Rare syndrome causes overly flexible joints, fragile skin
Mayo Clinic Q&A DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I was recently diagnosed with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. My doctor said there’s no cure, and that it’s genetic. What can be done to treat this? I have two young children. Should they be tested for it? ANSWER: Although it’s true that there is no cure for Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, physical […]
Calcium is crucial for long-term bone health
Mayo Clinic Q&A DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Should all postmenopausal women take calcium supplements to prevent osteoporosis, or are there other things I can do to prevent it? Also, I know caffeine is bad for bone health, but can eating a high-protein diet also hurt my bones? ANSWER: Calcium is crucial for long-term bone health. A […]
De-stress your life
How stressed-out are we? Consider this: In some cities, “rage rooms,” sometimes known as anger rooms, allow customers who are fed up with work, politics or the stress of everyday life to smash old furniture, TVs, dishes and other breakable items. At the Anger Room in Dallas, prices range from $25 for five minutes of […]
Beyond Opioids: New guidelines offer safest ways to control pain
In the past, if you had minor surgery or an injury your doctor would often prescribe an opioid pain killer to ease your discomfort. But, that is less likely under new guidelines for physicians. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released the first federal opioid prescription guidelines. They are written for primary […]
POLST Orders Help Patients Advocate for Their End-of-Life Care
My grandfather did not want to die. From hospital to home, back to hospital and finally to hospice, he angrily fought against the realities of the cancer that would eventually end his life. Many years before his battle with cancer, I remember sitting in the car with him, discussing assisted deaths. I was home for […]
What can you do when your child has a cold?
The Kid’s Doctor By Sue Hubbard, M.D. Although it is just getting really cold across the country, it feels as if we have been in full cold and cough season for a while. The office sounds like what I call “kennel cough,” as every child seems to be coughing; even those who are just coming […]
Healthy lifestyle choices can slow the rise of pancreatic cancer
The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts Q: I recently heard about two friends diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. And I seem to be reading about more celebrities with the disease. Is it becoming more prominent? Is there a screening test? A: It occurs slightly more often in men compared to women. Although pancreatic cancer accounts […]
How much artificial trans fat is still in our food?
Harvard Health Blog I felt guilty. I looked like any other health-conscious customer in the grocery store, perusing Nutrition Facts labels. But I was really there to hunt down a dangerous ingredient on store shelves called artificial trans fat. It’s the worst type of fat in our food supply — so bad, in fact, […]
Five natural ways to fight constipation
Environmental Nutrition Americans spend nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars a year trying to deal with constipation. It’s a side effect of certain drugs, a complication of some medical conditions, and a common complaint of aging, but constipation can also be caused by dehydration, a low-fiber diet and/or a sedentary lifestyle. Here’s what you […]
Is the “valentine” pheromone real or a myth?
The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts Q: I haven’t yet picked a Valentine’s Day gift for my girlfriend. I was thinking about a pheromone-containing perfume. Do they really work? A: Experts don’t agree on whether pheromones exist in humans, and whether they influence our behavior. However, it has been documented that some animals […]
Women who start menstruation, menopause later more likely to live to 90
The number of women living to age 90 in the United States has increased significantly in the past century. Currently estimated at 1.3 million, this demographic is expected to quadruple by 2050. A new study by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found that women who start menstruation and experience menopause […]
Low Risk of Staph Infection from Pets
The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts Q: I have been taking care of my brother’s dog while he was hospitalized to treat an infection in his leg. I just found out it was MRSA. What is MRSA? Could the dog be infected and pass it to me? A: MRSA is short for methicillin resistant […]
Get eczema relief with simple home remedies
The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts Q: What is eczema? Are there home remedies that I can use to help my skin? A: Eczema refers to several conditions that share a pattern of changes in the surface of the skin. It’s the most common cause of skin inflammation. There are many types of eczema, […]
When a cough just won’t go away
Harvard Health Blog Who has never had a cough? I bet no one can raise their hand. We see this in clinic all the time. But chronic cough — one that lasts at least eight weeks — can be hard for patients to deal with and difficult for doctors to figure out. In the October […]
Eating resolutions to keep, ditch
Many of us vow to get healthier as a New Year’s resolution, but if you’re trying to do so by completely overhauling your lifestyle, you’re probably setting yourself up to fail. Instead, try making resolutions you can actually stick to — and ditching those that are unattainable. Here’s help! Three resolutions to make 1. Eat […]
Good hearing essential to physical and emotional well-being
Harvard Health Blog For many years, it was clear that my father was becoming hard of hearing. Normally gregarious and the life of the party, he became increasingly withdrawn because he couldn’t hear well enough to partake in conversations around the table. He began to walk with a shuffling gait. He was declining in front […]
Reverse fatty liver with exercise and diet
The Medicine Cabinet: Ask the Harvard Experts Q: I recently had an ultrasound that showed a fatty liver. What causes this? Is it dangerous? A: The largest organ inside your body, your liver performs hundreds of vital functions. It converts food into fuel, processes cholesterol, clears harmful toxins from the blood, and makes proteins that […]
Brain science suggests ‘mind wandering’ can help manage anxiety
Harvard Health Blog When we think of anxiety disorders, we generally think of them as uncomfortable emotional responses to threat. These responses may include symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling or absolute paralysis. While there is nothing inherently wrong in thinking about anxiety this way, a recent study pointed out that there […]
Four cancer myths busted
Environmental Nutrition About a third of America’s most common cancers can be prevented through healthy eating, regular physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research. But the wide range of cancer myths can make it hard to figure out what those healthy eating choices involve. EN addresses top […]
Parents: How smart are you about antibiotics?
Harvard Health Blog Out of all the visits children make to health care providers, 1 in 5 result in a prescription for antibiotics. That’s about 50 million prescriptions a year. But here’s the worrisome part: 10 million of those prescriptions are for respiratory illnesses that antibiotics aren’t likely to help. Basically, 1 in 5 of […]
Children Exposed to Pesticides Have Increased Risk of Blood Cancers, Study Says
Pesticides seem necessary to keep the home free from ants, cockroaches and other insects, but the toxic chemicals may do more harm than good. A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics reports that youngsters exposed to a chronic, low level of residential insecticides may have an increased risk of developing childhood blood cancers. Researchers […]
Low Testosterone Can Cause Declines Throughout the Body
Our bodies are complex centers of communication. And testosterone is a hormone with a lot to say. Almost every tissue in a man’s body has testosterone receptors, says Laurence A. Levine, MD, a urologist and professor of urology at Rush University Medical Center. That means that testosterone has some say in what goes on in […]
Finding Relief for Chronic Migraines
Marie Syzdek, 54, grew up thinking that migraines were a normal part of life. Ever since she was a teenager, Syzdek suffered from migraines—a constant low-grade headache, that peaked several times a week into a painful, throbbing, full-blown attack. When she got married and had children, her family often would find her lying on the […]
A Deadly Skin Cancer, Melanoma Can Spread Throughout Body
What makes melanoma more dangerous than other forms of skin cancer? Unlike basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma is considerably more likely to spread throughout the body, experts explain. While all forms of skin cancer are harmful, melanoma’s potential to travel to the lungs, liver, bones and brain is particularly dangerous and potentially […]
Camp Courage Comforts Children Who Have Lost Loved Ones
Joanna Bodigor was only six years old in the spring of 2000 when her father died of a pulmonary embolism. “It was so sudden and unexpected, and since I was so young, it was difficult for me to understand what was truly happening,” she recalls. “I just remember wondering why everyone was shaking at the […]
Be the Death of Me
Heroin deaths are rising as state-funded treatment falls in Illinois August 29, 2015 Nick Gore is sick. It’s like the flu, multiplied. His stomach is near eruption. Muscles and bones ache deeply. Tears stream down the 27-year-old’s face. He’s sneezing, dizzy, light-headed. Traffic on I-290 only makes it worse, as he drives the daily (or […]
Sleep Deprivation Can Lead to Excess Snacking
Tired and hungry? Sleep deprivation may be contributing to your junk food cravings. Sleep is more than just a time to rest your eyes; it’s vital to your overall health and wellness—even your waistline. Studies have shown that being sleep-starved can lead to overeating. A recent University of Chicago study, published in the journal SLEEP, […]
Recognizing the Special Talents of People on the Autism Spectrum
Pictured above: Theater production of “Cats” by Artful Impact Rachel Gossan, a board-certified behavior analyst at North Shore Pediatric Therapy, has had some remarkable patients. She remembers an 8-year-old who could do lightning-fast calculations of large numbers in his head and come up with the correct answer. She recalls a teen who would ask people […]
Dizzy Spell? It Could Be Vertigo
Being dizzy can put you in a tizzy. You might feel woozy after Pilates or unsteady on your feet when you suddenly stand up. The world might feel like it’s whirling around you, making you feel nauseated and cause you to vomit. The symptoms may seem scary, but medical specialists know how to track down […]
Eye Spy
Looking into your eyes can reveal chronic health conditions Some time ago in high school, I accompanied my father for his yearly eye exam. It was mostly unremarkable, as I’m sure most teenagers find routine eye exams to be, but one moment stands out. “I can see you’ve had a history of high cholesterol,” said […]
Mary Wood Molo, MD
At the Center for Reproductive Care, our mission is to provide you the best opportunity to create the family you dreamed of. Each patient is different and we do our best – using advanced science – to understand the unique circumstances of each patient and develop an individualized treatment plan suited to a patient’s needs.
The Scoop on the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans
For good health, the emphasis is on establishing healthy eating patterns rather than focusing on individual nutrients, according to the new 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), the federal government’s evidence-based nutritional and dietary recommendations. The guidelines, released in early January, emphasize the fact that your food choices can affect your risk for chronic diseases […]
Second City Improv Class Helps Those with Social Anxiety
The Second City Training Center. Photo by Kirsten Miccoli Kat Bovbjerg recognized that she was suffering from social anxiety when she was a junior studying psychology at the University of Chicago. “My pulse would start racing; I’d get a little bit clammy; I’d get stuck inside my head and feel disconnected from everyone and from […]
Bugs That Just Say No
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are spreading steadily Antibiotics have dramatically changed human health, effectively treating once-menacing infections. Unfortunately, in many instances, we have been overexposed to these drugs, weakening their impact and creating an epidemic of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.“The development of antibiotics was one of the greatest advances in human medicine,” says Sameer Patel, MD, MPH, an infectious disease specialist […]
Drug Prices In Flight
Cost of prescription drug$$$ The skyrocketing price of prescription drugs has been the subject of presidential debates and the scorn of patients across the country. Costs continue to rise for a host of reasons, including competition and consolidation among drugmakers. Also, as some companies have bought up old drugs, they have raised prices. Such was the […]
Needles in the Cornfields
Heroin deaths are rising as state-funded treatment falls in Illinois Nick Gore is sick. It’s like the flu, multiplied. His stomach is near eruption. Muscles and bones ache deeply. Tears stream down the 27-year-old’s face. He’s sneezing, dizzy, light-headed. Traffic on I-290 only makes it worse, as he drives the daily (or more) 30-mile trip […]
A Medication Vacation
Should you leave room in the suitcase for your child’s ADHD meds? It wasn’t until her son Francisco turned 3 that Chicago resident Maggi Steib began noticing behavior issues. “He was impulsive,” she remembers. “If it was time to put blocks away, he would start throwing the blocks instead.” Francisco’s behavior grew worse as he grew older. He […]
The Need For Addiction Medicine
At age 13, Michael* started drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. “A lot of my friends who were already in high school had been experimenting, but it wasn’t peer pressure for me; it was just curiosity,” he says. “I noticed that it helped me with my social anxiety because it was easier to talk to people and make […]
In Brief
Don’t Just Stand There; Move! We’ve long known that sitting all day is bad for our health. But since most of us can’t escape the cubicle farms and the sit-down culture they’ve created, we’ve instead turned to standing desks. And while standing is much better for us than sitting, it should not be mistaken as […]
Years of good blood sugar control helps diabetic hearts
Day in and day out, for years on end, millions of people with diabetes prick their fingers to test their blood sugar level. And many may wonder if all the careful eating, exercise and medication it takes to keep those levels under control is really worth it. A recent study should encourage them to keep […]
Getting By: Private Patient Advocates Help Navigate Care
Private patient advocates act as personal assistants, navigating care “Healthcare is complicated,” says Dan Polk, MD, neonatal physician turned private patient advocate. “It’s difficult because there is a lot of information that needs to be processed by people who don’t deal with medical stuff on a daily basis.” While Polk is referring to babies when […]
The Future of Medicine Is Spelled Y-O-U
Photo above: Mark Dunnenberger, PharmD. Courtesy of Jonathan Hillenbrand, Media Production and Photography, NorthShore University HealthSystem Genetic testing drives decision-making in personalized medicine The future of medicine is personalized. Personalized medicine uses information about a patient’s genetics, lifestyle and environment to manage his or her healthcare. From genetic testing to determining which drugs work best, this approach […]
The Science of Sciatica Pain
A few years ago, I suffered from a herniated disc. The pain in my lower back was horrible, misery-inducing and relentless. And then the sciatica started. A pulsing shot of pain traveled down the back of my leg. I couldn’t sit comfortably. I couldn’t stand comfortably. The sciatica only lasted one week—compared to the years it took for […]
Home Grown: Growing Cartilage for Knee Repair
Increased innovation in growing cartilage is slowly changing knee repair Our knees are undoubtedly the most important joints in the human body. They connect the upper and lower leg together and make it possible to bend and rotate our legs, allowing agility, mobility and functionality. They also happen to be the body’s largest joint, if […]
Care Quandary: Quality Rating Systems Can Help You Make the Best Decisions
When your aging parent or loved one starts forgetting to take medications, lets unopened bills pile up, becomes agitated or aggressive, has trouble driving and struggles getting up and down the stairs, they’re showing some of the telltale signs that it’s time to start looking for a health and rehabilitation community (HRC). For many of us, […]
Defending Yourself Against Ovarian Cancer, The Silent Killer
When Angelina Jolie Pitt had a double mastectomy in 2013 to prevent breast cancer, Chicagoan Carolyn Kirschner, MD, watched with concern. “I was like, ‘Angelina, when are you going to have your ovaries out?’ Because actually that’s a more scary problem.” Kirschner, a gynecologic oncologist with NorthShore University HealthSystem, knows too well the risks of […]
Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
The social and cognitive importance of hearing well Our hearing, they say, is the first thing to go as we age. And it seems to be something we don’t care much about. “Typically, people think, ‘Oh, Grandma can’t hear. She needs a hearing aid, but she’s stubborn and won’t get one. So be it,’” says […]
Young and Transgender
Supporting youth to be their true selves You think of Caitlyn Jenner in a white corset on the cover of Vanity Fair or Laverne Cox’s struggles with one of her on-screen inmates in the Netflix hit series Orange Is the New Black. The problem is that the vast majority of Americans do not personally know, […]
Go with Your Gut
The bacteria within us can affect everything from food allergies to autoimmune disease Within us, there is a world of microorganisms; a biome of bacteria. For every cell in the human body, there are about 10 nonhuman cells. Which is to say that we are about 90 percent bacteria. The 100 trillion bacteria living within […]
Mobile Care Chicago: Hitting the Road for Health
Photo above: Courtesy of Mobile Care Chicago Healthcare in a van? Many low-income children and families in Chicago get just that—high-quality, no-cost medical care through mobile clinics on wheels. For the city’s families in need, healthcare is not as easy as a call to a regular pediatrician. Mobile Care Chicago reaches kids who otherwise might […]