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WOW! Recipe of the Month | |
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WOW! Tobacco Tale | |
What you can do when tobacco tax becomes too much.
Click here to learn more. |
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WOW! Notices |
Thinking about enrolling
in the MaineHealth health plan for 2011?
You can participate in WOW! Rewards this year and still receive the $10 biweekly reduction off your MaineHealth health insurance premium! Get Started Here.
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WOW! Rebates (for all employees)
Eligibility period ends Sept. 30, 2010
Receive a $50 WOW! Rebate for gym memberships, road races, childbirth education classes, horseback riding lessons and more.
Recieve an additional $50 if you participate in Weight Watchers for nine out of 12 weeks either online or on-site.
Submit your form by September 30, 2010!
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Become a "Fan"
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| WOW! Rewards Is Under Way |
Three Reasons to participate in WOW! Rewards!(The eligibility period is now through August 31)
1. Preventive care (such as physical exams, blood pressure and cholesterol checks) can help you monitor the impact of lifestyle changes. Preventive screenings (such as mammograms or colonoscopies) can detect illness or health risks early. Appropriate preventive care can help avoid more serious and costly care in the future.
2. Our health plan pays 100 percent of preventive screenings appropriate for your age/gender (e.g. mammogram, colonoscopy).
3. Save $10 bi-weekly/$260 annually on next year's health insurance premium. If you participated last year, you will maintain your savings by participating again. If you have never participated in WOW Rewards, you will start saving in January 2011. Our health insurance contributions will increase substantially in 2011 and this savings will help to offset the increase.
There are only seven weeks left to complete requirements for WOW! Rewards. Don't wait until the last minute - make your health a priority and schedule your preventive services today.
To accurately complete WOW! Rewards, please have your recent screening results and dates handy when completing the online HealthQuotient and Action List.
Remember to schedule preventive care appointments before August 31 in preparation for completing WOW! Rewards.
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Superhero Family ~ Becky Werber, Lincoln County Healthcare |
 Becky and her family have lost more 200 pounds in 2009 and have been doing well ever since. Learn why and how they have changed their lifestyles by clicking here.
WE'RE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SUPERHEROES FOR OUR
2011 WOW! CALENDAR
Do you or a co-worker you know have an inspirational story to share with others? If so, contact WOW! We would love to feature you in our 2011 WOW! calendar. |
| WOW! for Future Moms |
Are you expecting? Do you know a co-worker who is expecting?
Did you know that WOW! offers a Future Moms program (administered by Anthem) and that you can earn $50 just for joining? All employees and/or dependents enrolled in the MaineHealth health plan are eligible.
This program isn't just for first time moms, it is available to all moms no matter how many little ones you have.
To enroll in Future Moms, please call 1-866-347-8360. To receive your WOW! for Future Moms incentive, refer to the Future Moms Incentive Form.
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| Green Thumbs Turn Around Rock Garden |
Pictured left to right: Linda Brown, Dr. Chris Wellins, Shari Gilles, Gail Robertshaw, Debbie Conley and Marybeth Ronca  |
Maine Medical Partners, Cape Elizabeth Internal Medicine decided to combine their green thumbs and cultivate an office garden.
It is known as "The Rock Garden", since many large and small rocks were dug out. Click here to read how physicians and staff came together to build a community garden. |
| Trek Across Maine 2010 | |
MaineHealth Employees Raise more than $42,000 for Lung Association ~ 180-Mile Trek Across Maine Brings Out 69 MaineHealth Cyclists
The three-day ride, which attracted more than 1,900 cyclists and raised nearly $1.5 million, spanned the distance from Sunday River to Belfast over Father's Day weekend.
Riders representing members of the MaineHealth system played an important role in the success of this year's race. "We're extremely grateful to the MaineHealth team and
Type MaineHealth 2010 Trek Team (June 18-20). | the other teams who helped make this community event so successful," said Edward Miller, vice president, health promotion and public policy for the American Lung Association of Maine. "Because of the team's dedication, the Lung Association can continue our research, education and advocacy efforts that protect lung health and promote healthy air in Maine."
For some cyclists, the Trek Across Maine is a family tradition on Father's Day weekend, while for others it serves as a tribute to friends and family who've lived with, and in many cases died from, lung disease. When asked what got her involved, Julie Osgood, MaineHealth's team captain, explained, "As a representative of the MaineHealth system and someone who has asthma, this event offers an opportunity for me and my organization to support lung health in a very visible way." |
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Synernet's Biggest Loser |
As part of this year's WOW! minigrant, Synernet's WOW! Council created a Biggest Loser Challenge and all participants received a Calorie King: Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter book to help them with their weight loss.
Julie Tibbetts, a WOW! Council member, kept a spreadsheet tracking each participant's weekly weight. Twenty-five employees participated, using fake names such as Rocker Girl, Ima Loser, Couch Potato, etc.
And the winner is... Lee Cyr! The director of insurance services lost 13.20 percent of his body weight during the 13-week Biggest Loser weight loss challenge!
"I have so much more energy now than I did a few months ago," says Cyr. "I found it isn't just about eating less, but eating smarter. I can still eat a hamburger if I want, but instead of fries with it, I'll have vegetables or a salad." |
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|  Perfectly Satisfying
The long summer days by the pool are here, and that means hungry kids! So this summer when their stomachs start rumbling, make sure you have some nutritious snacks ready and waiting!
Fruits and veggies provide an easy, quick and light snack option! For an easy "grab-and-go," just rinse and clean fresh fruits and veggies, stick them in a zip-lock bag and toss in the cooler. Don't want to haul the cooler? Do dried fruit instead! Read about dried fruit.
Nuts are another quick option. Tasty by the handfu,l or you can mix them with fruit for a quick and easy nutritious trail mix that your kids will love!
And don't forget to keep the kids hydrated! But instead of packing sugary sodas and energy drinks, offer water instead; it's so much better. Add fresh lemon, lime or orange wedges for a splash of flavor. For more ideas on kid friendly foods visit www.letsgo.org. |
| Dr. Lisa's Happy, Healthy Wellness ABCs | Dr. Lisa's Wellness ABCs for July Focus on Youth Sports Week.
Awareness: More than 48 million children ages 5-17 engage in some type of organized sport.
Being: Involvement in organized sports builds confidence and leads to better health - but don't forget that free play is an equally important fitness activity.
Care: Children care more about sports and fitness when their families are involved.
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Getting the Healthcare That's Right for You | |
In the past 100 years, medicine has made great strides. Surgeons have learned to operate on the heart while it's still beating, radiology experts have found ways to get detailed images of the body without using x-rays and medical device companies have made new joints to replace those that have worn out.
 But for all the its advances, medicine is still not perfect. The human body is not yet fully understood, and the doctors do not always know how to best treat every illness or health problem. Meanwhile, compared with people from other countries, Americans get more healthcare at more cost, but they aren't necessarily healthier or more satisfied with their care. In fact, many experts agree that America has a healthcare problem.
Even so, there are things you can do to get the best care possible. Getting the Healthcare That's Right for You, a Shared Decision Making Tool, can guide you through the steps you can take to improve and make the most of your healthcare, even within an imperfect system.
Many shared decision-making tools are available by calling a WOW! Health Coach (for those who have MaineHealth insurance) at 1-888-318-2282, or you can contact your local Learning Resource Center.
Other available decision aids:
Living With Diabetes ~ Short-and Long-term Back Pain ~ Weight Loss Surgery ~ Coping With Symptoms of Depression ~ many more ... |
| KidsHealth |
Good health begins early. Go to KidsHealth for articles such as: |
| Raising Readers Recommends |  Raising Readers recommends Wash Your Hands! by Tony Ross. When the little princess hears about the germs and nasties living all around her, she understands the importance of washing her hands a lot. Ages 4-6.
For more children's book recommendations, visit the Raising Readers Blog or check out the Raising Readers Recommends Great Books: Great Topics brochure.  MaineHealth believes that literacy is a family affair. If you are a healthcare provider, read more about this important topic in our Raising Readers Issue Brief, "Beyond Raising Readers: Literacy as a Family Affair."
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| Parenting Is an Adventure ... | |
Parenting is an adventure that brings new questions and challenges every day. Whether you're about to become a parent or are getting ready to send your child off to college, LifeBalance can help. We're here to answer your toughest questions, from how to handle those sleepless nights with a new baby to dealing with temper tantrums, bullies and teen curfews. Call anytime to speak with a caring, experienced consultant.
For Managers and Supervisors
Helping your employees effectively navigate work-life priorities and responsibilities is part of your role as a successful manager - plus it helps keep employees motivated and more productive at work.
LifeBalance is here to provide ongoing resources to help, whether it's finding child care or elder care, managing stress and overload, or handling pressure at work or at home. Talk with a consultant about how to best offer support to the people you manage.
And be sure to listen to our featured podcast this month, Why Happiness at Work Matters. Dr. Srikumar Rao, who has taught at leading business schools around the world and is author of the new book Happiness at Work, talks about the essential role happiness plays in resilience and productivity and shares tips on how to achieve positive thinking at work. You can also read or download these and other articles:
For more information on other services that LifeBalance offers, click here. Your contact with LifeBalance services is free and completely confidential.
 ID: mainehealth
Password: lifebalance
Or call 1-877-259-3785 |
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