1 INSPIRE TO MOVE 2 NOURISHING YOU 3 HEALTH HARMONY 4 GOOD DECISIONS

Summer is a great time to be active outdoors, whether you are biking on a wooded trail, jogging through the park, orplaying Frisbee at the beach. This summer, head outside for a good dose of Vitamin D from the sun, but also learn to protectyourself from the top three dangers of sun exposure, skin cancer, heat stroke and radiation. You can enjoy the open air in a safe and healthy manner and still avoid the dangers of sun overexposure. Ozone depletionand seasonal weather variations cause different amounts of UV radiation. Look up the UV Index for the day before goingout in the sun and take necessary precautions. The National Weather Service calculates the predicted UV Index for the day.

Visit www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html to look up your UV Index by zip code or scan this codeto get a free app for your smartphone.

THESE GENERAL TIPS WILL HELP PROTECT YOU FROM THE SUN:

JULY 2013 DIGEST

“The sun shines on all and all alike. It’s not surprising thatwe feel good when we immerse ourselves in nature.”

- Jeffrey R. Anderson

INSPIRE TO MOVEDon’t Hide Inside

Avoid activity outside between the hours of 10 am - 4 pmwhen the sun’s rays are the strongest.

Wear sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB witha SPF of 15 or higher. If you are swimming or sweating,remember to regularly reapply.

Wear clothing to protect as much skin as possible. Leaveshirts on when jogging and wear a hat. Light coloredclothing is best.

Protect your eyes from skin damage with sunglasses thatblock 90-100% of UVA and UVB rays.

“Your Source For A Happy and Healthy Lifestyle”

HHEEAALLTTHHYY ouY !

Preheat grill to medium-high. Peel the husk from corn and

remove. Brush corn with olive oil. Grill the corn 5-8 minutes,

turning occasionally, until some kernels char a little and others

are light brown. Add fresh ground pepper to taste.

Sodium is an element that the bodyneeds to function properly. Sodiumregulates blood pressure and bloodvolume. Sodium makes the bodyretain fluid so the heart has to

work harder to pump the additional fluid. This is why sodium maylead to high blood pressure.

A pinch of table salt here and there can add up to unhealthy levels.More worrisome is the salt used in high doses to preserve food, whichadds up to the most sodium in your diet.

U.S. Guidelines are less than 2,300 mg per day (1 teaspoon of tablesalt). To help curb your salt intake, be aware of and limit these mainprocessed and prepared foods that are typically high in salt:

Canned vegetables can contain 30% of your daily sodium. Rinsethe vegetables in water first, or buy “no salt added” and “lowsodium” products.

Frozen dinners average more than 30% of your daily sodium.

Cold cuts can contain 15% of sodium in two slices of deli meat.

Soups like canned chicken noodle, pack as much as 37% of sodium.

Packaged rice, potatoes and pastas with “flavor packets”.

Fast Foods, including the condiments are high in sodium.

Pasta sauce has about 26% of sodium in 1/2 cup.

Limiting Sodium(HBP)

NOURISHING YOUNavigate the SummerBBQ the Healthy Way

Grilled Corn On The Cob4 ears of corn

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Fresh pepper

“Food is to eat, not to frame and hang onthe wall.” - William Denton

Summer is grilling season. Even though thereare endless healthy grilling options, you willlikely come across a traditional summerbarbeque such as a buffet including items likehot dogs and hamburgers. Try these tips atyour next outdoor cookout and you won’t haveto worry about sabotaging your healthy eatingefforts: Use a smaller plate. You will eat less and willonly have room for what you really want. Look at all of your options first. Don’t juststart loading your plate. Scan the spreadbefore making a final decision on what youwill eat. Find the veggies first. Start by loading yourplate with salad and grilled veggies. Potato orpasta salads are usually loaded with fat andmayonnaise. Instead reach for the salads withmixed leafy greens. The greens will help you fillup faster and you’ll feel better later.Skip the bun. Opt for toppings that are highin flavor and lower in fat. Load a hamburgerwith lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles andmustard. Eat the food on your plate slowly and enjoyeach bite. Enjoy your time with friends andfamily, focusing more on the conversation thanthe food. Even better, get involved in a game,activity or take a walk to burn off the calories.

HEALTH HARMONY

Summer SafetyThe hot weather is here. Summer bringsswimming, hiking, grilling and other funactivities that place people closer to nature.Keep summer safe and fun by preventinginjuries and illness with these simple tips foryou and your kids:

Prevent dehydration and heat–relatedillness by drinking more water. Avoid drinkswith alcohol, caffeine or large amounts ofsugar, which actually cause you to lose morebody fluid.

Watch children around water. Whether it’sthe beach, pool, lake or river, make sure thereis an adult around who can supervise andknows how to swim.

Keep food safe. Keep food and drinks inseparate coolers. Never leave perishable foodout of the refrigerator for more than twohours.

Bug off! Keep pesky bugs like mosquitos,insects and ticks away by using a bugrepellent containing 20% DEET.

Keep a first aid kit on hand. Be sure to keepthe kit well stocked with bandages, antibioticointment, gauze, medical tape, aspirin, anEpiPen, and tweezers.

Take A Breath

Beware of BugsTo prevent illness transmitted by bugslike mosquitos, ticks and fleas:1. Use an appropriate insect and tick repellent2. Avoid tick-infested areas (places with leaf-litter andhigh grass)3. Check your body for ticks after coming indoors

Do you notice that after taking a deep breath, even one, you start tofeel better? Deep breathing lowers stress because it sends a message toyour brain to calm down and relax. The brain listens and starts to slowyour heart rate and reduce tension. Breathing is something that we canregulate and control, even when life feels “out of control”.

Deep breathing is a relaxation skill that can deeply influence anyone’shealth and happiness. Try it as a useful tool to achieve a clear state ofmind.

For stress relief, try the Four-Seven-Eight Breathing Technique:Start inhaling through the nose, then count to 4 as you fill yourlungs with air.

Keep the air in for 7 seconds, and then exhale through the mouth,slowly counting to 8.

To invigorate and stimulate, try the Bellows Breath orStimulating Breath Technique:

Inhale and exhale through your nose rapidly, keeping your mouthclosed. (This may be noisy, so it’s a good one to practice in private.)

Try for three in and out breaths per second.

Attempt to do this for this for 15 seconds.

So next time you feel like you need a lift, instead of reaching for asugary snack or cup of coffee, try the Stimulating Breath Technique tofeel invigorated. When you need to calm down and relax, leave thealcohol and give the Four-Seven-Eight a shot.

Scan this code or visitwww.webmd.com/skin-problems-

and-treatments/ss/slideshow-summer-skin-hazards for a slideshow of Summer SkinHazards: Stings, Bites, Burns and More.

“Mosquitoes remind us that we are not ashigh up on the food chain as we think.”

- Tom Wilson

GOOD DECISION$Pesticide Free

1. You can protect yourself from the sun's harmful UVA rays by:

A. Wearing as little clothing as possible.

B. Applying sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection.

C. Staying under water.

2. Which if the following statements is NOT true?

A. Table salt is the most worrisome sodium in our diet.

B. Prepackaged foods have very little salt.

C. Canned vegetables should be rinsed in water or purchasedwith "no salt or low sodium" labels.

3. Are the following statements True or False?

A. Drinking water can help prevent dehydration and heat-relatedillnesses in hot weather.

B. Picnic and BBQ food can sit out for hours without any health risks.

C. Summer bugs can be kept away with bad jokes.

TAKE OUR QUIZ!

THE ANSWERS ARE: 1. B.Applying sunscreen with UVA and UVBprotection. 2. B. Prepackaged foods have very little salt. 3. A. True, B.False, C. False

Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The information in this publication is meant to complement the advice of your health-care providers, not replace it.

Before making any major changes in your medications, diet or exercise, talk to your doctor.

Many pests invade our lives, irritating people like bullies, but we have to learn to live withthem. The pests we can take action to destroy or prevent are organisms such as insects,mice, weeds, or other microorganisms such as bacteria or viruses. Pesticides are chemicalswe use to kill these living organisms that can cause diseases.

Some examples of pesticides we use in our home are:

It’s important to understand that many of these chemicals are toxic, which means theymay be harmful to the environment, to people and animals if they are inhaled, swallowedor absorbed through the skin. At the same time, pesticides are useful to society becausethey help to control disease. Experts are still debating and regulating the hazards and therisks.

Find a balance between controlling pests and using chemicals. A few suggestions are:Rinse your food thoroughly and buy organic produce when you can.

Do not leave food out and clean cobwebs to avoid insects.

Use the least invasive, natural form of insect control such as fly paper instead of insectspray.

Mosquito, flea and tick sprays

Mildew removers

Lawn and garden products to kill weeds and insects

Some swimming pool chemicals

“We hope that, when theinsects take over the world,

they will remember withgratitude how we took them

along on our picnics.” - Bill Vaughan

Visit www.webmd.com/parenting/video/pesticide-safety-and-exposure for a videofrom WebMD video about Pesticides Safety and Exposure