Don’t Be Fooled: 6 “Health Foods” That Are Really Junk Foods in Disguise

A woman examines a box in a supermarket.
We are lucky to live during a time when there’s an abundance of information available about the food we eat. The tricky thing is, sometimes there’s almost too much information available, so it can be hard to decide what’s healthy and what isn’t. You’ll see dozens of products in the grocery store aisles that lead you to believe they’re healthy....
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Talking to Kids About COVID-19

A little girl draws in a coloring book
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a life-changing experience for everyone. And while we are all learning as we go, children and young adults need extra help understanding and adapting to the changes happening around them. Understandably, each child responds to change differently. Their age, personality, and life experiences affect this response. The one thing all children have in common,...
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Broad Street Beats 2020: Dancing Through the Decades

A young runner adjusts the phone strapped to her arm
Last year, we released our first Blue Cross Broad Street Run Beats playlist compiled by the running community. We loved your responses so much, we decided to ask you again. What songs push you forward and keep you going?  The energizing, feel-good playlist we put together based on your responses will get your feet moving and your heart pumping!...
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Telemedicine Means 24/7 Access to a Doctor

A mother feels her son's forehead while consulting with a doctor via telemedicine
Your condition may not be an emergency, but you need to talk to a doctor. In the past, if you couldn’t see your doctor, your options may have been limited to an urgent care center or the emergency room. Either one costs you more in time and money. Plus, both options may cause you to miss work,...
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Handwashing: The Secret to Good Health

An adult and kid wash their hands.
The easiest way to protect yourself against illness? Handwashing. It seems too simple to be true, but a mere 20-30 seconds of proper handwashing, following the CDC’s handwashing guidelines, is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of germs and disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 80 percent of infectious diseases are transmitted by dirty hands....
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Why It’s So Important to Take Care of Your Kidneys

A woman holds models of kidneys.
It took years for me, as a primary care doctor, to fully appreciate the many challenges patients face with chronic kidney disease. I still remember one of the first patients I ever admitted to the hospital when I was an intern. She was a dialysis patient who was in the hospital for cancer treatment. Seeing her condition made me realize how much I had to learn about chronic kidney disease....
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Shingles: Chickenpox Part II

Senior adult, male patient receives vaccine or medicine from his African descent, home healthcare nurse in nursing home or home setting. Nurse wears gloves and holds syringe.
For many adults, getting chickenpox was an unavoidable part of childhood. But if you’ve had chickenpox, you also have a 1 in 3 chance of developing shingles. That’s because the virus that causes chickenpox never leaves your body completely. Rather, it lies dormant and can reemerge later as shingles. Thankfully, there are things you can do to protect yourself from getting shingles....
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Preventing Heart Disease: Start Early for Good Heart Health

Girl holding big paper heart
Heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, is a general term for plaque build-up in the heart’s arteries. Currently, the story about heart disease is a good news/bad news situation. Good news: Death from heart disease has declined over the past few decades. Bad news: Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women across most racial and ethnic groups in the U.S....
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Advocating for Accessibility

Close-up of a hand gripping the wheel of a wheelchair
As anyone who lives with a chronic health condition or disability knows, it’s easy to become isolated because of the body’s limitations. This is especially true for seniors. As the National Institute on Aging (NIH) has reported, social isolation and loneliness can worsen the physical health of seniors, leading to poor health outcomes. With as many as 13.8 million older adults living alone,...
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Winter Safety Tips

Looking down a quaint Philadelphia street in winter
Love it or hate it, winter’s here — and with the cold comes an increased risk of weather-related injuries. Make sure you’re ready for whatever the winter brings. Take these steps to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Stay Warm

Keep indoor temperatures at 65 degrees or warmer. If the expense is a problem,...
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