<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<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="14.0.0.684">14.0.0.684 14</generator><updated>2026-09-28T09:29:00Z</updated><entry><title>Young Adult Health: Essential Screenings, Preventive Care and Wellness Tips</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/young-adult-preventive-care" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/young-adult-preventive-care</id><published>2026-11-05T16:44:00Z</published><updated>2026-11-05T16:44:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/atencion-medica-preventiva-para-adultos-jovenes" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/atencion-medica-preventiva-para-adultos-jovenes"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
Learn how to find a primary care provider, schedule preventive screenings, stay current on vaccines and recognize common health concerns affecting young adults.
Being a young adult is an exciting time of life. College, career and romantic relationsh...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/young-adult-preventive-care"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1368^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="Adult Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Adult%2BHealth" /><category term="Preventive Care" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Preventive%2BCare" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2Band%2BWellness" /><category term="Cancer Screenings" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Cancer%2BScreenings" /></entry><entry><title>Soap vs. Hand Sanitizer: Which Cleans Your Hands Better?</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/soap-vs-sanitizer-is-there-a-hands-down-winner-for-getting-clean" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/soap-vs-sanitizer-is-there-a-hands-down-winner-for-getting-clean</id><published>2026-11-05T15:20:00Z</published><updated>2026-11-05T15:20:00Z</updated><content type="html">Soap and hand sanitizer both help prevent the spread of germs. But they aren&amp;rsquo;t equally effective in every situation. Learn when soap and water is best, when sanitizer will do the job, and how to keep yourself healthy.
Germs are everywhere. They...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/soap-vs-sanitizer-is-there-a-hands-down-winner-for-getting-clean"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=326^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="Flu Vaccine" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Flu%2BVaccine" /><category term="Germs" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Germs" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2Band%2BWellness" /><category term="Safety" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Safety" /><category term="Healthy Holidays" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Healthy%2BHolidays" /><category term="Flu" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Flu" /></entry><entry><title>Are You Dehydrated?</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/are-you-dehydrated" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/are-you-dehydrated</id><published>2026-11-05T14:33:00Z</published><updated>2026-11-05T14:33:00Z</updated><content type="html">Your body doesn&amp;rsquo;t work well when it&amp;rsquo;s low on fluids. When it loses more water than it takes in, you may have dehydration, which can lead to some serious health problems.
You might not know when you&amp;rsquo;re dehydrated. But it could be beh...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/are-you-dehydrated"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1306^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2Band%2BWellness" /><category term="Dehydration" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Dehydration" /><category term="Dizzy" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Dizzy" /><category term="Safety" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Safety" /></entry><entry><title>Help Your Doctors Talk to Each Other About Your Care</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/bh-doctors-talking" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/bh-doctors-talking</id><published>2026-11-05T14:32:00Z</published><updated>2026-11-05T14:32:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="Lee esto en Espa&amp;ntilde;ol" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/tus-medicos-necesitan-hablar-sobre-tu-atencion-medica"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;You and your primary care provider work together to make sure you are in the best health possible. It&amp;rsquo;s a two-way street. Your doctor uses training and know-how to guide you. But to give you the best guidance, your doctor needs you to share all...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/bh-doctors-talking"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1180^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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 Behavioral Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2BBehavioral%2BHealth" /><category term="Mental Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Mental%2BHealth" /><category term="Primary Care Provider" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Primary%2BCare%2BProvider" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2Band%2BWellness" /><category term="Continuity of Care" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Continuity%2Bof%2BCare" /><category term="Healthy Mind" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Healthy%2BMind" /></entry><entry><title>Is Your Child Struggling with Mental Health Issues?</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/child-mental-health" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/child-mental-health</id><published>2026-11-05T12:12:00Z</published><updated>2026-11-05T12:12:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="Lee esto en Espa&amp;ntilde;ol" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/tu-hijo-esta-teniendo-problemas-de-salud-mental"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Children have a lot on their minds. They&amp;rsquo;re always learning new things and facing challenges they&amp;rsquo;ve never handled before.&amp;nbsp;
You know your child best. You can support them now and in the future by showing them ways to build good menta...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/child-mental-health"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1096^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="Anxiety" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Anxiety" /><category term="Understanding Behavioral Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2BBehavioral%2BHealth" /><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" /></entry><entry><title>Early Warning Signs of a Stroke: Symptoms You Should Never Ignore</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/stroke-signs" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/stroke-signs</id><published>2026-11-05T07:07:00Z</published><updated>2026-11-05T07:07:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/senales-de-advertencia-de-un-derrame-cerebral" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/senales-de-advertencia-de-un-derrame-cerebral"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Learn the early waring signs of a stroke, how to recognize FAST symptoms and when to seek emergency medical care.
Stroke is a leading cause of death and long-term disability in the U.S. Knowing the earliest signs of a stroke can be a lifesaver. Every...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/stroke-signs"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1234^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="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="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="Stroke" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Stroke" /></entry><entry><title>Adult ADHD: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/adult-adhd" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/adult-adhd</id><published>2026-11-04T20:03:00Z</published><updated>2026-11-04T20:03:00Z</updated><content type="html">Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD or ADD, is often thought of as a condition experienced by children. But it is a lifelong condition that can be diagnosed in adults, too.
In fact, trends show a rise in adult diagnoses in the last decade....(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/adult-adhd"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1412^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="ADHD" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/ADHD" /><category term="Understanding Behavioral Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2BBehavioral%2BHealth" /><category term="Mental Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Mental%2BHealth" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2Band%2BWellness" /><category term="Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Attention_2D00_Deficit%2BHyperactivity%2BDisorder" /></entry><entry><title>Calendars Fill Quickly, Schedule Your Mammogram Early</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/schedule-your-mammogram-early" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/schedule-your-mammogram-early</id><published>2026-10-21T12:27:00Z</published><updated>2026-10-21T12:27:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/poca-disponibilidad-haz-cita-para-mamografia-anticipacion" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/poca-disponibilidad-haz-cita-para-mamografia-anticipacion"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;
Do you book your doctors&amp;rsquo; appointments in advance?&amp;nbsp; A little planning now can help you keep up with important health checks that could save your life one day.
Routine mammograms are one of those important checks. About 1 in 8 American wom...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/schedule-your-mammogram-early"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=632^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="Primary Care Provider" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Primary%2BCare%2BProvider" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2Band%2BWellness" /><category term="Mammogram" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Mammogram" /><category term="Breast Cancer" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Breast%2BCancer" /><category term="Breast Cancer Prevention" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Breast%2BCancer%2BPrevention" /></entry><entry><title>Diabetes Risk Factors</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/diabetes-type-one-and-type-two" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/diabetes-type-one-and-type-two</id><published>2026-10-19T13:56:00Z</published><updated>2026-10-19T13:56:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="Lee esto en Espa&amp;ntilde;ol" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/diabetes-tipo-uno-y-tipo-dos"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;If you could spare yourself from a life-changing disease, you&amp;rsquo;d do it, right? For millions of Americans, paying attention to diabetes risk factors and doing something to control them can make all the difference.
With diabetes, the body can no l...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/diabetes-type-one-and-type-two"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=547^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="Prediabetes" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Prediabetes" /><category term="A1c" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/A1c" /><category term="Insulin" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Insulin" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2Band%2BWellness" /><category term="Understanding Diabetes Risks" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2BDiabetes%2BRisks" /><category term="Diabetes" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Diabetes" /><category term="Blood Sugar Testing" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Blood%2BSugar%2BTesting" /></entry><entry><title>You Have Options for Safely Managing Your Pain</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/pain-management" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/pain-management</id><published>2026-10-07T16:47:00Z</published><updated>2026-10-07T16:47:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="Lee esto en Espa&amp;ntilde;ol" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/manejo-del-dolor-sin-opioides"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;There are many ways to treat pain so that you can enjoy a better quality of life. Learning your options can help keep you safe while still allowing you to do what matters to you.
Start by talking to your doctor about &lt;a title="ways to manage your pain" href="https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/patients/options.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;ways to manage your pain&lt;/a&gt; &amp;nbsp;th...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/pain-management"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1187^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="Substance Misuse" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Substance%2BMisuse" /><category term="Understanding Substance Misuse" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Understanding%2BSubstance%2BMisuse" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2Band%2BWellness" /><category term="Chronic Conditions" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Chronic%2BConditions" /><category term="Opioids" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Opioids" /><category term="Pain Management" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Pain%2BManagement" /></entry><entry><title>Is Vaping Worse Than Smoking? Health Risks of E-Cigarettes Explained</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>2026-09-28T20:19:00Z</published><updated>2026-09-28T20:19:00Z</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^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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>Let’s Clear the Air About Lung Cancer Screening</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/screening-lung-cancer" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/screening-lung-cancer</id><published>2026-09-28T19:02:00Z</published><updated>2026-09-28T19:02:00Z</updated><content type="html">&lt;a title="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/deteccion-de-cancer-de-pulmon" href="/espanol/b/tusalud/posts/deteccion-de-cancer-de-pulmon"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;Every cigarette shaves 11 minutes off your lifespan. When you quit smoking, you give yourself more time to do the things you enjoy with the people you love. The minute you stop smoking, you start lowering your risk for lung cancer &amp;mdash; the leading...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/screening-lung-cancer"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1347^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="Lung Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Lung%2BHealth" /><category term="Cancer" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Cancer" /><category term="Cancer Screenings" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Cancer%2BScreenings" /></entry><entry><title>Diabetes Care Checklist: Important Tests, Exams and Screenings</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/diabetes-tests" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/diabetes-tests</id><published>2026-09-28T15:57:00Z</published><updated>2026-09-28T15:57:00Z</updated><content type="html">No one likes to go get health screenings and tests. But if you have diabetes, there are some tests you really need to get done.&amp;nbsp;
It&amp;rsquo;s critical to follow your plan of care, but it can be a lot to keep track of. Is there anything you&amp;rsquo;r...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/diabetes-tests"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=880^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="A1c" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/A1c" /><category term="Health Conditions and Prevention" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2BConditions%2Band%2BPrevention" /><category term="Managing Your Diabetes" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Managing%2BYour%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>Do One Thing for a Longer, Healthier Life</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/how-to-eat-for-longer-life" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/how-to-eat-for-longer-life</id><published>2026-09-28T15:30:00Z</published><updated>2026-09-28T15:30:00Z</updated><content type="html">Better health can be yours at any age. And it may be easier than you think to make the changes that will have a positive effect on your health.
We all know we should eat a healthy diet. But you may not know just how big an impact what you eat and dri...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/how-to-eat-for-longer-life"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1284^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="Mental Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Mental%2BHealth" /><category term="Healthy Eating" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Healthy%2BEating" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2Band%2BWellness" /><category term="Healthy Living" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Healthy%2BLiving" /><category term="Healthy Mind" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Healthy%2BMind" /></entry><entry><title>Why Does My Stomach Hurt? Common Causes of Digestive Problems</title><link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/tummy-trouble" /><id>https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/tummy-trouble</id><published>2026-09-28T14:29:00Z</published><updated>2026-09-28T14:29:00Z</updated><content type="html">Why does your stomach hurt? It&amp;rsquo;s a good question &amp;mdash; and a common one. Millions of Americans have at least one type of digestive problem. Some problems come and go, while others can upset your whole life.
There are many different kinds of d...(&lt;a href="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/tummy-trouble"&gt;read more&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;img src="https://connect.bcbsil.com/aggbug?PostID=1166^AppID=2^AppType=Weblog^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="Colon Health" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Colon%2BHealth" /><category term="Stomach" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Stomach" /><category term="Healthy Eating" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Healthy%2BEating" /><category term="Health and Wellness" scheme="https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/archive/tags/Health%2Band%2BWellness" /></entry></feed>