Do you have a relative with colon cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related death in America? People with a first degree relative who has colon cancer are 2-3 times more likely to develop the disease. However, other factors like age and obesity can also increase your risk. Celebrate Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month by:

• Learning ways to reduce your risk such as quitting smoking.
• Wearing blue on Dress in Blue Day, March 7.
• Getting screened. You are covered for one colorectal cancer screening (Fecal Occult Blood Test) per benefit year beginning at age 50. Contact the Aetna Concierge for more information.

Are you ready to take action to improve your health? Your Health Coaches can help you design customized road maps to meet personalized wellness goals. Gail Waltzer (left), MPH, serves Southeast Alaska and Fairbanks and Judy Ellenburg (right), MS Nutrition, serves the rest of Alaska. Meet your coaches and enroll... 

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Nickie began working towards her wellness goals as a student at UAS when she pledged herself to not gaining the “freshman fifteen.” Nickie had struggled with her weight growing up. “I remember my mother cooking in the kitchen and her dishes smelling so good,” said Nickie. “I could not resist the taste of a home cooked Filipino meal… and I remember the struggles I had in gym class… [I] would dread having to go.” Read more about how Nickie was able to make good on her promise to herself to get healthier once she started college…

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Do you have a favorite healthful recipe you created or was passed down through your family? Now is your chance to share it with your fellow AlaskaCare members through our new member-submitted Healthful Recipes feature. Send us a photo of your dish and tell us why you like your recipe and what is healthful about it. Submit your recipes...

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Exercise is for more than just how your body looks. Simple moves can help you relieve stress, become more energetic, and gain confidence. Try the Exercise of the Month for March: the overhead press. This move works your deltoids, which are the main muscles of your shoulders. You can complete an overhead press on a stability ball, seated on a bench, or standing. Learn more...

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Sun-dried tomatoes and Romano cheese pack a flavorful punch along with the tantalizing aroma of fresh marjoram in this rustic Italian-inspired dish. Serve with sautéed fresh spinach or steamed broccolini to increase the already high amount of fiber in this recipe to make it a great choice for National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Check out the full recipe...

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Many fitness providers throughout Alaska offer discounts to State employees and several just updated their discounts. Find providers in your area... 

Remember: these discounts are not limited to AlaskaCare Employee Plan members; please let your co-workers know about this opportunity.  

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