Learn more

Read more about cancer care on the OSF HealthCare website. Cancer care at OSF includes local cancer centers, like the one in Alton, Illinois, where Dr. Sandhu practices, and the OSF Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois, for people who need a higher level of care.

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On Thursday, September 24, Archbishop Fulton Sheen was officially beatified, and is now recognized as Blessed Fulton Sheen, marking an important next step towards canonization as a saint.

The celebration also has a direct connection to OSF HealthCare. The miracle recognized by the Catholic Church for Sheen’s beatification involves a newborn boy who was stillborn, whose heart began beating after 61 minutes. He revived and received care at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois.

James Fulton Engstrom was born in 2010. After his birth, his family and others prayed, asking for Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s intercession.

Now a teenager, Engstrom was in St. Louis for Sheen’s beatification. In a full-circle moment, he walked toward the altar with his family during the Beatification Mass, carrying a vessel containing relics of Sheen.

In 2019, then-Pope Francis approved the miracle attributed to Sheen’s intercession, clearing a major requirement for his beatification. Seven years later, Sheen has officially been declared Blessed.

Thousands of Catholic clergy, seminarians and religious attended and participated in the Beatification Mass. Thousands of individuals witnessed the beatification as well.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, presided as Pope Leo XIV’s representative at the Mass, held at The Dome at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis.

During the ceremony, the Most Reverend Bishop Louis Tylka of the Catholic Diocese of Peoria formally requested the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen. After a brief biography of Sheen was read, Cardinal Tagle read an apostolic letter from Pope Leo XIV in Latin, with Bishop Tylka reading it in English. The letter formally declared Sheen “Blessed.”

Pope Leo, a Chicago native, grew up watching Archbishop Sheen on television. While Sheen was born in El Paso, Illinois, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria in 1919. He later became one of the most recognizable Catholic figures in American media. His television program, “Life Is Worth Living,” reached up to 30 million viewers per week during the 1950s.

Bishop Tylka oversaw the official cause for canonization and beatification. He reflects on Sheen’s mission.

"His desire was to save souls. He was the convert-maker, whether it was the person of notoriety or fame, as well as the person on the street," Bishop Tylka says.

Millions of people around the world have been impacted by Fulton Sheen, including Michele Konecki of Metamora, Illinois, just outside of Peoria. Konecki volunteers at Fulton Sheen’s tomb at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Peoria, as well as with the pastoral care staff at OSF HealthCare, visiting people receiving care at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center.

"Because I've been active in the cause for the beatification, this is kind of putting the cherry on top," Konecki says. "Because I have been praying for the beatification and spending time with him at the tomb, it's very important to me."

Konecki attributes an important moment in her life to Fulton Sheen.

"He says in his book Treasures of Clay, ‘what do you do for your church? And what do you do with the talents that God gave you?’ Right after that I met someone that was related to Fulton Sheen, like 30 minutes after that conversation I had in my car,” Konecki says. “It was almost a sign that he heard me, and that pushed me forward to what I'm doing."

Monsignor Jason Gray, also with the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, is the executive director for the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation. He says while Sheen’s messages were broadcast nearly 80 years ago, they remain relevant today.

“Young people who were not alive when he was on television are discovering him now," Monsignor Gray says. “He really left a legacy we can be proud of. He came from this local territory and went to serve the Church throughout the United States and throughout the world.”

Bishop Tylka agrees, stressing that Sheen asked an important question that should still be considered today.

"He asked a question, 'Quo Vadis America?' Which means 'where are we going, America?' His reach was to all homes that were willing to turn on the TV and tune in to him," says Bishop Tylka. "He had a significant following, but not just among Catholics. Protestants and those of the Jewish faith (followed him), and he just spoke to the world."

Monsignor Gray notes Sheen’s missionary work as an inspiration to all.

"Archbishop Fulton Sheen had some personal stories that were really fantastic. For example, he would look after leper colonies, that was part of his missionary work," Monsignor Gray says. "He talked about a time that he was distributing little crosses, and he would actually go and touch their hands. Because it's important to practice the virtues like charity, but to do so in practice, it's not just something you talk about, you actually have to do that."

While the Beatification Mass began before 2 p.m. at The Dome, the celebration started hours earlier, with thousands of people lining up to get inside. Visitors could participate in Eucharistic adoration and confession and walk through the Sheen Expo, which featured Catholic ministries and organizations, including OSF HealthCare.

The celebration now returns to Peoria with more events are scheduled Friday and Saturday, including Masses of Thanksgiving, a festival, the Sheen Awards Gala and other celebrations honoring Blessed Fulton Sheen.

Beatification leaves Sheen one step from sainthood. Canonization ordinarily requires the Catholic Church to recognize another miracle attributed to Sheen’s intercession following his beatification.

Bishop Tylka says multiple potential miracles are being considered and hopes to have more information to share in the near future.

The Most Reverend Bishop Lou Tylka Video Interview Clips

Monsignor Jason Gray Video Interview Clips

Video Interview Clips | Michele Konecki

Beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen B-Roll

Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis walking to Beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen B-Roll

If you went to the movie theater this summer and caught the block-buster “Toy Story 5,” you learned that real-life parents aren’t the only ones worried about kids and too much screen time.

In the movie, eight-year-old Bonnie struggles to make friends because most of the kids she meets would rather spend time on their digital devices rather than go out and play.

But when her parents buy her a Lilypad, a frog-shaped tablet that comes alive, it’s Bonnie that becomes hooked on screen time, leaving Jessie and the rest of the toys begging for Bonnie’s attention.

“Toy Story 5” addresses real-world parenting struggles, such as isolation caused by devices and pressure to give children devices that will help them fit in with their friends.

Chasity Caperton, MD, a pediatrician with OSF HealthCare, says the movie’s central conflict is sure to resonate with most parents.

“I love it. I love that they're bringing this topic forward,” she says. “It's given the parents an avenue to be able to discuss this with their children in a non-confrontational way. I think it's needed. It shows that screens are pervasive in society, and this film just drives that point home.”

Let’s face it. Screens are available everywhere. That includes phones, tablets, TVs, computers, games, even AI tools that have shaped how kids play, learn and connect with others.

“I'm very concerned, and it's not simply a question of the hours of screen time,” says Dr. Caperton. “It's what is that screen time replacing. Is it replacing interaction with their parents? Is it replacing interaction with their friends, imaginative play, or any physical activity or sleep that they may need? All these things are essential for the development of a child.”

New guidelines

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated their guidelines in early 2026, coming up with a new way of viewing screen time for kids. Rather than using strict time limits, AAP recommends a more balanced approach that considers the entire digital environment, which includes the many tech tools and platforms that kids use daily.

Dr. Caperton says the new shift is looking at how the technology is designed and figuring out if it affects learning, sleep, amount of physical activity – basically how it affects a child’s life. It’s a conversation she has often with parents.

“The things that I ask are, ‘are they using it?’ The answer is always yes, typically. The next thing is: ‘Do they use social media? Do they game? Are there parental controls?’ And then the last thing that I ask is: ‘Is this starting to interfere with the child's sleep? Are they having behavior issues that the parents think can be related to this screen time? And how is it impacting their education?’”

Dr. Caperton says screen time in moderation is fine. In fact, it’s necessary for children to become comfortable with technology overall.

Know your limits

But there are limits. Dr. Caperton says all tech devices should be turned off one hour before bedtime, or don’t keep them in the bedroom at all. Excessive screen time has been linked to increased irritability, anxiety and attention deficiencies in children. She adds one caveat – it depends on the content and the individual child.

Spoiler alert here in case you haven’t seen “Toy Story 5.” Bonnie doesn’t stop using her Lilypad in the movie. Instead, she learns there is enough room in her life for both friends and devices.

While there is plenty of debate about whether the movie nailed the messaging, Dr. Caperton says there are enough teaching moments that parents can share with their kids once the houselights come up.

“They can start off by asking their child, ‘"What did you notice about Bonnie's behavior? How did it change throughout the movie?’ They can also discuss the peer pressure that's involved with using [devices] because that's also demonstrated in the movie.”

Dr. Caperton encourages every family to come up with one change in screen time they can incorporate within their household. One example – put away phones during dinner.

It might seem like a small change, but it’s a good start. 
 

Interview Clips

Vaccines are something many people associate with childhood: a series of shots following a schedule that gradually becomes less demanding. But adulthood comes with its own list of recommended immunizations, and keeping track of them can be surprisingly difficult.

That is why doctors often use annual physicals and preventive visits to review a person’s vaccination history and determine what vaccines are due.

Vaccine schedules can be pretty confusing. Talha Khan, MD, a family medicine physician for OSF HealthCare, says one way to simplify them is to think about vaccines in two groups.

“The first part is vaccines that are due for all age groups. So, things like the flu shot, the tetanus vaccine or the COVID-19 booster. The second part involves vaccines that are triggered by certain age requirements. So, things like the shingles vaccine, which is after age 50, or the pneumonia or pneumococcal vaccine, which is typically after age 65."

Dr. Khan says The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC’s) adult schedule also recommends considering a patient's age, health conditions, pregnancy status, occupation and vaccination history when determining which vaccines are appropriate.

“Depending on if you have a weakened immune system or if you have a bunch of chronic conditions, such as asthma, COPD or diabetes, you may be eligible to get certain vaccines earlier.”

Can’t remember which vaccines you have received? Don't assume you are out of options.

Doctors can search existing medical records or request records from previous providers. For some diseases, blood tests known as antibody titers can help determine whether a person has immunity. When documentation is unavailable and no reliable test can establish immunity, clinicians may recommend catch-up vaccination rather than leaving someone unprotected.

"Most vaccines don't have an age cutoff," Dr. Khan points out. "If you ever didn't finish a vaccine series or missed a dose here and there, then we can always do some catch-up vaccines to make sure that person is immune.”

Here is a look at several vaccines adults may need to think about.

Flu: More than just a bad cold

Influenza vaccination is recommended every year because the viruses circulating from one flu season to another change, and protection decreases over time. The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccination for adults, with certain formulations preferred for people 65 and older.

Dr. Khan emphasizes that a flu shot does not guarantee that someone will never become infected.

“And some people will also mention ‘I got the flu vaccine but then I got the flu later on.’” Dr. Khan says, “It’s still possible to catch the flu because there are different strains of the flu. But typically, the extra layer of protection the vaccine offers will ensure you have a milder case of the flu.”

Another common misconception is that experiencing aches, fatigue or a low-grade fever after vaccination means someone has caught the flu from the shot. Those reactions can occur as a side-effect after vaccination and generally resolve within a few days.

COVID-19: Still part of vaccine conversation

COVID-19 may no longer dominate daily life the way it did years ago in the pandemic, but the virus continues to circulate, and vaccination remains part of the adult immunization schedule.

Current CDC guidance calls for COVID-19 vaccination according to age and health status, with recommendations subject to change as the vaccine formulation and public-health guidance are updated.

For people receiving both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, getting them during the same visit is an option. CDC guidance permits multiple vaccines to be administered during the same visit, and Dr. Khan suggests combining the appointments can be a practical way to avoid putting off one of the vaccines.

The goal is to enter respiratory illness season with protection against both viruses rather than treating vaccination as something to get around only after illness begins circulating.

Shingles: Two doses to help prevent a painful infection

For most adults, the shingles vaccine becomes an important consideration at age 50. The recombinant zoster vaccine, commonly known by the brand name Shingrix, is administered as a two-dose series. It is also recommended for certain adults with weakened immune systems at younger ages. It is also a vaccination that once you’ve received the shots, you have immunity for life.

Shingles occurs when the virus that causes chickenpox, which remains dormant in the body after the initial infection, becomes reactivated. It can cause a painful rash and nerve pain that may persist after the rash disappears.

The illness can also affect areas such as the eye, where complications can be particularly affected. Dr. Khan describes the choice as a tradeoff between a temporary inconvenience and the possibility of a painful infection.

HPV: A vaccine that helps prevent cancer

The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is commonly associated with sexual transmission, but the reason doctors recommend vaccination well before most people become sexually active is cancer prevention.

HPV infection can cause several types of cancer, including cervical, anal, penile and certain cancers of the mouth and throat. The CDC routinely recommends HPV vaccination through age 26 for people who were not adequately vaccinated earlier; adults ages 27 through 45 might also consider vaccination based on a discussion with a health care professional.

The vaccine can be started as early as age nine. When vaccination begins before the 15th birthday, the routine series generally requires two doses; people who begin later generally need three.

MMR: Don't assume childhood records are complete

The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Because the vaccine is routinely administered in childhood, adults may not remember whether they received the recommended doses.

For people without documentation of vaccination or evidence of immunity, clinicians can review medical records or, in appropriate circumstances, order antibody testing to look for evidence of immunity. Measles is a serious, highly contagious disease caused by a virus. The virus is spread easily through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or by direct contact with infected nose or throat secretions.

Illinois has 22 documented cases, and Michigan has 16 cases for 2026 at publication time. Dr. Khan highly encourages adults who are unsure of their vaccination status to check and get vaccinated.

“It’s definitely something that is preventable. It’s definitely something that can have long-term complications and even lead to death. If we can prevent it, then why not?” Dr. Khan stresses, “It’s only a two-dose series. If you missed it when you were younger, there’s no age cutoff. You can get it as an adult with the catch-up vaccines.”

Tetanus: The vaccine adults commonly forget

The tetanus vaccine is one of the easiest adult vaccines to overlook because it is not administered every year.

Adults generally receive a Tdap dose if they have not previously received one as an adult, followed by Td or Tdap boosters every 10 years. Tetanus vaccination can also become relevant when someone has certain wounds, and Tdap is recommended during each pregnancy.

RSV: Important for infants and older adults

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, can cause mild illness in many people but can become serious in infants and older adults. CDC guidance identifies RSV as a major cause of hospitalization among infants and recommends immunization strategies for infants, pregnant women and for adults 75 and older and for adults ages 50 through 74 who are at increased risk of severe RSV. People who have already received an RSV vaccine generally should not receive another dose at this time.

For babies, the terminology can be confusing because the protection may come either from a maternal vaccine or from an antibody administered directly to the infant. CDC recommends that most babies receive one of those two forms of protection, rather than both.

Pregnant women can receive Pfizer's RSV vaccine during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy during the recommended seasonal window in most of the continental United States. Alternatively, an eligible infant can receive a long-acting RSV antibody after birth.

For infants born during the RSV season, the CDC says the antibody can be administered during the baby's first week of life, ideally during the birth hospitalization, when indicated.

Hepatitis A and B: Two different vaccines

Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are viral infections that affect the liver, but vaccination recommendations for the two are different.

Hepatitis A vaccination is generally targeted toward people with particular risk factors, including certain travelers and others at increased risk of infection. Hepatitis B vaccination is much more broadly recommended. It is routinely given during childhood, but adults who were not vaccinated or did not complete the series can receive catch-up vaccination.

Hepatitis B can sometimes be cleared by the body's immune system, but chronic infection can cause serious liver disease.

For adults unsure whether they received hepatitis B vaccination, reviewing records is a good starting point. Depending on the circumstances, blood testing can also help determine whether you are protected or not.

A preventive visit or annual exam can be an opportunity to plan, identify which vaccines are most appropriate and schedule additional doses when necessary. For adults, staying protected is an ongoing part of preventive health care.

Dr. Talha Khan is a family medicine physician for OSF HealthCare in Bloomington, Illinois.

Video clips of Dr. Talha Kahn

B-roll-Vaccination

The Parvovirus vaccine is common and recommended for all dogs, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

What is Parvovirus?

It’s nothing new, says Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare.

“It's a seasonal viral infection and it's spread by respiratory droplets," according to Dr. Kasper. “The majority of people will be exposed in childhood. Daycares, schools and any setting where you have kids together, touching each other and common equipment, you'll see Parvovirus spread.”

Symptoms and treatments

The main symptom is a rash that appears on the cheek, referred to as “slapped cheek rash.”

"Right now, we're seeing an increase in Parvovirus cases, but there is some bias to that. We don't routinely check kids for Parvovirus because it's a self-limiting illness. Some kids will get a rash, some will get a fever or not feel well for a bit of time," Dr. Kasper says. “But it usually resolves within a week, and it resolves with supportive care like hydration, sleep and maybe some Tylenol.”

The treatment of parvovirus lands in the realm of common sense. Monitor yourself and your child’s symptoms, wash your hands and stay home when sick. With the virus spread through respiratory droplets, sanitizing commonly touched surfaces is a good idea.

Who is most at risk?

The greatest risk concern is for pregnant women, because mothers can pass parvovirus to the fetus.

"There can be, especially in the first trimester, associated risks with the fetus that would require monitoring with ultrasounds to see if there is a severe infection. There are also older populations that are immunocompromised, specifically those with sickle cell anemia, where Parvovirus can cause problems with anemias or blood cell lines,” Dr. Kasper says.

Parvovirus and dogs

While the human and canine strains of parvovirus are different, Dr. Kasper says viral infections can come from pets, and that’s not limited to just the parvovirus. But he says he’s not worried about the transfer of the virus from dogs to people, because the parvovirus can’t actively change between the two.

Video Interview Clips

Author's note: this is part two of a two part story on rehab in cancer survivors. Click here for part one.


Cancer treatment can be taxing enough. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, port management – they’re all possibilities.

But your treatment plan could also send you to physical, occupational or speech therapy. OSF HealthCare physical therapists Kelly Bogowith and Susan Young are shedding some light on what to expect.

Conditions associated with cancer that could require therapy include lymphedema, pelvic floor dysfunction, neuropathy and fatigue. Bogowith and Young outline some symptoms and which symptoms warrant a call to which therapist.

Physical therapy

Cancer survivors should talk to a physical therapist if they’re experiencing:

·         Joint pain, especially in the neck, shoulders and back

·         Difficulty getting around due to being out of shape

·         Swelling in the arms, legs, breasts or torso, a sign of lymphedema

·         Constipation or incontinence, signs of pelvic floor dysfunction

·         Tingling, numbness, weakness or pain in your hands or feet, signs of neuropathy

·         Tiredness that is more frequent, intense or lasts longer than normal, signs of cancer-related fatigue

Occupational therapy

·         Vision issues

·         Dizziness or lack of balance

·         Problems completing everyday tasks, such as using your hand and arm to grab an object in the kitchen. Bogowith says a health care provider could recommend equipment, like a shower seat, or suggest modifying your home, like moving items from high shelves to low shelves.

Speech therapy

·         Difficulty speaking, including your pitch

·         Difficulty swallowing

·         Memory problems, such as forgetting the order you need to perform tasks in

Tips and tricks

Bogowith and Young have treated plenty of cancer survivors, so they know how exhausting recovery can be. Aside from the usual advice (listen to your care team, and take advantage of community resources, they say), the two always try to keep spirits up.

“I think trying to keep a positive outlook as best you can is important. That’s not always easy, but I think mindset is important,” Bogowith says. “Also, good nutrition and proper rest.” 

Says Young: “A lot of times when people have cancer, they tend to isolate themselves. Or they get isolated by their circle of friends because the friends don’t know what to do for them. Just reach out to make connections. Don’t isolate yourself.”

Learn more

Read more about how OSF supports rehabilitation and cancer patients. Cancer care at OSF includes the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois.

Interview clips - Kelly Bogowith

Interview clips - Susan Young

Chronic illness often doesn’t announce itself with a dramatic symptom or a trip to the emergency room. Instead, it can develop gradually, quietly affecting the way a person moves through everyday life.

Syed Zaidi, MD, a family medicine provider with OSF HealthCare, sees chronic illness every day in his practice. He says changes in everyday functions can sometimes be early signs that something is happening with your health.

When something is no longer easy to do, such as the way you move, eat, sleep, even the way you urinate or move your bowels, those can be signs that something is changing, Dr. Zaidi says.

In medicine, the term “silent decline” refers to the gradual progression of a long-term health problem. The body can quietly worsen over months or years before noticeable warning signs appear. Examples can include high blood pressure, diabetes and even heart failure.

You don't feel unwell until you feel unwell, and so the silent part occurs where the functional components aren't loud enough yet, Dr. Zaidi says.

Chronic illness usually doesn’t happen overnight. For example, it can take years for plaque to build up in your arteries. It can also take years for an enlarged prostate to begin significantly affecting a man’s quality of life.

“Subtle cues in terms of, let's say, cognitive decline or memory starts with, you know, a lapse here or a lapse there, but it doesn't impact your quality of life,” Dr. Zaidi says. “It goes under the radar. So, under that radar is what I would call silent.”

Prevention starts with awareness

Dr. Zaidi says it’s important to understand your health history and risk factors so you can prepare for potential chronic health problems.

Ask yourself some key questions: Am I a smoker? Do I drink alcohol? Am I sleeping or moving as well as I should?

Once you start looking honestly at those questions, you can identify areas where you can make changes.

“You don't want to reverse 30 years in 30 days, right?” Dr. Zaidi says. “So, you want to be able to be proactive as well. And I think when we talk about chronic disease, we also have to spend a lot of time talking about prevention as well.”

Chronic illness can worsen over time. That progression might happen in three months or over 10 years. It depends on the individual and the illness itself.

According to Dr. Zaidi, one important factor is functionality — how well you’re able to move through your daily life.

He gives the example of arthritis in the knees. Years of working as a laborer or participating in sports can take a toll on the knees.

“They may hurt, but the next thing you know, three months later, you're not cycling as much,” he says. “Three months later, you're probably not as active or efficient at work on those cement floors as much. Next thing you know, down the road, five years later, you're sitting on a couch.”

Small changes can make a difference

Talk to any health care provider, and they’ll likely give you plenty of ways to take better care of yourself. One of the most important places to start is with sleep. Dr. Zaidi recommends aiming for about eight hours of good-quality sleep when possible.

Other important steps include staying well hydrated, limiting ultra-processed foods and cutting back on sugary drinks.

Movement is another key component. That doesn’t necessarily mean starting an intense exercise program. Begin with something manageable, such as a brisk 15-minute walk or simple chair exercises and go from there.

But it all starts with finding a health care provider you feel comfortable with who can help guide your health journey.

“You need a primary care provider, someone who's going to help you, coach you,” says Dr. Zaidi. “And not just come to you for reactive care or provide reactive care but is going to help partner with you in that proactive approach to ensure that you're screened properly for things that are appropriate for age and risk factors.”

We all know someone who has neglected their health for years. For those people, Dr. Zaidi has a simple message: It’s never too late to make positive changes.

“There's a cost to everything,” he says. “The greatest cost we have is time, and time often becomes the reason why we didn't do the things we were supposed to do. Then you realize you don't have the time to do what you should now be doing to reverse what you should have been doing.”

Interview Clips

For Mark Segobiano, the hardest part of his prostate cancer journey came before treatment ever began.

It was hearing the word “cancer” again.

Mark had already battled acute promyelocytic leukemia years earlier, so when blood work and prostate testing revealed an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, the news brought back familiar fears. He and his wife, Cindy, had learned firsthand how quickly a health concern could become something much more serious.

The Bloomington, Illinois, home inspector had been experiencing more frequent urination, particularly at night. Rather than dismiss the changes, he and Cindy decided to have them checked.

The testing led to a prostate cancer diagnosis in October of 2021, and because of the location of the tumor, surgery was not an option. Mark and Cindy’s hearts fell upon hearing that news.

Cindy Segobiano, however, says it was so comforting that within days, Mark had a treatment plan.

“We got to Dr. Gomez who referred us to Dr. Stang, and we had a plan immediately,” she remembers. “That to me was such a blessing that we had immediate attention and an immediate plan. The staff was so confident.”

Under the treatment from Kyle Stang, MD, a radiation-oncologist with OSF HealthCare, Mark underwent treatment using the advanced form of radiation known as modern intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with image guidance (IGRT). It is designed to precisely target a tumor while limiting exposure to surrounding tissue.

“It was a gamechanger for us to be able to be treated in our own hometown. I just remember that day we had such a comfort zone knowing that hey, ‘we got this.’”

Mark underwent daily treatments for several weeks. The process required plenty of preparation, including drinking large amounts of water, but he says the care he received from the medical team at the OSF Cancer Center in Bloomington helped make an otherwise difficult experience more manageable.

“The staff over there was just unbelievable … so friendly, so warm and inviting. They made you feel very comfortable even though you were going through a process you really didn’t want to go through. I think that has a lot to do with your comfort zone as well – the staff around, and they were fantastic,” Mark recalls.

The treatment targeted the tumor without causing the kind of surrounding damage Mark had experienced with his earlier cancer treatment. When he was done with the targeted radiation, Mark returned for follow-up appointments and received encouraging results when in June of 2022, he was declared cancer-free.

His recovery was not without challenges. Fatigue was the biggest hurdle, and he took medication during the recovery period. But overall, he says the treatment itself was comfortable and his energy gradually returned.

On his final treatment day, the staff gathered to celebrate with him, ringing a bell and giving him a hat marking him as part of “Team Sego.”

For Mark, the experience reinforced the importance of paying attention to his health and encouraging other men to do the same.

His message to other men during this Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is straightforward: Don't assume you're invincible. It’s better to be proactive than reactive, especially when a simple blood test can provide preliminary results.

Don’t ignore symptoms

• Needing to pee more often or urgently, especially at night
• Trouble starting a urine stream or a weak and interrupted flow
• Feeling like the bladder is not completely empty
• Pain or burning during urination

Other signs

• Blood in the urine or semen
• Painful ejaculation or new or sudden erectile disfunction
• Deep pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or pelvis that does not go away

Mark Segobiano acknowledges that men can sometimes be reluctant to seek medical care, particularly when symptoms seem minor or they otherwise feel healthy.

“Don’t be afraid to say, ‘Yeah, I need to go get checked out,’ whether it’s something small, because small things turn into big things and you don’t want them to get to that point,” says Mark. He adds, “I would highly suggest that if you're at a stage in your life, and we all know what stages those are, that you go ahead and get checked out.”

The experience has also changed Mark's perspective on everyday health. He is now more mindful of his body, medical appointments and the importance of staying proactive.

Most of all, he credits his family, his faith and the medical professionals who guided him through the diagnosis and treatment.

For Mark, cancer is not something that simply disappears from his thoughts after treatment ends. But neither is the gratitude he feels for having caught the disease, received treatment close to home and had his family beside him throughout the journey.

The OSF Cancer Center in Bloomington is part of the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute network.

Video clips with Mark and Cindy Segobiano

B-roll-OSF Cancer Center in Bloomington

While cancer deaths have decreased over the years certain types of cancers are affecting younger people more, now threatening the progress made by strategies like early detection and a decrease in smoking.

A familiar yet, to some, unexpected treatment may now offer hope for multiple high-risk cancers: Vaccines, an idea that stems back to the 1890s.

The goal is to find out which molecules are going to predict an immune response against the cancer, says Robert McWilliams, MD, deputy director of OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute. "The more we do that, the more we're going to see this (work). It'd be wonderful to have a greater impact of cancer vaccines.”

“What we’re seeing now is really the culmination of a number of technologies improving. One is understanding the immune system and deciding when’s the right timing, and when do vaccines make sense.”

Dr. McWilliams adds. “Using mRNA vaccines; that technology is really applicable to many different scenarios. So, we can create a molecule or a vaccine that’s targeted towards a specific finding. For instance, one of the more common instances that has been done lately is KRAS. It’s an oncogene, which means it’s mutated and has turned “on” in cancer cells in a large number of different cancers. You can actually design a vaccine against that.”

This year alone, multiple positive results have been released from different vaccines targeting certain types of cancer like melanoma, colorectal and pancreatic.

Melanoma vaccine in late-stage trial

Merck and Moderna have reported promising results from trials of an individualized mRNA cancer vaccine designed for people with melanoma. When combined with Merck’s immunotherapy drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab), the vaccine has been associated with a lower risk of melanoma returning or spreading compared with Keytruda alone. The personalized vaccine remains under investigation, with a Phase 3 trial evaluating the combination in people with high-risk melanoma following surgery.

Pancreatic cancer vaccine seeing positive results

Additionally, there’s some hope in the fight against an extremely deadly cancer: pancreatic. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) reported in July 2026 that a vaccine targeting common KRAS mutations was found to be safe. The vaccine also produced a KRAS-targeted T-cell response in 90% of participants who were considered at elevated risk for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most common types of pancreatic cancer.

“These are patients who are out of surgery and receive a type of therapy for a bit of time. In the meantime, they’re taking that person’s tumor in the lab, sequencing it and doing predictive modeling about what proteins are needed to generate to develop the vaccine,” Dr. McWilliams says. “Then you’re able to inject the vaccine back into patients, in combination with immunotherapy, trying to augment the maximum impact of that vaccine in that patient.”

PDAC is often found at later stages and has a minimal five-year survival rate, the AACR says.

There are certain cancer vaccine trials that are specifically for individuals at high-risk of developing a cancer, particularly pancreatic cancer, where that person can get enrolled in a trial to try and lower their risk of developing the cancer.

It's not a proven method yet, but the data that has been released has been very intriguing, Dr. McWilliams says.

"Cancer is a genetic disease. The DNA has changed, and that's how the cell becomes a cancer cell," Dr. McWilliams explains. "What's been new has been the rapid ability to assess genetic sequencing. It's become very easy for us to get genetic testing done."

Colorectal cancer vaccine providing hope for those with Lynch Syndrome

As the population of those under 50 who have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer increases, a new vaccine might provide hope for certain people as well. Someone with Lynch Syndrome, an inherited genetic condition which is often tied to colorectal cancer, that increases cancer risk may have access to a vaccine soon. Early research is also exploring whether vaccines could help prevent cancer in people with Lynch syndrome.

In a phase 1 study, 45 people with Lynch syndrome received an experimental vaccine developed by Swiss biotechnology company Nouscom. The vaccine is designed to train the immune system to recognize abnormal cells that can develop into cancer. When participants underwent colonoscopies about a year later, researchers found fewer precancerous growths and no advanced polyps.

Could cancer vaccines play a role in Peoria?

“We are in conversations with pharmaceutical companies to bring some of those studies to Peoria. We’re also in conversations with an academic partner who is working on this, to be able to be part of their initial process to design the clinical trials,” Dr. McWilliams says. “So, absolutely. It’s an exciting opportunity and exactly what we built the breakthrough treatment center to do, is bring those exciting, novel agents to Peoria.”

According to the Cancer Research Institute, the FDA has approved five vaccines that either help prevent cancer or are used in cancer treatment. Two are preventive vaccines: those targeting human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B, both of which can help reduce the risk of cancers associated with these infections. The other three are therapeutic vaccines used in specific cancer settings: sipuleucel-T (Provenge®) for metastatic prostate cancer, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) for early-stage bladder cancer and talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC; Imlygic®) for unresectable melanoma.

Video Interview Clips

Author's note: this is part one of a two part story on rehab's role in cancer care. Click here for part two.


Cancer treatment can be taxing enough. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, port management – they’re all possibilities.

But your treatment plan could also send you to physical, occupational or speech therapy. OSF HealthCare physical therapists Kelly Bogowith and Susan Young are shedding some light on what to expect.

Conditions and treatments

Conditions associated with cancer that could require therapy include:

• Lymphedema: This is when fluid buildup leads to swelling in the arms or legs.
  
  “Cancer tends to spread through lymph nodes,” Young says. “So when doctors do surgery and they’re taking out a tumor, they take out a couple lymph nodes to make sure [the cancer] hasn’t spread. One side effect that’s possible is lymphedema.
  
  “When women have breast cancer, [doctors] will remove lymph nodes from the armpit, and the arm can swell up. Same thing for prostate cancer. The legs sometime swell up. Head and neck cancer can cause swelling in the head and neck,” she adds.
  
  In physical therapy, people with lymphedema learn massage techniques and other lifestyle changes to reduce swelling. The person could also wear compression socks or bandages.
   
• Pelvic floor issues: This is when someone can’t control, contract or relax the pelvic floor muscles, leading to chronic constipation, urinary or fecal incontinence or pain. Bogowith says this can happen to men or women, young or old.
  
  “Physical therapists who specialize in pelvic floor therapy are well versed in how to identify and manage those conditions,” Bogowith says. “These are things that should not be ignored because they’re such an important part of quality of life.”
  
  A therapist could teach you exercises, like Kegels, that support the pelvic floor. Or, you could learn bladder control techniques, like timed voiding. This is when you pee at certain times, like once an hour, not just when you feel the urge. When you get comfortable with one hour, you can increase the time.
   
• Neuropathy: This can be a side effect of chemotherapy where you experience tingling, numbness, weakness or pain in your hands or feet.
  
  “There’s no quick fix for neuropathy. Medicines can be given by a physician to help manage symptoms,” Bogowith says. “But in physical therapy, we tend to work on balance since they might have difficulty feeling ground underneath them. That can lead to falls.”
   
• Cancer-related fatigue: Bogowith says fatigue – physical and mental – from cancer treatment is different from everyday fatigue in that it occurs when you wouldn’t expect it. It lasts longer and it doesn’t respond to rest. Her advice to cancer survivors is to not underdo or overdo daily activities. Stay active, but listen to your body and know when to rest. Try for 30 minutes of exercise for five days a week to help maintain a healthy weight. See a mental health provider if the mental fatigue becomes unmanageable.
   
• Joint pain: Young says this is one you might not realize. She says cancer survivors tend to hunch over due to fatigue, stomach pain or just generally feeling down in the dumps. That poor posture can lead to neck, shoulder or back pain.

Tips and tricks

Bogowith and Young have treated plenty of cancer survivors, so they know how exhausting recovery can be. Aside from the usual advice (listen to your care team, and take advantage of community resources, they say), the two always try to keep spirits up.

“I think trying to keep a positive outlook as best you can is important. That’s not always easy, but I think mindset is important,” Bogowith says. “Also, good nutrition and proper rest.”

Says Young: “A lot of times when people have cancer, they tend to isolate themselves. Or they get isolated by their circle of friends because the friends don’t know what to do for them. Just reach out to make connections. Don’t isolate yourself.”

Learn more

Read more about how OSF supports rehabilitation and cancer patients. Cancer care at OSF includes the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois.

Interview clips - Susan Young

Interview clips - Kelly Bogowith

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Americans are getting more tired.

So says a new report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Does this sound like you? Feeling tired all the time no matter what you do? Is it making it difficult to enjoy life? You might want to talk to your health care provider about chronic fatigue syndrome. Experts say it’s a tough ailment to live with and a tough one for science to grasp, but there are ways to ease the symptoms.

“It is challenging, for sure,” says Aminat Ogun, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare. “Feeling that intense fatigue day to day for normal activities that other people can tolerate.”

Symptoms and diagnosis

Dr. Ogun says there’s no known, specific cause for chronic fatigue syndrome. But it’s associated with other health issues: viral infections like Epstein-Barr, coronavirus and retroviruses; Lyme disease; depression and sleep disruption. Dr. Ogun says the disorder impacts women more than men and is most often seen in ages 30 to 50.

There’s no test to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome, so providers will look at five symptoms:

• Persistent fatigue
   
• Malaise (feeling discomfort or ill) after exerting yourself

“If you’ve done any mental or physical activity and you have that sudden onset of feeling fatigued and very tired,” Dr. Ogun explains.

• Feeling unrefreshed after sleeping
   
• Memory and concentration problems
   
• Orthostatic intolerance. This is a disorder where your blood pressure rises when you stand up.

“If you’ve had six months of these symptoms with moderate to severe intensity at least half of the time,” you’d likely be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, Dr. Ogun says. “It’s through history taking. When you see your primary care provider, they ask questions. That’s how it’s diagnosed.”

Treatment

Treatment for chronic fatigue symptoms can include medicine and lifestyle changes.

• A provider may recommend medication to help with the joint and muscle aches, nausea, headaches and depression that can come with chronic fatigue syndrome.
   
• Seeing a mental health professional
   
• Diet changes
   
• Graded exercise therapy. A provider will work with you to increase physical activity over time. This can help with overall energy.
   
• Improve sleep habits.

“Go away from screen time a couple hours before sleep. Don’t exercise right before sleep. That can also affect your sleep pattern,” Dr. Ogun lists as two examples.

Dr. Ogun says each treatment plan is different. Medical experts don’t know when, on average, chronic fatigue syndrome will go away. You may have to manage symptoms for the rest of your life. Dr. Ogun says you should stay in close contact with your primary care provider about your treatment plan.

Learn more

Read more about managing chronic fatigue syndrome on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

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“It continues to grow over time in most men. Different parts of the prostate can start to have abnormal growths. The big concern is that prostate cancer can form. About one in eight men have a lifetime risk of developing prostate cancer,” Dr. Rinker explains. He adds that prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in men.

Genetics, family history, old age, ethnicity, smoking and obesity put you at a higher risk. And Dr. Rinker adds that prostate cancer largely comes with no symptoms, making screenings all the more important. If you do have symptoms, those can mimic traits of an enlarged prostate, such as difficulty urinating, blood in semen or pain around the groin.

Screenings

Dr. Rinker says men should start talking to their primary care provider about prostate cancer screening at age 40. He says the method that most men know – a digital rectal exam – has actually fallen out of favor with medical professionals.

“We really didn’t find that the digital rectal exam was very effective,” Dr. Rinker opines. “There’s a lot of user bias with how well [a provider] is at examining. Maybe they won’t be able to detect a larger, late state lesion as well.”

Instead, the standard is a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. This measures the level of a protein produced by the prostate in your blood.

“It can be added to your routine bloodwork. Nothing more than that. It could save your life,” Dr. Rinker says.

If the test finds elevated PSA levels, a provider might recommend a prostate MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). As the name suggests, this is noninvasive imaging that gives providers a clear picture of the organ.

“This can lead to a reduction in biopsies that are unnecessary,” Dr. Rinker says.

The bottom line

Dr. Rinker repeats advice that men have heard plenty: know your body, know your family history, choose healthy behaviors and see your provider regularly.

“The whole goal of [educating people on screenings] is catching cancer earlier. If you do that, you have more treatment options. You have a better chance to cure the cancer,” Dr. Rinker says. “In some cases if it’s a low-grade cancer, you may choose to not to treat it at all. We can monitor it. We can re-image it or utilize a PSA test to see if it changes.”

Learn more

Read more about cancer treatment and prevention on the OSF HealthCare website. Cancer care at OSF includes services at local cancer centers and clinics like the one Dr. Rinker works at, plus the OSF Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois.

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It’s back to school time and that means parents are grappling with getting their children on a regular sleep routine. But for parents with children who have been diagnosed with ADHD, that’s no small task.

As many as 70% of children with ADHD experience problems with sleep. The issues include bedtime anxiety or resistance, insomnia and delayed sleep – meaning their sleep cycle has shifted and they aren’t tired at bedtime. 

Kristin Mock, MD, is a family practice physician at OSF HealthCare who specializes in ADHD and pediatric sleep issues. She sees patients whose behaviors are often linked to ADHD; but they could also be a result of a lack of sleep.

Unlike adults who have excessive sleepiness and fatigue, Dr. Mock says children with ADHD tend to have more behavioral issues such as acting out or temper tantrums. They have difficulties with behavior and focus and concentration, and they tend to get fidgety.

So that begs the question – is the issue ADHD or a sleep problem or a combination of both?

“If your child has ADHD, there is a high likelihood they have comorbid sleep dysfunction and mental health dysfunction,” says Dr. Mock. “We need to treat the whole of the child and make sure that we've looked at all of those reasons that people can have concentration deficits and treat all of that to give them the best potential.”

Dr. Mock adds that not getting enough sleep can cause or make ADHD symptoms worse. And that means improving a child’s sleep issues can help reduce symptoms.

“So, when the brain is tired, it tries to find ways to get it to stay awake. It will go from one task to the next. It will jump from here to there. It will stutter and sometimes forget things,” she says. “Children will get very fidgety to keep their brain awake. So, while your brain is trying to just get through to the next time it gets to sleep, it makes you not as effective.”

Dr. Mock says the most common referral to her clinic comes from teachers who inform parents that their child lacks focus in the classroom. “Then it's our job to figure out why,” she says.  “What’s really going on? Are they tired, do they have learning disabilities or do they learn differently?”

Mock says parents can help by discouraging any use of electronics once your child has gone to bed. That means there is no iPhone, iPad or TV in their bedroom and no texting, social media or video games, which will not go over well with many teens. Starting this behavioral change at younger ages makes this change easier. 

She also recommends encouraging children to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Most children require eight to 10 hours of sleep every night. Dr. Mock adds children need two weeks to gradually get back into a good sleep routine now that school has started.

It's also important to get a handle on your child’s medication. Some ADHD stimulants can make sleep worse so talk to your child’s care team about how they are affecting your child’s sleep. Dr. Mock adds that if your child snores, medical providers need to do more. Dr. Mock says their doctor should make a detailed sleep history or maybe make a referral to a sleep specialist.

“Parents need to pay attention to their children's sleep,” Dr. Mock says. “Physicians may not realize that the child is not sleeping well. And so, parents need to be able to tell their doctor, 'Hey, I'm concerned about the way my child is sleeping, or my child is snoring. Can we do more?'"

For more information on sleep disorders, visit OSF HealthCare. 

 

Interview Clips

"There's a need here. We're developing something special here in Peoria," says Robert McWilliams, MD, the deputy director with OSF Cancer Institute. "This helps us get recognition that we're a player in the region and serving the people of Central Illinois. It also means we're collaborating with other researchers in the region to put OSF and those we serve on the map."

HCRN is a consortium of community oncology programs and academic centers across the United States that collaborate on clinical trials, with a particular focus on investigator-initiated studies. Founded in 1984, HCRN now supports a nationwide network of more than 100 academic and community research sites. The organization has conducted more than 250 clinical trials, enrolled more than 10,000 patients and contributed to more than 350 scientific publications.

“We are delighted to welcome OSF Cancer Institute as a member of our network. We believe there is great value in bringing together academic centers and outstanding community providers like OSF Cancer Institute to advance cancer care in a real-world setting,” says Brian Stemme, CEO of HCRN. “Our team is honored to support these vital collaborations.”                

HCRN brings together leading academic cancer centers and community oncology programs, including numerous National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer centers across the U.S.

"They have an ongoing portfolio of clinical trials that we can decide whether it makes sense for us to open here in Peoria, or in some of our other OSF markets as well," Dr. McWilliams adds. "Then we can have our trials open through that network and accelerate the speed and rapidity of the research that is done."

The affiliation strengthens the growing role of OSF Cancer Institute in cancer research and positions the organization to contribute to clinical studies that could shape the future of cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. For those served, this work creates more opportunities to participate in cancer research while receiving high-quality care.

Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are more popular than ever, leading people to seek options that are quicker, cheaper and involve less prying questions than a traditional in-person doctor visit.

But here’s a statistic that should give you pause: Casey Zaring, RPh, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist at OSF HealthCare, says a 2023 audit by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA] found 95% of online pharmacies were not legitimate. This leads to concerns about getting bilked out of money or taking a counterfeit drug that could bring serious side effects.

“It skips a lot of checks and balances,” Zaring says of the online outlets. For one, he says, these websites typically don’t have a pharmacist check your full medical history to make sure you’re getting the right drug.

Legit or not?

Some red flags to look for when deciding to buy prescription drugs online:

• Is the website based outside the United States?
  
• Do you start on one website and get pushed to another to complete the transaction?
  
• Does the site guarantee you cost savings? Zaring says it may look like a deal up front, but the final price tag might not be so good. Or, you might unintentionally sign up for auto-renewals. Zaring recommends first checking to see if your insurance will cover a medication.
  
• Have other people or agencies flagged the outlet for possible problems? Zaring recommends the websites safe.pharmacy and BeSafeRx to check if the pharmacy is registered with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacies and complying with the law.
  
  “How we know an online pharmacy is legal is they require a prescription by a licensed practitioner. You have a pharmacist review things, and the consumer has access to a pharmacist to ask questions,” Zaring explains. “Look for the outlet to be based in the United States and have a license in your state. Some online pharmacies will provide medications for patients even though they don’t have a license in the patient's state.”

Another law pharmacies have to follow is the Drug Supply Chain Security act. Zaring says this ensures all medications are logged and accounted for as they move from the manufacturer to the distributor. This makes sure all medications in the supply chain are legitimate and safe.

“In December 2025, the Food and Drug Administration warned about fake Ozempic,” Zaring recalls, noting what can go wrong if laws aren’t followed. “It looked almost identical to real Ozempic. It had lot numbers and expiration dates. But what they had done is created a syringe that looked similar and put on fake stickers.

“What pharmacists do then is go through and scan every medication that enters the pharmacy to ensure it’s directly from the manufacturer,” Zaring adds.

Consequences

Zaring says pharmacists’ biggest fear with these websites is someone putting something non-legitimate or harmful in their bodies. Is the syringe sterile? Has the drug expired? Is the dose correct? Is it properly diluted? Is it interacting with my other medications? Ingesting fake medications could lead to infections or other serious side effects.

Speaking on weight loss drugs: “If something is off by a decimal point, it’s a tenfold error. It can cause lack of movement in your gastrointestinal tract, obstructions and gallbladder attacks,” Zaring says. “If a person isn’t aware of the risks and talking to a pharmacist, they can upgrade their dose too quickly and cause more adverse effects like dehydration. Also with some of these online websites, there’s not continuous monitoring by a health care provider. No labs, check-ins or follow ups.

“The cost saving may be up front, but at the back end there may be an overall greater cost of having to see more health care providers because of adverse reactions or infections,” Zaring also warns.

If you’ve done business with an online pharmacy and have concerns, Zaring recommends talking to your primary care provider or a pharmacist at an in-person, well-recognized business. You can even bring the medication for them to inspect. You can also report pharmacies to the FDA at the BeSafeRx website.

Learn more

Read more about how OSF HealthCare pharmacists bring medication to you safely on the OSF HealthCare website. Some OSF HealthCare locations also have retail pharmacies that can be used regardless of whether you’re an OSF patient.

Interview clips

Frequently asked questions

It goes without saying: mental health issues can spawn physical health problems. But let’s dig into one: how can being stressed all the time increase your risk for a stroke?

“Chronic stress, anxiety and depression can all lead to unhealthy factors,” says Brittany Best, BSN, RN, a stroke navigator at OSF HealthCare. “They may not cause a stroke directly, but they will raise your blood pressure, inflammation and blood sugar levels. So they really can raise the risk of a stroke significantly.”

Eating a healthy diet, avoiding alcohol and smoking, being active and mindfulness activities like meditation can help with this risk, Best says.

“Seeing your doctor regularly is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your stroke risk,” Best adds. “They’re going to keep an eye on things like blood pressure and lab work. They can get you on the right track to maintain overall health.”

What if I’m on medication for my mental health? How does that play a role in stroke risk? Best says it shouldn’t be a problem, but follow your health care provider’s directions, and talk to them if you have symptoms.

A recap of stroke basics

If Best has a takeaway message, it’s that 80% of strokes are preventable, and quick action when a stroke strikes can prevent serious brain damage or even death. When spotting stroke symptoms, remember the acronym BEFAST.

• B is for balance: Watch for sudden loss of balance.
  
   
• E is for eyes: Check for vision loss or eyes looking askew.
  
   
• F is for face: Look for droopiness or an uneven smile.
  
   
• A is for arm: Is one arm weak or numb?
  
   
• S is for speech: Watch for slurred, slow speech or no speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.
  
   
• T is for time. It’s the conclusion to the checklist. Time to call 9-1-1 if someone has these symptoms, even if they go away.

“Our main goal is getting patients in quickly. Identify their stroke symptoms. Get them to imaging. Get their care started as quickly as possible,” Best says, outlining stroke care at the hospital she works at, OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center in Alton, Illinois. “With strokes, time is very important. Up to two million brain cells can die every minute during a stroke. So it’s very important for the treatment process to go smoothly.”

The care team will also connect people with stroke resources, such as support groups like the one Best manages. Contrary to stereotypes, those support groups are not all doom and gloom.

“It’s a nice place for stroke survivors and caregivers to connect with one another,” Best says. “They can ask questions and listen to guest speakers. It really just provides a nice community for them to not feel alone in their recovery.”

Learn more

Read more about treatment and prevention of stroke on the OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute website.

Interview clips

Frequently asked questions

For one brain aneurysm survivor, a routine Monday morning walk with her dogs turned into a fight for her life.

Fifty-five-year-old Kari Rixstine of Bloomington, Illinois, had said goodbye to her husband, Tim, as he left for work and decided to take the dogs for a walk. They had gone only about a half block when one of the dogs suddenly lunged after something.

Then came a pain she had never experienced before.

Rixstine had a shooting pain in her right temple and actually thought she had gotten shot. The pain was so severe it nearly brought her to her knees. Almost immediately, she lost vision in her right eye. She managed to get the dogs home but struggled to text her husband for help.

By the time an ambulance arrived, she was experiencing severe pain in her neck and profuse vomiting. She knew something was seriously wrong.

At the hospital, however, her symptoms were initially attributed to a migraine. Her husband pushed for further evaluation, telling the medical team about her symptoms and her family history. Both her mother and an aunt had died after ruptured brain aneurysms.

A CT scan ultimately revealed blood from the rupture, leading doctors to discover the aneurysm.

A surgeon placed an external ventricular drain to relieve pressure in Rixstine’ s brain before treating the aneurysm with endovascular coiling. The woman spent about two weeks in intensive care while physicians monitored her for complications, including vasospasm.

Recovery was emotionally challenging

Her physical recovery was relatively strong, but the experience left lasting emotional and cognitive effects.

“It was like I was terrified to even leave the house. When I was alone out there and it ruptured, I worked so hard to get home. And then once I was released from the hospital after begging to go home, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to live.”

Thomas Russell, MD, an OSF HealthCare neurosurgeon specializing in neuroendovascular surgery, says while many aneurysms never rupture, a rupture can cause a life-threatening brain bleed and requires immediate medical attention.

The challenge is that the symptoms of a ruptured aneurysm can sometimes overlap with more common conditions such as a migraine. He encourages people, especially those with a family history of aneurysms, to advocate for a CT scan to rule out aneurysm.

Also, Dr. Russell says it’s important to know the signs of a bulging aneurysm.

“Sometimes it can be something as simple as a droopy eyelid. Your pupil gets really dilated because sometimes these aneurysms can enlarge and press on the cranial nerve. When they press on those nerves, they can cause some symptoms. But it’s kind of silent because they didn’t actually rupture.”

During this Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month, Dr. Russell also wants people to know stress doesn’t cause an aneurysm.

“People think that if you got really stressed or really angry that it can cause an aneurysm. Or lifting heavy weights. That doesn’t cause an aneurysm. But if you have one, that can cause a predilection for rupture and that’s usually the concern,” he shares.

Dr. Russell also wants people to know a brain aneurysm isn’t a death sentence.

“We actually have a bunch of different ways to treat aneurysm. So, if you have a strong family history and there’s some concern about aneurysms and brain bleeds in the family, then talk to your doctor about it because there are screening tests we can do. And there are treatments we can also perform.”

Dr. Russell emphasizes there are certain conditions which make someone at higher risk of a brain aneurysm rupture. Risk factors:

• Smoking
• Heavy alcohol and drug use
• High blood pressure
• Certain inherited conditions, such as brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM), polycystic kidney disease and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

The worst headache of her life

After staying in the house for two months immediately after she was released from the hospital, Rixstine began resuming life as normally as possible to show her children she wasn’t giving up.

“And I wanted to be an example for them of overcoming. Going through it and overcoming and recovering from it. So knowing they were watching me gave me the strength to get through the bad days,” she says, choking back tears.

Rixstine continues to deal with fatigue, vision problems, occasional headaches and short-term memory difficulties. Crowds, bright lights and loud environments can also be overwhelming. Outings to see her husband play in his band are no longer possible. And she no longer works and drives only in optimal conditions. Post-it notes help her deal with memory issues.

In sharing her story, Rixstine wants people to recognize that a hemorrhagic stroke caused by a ruptured aneurysm can look different from the more familiar warning signs associated with an ischemic stroke.

“They call it a ‘thunderclap’ headache. [It’s] the worst headache of your life. That’s what you need to look for. There are vision issues and nausea. When mine ruptured – pain in my neck. I was totally confused, instantly,” Rixstine explains.

Other signs and symptoms include:

• Stiff neck
• Sensitivity to light
• One or both pupils being dilated
• Seizures or sudden loss of consciousness
• Confusion, disorientation or difficulty concentrating
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body

Rixstine suggests that anyone experiencing these symptoms seek emergency medical attention.

Stroke support group offers community

Support from her husband, children and other survivors has played an important role. She attends a stroke support group through OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington.

While not exactly what she endured, the experience and recovery can be similar. However, surprisingly to Rixstine, her condition isn’t as widely talked about or understood.

“And it has been incredible for me knowing people who have been through most that [which is] ischemic stroke not hemorrhagic stroke like what I had. I don’t understand how ischemic stroke is so well known and they push it and push it and push it. But the hemorrhagic stroke with a brain bleed, nobody has information on that.”

Ristine’s experience has taught her that signs and symptoms for brain aneurysm rupture should be, as she put it, “part of the conversation.” Her advocacy drove her to create 100 yard signs she’s distributing in the community. And she and husband Tim paid for two billboards that are on major roadways in Bloomington-Normal.

Additionally, Rixstine changed the way she thinks about her family's health.

She now has another aneurysm (this time unruptured) that doctors are monitoring. Her adult children have been screened because of the family's history. And so far, neither her daughters nor her grandchild have shown indications of an aneurysm. She is grateful every day for that.

For more information, visit the Brain Aneurysm Foundation website.

Video clips with Kari Rixstine

Video clips with Dr. Thomas Russell

B-roll-Brain Aneurysm Awareness

Kids are back in school, and between early bus rides, a packed day of classes and after-school activities, they can get hungry. So, what should parents pack to give their children the energy they need throughout the day?

Nicole O’Neill, RD, a dietitian with OSF HealthCare, says parents should remember that kids have different nutritional needs than adults. 

“They need fuel, so you have to give them good fuel,” she says. “Things like protein, fiber and fats are going to be the most important part. And remember, their little bellies are smaller than ours, so they can't eat three square meals and have just enough. They probably need a snack, especially if they get up earlier now than they did in the summer. If their lunch hour is earlier than noon, if they play sports, if they have a gym class, snacks are important for kids.”

What makes a healthy snack?

The best snack depends on the child, including their tastes and what they are actually willing to eat. But O’Neill says a good starting point is to pair foods that provide protein, healthy fats or fiber. For example, she recommends apples with peanut butter. Fruit cups packed in juice can also work, especially when paired with a protein or fat, such as a cheese stick.

“I personally recommend, for snacks, apple and peanut butter. That is an easy win right off the bat,” O’Neill says. “I do like the fruit cups in fruit juice, but you need to pair that with something that has a little protein or fat, like a cheese stick. Cheese and crackers is a great option.” 

O’Neill also likes homemade snacks, such as energy bites made with peanut butter, banana, oatmeal and a few chocolate chips.

Get kids involved

Parents can also get their children involved in picking out their snacks with some guidance. “Because every kid is going to want candy or chips, but you do have to offer them something that they like,” O’Neill says.

She recommends taking children to the grocery store, letting them help pick out a few options and trying those foods at home before packing them for school. “Still get their input, see what they like, see what appeals to their eyes, and try it at home before you send it to school,” she says. “Make sure they genuinely, truly like it.”

Timing matters

How often a child needs a snack can depend on their age, schedule and activity level. A child who leaves home early, has gym class or participates in sports may need additional fuel throughout the day.

For young athletes, O’Neill recommends having a snack before practice or a game. A snack after the activity or on the way home can also help keep hunger in check before dinner.

When choosing packaged snacks, O’Neill recommends reading nutrition labels and paying attention to sodium and the percent daily value.

Above all, she says, parents should focus on providing foods with nutritional value while remembering that treats can still be part of a healthy overall diet.

“When you go to the grocery store, it's important to pick good things, not just candy, not just chips, which those do have a role in a normal diet. You can't eliminate all of that all the time,” O’Neill says. “But if we're going to have a snack every single day after school, it needs to be a beneficial snack that gives nutritional value.”

For healthy recipe options, visit OSF HealthCare.

Interview Clips

B-Roll

OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute is expanding its ability to treat complex heart valve conditions, becoming the first health care provider in Illinois outside of Chicago to offer EVOQUE transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) – a minimally invasive procedure that replaces a damaged tricuspid heart valve without open-heart surgery.

The first EVOQUE procedure at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria took place in late July. The patient was discharged after the procedure with excellent results.

TTVR gives physicians another minimally invasive option for people with severe tricuspid regurgitation, a condition in which the heart’s tricuspid valve does not close properly and allows blood to flow backward. This can lead to people experiencing fatigue, weakness and swelling, according to the American Heart Association.

“Beyond TAVR, MitraClip and TriClip, the addition of TTVR allows us to advance our program capabilities through a minimally invasive, catheter-based approach for the treatment of valvular disease,” says Sudhir Mungee, MD, director of the structural heart division at OSF Cardiovascular Institute.

Instead of making a large incision in the chest, a team of heart specialists guides a replacement valve to the heart through a vein in the groin using a thin tube called a catheter.

For some people with severe tricuspid regurgitation, traditional surgery may carry significant risks like heart failure, bleeding, infection and stroke. TTVR provides another option, particularly for people who are considered high risk for surgery.

The minimally invasive approach can also mean:

· A shorter hospital stay – often one to two days compared to five to seven or more days for open-heart surgery

· A faster recovery – often days instead of weeks

With the addition of EVOQUE TTVR, people with complex tricuspid valve disease now have access to another advanced treatment option at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

A former college athlete and mother of a youth sportster, Emily Isom knows all about long nights at the ballpark.

But by day, Isom is a certified medical assistant in pediatrics at OSF HealthCare. She’s combining her life experiences to give parents a roadmap during back-to-school season: What sport or activity is right for my child? How can they get the most out of it?

The benefits of kids getting active

• Physical: Isom says sports help kids strengthen muscles, speed, endurance and balance.
  
  “They’ll be able to run further and faster,” Isom says, noting that improves lung and heart health.
   
• Social and emotional: Sports can teach kids social skills like teamwork, communication and self-esteem.
  
  “It helps them become who they are as a person,” Isom says. “It helps them take ownership of their communication. They can build that communication within a team.
  
  “When you win, it feels great. But when you lose, some kids can take it really hard. They think they’re a failure and they’re not good at the sport. It becomes mental,” Isom adds, commenting on how sports can build skills to overcome stress, conflict and adversity. “But that feeling of being a failure is not true. You win and lose. That’s how it goes. But the key is to get better. They can work on kicking, running, hitting, catching or whatever it is.”
  
  Plus, you never know when a teammate will turn into a lifelong friend.

Navigating the season

Isom says a parent should never pressure a child into a certain sport or activity. They won’t enjoy it, she says. Instead, keep the conversation light and open ended. For example: is there a sport you’ve seen on TV that you’d like to try? Or, show them videos of different sports. And parents should not be upset if their child chooses an activity out of the norm. Maybe a boy from a family of football players wants to do dance or theater instead. That’s OK, Isom says.

“Kids look for support from their parents in anything they do. It doesn’t matter if it’s sports or the arts. If it’s something they want to do, you should encourage and support your kid,” Isom says. “My daughter is really into art. She might want to do art instead of sports one summer. I’m all for it. She’s still interacting with people. She’s happy doing something she wants to do.”

Isom says if a child gets burnt out on a sport, they’ll usually tell you. Again, Isom says not to pressure the youth to finish the season. But have a conversation about what’s going on and the paths forward. If you have to pull the kid out of the sport for their health, do it.

“If they’re showing depression, anger or hostility over the sport, I wouldn’t press it any further,” Isom says.

And of course, be a supportive cheerleader from the stands. Don’t heckle or shout criticism.

“It embarrasses the kid. And those kids can develop anger issues. They learn it from their parents,” Isom warns. “It makes the kid feel like a failure when the parents are yelling from the stands. I’ve seen it. It’s not fun. It’s not cool.”

Learn more

Read more about keeping kids healthy in sports and everyday life on the OSF HealthCare website. Pediatric care at OSF includes local offices like the one Isom works at that can provide sports physicals and treatment or minor sports injuries, plus OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria.

Interview clips

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A shin-termission

A blood clot can be dangerous. When a clot blocks blood flow to the lungs, it can become a life-threatening emergency.

For some people with large or complicated blood clots, there’s another treatment option: the Ekosonic Endovascular System (EKOS).

EKOS is a minimally invasive procedure using ultrasound waves and a clot-dissolving medication breaking down blood clots. The treatment can be used for certain people with pulmonary embolisms, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other serious blood clots.

“If we care for someone with a blood clot that is big enough in the lungs, or a bigger clot in the legs, we insert EKOS,” says Monther El Bzour, MD, a cardiologist with OSF HealthCare. “It has a technology that emits ultrasound waves to break the clot into smaller pieces. We also infuse a clot-buster medication called tPA [tissue plasminogen activator]. These two together can help to dissolve the clot in a very fast way, and that helps the patient to feel much better within minutes or hours.”

During the procedure, a physician guides a small catheter through a blood vessel and positions it near the clot. Ultrasound waves are then delivered through the catheter while a clot-dissolving medication is infused directly into the area. According to Dr. El Bzour, the drug is infused for six to 12 hours. Those treated usually go home within 24 hours if there are no complications.

Knowing the warning signs

Pulmonary embolisms and DVTs can cause different symptoms. A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot travels to the lungs. Symptoms can include sudden shortness of breath, chest pain that may become worse with a deep breath, rapid heartbeat or coughing.

A DVT typically occurs in a deep vein, often in the leg. Symptoms can include swelling, pain or tenderness, warmth or discoloration in the affected leg.

Not every blood clot requires EKOS. The size, location and severity of the clot, along with the patient's overall condition, help determine the appropriate treatment, says Dr. El Bzour.

“If you have a blood clot in small veins below the knee, we don't use this technology. If you have smaller blood clots in the lungs and they are in very small arteries, we don't use this technology,” Dr. El Bzour says. “It's only meant to tackle the complicated, the massive blood clots, either in the lung or the leg.”

EKOS doesn’t prevent future clots

While EKOS can help treat an existing blood clot, it does not prevent future clots from forming. Many patients will still need blood-thinning medication after treatment, depending on the cause of the clot and their individual medical circumstances.

“If I can offer you something to feel better quickly, I think we're all for it,” Dr. El Bzour says. “And I can say [EKOS] is a game changer for the management of blood clots.”

Most importantly, Dr. El Bzour says people should not ignore symptoms that could indicate a dangerous blood clot. “It is a very serious problem, and the quicker you can make it to the emergency room and to a hospital that offer this technology the better outcome and the chance to be alive and feeling better,” he says.

For more information on cardiovascular services, visit the OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute website.

Interview Clips

B-Roll

Back to school season means youngsters spending time in locker rooms and college students doing the same in dormitory bathrooms. Despite everyone’s best efforts, the floors in those spaces have a reputation of not being the cleanest. Quickly doing your business while barefoot may seem like no problem. But lingering on the floor may be a virus that causes painful plantar warts.

“Plantar warts are one of the most common skin lesions we’ll see in our office,” says Marc Leonard, DPM, an OSF HealthCare podiatrist.

What are plantar warts?

Dr. Leonard says plantar warts (also called plantar verruca) are caused by a virus that gets into the bottom of your foot. The warts can spread easily.

“It looks like a callus. You see little growths. Sometimes they even satellite out, and we’ll get other little growths around that original lesion,” Dr. Leonard explains.

So, Dr. Leonard’s advice is to treat the issue early. If you see a wart, make an appointment with a podiatrist. Treatment is generally two steps. First, a provider will shave off the excess skin. Then, they will apply acid to the feet.

“It’s an acid that almost blows up that outer layer of tissue. Then we decompress it,” Dr. Leonard says. “Even with that, it still takes several treatments.”

Dr. Leonard says your feet will be sore for a couple weeks after treatment. So, you’ll want to stay off your feet if possible.

Left untreated, Dr. Leonard says plantar warts can cover the entire bottom of both feet and even your hands if you touch the warts. Walking will be painful, and so will treatment.

Prevention

If wart-covered feet and multiple acid treatments don’t sound like fun, there are easy prevention steps.

For dirty places like bathrooms and locker rooms, wear a slip on-type shoe like a shower shoe or flip flop. When you’re done, dry the shoes off or let them dry in front of a fan so they’re ready for the next use. Then, put on your sturdy, everyday shoes. In other words, don’t see this as an excuse to wear flip flops all day. Dr. Leonard and other podiatrists will tell you that your feet need more support.

Also, clean your feet, socks and shoes regularly. Don’t walk around in dirty or wet socks and shoes. If you sweat a lot, have extra pairs of socks to change into. And use a disinfectant wipe to clean your nail clippers.

Learn more

Learn more about keeping your feet healthy on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

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At OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute in Peoria, people from across the state have access to one of Illinois’ few Level 4 Epilepsy Centers, offering the highest level of specialized epilepsy care available.

Designated by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC), the Level 4 accreditation recognizes the center's ability to provide advanced diagnostic testing, comprehensive medical management and complex surgical treatments for epilepsy. The designation also reflects a broader commitment to expanding access for expert epilepsy care for people throughout Illinois.

For Thandar Aung, MD, medical director of the epilepsy center at OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute, improving access to specialized epilepsy care was one of the primary reasons she joined OSF.

"In my past job, I was getting patients from all over the country, and even outside of the United States," Dr. Aung says. "The access to epileptologists, or rather the lack of access, really showed why there are limitations."

Having spent her career in large metropolitan academic medical centers, Dr. Aung saw firsthand how difficult it can be for people to find an epilepsy specialist.

Peoria stood out because of its ability to serve people across a large geographic region. OSF Illinois Neurological Institute regularly cares for people throughout Central and Western Illinois, including communities near the Iowa and Missouri borders. For many Illinois residents living near those state lines, receiving care in Illinois can also make a significant difference when navigating insurance coverage.

Epilepsy is a lifelong condition, so getting the right care as early as possible helps people live their lives to the fullest.

What Level 4 means for patients

The NAEC designates epilepsy centers based on the level of care they can provide. A Level 4 epilepsy center offers the most comprehensive services available, including advanced diagnostic testing, multidisciplinary care and complex surgical procedures for people whose seizures cannot be controlled with medication alone.

"Level 4 is where you're able to do the invasive epilepsy surgeries, including invasive pre-surgical evaluation such as depth electrodes also known as stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG),” Dr. Aung says. “You place them in the brain based on a hypothesis, using all the available data to determine where the seizures are coming from. Of course, this is very dependent on experience. If you place the SEEG electrodes in the wrong locations, you could localize the seizures to the wrong part of the brain, potentially leading to an unsuccessful surgery or harm to the patient.”

The Level 4 designation also reflects the collaborative approach patients receive. Physicians, including epileptologists and functional neurosurgeons, work alongside specialized nurses, neuropsychologists, neuroradiologists, social workers and other experts to create individualized treatment plans tailored to each person's needs.

Advancing epilepsy care

While medications successfully control seizures for many people with epilepsy, others have drug-resistant epilepsy and may benefit from surgery or newer technologies.

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is one innovation Dr. Aung is particularly excited about. The technology measures the brain’s magnetic fields (instead of the electrical field used in an electroencephalogram (EEG)), to help identify where seizures originate.

"With an EEG, we try to read the brain and its electrical activity," Dr. Aung says. "There's another way you can read brain activity by using the magnetic field. Sometimes you cannot see the electrical activity, but you can see it with the magnetic activity."

Dr. Aung also hopes to expand access to epilepsy clinical trials, giving patients opportunities to receive promising therapies before they become widely available and helping researchers better understand which treatments work best for each person.

Recognizing the signs

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurring seizures, but not every seizure looks the same. While some involve full-body convulsions, others may appear as brief staring spells, confusion or other subtle changes.

Dr. Aung encourages anyone experiencing unexplained episodes or symptoms that continue to occur to seek medical evaluation as soon as possible.

Although seizures are commonly related to abnormal brain activity, she notes that some heart conditions can mimic seizures and may be life-threatening if left untreated.

As one of the few Level 4 epilepsy centers in Illinois, OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute is continuing to grow its capabilities with one goal in mind: ensuring more patients throughout the state have access to the advanced, comprehensive epilepsy care they need.

Video Interview Clips

Author's note: this is part of a series on the parent-teen relationship. Search the OSF Newsroom for Sara Bennett for other stories.


Proms. Friday night football. Advanced placement classes. It’s all on the mind of a child starting high school. And it comes at a time when the kid is becoming more independent from their parents. So naturally, the transition can bring some mental health challenges like anxiety, self-doubt and longing.

“Kids become more centered on their looks because they’re developing differently,” says Sara Bennett, a psychotherapist at OSF HealthCare. “Guys might ask ‘how come that guy is six feet tall all of the sudden and I’m still five foot two?’. It changes our self-concept, self-image, how we feel about ourselves and our confidence level.

“We see girls start to take a step back a little bit,” Bennett adds. “They don’t want to be the smartest one in the class. They’re sitting back. What their friends think about them is way more important than what Mr. Smith in chemistry thinks about you.”

Bennett also notes the sheer size of high school can be intimidating. Maybe the child went from small classes in a small building to being a freshman in a big pond with many teachers and coaches to get to know.

“There’s a lot happening in kids’ brains as they mature and go through those teenage years. As parents, we have to shift our mindset a little bit to be a better supporter and not so much that manager,” Bennett says.

Having the conversation

Curious, consistent and connected.

Those are the ideals Bennett says to keep in mind when parents and teachers are talking to kids about heavy high school issues. Ask about what’s going on and how it made the child feel, but be curious, not nosy and judgmental. Stay connected with your teenager, but understand that everyone has a busy schedule. A family dinner every night may not be possible, but catch up on the drive to soccer practice.

“Let them know you’re there to celebrate their wins and move through difficulties. Make the little moments matter,” Bennett says. “How can I help?” or “What’s a good outcome for this?” are good phrases to use.

“Figure out who they are, what success means to them and how you can best support them,” Bennett adds, noting an eight-year-old’s priorities will differ greatly from a 14-year-old’s priorities. “Having those open conversations and allowing them to be themselves means they’re more likely to come to you when stuff gets tough. If they feel there’s a lot of judgement and condemnation and not a lot of support, they’re probably going to go to other people or hold it inside. Then the parent is going to be on the outside of the relationship instead of the inside.”

For a child whose success means good grades, the conversation might include setting expectations in that area. Does the expectation mean certain grades? Certain advanced courses? Or just trying your best? If expectations are or are not met, what are the rewards or consequences? Expectations about social situations like parties could mean a pledge to not drink or use drugs. The parents could also promise to pick up the child from a sticky situation, like an out-of-control party, without judgement.

“Evidence-based research shows the more we connect with our kids in that way and not shy away from these conversations, the more likely they are to stay away from the riskiest decisions,” Bennett says.

Learn more

Read more about helping kids with their mental health on the OSF HealthCare website. Mental health care at OSF includes clinicians and support groups at hospitals like the one Bennett works at, the under-construction Meadowview Behavioral Hospital in Peoria, Illinois, and free resources like behavioral health navigators and SilverCloud.

Interview clips

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BreAnne Gendron, NP, knows all about the effects of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. She eventually had to give up coffee because it caused a burning sensation in her throat.

As a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare, Gendron also treats patients who experience GERD in different ways.

“GERD probably feels a little bit different for everybody, but it definitely helps [to understand patients' experience] when you have personal experience with it,” she says. “Sometimes people with GERD have a flare-up and their stomach hurts, but they don't get that acid-up-the-throat feeling. It just causes stomach discomfort. Sometimes it changes bowel movements. Everybody has a slightly different version of it.”

Occasional heartburn or acid reflux is common. But when those symptoms happen frequently – two or more times a week – it could be a sign of GERD and worth mentioning to your health care provider.

Symptoms can include regurgitation, trouble swallowing, a feeling of a lump in your throat, a persistent cough, a sore throat or heartburn that doesn’t improve with over-the-counter medication.

Gendron says people who are 50 and older and overweight are at highest risk for GERD. Heartburn is one of the most common symptoms of GERD. But how do you know if that burning sensation in your chest is simply reflux or something more serious, such as a heart problem?

When chest pain shouldn't be ignored

Gendron says patients will sometimes go to the emergency department because they are experiencing chest pain. While some people may wonder if they are overreacting, Gendron says it’s always better to have potentially serious issues addressed.

“If it’s the first time you're having chest pain, we can't just guess, ‘Oh, that's probably acid reflux,’” she says. “You have to go in and be seen to rule out a cardiac reason, because that's what we do in health care. We rule out the scary stuff, so we can treat the treatable stuff.”

Even people with a history of GERD should pay attention when their symptoms change. For example, if chest discomfort occurs during physical activity, it could be a sign of a heart problem and should be evaluated.

“I would say any time you have activity where you're carrying in the groceries or you're going up a couple flights of stairs and that pain happens, that's not a GERD symptom,” Gendron says. “That's a cardiac symptom, and your doctor can help you figure that out. It's worth a conversation if you're having reflux feelings that are different than normal.”

If you experience new, severe or unexplained chest pain, especially with symptoms such as shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, dizziness or pain that spreads to the arm, back, neck or jaw, seek emergency medical care immediately.

Knowing your GERD triggers

Once anything serious has been ruled out, lifestyle changes can help manage GERD symptoms.

Common triggers can include spicy or fatty foods, citrus or tomato-based foods, caffeine and soda, alcohol, nicotine and heavy or late-night meals.

Gendron says there isn't one diet that works for everyone with GERD. Instead, people should pay attention to which foods trigger their symptoms and make adjustments as needed.

“Some foods will bother people,” she says. “I hear people complain to me a lot about things with tomato sauce, so pizza and spaghetti and things like that bother people with acid reflux. So, you can augment your diet. You can cut back on coffee. You can cut back on your nicotine.”

Medication can also be used to treat GERD when lifestyle changes aren't enough. But Gendron says she prefers to start with lifestyle changes if possible.

For her, that meant giving up her favorite morning beverage.

“I personally had to give up coffee because of this problem. I know if I don't drink coffee, that my whole digestive tract is happier,” she says. “So, people will figure out which foods bother them, and then you have to avoid those.”

Interview Clips

A growing social media trend is putting vibration plates in the spotlight as a potential tool to shake off lymphedema symptoms, though specialists caution that the devices should complement, not replace, established therapies.

Whole-body vibration plates, which create rapid muscle contractions while users stand, sit or exercise on the device, have attracted attention online for claims that they can improve circulation, reduce swelling and support lymphatic health.

Many people discover the devices through social media platforms such as TikTok, where wellness trends often spread quickly. Rachel Rohman, PT, DPT, CLT, an OSF HealthCare physical therapist specializing in lymphedema treatment, stresses that while vibration plates may provide an additional tool for symptom management, they should not replace compression therapy, manual lymphatic drainage or other evidence-based treatments.

She also warns against believing claims circulating online that portray vibration plates as a standalone solution for lymphedema. While early research is encouraging, Rohman says evidence specific to lymphedema remains limited.

More research is needed

“There has been a lot of positive research regarding, especially improvements in circulation, improved venous vasodilation and getting the blood moving,” Rohman says. “While the circulatory system and the lymph system go hand in hand, there's not as much research looking directly at people with lymphedema and use of vibration plates.”

Lymphedema is a chronic condition caused by a disruption in the lymphatic system that leads to swelling, most commonly in the arms or legs. While the condition cannot be cured, it can often be effectively managed through treatments such as compression garments, manual lymphatic drainage therapy and compression pumps.

Rohman points out studies examining vibration plates in healthy individuals, and patients with other medical conditions, have demonstrated benefits related to circulation and mobility. A smaller number of studies have explored their use among people with lymphedema or related conditions, with some positive results.

In the past few years, there have been a handful of published studies including one that looked at women with a related condition called lipedema, which results in an abnormal fat buildup on both sides of the body.

Rohman explains, “Those women do get some swelling and that study did show some positive improvements in swelling over time with use of vibration plates in addition to manual lymphatic drainage massage. So, the new studies are showing some promise. I think there will be a lot more promising research that comes out, even potentially in the next few years.”

Because research remains limited, vibration plates are not considered part of the standard of care for lymphedema management. Instead, Rohman says she discusses the devices primarily with patients who are already following established treatment recommendations and are looking for additional ways to manage symptoms.

Vibration plates can be a good supplement to care

“They are already potentially doing their other treatment options that are more standard of care, but they're just looking to take their treatment to the next level and so I’m telling them that is an additional option they can try that does have some promising research,” Rohman shares.

Users of vibration plates often report feeling less swollen, more energized or generally better after use. For most healthy people, the devices are frequently incorporated into fitness routines, allowing people to perform body-weight exercises while standing on the vibrating platform.

Still, Rohman cautions that the devices are not appropriate for everyone.

“I am looking for a patient that does not have any medical contraindications,” Rohman says. “They don't have any uncontrolled medical conditions that would warrant being seen by a specialist. Someone with an implanted device like a pacemaker, that can cause some harm to the device, which could be life-threatening.”

Patients with poor balance, untreated blood clots or uncontrolled heart and respiratory conditions could face increased risks. Anyone trying a vibration plate should begin with a low setting and short sessions before gradually increasing intensity.

For people experiencing swelling and considering vibration therapy, Rohman recommends consulting a lymphedema specialist first to determine whether the treatment is appropriate and to rule out other underlying causes.

As interest in vibration plates continues to grow, Rohman emphasizes that potential users should approach the therapy with realistic expectations and view it as one potential component of a broader treatment plan rather than a miracle cure.

Rachel Rohman is a physical therapist specializing in lymphedema treatment at OSF HealthCare in Bloomington.

Video clips with Rachel Rhoman

B-roll-Vibration plates

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a common complication after stroke that can increase the risk of pneumonia, prolong hospital stays and, in severe cases, require patients to rely on feeding tubes for nutrition.

The Phagenyx® System combines temporary nutritional support with gentle electrical stimulation that helps retrain swallowing muscles weakened by stroke. The therapy stimulates nerves in the throat to encourage the brain to restore normal swallowing function.

"We're committed to bringing the most advanced, evidence-based treatments to our patients," says Arun Talkad, MD, director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at the OSF Illinois Neurological Institute. "The Phagenyx® catheter not only provides temporary nutrition but also stimulates the muscles involved in swallowing, helping patients recover this critical function sooner. Studies have shown it can reduce the need for permanent feeding tubes, which can have a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. This technology adds another important tool to the comprehensive stroke care we provide."

Nearly 800,000 people experience a stroke each year in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association. While paralysis, speech changes and vision loss are among the best-known effects of stroke, many patients also experience dysphagia, making it difficult or unsafe to swallow food, liquids and even saliva.

The Phagenyx® System is one of several advanced therapies available through the Comprehensive Stroke Center at OSF Saint Francis, supporting people throughout their recovery and rehabilitation.

A much-anticipated vacation should be about exploring new places and relaxing with family and friends – not scrambling to find a pharmacy because you forgot your allergy medication.

Whether you’re headed for a tropical getaway or hiking through a national forest, a little preparation can go a long way toward keeping allergies from putting a damper on your trip, according to Stephanie Amor-Arteaga, APRN, a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare.

“The best way to prepare for a vacation is to plan if you have allergies,” she says. “You want to make sure that you have enough medication, you've gotten your refills from your provider and you have enough to last you through the trip. Make sure everybody around you is aware of the allergies and what you have with you.”

Because allergy triggers vary by season and destination, preparation starts before you leave home. Research where you’re going to know your response to potential environmental allergies there and how to best cope.

Before leaving home, Amor-Arteaga recommends putting together an allergy kit. Depending on your needs, that may include antihistamines, inhalers and epinephrine auto-injectors. Travelers should also bring a current medication list, emergency contacts and a medical alert bracelet or necklace, as well as hand sanitizer and wipes. Make sure all prescriptions are current and properly labeled in case your travel partners need additional information.

Amor-Arteaga says that if you're carrying prescription medications or over-the-counter medications, place them in your carry-on and not in your checked-in luggage for easy access.

Depending on your ultimate location, other considerations to think about are pollen levels, air quality, what outdoor activities you have planned and possible allergens when it comes to hotel accommodations.

Who’s ready to eat?

Once you’ve arrived at your destination it’s time to think about where you’re going to dine and what you’re going to eat – especially if you’re allergic to certain foods or ingredients.

“If you have a food allergy, the best way to navigate that at a restaurant is to let the staff know about your allergy before you even start to order the food,” says Amor-Arteaga. “I have a daughter with a food allergy, so I make sure to carry snacks that she's able to eat in case that restaurant does not have any options for her.”

Amor-Arteaga knows firsthand how stressful traveling with a food allergy can be. Her daughter has a peanut allergy, and Amor-Arteaga remembers being nervous before their first big vacation to Disney World.

“I just wanted to make sure there was no cross contamination, but they were very good about it,” she says. “Most places are good about managing food allergies because they are common, unfortunately.”

Amor-Arteaga suggests contacting your health care provider at least four weeks in advance of your trip so he or she can devise a personalized plan for you, including making sure all your prescriptions are filled.

The bottom line, Amor-Arteaga says, is that allergies shouldn’t keep people from enjoying their time away. A little preparation before leaving home can help travelers spend less time worrying about their allergies – and more time making memories.

“Allergies affect our lives, and it may be a bummer for some, but it should not affect a vacation if you plan and get everything in order so that you can enjoy time with everybody,” says Amor-Arteaga.

(sidebar)

Before you leave:

• Refill all prescriptions
• Pack medications in your carry-on
• Bring extra medication when appropriate
• Make sure prescriptions are properly labeled
• Carry a medication/allergy list
• Tell travel companions about your allergies
• Pack safe snacks if you have food allergies
• Bring emergency contacts
• Consider a medical alert bracelet or necklace
• Know where you can get medical care at your destination

Interview Clips

Author's note: this is part one of a two part story on weight room safety. Click here for part two.


August means high school and college athletes will be back in the weight room full time, building strength so they can excel on the field.

But for Brittany Delaney, an OSF HealthCare athletic trainer who works with high school athletes, keeping people safe in gyms and weight rooms is on her mind year-round.

“I see a lot of back and neck pain” from weight room injuries, she says. “I see muscle strains – hamstrings, quads, lats, pectorals. These kids don’t necessarily know the proper weight to start at.”

Tips to know

• Have good posture and body mechanics. Delaney says to have a wide base when lifting heavy weights, and lift with your legs and core, not your back. Bend your knees while keeping them straight, and bring your rear end down, she says.
  
  “Avoid twisting motions at the torso,” Delaney adds. “Try to overexaggerate movements. When you’re doing a rotational exercise, move your feet, not just the torso.”
   
• Keep the weight close to your body.
   
• There’s no glory in trying to impress the room with a heavy lift, then injuring yourself. Instead, Delaney says to start with a light weight (talk to your coach or trainer on the exact number) and more repetitions, rather than a heavy weight and less repetitions.
  
  “That way, we can work on mastering their form first. Make sure they’re doing it properly to avoid injuries,” Delaney says.
  
  Delaney tells her athletes to try three sets of 10 repetitions. If you don’t feel pain or fatigue, you can try increasing the weight. For the upper body, go up by two and a half to five pounds. For the lower body, increase by five to 10 pounds.
   
• Do you need a spotter for every lift? Delaney recommends having a buddy watch you if you’re lifting a heavy weight or you’re in a position to drop the weight on yourself, such as a bench press.
  
  “That would be a major injury if you’re bench pressing and drop a weight on your chest,” Delaney warns.
   
• Know how to use the equipment before strapping in.

The bottom line: Communication is key

“Communicate with your teammates and coaches,” Delaney implores. “It’s always OK to not know how to do an exercise and ask for help. In no situation should you be made fun of or be nervous about asking for help. Not doing so is when you’re going to get hurt.”

Learn more

Read more about how to keep your body in top shape on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

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In May 2026, Cal was riding his bicycle at his grandmother’s home in Rock Falls when he lost control on a steep hill and entered the roadway. He was struck by a vehicle traveling approximately 50 mph.

Cal suffered a severe traumatic brain injury with bleeding and swelling in his brain. Emergency responders quickly arrived, and an OSF Life Flight helicopter transported him to OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria.

“God is real,” Cory says. “Two EMTs hit him, so they knew what to do and we also found out the helicopter from Peoria was only two minutes from us, so they got him there. Once he got here, we had a great team to help him out.”

The quick transport allowed Cal to receive care at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, the region’s only Level I Pediatric Trauma Center.

The right care at the right time

When Cal arrived at OSF Children’s Hospital, he was in critical condition and required immediate care from multiple pediatric specialists, including trauma, neurosurgery and critical care teams.

Dr. Chegondi says getting Cal to the right facility at the right time was a key factor in his outcome.

“Time is of the essence, especially with dealing with very sick patients,” Dr. Chegondi says. “One of the key factors in this child’s positive outcome was getting early to the right facility at the right time.”

A fight for recovery

Cal spent several weeks in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, where his care team worked to control swelling and pressure inside his brain.

He underwent three craniectomies, surgeries that temporarily remove part of the skull to relieve pressure on the brain, along with additional procedures to monitor and manage his condition. He also required breathing support before he was able to breathe on his own again.

Dr. Chegondi says there were moments when Cal’s future was uncertain.

“When I look back, I was so concerned at one point,” Dr. Chegondi says. “We couldn’t control the pressure in his brain. We were using all kinds of neurosurgical procedures.”

After learning Cal had been struck by a vehicle, Cory rushed to the hospital. The drive felt endless.

“I was 10 or 15 minutes away,” Cory says. “All I could say was no. I think I said it 500 times on the way there.”

For Cory and Alyssa, the uncertainty was overwhelming. The family was told Cal might need to relearn basic skills, including walking, talking and eating.

A recovery called a miracle

But Cal continued to make progress beyond expectations.

His family watched as he began remembering them, his favorite toys and the things that made him who he is.

“The progress he has made is unreal in the time we have been here,” Cory says. “The severity of his injuries, he is doing better than we were told and what we expected. He is a miracle baby.”

Dr. Chegondi says Cal’s recovery is something he will remember.

“Looking back, I’d say this was a miracle,” Dr. Chegondi says. “It is a testament of our impact as a team.”

Continuing his journey

After several weeks at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, Cal was discharged to continue his recovery through rehabilitation services.

Throughout his hospitalization, the McCallister family found support from the OSF care team and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois, which provided a place for the family to rest and connect with others going through similar experiences.

“They genuinely care about the kids here,” Cory says. “They want the best for him as much as we do.”

Cal’s recovery journey continues, but his family remains grateful for every milestone and for the team that helped give him the opportunity to heal. For the McCallister family, a devastating bicycle accident became a story of faith, expert pediatric care and a miracle recovery.

Dr. Chegondi Video Interview Clips

Cory McCallister Video Interview Clips

The clock ticks past midnight. Your eyes are open, your body still – but your mind is anything but quiet. From bills to health scares to family stress, worry shows up, unpacks, and overstays its welcome.

When it comes to worry, there’s no shortage of things that keep us up at night – some of it probably has us tossing and turning at times.

According to experts like Ashley Pratt, a psychotherapist with OSF HealthCare, most of what we fret about never comes to fruition. But that doesn’t stop us from experiencing a few anxious moments.

But why do we worry?

“It’s actually part of our human nature,” says Pratt. “Our brain is designed to help us protect ourselves from danger or unpleasant experiences. So, worry is kind of our brain’s way of helping us navigate or prepare for those things.”

But some worrying can serve a purpose, Pratt says. For example, if you’re worried about skin cancer, you might be more diligent when it comes to protecting your skin. If you’re worried about money, you might become thriftier when it comes to spending.

Pratt says the best way to get a hold of worry is to concentrate on what you can control.

“Focus on what we have power over,” Pratt says. “That's one of my favorite ways to manage worry. That way we can start to incorporate other coping skills through our life, whether it's breathing exercises or talking to friends, listening to podcasts, doing enjoyable hobbies throughout our week.”

Still, life happens and that means some things we worry about do come true. Pratt recommends meeting those fears head on.

“I think we can learn that we can get through it, first and foremost,” she emphasizes. “Even if our worries do come true occasionally, we can cope with it. Worry gives us opportunities to learn about how we handle those situations.”

Instead of worrying, Pratt says to trust yourself IF something negative does happen. It’s better to remain calm than distressed when trying to solve a potential problem.

But if you are having a tough time navigating those worries, there are ways you can calm your nerves. For example, stay off your phone, where you can find news that may be upsetting. Check in with people in your inner circle that you trust and can talk to. Finally, Pratt suggests starting the practice of gratitude.

“It helps rewire those negative thoughts and give us more focus on the things that are going well in our lives,” Pratt says.  

Trying to worry less takes time and lots of work. If you can’t seem to find any relief on your own, Pratt recommends seeking professional help.

“If it feels unmanageable, reaching out to someone, whether your doctor for medication management, going to therapy, learning different techniques and just finding something that works.”

Ways to worry less 

Robert Leahy is a psychologist and author of the book “The Worry Cure.” He offers the following tips to cope with worry.

1. Identify productive and unproductive worry

Determine whether worry will help you find  solutions to a problem. If yes, write a to-do list with steps to help solve the problem.

2. Track your worries

Write down your unproductive worries throughout the day and dedicate time to thinking about them.

3. Accept uncertainty

Leahy says repeating a worry for 20 minutes (“I may never fall asleep” or “I could lose my job”) lessens its power.

4. Be mindful

Leahy says there are ways to be mindful throughout the day. Work on living in the now by practicing deep breathing. Let your body relax to release the tension.

5. Reframe your worry

Leahy says reframing how you handle disappointments can help worry. Ask yourself what you have learned from your bad experiences. Make a list of things that make you grateful.

6. Put worries in perspective

Learn from previous worries. If you can’t remember what they were, it might mean they never came true, or you were able to deal with them and move on.

Interview Clips 

For the thousands of people who have asthma (a chronic lung disease that impacts your airways), the thought of vigorous exercise may be daunting. They may think, “What if I’m working out alone and find myself short of breath or worse?”

Enter Brittany Delaney, an athletic trainer at OSF HealthCare who works with young athletes on a variety of conditions, including asthma. She says workout warriors and their parents need not be afraid. You can work up a sweat with asthma if you know your body and prepare for possible problems.

“Actually, we like that [people with asthma] exercise a lot because it will help maintain a healthy weight. It also strengthens the lung muscles,” Delaney says.

“It's very important for athletes to know how to manage their symptoms when they’re in sports. That way, we can reduce the likelihood of an asthma attack,” she adds.

Signs to watch for include shortness of breath, hyperventilation (where you breathe fast and deep), dizziness, a rapid pulse, skin changes (such as turning blue) and chest pain or tightness. If those happen, Delaney says to use an inhaler, rest and, if it’s a young person, call their parents. If things don’t get better quickly, call 9-1-1.

Have a plan

Delaney says short bursts of exercise are better for people with asthma. Think of sprinting to first base in a baseball practice rather than jogging a few miles on a cross country course.

Know and avoid your triggers. If it’s a pollen-heavy day, exercise inside. Chlorine can also make asthma worse, Delaney says. So if you’re a person with asthma who swims, be vigilant about symptoms and the amount of time you spend in the pool.

“Cold weather can be a trigger,” Delaney adds. “If you’re running outside and it’s cold, put a scarf over your face to avoid cold air getting deep [into your lungs and irritating them]. Experts also say breathing through the nose rather than the mouth can decrease symptoms.”

Also a must: keep up with medication as directed by your health care provider. For most people with asthma, the first line of defense is that inhaler.

“I see a lot of athletes who carry their inhaler, but are they following directions? Are they only taking their medication when they’re starting to feel symptoms? A lot of people with asthma actually have inflammation daily. They should be taking medication daily," Delaney says.

If you’re working out or competing with others, Delaney suggests giving your inhaler to a designated person, such as a coach or trainer. That way, if you show symptoms, you don’t lose valuable time digging through your bag to find the inhaler.

Lastly, a proper warm up and cool down are key for any athlete to have a successful workout.

“I prefer starting with some light cardio to warm up the muscles. Then, do a dynamic stretch as opposed to a static stretch where you hold the pose for 30 seconds,” Delaney explains. “Dynamic is more active. Your heart rate is getting up. Your lungs are expanding. You’re getting more air in.”

Jumping jacks and lunges are examples of dynamic stretches.

Then, cool down with a light jog and some static stretches.

“Those muscles can’t go from hot to cold in a minute. You need to slow the progression down,” Delaney says.

Learn more

Read more about how to keep your body in top shape on the OSF HealthCare website.

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Vitamin D basics

Maddy Draper, APRN, a health care provider at OSF OnCall, says vitamin D is a nutrient our body needs to produce calcium. Calcium helps create strong teeth and bones. So logically, not having enough vitamin D leads to brittle bones (a risk for greater injury after a fall), plus muscle aches and pains. Others with a vitamin D deficiency may not show symptoms. Either way, a provider may order a blood test to confirm the issue and then may advise you to take a supplement. This is usually in pill form and can be prescribed or bought over the counter by itself or as part of a multivitamin.

“Or the provider may just talk about vitamin D-rich foods first before starting a supplement,” Draper says. “High fat fishes, egg yolks, some cheeses and mushrooms.”

Draper adds that pregnant women, babies (especially babies who are breastfed), the elderly and people with darker skin often lack vitamin D.

On the flip side, Draper says it’s rare, but a person can get too much vitamin D. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and heart palpitations (feeling like your heartbeat is fast, pounding or otherwise irregular). You may also suffer kidney damage.

Summer sun

Here’s advice to commit to memory: Draper says research shows 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure three times a day can get you a healthy amount of vitamin D.

“You want to protect your skin while doing that,” Draper adds. “Sunscreen and protective clothing like a hat and sunglasses. There’s not any research showing that sunscreen or clothes will prevent you from getting the vitamin D you need.”

Experts say your sunscreen should have a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher, and you should reapply every two hours. Clothing should be lightweight and light colored (Dark colors absorb more sunlight, leading to quicker heat illness.) Stay hydrated, and watch for redness and blisters from sunburns and suspicious moles that may be skin cancer. See a provider right away if you have issues from getting too much sun.

Another thing to note: Experts say a specialized lamp can help with seasonal affective disorder, a mental health condition often seen in the winter due to decreased daylight. The same logic does not apply for vitamin D. You need natural, not artificial light to get the vitamin D you need.

The bottom line

Draper says most people don’t have to worry about getting too much or too little vitamin D.

“The average person will get it through the sun,” Draper says. “If you live in a cold and dark environment, you’re at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency. People farther away from the equator are higher risk.”

If you have symptoms of too much or too little vitamin D or just have a concern, talk to your primary care provider.

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Did you have a childhood hero? If so, you likely aspired to emulate them and their achievements.  

Nowadays, your kids may see their favorite athlete or influencer using pre-workout supplements, whether on social media or in stores, to enhance their performance in the gym or on the field.

What are pre-workout supplements?

Pre-workout supplements come in various names, flavors, and sizes. Some popular options are creatine and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA). While creatine and the main ingredient in most pre-workout supplements is caffeine, most BCAAs don’t contain caffeine.

These supplements are taken before a workout or athletic match with the goals of increasing endurance, muscle mass, and reducing recovery time. But the question is should middle- or high school-aged kids use these supplements? The answer: Probably not.

What are the risks of pre-workout supplements?

“These can cause increased heart rate or heart burn. You’re also taking a lot of supplements that are going straight to your gut. You can see some nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. They’re also not well-monitored, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) isn’t regulating these very closely,” says Erica Dawkins, a dietetic intern with OSF HealthCare.

Taking it further, kids with heart defects need to steer clear of these supplements.  

“A lot of times we see defects or heart irregularities that somebody isn’t even aware of. They don’t know that until they take something like this and have an adverse event,” Dawkins says. “So, if you already know, avoid these because we don’t want to throw that heart into an abnormal rhythm it might not be able to come back from.”

What are the benefits of pre-workout supplements?

“A lot of them will already have beta-alanine or branched-chain amino acids which help improve recovery time and reduce fatigue,” Dawkins says. “We also see some nitrates used that help improve blood flow to the muscles.”

Most pre-workouts are intended for healthy adults in moderation. Pregnant and nursing women are generally advised to avoid them due to the high caffeine content.

Alternatives for improving athletic performance in kids

“Focus first on making sure you’re having quality workouts, then introduce healthy nutrition,” Dawkins says. “We want to make sure we’re getting that nutrition throughout the day. Especially if we’re working out multiple times throughout the day. If you’re working out within two to four hours, make sure you’re getting a snack. We see a lot of benefits for pre-workout snacks or snacks during half-time. We also want to make sure we’re staying adequately hydrated.”

Dawkins says leafy and root vegetables like spinach, lettuce and beets are a great, natural option.

“Those have the natural nitrate in it. So, we’re getting the same effects we would from a pre-workout supplement, just in our regular diet,” Dawkins adds.

Having a conversation with your child’s pediatrician or sports medicine physician is extremely important if you are wondering what supplements should or should not be added into their routine.

Video Interview Clips

For more than a decade working in infection prevention, Nicole Pirlot, RN, has seen her share of outbreaks. But nothing compares to the cyclosporiasis outbreak now sweeping across the Midwest.

In Michigan alone, thousands of people have become sick from the parasite this summer. According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the state has reported 8,176 cyclosporiasis cases and 160 hospitalizations, as of July 24, with just over 600 cases reported in one day. About 2% of those cases have led to hospitalization.

“Normally, we see in Michigan about 50 cases a year of cyclosporiasis,” says Pirlot, an infection preventionist at OSF HealthCare St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group in Escanaba, Michigan. “Most of those come from individuals who have traveled internationally in developing countries. We do see occasional cases locally in Michigan, but not at the extent we're seeing right now.”

Nine states now have related cases of diarrheal illness caused by iceberg lettuce contaminated with the microscopic cyclospora parasite, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On July 24, the CDC added Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania to the cyclosporiasis outbreak investigation. A total of 41 states has reported at least one case since May 1.

Pirlot says people become infected by ingesting the cyclospora parasite, usually through contaminated food or water. Fresh produce, including fruits and vegetables, have been linked to outbreaks when it becomes contaminated. Scientists are still studying how long the parasite remains infectious under different temperatures, humidity, and agricultural conditions. This knowledge could improve prevention strategies.

Pirlot says symptoms include watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, low-grade fever, cramping, bloating and increased gas, nausea and fatigue. “Studies show that you can start with symptoms two days to two weeks after eating,” Pirlot says.

Most healthy people will recover without long-term problems. However, it can last longer in people who are elderly, young children or people who are immuno-compromised. Seek medical attention if your symptoms become worse or you become dehydrated.

Cyclosporiasis is treatable with prescription antibiotics, so it's important to contact a health care provider if symptoms are severe or don't improve.

“(Especially) anyone who is feeling dehydrated, if they cannot keep their fluids up, starting to feel weak, multiple loose stools, or you're just not getting any better,” says Pirlot. “Come in, see your provider. They can help you out.” Consult with your medical provider to see if a virtual visit is an option.

Pirlot reminds people to always wash fruits and vegetables, which can reduce the risk of illness but won’t reduce the threat completely. Cooking food to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit will help since heat destroys the parasite. For lettuce the recommendation is buying whole heads over chopped prepackaged kits and discarding those first outer layers before preparation.

“Good hand hygiene, washing those fruits and vegetables,” she adds. “Even if you're going to peel them, make sure you wash those skins and cook everything thoroughly. Use clean utensils. That way, you'll prevent all those other foodborne illnesses from undercooking and contaminated surfaces.”

Pirlot says the current outbreak serves as an important reminder that people can't control every source of contamination. The best defense is identifying symptoms early and seeking care when needed.

Interview Clips

Jeanna Brouwer, an outpatient oncology dietitian with the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute, says understanding your vitamin D levels is one of the first steps in supporting your overall health during treatment. She emphasizes that vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin, helps support bone health, immune function and recovery, making it a crucial part of cancer care.

"It's a pre-hormone, or a precursor to a hormone, that is like a 'master key in our body,'" Brouwer says, adding it helps regulate many important processes inside of you.

There are two forms of vitamin D: D2 and D3. Brouwer says the body utilizes vitamin D3 more efficiently than vitamin D2. Vitamin D3 is naturally found in animal-based foods, including fatty fish, and is generally more effective than vitamin D2 at raising and maintaining vitamin D levels.

Why vitamin D is important during cancer treatment

Brouwer says vitamin D is almost always a beneficial part of a person's cancer journey. If someone hasn't had a recent vitamin D blood test, she recommends having one ordered so a baseline can be established before determining whether a supplement is needed.

"When we're deficient, our body isn't functioning to the ideal level that we need it to," Brouwer says. "We don't have the ideal immune system that can help us during cancer treatment. So, if we're deficient, we want to start there and bring it up to a healthy level."

Brouwer also says studies show an association between adequate vitamin D status and better outcomes in certain cancers.

For some people, supplementation becomes even more important depending on their diagnosis and treatment plan.

"So, for example, prostate cancer patients; if you get put on something called ADT therapy, where it's blocking testosterone, that's going to alter our bone health. So, anybody put on that medication oftentimes (recommended by their oncology team) start supplementing with vitamin D and calcium," Brouwer says.

Supplementation can also help protect against osteopenia and osteoporosis.

People with pancreatic cancer can face a different challenge. Brouwer says pancreatic insufficiency can prevent the body from properly breaking down fat, leading to malabsorption. Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, traditional vitamin D supplements may be less effective for some patients.

Choosing a supplement

Although sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D, Brouwer says supplements are an excellent way to get the nutrient without spending long periods of time in the sun, which can increase the risk of skin damage and skin cancer.

She also understands that choosing the right supplement can be overwhelming.

In general, Brouwer recommends choosing vitamin D3 over D2. She says products containing vitamin K2 can also help direct calcium into the bones more effectively.

People should keep in mind that the amount of vitamin D found in many calcium supplements or multivitamins is often not enough to meet their daily needs.

Most people need between 1,000 and 2,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D each day, Brouwer says. Reaching that amount through food alone can be difficult. For example, it would take about 10 glasses of milk a day to provide that much vitamin D, which is not recommended.

For people taking multiple medications, pill burden is a real concern. Brouwer says liquid-filled or gel capsules are often easier to swallow. Vitamin D also comes in gummies which are more palatable for some people.

Some formulations may also improve absorption. Liposomal supplements contain fat, which helps the body absorb vitamin D more effectively. For people who have difficulty absorbing vitamin D through the digestive tract, such as some pancreatic cancer patients, liquid drops may be a better option.

"Doing a sublingual bypass anything in the gut area. You hold the liquid under your tongue for 30-60 seconds, and it's going to absorb into the tissue in the oral cavity," Brouwer says. "So, if you get drops that are liposomal, best of both worlds."

Look for third-party testing

Because dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Brouwer encourages people to look for products that have undergone independent, third-party testing.

She recommends looking for certifications such as USP (U.S. Pharmacopeia) or NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) on the label to help verify a supplement's quality and contents.

Before starting any vitamin D supplement, talk with your oncology care team or health care provider. There are scenarios, such as high calcium levels caused by cancer, where taking supplemental vitamin D can be problematic. A simple blood test can determine whether you're deficient and help identify the supplement and dosage that's right for you.

Video Interview Clips

B-Roll

• Spoon feeding: We hear about toddlers in the high chair getting spoon fed solid food. Here comes the airplane! But can it work with infants? Sort of, Anderson says.
  
  “We can express that milk for mom. A lot of times we use hand expression, which is a very gentle way to do that. We do it right into a little plastic spoon. You hold the spoon up to baby’s mouth. They will stick their tongue out and kind of lap it up like a little puppy,” Anderson explains. “We’re not dumping it in their mouth and expecting them to swallow it. They need it in very small amounts to learn how to breathe while eating.”
   
• Cup feeding: It’s like spoon feeding but with a small medicine cup. Express the breastmilk into the cup, put the cup by the baby’s lower lip and let them lap up the nourishment.
   
• Dropper feeding: Express some breastmilk into a medicine dropper. Gently place the dropper in the corner of the baby’s mouth pointed toward their cheek, and squeeze out a tiny amount.
  
  “They’re getting breastmilk while not having to drink from a bottle. That can, in little bits, give baby the strength they need to latch onto mom’s breast [in the future],” Anderson says.
   
• Supplemental nursing system (SNS): Anderson says there are many reasons to use an SNS. For one, babies who might latch well at the breast lack the energy to actually get milk out by suckling. Birth is tiring, and they are sleepy. With an SNS, the baby still latches onto the breast, but there is a very small tube taped to the breast, aligned with the nipple. This allows the parent to provide milk from a syringe connected to the other end of the tube. 
  
  “We can still have mom holding baby and baby latching at the breast. We push milk through the tube very slowly. Baby is still suckling at the breast but getting milk from the tube,” Anderson outlines. “We can supplement without needing a bottle if that’s the parents’ preference.”

Learn more

Anderson says these alternatives are typically seen in the first few days, and mom and baby get the hang of feeding after that. But if problems persist, you can always talk to a lactation consultant. The OSF HealthCare website also has information about having a healthy pregnancy and birth. OSF also offers virtual breastfeeding support.

Photos

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Author's note: This is part one of a four part story on infant nutrition misconceptions. Read part two here, part three here and part four here.
 

Bringing a new baby home raises the focus on their and mom’s well-being. Toward the top of the list: what and how the child is being fed.

Whether you choose to breastfeed or use formula, misconceptions about infant nutrition are everywhere. Xandra Anderson, an international board-certified lactation consultant at OSF HealthCare, cuts through the noise.

• My baby needs water in addition to milk or formula.
  
  It’s a common thought, Anderson says. One, adults need water, so people assume infants do, too. And two, formula can involve mixing in water, so mothers think they need to do the same with breast milk.
  
  “Really, breast milk is about 80% water,” Anderson says. “It’s there. It’s complete nutrition. You’re not missing anything.”
  
  Anderson adds it’s actually dangerous to give water to babies under six months. They can overhydrate, leading to possible kidney damage. After six months, Anderson says to talk to a health care provider about introducing water. She says one to two ounces of water per day to help wash down solid food is common.
   
• Breastfeeding will make my breasts sag.
  
  Anderson says breast changes begin during pregnancy and are not solely a result of breastfeeding. Some women will notice their breasts are larger once they are full of milk, but there are more factors at play.
  
  “[During pregnancy], your hormones are changing a lot. Your ligaments are stretching. We’re getting ready for a baby,” Anderson explains. “Then you have your baby, and your milk starts to come in. Regardless of whether you breastfeed or formula feed, you’ll see some breast changes. It was those hormonal changes in pregnancy.

“[Breast changes] can also be related to your lifestyle,” she adds. “Smoking affects your skin health, and you can see that affect the breasts. It can be related to age or a family history [of health issues such as lupus and other autoimmune diseases].”

Anderson also says research has found breastfeeding can actually promote breast health. For example, it can reduce your breast cancer risk.

• I have small breasts, so I won’t have enough breast milk to keep my child nourished.
  
  Anderson retorts with an affirmation we’ve heard since childhood: It’s what’s on the inside that counts.
  
  “Size of the breast is not a factor in being able to breastfeed. What is a factor is the amount of milk glands in your body. We all have those milk glands. Size just relates to fatty tissue,” Anderson says.
  
  The only time size may come into play, Anderson says, is if a woman gets a breast reduction where milk glands are removed. In that case, talk to a health care provider about your options.

Learn more

Read more about how to have a successful pregnancy and following years on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

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The death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham from an aortic dissection has brought renewed attention to a rare but life-threatening medical emergency that doctors say requires immediate diagnosis and treatment to improve the chance of survival.

An aortic dissection occurs when a tear develops in the wall of the aorta, the body's largest artery, allowing blood to separate the layers of the vessel wall. Bill Novak, MD, a cardiologist at OSF HealthCare, says it’s like a crack in a pipe and it can get bigger and create a tear with increased pressure, including from high blood pressure. Although uncommon, with it occurring in about 3 to 3.5 per 100,0000 people, aortic dissection can quickly become fatal if it is not recognized and treated.

“The aorta is the main artery that leaves your heart, and if you have a tear in the aorta, it can be potentially life-threatening. It can cause a heart attack. It can cause stroke. It can cause heart failure, rupture of the aorta, and sudden death.”

Many aortic dissection symptoms overlap with other medical emergencies. Actor John Ritter died after his aortic dissection was misdiagnosed and it was treated as a heart attack.

Challenge to diagnose

"It's dangerous because it's relatively uncommon," says Dr. Novak. "It can sometimes be a challenge to diagnose since a lot of the symptoms overlap with heart attack and other conditions such as pulmonary embolism, and it's obviously a potentially life-threatening type of a problem."

Diagnosis requires immediate emergency imaging such as an MRI or an echocardiogram.

Anyone experiencing sudden, excruciating pain or other unexplained symptoms to seek emergency care immediately. Dr. Novak says while severe chest or back pain is often considered the hallmark symptom, people can also experience shortness of breath, fainting, heart failure or reduced blood flow to the arms or legs.

Treatment varies depending on the location and severity of the tear. Some patients require emergency surgery, either through an open surgical procedure or an endovascular approach, while others can be managed with medications (like beta-blockers) to strictly lower blood pressure and reduce the force of heart contractions. Surgery or stent placement may be needed if complications arise.

Dr. Novak says people at the greatest risk include older adults.

Know the risks

“How old you are is important. That increases your risk. If you smoke, that’s going to increase your risk and obviously treating your cholesterol is going to reduce the chance you’re going to develop certain types of plaque in your arteries which can also put you at a higher risk for having this problem.”

Senator Graham had a history of atherosclerosis (plaque build-up), also known as hardening of the arteries.

There are other people Dr. Novak points out who need to be monitored regularly, including those with conditions such as Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome which weaken blood vessel walls and are the primary cause of aortic dissection in younger individuals.

“If you do have some risk factors such as a bicuspid valve, connective tissue disease, or an aneurysm, those things do have to be monitored on a regular basis."

An aneurysm is a bulging, weak area in the wall of a blood vessel. While it can occur in any blood vessel, it most often develops in an artery rather than a vein. An aortic aneurysm is the most common type.

While aortic dissection remains relatively rare, physicians say the national attention surrounding Graham's death serves as a reminder that recognizing warning signs and seeking emergency medical care without delay can save lives. Also, family history is important. If you have a close relative who has suffered from an aortic aneurysm or sudden arterial dissection, early testing and genetic counseling can be lifesaving.

Dr. Bill Novak is a cardiologist at OSF Cardiovascular Institute in Bloomington.

Video clips with Dr. Bill Novak

High school athletes across the country are already feeling the heat as teams begin practices for several sports, including football, cross country and soccer.

While student athletes and coaches are anxious to get the season under way, experts say it’s important to stay safe, especially when it comes to practicing during the grueling August temperatures.

“The summer heat is very dangerous for so many different reasons, and it is important to know and identify those risk factors associated with heat related illnesses, particularly the athletes, their coaches and the staff who work with them,” says Faheem Ahmad, MD, a family practice physician with OSF HealthCare, who completed a fellowship in sports medicine.

According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, heat stroke is the third-most common cause of sudden death among high school athletes behind cardiac arrest and traumatic brain injuries. Already this year, a 16-year-old student athlete from Memphis, Tennessee, collapsed during football practice and died from organ failure caused by severe heat stroke. 

Dr. Ahmad says athletes can experience anything from feeling tired from heat exhaustion to symptoms of heat stroke, which can include fainting, loss of consciousness and a body temperature above 103.  

“Other signs include having headaches, feeling nausea, pains in the body, muscle cramps and then dry mouth is also one of the signs because dehydration and heat illness go hand in hand,” he says.

It’s also important to stay properly hydrated. Working out for more than an hour? Frequent water breaks are necessary and so are sports drinks. “I usually recommend sports drinks, because they do have the electrolytes required for you to replenish, because you lose sodium and other electrolytes when you sweat,” he says. He added that it’s important to hydrate four hours before a game or practice and continuing throughout the event.

But it’s not just the heat student athletes have to contend with over the next month. Injuries such as ankle sprains, pulled muscles and broken bones are another potential hazard as teams prepare for the upcoming season. In the U.S., more than 3.5 million injuries occur each year among the 30 million children and teens who participate in some form of organized sports.

“There is an increased incidence of ACL ruptures and ankle injuries, whether it be the ATFL (anterior talo-fibular ligament), which is one of the ligaments in the ankle. They tend to be injured more and require more intervention from medical personnel during the summer,” says Dr. Ahmad.

Regardless of the sport or activity, Dr. Ahmad says it’s important to have an emergency plan in place that everyone involved is familiar with. Emergency situations can happen at any time during practices and games. Knowing what to do and how to respond quickly, he says, are critical in giving athletes the best possible care in emergency situations.

“As an athlete, coach or trainer, you have to know the risk factors associated with all these conditions,” he says. “If you know that the UV index is going to be high, if you know the temperature in the dry air is going to be high, if you know that you are going to have a very humid day, try to avoid peak times for that day, because the peak of those temperature and risk factors will cause damage.”

Dr. Ahmad says the bottom line is this: don’t over train, know your limits and pay attention to any early symptoms of a potential health issue, whether it’s a headache, weakness, tingling or numbness. If you have any concerns, talk to your coaches and trainers as soon as possible.

The American Red Cross offers the following tips:

• Learn CPR, how to use an AED and how to treat heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
• Schedule practices early in the day or later in the evening and not during the hottest times of the day.
• Lower the intensity of practices until the athletes get used to the heat.
• Make sure players drink plenty of water to avoid muscle cramping or heat-related illness. Fluids should be consumed frequently during strenuous activity and within a half hour of training.
• Include warm-ups before strenuous exercise to help prevent injury.
• Plan frequent and longer breaks. Ideally, pause practice every 20 minutes for athletes to drink fluids and rest in the shade if possible.
• Reduce the amount of heavy equipment athletes wear in the extremely hot weather. Encourage lightweight, light-colored cotton T-shirts and shorts.
• Use the buddy system to encourage athletes to drink water and watch for signs of illness in their teammates.

Interview Clips 

If you break a leg or sprain an ankle during a basketball game, health care providers have a good idea what happened and how to treat it.

But if you have daily aches, pains and swelling in your legs, it will require some investigation.

Causes

Aman Khurana, MD, a vascular medicine physician who sees patients at OSF HealthCare, outlines common causes of leg pain. 

• Arterial disease
  
  “The arterial cause of leg pain is when people walk, and they get leg, calf, hip or thigh pain. That can be from less arterial flow down in the legs,” Dr. Khurana says. “When we walk, the muscles are demanding more blood. But because of blockages, blood doesn’t come.” 
   
• Venous disease
  
  “Venous pain brings heaviness, tiredness and fatigue. Varicose veins and leg discoloration are signs of venous disease,” Dr. Khurana explains. “That pain seems to get better when you lay flat or with your legs up.” 
   
• Arthritis, or inflammation of a joint
   
• Nerve issues
  
  “We have large nerves that go down from the back,” Dr. Khurana explains. When those nerves are irritated, it can cause a condition called sciatica. “Then there’s small vessel nerve pain that causes tingling and numbness in the feet.”

Wounds, such as those associated with diabetes, and lymphedema, a condition where fluid builds up causing swelling, can also contribute to these problems.

Diagnosis and treatment

Dr. Khurana recommends seeing a provider at the first sign of leg pain. He says it’s hard for people to pinpoint the problem, and waiting can make it worse.

A provider, he says, could check the blood pressure in your arms and legs to gauge blood flow and run a test to check for vein leakage.

“Veins have valves. When blood goes up, the valve should close. Some valves don’t close right. Blood goes up, and it keeps coming down. That’s how you have the heaviness, tiredness and swelling in the legs,” associated with venous disease, Dr. Khurana says. You could be given compression stockings for this problem.

Other treatments include medication, a device (such as a lymphedema pump that massages the legs and aids blood flow to the heart) or an ablation procedure to stop the blood flow in the problematic vein.

Prevention

How do I keep my legs moving? Dr. Khurana repeats advice many doctors have given. Daily healthy habits that prevent cardiovascular disease will help prevent leg issues.

• Keep your blood pressure, cholesterol and chronic conditions like diabetes in check.
   
• Don’t smoke. 
   
• Exercise and eat a healthy diet to avoid obesity. When your weight impacts your ability to get around, Dr. Khurana says, it’s definitely time to see a provider.
   
• Know your family history of health issues, and bring these up to your provider at your regular checkups.

Interview clips

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Jetting off to college brings excitement. New friendships and professional opportunities await.

But it also brings the obligation of taking care of your health without a parent’s watchful eye. Dorm buffets, sugary drinks and sleeping in all the time can lead to your clothes feeling tighter and your self-esteem feeling lower.

So what’s the scoop on the so-called freshman 15? How big of a problem is weight gain in college? How can you prevent it?

First things first: Rachel Bult, a supervisor dietitian at OSF HealthCare, says it’s more like three to 10 pounds weight gain in the first year on average, not 15. But the issue is still worth paying attention to.

“You add more calories than you intend to,” with food options in college, Bult says. “Also, stress and lack of sleep can cause increased cravings for sweets and comfort foods.”

Some tips to consider:

• Exercise portion control. Remember the saying “Are your eyes bigger than your stomach?”
   
• If you’re on a meal plan that means buffet meals every day, go to a healthier station first. Start with a salad and a vinaigrette dressing, Bult suggests. Non-starchy vegetables as your side can provide fiber. Protein like chicken, fish, beans, chickpeas and tofu will help keep you full.
   
• For exercise, find movement you enjoy. Don’t approach it as a chore. If you like pickleball, find a local league.
   
• Keep healthy snacks, not junk food, at arm’s reach.
  
  “When I was in college, I would have a protein smoothie in the morning to help fill me up,” Bult recalls. “But you could also keep fruit, string cheese, unsalted nuts or bell peppers with hummus. Just things that are healthier and quicker to grab and go.”
   
• Smartphone apps can be a short-term tool to get you on the right track, Bult says. Apps can track what you’re eating, your daily steps and more.
  
  “Those can help you understand the nutritional value of what you’re consuming,” Bult says.
   
• Talk to your primary care provider or a dietitian if you need guidance. Research what your local school, health system or social service groups offer.

Learn more

The OSF HealthCare website has healthy recipes.

Interview clips

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound made from three amino acids. Your liver, kidneys and pancreas produce it, and it's also found in foods like red meat.

While your body makes creatine on its own, and you can get some through your diet, those amounts typically aren't enough to provide the performance benefits seen with supplementation.

Best known for helping muscles work harder during high-intensity exercise, creatine is one of the most researched sports nutrition supplements available. The most studied form is creatine monohydrate, which has been shown to improve exercise performance and increase lean muscle mass when paired with resistance training.

"There are three different forms that creatine can come in. It can come in a pill (capsule form), it can come in gummy form, or a powder form. There are different types of creatine; the most well-studied form is creatine monohydrate," says Gabrielle Raucci, outpatient clinical oncology dietitian with OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute. "All the studies we've seen say the best form is going to be powder. It's better absorbed by your body, and you can just take a scoop of it, add it to water and shake it up really well."

Most adults who choose to supplement should aim for about three to five grams per day, Raucci says.

Emerging research also suggests creatine may have benefits beyond muscle health. Recent studies have found promising evidence that it may help support brain energy metabolism and cognitive function, although researchers say more studies are needed to understand its long-term effects in healthy adults.

For people with cancer, however, timing matters.

"The main thing we focus on is that if you're undergoing an active treatment, like chemotherapy or immunotherapy, the kidneys can sometimes take a hit with those treatments. When your body breaks down creatine, it breaks it into a byproduct called creatinine," Raucci says. "When your oncologists are closely looking at your blood levels, we wouldn't want to take a supplement that could potentially bump your creatinine. So, make sure to talk with your care team if you're on an active treatment and you want to use one of these supplements. Because it could potentially affect your kidneys."

For cancer survivors who have completed treatment, creatine may be an option to help rebuild muscle mass, particularly when combined with regular strength training.

"If you're in survivorship and are looking to build your lean body mass up, it could be a safe supplement," Raucci says. "Check with your care team, they'll double-check your medications and see if it's something to build yourself up after treatment."

As with any supplement, people undergoing cancer treatment or managing other medical conditions should talk with their health care team before starting creatine to ensure it's appropriate for their individual situation.

Video Interview Clips

B-Roll

Cyclosporiasis, caused by the parasite cyclospora, has made headlines this summer, as investigators work to identify its source. 

"It is a microscopic parasite. So, you can't see it with the naked eye," says Sharjeel Ahmad, MD, an infectious disease doctor with OSF HealthCare. "It causes an infection of the small intestine and produces a diarrheal illness."

As of July 14, nearly 7,000 cases of cyclosporiasis across 34 states are under investigation, with 141 people hospitalized, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “This is substantially higher than the 249 cases reported nationally by this same time last year,” the CDC points out. Many of these cases are not connected to the Taylor Farms outbreak, which the CDC lists as having more than 1,644 cases as of Monday, July 20.

Michigan has reported the most cases so far, with health officials there recently identifying lettuce as a possible source.

How does cyclospora spread?

Unlike other gastrointestinal illnesses like norovirus, cyclosporiasis does not spread from person to person. Instead, the parasite must mature in the environment before it becomes infectious, a process that can take up to a week, Dr. Ahmad says.

"It's beginning at the farm," Dr. Ahmad says, adding that it spreads through fecal matter contaminating the soil and water, which then passes on to the food being grown.

Common foods affected are leafy greens like lettuce, as well as herbs, melons and berries.

"When the running water for irrigation gets contaminated, then the soil gets contaminated while you're growing raw produce," Dr. Ahmad adds. "It's meant to be consumed raw, but things like berries and lettuce have a big surface area with crinkles, cracks and crevices."

Contamination can also occur during harvesting if workers do not properly wash their hands after using the restroom.

How to reduce your risk

Wash each piece of produce individually.

"Washing may not make the risk go down to zero, but that's your best bet. Wash your hands first before you wash the products and then wash them individually," Dr. Ahmad says. "That will give you the most effective protection. Take the berries individually and washing them will help more than anything."

Refrigerating or freezing the products does not kill the parasite. Only cooking produce to 158 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter can kill it. Chemical washes and vinegar are not guaranteed to eliminate the parasite. Don’t use bleaches or other cleaners with your food, as they can cause health problems.

People who are pregnant or immunocompromised should be especially cautious, Dr. Ahmad says. During this time, Dr. Ahmad recommends that such people only eat leafy greens after they have been thoroughly cooked.

Cyclosporiasis symptoms to look out for

While explosive diarrhea has received the most attention, it is not the only symptom of cyclosporiasis. Other symptoms include:

• Bloating
• Cramping
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Low-grade fever
• Headaches
• Weight loss

Symptoms may come and go, meaning you may feel better for a period before they return, and they can last anywhere from a few days to a month.

Treatment options currently available

Treatment includes staying hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids and replacing lost electrolytes. An antibiotic called Bactrim, the brand name for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, can be prescribed to kill the parasite and relieve symptoms.

Healthy adults may eventually clear the infection on their own as the immune system fights off the parasite. However, if your symptoms are severe, Dr. Ahmad recommends contacting your primary care provider to discuss testing. Routine stool tests do not screen for cyclospora, so a specialized test must be ordered.

Dr. Ahmad expects cases to continue increasing over the next few weeks before gradually declining. Historically, most cyclospora infections are reported between May and August, but this year is a much bigger outbreak than usual.

Video Interview Clips

Few beverages spark as much debate as diet soda. One week it’s linked to a new health concern, the next it’s defended as a helpful substitute for sugary drinks. So, what’s the truth?

Despite many studies and plenty of opinions, the answer isn’t as simple as yes or no. Health experts say for most people, an occasional diet soda isn’t going to hurt you – but it also shouldn’t be a substitute for healthier beverages like water.

One thing is certain: more research is needed, especially on diet soda's impact on dementia risk. A recent study published by the Journals of Alzheimer's Disease, shows an association. The results question a potential increased dementia risk associated with frequent consumption of diet soda.

Another recent unpublished study suggested a possible link between daily diet soda consumption and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. However, experts warn that unpublished research isn’t conclusive and doesn’t prove that diet soda causes liver disease.

“I thought it was rather interesting, because when I did research on it, and looking into more medical articles and reliable sources, it actually found that it was inconclusive whether or not diet soda increased the risk,” says Erin Wojewodzki, APRN, a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare.

While research continues, most experts agree that moderate diet soda consumption is generally fine for healthy adults. The bigger issue is what else is happening in a person’s diet and lifestyle.

People may choose diet soda over regular soda to help manage blood sugar levels, lower the risk of tooth decay or manage weight. But diet soda typically lacks ingredients that your body needs. That’s when it’s time to turn to other options such as water, sparkling water, seltzer, skim milk, and unsweetened tea or coffee.

Wojewodzki says it’s important to meet her patients where they are when it comes to trying to reduce diet soda consumption. “We have to look at the patient as a whole,” she says. “If you're essentially healthy but you like to drink 10 diet cokes a day, let's work together.”

Wojewodzki adds recommendations can change depending on a person’s overall health. Someone dealing with obesity or Type 2 diabetes, for example, may require a different plan than someone who is not.

Nicole O’Neill is a dietitian with OSF HealthCare. Like Wojewodzki, she agrees with the adage ‘everything in moderation.’

“I personally like the idea of a diet soda for a good majority of my patient population,” she says. “So, if you can take a high-calorie regular soda and replace it with a non-calorie diet soda, it gives you a calorie deficit that leads to weight loss. One or two, I'm OK with that.”

There are other factors to think about, according to Wojewodzki. “Diet does play a big role,” she says. “Are we eating healthy? Are we eating out a lot? Are we eating fast food? Are we eating a lot of sugar, a lot of unhealthy food? We need to be taking care of our body and eating healthy and exercising as well.”

Unhealthy cravings

O’Neill concurs – people who drink diet sodas tend to crave other unhealthy treats at the same time.

“Most people want a diet soda with something like peanut M&Ms, pizza, a cheeseburger,” says O’Neill. “If you're drinking a diet soda and it's just a drink, it's not a big deal. But if every time you have a diet soda, you want a bag of chips, I would say we need to talk about alternatives.”

For people who are trying to cut back on their diet soda, O’Neill offers a few tips. Try substituting diet soda with sparkling water, flavored seltzer or unsweetened tea. Gradually reduce caffeine instead of going cold turkey. And determine what your triggers are – like certain times of the day that make you reach for a can of diet soda.

“We have to find alternatives, though, and it really is person specific,” says O’Neill. “If you hate water, we were going to try some water flavoring. If you hate water flavorings, because it's also got some artificial sweetener in it, maybe we talk about fruit infusions or herbs or something, just to give your water flavor.”

Zero sugar soda also contains no sugar or calories but is often formulated to taste more like the original sugary version. It may use a blend of sweeteners, such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium or sucralose, depending on the brand. Health experts don’t consider one category healthier than the other. The same advice applies to both.

Wojewodzki says there’s no magic drink for better health. Whether you drink diet soda occasionally or every day, the bigger picture is what’s important. Eat a balanced diet, stay active and make water your primary drink of choice.

Nicole O'Neill interview clips

Erin Wojewodzki interview clips

B-roll

As summer temperatures climb, pharmacists say the heat can do more than make people uncomfortable – it can also reduce the effectiveness of medications and increase the risk of dehydration and other heat-related health problems.

Lisa Heiken, PharmD, a pharmacist, medications exposed to extreme temperatures can lose their effectiveness, particularly those that require refrigeration, such as insulin.

Any medication, if it's left in extreme temperatures, can degrade the effectiveness. Heiken says that includes over-the-counter meds such as Tylenol, ibuprofen, or supplements such as vitamin C or magnesium.

She adds that heat and cold can damage refrigerated medications, making them potentially less effective when patients need them most.

Many people also unknowingly store medications in one of the worst possible places – the bathroom. Although medicine cabinets are common, the humidity created by showers can break down tablets and capsules over time.

Don’t use a medicine cabinet

“A lot of bathrooms unfortunately do have medicine cabinets, and we don’t recommend you leave medication in the medicine cabinet as those rooms tend to have high humidity and the humidity is what breaks down medication.”

Instead, she recommends storing medications in a cool, dry location elsewhere in the home, such as a hallway closet.

Summer errands can also put medications at risk.

“Like leaving your child in the car, same with your medications. Your medications can be affected, even by short times in extreme temperatures so we do recommend that if you’re stopping by the pharmacy that you make your next stop at home, especially if you have refrigerated medications.”

Heiken advises anyone who accidentally leaves medication in a hot car not to throw it away immediately. Instead, patients should contact their pharmacist, who can assess factors such as how long the medication was exposed to heat and whether it may still be safe and effective to use.

Meds can make you vulnerable to heat/sun

Beyond proper storage, some medications can make people more susceptible to heat-related illnesses.

“A lot of heart and blood pressure medication can cause people to become dehydrated faster or dizziness as a side effect in general and so when you add heat and dehydration on top of that, that obviously will compound that problem,” Heiken explains.

Heiken encourages anyone taking antibiotics and certain other medications, to make sure to use sunscreen, wear protective clothing or stay out of the sun because the drugs can make you more sensitive to sunlight.

Bottom line, Heiken says, don’t blow off a discussion with the pharmacist when you begin taking a new medication.

“Opting into the counseling will allow you to better understand your medication and prevent future issues like dehydration and dizziness.”

As temperatures remain high throughout the summer, Heiken said a few simple precautions — proper storage, staying hydrated and understanding medication side effects — can help keep medications effective and people safe.

Lisa Heiken is the manager of OSF Eastland Pharmacy in Bloomington, Illinois.

Video clips of Lisa Heiken

B-roll-Medication and weather

Mental health care starts with a first step, but that first step can be intimidating. Maybe you don’t want to let others know what you’re dealing with, or you’ve heard about friends having poor experiences while seeing a mental health provider.

Susan Hanson, DSW, LCPC, a psychotherapist at OSF HealthCare, is debunking misconceptions about therapy so you can feel comfortable and get the most out of your care.

• Myth: Seeing a therapist is scary.
  
  Fact: “People quickly learn it’s a safe place to talk about trials, tribulations and conflicts. It’s a very warm and inviting place,” Hanson says. She adds that even group therapy shouldn’t be intimidating. Group work can help build empathy and a sense of belonging. When you see others going through the same issues, you can often feel less alone.
   
• Myth: My private health information is at risk of becoming public.
  
  Fact: Hanson says this comes up often with her patients. They don’t want to talk about certain things with friends and family, but they’re also wary of talking with a provider. Hanson reassures that all health care providers abide by confidentiality and use software that keeps your information secure and private. She says the only reasons a provider must breach that confidentiality is if the person is a danger to harm themself or others or if there is evidence of child endangerment.
   
• Myth: I’ll be back to normal after just a few sessions.
  
  Fact: It’s usually not a quick fix, Hanson says. Therapy is something you need to buy into and stick with. Success is often seen after awareness, acceptance and internal structural changes in terms of emotional regulation and setting healthy boundaries.
  
  “Some people can come in and have a quick fix. Maybe they’re nervous about moving. Or they have test-taking anxiety, and we can work through skills for that,” Hanson says. “But many other people have more complex trauma that might take longer to work through.”
   
• Myth: Medication will fix me, and therapy is an easy way to get it.
  
  Fact: Hanson stresses that mental health care providers are not medication dispensaries, nor will medication alone likely heal you.
  
  “Sometimes medication is appropriate if there’s a biological basis [an issue innate within someone’s body, in other words], complex trauma or a diagnosis like ADHD or major depression. The medication can help enhance the talk therapy,” Hanson explains. She adds that a therapist can put a timeline on things. If, for example, anxiety symptoms aren’t improving after a few sessions, the provider could look into medications that could help.
   

• Myth: I’ll see my therapist then go back to normal life.

  Fact: Hanson says you have to put what you learn at therapy into practice. Common activities outside of a session include journaling, meditation, grounding exercises and finding a trusted person who you can go to if, for example, you’re having an anxiety attack. Some of Hanson’s patients have also benefitted from emotional support animals, she says.
  
  “Reframing thoughts around a certain situation can be a good goal. Learn positive word choices. Rewrite the story around a situation,” Hanson says. Reducing anxiety is another big goal she’s seen with patients.
  
  “Therapy is not a straight road. I like to see it like a dance. Two steps forward, one step back,” Hanson adds. “I also tell my clients that this bridge will take you halfway there. The rest, you walk alone. There’s only so much any one person can do for another person. We need to learn how to develop some of the skills outside of a therapy session.”

Learn more

Read more about mental and behavioral health care on the OSF HealthCare website. Mental health care at OSF includes providers like Hanson on the local level and the to-be-built Meadowview Behavioral Hospital in Peoria, Illinois, for people who need a higher level of care.

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Why this is important

Lindstrom says the liver plays a critical role in our metabolism.

“It helps process nutrients, break down fats and medications and detox alcohol. It’s also important in regulating blood sugar and cholesterol,” she explains.

Fatty liver, where healthy cells turn into fatty cells that can’t do their job as well, is a common problem with the organ. It impacts around one in three people and is the top reason for women having liver transplants in the United States, Lindstrom says. Excessive alcohol use, hepatitis C, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance can all contribute to fatty liver.

“The troubling thing with fatty liver is that most of the time, people don’t have symptoms,” Lindstrom warns. Unchecked fatty liver could lead to liver scarring, liver failure and even death.

Learn more

Read more about gastrointestinal health on the OSF HealthCare website.

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Let’s face it. Back pain is no fun. Millions of people suffer from some type of back discomfort and will try anything to find relief. But one the best paths to getting some relief may be an old standby – walking.

Walking might strengthen your muscles, improve your posture and stabilize your back – all of which can help lessen pain, reduce flare-ups and prevent future problems.

Back pain is very common, says Brittni Zick, a physical therapist for OSF HealthCare. It can impact anyone of any age for a variety of reasons.

“Maybe there was an injury in the past, or poor posture is usually a big reason for it,” she says. “Or it’s the type of work that people do if they're bending and lifting a lot. It's one of the most common things I see as a physical therapist.” 

Zick adds that walking increases blood flow, which is important because tissue in your back can get irritated. By walking, blood circulates to those areas, helping heal the tissue and help alleviate pain. 

Experts say walking prevents back pain by strengthening the spine and muscles, and by promoting relaxation and stress relief, though the exact reason isn’t known. There have been studies done that show people who walk regularly have fewer problems with back pain and go longer between occurrences.

“When you think about what's causing back pain, the cause of back pain is too much pressure on the spine, and the cure is to offload pressure,” says Zick. “And walking does that by swinging your arms big strides, the twist and the torso helps to unload the spine and give pressure relief.”

As good as walking is for your back, a lack of physical activity is just as bad. On the flip side, too little movement – like sitting all day – can weaken spinal muscles and can lead to misalignment, pain and fatigue. Whether at a desk or on the couch, staying in one position can take a toll. It’s important to change position and get your body moving to improve your circulation and blood flow.

“Sometimes we get busy and focused on what we're doing, and we find ourselves sitting in a flexed, poor posture position,” says Zick. “So, you want to take some stretch breaks. Arch your back a little. You might get up, move around to just take some of that pressure off. And if you can, try to get a walk in.”

For long-term back pain management, a regular walking routine of 20 to 30 minutes at a time doesn’t only help fight back pain but also increases endurance and improves your mood.

But Zick says don’t try to squeeze in all 30 minutes in at once, at least to start. She recommends breaking up the time into different parts of your day – for example, 10 minutes in the morning, 10 at lunch and another 10 minutes at night might just be the best route to take.

“A walking program should be started gradually. Start off with just a couple minutes, take a rest for about an hour, try to do another couple of minutes every hour,” Zick says. “Then you're going to shorten that time to where you're working up toward walking 30 minutes a day. Eventually you would want to start walking three times a day for 30 minutes.” 

Zick says it’s important to make walking a daily priority. Don’t think of it as a chore but as a fun activity that can help you feel better. It helps maintain a healthy weight and improves blood pressure. Regular walking is also good for better sleep, improved memory and lowering the risk of depression.

Before starting any type of walking program, however, make sure to consult with your medical provider first.

Interview Clips 

B-Roll 

Calves

It’s a “same song, different verse” situation for injuries to your calf muscles that sit in the back of your lower leg. Delaney says sports that involve sprinting or a sudden direction change are breeding grounds for calf injuries.

“We see it in baseball and softball outfielders. The ground might be uneven. You might hit the ground just right that you’re going to feel that calf tighten up,” leading to a sharp pain or cramp-type pain, Delaney says.

Health care providers also grade these injuries one, two or three, with three being a severe rupture. Like hamstrings, Delaney says the calf muscles can heal themselves with time and rehab.

“With calves, you can immobilize [the patient]. At times, I may treat an athlete with a controlled ankle motion boot [CAM boot] to immobilize and give that calf muscle more of a rest,” Delaney says. “With hamstrings, you can just put them on crutches and be non-weight bearing for a short time.”

Delaney says a grade one calf injury is typically two to four weeks of rehab. Grade two is four to six weeks. And a grade three complete rupture can take up to 12 weeks to heal.

Prevention

For prevention of these injuries, “dynamic” is the word of the day. As in, dynamic warmups before competition. Gone are the days of just touching your toes. Delaney has her athletes combine dynamic and static stretches before a practice or game. This might mean a light job around the baseball field to warm up the muscles.

“A lot of athletes can feel these injuries coming on,” Delaney points out. “So back off and modify your activity. Cross training also helps. My long distance runners may go to the pool and work out. Weight training can help.”

Coaches and parents should also keep an eye on young athletes for signs they need a break. Talk to a professional to know the right way to treat injuries at home. You don’t want to apply heat when you should be applying ice, for example. And, empower the youngsters to speak up when they’re hurt.

Learn more

Read more about keeping your body in top shape on the OSF HealthCare website.

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Read more from OSF athletic trainer Brittany Delaney here.