Food vs. Food: Are Organic Fruits and Veggies Better?

A couple watches their young daughter choose a pepper from the produce section of a market.
Like all parents, my husband and I want the very best for our child. We’re not perfect, but we strive to make the best, informed decisions when it comes to our daughter. But one thing we can’t agree on: bananas! It causes a kerfuffle in the produce aisle each time we shop. So why do bananas drive us bananas?...
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Make This the Year You Quit Smoking

A nicotine patch being applied to an arm
Chris Guerrieri, a graphic designer at Independence Blue Cross, had been a two-pack-a-day smoker for ten years. He felt exhausted, sick, and older than his 33 years. He was tired of using nicotine, alcohol, and caffeine as a crutch, and was ready to change his life. Chris had tried to quit before — the gum, the patch — but nothing worked....
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Facing Alzheimer’s Disease as a Patient or Caregiver

An elderly man listens to a younger man on the couch
Even if you don’t currently know someone with Alzheimer’s disease, it’s likely that you will eventually. Alzheimer’s disease affects nearly 6 million Americans, and that number is projected to rise as the population ages. Did you know that… Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. It’s also the only cause of death in the top 10 that cannot be prevented,...
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Winter Wellness: Six Tips for Staying Healthy in the Cold Weather Season

A man and woman stretch before a workout in the snow
The end of the year can be a busy time for many of us. On top of that, the seasons are changing (winter officially begins on December 21), which can affect your physical and mental health. But you can’t forget to take care of yourself! With shorter days and colder weather on the horizon, it’s important to maintain healthy habits....
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Beating Cancer as a Family: An IBX Associate’s Story

Melissa Matyas and her son Nicholas, smiling
Nicholas and Melissa Matyas. No parent ever expects to hear the words “your child has cancer” and to say that our world came to a crashing halt one day in March 2018 is an understatement. My son Nicholas, then 13, had lost more than 20 pounds over the course of 18 months....
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Caring for the Caregiver

An elderly woman and someone younger gaze out a window.
Each year, over 43 million Americans provide unpaid care to adults age 50 and older. That’s about one in every seven people — which means the likelihood is high that you, or someone you know, is a caregiver. In honor of National Family Caregivers Month, why not show the caregivers in your life some TLC? Here are some ways you can help make their job a little easier....
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Can Yoga Help with Depression?

Lots of people struggle with their mood, but depression is more than just “feeling blue” for a few days. Depression is a common medical condition that can affect anyone, at any time, and at any age.

Recognize the Signs

October is national Depression Awareness Month, which aims to decrease the stigma around depression and help people recognize the signs....
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Fighting the Opioid Crisis: Independence Extends Program for Free Narcan/Naloxone in 2020

Since the late 1990s, the United States has seen a dramatic rise in the use and misuse of opioids, leading to record numbers of addictions and overdoses. Tragically, opioid overdoses continue to be an issue in our region and across the country, leading to what we now know as the opioid epidemic. The city of Philadelphia has been hit particularly hard — the city’s opioid crisis remains among the worst in the nation....
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What a Breast Cancer Diagnosis Means Today

A group of women wearing pink and walking for breast cancer awareness.
When I was in my first year of nursing school, my grandfather was diagnosed with lung cancer. After his diagnosis, things declined very quickly, and within a year and half, he was gone. In the 1980s, it was very difficult to get information about what to expect and what everyone could do to support him during treatment....
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Tips to Be the Best Health Advocate for Yourself

Picture this: You’re at a doctor’s visit for a cold. After an exam, your doctor thinks this may be more than a cold and that you have developed asthma since your last check-up. Your doctor decides to send you for some further testing to be sure. You’re confused because you’ve never shown symptoms before and you’re not sure how this diagnosis might change your life....
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