<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/cfs-file/__key/system/syndication/atom.xsl" media="screen"?><feed xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xml:lang="en-US"><title type="html">Blogs</title><subtitle type="html">Check out our forum to get the latest information on health and wellness in Illinois. Discuss various health-related topics and learn something new.</subtitle><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/atom</id><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog" /><link rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/atom" /><generator uri="http://telligent.com" version="12.1.6.28905">Telligent Community (Build: 12.1.6.28905)</generator><updated>2026-04-06T11:31:00Z</updated><entry><title>How Social Media Affects Mental Health + Tips to Manage It</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/social-media-mental-health" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/social-media-mental-health</id><published>2026-05-21T19:37:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-21T19:37:00Z</updated><content type="html">Social media and digital tools have become constant companions in most people&amp;rsquo;s lives. There are some positive benefits. But research also shows the harm social media can have on mental health if not managed well.
Most people use social media d...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/social-media-mental-health"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1431&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Mental Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Mental%2bHealth" /><category term="Behavioral Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Behavioral%2bHealth" /><category term="Healthy Mind" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Healthy%2bMind" /><category term="Teen Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Teen%2bHealth" /></entry><entry><title>Follow 4 Simple Steps to Put Your Family on a Healthy Path</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/4-goals-family-fitness" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/4-goals-family-fitness</id><published>2026-05-21T15:39:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-21T15:39:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="Lee esto en Espa&amp;ntilde;ol" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/4-metas-familia-fitness"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;It&amp;rsquo;s never too early to teach kids about healthy habits. Setting good habits when they&amp;rsquo;re young puts them on the path toward a healthier life.
Many children are not off to a good start. About 1 in 5 American children are obese, says the C...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/4-goals-family-fitness"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1242&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Exercise" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Exercise" /><category term="Sleep" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Sleep" /><category term="Children’s Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Children_1920_s%2bHealth" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Childhood Obesity" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Childhood%2bObesity" /></entry><entry><title>What is Anxiety Disorder?</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/anxiety-disorder" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/anxiety-disorder</id><published>2026-05-18T16:32:52Z</published><updated>2026-05-18T16:32:52Z</updated><content type="html">Life can feel stressful. In a recent poll by the &lt;a title="American Psychiatric Association" href="https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/annual-poll-adults-express-increasing-anxiousness" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;American Psychiatric Association&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;adults across the U.S. have reported increased feelings of anxiety. We all deal with many life stressors at once. Worries about &amp;nbsp;health, work, money, ca...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/anxiety-disorder"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1429&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Mental Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Mental%2bHealth" /><category term="Behavioral Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Behavioral%2bHealth" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Healthy Mind" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Healthy%2bMind" /><category term="Understanding Depression and Anxiety" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2bDepression%2band%2bAnxiety" /></entry><entry><title>When the Heart’s Aflutter, AFib May Be the Reason</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/when-the-hearts-aflutter-make-healthy-choices-to-help-prevent-stroke" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/when-the-hearts-aflutter-make-healthy-choices-to-help-prevent-stroke</id><published>2026-05-13T10:57:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-13T10:57:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/ante-un-corazon-afligido-decisiones-saludables-para-prevenir-derrames-cerebrales"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
Singers may croon that their love-struck hearts are all aflutter, but in real life, a fluttering heart can be a scary problem &amp;mdash; atrial fibrillation, better known as AFib.
In a healthy heart, electrical signals travel through the muscle and mak...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/when-the-hearts-aflutter-make-healthy-choices-to-help-prevent-stroke"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=478&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Nutrition" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Nutrition" /><category term="Heart Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Heart%2bHealth" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Understanding Heart Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2bHeart%2bHealth" /><category term="Understanding Heart Disease" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2bHeart%2bDisease" /><category term="Women’s Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Women_1920_s%2bHealth" /><category term="Stroke" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Stroke" /></entry><entry><title>Do You Think Your Child Has Asthma?</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/do-you-think-your-child-has-asthma" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/do-you-think-your-child-has-asthma</id><published>2026-05-08T11:37:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-08T11:37:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/crees-que-tu-hijo-padece-asma"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
It can be upsetting when your child is struggling with a health issue. It&amp;#39;s especially unnerving if your child seems to be struggling to breathe. Could your child have asthma, a known&amp;nbsp;common chronic disease?
Here&amp;rsquo;s what parents need to kn...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/do-you-think-your-child-has-asthma"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=444&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Understanding Asthma" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2bAsthma" /><category term="Health Conditions and Prevention" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2bConditions%2band%2bPrevention" /><category term="Asthma" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Asthma" /><category term="Children’s Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Children_1920_s%2bHealth" /><category term="Lung Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Lung%2bHealth" /><category term="Teen Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Teen%2bHealth" /></entry><entry><title>Summer Heat Safety Reminders</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/summer-heat-safety-reminders" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/summer-heat-safety-reminders</id><published>2026-05-05T15:22:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-05T15:22:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/medidas-de-seguridad-para-el-verano"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
Staying safe during hot summer months is important. Drinking lots of water and wearing sunscreen isn&amp;rsquo;t enough. Here are three things to know to help keep summer fun.
UV Rays Can Hurt You
Ultraviolet radiation from the sun can damage your skin....(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/summer-heat-safety-reminders"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=480&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Summer Safety" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Summer%2bSafety" /><category term="Heat Stroke Symptoms" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Heat%2bStroke%2bSymptoms" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Heat Safety" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Heat%2bSafety" /><category term="Heat Exhaustion" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Heat%2bExhaustion" /></entry><entry><title>Quit Smoking for Good</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/stop-smoking" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/stop-smoking</id><published>2026-05-04T23:41:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-04T23:41:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="Lee esto en Espa&amp;ntilde;ol" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/dejar-de-fumar"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;One of the best things you can do for your health is to quit smoking or using any kind of tobacco. Quitting isn&amp;rsquo;t easy, but the rewards make it worth the effort.
Quitting earlier in life is best, but it&amp;rsquo;s a big boost to your health at any...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/stop-smoking"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1162&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Heart Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Heart%2bHealth" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Quitting is Good for Your Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Quitting%2bis%2bGood%2bfor%2bYour%2bHealth" /><category term="Lung Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Lung%2bHealth" /><category term="Stop Smoking" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Stop%2bSmoking" /><category term="COPD" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/COPD" /></entry><entry><title>Is Vaping as Bad for Your Health as Smoking?</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/vaping-vs-smoking" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/vaping-vs-smoking</id><published>2026-05-04T20:19:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-04T20:19:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/vapear-o-fumar" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/vapear-o-fumar"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;One of the worst things you can do for your lungs and your overall health is to smoke. But many still don&amp;rsquo;t know that vaping is also dangerous. While experts expressed concern from the start, not everyone got the message.
What Is Vaping?
Vaping...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/vaping-vs-smoking"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1300&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Quitting is Good for Your Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Quitting%2bis%2bGood%2bfor%2bYour%2bHealth" /><category term="Lung Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Lung%2bHealth" /><category term="Stop Smoking" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Stop%2bSmoking" /><category term="Addiction" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Addiction" /></entry><entry><title>Taking Care of Your Kidneys Helps Keep You Healthy</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/healthy-kidneys" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/healthy-kidneys</id><published>2026-05-04T16:30:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-04T16:30:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="Lee esto en Espa&amp;ntilde;ol" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/rinones-sanos"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
Kidneys play a big part in your total health. They filter extra water and toxins from your body. They help control blood pressure. And they play a role in making red blood cells and in keeping bones healthy.
When your kidneys aren&amp;rsquo;t working as...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/healthy-kidneys"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1075&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Kidney Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Kidney%2bHealth" /><category term="Kidney Disease" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Kidney%2bDisease" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Diabetes" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Diabetes" /></entry><entry><title>Stop on Red: Reducing Exposure on High Pollution Days</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/reducing-exposure-on-high-pollution-days" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/reducing-exposure-on-high-pollution-days</id><published>2026-05-04T15:45:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-04T15:45:00Z</updated><content type="html">When air pollution levels are high, a red alert warns the public of health dangers. Poor air quality is bad for us all. And it&amp;#39;s an even greater risk for those with breathing issues. Poor air quality can trigger allergies and asthma attacks for milli...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/reducing-exposure-on-high-pollution-days"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=451&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Asthma" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Asthma" /><category term="Children’s Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Children_1920_s%2bHealth" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Lung Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Lung%2bHealth" /><category term="Living with Asthma" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Living%2bwith%2bAsthma" /></entry><entry><title>Care for Your Mental Health Throughout Your Pregnancy</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/pregnancy-mental-health" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/pregnancy-mental-health</id><published>2026-05-04T15:25:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-04T15:25:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/embarazo-salud-mental" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/embarazo-salud-mental"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Health care is important before, during and after pregnancy. And that means caring for your mind as well as your body.
Mental health challenges can affect you throughout the perinatal period. This period begins before you get pregnant and extends thr...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/pregnancy-mental-health"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1275&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Mental Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Mental%2bHealth" /><category term="Pregnancy" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Pregnancy" /><category term="Depression" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Depression" /><category term="Postpartum Depression" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Postpartum%2bDepression" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Women’s Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Women_1920_s%2bHealth" /><category term="Postpartum Care" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Postpartum%2bCare" /></entry><entry><title>Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/symptoms-of-type-2-diabetes" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/symptoms-of-type-2-diabetes</id><published>2026-05-04T09:06:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-04T09:06:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/sintomas-de-la-diabetes-tipo-2" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/sintomas-de-la-diabetes-tipo-2"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Over the last two decades, the number of people with diabetes has increased by 20 percent in the U.S. All told, more than 40 million Americans have diabetes &amp;mdash; and the numbers keep rising. The majority (over 90 percent) have Type 2 diabetes.
Wit...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/symptoms-of-type-2-diabetes"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=387&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Type 2" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Type%2b2" /><category term="Understanding Diabetes" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2bDiabetes" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Diabetes" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Diabetes" /></entry><entry><title>Kidneys: The Chemical Factories of the Human Body</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/kidneys-chemical-factories-body" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/kidneys-chemical-factories-body</id><published>2026-05-04T09:00:00Z</published><updated>2026-05-04T09:00:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="https://connect.bcbsil.com/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/fabricas-quimicos-cuerpo-humano" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/fabricas-quimicos-cuerpo-humano"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
The body is one complicated machine. Everything is connected. Everything works (or is supposed to, anyway) in harmony. Many times, when you&amp;#39;re diagnosed with an illness, it&amp;rsquo;s important to address and treat it properly so other parts of your bo...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/kidneys-chemical-factories-body"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=586&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Kidney Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Kidney%2bHealth" /><category term="Kidney Disease" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Kidney%2bDisease" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Diabetes" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Diabetes" /></entry><entry><title>A Hug Only Takes 10 Seconds, Yet the Benefits Last Forever</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/a-hug-only-takes-10-seconds-but-the-benefits-last-forever" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/a-hug-only-takes-10-seconds-but-the-benefits-last-forever</id><published>2026-04-13T15:42:00Z</published><updated>2026-04-13T15:42:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/un-abrazo-10-segundos-beneficios-duran-para-siempre" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/un-abrazo-10-segundos-beneficios-duran-para-siempre"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Fun fact about hugs: They don&amp;rsquo;t just give you a warm, fuzzy sense of well-being &amp;mdash; they can also be good for your health.
It&amp;rsquo;s true. Hugging for just 10 seconds can boost feel-good hormones like oxytocin. Often called the &amp;ldquo;love...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/a-hug-only-takes-10-seconds-but-the-benefits-last-forever"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=99&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Helpful Tips about Heart Disease" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Helpful%2bTips%2babout%2bHeart%2bDisease" /><category term="Mental Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Mental%2bHealth" /><category term="Heart Health Tips" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Heart%2bHealth%2bTips" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Healthy Mind" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Healthy%2bMind" /><category term="Stress Relief" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Stress%2bRelief" /></entry><entry><title>Three Ways to Support Your Teen’s Mental Health</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/teen-mental-health" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/teen-mental-health</id><published>2026-04-06T16:31:00Z</published><updated>2026-04-06T16:31:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/salud-mental-del-adolescente" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/salud-mental-del-adolescente"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Teens are facing more challenges than ever. There&amp;rsquo;s pressure from school, friends and social media. No wonder their mental health can suffer. You don&amp;rsquo;t have to wait until your teen is in crisis to talk about it. Talk to your teen early an...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/teen-mental-health"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1314&amp;AppID=2&amp;AppType=Weblog&amp;ContentType=0" width="1" height="1"&gt;</content><author><name>BCBSIL Connect Team</name><uri>https://connect.bcbsil.com/members/bcbsilconnect</uri></author><category term="Mental Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Mental%2bHealth" /><category term="Depression" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Depression" /><category term="Children’s Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Children_1920_s%2bHealth" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2band%2bWellness" /><category term="Healthy Mind" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Healthy%2bMind" /><category term="Understanding Depression and Anxiety" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2bDepression%2band%2bAnxiety" /></entry></feed>