Want $25.00 and Couldn’t

Make A Health Fair???

Step Into Wellness

If you were not able to make one of the six health

fairs this year, you can still earn a $25 gift card

for completing the health assessment online.

This offer is ONLY for those who DID NOT do

the health assessment “bubble sheet” at one

of the fairs.

The Deadline for Completing the

Online Personal Health Assessment

is September 30, 2014

Please follow the instructions

below to access your Online Per-

sonal Health Assessment (PHA) :

QUICK START-UP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Please have your biometric results (blood

pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar) available.

You may use your most recent numbers from

your own physician.

2. Type into the internet browser: https://

bcbsfl.traleexplorer.com/companylogin.aspx

and log-on using:

GROUP NAME: DIOCESEPB GROUP NUM-

BER: 98620-2014

3. Select "continue“ and complete the New User

Setup screen as follows:

- Create your own username and password (a

new username/password is required for each

year of the online PHA)

- Add your first and last name to be eligible for

the $25 gift card.

- Add your email address (if you have one) for

support/password assistance.

- Select your gender and enter your date of birth.

- Select Yes (if you have Florida Blue insur-

ance) and enter the 8-digit portion of your con-

tract number. If your insurance benefits are

not yet activated, select “no” and leave contract

field blank.

- If you do not have Florida Blue insurance through

the diocese, select “no” and leave the contract field

blank.

IMPORTANT: Please check questionnaire re-

sponses for accuracy before generating your re-

port. Changes cannot be made once report is gen-

erated.

PLEASE WRITE THE USERNAME AND PASS-

WORD YOU CREATED

Username: Password:

ONLINE ASSESSMENT RE-ENTRY INSTRUC-

TIONS

You may exit the online health assessment and

re-enter at any time:

- Type into the internet browser: https://

bcbsfl.traleexplorer.com

- Log-on using your own personal username and

password you recorded above.

If you have ANY difficulty logging on or access-

ing the site, call Carol Waring @ 561-775-9572

or email cwaring@diocesepb.org

GIFT CARD REDEMPTION

If you have health insurance with the diocese, AND

you created a Blue Rewards Account last year

and received your gift card in the mail, you do not

need to do anything else.

If you do NOT have health insurance with the dio-

cese, you do not need to do anything else - you will

receive your card from your bookkeeper.

If you have health insurance with the diocese and

did not participate last year, or did not create a Blue

Rewards Account previously, you DO need to

complete the last step by creating an account

through www.floridablue.com For problems

logging on or registering call 1-800-352-

2583.

CREATING A BLUE REWARDS

ACCOUNT

Step 1. Visit www.floridablue.com

You will need your Blue Cross

(Florida Blue) Member Number

(located on your Member ID card) and

a valid email address to register.

Step 2. Enter your information in each

box and click Continue.

Step 3. Click on the Register Now But-

ton - Follow the steps to register.

Step 4. Once you have logged in to

Member Website, click on the tab that

says Health & Wellness and click on

the link Discounts & Rewards.

There may be a health assessment

provided during your initial set up for

Blue Rewards - DO NOT COM-

PLETE THIS Personal Health

Assessment!!! Only complete the

Personal Health Assessment ac-

c e s s e d t h r o u g h t h e

bcbsfl.traleexplorer link provided

under the “Quick Start-Up Instruc-

tions”.

In this issue:

Online Health Assessment

September Happenings

Nutritious You From Blue

Lunch ‘n Learn Webinar

Series!

Articles At A Glance

Cholesterol and You

September 2014

Nutritious You From Blue

On October 9, we will be launching our first ever online Lunch ‘n

Learn webinar series called Nutritious You From Blue!!!! The

series will run once a week on Thursdays through November 13,

beginning at 12:30 p.m. The program is one hour per week for six

weeks and you can join in right at your desk at your computer! We

need a minimum of 15 participants registered by October 2 in

order to host the program.

The BYFB six-week series Nutritious You From Blue provides com-

prehensive nutrition education, including components such as: un-

derstanding calories and nutrients; eating moderate portion sizes;

reading and using food labels; comparing food products; healthy

cooking methods; dining out; meal planning tools and more.

Participants have access to the facilitator via email between sessions

for the duration of the program. After completion, participants who

are Florida Blue members can continue working with a dedicated

health coach via telephone for as long as they feel they need the

support.

Session One: First Steps to Better Health

• Introduction to Mindful Eating

• Hydration

• My Plate

• Food Diary

Page 2 Step Into Wellness

America On The Move Month of Action

www.americaonthemove.org

September 1 - 30

Baby Safety Awareness Month September 1 - 30

Fruit and Veggie Month September 1 - 30

National Cholesterol Education Aware-

ness Month

September 1 - 30

National Food Safety Awareness

Month

September 1 - 30

National Ovarian Cancer Awareness

Month

September 1 - 30

Prostate Health Month September 1 - 30

Whole Grains Month September 1 - 30

National Women’s Health and Fitness

Day

September 24

September Happenings Calendar

Session Two: Wise Choices

• What is a Calorie?

• Macronutrients

• Micronutrients

• Portion Sizes

Session Three: Selecting Healthy Foods

• Product Comparisons

• Nutrient and Caloric Density

• Reading Food Labels

Session Four: Fueling for Fitness and Stress Reduction

• Benefits of Physical Activity

• Understanding the Guidelines

• Increasing Physical Fitness

• Eating for an Active Lifestyle

• Stress Management

• Eating for Less Stress

Session Five: Healthy Meals In and Out of the Home

• Cooking Methods

• Eat This, Not That

• Healthy Ordering Strategies

• Healthy Families, Healthy Homes

• Healthy Grocery Shopping Techniques

• Recipe Modification Techniques

• Budgeting Tips

Session Six: Meal Planning and Recipe Share

• What Makes a Meal?

• Meal Planning Tools

• Successful Meal Planning

• Recipe Revision Potluck

This program is ideal if it is difficult for you to attend a Lunch ‘n Learn

program offsite. Many of you have also asked about meal planning and

nutrition, so this is a great opportunity for you as well!

You can register for the series using the Pick A Time Scheduler at :

https://pickatime.com/client?ven=11609571 To register for multi-

ple sessions at one time, hit the “RETURN” button to take you back to

the list to register for the next session.

Please be aware that you must register separately for each ses-

sion. If you have any questions call Carol Waring at 561-775-9572.

Articles At A Glance

Page 3

Controlling Your Weight

You're probably thinking that I’m talking

about staying at a healthy weight for your

height. While that's important, and some-

thing we talk about often, that's not what I'm

referring to today. Instead, I'm talking about

resistance training. When you're lifting

weights, make sure you get the most out of

your workout by paying attention to both the

positive (concentric) and negative (eccentric)

movements performed during the exer-

cise. Instead of thinking about contracting

your muscle to move the weight, then relax-

ing to let go, think about contracting more

and contracting less. You'll be working

through the entire range of motion and you'll

get more bang for your workout buck.

Here's to efficient workouts!

What’s In Your Drink?

Just a reminder of all the hidden calories that

can hide out in your beverages. That straw-

berry frappucino from Starbucks has as

many calories as 3 McDonald's hamburg-

ers! Even "vitamin water" is loaded with

sugar. Take time to read the label, or look

online for nutritional information about your

favorite beverage. Do some portion control

(tall instead of venti) and come up with

choices that offer a better bang for your calo-

rie buck.

Building In Activity

Here’s an idea for you that can help keep you

burning calories throughout the day. It’s

called the 57/3 rule. The point is, for every

57 minutes you spend sitting (at work, at your

computer, in front of the TV) move for 3 min-

utes. That might mean standing up during a

phone conversation or during a meeting. It

might mean running up and down the stairs

during the commercials of your favorite TV

show. Research shows that this type of

movement can bump up your metabolism

enough to keep you burning calories. This

doesn't replace longer periods of exercise. It

just keeps your body from going into conser-

vation mode.

There’s An App For That!

There are so many computer applications

that can help you stay healthy and fit. Some

are: Lose It! - a free food logging application

that helps track calories; Jog Log - an appli-

cation that will track your miles and intensity

during your runs; Fast Food Calorie

Counter - an application that helps you make

the best choices when eating at fast food

restaurants. There are dozens of oth-

ers. Just remember, that the app doesn't do

the work for you. It's just a tool to

help. There's no magic in any of the technol-

ogy. It's all up to you. Use the best tools for

your situation, and enjoy the process.

Diet And Tooth Decay

Your teeth are covered with plaque, a

sticky film of bacteria. After you have a

meal, snack or beverage that contains

sugars or starches, the bacteria release

acids that attack tooth enamel. Repeated

attacks can cause the enamel to break

down and may eventually result in cavi-

ties.

When diabetes is not controlled properly,

high glucose levels in saliva may help

bacteria and plaque thrive. Plaque that is

not removed can eventually harden into

tartar. When tartar collects on your teeth,

it makes a thorough cleaning of your

teeth more difficult. This can create con-

ditions that lead to chronic inflammation

and infection in the mouth. Diabetes low-

ers your resistance to infection and can

slow the healing process.

What Can You Do? Reduce or eliminate sugars and starches from your diet, eat healthy foods and exercise regularly.

Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and clean once a day between your teeth with floss or an interdental cleaner to remove decay-causing plaque.

Keep teeth and gums strong by keeping track of blood sugar levels. Also, have your triglycerides and cholesterol levels monitored.

Treat dental infections immediately. Dia-betics who combine good dental care with insulin control typically have a better chance of avoiding gum disease.

Provide your medical and oral health histories to both your medical and dental care providers.

If You MUST Have a Donut...

DONUT DO! Kick the cake and keep it

classic! Cake donuts are almost al-

ways heavier than classic, yeast-raised

varieties. At Dunkin’ Donuts, ordering a

classic chocolate frosted donut instead

of the chocolate frosted cake donut

saves you 100 calories and 10 grams

of fat!

Your Health, Wellness, and Safety Contacts:

Carol Waring Sandy Maulden Wellness Coordinator Benefits Assistant E-mail: cwaring@diocesepb.org Email: smaulden@diocesepb.org Phone: 561-775-9572 Phone: 561-775-9574

Cholesterol Update

High cholesterol is considered a major risk factor

for heart disease, the nation’s number one killer.

The National Institutes of Health recommends keep-

ing your total cholesterol below 200, LDL (“bad”

Cholesterol) under 100 (optimal level), HDL (“good”

cholesterol) over 40 and triglycerides under 150.

Risk factors for high cholesterol include age, diabe-

tes, family history, poor diet and obesity. While there

are factors you can’t control (such as your heredity),

there are risks you can reduce with these steps:

Eat right. Limit saturated fat, trans fats, choles-

terol and alcohol. Load up on vegetables, fruits

and whole grains. Monounsaturated fats - from

nuts, avocados and olive oil, for example, can

help improve your cholesterol profile.

Get moving. Exercise not only helps you maintain

a healthy weight but can also raise your HDL

(“good”) cholesterol.

Slim down. If you are overweight, losing weight

may help improve your cholesterol numbers too.

Even a 5-to-10 pound reduction can make a dif-

ference.

Quit smoking. You may raise your “good” choles-

terol by about 5 percent. Watch out for second-

hand smoke as well.

Get treatment. If your cholesterol is high despite

these lifestyle changes, medication can be part of

a treatment approach to bring it down.

Need to get your Cholesterol

In Check?

Some TLC may help! The TLC (Therapeutic Lifestyle

Changes) Diet is recommended by the National

Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. TLC guidelines:

Reduce saturated fat: less than 7 percent of

calories.

Reduce dietary cholesterol: less than 200

mg/day

Increase soluble fiber: 10-25 g/day. Sources:

fruits, oatmeal, some cereals.

Increase plant stanols/sterols: 2 g/day. Sources:

fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, legumes,

vegetable oils (particularly soybean oil)

Consume just enough calories to achieve or

maintain a healthy weight and to reduce your

blood cholesterol level.

Fall Health Checkup

Are healthy habits a way of life for you? When you

raise your awareness about what’s working against

your good health, you’re well on your way to revers-

ing bad habits.

Make sure you’re on track with this checklist!

The fats in my diet are mostly poly- or mono-

unsaturated (you can see this on food labels).

I eat at least 5 cups of fruits and veggies per

day (most days).

I get 7 -9 hours of sleep a day.

I get at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity most

days or daily.

I don’t use tobacco or I am getting help to quit.

I either limit or avoid alcohol.

I know where I stand on my important health

measures (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood

sugar/glucose, BMI) and I follow a schedule for

other important screenings too.