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Important Information to Improve Your Health
A newsletter to help you make informed choices
Volume 10, Issue 3
In this Issue:
Page 1 : Sun Safety
June 2012
Page 2 : B12 Deficiency; Benefit Reminders
Sun Safety
It is so important to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Skin cancer is the most commonly
diagnosed cancer in the United States. The most common skin cancers, basal cell and squamous cell, can be
cured when found and treated during early stages. Melanoma is more dangerous and most skin cancer deaths
are due to melanoma, although survival rates for melanoma are high when caught early.
Skin Cancer Warning Signs:
● ANY skin changes, especially changes in the size or color of a mole, a new growth or mole, moles that spread
beyond their borders.
● Sores that do not heal or areas that are scaly, oozing, bleeding, painful, or itchy.
● ABCD Rule….Be sure to see your doctor for:
A - dark spots or moles that are Asymmetrical.
B - dark spots or moles that have irregular Borders.
C - dark spots or moles that contain more than one Color.
D - dark spots or moles that are larger in Diameter than a pencil eraser.
Skin Cancer Detection:
● Check your own skin once a month. Perform self exam in a room with plenty of light and a full length mirror.
● Check all areas of your body and note the appearance of freckles, moles, and other skin markings.
● Show new or unusual findings to your doctor. Ask your doctor to examine your skin during regular check-ups.
Skin Cancer Prevention:
● Avoid the sun between 10 am and 2 pm. Enjoy the shade!
● Wear a hat with a wide brim and wear other protective clothing. Wear sunglasses that provide UV protection.
● Wear sunscreen even when it is cloudy. Use a product with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 15 or higher.
Look for broad-spectrum products that protect against UV-A and UV-B rays. Apply sunscreen generously and
reapply every two hours or after swimming, sweating, or using towels.
● Avoid tanning beds and sun lamps.
Protecting yourself in the sun is the key
to preventing skin cancer!
BENEFITS FOR EDUCATED CONSUMERS: A NEWSLETTER TO HELP YOU MAKE INFORMED CHOICES
Celebrating Our 10th Year of Service to Florida Private Education Employees
June 2012
Important Information to Improve Your Health
B12 Deficiency
As we age, our ability to absorb B12 from food declines, and often so does our consumption of
foods rich in this vitamin. A B12 deficiency can creep up without warning and cause a host of
confusing symptoms that are likely to be misdiagnosed or ascribed to aging. B12 is an essential
vitamin with roles throughout the body. It is needed for the development and maintenance of a
healthy nervous system, the production of DNA and formation of red blood cells.
A severe B12 deficiency results in anemia, which can be picked up by an ordinary blood test.
But the less dramatic symptoms of a B12 deficiency may include muscle weakness, fatigue,
shakiness, unsteady gait, incontinence, low blood pressure, depression and other mood
disorders, and cognitive problems like poor memory. If the amount of B12 in storage is low to
begin with, a deficiency can develop within a year, even more quickly in infants.
Recommended Daily Dietary Amounts of B12
Age 14 and older
Pregnant Women
Nursing Women
2.4 micrograms
2.6 micrograms
2.8 micrograms
Barring circumstances that impair B12 absorption, the above levels are easily obtained from a
well-balanced diet containing animal protein. Good food sources include liver and other red
meats, turkey, fish, and shellfish. Lesser amounts of the vitamin are present in dairy products,
eggs and chicken.
Benefit Reminders
Use Quest Diagnostics®
®
Quest Diagnostics is Blue Cross
Blue Shield of Florida/Florida
Blue’s exclusive In-Network Lab
Provider and should be used for all
In-Network diagnostic/laboratory
services.
For more information on Quest
Diagnostics® (i.e., find a location,
make an appointment) go to
www.questdiagnostics.com or call
1-866-697-8378 (866 MyQuest).
Use Your Health Insurance Benefits
ICUBA encourages you to use the medical insurance
coverage provided to you. ICUBA is eager and willing to
pay for your wellness checkups! Utilizing the many FREE
benefits available to you can avoid expenses which may
be associated with illness and disease treatment.
In addition to free Annual Physicals and Gynecological
Exams,
there
are
many
other
preventive
services/screenings available to you THAT ARE ALWAYS
FREE OF CHARGE through your ICUBA Cares™ InNetwork Benefits, such as:
Lab Tests ~ Pap Tests ~ Mammograms ~ Urinalysis ~
Immunizations ~ Electrocardiograms ~ Echocardiograms
~ Colonoscopies ~ Sigmoidoscopies ~ Colorectal
Screenings ~ Prostate Cancer Screenings ~ Bone Mineral
Density Tests ~ Allergy Injections
BENEFITS FOR EDUCATED CONSUMERS: A NEWSLETTER TO HELP YOU MAKE INFORMED CHOICES
Celebrating Our 10th Year of Service to Florida Private Education Employees
June 2012