Reckoning with Racial Trauma
Bias, discrimination, and abuse are culminating in a heightened sense of stress Every Sunday afternoon for more than a year, Tiana Coleman has stood near the intersection of Sheridan Road and Wilson Avenue in Uptown, holding up a stark poster bearing a single hand-lettered name. The name changes, but the cause is the same. Sometimes, she’ll […]
Beyond Covid-19
mRNA vaccines get ready for their next act: fighting cancer When you look at the trajectory of the Covid-19 pandemic in the U.S., one turning point stands out: the availability of vaccines, predominantly the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. Both use mRNA to send messages to cells about how to fight the deadly virus with incredible efficacy. […]
Time is Brain
When treating stroke, every minute counts. Local hospitals are speeding up access Andy Streiter, 49, a Chicago executive and father of three, always starts his day off with a ride on his Peloton bike. One August day in 2020, he did his usual ride. “I felt good. It was a good ride,” he recalls. Then […]
Slow Down and Rest, for Your Best Life and for Humanity
“You need a nap,” was a phrase my mother impatiently slapped at us as kids, which meant (or felt like it did) that we were demandingly interrupting her busy-busy, overscheduled day. Yet, she probably needed a nap as much as we did. Today, I am choosing to heed the whisper to nap, walk meanderingly, listen […]
In Appreciation of Us All
“I appreciate you,” my friend Joan Gordon often said. Well, Joan wasn’t just my friend. She was our friend, here at Chicago Health. Joan was this magazine’s proofreader for a number of years before retiring, putting a very deliberate period on a very diversified career. Joan was a geologist, a symphonic bassist, a ballet dancer, an inventor, […]
Recovery Without Opioids
Orthopedic specialists look to control pain without dangerous drugs Naperville resident Steve Bruebach found himself in a quandary as he prepared for a double hip-replacement surgery in August 2020. Typically, Bruebach doesn’t like to take medication unless it’s absolutely required. But a medical technician warned him: Don’t wait until you start hurting to take medication […]
Gender-Affirming Surgery
For transgender people in Illinois, solid access to healthcare offers relief Thirty years ago, when he was just 3 years old, Tristan Connor knew he didn’t identify as a girl, even though he was assigned female at birth. He didn’t have the words to say it then or even later in his teens. Growing up […]
The Skin You’re In
A lack of representation in dermatology is impacting people of color Whether for acne, hives, or psoriasis, millions of Americans require routine skin care annually. But not all skin is the same. Some dermatology issues vary depending on the skin you’re in. Some skin conditions — such as acne scars, eczema, and keloids — occur more […]
Advocating to Fight ALS
Families and researchers press for new treatments Tim Paust loved life. At work, he was an aircraft maintenance manager for Motorola, but it was his family and friends who made up his heart. “Tim was the love of my life and just a great guy,” says his widow, Deb Paust, 58, who lives in Grayslake. The […]
‘Zombie’ Brain Cells Keep on Kicking After Death
While some brain cells disintegrate moments after we die, others actually grow, report researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago. The findings, published in March 2021 in the journal Scientific Reports, could impact brain tissue research on certain neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy. “Our discovery could lead to new treatments for these diseases,” says Jeffrey […]
A Robust Blend: Coffee and Hope
When patrons at the Sip of Hope Community Coffee Bar order a cup of coffee, they get a signature blend: coffee with a side of mental health resources. The shop, in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, serves lattes and “destigmatizing decaf.” Along one brick wall, a large sign reads, “it’s ok not to be ok.” It’s all […]
The Army at UChicago
In a tactical maneuver, active-duty Army medical personnel are now embedded at the University of Chicago Medicine. They’re stationed not for battle but for training. It’s a military-civilian exchange of best practices, as Army physicians, nurses, and medics are sharpening their skills ahead of their deployments while providing healthcare in the city. “We’re joining forces […]
Book Beat
We asked local physicians for their health-related book recommendations. Here’s what they said: The Mind-Gut Connection By Emeran Mayer, MD “This book reviews how important it is to respect your gut with better food choices and how that can translate to feeling better both physically and mentally. This has been particularly relevant during this […]
Men and Mental Health
More men are seeking help, but roadblocks to treatment remain Through college, graduate school, and into an active and successful professional life in healthcare administration, Earnest Davis had grown accustomed to pushing aside emotional issues that impacted his productivity. From a stressed relationship with his mother to the challenges of fatherhood, Davis shoved unease away, […]
Drinking Age
With the pandemic and an increase in wine culture, more women are drinking — to excessive levels Women drink. A lot. Search “women drinking memes,” and you’ll see hundreds, with images of women downing wine and captions such as, “I wish I could get another liver … so I could drink more and care less,” […]
Death with Dignity
Illinois groups push for medical aid in dying as an option for people with terminal illness When we imagine the inevitable, we often think of the best: that we will pass away while cozily tucked in bed, surrounded by our loved ones, with a peaceful smile on our faces, knowing we led a life well-lived. Unfortunately, […]
Isolation’s Impacts
Helping kids cope with the pandemic’s emotional and behavioral legacy Before the pandemic, Patrick DeFors brought his children, then ages 2 and 3, to a small in-home daycare three days a week. But when Illinois locked down in March 2020, DeFors and his wife Lisa pulled the children from daycare and kept them at home. […]
The New Normal?
5 mental health lessons from the pandemic 1. Make changes, but go slow “As we move into a new normal, there is an opportunity to consider how to shape your time and space going forward. To do that well, take some time to reflect on what changes you made during the pandemic that worked well […]
Same-Day Brain Surgery
Brain surgery is highly complex. But now, some people may be able to have brain surgery and go home the same day, says Osaama Khan, MD, a neurosurgeon at Northwestern Medicine. Khan, who spent several years developing the outpatient brain surgery protocol at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, saw the time was right to launch […]
Hot Stuff
Pungent chili peppers can boost metabolism, providing health benefits Carolina Reaper. Komodo Dragon. Devil’s Tongue Red. These are some of the hottest chili peppers in the world. Pungent chili peppers all contain a plant compound called capsaicin that’s responsible for their heat — and for the health benefits of hot peppers. Capsaicin is present in […]
So Good, It’s Scary
Chock-full of nutrition, pumpkin is the basis for favorite fall treats Pumpkin doesn’t only make attractive jack-o’-lanterns; it’s a fruit (and yes, as a squash, it’s considered a fruit) that’s chock-full of nutrition. These orange giants offer a hefty dose of fiber — good for losing weight, keeping your bowel movements regular, and reducing your risk for diabetes. […]
Battling Belly Fat
Trim the flab with at-home ab exercises If gym closings, added stress, and pandemic paralysis caused you to gain weight this past year, you aren’t alone. The Covid-19 weight gain is real. Some 61% of U.S. adults reported undesired weight changes during the first year of the pandemic, with an average weight gain of 29 pounds, […]
Creating Access
Organizations provide equipment and leadership development, promoting independence and power We hold on to household items for various reasons. We may not want to dispose of them because they evoke memories from the past or because they may be of use in the future. Often, these items are tiny trinkets, cards, or mementos. Sometimes, they […]
Black Minds Matter
What will it take to address the city’s racial disparities in mental health care? Horace Washington Howard rides the bus and the El an hour each way to get to the Heartland Health Center in Uptown, a federally qualified health center where he gets treatment for bipolar disorder. He used to walk the few blocks from […]
Graphic Medicine
Cartoons use their visual power to promote healing and acceptance M.K. Czerwiec, RN, was a brand-new nurse, still in nursing school, as excited and full of anxiety as any of her peers. She was worried about her care plans and forgetting her stethoscope. But she had something else to contend with: grief. Her father had […]
Covid Psychosis
Condition can cause serious, but temporary, psychotic episodes Ben Price, 48, from Morris, Illinois, was a loving husband, father, and a dedicated business owner and farmer. In February 2021, Ben contracted Covid-19. His symptoms landed him in the hospital for five days, during which he received the antiviral medication remdesivir and supplemental oxygen. Two days after […]
Restarting After Covid-19
Woodridge residents Bob and Gloria Pluta have spent the majority of their 44-year marriage scrunched into suburbia, surrounded by neighbors, cars, and noise. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit back in 2020, the constant closeness made them realize that something had to change. They had to find some physical and mental space. So they did. And […]
