Lara Abramov

Prevention

Spread Flu Awareness – Not the Flu – When Traveling

The holiday season is a great time to get away and relax and to see family or friends. Stay healthy while traveling this year!

dont travel with the flu
Prevention

Why is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day So Important?

See how the stories of struggle and loss frame the necessity of this collection day.

a pile of prescription bottles filled with white pills
Community

Blue Care Network now offering free, 24-hour Nurse Advice Line to members

It was summer and he was washing my car in the driveway. A relatively healthy guy, my husband has no chronic health problems, exercises regularly…

Prevention

Committed to quitting: What inspires me to quit smoking

We all know what smoking can do to your heart. It’s no secret. That’s why I always felt like such a jerk for smoking – I was breaking my own heart and putting…

Community

June is home safety month – Facts and prevention tips

Your home is supposed to be a place where you and your loved ones feel safe and secure.

Guard Dog Sign
Prevention

“Vac Facts”: MMR – one shot combating three killers

Measles, mumps and rubella – three different diseases that can each have fatal consequences. Since the creation of the MMR vaccine, cases of measles…

Mind

April is Alcoholism Awareness Month: The costs associated with alcoholism

The costs associated with alcoholism touch the full spectrum of everything that makes us human. It impacts us physically, mentally, emotionally…

Prevention

April is Alcohol Awareness Month: What role does biology play in alcoholism and is it a disease?

Dad drank and probably still does. Mom’s side drank too. Some of the best parties I've ever been to in my life were held in the Bank of England recreation…

Community

Karen and Joe Gossman: Lifestyle changes lead to improved health and wellness

Karen and Joe Gossman know firsthand what it takes to improve their health. Together, the couple has lost more than 100 pounds. This feat speaks to how…

garden_peppers_tomatoes
Prevention

April is Alcohol Awareness Month: Underage drinking and the new gateway drug

It was over the stove in a cupboard high above my head. I knew where my father, a highly functioning alcoholic in his own right, stashed his never-ending supply…

Prevention

April is Alcohol Awareness Month: Why do people drink and why is it so culturally acceptable?

Alcohol has been around for thousands of years. It’s a part of our culture and society and is a legal drug that’s easily available and inexpensive. It'

Prevention

April is Alcohol Awareness Month – When you’re so good at drinking you have to stop

I was so good at drinking, I had to stop. Yeah, nearly five years ago. I dropped out of grad school and headed to rehab to finally deal with a problem I’ve had…

Prevention

“Vac Facts”: HPV – Roughly one in four Americans have Human Papillomavirus

It’s not an easy subject to talk about, but it's one that deserves attention. An article recently appeared indicating that in 2010, as many as 40 percent of…

Food and Recipes

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a drink? Keep these things in mind

While you're celebrating St. Patrick's Day, don't forget these ways that alcohol affects your body.

Two beers on bar counter
Food and Recipes

#WinByLosing: Be mindful of what’s in your fridge and pantry

Oscar Wilde once wrote, “The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.” While I’m quite fond of Oscar’s witticisms, when it comes to losing weight…

Prevention

Are you afraid to quit smoking because of weight gain? You’re not alone. I’m scared too.

I just quit smoking. Again. Nearly three weeks ago. While I’ve definitely cut down over the years, going from over a pack a day to less than a half…

Home and Family

Parenting in the age of Narcissism: Are you setting your child up for failure?

Self-esteem is critical to the development of a child’s sense of worth. As a parent for over 17 years, I’ve tried to nurture a healthy sense of self-esteem in…

Prevention

Vac Facts – DTaP and Tdap: Key in fighting rising whooping cough rates

One of the goals of AHealthierMichigan.org is to improve the quality of life for Michigan residents by providing health and wellness information that is…

Home and Family

Depression and teens: Your child may be more than just ‘moody’

It really resonated with me, the article I read a few months back, about another teen suicide. Michael Camilleri was a 17-year-old high school senior…

Home and Family

Balancing interior and exterior beauty a struggle for teenagers

“You really did me an injustice, raising me to believe that,” my 17-year-old son recently told me. We were discussing his new gym membership and his need to be…

Prevention

Is your couch making you sick?

Aside from the sedentary side effects of couch nesting, the chemicals found your couch could actually make you and your children sick.

Young woman sleeping under blanket
Health and Wellness

Fact vs. fiction: The truth about immunization safety

The New Year brings with it many things. For parents, that may include thinking about all the doctor’s appointments you may need to make for your kids this year.

Community

Support your local merchants: Great places to find holiday gifts across Michigan

There’s nothing like the quaint feel of a downtown shopping area during the holiday season. There’s something old-timey and comforting about cozy storefronts…

Mind

Seasonal affective disorder: How to beat the winter blues

Winter’s wrath is fast approaching as evidenced by the waning autumnal light. If you’re like me, the dark drive into work and on the way home from work ushers…

Food and Recipes

The turkey has flown the coop – what to do with your Thanksgiving Day leftovers

Right now, you may have containers of mashed potatoes and green bean casserole cascading out of your fridge. Or tubs of sliced turkey and platters of sweet…

Prevention

November is Diabetes Awareness Month – An overview of causes, risks and impacts of diabetes

Seems like more and more people are being diagnosed as ‘diabetic.’ My teenage son has a friend who is diabetic; my father in law is diabetic.

Food and Recipes

Redefining ‘comfort food’ – what you eat can help improve your mood

What do you think of when you hear the term ‘comfort food’? Your mind may conjure foods that hold a certain personal and sentimental meaning. My mom’s English…

Prevention

Breast cancer awareness – The commitment of one can inspire many

In life, people come and go. Acquaintances often seem to be tied to things like our current job or whatever activities we’re presently involved in. However…

Fitness

Ride It Sculpture Park in Detroit promotes healthy communities in many ways

My two kids were, during recent phases of their teenage lives, skateboarders. I was proud of this as I've always supported skateboarding. I can remember driving…

Prevention

The low down on managing high blood pressure naturally

It has no signs. It wields no symptoms. You can have it without even knowing it. It can wreak havoc on your heart, corrode your kidneys and batter your blood…

Prevention

How to find free or low cost mammograms in Michigan

While Dr. Phil certainly isn’t the first person to espouse such simple yet profound platitudes about the importance of awareness, the essence of the message is…

Prevention

Mammograms – what to expect and the importance of being proactive

Throughout the month of October, I’ve been researching and learning a lot about breast cancer, about risks, prevention tips, and detection tools.

Prevention

Health and wellness tips from a Blue Care Network health educator

When first meeting Miki Della-Moretta, a Blue Care Network Health Educator, I was surprised to learn that Miki, on average, conducts over 800 on-site visits a…

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