By: Dr. S. George Kipa, MD, deputy chief medical officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Recent studies indicate that nearly half of the 500,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan member visits to the emergency room (ER) in 2015 were inappropriate or potentially avoidable. The average cost of a non-emergency ER room visit is $750, but can cost…
Manufactured products, such as car seats can be recalled on occasion. Often, the recall is simple and only requires a basic fix – a new label or an updated manual. If this happens, you can continue to use the product while the fix is obtained. However, recalls can also be more serious and/or even life threatening, in which case you…
Being a parent is hard work. Of course, it’s a wonderful job and one that I wouldn’t trade for the world…but it can be downright exhausting, too! The nightly feeds to the arguments over getting them to eat the right foods. The tantrums. The tears. The pure tragedy of being a teenager and all that goes with it. It’s a…
So, you did the hard work: you picked out a car seat. High five! Whether it’s the lightest on the market or the heaviest, once your baby gains some precious weight it’s no longer a breeze to lug it around. In order to avoid personal injury you have to know how to carry your seat. Obviously putting it inside a…
If you live in Michigan, your feelings about January probably depend on whether you love or hate the snow. Snow bunny or hermit, there’s plenty of ways for you to embrace this month and start the year off on a positive note. If you’re making resolutions, make sure they’re achievable. Finding an adventurous indoor exercise could help winter not feel quite…
Let’s admit it, not everyone has the extra $20 a month or more to spend on a gym membership. But don’t let the cost hold you back from exercising — there are plenty of ways to stay fit outside the gym. Here is just a tiny sample of all the activities you can try: Ride your bike: Take a scenic route and…
Guest Blog Post: Vive Health Often by necessity, moms are usually great multitaskers. One of my friends once boasted that she could breastfeed her infant son, pour a glass of milk, work on the computer, and yell at her older kids all at the same time. Fall and winter are tailor-made for multitaskers. Through effective cold and flu preparation, we…
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Tired of trying to make your kids eat fruits and vegetables? You feel you have tried every single trick under the sun so that your kids eat their greens and fruits without throwing a tantrum and still nothing works? Well, here are 7 smart ways which are sure to turn the tables in your favor! Take a look: 1. Make…
Whilst attempting to prove me wrong, my husband actually said to me the other day, “What, you don’t believe me? Google it like you do everything else!” Yep. He got me there. I like to ask questions. Most of us do! We ask our BFFs how long a fever should last before going to the doctor, we ask the Cartwheel…
In life, and in parenting, most of us try to follow the Golden Rule: treat others as you would want to be treated. This generally means kindly, with respect to the person and their situation… basically, just don’t be a jerk. Sometimes this means keeping our mouths shut when our friends make choices for their children that we wouldn’t –…
By: Grace Derocha, registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator and certified health coach with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Dr. Gina Lynem-Walker The average American anticipates spending more than $900 during the holiday season. Despite efforts to set a budget, 58 percent of families go beyond their means and a quarter are willing to withdraw money from retirement funds, emergency…
When you ask an elementary aged student what their favorite subject in school is, inevitably the majority will say “recess” or “lunch.” Occasionally you may hear “gym” or another special class. I know at the school where I teach (Library and Technology), there has been a shift to valuing recess and purposeful play, but that is not true for all…
Holiday parties are filled with family, friends and usually a range of desserts from cakes and cookies to ice cream and candy. This holiday season, try a healthy dessert that will satisfy your sweet tooth without the guilt. For example, the no-bake dark chocolate mint snowball treats are easy to prepare with the soothing taste of mint that will have you in…
Brought to you by Vive Health Moms are always looking to improve their first aid kits as their children get older and more active. You may start out with infant pain reliever, fever reducer, booger sucker, and a thermometer when your children are young, but as they get older, you will want to enhance your first aid kit to better…
