The holidays present unique health challenges, Omada can help

There you are, sitting at your desk, up to your neck in last-minute TPS report requests, and famished. Your pantry was slim on groceries so takeout is the ticket today. Stepping out for something quick and healthy makes the most sense. Certainly. Then again, the office is full of free candy, cakes and pastries, and you could use extra time to tackle those extra tasks. A little something sweet does sound better than spinach. Maybe a fast snack and getting back to work makes more sense….

It’s hard to say for certain but this scenario is likely something we’ve all dealt with, especially around the holidays. This time of year can be so magical, but so stressful, and time can become a scarce commodity.

If you’re looking for guidance on healthy habits to help you through the holidays and beyond, Omada® might be the solution. And for the first time this year, it’s also available to people who have type 2 diabetes and are not currently taking insulin.

If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes or heart disease—or if you have type 2 diabetes—and you’re a CU Health Plan member, the Omada program is available to you at no cost. The program provides tools, resources and smart technology at no out-of-pocket cost, including:

• a wireless scale pre-synced to a password-protected account
• a specialized health-related curriculum
• on-demand access to a personal health coach
• a like-minded online peer network for support

Make this holiday season a little easier by visiting the Omada page and signing up today.

New wellness program offers a fresh approach to weight loss

If you don’t believe it, you can’t achieve it. Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. What you think, you become. These and countless other clichés are allusions to the power of the mind. 

The sayings may be commonplace but the mind is indeed a powerful thing and when it comes to losing weight, it can be your best ally or worst enemy. Our new weight-loss program, Naturally Slim, is based on that notion.

If you’re looking for a new approach to weight loss, join the very first class starting Nov. 12. Sign-up during the registration window from Oct. 15 through Oct. 28. Classes will be offered each quarter therafter.

So how does it work exactly? Naturally Slim is a digital weight-loss program that helps you lose weight by changing how you eat instead of what you eat. It’s not a fad diet. You don’t have to sacrifice your favorite foods. Instead, you’ll learn to revamp your relationship with food.

Thoughts lead to actions and sometimes those actions aren’t helpful. When it comes to losing weight, the right thinking can have a positive impact on your success. Naturally Slim is inspired by behaviorism psychology so it’s designed to help you replace harmful habits with helpful habits.  

Naturally Slim is free for CU Health Plan members. It’s a ten-week, online course that’s supplemented with support from a community of peers, access to professional counselors and ongoing education for the year following the course.

Get involved with Naturally Slim and change your mind to change your weight.

All employees are eligible for a flu shot, CU Health Plan members pay no fee

The least wonderful time of year is here – flu season. Okay, okay, there’s a lot to love about the fall and we can all delight in seeing the turning leaves but to truly enjoy the view you’ll want to avoid the flu. Each year, between 5-20 percent of the U.S. population contracts the flu virus.

Give yourself a shot at good health this flu season by attending one of the flu shot clinics happening throughout the month of October.

Flu shots are free for primary members of a CU Health Plan and their spouses. Non-CU Health Plan members pay just $26 for a shot and some insurances will be accepted (see the list of accepted insurance providers). If you carry health insurance but it’s not accepted at our clinics, you may be able receive a free shot at your doctor’s office.   

Here are the need-to-know details for this season’s flu shot clinics:

• Bring your CU Health Plan member ID card
• Other insurance providers may be accepted
• Vaccine Information Sheet
• Clinic dates, times and locations
• Registration Portal

If you’re a CU Health Plan member and you can’t make it to one of the clinics, don’t worry, you’re eligible for a free shot through your primary care provider. Visit the Plans page to find a provider.

You may have heard the saying, “food is medicine.” The sentiment has been around for a while but is gaining popularity as the public becomes more conscious about eating habits and medical institutions emphasize food as a formal part of treatment.

The idea is that by eating healthily, we can avoid chronic illnesses and other health issues while enhancing our overall wellness and satisfaction with life.

Considering how much time and money it takes to combat illnesses like diabetes and heart disease, eating healthily seems like a wise alternative. When you realize the other positive impacts of a healthy diet – like increased energy, a better immune system and sharper focus, to name a few – the argument for a cleaner diet seems hard to fight. 

There are many reasons to eat healthily yet many people struggle to do so. Why is that? For some people it’s an issue of time. Often it’s a lack of culinary capability. Maybe it’s both.

The CU Health Plan recently introduced a new wellness program that addresses both of those issues – it’s an app called Zipongo. “We wanted to make sure members have a fun, easy way to answer the age old question ‘what’s for dinner tonight?’ and we wanted to make sure the answer is always something healthy,” said CU Health Plan Wellness Coordinator Mallory Bergen.

That idea is the heart of the program, and the service goes even further. Zipongo empowers people to make better decisions about what to eat – at home, at work and on the go – by providing options like meal planning tools, a robust recipe library, instant grocery ordering, healthy meal delivery and advice on healthy menu items at restaurants.

The program is free to primary members of a CU Health Plan and up to four of their household members. Members can sign up for Zipongo at cu.zipongo.com.

 “Our hope is that people gain the skills and information they need to make great food choices throughout the day, no matter where they are,” said Bergen.

CU Health Plan members from the University of Colorado, UCHealth and CU Medicine came together for the second annual Feel The Heat, Move Your Feet 5K on Aug. 5. The event is one of the many ways the CU Health Plan helps its members find the inspiration, information and support they need to achieve their best selves. Runners and walkers of all ages took steps (literally) toward their health and wellness goals – and had some fun along the way!

Top podium accolades went to Ben Hall and Allison Toppen, who both claimed first place in their divisions and took home $200 gift certificates to Runner’s Roost.

Check out the video coverage on our YouTube channel and visit our Facebook page to see the photo library. If you didn’t make it this year, you can get in on the action next summer! Until then, stop by the CU Health Plan website to learn about all of our wellness programs.

One in every four Colorado residents struggle daily with arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation Great West Region office in Denver. Estimates on the number of people affected nationwide are expected to continue to soar, reaching 78 million (26%) adults aged 18 years or older being doctor-diagnosed with arthritis by the year 2040.

As part of CU Health Plan and Be Colorado’s yearlong “Prevention Works!” educational campaign, this month we will commemorate National Arthritis Awareness Month. May is the perfect month to learn (or review) facts about this serious health epidemic because warm weather season is approaching – a great time to get out and walk, because walking is considered one of the best exercises to alleviate pain among sufferers. It’s also important to note that all CU Health Plan Members qualify for membership discounts at a variety of gyms and fitness centers along the Front Range. Many of the facilities on our list of options have pools and some even offer water exercises, which have been shown to be an effective for those with the condition.

Arthritis is an umbrella term encompassing more than 100 conditions affecting joints and connective tissue. As there are different types of arthritis, there is no uniform set of symptoms. In general, arthritis and other related conditions are characterized by:

• Pain
• Stiffness
• Swelling around joints

Symptoms may develop gradually or can appear suddenly. Conditions are clinically diagnosed by assessing medical history, symptoms, radiographs and laboratory results.

This month the Arthritis Foundation is holding several walks nationwide this month, including here in Colorado, to increase knowledge of the nation’s leading cause of disability. The Arthritis Walk is the signature event to build public awareness and raise funds to fight this condition that affects 52.5 million U.S. adults, more than 1 of 5, according to the Centers for Disease and Prevention.

While there are a lot of misconceptions out there about arthritis, the facts are:

• Two-thirds of people with arthritis are younger than age 65.
• In 2003, the total cost attributable to arthritis in the United States reached $128 billion.
• Arthritis is a leading cause of disability among adults in this country.
• Based on 2010-2012 data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), an estimated:
• 52.5 million (22.7%) of adults have self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
• 22.7 million (9.8% of all adults) have arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation.
• An estimated 35 million adults (44% of those with arthritis) will report arthritis-attributable activity limitations by the year 2040

REFERENCE LINKS
http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/physical-activity-overview.html
http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/tools-resources/walk-with-ease/about.php
http://www.projectenhance.org/EnhanceFitness.aspx
http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/interventions/physical-activity.html
http://www.walktocurearthritis.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1144991&lis=1&kntae1144991=1E5B2E3A8B074E7E840FCD39C7F0F671
http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/arthritis-basics
http://becolorado.org/programs/discounts-at-local-gym-fitness-centers#sthash.76fORLvD.dpuf

Sports or occupational based injuries to joints can increase the likelihood of developing osteoarthritis. Jobs that have repetitive motions, for example repeated knee bending, place individuals at higher risk. Avoiding injuries to joints can reduce the likelihood of developing osteoarthritis.

Protect Your Joints
Early diagnosis and professionally guided management is critical to maintaining a good quality of life, particularly for people with inflammatory arthritis. Essential disease modifying drugs are beneficial in rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthritis conditions and are available only by prescription.

See Your Doctor
Research confirms that maintaining a healthy weight can limit disease progression and activity limitation. For every pound lost, there is a four pound reduction in the load exerted on the knee. A modest weight loss (5% or 12 pounds for a 250 pound person) can help reduce pain and disability.

Watch Your Weight
Details of the types of physical activity that is appropriate for individuals living with arthritis can be found at: Physical Activity for Arthritis.
There are exercise programs, such as EnhanceFitness and Walk with Ease, that can help people with arthritis increase their physical activity safely and comfortably.
It is recommended that people with arthritis undertake 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least 5 times a week, or a total of 150 minutes per week. The 30 minutes can be broken down into three ten-minute sessions throughout the day.
Research shows physical activity decreases pain, improves function and delays disability.

Be Active
The promising news is that taking just a few simple steps (literally and figuratively) may help keep pain away: