Making Sense of Health News
Health headlines can be confusing — these 3 questions can help you evaluate them Above photo: Health-related studies often yield conflicting results, and making sense of them can be challenging. Jose Luis Pelaez/Stone via Getty Images By Kimberly Johnson, Washington University in St. Louis and Amy Eyler, Washington University in St. Louis Every week of […]
“It’s Been Really Stressful”
With SNAP funding in jeopardy, Greater Chicago Food Depository sounds alarm on food access Chicago resident Stacy Robison-Holzendorf faces a nearly impossible choice this month: pay her bills or feed her children and grandchildren. “It’s been really stressful,” Robison-Holzendorf says. “Telling my grandkids: ‘Don’t run through the food.’ They’re not used to that. And now […]
Hepatitis B Vaccine
Amidst vaccine debate, experts urge staying the course with vaccination Fact checked by Ros Lederman Above photo: Heather Hazzan, SELF Magazine and the American Academy of Pediatrics Parents increasingly show up at their pediatricians’ offices questioning the risks and benefits of vaccinations. And can anyone honestly blame them? Most haven’t witnessed the ravages of infectious diseases […]
Preserving Health Care in Uncertain Times
Above: CountyCare staff, pictured at its Children’s Health Fair at Provident Hospital in August, have been critical in providing exceptional services to its Medicaid members, resulting in the plan being ranked as the highest-ranked Medicaid plan in Illinois by the National Committee on Quality Assurance. For more than 10 years, CountyCare has served the […]
From Trash to Treasure
How Chicago’s expanded composting program — and efforts throughout the city — cut waste and costs Seeing your trash hauled away each week may feel like a relief — out of sight, out of mind. But it shouldn’t be. Once trash lands in a landfill, it doesn’t disappear. It continues to take up space, and […]
New Parkinson’s Treatment Comes to Illinois
Fact checked by Shannon Sparks People with Parkinson’s disease in the Chicago area now have access to one of only 20 providers nationwide offering a promising new treatment: adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS). There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s disease, making this treatment especially vital. Effective treatments for the neurological movement disorder are critical […]
New Diagnostic Trial for CTE
Fact checked by Jim Lacy Endeavor Health is leading a groundbreaking clinical trial aimed at diagnosing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) — a form of progressive brain trauma — in living patients. Repeated head injuries can cause the neurodegenerative disease CTE. It commonly affects contact-sport athletes and military personnel exposed to blasts. Despite its severity, physicians […]
Inspiring Future Healthcare Workers
Anatomist Abbey Breckling, who lives in Chicago’s Portage Park neighborhood and lectures at the University of Illinois Chicago, has taken her anatomy lessons beyond the classroom this year. Her goal: to spark children’s curiosity about how the heart works. Her new book, Charlie’s Anatomical Adventure: The Heart, follows a young girl and a red blood […]
Self-Collected Cervical Cancer Test
Fact checked by Jim Lacy The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new option for cervical cancer screening: self-collected vaginal swabs. People who can’t — or prefer not to — undergo a pelvic exam can now collect their own sample at a physician’s office, urgent care clinic, or pharmacy. Research shows these samples are […]
Coverage for the Heart
Fact checked by Derick Wilder The American College of Cardiology and the Association of Black Cardiologists championed Senate Bill 1418, which unanimously passed the Illinois Senate and House in May. The bill, which Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law on Aug. 15, mandates health insurance coverage for peripheral artery disease (PAD) screenings for individuals at […]
Nutritious Reads
Take a taste of these five culinary-infused books Fact checked by Jim Lacy For many people, cooking is more than preparing a meal: It’s a profession, a lifestyle, or a path toward better health. In this selection of food-focused books and memoirs, the authors examine food from multiple angles — sharing how it has […]
Confessions of a Sugar-Cereal Binger
Fact checked by Derick Wilder There I was. The end of the day. My work was done, the kids were in bed, the dishwasher was running, and I had just finished folding the laundry while watching television. An alert on my phone went off: 10 p.m. — bedtime. If I had an ounce of willpower, […]
Choose Wisely
The Future is in Your Mouth Fact checked by Shannon Sparks How have you nourished yourself today? What have you chosen to consume? Do you eat and drink to honor your body and support your physical and mental health — and your full potential? Do you eat to thrive? I wonder. Be honest. My favorite […]
Ask the Doc
Weird Skin By Emily Siegel, DO Interview by Stephanie Bouchard Fact checked by Shannon Sparks Q: I’m overweight, and I’m seeing some unusual things going on with my skin, like between my butt cheeks and under my arms. What do I do about it? A: There are common skin conditions that we see in people who […]
Leveling the Playing Field
Protecting women athletes from unique injury risks Fact checked by Derick Wilder Title IX, signed into federal law in 1972, guaranteed women equal opportunities in sports. But leveling the playing field has revealed important ways in which female athletes differ from their male counterparts. Female athletes are more at risk for certain injuries, says Mary […]
Recipe for Diabetic Health
Centering education in diabetes care Fact checked by Shannon Sparks If left untreated, diabetes can lead to serious complications, including heart disease, vision loss, kidney disease, nerve damage, and stroke. That’s a harsh reality for the 1 in 10 Americans — nearly 38 million people — who have diabetes. But those complications don’t happen overnight. […]
Cancer’s New Era
How science is changing cancer detection, treatment, and prevention Fact checked by Derick Wilder A quiet revolution is underway in cancer care. From blood tests that detect disease before symptoms appear, to vaccines tailored to an individual’s tumor, to artificial intelligence (AI) spotting what the human eye might miss, science is moving fast — reshaping […]
Hormones in Menopause
How they shape health, aging, and vitality Fact checked by Derick Wilder Suppose 85 million women in the United States were aged 40 or older in 2023. That would mean about 25% of the total U.S. population was approaching perimenopause, in perimenopause or menopause, or had already passed it. Their possible symptoms? Joint pain, hot […]
Menopause Meal Plan
Fact checked by Shannon Sparks A midlife metabolic crisis occurs during perimenopause and menopause, as every organ in the body adjusts to a severe drop in hormones: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Your skin, brain, heart, bones, and muscles all contain receptors for these hormones. Declining hormones lead to changes in body composition: increased fat mass and […]
Full Plate
8 tips from dietitians to help make mealtimes easier, happier, and healthier Fact checked by Jim Lacy Feeding a child today can feel surprisingly complex. Between rising food costs, allergies (1 in 13 U.S. children has a food allergy), and time constraints, families are juggling a lot. Megan McNamee, a registered dietitian and co-founder of […]
How To: Make Sense of Seed Oils
Fact checked by Shannon Sparks Social media influencers and politicians alike agree on one thing lately: the need to amplify claims about the negative health impacts of seed oil. Yet, health organizations — from the American Heart Association to the World Health Organization — recommend unsaturated fats, including seed oils, as the primary source of […]
How To: Eat Healthy Without Feeling Helpless
Fact checked by Jim Lacy With so much emphasis on healthy eating, it might feel overwhelming to know where to start. Conflicting advice online, including social media, adds to the confusion. Should you go low-fat and low-carb, or try the Mediterranean diet? Often, the struggle comes down to decision fatigue and not knowing what truly […]
In Formation
Step into fun and fitness with line and square dancing Fact checked by Shannon Sparks When Joan Johns learned that her continuing care retirement community in Evanston was offering a line dancing class, she wasted no time signing up. “It pulled the string on a memory from a long, long time ago when I went […]
Smoothie Smarts
How to build a better blend Fact checked by Shannon Sparks Smoothies enjoy what nutrition experts call a “health halo” — they seem like a healthy choice, but hidden ingredients can make them far less nutritious than they appear. “The quick-and-simple smoothies at most places, whether it’s a smoothie store or [Baskin-Robbins], most likely have added […]
Bone Broth Benefits
Fact checked by Shannon Sparks If you’re trying to get more protein or improve your gut health, bone broth might be just what your diet needs. This nutritional powerhouse has been trending for the past few years, with celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Kylie Jenner, and Salma Hayek touting its benefits. The global market for […]
Don’t Sweat It
Fact checked by Ros Lederman A solid night’s rest can be particularly elusive for women whose hormones are fluctuating — whether due to postpartum, perimenopause, menopause, or as a result of medical therapies, such as breast cancer treatment. When Chicago native Jackie Hutson was experiencing night sweats after the birth of her first child, she says […]
Food Tracking Apps
Technology to help track food and lifestyle choices Fact checked by Jim Lacy Less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, three cups of vegetables, at least 15 grams of protein per meal… The idea of tracking this data may seem overwhelming, but food tracking apps can make the task less daunting. The question […]
The Tummy Terror
The nutrient deficiency that led to an alarming discovery Fact checked by Jim Lacy I almost died this year — not metaphorically, but from a real-life gut bacterial infection that nearly killed me while I was undergoing chemotherapy. Let me back up. I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in June 2024. A few months later, I […]
We Asked: How do you incorporate healthy foods into your meals?
We asked readers on social media and in our weekly newsletter to share their thoughts about nutrition. Here’s what they said. How do you incorporate healthy foods into your meals or snacks? “The way I incorporate healthy foods into my snacks is by following a rule I made for myself: No snack is complete without a healthy component, […]
Nourishing the Body, Mind, and Beyond
The foods we choose matter, shaping our health from head to toe Fact checked by Jim Lacy Illustrations by Fiorella Quaranta What we eat is far more than fuel. Nutrition weaves through every system in our body, influencing not only how we feel day to day but also our long-term risk of chronic disease. From protecting […]
Nutrition at a Glance
Fact checked by Jim Lacy Eating for a Healthy Microbiome For Ariella Wilson, a dietitian nutritionist in Chicago, the gut microbiome is an inner universe, “right inside your digestive system,” she says. Instead of stars and planets, it contains trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that help digest food, fight illness, and regulate mood. Our […]
Healing Foods
How cultures around the world use food to promote health Fact checked by Shannon Sparks Chef Atzimba Perez left her home in Michoacán, Mexico, 30 years ago to start a catering company in Chicago. By using traditional recipes and hiring chefs from Mexico, Perez ensures her pre-Hispanic identity lives on in the United States. Through […]
Supplements, Superfoods, and Snake Oil
How to tell what’s worth your money and what’s just hype Fact checked by Shannon Sparks Walk into any pharmacy or grocery store, or scroll through your social feed, and you’ll see it: a $60 billion industry in the United States alone promising better health in a bottle, pouch, or powder. There’s mushroom coffee, collagen […]
Food Insecurity in Chicago
Area hospitals, pantries work to counteract federal cuts Fact checked by Shannon Sparks Illustrations by Fiorella Quaranta The sprawling Illinois Medical District — home to Rush University Medical Center, Cook County Health, UI Health, Sinai Chicago, the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, and more — sits just east of some of Chicago’s most under-resourced neighborhoods, […]
Powerfully Local
Fact checked by Ros Lederman Above photo courtesy of FARMZERO Not all produce is created equal. You can taste the difference between an anemic strawberry shipped thousands of miles from Chile or Mexico and the burst of almost candy-like sweetness from a plump, ruby-red farmers market strawberry picked just hours ago. The fleeting seasonal sweetness […]
Weight Loss Drug Revolution
New medications are reshaping our view of obesity and health Fact checked by Derick Wilder Biology Over Blame By Catherine Gianaro For decades, American culture has framed obesity as a failure of willpower. Eat less, move more, cut carbs. But that approach doesn’t work for everyone. Powerful new weight-loss drugs are shifting the conversation — […]
Inside the State of Cancer Today
A Cancer Care Roundtable Nearly 2 million Americans will find out they have cancer this year — a stark reminder that the disease remains one of the nation’s most pressing health challenges. Yet cancer care today is moving at a pace few could have imagined a decade ago. From breakthroughs in immunotherapy and precision medicine […]
What’s in a Diet?
Fact checked by Derick Wilder Eating a healthy diet is one of the best ways to feel better — physically and mentally. But with so many diets claiming to be the best, choosing the right one can be confusing. The truth? The best diet is the one you can stick to and that helps you […]
Empowering Women Physicians
The annual Power of Women In Medicine Summit brought together hundreds of physicians from across the country Above photo: Marcia Faustin, MD, on day two of The Power of Women in Medicine Summit at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, Illinois on September 19, 2025. Photo by Kuma Content, courtesy of Women In Medicine The annual […]
Living with MRKH
Many adolescent girls diagnosed with this rare congenital disorder struggle when their bodies don’t follow the typical teen script First crushes, friendship drama, the awkward excitement of growing up — all classic milestones of female adolescence. But for those born with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, the teenage years often carry an added weight. While their peers […]
Chicago Health at the Farmers Market
Connecting with community members and talking with kids about journalism If you stopped by the bustling Portage Park Farmers Market this past weekend, you may have spotted Chicago Health. Our Editor-in-Chief Katie Scarlett Brandt was on hand, talking with community members about the importance of media and health literacy, gathering story ideas, and listening to […]
Walking for Hope
Valarie’s journey from diagnosis to determination When her nosebleeds began, Valarie Traynham brushed them off as something minor. But soon, fatigue set in, followed by pneumonia. “I thought that was kind of weird,” she recalls. “Why do I have pneumonia? I’m supposed to be a healthy young woman.” Her primary care doctor noticed something unusual […]
More Than Medicine
Why our health demands a new approach I was told I’d need months of therapy after brain surgery. Instead, I walked out of the hospital just two days later. At 36, I underwent a 14-hour surgery to remove a brain tumor known as an acoustic neuroma. My surgeons expected a long, difficult recovery, but when […]
CDC in Crisis
Kennedy hearing deepens crisis over dismantling of CDC leadership – health scholar explains why the agency’s ability to protect public health is compromised Above photo: Visible bullet holes in the CDC’s venerable building speak volumes of the unfolding crisis. Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images News via Getty Images By Jordan Miller, Arizona State University The Centers for […]
Opening Minds
Illinois weighs psychedelic-assisted therapy in landmark CURE Act Jean Lacy, with her mushroom-decorated button proclaiming “psilocybin saves lives,” has earned a reputation among clerks as the “magic mushroom lady.” In recent years, Lacy has made many trips to Springfield with other advocates to share their stories of healing through psychedelic-assisted therapy. “For the longest time, […]
“How Did This Happen?”
Anger, confusion, and sadness take root in the early days of Weiss Memorial Hospital’s closure Even before Weiss Memorial Hospital administrators locked the front doors on Friday, Aug. 8, the building looked abandoned. Over the months, weeds grew unchecked, blocking exterior signage, climbing the walls below the administration office windows, and lining the sidewalks. “Can […]
Dangerous Air
Wildfires push Chicago air quality to unhealthy levels Chicago experienced some of the worst air quality in the world last week as wildfire smoke from multiple wildfires drifted over the area, prompting health alerts and urging residents to limit outdoor activities. By late Thursday afternoon, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) — the federal government’s […]
Medicaid’s Many Names
Medicaid covers 83 million people in the United States, 44% of whom are children. People living in nursing homes are also commonly on Medicaid. The program covers more than 60% of nursing home residents, 20% of assisted living facility residents, and over half of long-term care facility residents. Yet many Medicaid recipients don’t realize they’re […]
Funding Cuts Outrage
Health and home care workers protest cuts to Medicaid: ‘It’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity’ Rebekah Mahon, an Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services personal assistant and single mother, relies on Medicaid and SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to support herself and her 2-year-old child. Recently, though, she says she lost her SNAP benefits […]
Q&A: Federal Cuts to Medicaid, ACA
University of Chicago professor shares realities of the “Big Beautiful Bill” healthcare impacts Medicaid covers about 83 million people, Medicare about 66 million, and nearly 24 million people are enrolled in Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans. Combined, these programs support nearly half of all Americans. But the recently passed “Big Beautiful Bill” puts them […]