You’ve Gotta Have Heart
Taking steps to protect your ticker Let’s get to the heart of the matter. The heart is one of the most important organs in your body. It’s about the size of your fist and is composed of muscle that expands and contracts to pump blood throughout your body, nourishing every cell. It is responsible for […]
The Heart’s Hidden Risks
Are you aware of these lesser-known factors for cardiovascular disease? Most of us know the drill when it comes to keeping our heart healthy: Exercise, don’t smoke, eat plenty of fruit and veggies, maintain a healthy weight and watch our blood pressure and cholesterol. Indeed those are smart habits to follow. High blood pressure, high […]
Hope for Hearts
Major innovations in cardiac treatment happening right here in Chicago There are some fields of medicine where advancement is happening at such an astounding pace that it’s unfathomable to think how different treatments were 10 years ago — and how different they’ll be 10 years from now. In the world of cardiology, progress in treatment […]
Outpatient Surgery
Ambulatory care centers can cost less, offering an alternative for low-risk patients When faced with an upcoming surgery, you might be presented with an unexpected option: Do you want to have your surgery in the hospital or in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC), a fully licensed facility that performs surgeries on an outpatient basis? For […]
Healing Heart and Soul
Many patients with cardiac disease also suffer from depression When people used to ask Jang Jaswal, 61, what he did for a living, he would tell them he spent a lot of time in the hospital. “Are you a doctor?” they’d ask. “No,” he’d say, “I’m a patient.” From 1989 to 2014, Jaswal experienced a […]
Mind Your Meds
Not taking heart medications can lead to serious effects You go to your doctor, receive a prescription and never get it filled. For heart disease patients, particularly those with high blood pressure (hypertension), this is a frighteningly common occurrence — one with potentially serious consequences. As many as half of the 187 million patients with […]
Finding Hope in a Hopeless Place
Chicago groups provide healthcare to the homeless Photo by Jim Vondruska Colorful tents line the sidewalks under the Lake Shore Drive viaducts at Lawrence Avenue and Wilson Avenue. They’re home to a rotating cast of Chicago’s homeless who have sought refuge and also found community there. Some have been staying for months, some for days, but all face […]
Peanut Free Nation
The rise of food allergies and what researchers are doing to prevent them When I was in grade school, there was no “peanut-free” table. Peanut butter sandwiches were traded freely for chocolate milk and potato chips. Birthdays meant cupcakes in the classroom, with little thought as to whether they were made in a peanut-free facility. […]
Myth vs Fact
We asked leading Chicago doctors to weigh in on these common health conceptions Myth or Fact? Soy is harmful to the reproductive system. Myth/Inconclusive. Soy is not harmful for male reproductive systems, says Matthew Meadows, MD, a urologist with Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. “Consumption of soy protein does not adversely affect men’s testosterone, nor […]
Are Pap Tests Becoming Obsolete?
Since 2012, gynecologists have asked women to schedule a Pap smear every three years, instead of annually. But is it time for a further change? In recent years, some gynecologic oncologists have proposed replacing Pap smears with an “upstream” cervical cancer screening method. Instead of testing broadly for abnormal cells, women would be screened for […]
Music in the O.R.
While you’re lying sedated on the operating room table, your surgeon may be rocking out. Music is played in the operating theater 62 to 72 percent of the time, according to a study in medical journal The BMJ. “Around 80 percent of theater staff report that music benefits communication between team members, reducing anxiety levels […]
Supporting Medicare Patients After Chemo
The almost 1.7 million people diagnosed with cancer each year face a range of hurdles, but a new healthcare approach may alleviate some of the burden. The Oncology Care Model — launched in July 2016 by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation — is a five-year pilot program that supports Medicare patients undergoing cancer […]
Downsizing Dilemmas
Easing seniors’ transition to a smaller space Dorothy Beatty was an anomaly when it came to downsizing, says her son, Stanley Beatty. Dorothy, from Kansas City, Missouri, took her time making the decision to downsize from the home she lived in with her husband and children to an apartment in a senior community. But once […]
Sex & Menopause
What women should know about intimacy and midlife changes If there’s one message that Lauren Streicher, MD, wants to share with every woman who’s struggling with sex after menopause, it’s this: “There is a solution. If you haven’t been given the solution it doesn’t mean there isn’t one. It means someone hasn’t told you what […]
Breast Cancer in Men
Although rare, males are at risk, too Frank LaFasto remembers clearly the night in late June 1995 when he settled down with his wife to watch the news. She rested her head on his shoulder, placed her hand over his heart and said, “What’s this bump?” She had found a small lump on the nipple […]
This Old Body
I’ve always enjoyed birthdays. Mine falls around Memorial Day, near the birthdays of several family members and friends. With the long weekend, the warmer weather and numerous celebrations, getting older was always a lot of fun. But now I’m 38. I can see 40 breaking over the horizon, and things don’t look so good. Always […]
At a Loss for Words
What to say — and what not to — when talking about cancer In 2013, Charles Chamberlain, 53, a Chicago healthcare executive, was diagnosed with a rare type of lymphoma related to celiac disease and given three to six months to live. He has been in remission for two and half years, but he has had to endure grueling chemotherapy and […]
Back Pain Reversal
New recommendations emphasize non-opioid treatments Hurt your back, take a pain pill. That’s a common treatment, right? Sure is. In 2014, more than 240 million prescriptions were written for opioids. That’s more than enough to give every adult in the nation their own bottle of pain pills. Today, the opioid situation in the United States has escalated to […]
Hope for TBI
Researchers use stem cells to understand traumatic brain injury John D. Finan, PhD, didn’t intend to build a career out of manipulating stem cells. Far from it, in fact. As a PhD candidate at Duke University, he leaned on his mechanical engineering background to focus on creating a safer bicycle helmet to prevent head injuries. […]
Scoping Out Relief
Arthroscopic surgery provides minimally invasive option for joint injuries Hardly a week goes by without a report that a professional athlete’s season is in jeopardy because of a torn ACL or rotator cuff. But these joint injuries are not just for athletes; they can occur in laborers or weekend warriors who push themselves too hard. Since the […]
Have a Heart: A Rant in Two Parts
For years I’ve wanted to write a rant about the stagnating choice so many of us make not to feel, not to connect to our heart (our sensorial, innate wisdom). Well, here we are in the heart issue with an invitation to connect to your heart. Let the ranting begin! Part I: Seriously, people! Do […]
Paging Dr. Canine
From emotional support to cancer detection, dogs leave their medical mark The office where orthopedic surgeon Leon Benson, MD, sees patients resembles any welcoming physician’s office: soft carpeting, bright walls, friendly staff. Nothing appears out of the ordinary — at first. Then, the handle of Benson’s office door turns, the door swings open and a black, […]
Bipolar Disorder
Making sense of the ups and downs Lizzie,* a Chicago-resident, was overwhelmed with several stressful situations in her late 20s. She started experiencing extreme mood swings. She stopped sleeping, eating and drinking water; she was irritable and her mind started racing; at times, she was full of energy, impulsively cleaning her house from top to […]
Eye Opener
Floaters and flashing lights? It could be a retinal detachment Christmas 2006 is a day I’ll never forget. My husband and I braved frigid temperatures to walk to a friend’s home. During dinner, a fly entered my field of vision. I swatted it away several times before realizing that I was the only person who could see […]
Water Works
Hydrotherapy’s healing power stimulates and soothes Erin Myover-Piotrowski, 35, had been experiencing fatigue, sluggishness and some digestive troubles. “I didn’t feel well enough to be working out. I’d been taking Zantac and Pepcid,” says the Villa Park resident. “My husband and I used to joke that we had ‘his and her’ Tums on the bedside […]
3 reasons to leave earwax alone
Harvard Health Blog Can you think of something you do that’s nearly irresistible, widely popular, but a bad idea that’s based on a health myth? That’s right, I’m talking about inserting cotton-tipped swabs into your ears. According to guidelines from the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, experts strongly discourage twirling cotton-tipped swabs […]
Diet not working? Maybe it’s not your type
Harvard Health Blog Have you heard of the blood type diet? I thought it had been debunked long ago but patients keep asking about it, so I figured I should learn more. What’s the blood type diet? In 1996 Peter D’Adamo, a naturopathic physician, published a book in which he described how people could be […]
Funny Bone
Originally Published in the Fall 2017/Winter 2018 issue
Veg Out!
Plant-based diets are at the root of heart-healthy eating For a healthy heart, there’s no denying that plant foods are essential. Plants contain an arsenal of phytochemicals as well as dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, all of which benefit overall health. When it comes to eating for heart health, plants are at the center of the […]
The Beat Goes On
Exercising your way to a healthier heart When it comes to taking care of your heart, you can’t underestimate the importance of staying active. Regular exercise — even if it’s moderate — can have a marked impact on your heart’s health. “Exercise helps the heart because it signals the heart to grow stronger,” says R. […]
Putting Veggies First
Practically every study about vegetables touts their power in preventing chronic illnesses, fighting cancer and helping with weight loss. Vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories and are important sources of nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folic acid and vitamins A and C. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate food guide (which replaced the well-known food […]
