Changing the Conversation about Mental Health with Seniors

Tips to help seniors overcome the mental illness stigma.
It’s no surprise that for some of us, it’s easier to go to the doctor for a sore throat or an achy back than it is for a suffering spirit. It can be hard to admit when we feel down, even to those we’re closest to, and something about a visit to the doctor’s office can make us feel extra shy....
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Help Wanted: How to Get Better at Accepting Caregiving Support

How to get better at accepting caregiving support when dealing with illness.
For many of us, self-reliance is a badge of honor. As someone who lives with a chronic illness, I know it certainly is for me. I cling to my independence fiercely, often refusing to let my partner order dinner in when I’m too sick to cook or pushing myself to go to the office on days when my pain is debilitating....
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10 Tips for Tackling a Complex Medication Regimen

How to manage a complex medication regimen.
Like many adults, I didn’t take much medication when I was younger. My use was limited to over-the-counter cold remedies and the odd antihistamine or pain reliever. I didn’t have to keep track of any daily medications, and I didn’t really use a pharmacy consistently — it seemed I moved apartments more often than I filled prescriptions....
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Managing Congestive Heart Failure, Getting Back to Normal

While managing congestive heart failure isn’t easy, you can still live a full and healthy life if you’re willing to make some important lifestyle modifications.
Being diagnosed with a chronic disease is markedly different than being diagnosed with an acute illness.  What do I mean by this? An acute illness, such as pneumonia, appendicitis, a kidney stone, or a broken leg, has a fairly short duration of symptoms and is typically resolved within days to weeks. Certainly, it has the potential to evolve into a chronic,...
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3 Easy Steps to Make Your Own Compost

’s not only easy to do, it can help you reduce waste and improve the health of your garden, potted plants, or lawn.
If you’ve tried your hand at gardening and enjoy it, why not make your own compost? Simply put, composting is the breaking down of organic material that requires air, moisture, and heat. It couldn’t be easier to do, and it’s a great way to put some of your kitchen scraps and yard waste to use and super-charge your veggie patch....
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Here Comes the Sun: How to Keep Your Kids Protected

Tips on how to protect your kids from the sun.
If you’ve ever seen beach pictures from the 1950s, ’60s, or ’70s, you know that sunbathing was all the rage. People would lay out slathered in baby oil while holding metallic UV reflectors in an attempt to get bronzed skin. Luckily, we’ve come a long way since then, and most people today are fully aware of the damaging effects that the sun can have....
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The Perfect Kind of Self-Care for Caregivers?

Four principles for imperfect self-care for caregivers
About a year ago, I started working at Independence Blue Cross as a contractor, and in the beginning, I had ambitious goals. My planned daily routine was the picture of perfect health: smoothies every morning, Pinterest-ready mason jar salads, six bottles of water a day, and regular “brain breaks” during which I’d stretch my quads and hamstrings,...
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6 Tips for Turning Your Backyard into a Produce Aisle

With such a seemingly endless winter behind us, there is nothing more crave-worthy than fresh air, warm sunlight, and some home-grown produce. Good news! Now’s the perfect time to start enjoying all three. If you’ve never tried your hand at growing your own food, you might be surprised at how easy it can be — green thumb not required!...
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8 Key Asthma Triggers to Avoid

Woman taking her inhaler medication.
Did you know there are more than 24 million people living with asthma in the United States? Each year, asthma sufferers take more than 2 million trips to the emergency room. While there is no cure for asthma, it can be kept under control if managed properly. It is important to know the triggers that can cause an attack,...
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How Do You Know When You’re Drinking Too Much Alcohol?

How do you know when you're drinking too much?
It’s no secret that many American traditions involve alcohol. After all, what’s more traditional than toasting a bride and groom, raising a glass in celebration, or ringing in the New Year with a bit of bubbly? Unfortunately, binge drinking is a practice that too often complements many common situations, including holidays, celebrations, and even heartbreak. The fact is,...
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