It’s common knowledge that exercise is good for you. But recent research suggests the timing of when you work out may provide additional health benefits you didn’t expect.

Researchers released a new study in the British Medical Journal’s (BMJ) Open Heart publication focused on timing workouts due to the participant’s internal clock. So, what does that mean?

Darrel Gumm, MD, vice president of OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute in Peoria, Illinois, explains, "If we sync that exercise to a person's natural circadian rhythm, there's even more additional benefit on top of what you're already getting," Dr. Gumm says about the recent study. 

"So, if you're a morning person, work out in the morning. If you're a morning person working out at night, you're going to get a benefit, but it won't be as profound as doing that in the morning. Vice versa, if you're a night person and you work out in the morning, you're going to get a benefit, but not as much as if you timed it to your natural circadian rhythm and when you're most alert."

Dr. Gumm says timing your exercise according to when you’re most alert benefits all our modifiable risk factors but especially helps lower our blood pressure. And the best part is, you are your body's top expert. Knowing whether you're a morning person or a night owl will help you decide when to schedule your exercise. 

The type of exercise this study revealed to be better during your natural circadian rhythm were aerobic exercises, which is exercise that works your muscles repeatedly and in a rhythm. “It was a five-minute warmup, 30-minute workout, five-minute cool down,” Dr. Gumm adds.

A study like this offers physicians like Dr. Gumm and other cardiologists at OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute an opportunity to share the research findings with people they see in the clinic and make personalized recommendations for modifying their lifestyle. Knowing whether someone is a morning person or night owl can help tailor the care and recommendations they receive. 

"It's a great opportunity to emphasize the importance of physical activity. It's easy for us to ignore it, put it to the side and forget about it. But our standard recommendation is 30 minutes a day, five days a week," Dr. Gumm says. "If you can do 150 minutes a week, you're really getting a benefit."

The greatest impact the study reveals, Dr. Gumm says, was on lowering participants’ systolic blood pressure. These 150 people were adults in Pakistan, between the ages of 40 and 60, who mainly live sedentary lifestyles.

“But even LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) showed a bigger drop in those who aligned their workout time with their circadian rhythm," Dr. Gumm says. "It dropped in both groups, whether you were aligned or not, but there was a bigger drop in the aligned group."

Exercise also helps increase HDL cholesterol, or the healthy cholesterol. It can also help drop a person's triglyceride level, which in turn can increase their HDL levels. Avoiding simple carbohydrates like white rice, white bread, pasta, sugar, potatoes and alcohol can decrease your triglyceride levels and bump up your HDL levels, Dr. Gumm points out. 

If you can’t make time for 150 minutes of exercise a week, Dr. Gumm recommends "exercise snacking." Examples are walking up and down three flights of stairs, three times a day, three days a week. Parking your car a little further from the office and getting in extra steps – simple things that you can modify easily into your daily routine. 

Your primary care provider can help come up with a plan that fits your lifestyle. 

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With age comes physical limitations. But it’s important to stay active, says John Rinker, MD, an internal medicine physician who specializes in geriatrics at OSF HealthCare. When you keep moving, it helps reduce the risk of things like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, cancer and neurocognitive diseases like Alzheimer's.

In other words, Dr. Rinker says, it’s not fun to live long if you’re not well. Your lifespan versus your health span, as he puts it.

“It really, really pays to maintain exercise and be in good physical shape as you age. It reaps huge dividends on how long you live,” Dr. Rinker stresses.

Guidelines

Each person should have a tailored plan as advised by a health care provider. But regardless of your age, the American Heart Association (AHA) generally recommends 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 70 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week, spread out over several days. A brisk walk would qualify as moderate intensity (also called zone two training), while running, swimming or riding a bike would be vigorous. Vigorous exercise is associated with a term called VO2 max, referring to maximum use of oxygen. In layman’s terms, you’re breathing hard and conditioning the heart.

“Most of that type of [vigorous] training is at a higher interval. You’re going to get breathing really hard for three to five minutes while you sustain a pace that’s rather difficult. Then you’re going to rest and let that heart rate come back down. Then go back to the hard exercise,” Dr. Rinker explains. “That back and forth with the heart rate really helps to train how well your heart can pump blood to muscles. That’s a really good marker of how well conditioned you are.”

The AHA also recommends two days of strength training per week. That could be lifting weights, using resistance bands or calisthenics, where you use your body weight for resistance rather than equipment.

“I really like the strength training piece,” Dr. Rinker says.

“It doesn’t take a lot as you age to tension a muscle enough to maintain muscle mass. We really find that people who are able to maintain muscle more muscle mass as they age are going to do much better with those health span and lifespan issues,” he adds. “So, the goal isn’t to make everyone a huge bodybuilder. The goal is to decrease the rate of decline as we age.”

On the days you do strength training, aim for 30 minutes per day. Dr. Rinker says if you really want to lean into this area of fitness, consider getting a personal trainer.

Limitations

It’s important to work around your ability and not push through pain, Dr. Rinker says. If aging has brought back or leg pain, skip the treadmill and try swimming or a weightlifting session while seated.

“You want to make sure you’re not going to injure something further. That will create a bigger setback or other deficit that are not going to help you in the long run,” Dr. Rinker says.

The bottom line

From VO2 max to zone two to calisthenics, there are a lot of terms to keep straight. If you don’t want to overthink it, just remember to keep moving. Push yourself with some vigorous workouts if you can, but commit to some form of exercise regularly.

“Most of your day-to-day exercise [as an older adult] should be just basic activity,” Dr. Rinker says. “Think of a brisk walk. Walking at a pace for about 30 minutes where you could still hold a conversation with somebody, but it would be difficult to sing a song.

“If I can just get someone to walk every day, I think they’re going to be in good shape,” he adds.

Learn more

Read more about moving your body safely and aging well on the OSF HealthCare website.

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As women age, new adventures come. Some, like travel and new hobbies, can bring joy. Others can bring stress.

One of those stressors is perimenopause, the time you’re transitioning to menopause, when you permanently stop having menstrual periods and can no longer get pregnant.

“There’s a stigma around this time of life,” says Lindsay Orr, an advanced practice nurse at OSF HealthCare. “It’s not an illness. It’s just a natural part of aging.”

Perimenopause basics

Orr says during perimenopause, the ovaries stop producing testosterone, estrogen and progesterone regularly.

“Think of it as a short fuse or a fuse that’s not quite connected,” Orr describes. “Every month, the hormones secrete. But ovaries have a shelf life. So some months they work, and some months they don’t. It ebbs and flows during the perimenopause transition period before they go into menopause.” 

Orr says women typically notice changes that signal perimenopause at around age 40. The perimenopause period can be over quickly, especially if you have surgery that impacts your ovaries. On the other hand, Orr has seen some women be in perimenopause for 10 years. Regardless, health professionals define the perimenopause to menopause transition as over when you have not had a period for one year.

Orr says some women can have little to no perimenopause symptoms. For others, the time can bring disruptions to many parts of your life – work, sleep, relationships and more. Sudden hot flashes, mood changes, joint aches, brain fog, trouble with urination, anxiety, disrupted sleep and fatigue are all possible.

“A lack of estrogen can affect bone density,” Orr adds. “So women with smaller frames are more predisposed to bone issues if they fall. Or, a decline in estrogen can have cardio-protective effects. It can increase your risk for cardiovascular issues like heart disease.”

Anorexia, bulimia, high stress, smoking, drinking alcohol and being a high intensity athlete can also make perimenopause come sooner and be more intense, Orr says.

Treatment – proactive and reactive

Orr says if perimenopause symptoms are impacting your quality of life, it’s time to see a provider. Providers can’t make perimenopause go away, but they can help with symptoms. First, Orr asks if her patients are prioritizing what she calls the “four pillars of health”: exercise with resistance training, hydration, a healthy diet with plenty of protein and healthy sleep.

A provider might also recommend a supplement, such as diindolylmethane (or DIM, for short). Orr calls DIM broccoli in a pill. It helps keep hormones at a healthy level. Other supplements that could help include calcium D-glucarate, evening primrose oil, black cohosh and ashwagandha.

Orr also urges women to start the conversation with their primary care provider or OB/GYN before perimenopause hits. Ask what you can do now to lessen symptoms or duration. Be honest about how your body is feeling and what medications you’re on, as new medications could negatively interact with current ones. Orr also recommends women use a smartphone app to track their periods.

“The apps help you be in tune with your body. You go through your day-to-day life and kind of recognize things, but you don’t really put it all together. Then when you put the information in the app, you might say ‘Oh yeah, I am symptomatic. This is happening.’” Orr says. “You can track temperature changes, bleeding issues, hormone fluctuations and sleep. It all plays a role.”

What about pregnancy?

Yes, women can still get pregnant during perimenopause, though it’s not as common as pregnancies in your 30s and younger, Orr says. However, in general, Orr says the higher in age, the higher risk for pregnancy complications.

“Balanced hormones help maintain a good uterine lining for housing a fetus,” Orr explains, noting perimenopause disrupts that hormone balance. “So, a later-life pregnancy would require closer monitoring.” In other words, you’d likely have more trips to the doctor to make sure your pregnancy is healthy.

The bottom line

Orr reiterates: perimenopause is a part of life. Give yourself grace, take advantage of the help that providers can give and recognize that it’s about progress, not perfection.

“Some of the women I see are frazzled, disheveled and anxious. Sometimes they’re upset during the visit. It’s sad to see,” Orr recounts. “Then we start treatment, and I see them three months later. They look like a different person. They’re glowing. They have a zest for life again. It’s rewarding to see.”

Learn more

Read more about perimenopause and menopause and women’s health overall on the OSF HealthCare website.

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The heavy lift: Women and exercise

While Dry January is coming to a close, the topic of drinking alcohol is still making headlines.

Heavy drinking habits among adults that started during the COVID-19 pandemic haven’t slowed down, according to a study.

The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that alcohol use among adults ages 18 and older increased by 4% from 2018 to 2020, with heavy alcohol use increasing by a whopping 20%. Researchers say the increase continued in 2022.

The pandemic caused plenty of stress for people – working from home, remote learning for children and just plain boredom. Experts say alcohol can start as a habit and then become an addiction. It’s also a way to cope with problems and issues that are impacting our daily lives. 

“COVID was a very stressful time for a lot of people,” says Jessy Mathew, MD, a primary care physician for OSF HealthCare. “There was a lot of social isolation, and a lot of emotional turmoil. People lost their friends; they lost family members. There were no outdoor activities, and alcohol became a relief from all these problems.”

The study defined heavy drinking as five drinks a day or 15 drinks a week for men and four drinks a day or eight drinks a week for women. The increase was seen in all age groups, genders, races and regions in the U.S. except for Asian Americans and Native Americans. Adults in their 40s had the biggest increase in consumption.

“It depends on the type of alcohol and your rate of metabolism, which might be different for each person,” says Dr. Mathew. “It also depends on how much you're drinking at the time. Are you binge drinking? Are you mixing it with other drinks? Are you mixing it with other substances or other drugs? There's a variety of reasons.”

There are many risks with heavy drinking. Among the potential health problems include heart disease and cancer, as well as anxiety, depression, the risk of accidents, and social, family, legal and behavioral issues. “Alcohol affects everything, basically, from head to toe, every single organ can be affected by alcohol,” says Dr. Mathew.

The earlier people start drinking, the greater the risk of developing health issues later in life. And women are more prone to get sicker from alcohol, according to Dr. Mathew. “There's a study that says that if you have one extra drink a day, it puts you at a risk of five to nine times more likely of getting breast cancer,” she says. “It also increases your risk of infertility, menstrual problems, osteoporosis or weakening of your bones, which leads to fractures.” 

Dr. Mathew offers several ways to reduce alcohol consumption, including:

·         Avoiding triggers such as people, places or activities that lead to heavy drinking

·         Create ways to deal with stress such as exercise, walking and reading

·         Limit the amount of alcohol you have in your home

·         Find hobbies that don’t involve alcohol

·         Seek support from friends and family or co-workers

Dr. Mathew adds that if you start feeling guilty about drinking, find yourself becoming easily agitated, or drinking at odd times of the day, it might be time to seek professional help. For more information on behavioral health services, visit the OSF HealthCare website. 

 

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On one hand, you're gaining an extra hour of sleep. On the flip side, the days get shorter and we say “hello darkness my old friend.”

In March 2023, health experts issued a wake-up call to Congress to make the change permanent.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) says public health and safety would benefit from eliminating Daylight Saving Time in favor of standard time. The AASM says the switch to permanent standard time would more closely align with the body’s internal clock – our circadian sleep-wake cycle – instead of disrupting the body’s natural rhythm.

There is also evidence that Daylight Saving Time can take a toll on your heart, specifically increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.

The AASM recommends getting at least seven hours of sleep before and after Daylight Saving Time begins while shifting your bedtime 15-20 minutes earlier each night before the change.

Dr. Frank Han is a cardiologist with OSF HealthCare who specializes in pediatric and adult congenital heart disease. He says poor sleeping habits can impact you negatively later in life.

“The act of waking up earlier without gradually changing your schedule can increase your stress hormones,” Dr. Han says. “If added on with unusual sleep schedules, night-shift work, then years down the road it can result in different kinds of cardiovascular diseases.”

Dr. Han adds it’s not just your sleeping habits that can put pressure on your heart. He recommends being aware of any hereditary heart issues that run in your family, and pay attention to lifestyle choices that can impact heart health.

“If that’s added on to less than optimal lifestyle habits, disturbed sleep schedule, disturbed circadian rhythm and other stressors in the lifestyle like tobacco. All of those factors added together can contribute to the hardening of the heart arteries and heart artery blockages as an adult,” Dr. Han says.

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You’ve likely heard of bronchitis, an illness that impacts the larger lung airways and leaves you feeling short of breath and just generally yucky.

This fall and winter, here’s another respiratory illness with “bronch” in the name to be aware of, especially if you have young kids: bronchiolitis. It’s an ailment that Awad Alyami, MD, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician, sees often this time of year.

The basics

Dr. Alyami says bronchiolitis is an infection of the bronchioles, or the small airways that branch out in the lungs.

“When they become infected, there is a lot of mucus. It makes it harder to breathe,” Dr. Alyami explains.

Other symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough and dehydration. Bronchiolitis is “easily spread,” Dr. Alyami says, through respiratory droplets, like when you cough. The illness is most common in children, especially kids under two. Other high-risk groups include babies born prematurely, with chronic lung disease, with heart disease present at birth and with immune system deficiencies.

“There are also environmental risk factors, like babies who are exposed to smoke and babies who attend day care,” Dr. Alyami adds. Attending day care, he explains, will expose a child to illnesses, no matter how clean the place is.

Cause, diagnosis and treatment

Dr. Alyami says other viruses like influenza and COVID-19 can cause bronchiolitis, but respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause.

“You need to see a doctor if your baby has trouble breathing at any time,” Dr. Alyami advises. “Or if your baby is younger than three months and they have a fever. Or if they are older than three months and they have a fever for more than three days. Or if the child has signs of dehydration, like if they are making fewer wet diapers than normal.”

Unlike the flu and COVID-19, there is no test for bronchiolitis. But, a health care provider may swab your nose anyway to see if you have another virus. Other tests like a chest x-ray may be done. And the provider will also examine you and ask about your health history to come up with a diagnosis.

Treatment involves making you feel comfortable until symptoms resolve.

“One of the most important things is nose suction as needed,” Dr. Alyami says. “When we suction the nose and keep it clean, it’s easier to breathe.”

A bulb suction is the most common device to do this. When you’re really stuffed up, you can use nasal spray or drops to make the secretion thinner. Then, use the suction. You can also use a humidifier if your home’s air is dry. Dr. Alyami says these devices and medicines are widely available in retail stores.

You can treat the fever with over-the-counter medication. Drink fluids to stay hydrated.

“Typically, day three to day five are the peak of symptoms,” Dr. Alyami says. “After five days, they start to improve. Symptoms can last seven to 14 days. And typically, the cough lingers for a little longer.”

In serious cases, your child may have low oxygen and need to be admitted to the hospital. There, doctors will use an oxygen tube inserted into the nostrils to help breathing. In rare cases, a doctor will put a breathing tube down the child’s throat.

Prevention

Want your child to avoid all this? Preach healthy habits, especially in fall and winter when respiratory illnesses peak. Wash your hands thoroughly. Cough and sneeze into your elbow or a tissue. If you’re sick, stay away from others.

Dr. Alyami adds that since RSV is the main cause of bronchiolitis, you should look into the RSV vaccine. This cold weather season, the vaccine is available for certain groups, like older adults, infants and pregnant women. Talk to your primary care provider if you have questions.

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We’re approaching the late summer-early fall period when respiratory illnesses begin their annual upswing. The latest news from federal health officials concerns a new variant of COVID-19, NB.1.8.1. Some people impacted have reported severe sore throats, almost like there’s a razor blade in there.

Fred Burke, MD, an emergency medicine physician who sees patients at OSF HealthCare, says illnesses like COVID, RSV and the flu will always be around. It’s just a matter of taking precautions to avoid serious illness. So, what’s the level of concern with this new COVID variant as we begin to make fall plans?

The razor’s edge

Any sore throat is an annoyance. But Dr. Burke says you should monitor severe cases closely.

“You’re less likely to want to eat or drink, which can lead to further dehydration,” he says.

You can manage sore throats at home with Tylenol or ibuprofen, chloraseptic spray, warm tea and throat lozenges. Dr. Burke says if you have trouble keeping food or fluids down, feel lightheaded or dizzy or have trouble breathing, see a health care provider right away.

COVID precautions

Dr. Burke says this new COVID variant isn’t linked to as much severe illness as other variants. But, he says it’s more easily spread.

“The average healthy person might get through it with some [figurative] bumps and bruises and little to no symptoms. For people with comorbidities or who are immunocompromised, the virus might be a little bit more detrimental,” Dr. Burke says.

Getting vaccinated and practicing good hygiene are two big tools to avoid serious illness, he adds. Wash your hands and high touch surfaces, like doorknobs, often, don’t cough or sneeze into the open air and stay home and away from others when you don’t feel well. If you’re in a crowd, especially if you have a comorbidity like diabetes, Dr. Burke says you should consider wearing a mask.

“If you’re going to have a gathering, whether at home or somewhere else, you can also recommend people take a home test to make sure they don’t have COVID prior to going,” Dr. Burke suggests. Those at-home tests can usually be found over the counter at a pharmacy.

For vaccines, recent preliminary guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends the shot this fall for people 65 and up. For others, the shot is recommended for people who have a compromised immune system or a comorbid condition like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, lung disease or depression. The website for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meanwhile, has a broader recommendation. When in doubt, Dr. Burke says to talk to your primary care provider.

Learn more

Explore other resources to keep yourself safe from COVID on the OSF HealthCare website, blog and newsroom.

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We’ve heard that processed and ultraprocessed foods (foods changed from their natural state) can be bad for our health. High levels of trans fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar can be found in things like crackers, chips and soda. That can lead to heart disease, obesity, diabetes and other ailments.

But Rachel Bauman, a registered dietitian at OSF HealthCare, admits it’s sometimes a matter of convenience. Processed foods can be cheaper, easier to cook, have a longer shelf life and have a lower risk of food-borne illness.

So, how can we learn to live with processed foods? Bauman says as you grocery shop, look for healthier options that you can eat in moderation.

• Bread: “If you go to the store and they have a bakery, that bread would be considered processed,” Bauman says. It’s not a bad option.
  
  “If you go to the bread aisle for things more commercially baked, that would be ultraprocessed,” she adds. “With any ultraprocessed bread, I would look for whole grains and a high amount of fiber. That would be the healthiest choice that’s good for heart health and still has shelf life.”
   
• Meat: Freshly cut meat from the grocery deli is an option, but Bauman says the level of processing will vary by the store. Either way, lean toward chicken, turkey and seafood, she says. Steer clear of lots of hot dogs, sausage and dried meat like beef jerky. If you do want some red meat, try a lean cut like round or loin.
   
• Yogurt: Instead of a flavored yogurt with unhealthy sweeteners, opt for plain yogurt and add fresh fruit or honey.
   
• Beans: “Any bean that’s dried and doesn’t have additives would be healthy. Even with canned beans, you can find low sodium varieties,” Bauman says. “You can drain and rinse the beans, and that will cut back the sodium too.”
   
• Hummus: It’s a good source of fiber and heart-healthy fats, Bauman says. Look for hummus made with olive oil, she adds.
   
• Oatmeal and cereal: They’re ultraprocessed, Bauman says. But there are healthier kinds.
  
  “Buy varieties with less sugar and sodium. You’re still getting that fiber from the whole grains,” she says. “You can certainly continue to eat those foods.”

Change is hard but worth it

This subject is something Bauman says she talks with patients about a lot. Old habits are hard to break, as the saying goes. So what’s the advice to, say, swap out the chips for plain yogurt?

“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. We have to be realistic with our budget and schedule,” Bauman says. “Take small steps. One or two changes a week. Slowly improve the diet. Don’t expect a full change overnight.”

It's also never a bad idea to talk to your primary care provider or dietitian about changing what you eat. And the OSF HealthCare website has plenty of healthy recipes.

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Read more stories featuring dietitians at OSF HealthCare in Pontiac, Illinois, here.

Are you the type of person who can’t wait to kickstart your day with that piping-hot cup of coffee in the morning? If so, there’s good news for you.

According to a recent study published in the European Heart Journal, one perk of morning coffee is it’s healthier for you than any other part of the day.

Early risers – coffee connoisseurs who pour their first cup of java between 4 a.m. and noon – have a 16% lower chance of dying from any cause compared to non-coffee drinkers.

According to the study, coffee drinkers also had a 31% lower risk of dying from heart disease compared to non-coffee drinkers.

“The study identified that one of the aspects of coffee lowers inflammation, and we have more inflammation in the morning. And so that's why the benefit was shown in this study,” says Nancy Dagefoerde, a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute. “I do agree that that's a good benefit of drinking coffee in the morning.”

The findings were the result of work done by researchers from Tulane University who analyzed dietary and health data from 40,000 adults between 1999 and 2018. The research team studied two groups – morning-only coffee drinkers and all-day coffee drinkers.

Researchers focused on patterns of drinking coffee throughout the day rather than the amount of coffee consumed. Dagefoerde recommends drinking no more than two or three cups a day.

Another important aspect of coffee is how it’s made. Past studies have shown evidence of a link between coffee brewing methods, heart attacks and longevity. For example, unfiltered coffee that’s boiled contains higher amounts of chemicals that can raise triglyceride levels and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.

“Filtered coffee is more beneficial. Boiled can actually be more harmful. There are many compounds in coffee that are beneficial to health in general,” says Dagefoerde. 

But a cup of brew isn’t everything when it comes to heart health. Dagefoerde says there are other things you should be doing including exercising, treating your blood pressure and cholesterol.

“Coffee can lower inflammation, increase your metabolism and decrease the absorption of fats,” she adds. “But you definitely want to work on all your risk factors, not just drinking coffee.”

It’s better to drink black coffee, but if you take it with sugar or cream, make sure you are using the ones that are as healthy as possible such as unsweetened almond milk, raw honey or cinnamon. Cream adds 50 calories and three grams of saturated fat per tablespoon. And a teaspoon of sugar contains 16 calories, which adds up quickly.

Dagefoerde says while the studies are encouraging, it doesn’t mean you should race to your local coffee shop and start guzzling mugs of java purely for the health benefits.

“Coffee is popular in our nation, and in many countries. And the social aspect is nice too,” she says. “But don’t overdo it, and just know the risks if you do.”


 

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Every year, about 350,000 people suffer sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) outside of a hospital setting with almost 90% of all cases being fatal. 

While there is an underlying belief that heart problems such as SCA tend to be more of a concern for men, that’s not the case. In fact, women make up almost 40% of SCA episodes. Just as women may experience different symptoms of heart disease than men, their risk of SCA is somewhat different too.  

According to Nancy Dagefoerde, an advanced practice registered nurse with OSF Cardiovascular Institute, SCA can happen to any adult 30 and older, depending on risk factors, family history and other issues such as a heart birth defect.  

Dagefoerde says SCA is different than a heart attack, which occurs when there is a blockage in a coronary artery on the outside of the heart. Many times, a heart attack is the cause for the sudden cardiac arrest.  

 “Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when there's an irregular heartbeat," she says. "We call it an arrhythmia that causes the heart not to beat or have electrical activity anymore. So in general, there'll be no breathing and no pulse when you come upon a person that's having a sudden cardiac arrest.”  

“The thing that may be different with women is oftentimes their symptoms are portrayed differently and they often can get missed," says Dagefoerde. "A woman may come to an emergency room or a health care provider and say ‘I'm more tired’ or ‘I'm more short of breath.’ It's not the typical elephant on my chest type of chest pain that a man may have. And so working them up for their symptoms, although they're more vague, is important to be preventive to catch these things early before there's damage.” 

Another reason why women are at a higher risk for SCA is because they are more likely to delay seeking care for their symptoms since women tend to prioritize the health of other family members first.   

“As all of us get older, the risk is higher for any of these conditions as far as heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure, so we need to be aware that maybe our numbers were okay, or we were doing pretty good when we were in our 20s and 30s," says Dagefoerde. "But as we age, we need those regular checkups and do that good preventive care, because things do change. And women are caring for husbands and parents, even children and grandchildren and they don't often take the time to care for themselves.” 

Symptoms of SCA include:  

·         Fainting  

·         Dizziness  

·         Racing or irregular heartbeat  

·         Chest pain  

·         Shortness of breath  

·         Nausea  

Risk factors for SCA include a previous heart attack, coronary artery disease, a prior episode of SCA, family history and personal or family history of abnormal heart rhythms, among others.  

Dagefoerde has a simple message for any patient who is experiencing any potential cardiac symptom.  

“This is another area that your health prevention will benefit you. So seeing your physician on a regular basis, having regular checkups, checking your labs, knowing your family history, knowing your own history, and doing all those things on a regular basis and don't ignore any symptoms that you may be having.”  

If you see someone drop to the ground and think it could be SCA, call 911 immediately. The faster CPR is started and defibrillation is administered, the better the chances of survival. 

For more information on cardiovascular health, visit OSF HealthCare.  

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Icy roads? Gym too far away? Or are you just not a people person? Cozy cardio may be right for you.

What is cozy cardio?

Clare Spires, an exercise physiologist at OSF HealthCare, says cozy cardio, in simple terms, is a way to make exercise comfortable in your home. It’s wise to talk to a health care provider about what workout is right for you. But generally, cozy cardio offers some freedom. For example, you can work up a sweat with an instructional video or app. Or you can just find a routine that works for you.

Equipment

Spires says you don’t have to rush out and buy equipment. But if you like having something to hold or press your feet to, there are options.

Walking pads have become popular. These are miniature treadmills with just the bottom structure. There are no rails and monitor at eye level like a traditional treadmill.

“Some can do inclines,” Spires says. “You can put it under a desk if you’re a remote worker. It’s just another way to get those steps in during the day without leaving your house.”

A small set of weights can be a welcome addition. Skip the 50 or 100-pound weights, Spires says. Two to five pounders are a good start.

“If you’re doing some bigger muscle groups like biceps and quads, you could add more weight,” Spires says. “But typically, those at-home workouts are made that you can lift weights with something like a soup can or a water bottle.”

Keep that water bottle handy for hydration, too. And a mat can help with balance.

Safety

Gyms typically have safety measures and employees watching out for injuries or emergencies. During cozy cardio, you could be alone in an environment that wasn’t meant for exercise. Think of a cluttered living room.

So, Spires says to do a safety check before each workout. Remove trip hazards like cords and rugs.

“If you could use a little extra stability, maybe work out next to a counter that you can hold onto. Avoid something that’s going to move on you quickly,” Spires advises.

Exercise with someone, if possible. Have a phone nearby in case you need to call 9-1-1. Start slow, and work up to your goals.

How much?

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, spread out over several days. For those with that goal in mind, many do 30 minutes of sweat-building for five days per week. Others do 50 minutes per day for three days. Spires says you can have some cardio days and some weightlifting days. She says it’s good to mix it up.

Spires says when defining “moderate intensity,” think about singing a song while working out. If the strain of the workout means you can’t sing without running out of breath, you’re at moderate intensity. “Vigorous” would be an activity above that, like running.

It’s a process, but Spires says the benefits are worth it. Regular exercise means lower blood pressure, cholesterol, chance of diabetes and chance of heart disease. You might also see improved mood and sleep.

Interview clips

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Food deserts – neighborhoods that don’t have quick access to a grocery store with healthy options – are, sadly, nothing new. They lead to quick stops at the fast-food place or gas station, where healthy food may be at a premium.

But have you ever taken a deep dive into how food deserts can significantly impact a person’s health? And more importantly, what can be done about the problem?

Clare Spires, an exercise physiologist at OSF HealthCare, has some things to keep in mind. Spires also knows about food insecurity firsthand through her support of two OSF programs: Peace Meal, which provides meals in-home or at a central site to people 60 and older, and Smart Meals, which provides a meal kit for a family of four and teaches them to cook.

“We want diets high in fruits, vegetables and fiber and low in saturated fat. Gas stations and fast-food restaurants provide the flip side. They often provide no fruits and vegetables, food high in saturated fat and no good fiber food,” Spires says.

How to navigate food deserts

• Planning meals for the week is key, Spires says. Estimate how much food you’ll need and how much you have to spend.
   
• If you can’t help but go to the eatery or gas station often, choose healthier options.
  
  “I’ve found gas stations are very similar to grocery stores. As long as you stay on the outside perimeter, you’ll stay away from candy and chips that will be down an aisle,” Spires says. “When you walk in, there’s usually some sort of fresh fruit or vegetable right there. Pretzels are really great filling snacks. Nuts are good for you. You have granola bars too.”
  
  One caveat: Spires says to check labels of packaged salads at the gas station. She says they are often heavy on unhealthy preservatives.
  
  At restaurants, opt for a grilled chicken sandwich and water rather than a cheeseburger and soda. Spires also says healthy choices are sometimes hidden on the kid’s menu. Look there for things like apple slices, and make that your side instead of fries.
   
• When you can get to the grocery store, make wise choices. Spires suggests canned fruits and vegetables that have a long shelf life. For vegetables, look for options with low salt. You can also rinse the veggies at home to remove some of the salt. For fruit, look for options that are canned in 100% juice or water, not syrup.
   
• Consider creating a garden at home or advocating for a community garden in your neighborhood. Spires says this allows you to bank up healthy food for the winter. It’s also likely going to be cheaper, she says, given the rising cost of groceries. And working outside provides benefits to your physical and mental health, too.
  
  “It’s a little extra work, but it pays off in the long run,” Spires says.
   
• Talk with a dietitian, nutritionist or wellness expert about making diet changes.

How to help people who are struggling

Spires says everyone can help in the fight against food insecurity. Get to know your community so you know which groups are struggling, such as parents struggling to afford school lunches for their kids. Then, talk to health care groups, social service groups and government groups about changes. For example, it’s not uncommon for residents to encourage their city council to recruit a grocery store to town.

The consequences

Frequent meals from the gas station or drive through can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

“Fast food is notorious for being high in salt. Those foods retain water in our body and can lead to heart and lung problems,” Spires says.

Childhood obesity, Spires adds, is a big problem in the United States and can set kids up for a lifetime of health problems and doctor visits.

Learn more

If you have concerns about food insecurity, contact the OSF hospital near you to see if it offers a program like Peace Meal or Smart Meals. The OSF HealthCare website has healthy recipes.

Social service agencies or schools in your area can also help. Spires says food pantries typically are open to accommodate adults who work different shifts.

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Even with insurance, facing the cost of cancer treatment can be daunting. Insurance broker and cancer survivor Paul Barbary of Alton, featured in an earlier OSF Newsroom story about immunotherapy, said he’s thankful he had great insurance because the cost of each of his treatments was as much as $50,000. Barbary is doing well both physically and financially, but not all patients receiving treatment for cancer are in that position.

Maria Rodriguez, a financial navigator with OSF HealthCare, remembers the fear her family felt when her father was diagnosed with cancer. There was worry about his physical health but also his financial circumstances.

“My father is a cancer survivor and my motivation is him. I sat on the other side, so I know how patients feel – the devastation they’re going through, anxieties, nervousness … they go through it all. It’s a personal privilege to be able to help these patients.” 

Financial navigators like Rodriguez not only help patients who are being treated for cancer, they also help patients with cardiovascular and chronic diseases, in addition to patients with costly copays for orthopedic procedures. And they’ve been able to help more patients in the past year with the use of TailorMed, a secure, web-based financial assistance platform.

TailorMed says its platform accesses more than 6,000 resources for support including copay cards, foundations, free drugs, social drivers of health and government plans. Social drivers can include costs for transportation, housing, childcare and food assistance.

Rodriguez says the TailorMed software is easy to use. Patients with a care plan in their electronic medical record automatically populate the platform.

“We are able to see the potential savings for that particular patient, what programs they would qualify for, and they (TailorMed) give us an overview of the patient’s insurance.” 

Jacque Doerman, director of Patient Access at OSF HealthCare, says arming financial navigators with TailorMed has allowed them to do more to support patients. It has replaced Excel spread sheets, calendar reminders and other labor-intensive approaches to tracking available grants and prescription drug assistance.

“It really took out the manual work and it was able to automate, make us more efficient, more effective and get to a lot more patients than we were able to before,” she says. 

OSF HealthCare has been able to help nearly 350 patients with copay and drug assistance in the past 12 months using the TailorMed platform. Doerman says that represents $367,000 in help for patients.

“So, it could have ended up where the patient has this extremely large bill. It could have ended up where it even went to bad debt. The dollars that have come to OSF, that $367,000 would have otherwise been some type of patient responsibility and burden that the patient would have had.” 

The National Institutes of Health says cancer care costs have risen from $57 billion in 2001 to more than $200 billion today, placing an increasingly unsustainable burden on patients, families, employers and payers. Stephanie Wilfong, who oversees financial navigators as a Financial Services manager at OSF, says patients too often consider avoiding treatment or abandoning it because of concerns about going into debt.

“The first thing that goes through their mind is they’re going to drain their savings or retirement trying to pay for this and survive and they choose not to,” Wilfong shares. “They choose not to drain it, and they choose not to deal with the diagnosis and that is the saddest piece (because) we can be helping them, and they don’t realize we are here to help, and they don’t have to make that decision at all.”

Can help those with insurance

The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) reports that those with health insurance and those with higher incomes are not immune to the high cost of medical care, but Wilfong says many insured patients who have cancer, or another high-cost diagnosis don’t realize how quickly they can go into debt.

“You may have great insurance, but it may be a non-covered drug or a non-covered procedure or we just don’t know, we just don’t know so the first thing you should do is always at least have that contact because you don’t know what’s going to come up and we’re there and happy to help.” 

According to KFF, about 1 in 12 adults or 20 million people in the United States have medical debt. For patients with cancer, prescription drugs account for about 20%of the total costs according to President Biden’s cancer panel. The drugs can be transformative and extend life, but they can be prohibitively expensive. That’s why TailorMed has a pharmacy module being piloted with financial navigators at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford.

Enrollment processes, for example for free drug programs, have also been fully streamlined or digitized, where possible, to reduce tedious manual form-fills, faxes and outreach for status updates. Wilfong says it helps with coordinating refills and making sure patients who qualify are continuously receiving the medications they need, often for life-saving treatment.

“It prevents any missed dosages so patients will not be waiting and it’s really nice to see those claims coming in, how much the free drug was approved for. It just allows better site across the board and better communication between all teams.” 

Rodriguez says TailorMed allows the pharmacy team to manage ordering, tracking and keep inventory up to date on the free and replacement drugs. It also enables her to provide more help to people such as a patient who recently unexpectedly lost his job and was helped by Maria and TailorMed. His wife wrote a grateful patient note that read, in part, “We are in her debt and truly grateful for her dedication and compassion during a time of isolation and struggle. We thank God for her and for the OSF staff.”

Maria Rodriguez and Jacque Doerman

Stephanie Wilfong

TailorMed demo B-roll

Hydration is key. Make sure you’re drinking enough water.

All comments or advice we’ve probably heard or received that sometimes makes the hydration process seem a bit menacing.

That’s why when there’s a potential solution to speed up the hydration process, people listen. It’s also because hydration plays a role in so many facets of life.

-          Sports/fitness

-          Pregnancy

-          Travel

-          Immune health

-          Fighting illness

-          Digestion

-          Brain function

-          Organ health

And the creators of electrolyte drinks know this. Brands like Gatorade, Prime and Liquid I.V. can be found at countless stores with marketing campaigns geared toward the list above.

What are electrolytes?

"Electrolytes are minerals that are used in our body, so when they dissolve in our body fluids or the water we put them in, they have positive or negative charges. That helps your body maintain balance {in many facets of our health}," says Erica Dawkins, a dietetic intern with OSF HealthCare. “It keeps fluid and nutrients flowing in and out of cells and maintains your nerve function, muscle function, heart rate and blood pressure as well."

Research on electrolytes says they “are essential for basic life functioning.” The study, from Isha Shrimanker and Sandeep Bhattari from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, lists sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and many more as electrolytes we consume on a daily basis.

Diving into the label

Using Liquid I.V.’s lemon lime drink mixes as an example, one stick contains 25% of one’s daily intake of sodium, and 8% of one’s daily intake of potassium. Some boxes will hold 10 or 15 packets within them, containing a powder that can be poured into water, then mixed together. The label says you can get 80% of your daily intake of Vitamin C from one drink mix as well.

Consuming too much sodium and not enough potassium can raise your blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Fruits and vegetables, seafood and dairy products naturally contain potassium.

There are 11 grams of added sugars in the drink mix, which makes up 22% of your suggested daily intake. This is something to keep in mind, as a diet filled with a lot of added sugars has been connected to weight gain and obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, the CDC says.   

Who could benefit from electrolyte drinks?

"With a good, balanced diet and enough water, you're going to have that electrolyte balance you need," Dawkins says. “On a daily occurrence, the drink mixes are absolutely fine to use, but maybe not necessary all the time. If you are having an illness where you're sweating, vomiting or having diarrhea, or if you're an athlete exercising at high intensities or long periods of time and sweating a lot, we definitely want to try to use electrolyte drinks in those situations.”

Who should be cautious of electrolyte drinks?

"Those kidneys are working extra hard to flush out anything we don't need. Anyone who has kidney conditions where their bodies aren't able to do that, they may want to stay away from these drinks or ask their doctor before they use it," Dawkins says. “Or anyone who is trying to watch their blood sugar, a lot of these products do have some extra carbohydrates and added sugar we want to watch. They aid in the absorption a little bit.”

As electrolytes can have an impact on heart rate and blood pressure, Dawkins says those with heart conditions or hypertension (high blood pressure) should be cautious when using these products, because they can add in fluid retention, increase your blood pressure and heart rate. Talk with your cardiologist if you think this may be relevant to you.

Can my kids drink these?

The general recommendation is that children should not begin to drink water until they are at least six months of age. While Liquid I.V. says their Hydration Multiplier® is designed for kids 1+, it comes with the caveat to speak with your child’s pediatrician before introducing this to their diet. Dawkins agrees, adding to make sure to read labels of the product you’re considering trying before purchasing it.

Video Interview Clips

He was at a Champaign, Illinois, hospital where his five-year-old daughter Gabby was fighting for her life with what was later confirmed to be Rocky Mountain spotted fever as the result of a tick bite.

Gabby died of sepsis, a condition where your body responds improperly to an infection, three days later. The heartbreak led Tony and his family to become intimately familiar with sepsis. They’re now advocates for sepsis awareness, both ensuring health care providers are following best practices and patients are speaking up.

“I remember slamming every object around me,” in the days following Gabby’s death, Tony Galbo recalls. “I said ‘there’s gotta be a law to protect patients, especially children.’,”

Sepsis and septic shock

Many of the things the Galbo family advocates for to this day are already in place at OSF HealthCare.

Kurt Bloomstrand, MD, is chair of emergency services at OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Illinois. He says aside from following established, rigid protocol, OSF Heart of Mary is going the extra mile for sepsis prevention in a couple of ways. One, the hospital is leading the OSF Ministry in continuing sepsis screening and alerts for people after they are admitted (not just in the emergency department). And two, the facility is among the top 10% of hospitals in the country in following sepsis protocol as measured by the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Those CMS core measures include giving antibiotics and fluids and rechecking a person’s vital signs in a timely manner.

“We’re trying to identify a set of signs called the systemic inflammatory response syndrome, or SIRS,” Dr. Bloomstrand says. “Those include a fever, a fast heart rate, fast breathing and elevated or low white blood cell count. If someone has any two of those with a source of infection, we consider them possibly septic. We want to establish treatment for them very quickly.”

Treatment includes antibiotic medication or intravenous fluids along with continued testing to pinpoint the problem.

“We take this extremely seriously because we know time is tissue. The sooner we get the treatment, the better the outcome.” Dr. Bloomstrand adds. “Any person who comes into one of our emergency departments, no matter the cause, will be screened for sepsis right from the start. When we get your vital signs, that’s screening for sepsis. If you flag positive, there are alerts that go out to our staff. Then it walks us through a very specific sepsis algorithm for treatment.”

What you can do

Dr. Bloomstrand says young kids, older adults and people with serious health conditions like heart disease and diabetes are at a higher risk for sepsis. Your best bet to prevent sepsis is to practice healthy habits and prevent infection in the first place.

• Wash your hands frequently, especially after touching high-germ areas in public like a doorknob.
   
• Avoid touching your face.
   
• Sneeze and cough into your elbow or a tissue.
   
• Stay home when you’re sick.
   
• Treat wounds and bug bites properly, quickly and under guidance from a health care provider. Dr. Bloomstrand notes that pets can also harbor ticks that can cause serious illness.

Dr. Bloomstrand adds that hospital staff are empowered to speak up if they spot a possible sepsis case. But you can also speak up on behalf of yourself or a loved one about what sepsis surveillance is being done.

“It’s appropriate to make sure you are asking these questions just to make sure you’re keeping it at the front of the care provider’s mind,” Dr. Bloomstrand says.

“If we don’t catch sepsis soon enough, it can result in organ dysfunction,” he adds. “There may be long-term complications with their kidneys, such as needing dialysis. If their lungs fail, there may be long-term respiratory issues. There may be brain issues, so they have mental status changes long-term.”

Gabby’s Law

On August 18, 2016, then-Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner came to Presence Covenant Medical Center (now OSF Heart of Mary) to sign Gabby’s Law.

“Senate Bill 2403 requires hospitals to adopt evidence-based protocols for the early recognition and treatment of patients with sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock that are based on generally accepted standards of care,” the Governor’s office said at the time. “It requires the protocols contain certain components, including those specific to identifying and treating adults and children.”

Tony Galbo recalls many meetings with lawmakers, health care groups and other stakeholders to get the plan the support it needed. And that wasn’t the end. He’s testified before lawmakers in other states and in Washington, D.C., and done countless interviews.

“Sepsis does not discriminate. It does not care about age,” Galbo says.

Interview clips - Tony Galbo

Interview clips - Dr. Kurt Bloomstrand

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When it comes to oral health in kids, Emily Isom has seen it all.

Cavities, gum disease and infections, improper tooth alignment and tooth loss come to mind quickly. Not to mention all the missed school time dealing with these issues.

But she’s also seen plenty of young people who are the picture of good oral health. And she’s on a mission to make more of the latter.

“The mouth is the gateway to the body,” says Isom, a certified medical assistant in pediatrics at OSF HealthCare and a former dental assistant.

“A lot of people don’t think about what our oral health can do to us if it’s not being taken care of,” she adds. “It can cause heart disease, diabetes and respiratory infections.”

Everyday prevention

Isom says kids and their parents should commit to daily habits that will improve their oral health.

For infants without teeth, Isom says parents should use a soft, cool washcloth to wipe the child’s gums twice a day. This helps clear bits of food and milk that can lead to bad breath, irritation and cavities.

“Touching their gums will help when they are older. They’ll be okay with brushing their teeth. They won’t fight the parents about it,” Isom says. “So, it’s good to start [oral health care] early."

Older kids should brush their teeth for two minutes, twice a day. Floss once a day. When a child has two teeth that touch, it’s time to start flossing. That could happen from ages two to six.

Before you rinse out your mouth with water, don’t forget about the tongue, Isom says.

“If we do not brush our tongue, bacteria can sit on it. It can get what I call ‘tongue sick,’” Isom says. “Bad breath can also happen.”

Outside of the bathroom, Isom reminds us that sugary and starchy food and drinks are prime suspects in oral health issues like cavities. So, parents should offer those foods in moderation. Isom calls out sticky candy as an example. She says the sugar tends to sit on your teeth for a while. Isom also says starchy food like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and cereal can sit between your teeth unless you floss right away.

Another must-know for parents with babies: don’t put your baby to bed with a bottle. Aside from a choking hazard, Isom says the constant stream of milk or formula can lead to cavities and corrosion. She also says this can cause infants to be fussy and demand a bottle more often.

It takes some convincing

A mother of a six-year-old, Isom knows that some kids won’t brush and floss willingly. They see it as a chore.

Her response: make oral health fun.

“Make a dental chart. Add stickers to it, morning and night,” Isom suggests. “Give them rewards like a little toy. After each cleaning, they can get a reward. Turn on music or a timer for two minutes [of brushing.] Get toothbrushes with their favorite characters on them.”

Dentist visits

Isom says children usually have regular visits with a dentist twice a year. Others with known mouth issues may go every three to four months. But see a dentist right away if you notice red flags: pain in the mouth, persistent bad breath, discolored gums or teeth, bleeding gums or trouble swallowing.

A regular dental visit usually includes a thorough cleaning of the teeth and gums followed by fluoride treatment.

“[Fluoride] protects the enamel of the teeth,” Isom explains. “It protects your teeth from cavities. It just makes your enamel really strong so you can eat the things you want.”

A dental professional may also perform X-rays on your teeth regularly.

Something else for parents to make sure the dentist has in mind: oral cancer screening.

“Those are huge,” for oral health, Isom says.

A dentist may use their hands to examine your mouth and neck. They could use a light or have you rinse your mouth with a blue dye. Each method looks for abnormal, possibly cancerous tissue.

At the end of a dental visit, you may be sent home with a prescription or just instructions to keep your mouth happy. For example, you may get a prescription mouthwash to help with gum disease.

Learn more

Read more about how to keep kids’ mouths in good health on the OSF HealthCare and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites. If you don’t have a family dentist, talk to your primary care provider about finding one. OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria offers dental care for children with special needs.

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The music world was stunned to learn that the recent passing of former American Idol contestant Mandisa was the result of complications from class III obesity. Mandisa, who was found in her Tennessee home in April, was 47.

Class III obesity is defined as a person who has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher or a BMI of 35 or higher and experiencing obesity-related health conditions. In simple terms, BMI is a ratio of height to weight.

“We know the heavier we are, the higher risk we have for things like diabetes, like high blood pressure for acid reflux or sleep apnea, the things that actually are causing damage to our bodies,” says Nicole O’Neill, a registered dietitian with OSF HealthCare.

Obesity is a major problem in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it affects four out of 10 people in this country. Class III obesity is on the rise and affects 6% of adults nationwide.

Ideally, a healthy BMI range is 18.5 to 24.9. However, body fat isn’t the only factor of overall health. There’s genetics, activity level, smoking, drinking alcohol and mental health that all have an impact on the chance of developing health problems.

There are dozens of health risks associated with obesity including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

Mandisa was transparent about her battle with mental health issues, which included turning to comfort foods during tough times. O’Neill works with clients who are going through their own struggles with weight issues and developing a healthy relationship with food.

“A lot of times it really depends on what the root cause of the actual weight gain is,” she says. “Is it someone who's stressed out and is eating their feelings? Then we have to look at that. Is it someone that has an injury and they're no longer able to exercise? In that case, we try to give them modified exercises. We're always going to look at diet though.”

O’Neill says the goal is to create a food plan that balances the calorie load. That includes coming up with well-balanced meals featuring plenty of fruits and vegetables, which have only 17 calories per ounce on average.

“Every person is so different. We have to take an individualized approach with each person,” she says. “What works for me probably isn't going to work for you or anybody else.”

In addition to working with a dietitian, O’Neill encourages clients to seek other professional help as well.

“I recommend people see a counselor because it's important. They're trained to know if you’re depressed or you're anxious. They have the tools to say ‘Alright, when you feel this way, do this instead of turning to food.’”

She adds that it’s important for people to know that it’s never too late to make healthy lifestyle changes. They can include slight lifestyle and diet modifications. And they don’t have to happen all at once.

“It can be small, incremental steps, and that's how most people do well,” O’Neill says. “Take one bottle of soda away and replace it with a glass of water. Take one cheeseburger away a week and add a salad so that they're sustainable changes that feel doable.”

People who think they could be helped by the new class of weight loss drugs should talk to their medical provider about the benefits in connection with a plan to make lifestyle changes. For more information on weight loss, visit OSF HealthCare.

Interview Clips 

The United States Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first treatment for people with liver scarring due to fatty liver disease. It's welcome news for people battling the disease.

How did we get here?

In some ways, it goes back to the obesity epidemic in the United States. Obesity brings an increased risk of fatty liver disease, an ailment that’s treatable but could mean serious complications. Moreover, health experts say isolation during the pandemic led may to increase alcohol intake, another risk factor for fatty liver.

David Rzepczynski, MD, a gastroenterologist at OSF HealthCare, describes the liver as an “extremely important” factory for the body. It performs many functions, like detoxifying medications, aiding digestion and making cholesterol, proteins and amino acids that help the body function. And have you ever missed a meal? You can thank your liver for releasing glucose and giving you energy.

All those “factory functions” make it critical to be watchful of fatty liver disease. As the name suggests, the disease describes an accumulation of fatty cells in the liver. Dr. Rzepczynski says it takes just 5% of cells with increased fat to make a diagnosis, but some obese people have 100% of cells with fat.

Hepatitis C and excessive alcohol use can cause fatty liver disease or are at least linked to it. But you can still get fatty liver if you’re not a heavy drinker, and that’s where your weight comes into play.

“The big driving force of fatty liver disease is what we call the metabolic syndrome,” Dr. Rzepczynski explains. “There are five factors: obesity, diabetes, hypertension [high blood pressure], high cholesterol and insulin resistance.”

Dr. Rzepczynski adds that fatty liver disease may cause pain in the upper abdomen, but it mostly comes without symptoms. So if any of those five risk factors apply to you or if you’re a heavy drinker, don’t wait. Talk to your health care provider about getting your liver looked at.

A doctor will likely start with a blood test, Dr. Rzepczynski says. An ultrasound or biopsy may also be needed. The next step: lose weight.

“It doesn’t have to be getting back to your ideal body weight,” Dr. Rzepczynski says. “Losing 5% of your weight can reduce fat in the liver. Losing 7% will help reverse some of the inflammation associated with fatty liver. And some studies have even shown that losing 10% or more might reverse some of the scarring.”

While it may be a bit alarming, left unchecked, fatty liver disease can lead to a serious condition called cirrhosis, or scarring, of the liver.

“You have normal liver tissue replaced by scar tissue,” Dr. Rzepczynski says. “When that occurs, you have a loss of liver function. You have less liver cells performing their duties.”

Cirrhosis of the liver can cause the organ to fail, making a transplant necessary. Liver issues can also mean an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer, particularly breast and colon cancer.

Learn more about fatty liver disease and other gastroenterology care on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

Bronny James was gearing up last summer for his freshman year of basketball at the University of Southern California, when he received the scare of his life.

In July 2023, James, the son of NBA great LeBron James, suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed during a team workout. The younger James was hospitalized for three days and underwent a procedure to treat a congenital heart defect. James’ family and medical team praised the USC medical staff for their quick and effective response, which helped in preventing any brain or organ damage from a lack of oxygen.

James eventually returned to basketball activities. He saw his first action for USC in December and has played anywhere between 14 and 30 minutes a game without any issues.

February is American Heart Month – a time to bring to light conditions such as the one James experienced that may help other people going through similar circumstances.

Natasha Noel, MD, a pediatric cardiologist with OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute, says congenital heart defects, such as the one James had treated, are structural heart issues that typically develop during pregnancy and go undetected. She adds that 1% (40,000) of all babies are born with a heart defect every year in the U.S.

“We do see that if there is a family history of congenital heart disease, either parent or sibling, the next child could be more at risk for congenital heart defects,” Dr. Noel says. “And then other conditions, for example, smoking during pregnancy, maternal diabetes or use of other medications during pregnancy can lead to congenital heart defects.”

While James has recovered from his heart scare, there have been other athletes who weren’t so fortunate. In 1990, Hank Gathers, a college player for Loyola Marymount University, collapsed on the court and died from of sudden cardiac arrest. Three years later, the same happened to Reggie Lewis of the Boston Celtics, who died during a game when his heart went into cardiac arrest.

James isn’t even the first player to have experienced cardiac arrest at USC. Teammate Vince Iwuchukwu collapsed during a team practice in 2022 and survived.

“During periods of intense activity, the body has a physiological response,” Dr. Noel explains. “This can include dehydration, a surge of adrenaline, electrolyte imbalance, and this may not be well tolerated in athletes, who have some underlying electrical or structural abnormality.”

Treatment depends on the patient and the heart defect. According to the American Heart Association, many young adults who have a minor cardiac defect, and have had a good result after surgery, can participate in most activities. Some participants could have restrictions including those with pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) or those who are taking anticoagulants to decrease blood clotting. Dr. Noel says to always check with your physician before taking on any physical activity or sports participation.

“The athlete should go through a pre-participation physical, this would include medical history, physical exam, and the American Heart Association says it’s important to look at personal and family history,” she says. “If there is something suspicious in any of these things, the pediatrician can refer to a pediatric cardiologist or they could start the work themselves, which would include ordering an EKG or echocardiogram for an example.” Genetic testing might be necessary, especially if there is a family history.

Dr. Noel says that thanks to advances, medical experts have a better understanding of congenital heart defects. Not every athlete needs to give up participation – even if they have experienced a previous issue. She also stresses the importance of learning CPR and working with schools and coaches to always have an automated external defibrillator (AED) available.

“I want to encourage kids to continue going out and having fun – sports is healthy and it's exercise,” she emphasizes. “It doesn't mean that it's the end of the world if you are diagnosed with something that needs to be treated from a cardiac standpoint.”

For more information about pediatric cardiology issues, visit OSF HealthCare. 

 

Interview Clips 

B-Roll

A new era of advanced cardiology care is on the horizon for patients at OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park, Ill.

"As a cornerstone of this community for the past 90 years, we recognize the profound importance of providing comprehensive care to our heart and vascular patients. Collaborating closely with the esteemed team at Consultants in Cardiology & Electrophysiology, we've observed a growing demand for specialized treatment addressing electrical heart concerns," remarked Kathleen Kinsella, President of OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center. "In alignment with our unwavering commitment to serving our community, we have embarked on the development of a cutting-edge facility tailored specifically to address these evolving needs in cardiology."

Within our state-of-the-art electrophysiology (EP) lab, our expert physicians will harness precision equipment to diagnose and treat a spectrum of heart rhythm disorders. This dedicated space will feature top-tier technology from industry leaders such as Phillips, Biosense Webster, and Boston Scientific. Among the offerings will be the world's most advanced cardiac mapping systems, empowering our specialists to effectively manage complex heart arrhythmias, including Atrial Fibrillation and Ventricular Tachycardia.

"We are proud to unveil a world-class facility designed to address heart rhythm disorders with unparalleled precision and care," affirmed Dr. William Spear, lead electrophysiologist at OSF Little Company of Mary. "The introduction of advanced technology and equipment within this dedicated EP lab marks a transformative milestone in how we deliver care to our patients in the south suburbs."

These resources are indispensable to our community, as individuals experiencing abnormal heart rhythms may require timely intervention to mitigate risks and improve outcomes.

"In addition to the EP lab, we have established a dedicated prep and recovery area adjacent to the lab, ensuring seamless transition and immediate post-procedure care for our patients," noted Tracy Jendruczek, Vice President of Surgical and Procedural Services. “Depending on the procedure being performed and the patient’s overall status, a patient may have an overnight stay but our goal is to discharge patients the same day whenever possible."

This specialized lab will offer a comprehensive range of procedures, including ablation techniques and device interventions, all tailored to optimize heart rhythm management and enhance patient well-being.

Kathleen Kinsella Video Interview Clips

Tracy Jendruczek Video Interview Clips

Electrophysiology Lab B-Roll

Electrophysiology Lab images

Sleep is the “keystone of life.”

That’s how Sarah Zallek, MD, medical director of OSF Sleep in Peoria, Illinois sees it.

“Sleep has to be enough and good quality,” Dr. Zallek says. “For an adult, enough sleep is 7-8 hours. Eight is biological, that’s how we’re programmed. Getting six and fewer hours of sleep has significant risk.”

For kids, Dr. Zallek says the amount of sleep needed changes by age.

“Babies need 16-17 hours a day. Toddlers need 14 hours, but by the time they’re 6 years old and out of kindergarten, kids shouldn’t be sleepy at all during the daytime. They should be exquisitely awake and sleep 12 hours a night,” Dr. Zallek says. “A 10-year-old needs about 10 hours of sleep. Teenagers need between 8-10 hours of sleep a night.”

Consistently failing to sleep enough can lead to a variety of health problems. One in particular is heart disease. Frank Han, MD, a cardiologist with OSF HealthCare who specializes in pediatric and adult congenital heart disease says heart disease isn’t something that happens overnight, but over time.

“The link mainly comes in when you don’t have enough sleep. It then triggers some of the stress hormones of the body,” Dr. Han says. “If you’re changing your sleep schedule a lot, that can mess around with your circadian rhythm.”

Another problem is an increase in inflammation in the body.

“Inflammation causes all sorts of things, including heart disease,” Dr. Zallek says.

The plethora of health problems can be caused by a wide variety of daily choices we make. Dr. Zallek says caffeine can keep you from sleeping. Both Dr. Zallek and Dr. Han say screen time before bed needs to be avoided.

“Don’t play your computer games right before you go to sleep. Don’t have a TV inside your room,” Dr. Han says.

Some people use alcohol to help put them to sleep. Dr. Zallek says while an alcoholic drink can make you sleepy, there are negative consequences to your sleep schedule as well.

“The trick with alcohol is that it wakes you up in the second half of the night. Even if you’re not aware of it, you’ll have less good-quality sleep with alcohol on board,” Dr. Zallek says.

Getting a bad night’s sleep isn’t just sleeping too little, it can also be sleeping too much. But if you are sleeping less than six hours a night, you’re at a greater risk for heart disease, Dr. Zallek says.

“I like to think of six as the magic number,” Dr. Zallek says. “And fewer than five hours of sleep almost doubles the risk of coronary artery disease.”

For some people who work the night shift, sleeping eight hours straight is extremely difficult. Dr. Zallek says if you do need to work on a “split sleep” schedule, that’s still better than only sleeping a few hours a night.

“If you’re awake at night, all sorts of systems in your body expect you to be sleeping and feel funny because you’re awake,” Dr. Zallek says. “So when you’re working a night-shift and your stomach feels funny, you’re hungry when you shouldn’t be, not hungry when you should be or even hungry for the wrong foods, that’s very biological.”

OSF HealthCare providers work hand-in-hand to help people develop good sleeping habits, while focusing on good-quality overall health. If you need to see a health care provider for sleep challenges, visit the OSF Sleep website.

You can also find locations and resources for heart care OSF provides.

Video Interview Clips

TV Package

A new year brings about many possible changes – promises to eat better, exercise more, stop smoking, save money, and so on. Another priority for some is to improve their work situation.

If that’s you, there may be no better time than the present, especially after the U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a report that links a toxic workplace culture to health issues such as heart disease, depression and anxiety.

“A toxic workplace is basically any work setting where you're dealing with any sort of psychological stress, where you're feeling nervous, you have some fear, anxiety, sadness, depression – things like that," says Victor Mendoza, a behavioral health provider with OSF HealthCare. "If you start noticing those things in your own workplace, that can be something we would call a toxic environment.”

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, the five components of a healthy workplace include:  protection from harm, connection and community, work-life harmony, mattering at work and opportunity for growth.

Mendoza says now is the time for organizations to assess their relationship with employees – to create a sense of connection among workers, show them they are important, and support their professional needs.

“First of all, if they haven't added these five components, they should probably try to because I think that's a good foundation to what a healthy work environment should be like," says Mendoza. "You want to have a workplace where you feel comfortable, you feel heard, you feel like there is upward mobility, and that that people care for you. That you're not just a number to them but that you actually are a human, and they understand and are willing to be empathic to your situation. And if there is a concern, they're open to listen to you.”

There are many ways feeling stressed or miserable can manifest in an unhealthy work environment such as increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease, increasing the chance of high blood pressure, weakening immune systems, causing headaches and increasing anxiety and stress. Mendoza says physical symptoms can include stomach aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and racing heartbeat.

The report comes during an uncertain time in workplace culture due to the COVID pandemic, when employees are seeking more flexible opportunities including working remotely or a hybrid schedule. Mendoza adds that the pandemic also affected our routines, and when routines are changed it can impact our mental health.

“It's been really tough for a lot of people," says Mendoza. "When all this started with the pandemic, a lot of people were having anxiety about what was going to happen. People feared losing their jobs, and a lot of people did lose their jobs, sadly, and that was very hard for them. They had to switch careers. A lot of them were lucky they were able to keep their jobs, but they had to work from home and that that created some stress as well even though we do have good technology.”

There are things, however, you can do to cope with your workplace stress. Mendoza suggests keeping track of the stressors in your job, developing healthy responses such as exercise, getting enough sleep and learning how to relax and take time to recharge by unplugging from work, and making sure to use your vacation days.

Mendoza says it’s easy for some people to feel guilty about work-related issues. The most important take home message is to first take care of yourself, and not let a stressful environment affect your health. 

“Sometimes you can only do so much and you have to advocate for yourself, and you have be aware when this happens," he adds. "So set up good boundaries with your workplace, make sure that you're taking some time off work for self-care, whatever that looks like for you, and do something you enjoy. Make sure you do some basic things like exercise, you’re eating well and you're sleeping well. That's a really good foundation to deal with a toxic work environment.”





 

Video Interview Clips 

You see the phrase as you browse the grocery aisle: helps lower cholesterol.

But have you looked into what that means for you? And more importantly, is this something my children need to worry about?

The answer to the second question is yes, says Tricia Herman, a cardiac rehabilitation registered nurse at OSF HealthCare in Danville, Illinois. And it’s a perfect time to change lifestyles to avoid cholesterol problems as we enter a holiday eating season where you may be chowing down on unhealthy food.

What is cholesterol?

Herman says cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance that’s responsible for building cells in our body. It also helps produce hormones and vitamin D.

“When we have our cholesterol checked, it’s not just total cholesterol that we’re really looking at. We’re looking at three different levels,” Herman says.

“The bad cholesterol is LDL [low-density lipoprotein]. You can consider it lousy. The good cholesterol is HDL [high-density lipoprotein]. And triglycerides is another level that we take a look at.”

LDL values should be less than 100 milligrams per deciliter. HDL should be greater than 60 milligrams per deciliter. And triglycerides should be less than 150 milligrams per deciliter.

Be proactive at all ages

The average person doesn’t need to memorize those numbers. Herman recommends that when you get your yearly physical, get a blood test to measure cholesterol as well. You’ll need to fast for 12 hours before the test, so Herman says to do it first thing in the morning if possible.

After the results come in, your health care provider will come up with a course of action, if necessary. That may involve follow up lab work or medicine.

What you should think about daily: a healthy lifestyle.

For kids, try for 60 minutes of exercise per day. That could be as simple as walking, Herman says.

And cut down on less healthy food choices like fried or fatty foods, sweets and red meat.

Or as Herman puts it: don’t brake and hit the drive thru because it’s the quick and easy option. Keep your foot on the gas.

“Eating habits are the hardest thing for a lot of people,” Herman says. “It’s the way we were brought up. What was served at our table when we were younger become habits we grow up with.”

Instead, try lean meats like fish or poultry. Bake, grill or broil your meat instead of frying it. Use whole grain bread instead of white bread.

“Create a meal plan for your child that has lots of fruits and vegetables,” Herman says. “Don’t have them eat on the go. Have them sit down and eat so it’s more meaningful and thoughtful.”

The consequences

High cholesterol leads to plaque building in arteries of the heart, brain or legs.

“You’re at risk for stroke if it’s happening in your brain or even in your carotid arteries [in your neck],” Herman says. “You’re at risk for heart disease if it’s happening in your heart. And peripheral artery disease if it happens in your legs.”

Herman notes that high cholesterol often doesn’t come with symptoms until it’s too late. So talk to your primary care provider if you have concerns.

Interview Clips

Previous coverage

What you can eat can help improve your cholesterol

The good and bad about cholesterol