Even though the snow never amounted to much at my house this winter, my family was buried under drifts of illness for what seemed like months — just as one of us got over a cold, someone else would get a stomach bug, or the flu, or an ear infection. I will spare you the details,…

• Published in Wellness

For years, my Dad kept a piece of paper the size of a credit card in his wallet with the names and numbers of his doctors and specialists. As he got older, the paper got longer, and over time, he added the names of his prescriptions on the back. Eventually, he laminated it. In theory, my dad’s wallet card worked as he intended,…

• Published in Health Insurance, Wellness

If you’re one of the 40 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies, you know there’s no cure or magic pill — and depending on what you’re allergic to, your allergies can be a year-round problem. But, did you also know that if you don’t take care of your allergy symptoms, they can develop into more serious health problems including sinusitis,…

• Published in Wellness

In theory, feeding kids a healthy diet should be easy. In theory, all it takes is three wholesome meals and two equally wholesome snacks a day. But then there’s reality…and between theory and reality is a gap. In that gap live the things that often get in the way of making sure your kids are eating healthy….

• Published in Wellness

There aren’t a lot of things you can get for free these days, but a flu shot may be one of them. Many Independence Blue Cross health plans include coverage for seasonal flu shots.* Check our seasonal flu vaccine coverage chart for more information. If you’re still asking yourself “Should I get a flu shot?” here are three more reasons why you may want to consider getting vaccinated: You have better things to do with your time (and so does everyone else around you)….

• Published in Wellness

Sometimes, health statistics tell an encouraging story. For example, since 2002, more U.S. citizens have become former smokers than new ones.¹ But recently, I came across some numbers that hit home: In a study of children who were given a 10-day course of penicillin for strep infections, 56 percent were not taking the drug by the third day,…

• Published in Wellness

Summer is the season of festivals — music, craft, film, food and wine; you name it, there’s probably a fest for it! But this summer, there’s a new fest in town, and it’s like no other. The Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest is Philly’s first ever outdoor roller skating rink. It is open seven days a week,…

• Published in Community

Nothing could be a more healthy fall activity than picking (and eating!) your own fruit and vegetables — and now’s the perfect time to pack up your friends, kids, and neighbors and pick a freezerful of this season’s harvest.

What to pick?

From apples and pumpkins to kale and cauliflower, fall’s bounty is amazing….

• Published in Wellness

If you’ve run out of vacation days or money (or both!), it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy some relaxation and rejuvenation this summer. Here are some straightforward ways to fully recharge your batteries over the weekend, without leaving town. Making these habits a part of your life can help you reduce your overall stress levels,…

• Published in Wellness

Facts: It’s a berry Has more potassium than a banana Has 4 grams of protein Great for skin and hair Tips: To slow down ripening, store avocados in your fridge To ripen faster, put them in a paper bag with a banana To tell if an avocado is ripe, look under the under the bump on the stem end;…

• Published in Wellness