Connect Community

Blood Glucose Levels: Get Curious

BCBSIL Connect Team May 23, 2024

Dinner is almost ready and it's that time again. You unzip your black pouch to take out a glucose meter. As you pull back the lever of the lancet, you think, "Gosh, I hope my blood sugar isn’t high again.” Blood glucose testing is vital f...
- 10974 Views
Are You Paralyzed by Social Anxiety? Learn the Best Ways to Manage It.

BCBSIL Connect Team May 22, 2024

Do you have a friend who always bails when you make plans? They may not be trying to avoid you. That can happen when people have social anxiety. Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a long-term mental health issue. It affects...
- 12694 Views
Summer Heat Safety Reminders

BCBSIL Connect Team May 15, 2024

Staying safe during hot summer months isn’t hard. There are steps you can take to protect yourself. Drinking lots of water and wearing sunscreen isn’t enough. Here are three things to know to keep summer fun. UV Rays Can Hurt You Ultravi...
- 10988 Views
Depression and Anxiety: Different and Similar

BCBSIL Connect Team May 13, 2024

One in 5 adults in the U.S. lives with a mental health issue. You likely know people who experience depression or anxiety. Some people have both. They are different health problems, but share some of the same warning signs. Help is available for...
- 6895 Views
Care for Your Skin in the Summer Sun

BCBSIL Connect Team May 9, 2024

Growing up, many of us skipped sunscreen. Decades ago, we weren't as savvy about the sun's dangers. It was normal for my dad to turn a darker shade of brown after playing soccer games in the intense summer heat. I followed suit. I also tanned nicely...
- 13792 Views
Men’s Health: Do You Know the Signs of a Silent Heart Attack?

BCBSIL Connect Team May 3, 2024

Think you know what you’d feel like if you were having a heart attack? Think again. Silent heart attacks, known as a silent myocardial infarction (SMI), account for 45 percent of heart attacks. And they are more likely to strike men than women.....
- 45370 Views
Prescription or Over the Counter: Follow Directions to Stay Safe

BCBSIL Connect Team May 3, 2024

Medicine can help your health in many ways. From over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to prescription medicines that treat life-threatening conditions, medicine can have a major positive impact. But only if it’s taken — and taken correctly. O...
- 13647 Views
4 Simple Steps for Better Whole-Body Fitness and Function

BCBSIL Connect Team April 30, 2024

Most people focus on one or two types of exercise and think they’re getting what their body needs. But there are four types of exercise you need to help your body function at its best: endurance, strength, balance and flexibility, says the Nati....
- 12240 Views
Inhale. Exhale. What Your Lungs Do for You.

BCBSIL Connect Team April 30, 2024

Breathe in. Breathe out. It’s something that we do every day, every waking minute. It relaxes us, wakes us, and keeps us alive. The lungs are part of the respiratory system — organs and tissues that work together to help you breathe, says...
- 6803 Views
A Hug Only Takes 10 Seconds, Yet the Benefits Last Forever

BCBSIL Connect Team April 29, 2024

Fun fact about hugs: They don’t just give you a warm, fuzzy sense of well-being — they can also be good for your health. It’s true. Hugging for just 10 seconds can boost feel-good hormones like oxytocin. Often called the &ldqu...
- 68485 Views
Living With High Blood Pressure

BCBSIL Connect Team April 18, 2024

Nearly half of adults in the United States have high blood pressure — also known as hypertension. Only about one in four adults with high blood pressure have it under control. Are you one of them? Learning to manage your blood pressure ca...
- 24619 Views
The Eyes Have It: Protect Them with Routine Eye Exams

BCBSIL Connect Team April 15, 2024

Eye exams are a great way to keep an eye on your health. Along with making sure you get the right prescription for glasses or contact lenses, they can be a real ‘eye opener’ when it comes to your health. Your eyes aren’t just windo...
- 13003 Views
The Impact of Stress if You Have Diabetes

BCBSIL Connect Team April 12, 2024

Traffic was a beast. You lost your phone. A few zeros seem to be missing from your bank balance. When you feel stressed, your body produces two hormones that raise your blood sugar — adrenaline and cortisol. Both are linked to the bod...
- 23068 Views
Where You Live Matters to Your Health

BCBSIL Connect Team April 9, 2024

Does it matter how close you live to a grocery store? Can it affect how long you’ll live? What if you don’t have a way to get there? Sometimes it’s more than illness or injury that takes a toll on your health. Imagine this: It&rsquo...
- 6847 Views
When the Heart’s Aflutter, AFib May Be the Reason

BCBSIL Connect Team April 5, 2024

Singers may croon that their love-struck hearts are all aflutter, but in real life, a fluttering heart can be a scary problem — atrial fibrillation, better known as AFib. In a healthy heart, electrical signals travel through the muscle and mak.....
- 8577 Views