Joseph Campbell
Month: December 2021
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Take action
TAKE ACTION
FEBRUARY 2022
Five steps to help lower your cancer risk
Cancer is a scary word and an all-too-common disease. But with your Costco benefits, you’ve got resources that can help you spot cancer in its early stages, cope with a diagnosis or avoid it altogether.
According to the American Cancer Society,1 nearly half of all cancers are preventable. Want to learn how to lower your risk? Read on.
Looking for more? Find other articles below
How can you help avoid preventable cancers?
1. Stay at a healthy weight.
Being overweight can increase your risk for a wide range of cancers. Eating a healthy diet — rich in fruit, veggies and whole grains and light on red meat and processed meats — can help you stay lean. The resources available through your Costco benefits can connect you to health professionals who can help you get to a healthy weight.
2. Get moving.
Regular physical activity can help lower your risk for cancer and other diseases. It can also help you maintain a healthy weight, sleep better, and reduce stress, depression and anxiety.
Try 30 minutes of jogging or simply walking around your neighborhood. If you love it, you’re more likely to stick with it.
3. Don’t smoke, vape or chew tobacco.
If you don’t use tobacco and other products that contain nicotine, don’t start. If you do, even if you only smoke occasionally, it’s never too late to quit. Ready to get started? Check out: Quit tobacco for good.
4. Protect yourself from the sun and avoid tanning bed use.
When you’re outside, cover up and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more on exposed skin. Also learn how to give yourself a skin exam, and report any suspicious spots to your dermatologist.
5. Get preventive care.
Start with a primary care provider (PCP) who can see you regularly, get to know your health history, provide preventive services and manage your care.
Costco employees and their family members enrolled in Costco medical plans can also take advantage of no-cost preventive services* from in-network providers, including:
- Routine wellness exams $0
- Colorectal cancer screening $0
- Breast cancer screening (mammogram) $0
- Prostate cancer screening (PSA test) $0
- Covered vaccines $0
- Routine eye exams $0
- Dental exams/cleanings (2 per year) $0
*Employees covered by Aetna SelectSM and Aetna Select part-time: Please go to an in-network provider to get these no-cost preventive services.
1American Cancer Society. More than 4 in 10 cancers and cancer deaths linked to modifiable risk factors.
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Take action
TAKE ACTION
FEBRUARY 2022
Quit tobacco for good
Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of disease, disability and death in the United States.1 It’s a major risk factor for lung cancer, mouth cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease, stroke and erectile dysfunction.
Even if you only smoke, chew or vape occasionally, you should quit. Light smoking can shorten your life. People who averaged one cigarette per day over their entire lives were 64% more likely to die earlier than people who’d never smoked, a study found.2 And your health will start to improve immediately. You’ll also notice improvements in your financial well-being — cigarettes can cost an average of $10.45 a pack.3 Think what you could do with all that extra money! If you’ve tried to quit before but weren’t successful, it’s time to try again.
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health effects of cigarette smoking; Smoking and Reproduction.
2WebMD. Can you get away with social smoking?
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Tips to quit tobacco
Get ready
List your reasons for quitting and post them so they’re visible. Set a quit date within the next two weeks. Clear your home, car and office of cigarettes, chew, lighters, ashtrays, pipes and vape pens. And don’t let people use tobacco in these places.
Line up support
Tell friends and family you’re going to quit. Consider counseling. Join “quitter” social media groups. Or find support groups in your community.
Relax and distract
Stay busy. Drink plenty of water. Change your routine. Do something to reduce stress: listen to music, exercise, dance. Plan something enjoyable to do every day.
Make it easy on yourself
Ask your health care provider or the Tobacco Cessation Program about quit aides you can use. This may include the nicotine patch, nicotine gum or nicotine nasal spray. Avoid drinking alcohol. Focus on why you’re quitting. And if you slip, remember there’s no reason to feel ashamed. Just try again. Your life is worth it!
Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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Healthy recipe
HEALTHY RECIPE
FEBRUARY 2022
Slow cooker chicken cacciatore
Eating a healthy diet can help you prevent cancer and certain diseases. Why not get started tonight with this simple and healthy slow cooker chicken cacciatore recipe? It’s low in carbs and calories, and easy on your wallet.
Prep: 30m
Cook: 5h 30m
Total: 6h
Ingredients:
SERVES 8
- 8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups sliced, raw mushrooms
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Directions:
- Season the chicken generously with salt. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then add chicken. Cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes a side. Do not crowd; brown chicken in two batches if necessary.
- Add the browned chicken to the slow cooker.
- Turn skillet heat down to medium, add the onions. Sauté until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Season lightly with salt.
- Add onion and garlic to slow cooker. Add tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Mix well, so the chicken is completely coated in tomatoes.
- Cover and cook on high 4 hours, or low 8 hours.
Nutrition information
Serving Size: One bowl | Calories: 299 | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 199 mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g
Recipe source: Livestrong.com
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Take action
TAKE ACTION
FEBRUARY 2022
Exposing skin cancer
What’s the #1 cancer diagnosis among Costco employees and their family members? Skin cancer.1 Roughly one in five Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in their lives,2 and it can affect anyone, regardless of skin color. The good news is that skin cancer is treatable and, in most cases, preventable. Avoid sun exposure, stay away from tanning beds, wear sunscreen and learn to do a skin self-exam to spot signs of cancer early.
Doctors recommend doing a skin cancer self-exam about once a month. The best time is right after your shower or bath. If you see something new, changing or unusual, get checked by a dermatologist right away. It could be skin cancer.
1Skin cancer diagnosis January 2021–June 2021 among employees and their family members covered by a Costco medical plan through Aetna®.
2Skin Cancer Foundation. Skin Cancer Facts & Statistics.
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How to perform a skin self-exam
Examine your body in a full-length mirror.
Examine your body (front and back) in the mirror, then look at the right and left sides with your arms raised.
Look at your underarms, forearms and palms.
Bend elbows and look carefully at underarms, forearms and palms.
Look at your legs, between toes and the soles of your feet.
Look at the backs of your legs and feet, the spaces between your toes, and the soles of your feet.
Use a hand mirror to examine your neck and scalp.
Examine the back of your neck and scalp with a hand mirror. Part hair for a closer look.
Use a hand mirror to check your back and buttocks.
Finally, check your back and buttocks with a hand mirror.
Source: American Academy of Dermatology Association. Detect skin cancer: how to perform a skin cancer self-exam.
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Learn the basics
LEARN THE BASICS
FEBRUARY 2022
Managing cancer’s financial challenges
There’s a lot to think about when you’re diagnosed with cancer — and your worries don’t end with physical and emotional issues. You may need to keep working throughout your illness in order to pay your bills, including medical expenses. Now’s the time to explore your options and learn how your Costco benefits can help.
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Tips to help you stay financially healthy during cancer treatment
Breathe, but think ahead.
Give yourself time to deal with your diagnosis and prepare for the road ahead. Whenever you talk to your doctor or their office staff about what to expect, timing and other concerns, have your questions ready and take notes.
Get support with financial planning.
Talk to a financial consultant. Through Resources For Living® (RFL®), you can get a free 30-minute consultation for each issue you’d like to ask about, including:
- Creating a budget and managing expenses
- Understanding bankruptcy options and requirements
- Avoiding foreclosure and handling creditors
- Making the most of your insurance coverage
- Keeping your retirement plan on track through tough times
- Estate planning
- Medicare/Social Security information and more