Presbyterian | Fall 2018 | Your Story

4 Preventive healthcare guidelines As a Presbyterian member, you can benefit from preventive services. Preventive services include: • Routine checkups • Screening tests • Shots These services are important because they can help you prevent future health problems. Take a look at the Presbyterian Preventive Healthcare Guidelines at www.phs.org/preventive to learn more. You can also talk with your provider about which services are right for you. Chronic conditions and stress Taking care of diabetes or asthma can cause stress for the person with those conditions as well as their family and loved ones. Here are some tips for handling stress while dealing with diabetes or asthma: ● ● Find trusted people and be honest with them. Check in with your favorite doctor, nurse, healthcare assistant, or counselor more often. ● ● Talk to friends. Visit or call someone you know as often as possible. Find out what events are going on around you, and make plans to meet friends there. ● ● See a counselor. Your health plan covers counseling. Call the number on your ID card to find out about the counseling benefit or call counselors to make an appointment. ● ● Call the Presbyterian PresRN line. You can call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to talk to a Presbyterian nurse about stress and how to handle it. ● ● Work out. It can help your mental stress and help how your body feels. Ask your provider about the right exercises for you. All exercise is not the same. People with knee pain can ride a bike or use an elliptical machine instead of jogging, which can be harder on the knees. What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is “the act of paying attention in a special way, being in the moment, with kindness, and non-judgment.” What do LeBron James and the players of the Seattle Seahawks all have in common? Besides being pro athletes, they also go through mindfulness or relaxation training. Mindfulness, a form of meditation, is easy to learn. Studies show improvements like less pain and mental stress for people with diabetes and asthma when they learn and go through mindfulness. Look for information on mindfulness programs at provider offices and online. Local support is available in New Mexico through workshops and online sessions. Help is always there We all have ups and downs, and that can be hard to deal with at times. Thoughts of suicide or harming yourself or others may even happen. There is always a person to talk with who can help you. Keep these numbers to call when you need to talk or need help: ● ● PresRN: (505) 923-5677 or 1-888-730-2300 (toll-free), 24 hours a day, seven days a week ● ● National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 ● ● NM Crisis and Access Line: 1-855-NMCRISIS ( 1-855-662-7474 ) ● ● Call 911 for any health (mental or physical) emergency