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www.phs.org/MedicareCelebrate
women’s health
October is Breast Cancer Awareness
Month. We want to encourage you to
take time for yourself. This includes
getting a mammogram and other
preventive screenings that can help
keep you healthy.
Recommended screenings include:
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Women ages 21 to 65 should have a
Pap smear every three years.
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Women ages 50 and older should
have a breast cancer screening every
two years.
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Women 65 years or older should have
a provider visit to check bone health
in hips and spine.
Here are some of the ways you can get
more information on these screenings
and how to complete them.
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Speak with your Primary Care
Practitioner about the screenings.
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Refer to your member materials
or call the Presbyterian Customer
Service Center for information on
covered services and providers you
can see.
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Go to
www.phs.org/eventsto see
a list of community events and
providers who can help you complete
your screenings.
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Go to
www.womenshealth.gov or
www.cdc.gov/features/nwhwfor
more information.
It’s important to take charge of your
health. By taking time for screenings
you can help yourself stay healthy and
find health problems early.
10 ways to add
more joy to your life
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once wrote,
“Into each life some rain must fall.”
If you sometimes feel like your life is one
downpour after another, it’s time to find
some joy. And it’s easier than you might
think.
Being joyful has the power to help you
bounce back from stressful events, solve
problems, think flexibly, and even fend off
diseases.
So without further ado, here are 10 simple
ways to make your days brighter:
1.
Do something you loved as a kid.
Sing
silly songs, splash in puddles, or see how
high you can swing.
2.
Laugh at life’s hassles.
No day is
perfect. But there’s often something at least
a bit amusing in challenging situations if
you look for it.
3.
Collect sayings or photos that make
you smile.
Then stick them where they’re
visible—on your refrigerator or at your desk,
for instance—to look at when you need a
pick-me-up.
4.
Play a song you love.
Imaging tests of
brains show that music can release feel-
good hormones.
5.
Go for it.
Stop putting experiences you
want to try on hold. Bake a pie from scratch,
learn to crochet, or sign up for an indoor
climbing class—explore what intrigues you.
6.
Take a nature break.
Look up at the
sky, and see how blue it really is. Go on an
early-morning walk, and delight in the dew
on the grass. Let nature’s beauty soothe
you.
7.
Take a mental break.
Close your eyes
and imagine a place you love. Use all your
senses. Are you drawn to the beach? Smell
the salt water, feel the sun on your back,
and hear the crashing waves.
8.
Spread happiness.
When you get
good news, don’t keep it to yourself—tell
a friend. You’ll relive the moment and have
the extra pleasure of your friend’s reaction.
9.
Seek out happy people.
Good moods
are contagious.
10.
Develop your playful side.
Joke with
strangers in line, arrange nights out with
friends, or have a regular game night with
your family.
Sources: HelpGuide; Mental Health
America