Presbyterian | Your Story | Centennial Care | Summer 2021

4 Wellness 101 Summer is the perfect time to learn more about wellness. Wellness means living a positive and healthy life. One area of wellness is physical wellness. It includes: • Things you do to your body (clean it, move it, protect it, rest it) • Items you put in your body (food, drink, vitamins, medication) • Things you do for your body (see a provider, perform self-care, wear seat belts) • Parts of your body (skin, legs, arms, organs, blood) Learn more about improving your physical wellness with the Presbyterian Health Plan Health Education Tool: • Log in using your myPRES account information. » Go to www.phs.org/mypres . » Click on “Wellness” and select “Health Education Tools.” • Search for healthy eating, sleep, and self-care. » Watch a video or try a health and fitness tool. Find your healthy this summer Do you want to get healthy, lose weight, and feel your best this summer? You may be able to join the Presbyterian Health Plan Path for Wellness Prevention Program provided by our partner, Good Measures. The program is offered at no cost to members with prediabetes or certain risk factors for type 2 diabetes. It helps you: ● Build healthy habits ● Lose or manage weight ● Be more active ● Lower your risk of type 2 diabetes What do you get? When you sign up for the program, you get: ● A lifestyle coach (a person who helps you build healthy habits) ● Access to your lifestyle coach by phone or online ● Online or phone group classes ● An app that helps you choose healthy foods ● A scale to track your weight and send information to your phone app It’s easy to be a part of—the program is all by phone or online. Classes are also in Spanish. Find out if you’re eligible for Good Measures: ● Visit www.phs.org/ preventionprogram . ● Call 1-855-249-8587 . High blood pressure: What you need to know Blood pressure is used to talk about the blood’s force against the artery walls in your body. If the force is too high, it could cause health problems and heart disease. You can find out your numbers by checking your blood pressure. A blood pressure reading is given in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). It consists of two numbers. ● The top number (systolic pressure) measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. ● The bottom number (diastolic pressure) measures the pressure in your arteries between beats. Risk factors for high blood pressure ● Being overweight ● Not being active ● Tobacco use ● Too much salt in the diet ● Drinking too much alcohol ● Race ● Family history ● Age Symptoms of high blood pressure Most people with high blood pressure do not have signs or symptoms, even though their readings might be very high. If symptoms are present, they can include shortness of breath, nosebleeds, or headaches. Often, signs do not occur until the high blood pressure has gotten to a life-threatening stage. High blood pressure that is not treated can lead to serious health issues. The most common are: ● Heart failure ● Weakened and narrowed blood vessels in the kidneys ● Heart attacks or strokes ● Thick, torn, or narrowed blood vessels in the eyes ● Aneurysm ● Memory or understanding issues ● Metabolic syndrome ● Dementia Check with your provider Ask your primary care provider if your blood pressure has changed, especially if you are at risk or if your blood pressure is over 140/90. To find out your numbers, make an appointment with your provider. Source: Mayo Clinic

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