Sarah Bishop
I’m a writer and bookworm who loves learning and writing about the latest health and wellness topics. Like a true Gemini, I’m a walking dichotomy. I like kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, but I also like ice cream, fried chicken, and cheese. So, I’m always fighting the good fight. As the mom of two little girls, I strive to model healthy habits that my daughters will carry with them for life.

Meet Cecilia Bermudez: Celebrating Caring Honoree

Photo of Cecilia Bermudez
Caring is in all of us, and nurses truly embody that spirit. Independence Blue Cross received nearly 700 submissions for its Celebrate Caring campaign. We are honored to share the stories of our top 10 finalists, including Cecilia Bermudez, oncology nurse at Reading Hospital-Tower Health.  Cecilia Bermudez used to be a chemistry tutor at a private liberal arts college....
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Meet Kate Gleason-Bachman, Celebrate Caring Honoree

Kate Gleason-Bachman, taking a patient's blood pressure.
Caring is in all of us, and nurses truly embody that spirit. Independence Blue Cross received nearly 700 submissions for its Celebrate Caring campaign. We are honored to share the stories of our top ten finalists, including Kate Gleason-Bachman, a nurse at Pathways to Housing PA.

A Team Devoted Exclusively to Opioid Use Disorder

Pathways to Housing PA (Pathways) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower people with disabilities to improve their housing stability,...
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Meet Micah Maxton, Celebrate Caring Honoree

Micah Maxton, leaning against a counter
Caring is in all of us, and nurses truly embody that spirit. Independence Blue Cross received nearly 700 submissions for its Celebrate Caring campaign. We are honored to share the stories of our top 10 finalists, including Micah Maxton, Emergency Department nurse at Roxborough Memorial Hospital.

Turning Tragedy into Triumph

Growing up in North Philly,...
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Understanding Invisible Illnesses

A woman holds her shoulder in pain
If you’re on social media, it may seem like every other day is an awareness day for a different disease. Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease, for example, get a lot of media coverage. There are awareness months, well-attended charity walks, ribbons, fundraising merchandise, perhaps a celebrity spokesperson. If you suffer from one of these diseases,...
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Find Your Zen: Identifying Your Stress Triggers and Coping Techniques

A young woman smells some small flowers while doing some gardening.
What’s stressing you out these days? Your endless to-do list? Bills? Your health or the health of a loved one? Your kids? The current state of the nation? If you’re a professional worrier like myself, it’s all of the above. And based on current statistics about Americans and stress, clearly I’m not alone. Although stress is a normal part of your body’s reaction to any demand or threat (and can be a powerful motivator),...
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How an Independence Blue Cross Health Coach Can Help You

Health Coach taking a call on a phone headset
I recently interviewed Lisa Lokuta, RN, BSN, a Health Coach in the Independence Blue Cross Case and Condition Management department to get some insight into health coaching. IBX: What is a Health Coach? Lisa: Independence Health Coaches are specially-trained, registered nurses with an average of 8 to 11 years of clinical service. Independence has more than 90 Health Coaches on staff to help our members navigate their health....
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Desktop Detox

Open laptop on a messy, cluttered desk
I’ve never been a very big fan of New Year’s resolutions. To me, they seem like half-hearted attempts to reinvent yourself in an over-the-top (and wholly unrealistic) way. Everyone starts with ambitious plans to overhaul their life and become a whole new person, only to be back to old habits in a few weeks’ time. That said,...
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Nutrition and Meal Planning for Type 2 Diabetes

sautéing veggies
Consider for a minute that more than 30 million Americans have diabetes. That means there are more Americans with diabetes than the total population of Australia! The good news is diabetes can be managed through diet and lifestyle. Fortunately, there is a wealth of information out there to help people with diabetes manage their disease. To help navigate that information,...
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Send Your Child Back to School with Healthy Lunches and Snacks

School Snack
Like most parents I know, I’m always on a quest to feed my kids healthy lunches and snacks, while still keeping things interesting. Luckily, I recently spoke to registered dietitian Danielle Burge, who shared some great advice about keeping things healthy and interesting when meal-planning for kids. I was pleasantly surprised to find that her philosophy is realistic,...
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Game On: 6 Sports Safety Tips for Student-Athletes

Sports safety tips for student-athletes.
According to a National Council of Youth Sports survey, more than 40 million young athletes ages 6 – 18 participate in organized sports. And while there are countless benefits to organized sports, there are also the inevitable injuries that come with the territory. I recently spoke with Ron M. Hillian, MS, of EXOS, Human Performance about tips to keep student-athletes as healthy as possible....
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