HopeBlue Palliative Care: Filling a Gap

“Don’t worry - help is on the way.” This simple sentence must have sounded like a life preserver being thrown to a drowning person. Indeed, Dr. Frank Santamaria, administering to the needs of a patient suffering from severe difficulties with breathing, was able to provide the patient his first night’s rest in months.  The next morning, not only was the patient feeling better, his wife was ecstatic with relief:  “You don’t know what you’ve done! I can’t tell you the difference you made for him.” No doubt she had her first night of rest in a long time, too.

Dr. Santamaria came to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida on a mission: he wants to make palliative care services available to more patients in Florida than he was able to do as a medical director at a local hospice organization.  Palliative care, in its simplest form, is treatment which may alleviate pain and symptoms of a serious illness and works to improve a patient’s quality of life. Symptoms may include severe pain; constant nausea or vomiting; inability to breathe without tremendous effort; anxiety; depression or others.  People who want to receive palliative care do not have to be end-stage in their illness, nor do they have to forgo additional curative care – two requirements for admission to a hospice program. Rather, palliative care can be given along with therapies such as chemotherapy as a way to manage debilitating symptoms.  It helps a person live better with his condition, and gives the family more quality time with their loved one.

Dr. Santamaria explained it this way:  our current health care system does a good job addressing the medical needs of people suffering from acute or chronic diseases (think a urinary tract infection or diabetes). It also has evolved in serving the needs of those towards end-of-life (think hospice programs). What is lacking in the continuum of care are services for patients in the middle:  those whose quality of life is poor, and getting worse as their condition worsens, yet are not at a point where hospice is appropriate.  Palliative care is meant to fill that gap.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is now piloting HopeBlue, a comprehensive palliative care program for members offered through Chapters Health Palliative Care. HopeBlue is available first in Hillsborough County. It will extend into Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties over successive months. Eventually, the intent is to make it available to our members statewide.  BCBSF nurse case managers assisting members in those counties will help identify patients who are eligible to participate and who might benefit from the program.  Members can then voluntarily elect to join the pilot – at no additional cost to them.

Why participate?  Dr. Santamaria gives another compelling example:  he was able to assist a man living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who found it daunting even to talk on the phone or walk to his mailbox because of his severe shortness of breath.  “His quality of life was very poor. [After palliative treatment,] the man can now walk to the mailbox, and can speak more than just a few words at a time on the phone. He’s no longer quite as impaired [by his symptoms.] The man says his quality of life is three times what it was.”

Want to know more about HopeBlue?  Call our nurse case managers at 1-800-955-5692, option 4. November is also National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. Read more about how palliative care can make a difference when it’s needed the most.

We’d like to know what you think.  If you have questions about palliative care in general, or the HopeBlue program, write them here and we’ll be sure to respond back with information from our medical team.

Yoga - A Journey

With close to 11 million Americans practicing it, yoga is certainly a fitness routine that has captured our nation. From flexibility to strength, the many benefits of yoga have been widely discussed. In talking to Sandy Mika (our resident yoga buff), we were inspired to share more on the topic. Such was her love for the discipline that we thought it’d be best if she spoke of it in her own words.

Photo credit: Laura Faith

When I was 16, my mother signed me up for self-hypnosis classes to treat my migraine headaches. Every Wednesday night, I would go to our local high school, take my usual seat at the back and quickly slip right into my own private world. I’d envision the headache as an overflowing coke bottle that I would meticulously mop up and then ring out into a bucket. I then take that bucket, place it into a hot air balloon and off it sailed until I could no longer see it. Before I knew it an hour had passed and the instructor was sounding her chimes to gently bring us back to reality. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this was “meditation” in every sense of the word and that this wonderful practice would be the thread that connected me to yoga many years later.

Photo credit: Laura Faith

Let me be completely honest, I am the most anti-exercise, TV loving, laying on the couch, staying in my pajamas all weekend girl you’ll ever meet. I have failed at every diet and workout routine strategy known to mankind mainly because I’m not what you’d call disciplined and I really hate to sweat. You name it, I’ve tried it – and failed miserably. Aerobics, jogging, Zumba, Pilates, spinning, “bootcamp”, aqua aerobics, and kick-boxing – just to name a few. So when someone suggested yoga to me, I followed my usual pattern. I was wildly enthusiastic about it, bought all the equipment (not to mention the cute clothes), and signed up for non-refundable classes, for which I would be no doubt formulating a “why I need a refund” story very shortly. Only this time, instead of walking into a room full of people that look like they’ve been practicing their entire lives, and feeling very much like the clumsy outcast on my first day at a new school, I was overcome with a feeling of indescribable peace. These weren’t muscle bound athletes with perfect Spandex outfits on cell phones; these were women of all ages and a few peaceful men that looked like they had found themselves a sanctuary. The softly lit room smelled of musky incense and everywhere I looked there were pillows, blankets and odd looking props. This comfy peaceful heaven seemed too perfect to be true. We started with a quiet meditation, thanked our bodies for just showing up, and spent the next hour and a half gingerly stretching our muscles and appreciating the quiet heaven that we created for ourselves that night. That was almost 6 years ago, and since then, I’ve increased my practice to two group classes per week and an hour per day in my second bedroom turned yoga room.

If I had to sum up what yoga has brought into my life, it’s pretty simple –it’s brought me an exercise routine that requires no special talents, equipment or experience, and the best part is that you don’t have to sweat unless you really want to.

Photo credit: Laura Faith

My yoga mat gives me a place to bring all of the day’s stress and lets me sort through it and see it for what it truly is – just life and nothing more. Yoga has enhanced my meditation skills to the point that I rarely ever need any pain medications and if I do happen to get sick, I use the power of my mind to relax and allow my body’s natural healing abilities to take over. I’ve also learned that exercise can be your friend; something to look forward to – and something that you can use in everyday life. Yoga actually makes you feel better; practicing the postures, breathing exercises and meditation makes you healthier in body, mind and spirit. Yoga lets you tune in, chill out and shape up – all at the same time.

What Makes You Smile?

For us, it’s family, dogs, significant others and the people we work with. We put together a video on all of the various reasons we flash our pearly whites. Why all the talk about smiling? Well, while we had much fun posing for the below video, our main objective is to spread the message of good oral health because October is National Dental Hygiene Month. We also found several compelling reasons to look more closely at oral health. According to the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), oral health is linked to your overall health, including medical conditions like Diabetes, Heart Disease, Respiratory Disease, Stroke, and Pregnancy complications.  Research from AAP suggests that “periodontal disease may make it more difficult for people who have diabetes to control their blood sugar.” The AAP also states that “people with periodontal disease are almost twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease as those without periodontal disease.”

We think those are some excellent reasons to spread the message of regular dental care. That and the aforementioned reason of taking care of your smile for your family, dogs and significant others. So what makes you smile? Leave us a comment below or visit our website  to learn more about how you can take care of your smile.   

Cracking the Code on Wellness

Throughout the year, we have been profiling weight loss success stories. Today, we talk to Garrick Gibson about how he cracked the code on wellness. Here’s Garrick’s story told by Garrick himself:

Back in the summer of 2008, a close friend loaned me a documentary film. The premise of the film was how positive thinking and emotions can create life-changing results such as increased wealth, health and happiness. One of the notable concepts was a three-step process: Ask, Believe, and Receive, based on a verse from the Bible: “And in all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” (Matthew 21:22)

Step 1 was a no brainer. But, step 2 was the hard part. “Believing” is much more challenging than it seems. Over time, I began to realize that I doubted myself. My doubts were conflicting with my goals; keeping me in a holding pattern of not receiving.

This stayed with me for two years and in 2010, I finally decided to set my goals to be out of the obese category on the BMI scale and to get my blood pressure under control. The difference this time around was that I worked on challenging my doubts and changing my belief system. I once heard a wise person say, “a belief is just a thought I keep thinking.” So, I started thinking more about being healthy and in shape and stopped focusing on my unhappiness with being overweight. To help me maintain my focus, I surrounded myself with people and things that inspired me. I created a schedule and started exercising consistently at the gym.

After losing some initial weight, I hit a plateau. So, I stepped up my game and hired a local personal trainer at Cross Training San Marco. For two days a week, they pushed me past my mental limitations. In addition to the cross training, I took up running 2-3 times per week. In the first four months, things moved surprisingly slow with my weight loss. But in May, I cracked the last piece of the wellness code. A co-worker recommended a body chemistry and blood nutrition diet book. Long story short, I learned what foods were toxic to my system based on my blood type, body composition and genetics. I found out which foods were canceling out my exercise. So, I wasn’t gaining weight or losing weight. Once I eliminated these foods along with gradually increasing my cross training intensity, the weight started melting off. I didn’t get comfortable there. In fact, I purposely put myself in the position of being uncomfortable. This forced me to pursue higher goals.

Weight loss and well-being starts in your mind, not your waistline. It’s not about dropping the excess weight. It’s really about dropping the excess emotional baggage of unworthiness and self-doubt we carry around in our minds. Once I overcame this, I surpassed all my goals. In 8 months, I lost 40 pounds, and my total weight loss to date is 65 pounds. Back in 2009, the longest race I had completed was a 5k (3.1 miles). In December of 2010, I shocked my family, friends and myself by completing my first marathon (26.2 miles). This is my story and I hope to continue maintaining my weight loss and pursuing higher health goals. 

Stuck in a fitness rut? Try these new routines!

Our team was in desperate need for some new workout routines. We tried the always fun LES MILLS™ programs at the YMCA, fiddled with yoga, had some serious fun with weights, but we wanted more.

We reached out to Maxwell Reeves, an Orlando-based National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) certified personal trainer. He put together great new moves for us, and we had to share. They are tough - tough in an I-can-feel-muscles-I-never-had kind of way!

Don’t believe us? Check out the first of his routines below:

1. Start with your feet together. Take a big step forward with your right foot to perform a lunge.  Push through your heel to come back to your original position.

2. Step out wide with your right foot, set your hips back, keep your left leg straight, and squat on your right leg.  Again, push through your heel to get back to your original position.

3. Now step back with your right foot for a rear lunge.

4. Complete the lunge complex by performing the movements with your left leg.

Have an idea for a work-out? Leave us a comment below and stay tuned for Part II of Maxwell's routine.

Tips for a healthy & safe road trip

Going on a road trip? Put away those chips and look at these great tips we found about eating healthy on the road.

·         Prepare your own snacks – All you need are granolas, nuts, dried fruit, and/or snack mix. Get your containers, Ziploc® bags, mix and seal! One innovative mom also has everybody make their own bag and label them to avoid arguments.

·         Use the cooler – Fill up the cooler with water (always important).

·         Add some fruits & veggies – since you are bringing along a cooler, add some fruits, veggies (baby carrots are always a winner).

·         Dip into the hummus - Choose some hummus instead of a traditional dip. Or make your own salsa using fresh veggies and fruits. We found some amazing recipes for healthy home-made salsa from Eating Well.

·         Add the nutrients - Individually wrapped cheese is always great source of calcium. Go for the whole grain crackers instead of traditional chips. Or try some protein bars.

·         If you are stopping at a fast food place, health.com has a fantastic list of the top 10 healthiest fast food restaurants. 

How to Get a Workout from Your Vacation

Vacations are brilliant and such fun to have. What is not so much fun is the post-vacation doldrums - the unpacking, the getting back to everyday life and the dreaded check-in with your scale.

Photo Credit: Laura Faith

We’ve been thinking a lot about this conversation all of us have to have with our scale post-vacation. So here are some tips we gathered about ensuring that scale does not spew out unwelcome truths to you post-vacation.

• Water – drink plenty of it! Not only does it keep you hydrated, it also helps you feel fuller. Remember the 8x8 rule.
• Walk – wherever you vacation, you will run into the inevitable choice of either taking the stairs or the elevator, walking vs. biking or driving. Always choose the calorie-burning option when weather allows and conditions are safe.
• Pack the resistance band or pedometer, or even a jump rope. These space saving fitness gears will remind you of your goals and help you get in a quick workout.
• Go for a run. What better way to explore a new place than going for an early morning run. Take the family with you and make it quality family time.
• Go for the healthy alternative. Food is such an important part of a vacation. But good food does not always have to be unhealthy. Try out an ethnic vegetarian restaurant, or buy some ready to eat fruits and veggies to keep in your hotel fridge. So when you feel like snacking, you won’t over-indulge on that tempting pizza delivery or the choices in the vending machine.
• If your budget allows, choose a place which encourages wellness and health, like a spa vacation.
• Make full use of your hotel’s gym or swimming pool. A daily swim or a 30 minute jaunt at the gym is a great start to a day.
• If you have an iPhone or an Android, it’s like taking your very own health and nutrition expert with you. Check out these links from Mashable to see what great health apps are available from the iPhone or the Android to help manage your health. 

What you need to know about Seat Belts

Have there been commercials that have made you think? For us, it's the Sussex Safer Roads’ award winning commercial about seat belt safety.



We're awed by it. Such a simple message, shown in the most effective way. So as you drive today, remember:

• Buckling up can reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about 50%.
• Though air bags provide added protection, they are not a substitute for seat belts. Air bags plus seat belts provide the greatest protection for adults.  

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/Motorvehiclesafety/seatbelts/facts.html

Also check out National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s top five things you should know about buckling up. Drive Safe!

Choose My Plate - the USDA does away with the food pyramid

Do you remember the food pyramid? On June 2, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it was no longer using the food pyramid and replaced it with My Plate.

My Plate is a colorful, yet simple, plate split into four sections:  fruits, grains, vegetables and protein with a separate section to represent dairy foods. My plate is designed to help you build a healthy meal, balance calories and eat less by avoiding oversized portions.

To learn more about the USDA’s My Plate, and for tips to eat healthier, visit www.choosemyplate.gov.

Little known ways to increase your fluid intake

Continuing our tips for summer safety under the Florida sun, we are talking today about fluid intake. Under normal conditions, most people can drink enough fluids to meet their water needs, but if you are outside in hot weather for most of the day or doing vigorous activity, you may need to increase your fluid intake.

If you think you're not getting enough water each day, the following tips may help: 

1. Carry a water bottle for easy access when you are at work or running errands.
2. Freeze some freezer-safe water bottles. Take one with you for ice-cold water all day long.
3. Choose water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. This tip can also help with weight management. Substituting water for one 20-ounce sugar-sweetened soda will save you about 240 calories.
4. Choose water instead of other beverages when eating out. Generally, you will save money and reduce calories.
5. Give your water a little pizzazz by adding a wedge of lime or lemon. This may improve the taste, and you just might drink more water than you usually do.

Do sugar-sweetened beverages count?

Although beverages that are sweetened with sugars do provide water, they usually have more calories than unsweetened beverages. To help control your weight, you should consume beverages and foods that don't have added sugars.

 Examples of beverages with added sugars:

·         Fruit drinks.

·         Some sports drinks.

·         Soft drinks and sodas (non-diet).

 Visit Rethink Your Drink for more information about the calories in beverages and how you can make better drink choices to reduce your calorie intake.

The Secret to enjoying Cruises the healthy way

Summer is here and we at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida are excited about the different ways Floridians are utilizing the sun. With a whole host of activities to choose from, cruises seem to be a favorite with everybody we asked. We talked to a few cruise aficionados, who had some interesting tidbits to share about their cruise experience, especially about how to stay healthy while still having fun in the sun.

Karla Williams who went on a 7 day family cruise in 2010 says her biggest challenge was getting over the the concept of endless free food. With food choices from the healthy to the not-so healthy, Karla took advantage of the fun activities like line-dancing or ballroom dancing to work out those calories. She also took to taking the stairs and dropping in on the aerobics classes that were held in the gym on the cruise.

That’s the same advice Brian Benda went with – he went on two snorkeling trips and a walking city tours – activities that offered him several hours of non-stop fun but also helped him get some exercise in. For Melissa Adams, getting up for the AM yoga, helped her get most out of her day. Christy  Harding, who just recently returned from a cruise suggests using the dining room more than the buffet. “Table service is great because you get waited on. Plus, you’re served individual serving sizes instead of helping yourself to an entire plate of bacon. If the buffet isn’t in front of you, you don’t know what you’re missing and you still leave the table well-satisfied.”

We think that’s great advice. So, the next time you are packing your bags for that cruise destination, remember:

1. Take the stairs. Cruise ships are huge and offer many exciting adventures. Take the time to explore your ship, starting with those stairs.
2. Try to drink as much water as possible. Those lovely drinks come with a price tag and calories. Enjoy yourself but be mindful how many you consume/day.
3. If you’re in the buffet line, start with a salad. Not only are you getting in your fibers, you are also filling up. 
4. Try out the dining room. Not only are you resisting the temptation of endless food, you also have more control over the portions presented before you.
5. Take advantage of the abundant fun activities that will get you moving like dancing, scuba diving, aerobic classes, yoga, etc.

We want to hear from the cruise lovers - any other tips we missed on how to manage health while you're having fun?  

What everybody ought to know about Fireworks - tips from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida

Happy Fourth of July everybody! We are excited to celebrate this fun
weekend here in beautiful Florida. As always, we hope everybody has a safe time. Our Dr. Jannifer Harper, Vice President of Medical Operations, here at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida gave us some great information on fireworks and what to do in case of injury during this weekend.  

The Fourth of July is a notorious time for fireworks-related injuries and trips to the emergency room. According to a report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there are about 200+ fireworks injuries a day nationwide between mid-June and mid-July.

The most common cause of injuries is firecrackers, which are essentially gunpowder, followed by sparklers. Most people do not consider, when handing a young child a sparkler, that sparklers can reach extreme temperatures of 1200 degrees Fahrenheit.

My colleagues and I at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida encourage all Floridians, in their pursuit of health, to enjoy a safe and injury-free Independence Day celebration. That means leaving the fireworks to the professionals and enjoying one of the many fireworks displays offered in communities across South Florida.

If you decide to handle fireworks, here is some sensible advice in case of injury:

• First and foremost remain calm
• Only the mildest of injuries should be treated at home
• The best course of action is to seek medical care
• Urgent care centers can treat minor cuts, burns and abrasions, as well as some sprains and fractures Individuals with more severe injuries should go to the emergency room or be transported  by ambulance, especially in the case of head trauma or loss of consciousness

For additional information on health and wellness, visit your neighborhood Florida Blue Center or  CPSC's Fireworks Safety page, and from all of us at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida we wish you and your family a happy and healthy Fourth of July!

Dr. Jannifer Harper is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida’s Vice President of medical operations, leading the clinical areas of the medical operations unit as well as oversight of clinical strategy for BCBSF.

Stay Healthy, Surf away

We’ve been looking at fun, healthy tips for kid friendly summer activities and surfing seems to be the one that has everybody we know raving. From cardiovascular fitness to shoulder, leg and back strength, this fun activity seems to be a great confidence booster for kids to partake in during the summer. We spoke to Jacksonville surfing guru, Scott Holmes of the ‘Surf into Summer’ surf camp and here’s what he had to say:

For surfing camps around the state of Florida, check out the below links:

http://www.floridasurflessons.com/

http://www.ezridesurfschool.com/default.asp

http://www.floridasurflessons.com/

Surfing in Cocoa Beach –

http://www.ronjonsurfschool.com/

Staying safe under the Florida sun

Summertime in Florida is here! While we love the warm weather and fun that comes with it, we also want to make sure that you take your sun care protection and health seriously. We found this very excellent infographic below that highlights the danger and the precautions you should take while enjoying time in the sun.

Via: Term Life Insurance

In the pursuit of Health...a continuation (Sheena's story)

Part 5 of 5

To date, we’ve profiled three successful individuals that have made a commitment to their pursuit of health and one indidvidual on her way to her goal. We checked with Sheena on her progress and here's what she had to say:

The path to good health is paved with many a calorie-inducing temptation. I am personally learning about them on as I pursue my goal of being in a healthier place by the end of the year. The experts all say the simplest way for weight loss is looking into the ratio of calories-in vs. calories burned. During the past month, I’ve tried a couple of different methods for expending those calories. First there was a Zumba® Fitness class that my fabulous and well-coordinated friend took me to at the YMCA. After my experience, I can safely say Zumba classes were easy to follow and with an enthusiastic instructor, I was well on my way to feeling more relaxed, while engaging in some good old-fashioned cardio.

Speaking of cardio, here’s another thing I am trying out: the Couch to 5K program. It’s a beginner’s training guide on how to get running. The people where I work at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida all participate in running activities! They maintain their running routines while on business trips, they run 15Ks and one of them has also participated in a marathon! Buoyed by their sentiments and enthusiasm, I decided to add some structure into my running schedule—hence, the Couch to 5K (C25K) program. I love that there’s an “app for it” (though I wish it were free for the iPhone® like it is for the Android). The app has the standard features expected from the usual running partner systems—plays music, provides cues on when to stop and will summarize all the details of pace, distance, etc. after the run.

So far, the weight loss has been steady—a pound here, a pound there—all adding up to a grand total of 7 pounds. Initially, 7 pounds didn’t seem impressive to me and there have been times when I asked myself why ever I signed up for this venture. Some days what motivates me to keep going are the good wishes and the constant encouragement from coworkers and friends. The kind words make me feel that slowly but surely, my goal is achievable. Each day, I’m more certain that being in the pursuit of health, though achingly tough, will be worth it in the end.

Holy Smokes - Your Health & the Florida Wildfires

If you are in Florida, you’ve been waking up to the smell of smoke and/or seeing the ash sprinkles. The Miami Herald reports that brush fires over 70,000 acres in the West Miami-Dade area and Everglades fire.  Add to that the 4,306-acre Espanola Fire that engulfed Flagler County, as well as several other wildfires that have consumed counties up and down the coast, and Floridians have been experiencing some difficulty with their air quality.

For more on wildfires in the State of Florida, check out the below map or visit the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Division of Forestry. 

We, at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, want to help with information on what you can do to offset the hazards presented by the smoke and related pollutants.

Here are some tips we gathered from our research and from talking to our health experts:

• Stay inside as much as possible, with doors, windows and fireplace dampers shut and preferably with clean air circulating through air conditioners and/or air cleaners. The EPA suggests using air cleaners that were bought before a fire.
• While Inside or driving, use air conditioners on the recirculation setting so outside air will not travel. Make sure your keep your windows and vents closed while driving
• Ordinary dust masks may not help as they may still allow the finer particles to pass through. The American Lung Association recommends that special dust masks with true HEPA filters will filter out the damaging fine particles but are difficult for people with lung disease to use. Consult with your physician before using a mask, especially if you have a lung disease.
• If you live close to or in the surrounding area of the fires, the recommendation is to abstain from exercising outdoors, especially if you smell smoke or are noticing eye or throat irritation.

     Extra precaution should be taken for:

• children, since they are more susceptible to smoke because of their developing respiratory systems and since they breathe in more air (and consequently more pollution) per pound of body mass than adults.
• people with asthma, who should check with their physician regarding any changes in medication that may be needed to cope with the smoky conditions.

For more information on respiratory health please contact the American Lung Association by calling 1-800-LUNGUSA. As always, if you notice symptoms like a persistent cough, or have difficulty breathing, contact your physician.  

You can also check your air quality at the EPA site: http://www.airnow.gov/

In the Pursuit of Health...Seeking Balance

Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices."

-Betsy Jacobson

No one appreciates struggling to find this balance between making choices and enjoying them more than a new mom.

We talked to Leigh Koon, who in our opinion, seems to walk this balance very well. She devotes time to her one and a half year old daughter’s upbringing  and development, while leading  the Member Engagement team at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida…all with a healthy dose of fun mixed in.

Leigh always knew that she would be going back to work after twelve weeks of maternity leave. The decision – although made ahead of time – required a lot of organization and planning. The biggest decision:  trying to find the best child care option for a newborn. To do this, Leigh enlisted all the resources she had access to and narrowed down her options to 12 daycare facilities and set out to meet and interview them all.  Her advice: “You won’t know what you like and what works for you until you know what definitely does not work for you.”

Leigh headed back to work three months after her baby was born. To ease the transition for herself and for her daughter she started daycare the week before she went back to work. Each day she would leave her daughter with the care takers for just a little longer. By the time her first day of work arrived both she and the baby were used to the morning routine and separating for the day.

Breast feeding her daughter was really important to Leigh because it is so healthy for both the baby and the mother. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the US goal is to have 50% of new moms breast feed for six months and 25% for one year. In order to be able to do this for her daughter, Leigh utilized the Wellness Rooms in her building to pump while at work until a few weeks shy of her daughter’s first birthday.

Her advice to new mothers facing a dilemma on what to do: “It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. If you are able to, breast feed as much as you can and supplement when you need to”.

Balance

How does Leigh stay sane and keep a work/life balance?

Her thoughts and advice:

·         Acknowledge that it is hard, but that you are doing a great job.

·         Use the tools you have access to. Leigh uses many of the WebMD® tools found within MyBlueService to manage her health and her family’s health. In particular, she calls out the health topics, care comparison tool, child health manager and symptom checker tools, as examples.

·         You are your child’s advocate, so be strong and do what you know is best your child’s health, even though this may be different from what your friends and relatives have done.

·         When you ask for and accept help, you may need to compromise a little.  It’s okay to decide on certain rules that will not be broken, but at times you may want to bend a little.  For instance, you may stand firm about not giving your child sweetened foods, but relax and just be grateful when it comes to how others fold and organize the piles of baby laundry.

Sandra Foskey - Teacher, Triathlete, Role Model!

Every day we come across inspirational people in different guises.  During Teacher Appreciation week, we are taking a moment to give thanks to the tireless efforts of one such educator - Sandra Foskey who has brought her love for health to her job at Loretto Elementary in Jacksonville.

Sandra Foskey’s enthusiasm is contagious.  She is a competitive triathlete, who is training for her first Iron Man race in November in Panama City.  It was this passion for health and fitness that she wanted to share with her students at Loretto Elementary, where she assists teachers in classrooms, directs bus duty in the morning and afternoon, and helps out at the cafeteria.

She first came to hear of the First Coast Kids Triathlon while in the classroom.  Held annually, the race consists of a 100-meter swim, 3-mile bike trek and a ½ mile run for the junior division (ages 5-10). The senior division is for ages 11-15 and includes a 200-meter swim, a 6-mile bike trek, and a 1-mile run.   Billed as the fastest growing sport in the world, the Triathlon allows kids to race against other kids in their same age group.

Five students from Loretto Elementary had participated in the 2010 Triathlon and were motivated to create a team from the school for the 2011 triathlon. They approached Sandra and she brought her enthusiasm and passion to create posters, flyers, emails to spread the word.  Her tactics were highly effective. By the time the Third Annual First Coast Kids Triathlon rolled around, 132 children had signed up for the Loretto Elementary team – Team Wisdom.

Sandra Foskey wasn’t satisfied with just creating Team Wisdom.  She held two informational clinics to help prepare the students.  She went over every aspect of the race and answered questions from children and parents.  She also empowered parents to participate in their kids’ training by regularly emailing them information on safe biking trails, swimming pools and nutrition tips.

Her hard work and zeal paid off.  At the end of the Third Annual First Coast Kids Triathlon, all 132 of her students attended and finished the triathlon.  Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles came out in droves to support their little triathletes and talked of races they could do as a family.  Sandra hopes the enthusiasm and the confidence the children received will encourage them to try other goals in the coming years.  “Hopefully, even if they don’t immediately pursue any physical activity, they will hopefully be equipped with enough knowledge to know how to in the future. I hope it inspires them to do more physically.”

When asked of what this race meant to her, her face lit up, “It was the most gratifying experience I ever had.  I was on ‘Cloud 9.’ I think this meant more to me than any race I’ve completed. Seeing the children’s smiles as they crossed the finish line did more for me than achieving any of my personal health goals”.

Changes are made with little steps like these and for your efforts in helping our little ones, we salute you, Ms. Foskey!

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