FALL 2022 TRUE TO YOUR HEALTH is published as a health and wellness service for the members of TRUE HEALTH NEW MEXICO. Information comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your primary care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. 2022 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. THNM-ID0630-0922 Find us online: truehealthnewmexico.com Contact us: Customer Service: 844-508-4677 truehealthnewmexico.com/contact-us We might contact you to ensure you’re receiving the care you need Your health and wellness are very important to us, and we do regular outreach to ensure you are receiving the healthcare services you need. Some of this outreach may include: • A phone call from a pharmacist about our medication therapy management program. • A phone call and letter offering an in-home or telehealth visit to assess your overall health. • A phone call and letter offering members with diabetes an inhome diabetic eye exam. • A phone call or letter from our provider partners to remind you of recommended preventive health screenings. While this outreach doesn’t replace a doctor’s care, it can help fill some gaps. These services are available at no cost to you, and they will not affect your True Health New Mexico benefits, cost-sharing amounts or premiums. You are never obligated to take part in any of these services. If you would like to opt out, just tell the caller, and we will put you on a do-not-call list. Learn the ABCs of diabetes Having diabetes can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. The good news: Doing your homework can help you beat heart disease and other diabetes complications. How? By learning the ABCs of diabetes. It’s an easy way to remember what to do to help keep your diabetes in check and increase your chances of living a full and active life. A is for the A1C test. How well are you controlling your diabetes? The A1C, also known as the HbA1C, is a top indicator. It’s a blood test that averages your blood sugar over the past two to three months. Get the A1C test at least twice a year. To reduce the risk of developing diabetes complications, a target A1C number for most people is under 7%. B is for blood pressure. Roughly 2 out of 3 people with diabetes have high blood pressure. Over time, unmanaged high blood pressure can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. A healthy blood pressure goal is less than 130/80, unless your doctor sets a different goal for you. Work with your doctor to meet your blood pressure goal. C is for cholesterol. High LDL (“the bad”) cholesterol—a waxy substance that can build up inside blood vessels and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke—is more common in people with diabetes. To help keep your heart healthy, get your cholesterol tested once a year. Work with your diabetes care team to get your cholesterol within the optimal levels. LDL cholesterol should be below 100 mg/dL and your HDL (“the good”) cholesterol, which helps remove LDL cholesterol from your blood vessels, should be 40 mg/dL or higher. Keep up the good work! To live well with diabetes, keep track of your ABCs, make healthy food choices, be physically active for 30 minutes most days of the week and see your healthcare team for checkups as scheduled. Sources: American Diabetes Association; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Our True You programs continue through Dec. 31 In each issue of this newsletter, we have told you about our True You wellness programs that are available free of charge to all our members and their covered dependents. • Better You awards points every time you complete a wellness activity or challenge, take a Better You university course, or visit your provider for preventive care. You can redeem those points for gift cards to major retailers. Visit truehealthnewmexico.com/ better-you to learn more. • Mindful You provides expert mindfulness training from Michelle DuVal, MA, director of The Mindful Center in Albuquerque. Michelle’s Life on Mindfulness series will teach you how to reduce stress and anxiety, sleep better, and improve your relationships. Visit truehealthnewmexico.com/mindfulness to learn more. Mindful You’s fourth-quarter offerings include these live online workshops: • Nov. 5: Single-Tasking in a Multi-Task World • Nov. 19: Speaking from the Heart: Mindful Communications • Dec. 3: Sharing Mindfulness with Others And these self-guided programs: • Nov. 1 to 22: Mindful Eating Four-Week Program • Dec. 5 to 19: Starter Kit in Mindfulness Three-Part Program You have until Dec. 31, 2022, to take advantage of these great wellness programs. Do something nice for yourself—you deserve it! Want to continue mindfulness training in 2023? All members of True Health New Mexico’s Life on Mindfulness can choose to continue this program for a monthly fee of $10. Everyone who chooses to continue will receive the month of January at no cost. The monthly fee begins Feb. 1, 2023. By choosing to continue Life on Mindfulness with Michelle DuVal, MA, and The Mindful Center, you’ll keep access to the daily drop-in meditations, all workshops, and many more mindfulness perks and benefits. If you have questions, email support@themindfulcenter .zendesk.com. { W E L L N E S S }
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