Blogs

Is a Vegetarian or Vegan Diet Right for You?

BCBSIL Connect Team — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:26:00 GMT

If you want to live longer and have a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer and other serious health issues, it may be time to change your diet. Many people are choosing plant-based diets to improve their health. Should You Tr...(read more)

Vaccines for Young Adults

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 17:31:00 GMT

You’re young. Healthy. Active. With years of life ahead of you. You’re bulletproof, right? When you’re young, it’s easy to think you’re safe from a lot of the stuff that can trip you up — including illness. Maybe ...(read more)

Feeling Dizzy? There Are Some Common Culprits

BCBSIL Connect Team — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 20:30:00 GMT

It’s hard to ignore a dizzy feeling. The room spinning will get your attention fast. Feeling off balance is scary. And no one wants to feel lightheaded, like you might faint. There are differences between being dizzy and lightheaded. Whatever y...(read more)

Breast Cancer Complementary Therapies Help Boost Treatment

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 24 May 2024 15:20:00 GMT

Women with breast cancer often have choices for medical treatment. If you're fighting breast cancer, your doctor will make a treatment plan. It might involve surgery, chemotherapy, radiation or immunotherapy. Along with questions about traditional t...(read more)

Blood Glucose Levels: Get Curious

BCBSIL Connect Team — Thu, 23 May 2024 14:19:00 GMT

Dinner is almost ready and it's that time again. You unzip your black pouch to take out a glucose meter. As you pull back the lever of the lancet, you think, "Gosh, I hope my blood sugar isn’t high again.” Blood glucose testing is vital f...(read more)

Are You Paralyzed by Social Anxiety? Learn the Best Ways to Manage It.

BCBSIL Connect Team — Wed, 22 May 2024 09:17:00 GMT

Do you have a friend who always bails when you make plans? They may not be trying to avoid you. That can happen when people have social anxiety. Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a long-term mental health issue. It affects mil...(read more)

Summer Heat Safety Reminders

BCBSIL Connect Team — Wed, 15 May 2024 15:22:00 GMT

Staying safe during hot summer months isn’t hard. There are steps you can take to protect yourself. Drinking lots of water and wearing sunscreen isn’t enough. Here are three things to know to keep summer fun. UV Rays Can Hurt You Ultravi...(read more)

Depression and Anxiety: Different and Similar

BCBSIL Connect Team — Mon, 13 May 2024 18:22:00 GMT

One in 5 adults in the U.S. lives with a mental health issue. You likely know people who experience depression or anxiety. Some people have both. They are different health problems, but share some of the same warning signs. Help is available for bot...(read more)

Care for Your Skin in the Summer Sun

BCBSIL Connect Team — Thu, 09 May 2024 12:01:00 GMT

Growing up, many of us skipped sunscreen. Decades ago, we weren't as savvy about the sun's dangers. It was normal for my dad to turn a darker shade of brown after playing soccer games in the intense summer heat. I followed suit. I also tanned nicely...(read more)

Care for Your Mental Health Throughout Your Pregnancy

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 03 May 2024 15:25:00 GMT

Health care is important before, during and after pregnancy. And that means caring for your mind as well as your body. A healthy pregnancy starts before you’re even pregnant. You might need mental health support if you face issues getting...(read more)

Men’s Health: Do You Know the Signs of a Silent Heart Attack?

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 03 May 2024 10:53:00 GMT

Think you know what you’d feel like if you were having a heart attack? Think again. Silent heart attacks, known as a silent myocardial infarction (SMI), account for 45 percent of heart attacks. And they are more likely to strike men than women....(read more)

Prescription or Over the Counter: Follow Directions to Stay Safe

BCBSIL Connect Team — Fri, 03 May 2024 06:10:00 GMT

Medicine can help your health in many ways. From over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to prescription medicines that treat life-threatening conditions, medicine can have a major positive impact. But only if it’s taken — and taken correctly. O...(read more)

4 Simple Steps for Better Whole-Body Fitness and Function

BCBSIL Connect Team — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:13:00 GMT

Most people focus on one or two types of exercise and think they’re getting what their body needs. But there are four types of exercise you need to help your body function at its best: endurance, strength, balance and flexibility, says the Nati...(read more)

Inhale. Exhale. What Your Lungs Do for You.

BCBSIL Connect Team — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 11:10:00 GMT

Breathe in. Breathe out. It’s something that we do every day, every waking minute. It relaxes us, wakes us, and keeps us alive. The lungs are part of the respiratory system — organs and tissues that work together to help you breathe, says...(read more)

A Hug Only Takes 10 Seconds, Yet the Benefits Last Forever

BCBSIL Connect Team — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:42:00 GMT

Fun fact about hugs: They don’t just give you a warm, fuzzy sense of well-being — they can also be good for your health. It’s true. Hugging for just 10 seconds can boost feel-good hormones like oxytocin. Often called the &ldqu...(read more)