Health and Wellness

• CIGNA Quit Today
• Live Healthy Monthly Message
• Know Your Numbers
• Health Assessments
• Annual Check-Ups or Physicals
• Dental and Vision Care
• Wellness Tip Sheets

Live Healthy is our wellness initiative designed to encourage healthy lifestyles and behaviors. Whether you want to quit smoking, lose weight, exercise regularly, reduce stress or help prevent diabetes, cancer or heart failure, Live Healthy can help. Visit Spotlight on Wellness to view the health and wellness achievements of our employees.

For a look at some useful tools and resources that offer health and wellness information and can help you monitor your progress, visit the Web sites listed on the right side of this page.

You can also learn more about our comprehensive benefits package - which includes medical, dental, prescription drugs, vision and the employee assistance program - by clicking the links to the left.

Be sure to visit this page regularly for monthly Live Healthy updates.

We offer a free tobacco cessation program to employees and dependents (18 years of age or older) enrolled in the company medical plan. CIGNA Quit Today helps you develop a personal quit plan to become and remain tobacco free. Choose a telephone program or an online program — or use both.

Learn about discounted medical rates for non-tobacco users.

If you are ready to quit using tobacco, enroll in CIGNA Quit Today. Call 866-417-7848 to enroll in the telephonic program or click here to get started in the online program.

Keeping a Personal Health Record

Chances are you have a lot of different medical records. You may see many different healthcare providers during your lifetime such as a family practitioner, an allergist, a specialist such as a cardiologist, and if necessary, a surgeon. Each of these providers compiles a separate file of information about you. In fact, even if your providers are all part of the same health care system, they may each keep a separate medical record for you and may not be aware of the other treatment you are receiving. This can lead to an incomplete and disconnected record of your health. This is why keeping your own personal health record is important.

What is a personal health record?
A personal health record, or PHR, is a tool that you can use to collect, track and share past and current information about your health. Sometimes this information can save you the money and inconvenience of repeating routine medical tests. Even when routine procedures do need to be repeated, your PHR can give medical care providers more insight into your personal health story.

It is important to remember that your PHR may be separate from and does not normally replace the legal medical record of any provider. Medical records contain information about your health compiled and maintained by each of your healthcare providers. A PHR is information about your health compiled and maintained by you.

Why should you keep a PHR?
Research has shown that when consumers actively participate in their own care, the outcomes are better. Use your PHR to assist with decision-making when it comes to potential health conditions, treatment options, costs of treatment, management of chronic conditions, healthy lifestyle choices, preventive actions, and monitoring the accuracy and security of your health information. Having a PHR can help you play a more active role in your healthcare.

How to create a PHR
Employees enrolled in the Enterprise Holdings medical plan have access to a convenient, private, and secure online personal health record provided by UnitedHealthcare. Simply register on myuhc.com and select the Personal Health Record tab at the top of the page. From there you can enter your personal health information such as your cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight; conditions and allergies; medications; medical care; and dental and vision care. Once entered on the web site, this information can quickly be printed and shared with your doctors as you see fit.

Remember, you are ultimately responsible for making decisions about your health. A PHR can help you accomplish that. Take an active role in monitoring your health and healthcare by creating your own PHR. 

Know Your Numbers

Numbers are an important part of our everyday lives. Mobile phone numbers. Bank card numbers. Lucky numbers. But what about the numbers that affect your health?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 50 percent of individuals do not visit their physician on a regular basis. This results in a large portion of the population knowing nothing about their biometric health numbers — things like blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index and cholesterol levels. Knowing these numbers could save your life.

What is it?	Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. It's normal to have cholesterol. Cholesterol is an important part of a healthy body. Your liver and other cells in your body make about 75 percent of blood cholesterol. The other 25 percent comes from the foods you eat. LDL cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol. When too much of it circulates in the blood, it can clog arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. HDL cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol. High levels of HDL seem to protect against heart attack. Medical experts think that HDL tends to carry cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's passed from the body.	Blood sugar, also known as blood glucose, is the body's fuel that feeds the brain, nervous system, and tissues. A healthy body makes glucose not only from ingested carbohydrates, but also from proteins and fats, and would not be able to function without it. Blood glucose levels that remain either too high or too low over time may cause damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels.	Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries. The higher (systolic) number represents the pressure while the heart contracts to pump blood to the body and is always stated first. The lower (diastolic) number represents the pressure when the heart relaxes between beats and is always stated second.	Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person's weight and height. Calculating BMI can be one of the first steps to assess whether or not your current weight is healthy. Since calculation requires only height and weight, it is inexpensive and easy to use for clinicians and for the general public. The use of BMI allows people to compare their own weight status to that of the general population. BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.
How do I know my level?	During a cholesterol test a small sample of blood is drawn from your arm and analyzed. The results give information about total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. For the best results, a nine- to 12-hour fast (avoid consuming food, beverages and medications) before this test is recommended.	Several different types of tests for blood sugar can be used. The fasting blood sugar test involves taking a small sample of blood. This test best measures blood sugar after you have not eaten for at least 8 hours. It is often the first test done to check for prediabetes and diabetes.	You can have your blood pressure checked literally anywhere – your doctor’s office, the pharmacy, a local health fair, a fire station, and even many grocery stores. This simple test is very accessible. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, a home blood pressure device may be recommended.	All you need to determine your body mass index is your weight and height. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers an online BMI calculator or your doctor’s office can help you calculate your number.
What level is healthy?	Total blood cholesterol below 200 mg/dL is most desirable. If your LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels are also at desirable levels and you have no other risk factors for heart disease, total blood cholesterol below 200 mg/dL puts you at relatively low risk of coronary heart disease. Even with a low risk, however, it's still smart to eat a heart-healthy diet, get regular physical activity and avoid tobacco smoke.	A blood sugar level below 100 mg/dL is most desirable. The normal fasting blood sugar level is between 70 and 99 mg/dl. High blood sugar levels may indicate diabetes. Low blood sugar levels may indicate hypoglycemia.	A blood pressure reading less than 120/80 mmHg is most desirable. A systolic pressure of 120 - 139 mmHg or a diastolic pressure of 80 - 89 mmHg is considered "prehypertension" and needs to be watched carefully. A blood pressure reading of 140/90 or higher is considered elevated (high).	A body mass index less than 25 is most desirable For adults 20 years old and above, BMI is interpreted using standard weight status categories that are the same for all ages and for both men and women. In general, a body mass index value between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered in the normal range. Overweight is defined as a BMI between 25.0 and 29.9. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or greater.
For additional information:	American Heart Association web site	www.diabetes.org	American Heart Association web site	Centers for Disease Control and Prevention