stress.

NeckLean your head

forward and slowly roll from side to side.

ChestPlace your hands behind your head and squeeze your shoulder blades together while

bringing the elbows back as far as

possible.

Chest, Shoulders, Neck

Clasp hands behind your back, push the chest outward, and

raise the chin.

Neck & ShouldersClasp your hands in front of you and lower your head in line with your arms.

ArmsGently pull each

elbow to the opposite side

overhead

4 Healthy U!

We welcome your input. Please e-mail all comments and suggestions about this newsletter to well-connected@edwardsrisk.com.

All information in this publication is meant to complement the advice & guidance of your physician and/or safety professional, not replace it.

© Edwards Risk Management, Inc. 2016

OctoberBeth Jurgensen

Catalina Foothills SD

DecemberTerri Divers

Madison Elementary

NovemberCyndy R. Harvey

Whiteriver USD

JanuaryMinerva Valenzuela

Nogales USD

FITBIT CHALLENGE WINNERS

Be A FriendWe are losing something in America and it’s not stress or weight. It’s our friends. This quiet epidemic is slowly eroding our health, happiness and opportunities according to Shawn Achor (Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work, 2010). It is a bold statement and supported by studies indicating that our social support system has a dramatic effect on our wellbeing. Facing this information can be unsettling but can be an opportunity for growth.

The good news is that we can do something today and tomorrow to improve our social circle. It starts with a smile, maybe a kind word or an act of kindness. Here is the important part; it takes two to tango. Friendship requires two people making an investment in each other. Much like the stock market, there will always be ups and downs, yet we must focus on the long-term return. If we make good investments, we can weather the storms that come and go.

To earn friends, we must increase our friendability. Yes, friendability or the ability to be a good friend. Being more accepting of other points of view, a willingness to support, not enable, someone and the desire to participate in healthy behaviors are good places to start. When you see these behaviors in another, recognize what they are doing, put on a

smile, maybe introduce yourself and participate.

ASBAIT Spring Wellness Campaign starts NOW!

Sign up online at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/asbait_spring15

A Harvard study shows the risk of dying from heart disease is 39% lower for people who eat an ounce of nuts per day.

- 49 pistachios, 22 almonds, or 18 cashews.

Counselor call: