WHA's Health & Wellness Blog

Mind+Body+Heart

Working Together: Mind and Body, Keeps Your Heart Strong

There’s a saying that, “everything that comes in threes is perfect.”  Scientists know how strong the mind-heart-body connection is with growing evidence of a clear connection between psychological health and cardiovascular disease risk. That’s good news because when we improve our mental health - that also leads to a healthier heart and body!  

Immunization Awareness Day!

Getting Vaccines Just Got Easier

Vaccines are an essential way to help the body’s immune system learn how to protect the body from illness and build up your body’s natural defenses. Staying current on vaccinations helps protect you and our community against preventable diseases. On June 1, Western Health Advantage expanded coverage and access to many routine vaccines, making them more easily available through nearby pharmacies, at no additional cost to WHA members. 

Healthy Vision

Shopping for New Shades? Tips to Protect Your Eyes this Summer

Sunlight reflecting off sand or water increases exposure to Ultraviolent (UV) radiation and raises your risk of developing eye problems. Some sunglasses help protect your eyes, so here’s what you need to know.

Women's Mental Health

Let’s Talk about Menopause

Menopause is the stage when a woman is no longer able to get pregnant and marks the end of a woman’s period and reproductive years. Some women look forward to this change, while others do not. Most women, however, do not welcome the symptoms that come with menopause, particularly when it comes to their mental health.

Medications: Save money with generic and mail-order

Here’s how to keep more money in your wallets by choosing generic and mail-order for your medications.  

Diet + Mental Health

You feel what you eat

You know the adage, “You are what you eat?”  Well, research has shown that there is a link between what you eat and how you feel. There’s a complex relationship between your diet and your mental health.

Choosing a PCP

Tips for Choosing a Primary Care Provider (PCP)

When looking for a primary care doctor for yourself (or a family member) it’s important to choose someone you can trust and to feel confident in a doctor’s abilities so you get the type of care you want. Here are a few tips and tools to help find one who’s right for you:

Setting SMART goals in 2024 and join our monthly wellness workshops

“I know what I am supposed to do, I just need to do it!” Sound familiar? You are not alone if you struggle with creating and sustaining healthy habits. You know the necessary steps to achieve a goal, but you struggle with the motivation or action to follow through. The key challenge lies in overcoming procrastination and other obstacles. Knowledge does not always equal execution. But it can!

Be Salt Savvy

Pass on the Salt with these 7 Tips

A dash, a pinch, an extra shake on that…Salt is part of the American meal, but dietary guidelines* say we should consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium each day (that’s one teaspoon). However, the average American consumes more than 3,400 mg of sodium daily!

Your body needs a little salt to function, but not too much. It’s a mineral that helps balance the fluid in your body and supports muscle function. But a salty diet can lead to chronic health conditions including high blood pressure (also known as “hypertension”) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). People living with high blood pressure/hypertension should try to limit the salt intake, so talk to your doctor what's right for you.

Quiet Your Inner Critic

Don't Let Your Negative Self-Talk Get You Down

Even if you don’t think about your inner critic much, chances are you’ve talked with it today. Or maybe it talked at you. You may not even notice that it’s there, but it is chattering away and may leave you feeling low. So, how do you manage your inner critic? Let’s learn what your inner critic is and how to spot it. 

2024 Individual Plans

Shopping for a Health Plan? WHA adds more in 2024

If you are shopping for an individual/family health plan, you’ll see several new benefits and programs available at no added cost as part of WHA’s 2024 individual plan. WHA offers these programs across all metal tiers. Here’s what you’ll want to compare in 2024 Individual Plans to help decide on what’s the right plan for you and your family:

Mental Health Boost

7 Ways to Make Someone’s Day

We all have those days: the train is late…a pop quiz in class…your boss is disappointed and you seem to always be on a deadline. The list goes on. It can be hard to feel happy when it seems like there are so many factors working against us.

Consider WHA Medicare Advantage Plan in 2024

MyCare Medicare Advantage plans

If you are a Medicare beneficiary, now is the time (Oct 15 - Dec. 7, 2023) to consider health plan options, including WHA’s MyCare plans. Learn the range of coverage in this blog post and how to enroll.

Student Care

What Your College Student Should Know About Getting Care

Leaving for college is a challenging, exciting, and very likely stressful time for parents and their college-bound teens. Among the many things to plan for (and pack), make sure they know how to access care if they get sick or are injured while away from home.

Emotional Wellness

Tips to Build Your Resilience

Emotional wellness is the ability to successfully handle life’s stresses and adapt to change.

Sun Safety

Let the Sunshine In, but Not the Harmful UV Rays

July's strong sun is here, so protect yourself against damaging UV rays:

Brain Boost

Knowledge is Power: 10 Ways to Love Your Brain 

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. So, WHA is passing on Alzheimer's Association's organizations helpful tips on 10 Ways to Love Your Brain. Start now. It's never too late or too early to incorporate healthy habits.

Beat the Heat

Athletes, Babies, Elderly - Know the Signs of Heat-related Illnesses 

Summer fun is upon us but it also comes with high temperatures. Did you know, that when working or playing in the heat, you should drink 1 cup (8 ounces) of water every 15–20 minutes? Be careful as the temperatures start to climb when you are working, exercising (or playing sports) outdoors this summer.

Road Trip Tips

Stay Safe & Well

Of course, parents always try to plan ahead but there are always last-minute details – and surprises – that arise when hitting the road for a long weekend with the family. Make sure you pack these important items for when someone in your family gets sick while on the road or for when things happen that are out of your control -- like the weather, natural disasters, or even...a flat tire

National Stroke Awareness Day

Learn the signs of a stroke so you can act FAST

Years ago, men and women over age 50 were getting strokes. But today, with a rise in obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes, there is a rise in younger adults having strokes.