A Review of Differences in Non-Organic Milk vs. Organic Milk
Residues of at least one antibiotic were found in most of the conventional or non-organic milk samples (60%) collected from retail stores across the U.S., while none were detected in any of the organic samples, according to a study published in Public Health Nutrition in 2019. Residues of several currently used pesticides were also detected […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Is an Annual Checkup Really Necessary?
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am a 39-year-old woman and haven’t been to the doctor for many years, other than to get a yearly flu shot. Are there other vaccines or tests I’m missing by not having an annual checkup? Is an annual exam really necessary if I’m not having any health issues? ANSWER: First, let […]
When Is a Heavy Period Too Heavy?
It’s common for girls and their parents to wonder if the bleeding with their periods is too often or too much. Especially in the first few years of having a period, any bleeding can feel like too much. Usually, it’s not — but sometimes it is, and it’s important for parents to know what to […]
What Are Ultra-Processed Foods and Are They Bad for Our Health?
You hear it all the time: the advice to “eat less processed food.” But what is processed food? For that matter, what is minimally processed food or ultra-processed food? And how does processed food affect our health? What are processed and ultra-processed foods? Unprocessed or minimally processed foods are whole foods in which the vitamins […]
Revoking My Corona Pass
Accepting the challenge of the new ‘normal’ What’s the state of your mental health these days? Are you anxious? Depressed? Scared? Angry? Frustrated? Lonely? Or an ever-changing mix of all of the above? Yeah. Me, too. Since mid-March when the coronavirus morphed from a nearly forgettable news headline to an omnipresent malignancy that potentially lurked […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Treating Migraines, Cluster Headache
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What’s the difference between a cluster headache and a migraine? Is there a way to treat severe headaches without prescription medication? ANSWER: There are various differences between cluster and migraine headaches, including how long the headaches last, how often they occur, and the area of the head they affect. Several options are […]
Community Helpers
Providing food, hope, and care during Covid-19 The fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic has created profound economic and health uncertainties for individuals across the Chicago area. It also painfully brought to light just how much inequity and food insecurity exists here. In response, community groups sprang into action, stepping up to help people in their […]
Covid-19’s Toll on Mental Health
The coronavirus pandemic, with all of its stressors, has triggered anxiety, depression, and other disorders When Covid-19 caused businesses to send employees home to work remotely, Ashima Bhayana was relieved. The 32-year-old customer success specialist at a Chicago health tech company had struggled at times to “be around colleagues, to put on a brave face” […]
Vulnerable Adults
These 4 risk factors make older people more prone to Covid-19 complications Shortly after a visit to New York in April, John Troy was diagnosed with Covid-19. Troy, 71, of Skokie, was hospitalized for 12 days due to the illness. “Before they even got the results from my Covid-19 test, they hospitalized me,” he says. […]
Pregnancy in a Pandemic
What to expect when you’re expecting during the coronavirus outbreak Melanie Chervinko was nearing the end of her pregnancy in mid-March, when Covid-19 began escalating in the Chicago area. Soon, she found her plans for labor and delivery upended. “We ended up on lockdown about a week before we went to the hospital,” says the […]
Chicago’s Healthcare Heroes
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] A salute to the inspiring individuals who’ve made a difference during the Covid-19 pandemic Covid-19 may have initially shut down Chicago, but healthcare heroes quickly rose up and sprang into action. They’ve been hard at work ever since. Despite hardships and health risks, they’ve aided patients, guided healthcare teams, researched new therapies, and shown […]
Briefs: Book Beat
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] We asked local physicians for their health-related book recommendations. Here’s what they said. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”17209″ img_size=”medium” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.amazon.com/Curious-Incident-Dog-Night-Time/dp/1400032717″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon “Both heartbreaking and warming, it’s about a boy with a mind differently functioning than most (likely related to the autism spectrum but […]
Briefs: Healing Through a Sri Lankan Feast
When Oak Park resident Mary Anne Mohanraj was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, she felt the urge to tell her children everything she feared she wouldn’t get the chance to, including information about their Sri Lankan heritage. “My husband is white, we live in America, and I worried that unless I made a real […]
Disrupted Progress
When Covid-19 shuttered schools and services, children with special needs were left behind With interruptions to school and socialization, the Covid-19 pandemic has hit millions of American children hard. But for children with special needs, the impact of the pandemic has been especially disruptive. Nearly 20% of children under age 18 in the U.S. have […]
What Parents Need to Know About a Vegan Diet
A vegan diet is made up of only plant-based products — no meat, fish, dairy, or eggs (some people also exclude honey). While these diets are still relatively rare, they are becoming more common. Some families or teens choose them for health reasons, and it’s certainly true that plant-based diets are low in saturated fat […]
Briefs: Prescription Video Game for ADHD
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects about 4 million children ages 6 to 11, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first prescription iPhone and iPad video game for kids ages 8 to 12 with ADHD. The FDA authorized doctors to prescribe Akili Interactive’s EndeavorRX, […]
Briefs: Mushrooms with Benefits
Traditionally used in a side dish or in sauces, mushrooms are due for a promotion to main course. High in protein, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, mushrooms are in many ways a superfood, says Guy Furman, owner and founder of Windy City Mushroom. “Mushrooms are a great supplement, multivitamin-wise, [and come] from an actual food […]
Briefs: Does Vitamin D Impact Covid-19 Death Rates?
Patients from countries with high Covid-19 death rates have lower levels of vitamin D compared to patients in lower-risk countries, according to research from Vadim Backman, professor of biomedical engineering at Northwestern University. In Covid-19 patients, low vitamin D levels also corresponded with an overreactive immune response known as a cytokine storm. “You don’t die […]
Briefs: Circles of Peace During Covid-19
After Covid-19 hit Chicago, the staff at the Union League Boys & Girls Club saw youth mourning life as they knew it. So they created Virtual Peace Circles, an online space to meet with teens and support their mental health. The program brings high schoolers together to reflect on a topic introduced by a facilitator, […]
Making Gyms Safer in the Age of Covid-19
After shutting down in the spring, America’s empty gyms are beckoning a cautious public back for a workout. To reassure wary customers, owners have put in place — and now advertise — a variety of coronavirus control measures. At the same time, the fitness industry is trying to rehabilitate itself by pushing back against what […]
Gasping for Air
With a cascade of effects, Covid-19 can cause lasting lung damage The phone call came Monday morning, but by then, Kevin Keane already knew what he was about to hear. The 67-year-old Northbrook resident barely slept the night before, his sleep constantly disrupted as he struggled to take a deep breath without coughing. His body […]
Cancer and Covid-19
While individuals are at greater risk, treatment and screening must continue Robyn Hawkins is not an anxious person. “But this is a whole different level of worry than I’ve ever had,” she says. For the 38-year-old Arlington Heights resident, “this” refers to undergoing treatment for stage 4 pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer during the coronavirus outbreak, e-schooling two […]
Beware Crooked Contact Tracers, Covid-19 Fraud
As the Covid-19 pandemic spreads to communities throughout the U.S., the epidemic of coronavirus-related fraud continues unabated. What to watch out for: Bogus contact tracers Contact tracers, who are employed by state health departments, are an important tool in controlling the spread of Covid-19. Legitimate tracers may contact you via phone, email, text, or in […]
The Great Unequalizer
Chicago faced severe health inequities long before Covid-19. Whose job is it to solve the problem? It was probably the flu, but Jontay Darko’s grandmother wasn’t going to take risks. She rushed Darko to Mercy Hospital & Medical Center on the Near South Side and pleaded for a doctor to see her. This was the […]
Chaplain Hero: Rev. René Brandt
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital To be in the presence of Rev. René Brandt is to find calm in a storm. A chaplain at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, she counsels patients and teaches student chaplains to provide care for those coping with a life-altering diagnosis or traumatic injury. She claims she’s an introvert, […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Treatment for Vaginal Prolapse Depends on Severity, Symptoms
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What is the best long-term treatment for vaginal prolapse? I am in my late 50s. ANSWER: There are nonsurgical and surgical treatment options for vaginal prolapse, and the treatment that is best usually depends on the severity of the condition and how much the symptoms are bothering you. Surgery often is recommended […]
Mental Health Hero: Kim Nowak
Rogers Behavioral Health After experiencing postpartum anxiety following the birth of her second child, Kim Nowak pursued a career in counseling. Now, as lead therapist at Rogers Behavioral Health, she has called upon that understanding of anxiety to help others cope with the trauma and uncertainties of Covid-19. Anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression have […]
Skilled Nursing Hero: Apsara Rosario
Alden Terrace of McHenry Apsara Rosario, assistant director of nursing at Alden Terrace of McHenry, which provides short-term rehab and skilled nursing services, was 13 when she immigrated to the U.S. from Haiti. After high school, she found herself living in San Diego, a military wife and mother of three. When her family returned to Chicago, […]
Patient Hero: Paul Richard
Advocate Trinity Hospital Paul Richard had such a hard time breathing in April that he felt like he had an elephant sitting on his chest. At the emergency department at Advocate Trinity Hospital in Chicago’s Calumet Heights neighborhood, he tested positive for Covid-19. The Chicago-resident, 69 at the time, vividly remembers the visions he experienced while […]
Emergency Room Hero: Scott Samlan, MD
Mount Sinai Hospital “I deal with gunshots every day, trauma, and crazy stuff, and this is the only thing that scares me,” says Scott Samlan, MD, an emergency room physician at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, describing the toll that Covid-19 had taken on patients and medical providers. Samlan’s impassioned description of conditions in the […]
Research Hero: Richard Novak, MD
University of Illinois at Chicago Covid-19 is not the first pandemic go-around for Richard Novak, MD. For more than 30 years, he has worked closely with HIV-positive patients. Today, as head of infectious diseases at the University of Illinois at Chicago, he has been running several research studies trying to find a drug to treat […]
Nurse Heroes: Linda Michna, RN, and the Old Dolls
Northwestern Memorial Hospital Three decades ago, a group of nurses at Northwestern Memorial Hospital became known as the Old Dolls, even though they were only in their 30s. One of them, critical care nurse Linda Michna, RN, says a male nurse gave them the patronizing moniker when he told new nurses in their early 20s […]
Testing Hero: Greg Bowman, RN
Rush University Medical Center In the early days of the pandemic, Covid-19 testing was sparse in Chicago. When Rush University Medical Center set up its drive-thru testing clinic in mid-March, Greg Bowman, RN, a registered nurse in the neurosurgery department, jumped into action. For four weeks, the Indiana native swabbed hundreds of patients in a […]
Mask Hero: Evelyn Figueroa, MD
Figueroa Wu Family Foundation The day Illinois’ stay-at-home order was announced, Evelyn Figueroa, MD, a family physician and professor of clinical family medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), made a beeline to the craft store. “I ran to Joann [Fabrics], and I basically bought any fabric I thought would be good,” she says. […]
Home Care Hero: BreAnna Kruyer
Right at Home For many residents of long-term care facilities, the coronavirus pandemic has increased their loneliness, anxiety, and fear. Families can’t visit, and residents are confined to their rooms to stop the spread of Covid-19. Trusted caregivers don disguising personal protective equipment from head to toe, which can be scary and confusing for those […]
Public Health Hero: Allison Arwady, MD, MPH
Chicago Department of Public Health Armed with a straightforward attitude and reams of data, Allison Arwady, MD, MPH, answers the public’s coronavirus questions every Tuesday and Thursday during a livestreamed Q&A session. The immediacy of the real-time interactions enables Arwady, commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), to communicate directly with Chicagoans and […]
Food Hero: Kellie O’Connell
Lakeview Pantry When the stay-at-home order went into effect, Lakeview Pantry realized its services would be needed more than ever, but food and social services would have to be delivered in new, socially distanced ways. Thanks to creative thinking, online technology, and the Chicago Cubs, Lakeview Pantry was able to provide food to a population […]
Infectious Disease Hero: Emily Landon, MD
UChicago Medicine Emily Landon, MD, executive medical director of infection prevention and control at UChicago Medicine, started out as a voice major at Augustana College in Rock Island until she realized that practicing music alone in a studio wasn’t how she wanted to spend her life. “I decided in college that I didn’t want to be a […]
State Hero: Ngozi Ezike, MD
Illinois Department of Public Health From early on, Ngozi Ezike, MD, seemed destined to be a doctor. Her father, an immigrant from Nigeria who settled in Los Angeles, dreamed his firstborn would become a physician. Ezike realized that aspiration, going into medicine and eventually becoming director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). Ezike thrived […]
Community Hero: Pastor Chris Harris
Bright Star Community Outreach When Covid-19 first appeared in Chicago, Pastor Chris Harris suspected it would hit his community on the South Side hard. “Historically, whenever other communities get a cold, it’s like stage 4 cancer to the Black community because of health disparities and lack of access or affordability of healthcare,” says Harris, who is pastor of Bronzeville’s Bright Star Church […]
Paramedic Hero: Norah Power
ATI Ambulance Norah Power has worked in various emergency medical services (EMS) roles — from leadership to education — for nearly 30 years. As a critical care paramedic with ATI Ambulance and as the company’s chief diversity officer, Power has also taught at Malcolm X College for the past 12 years, mentoring the new generation […]
7 Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Anxiety
One-third of Americans will experience prolonged anxiety at some point in their lives, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. While treatment once largely focused on medication and therapy, research suggests food and nutrients should play a role too. This is because inflammation is often a root cause or underlying contributor to anxiety. Chronic […]
Plants as Health Heroes
Add color and nutrients to your plate with whole veggies and fruits There’s no doubt that what you eat and drink on a regular basis affects your health. When it comes to keeping you healthy, plant foods shine as superheroes. Research shows that eating more plant foods — such as whole vegetables and fruits, whole grains, […]
A Food Superhero: Black Beans
Photo by Kyle Edwards Black beans should be considered a hero in your pantry. Though small in size, they’re mighty in nutrition. A one-cup serving of black beans contains only 227 calories and a whopping 15 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein. That’s 60% of your daily recommended intake of fiber and roughly […]
Walk it Off
Step outside for a daily dose of fitness Better fitness might just start with lacing up your sneakers and heading out for a walk. This easy-to-do exercise strengthens almost every major organ in the body, promotes optimal bone density, and boosts the immune system. Plus, it’s free, fun, and simple to do outside — even […]
A Secondary Healthcare Crisis?
Backlog of orthopedic surgeries due to Covid-19 may have long-lasting effects When the Covid-19 pandemic began to pick up speed in the U.S. in March 2020, Chicago seemed to turn upside down. In a matter of mere days, hospitals greatly decreased their operating capacity to respond to the corona-virus threat. But the decrease in surgeries […]
The Heart of Covid-19
The coronavirus can take a harmful toll on the cardiovascular system Diane Weibeler didn’t give much thought to the headache she developed one spring weekend. Two days later, though, when she suddenly lost her sense of taste and smell, Weibeler realized she might have Covid-19. A positive Covid-19 test confirmed her suspicion. As a nurse […]
It’s Not You, It’s All of Us
Should we cancel it? I think we should cancel it.” I agreed with my wife. It was March 11. Our son’s second birthday party was scheduled to happen in three days. But the majority of attendees were grandparents, and Covid-19 was picking up steam. Katie was right to suggest we cancel the birthday party. The […]
When Given the Chance, Did You Shift?
I am chronically a glass-half-full kind of girl. So, I received the Covid-19 shutdown as the answer to my years-old prayers for spacious time to reset, sleep, and choose new. Choose, I did. Eagerly, I RSVPed into the never-before and always-dreamed. And, oh was I satisfied! So when did I release my bliss and begin […]
Op-Ed: Broken Safety Net Leaves Patients Stranded in Emergency Department
Chicago Health is committed to publishing a diversity of opinions. The opinions expressed in this op-ed article are the author’s own. If you were to recently set foot in our moderate-sized, urban community emergency department (ED), you might notice a pale, awkward, endearingly giggly teenage boy sitting next to the nursing station. He may have […]
