<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
     xmlns:pp="http://www.presspage.com/rss/"
     version="2.0"
     xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
                <channel>
                    <title><![CDATA[OSF HealthCare Newsroom]]></title>
                    <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/</link>
                    <description></description>
                    <language>en-us</language>
                    <lastBuildDate>Wed, 09 Sep 2026 02:16:16 +0200</lastBuildDate>
                    <pubDate>Mon, 18 Aug 2025 21:25:45 +0200</pubDate>
                    <image>
                        <title><![CDATA[OSF HealthCare Newsroom]]></title>
                        <url>https://content.presspage.com/clients/150_1873.png</url>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/</link>
                        <width>144</width>
                    </image><item>
                        <title>Fad or Fact? The truth about the viral “Cortisol Cocktail”</title>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/fad-or-fact-the-truth-about-the-viral-cortisol-cocktail/</link>
                        <guid>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/fad-or-fact-the-truth-about-the-viral-cortisol-cocktail/</guid><pp:caseid>719146</pp:caseid><pp:summary><![CDATA[<p><strong>Key Takeaways:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Social media influencers claim that a drink called a “cortisol cocktail” can boost levels of the hormone and improve fatigue and weight loss.</strong></li><li><strong>The recipe includes orange juice, coconut water, and salt but OSF gastroenterologist Dr. Omar Khokhar says it does not impact cortisol levels.</strong></li><li><strong>Dr. Khokhar says a better way to improve fatigue, stress and weight is to get 7-8 hours of sleep, eat a healthy diet and practice mindfulness and meditation.</strong></li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p>]]></pp:summary><description><![CDATA[<p>The viral “cortisol cocktail” is hydrating, but an OSF gastroenterologist says it doesn’t actually affect cortisol levels and therefore won\'t improve fatigue or promote weight loss.</p>]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span>Surveys show fewer young adults are drinking alcohol — a 10-point drop in 18- to 34-year-olds over the past 20 years — and many are turning to trendy non-alcoholic drinks they believe boost health. The latest? A “cortisol cocktail,” now making waves on social media.</span></p><p><span>OSF HealthCare gastroenterologist Omar Khokhar, MD, says it’s a homemade drink that includes a few main ingredients.</span></p><p><span>“It’s oranges, coconut water and salt. It can be derivatives of each one of those ingredients but that’s sort of the nuts and bolts of it. The thought process is that each one of those ingredients helps with the electrolyte balance in your body once you ingest this mocktail.”</span></p><p><span>The drink is designed to promote development of cortisol, a stress hormone that influences several systems in the body.</span></p><p><span>“Cortisol is one of many chemicals produced by a small gland on top of your kidney called the adrenal gland. And so, cortisol plays a key role in metabolism, immune function, blood-sugar metabolism and so any disruption in your cortisol metabolism can have a downstream effect in other parts of your body leading to potential health issues.”</span></p><p><span>The drink claims to help with something influencers have labeled “adrenal fatigue” and weight loss by increasing cortisol. But here’s the catch — Dr. Khokhar says the science doesn’t back it up.</span></p><p><br><span>“Adrenal fatigue has been debunked in 2016 by a meta-analysis, and it is not a true condition. The other pertinent point that people should know is that taking a cortisol mocktail does not in any way shape or form alter your cortisol levels. It has no impact on producing more cortisol or reducing cortisol levels in any way.”</span></p><p><span>There is a condition known as adrenal insufficiency, which is a serious medical condition<strong> </strong>in which the adrenal glands fail to produce enough cortisol. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, low blood sugar and extreme fatigue. Dr. Khokhar says if you experience these symptoms, see a doctor right away.</span></p><p><span>If you want to improve cortisol levels in a meaningful way, Dr. Khokhar suggests other approaches.</span></p><p><span>“There are things that are much more data-driven that can help with that. That includes getting seven or eight hours of sleep. That includes reducing your stress through meditation or other practices.” He also suggests, “That includes eating a healthy diet. Those are things that are maybe more difficult to do but they’ve been shown to improve cortisol levels, whether they’re high or low.” (</span></p><p><span>Dr. Khokhar says a cortisol cocktail as its being touted likely won’t harm you if you don’t have an underlying condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure that could be impacted by a sugary, salty drink.</span></p><p><span>On its own, he says coconut water has health benefits because it has electrolytes and hydrating properties.&nbsp;So, it can help with rehydration, especially after exercise or illness, and could also support heart health, blood sugar management, and digestive health.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Additionally, coconut water and orange juice are a good source of Vitamin C and other antioxidants so benefits worth sipping, even if cortisol isn’t part of the picture.</span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p><h2><span style="color:#12872c;">Dr. Omar Khokhar</span></h2><h2><span style="color:#12872c;">B-roll-Cortisol Cocktail</span></h2>]]></content:encoded><category><![CDATA[feature,cortisol cocktail,cortisol,OSF HealthCare,OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center,Dr. Omar Khokhar,gastroenterologist,gastroenterology,nausea,vomiting,blood sugar,stress hormone,social media,influencers,fatigue,adrenal,metabolism,metabolic health,diabetes,coconut water,oranges,salt,weight loss]]></category>
            <pubDate>Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:54:00 -0500</pubDate>
            <enclosure url="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/ee3c4ca5-a890-488a-8638-cee39ee405ed/500_img_4586.jpg?10000" length="0" type="image/jpg" />
                <pp:image>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/ee3c4ca5-a890-488a-8638-cee39ee405ed/500_img_4586.jpg?10000</pp:image>
                <pp:imageOriginal>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/ee3c4ca5-a890-488a-8638-cee39ee405ed/img_4586.jpg?10000</pp:imageOriginal><pp:imageTitle><![CDATA[Cortisol cocktail]]></pp:imageTitle><pp:imageDescription><![CDATA[Photo of orange juice, coconut water, an orange, a coconut and salt shaker]]></pp:imageDescription></item><item>
                        <title>Digital Mirrors: Kids’ body perception</title>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/digital-mirrors-kids-body-perception/</link>
                        <guid>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/digital-mirrors-kids-body-perception/</guid><pp:caseid>625671</pp:caseid><description><![CDATA[<p>Through editing with filters, body positioning and now even artificial intelligence, the photos you see on those you follow may not be an accurate representation of their life.</p>]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/5bc9c039-4509-4804-a697-71c749d37d26/1920_shutterstock-2271554577.jpg?10000"><p>Up to 95% of kids age 13-17 and nearly 40% of children age 8-12 use a social media platform, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.</p><p>The report “Social Media and Youth Mental Health” says evidence indicates that there are “ample indicators” that social media can have a “profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.” Additionally, the advisory says that social media usage can disrupt vital activities for someone’s health and well-being like sleep and physical activity.</p><p>It’s no secret a major part of posting that “picture perfect” moment happens after the picture is taken. Through editing with filters, body positioning, and now even artificial intelligence, the photos you see of those you follow may not be an accurate representation of their life.</p><p>Kyle Boerke, Psy.D, is the director of behavioral health outpatient services for OSF HealthCare and a clinical child psychologist. He says what we go through as social media users when looking at the influencers we follow is called “upward social comparison.”</p><p>“You, as a teenager, take your worst day and you are comparing it to this video of somebody’s best day. Or I would say, artificial day, because it’s not real due to the filters and editing,” Dr. Boerke says. “We have a lot of research that talks a lot about the direct correlation between time spent on social media and an increase in anxiety and depression. We’re talking about a one-to-one correspondence where every hour spent on social media increases your likelihood of anxiety and depression.”</p><p><span><strong>What can we do?</strong></span></p><p>“Limit your exposure to social media as a whole. But certainly, limit those individuals that are negative and that are body shaming. There are body positive individuals out there.”</p><p>Dr. Boerke says, in many cases, the people you follow on social media aren’t your friends. You don’t know them personally, and you’ve probably never met them, and never will.</p><p>“More important than who you follow on social media is who you surround yourself with in real life. Surround yourself with positive individuals in real life. Surround yourself with people who truly know you, care about you, support you and are going to be there for you in hard times,” Dr. Boerke adds.</p><p><span><strong>Social media is a tool</strong></span></p><p>While social media is used, whether intentionally or not, for negative purposes, there are some cases where it can be used for positive outcomes.</p><p>“There are influencers out there that have a good message on body positivity and being healthy, as opposed to your weight and what your figure looks like. However, for every one of those, there are ten to twenty that by using filters, Photoshop and artificial nature. How they portray themselves can be a huge influence,” Dr. Boerke says.</p><p>In most cases, people may hear “social media” and think of the apps Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), Snapchat and Facebook. But he says a major social media platform reaching the youngest of kids is YouTube.</p><p>“I just want to caution everybody that even at a young age, be aware of what they’re watching and be aware of how much time they’re spending on these,” Dr. Boerke says. “While the themes throughout these YouTube videos are mostly good, there’s still probably some upward social comparisons happening even with our six and seven-year-olds.”</p><p><span><strong>What if I’ve built a community on social media?</strong></span></p><p>Connecting with people going through your same experience can potentially be good.</p><p>But Dr. Boerke says that can also be troubling, because you can get into a group with people who feel/think the same way you do, and they recommend you do something that is detrimental to your health.</p><p>“If you are struggling, tell an adult in your life and ask to talk to somebody. Start with your pediatrician or primary care physician. They can get you in touch with a therapist or psychologist that can help have those discussions with you,” Dr. Boerke says.</p><p>OSF HealthCare offers behavioral and mental health services across the Ministry to support adults, teens and children seeking diagnosis, short-term treatment or long-term management of mental and emotional health challenges.</p><p>The services offered can best fit your needs, from outpatient therapy to medication management. If you’re interested in speaking with a medical professional, <a href="https://x.osfhealthcare.org/services/specialties/mental-health">visit the OSF HealthCare website.</a></p><h2><span style="color:#2bb361;"><strong>Video Interview Clips</strong></span></h2>]]></content:encoded><category><![CDATA[OSF,OSF HealthCare,social media,Instagram,Snapchat,X,Twitter,Facebook,YouTube,kids,mental health,anxiety,depression,feature]]></category>
            <pubDate>Mon, 30 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0600</pubDate>
            <enclosure url="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/5bc9c039-4509-4804-a697-71c749d37d26/500_shutterstock-2271554577.jpg?10000" length="0" type="image/jpg" />
                <pp:image>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/5bc9c039-4509-4804-a697-71c749d37d26/500_shutterstock-2271554577.jpg?10000</pp:image>
                <pp:imageOriginal>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/5bc9c039-4509-4804-a697-71c749d37d26/shutterstock-2271554577.jpg?10000</pp:imageOriginal><pp:imageTitle><![CDATA[Girl on social media]]></pp:imageTitle><pp:imageDescription><![CDATA[Girl on social media]]></pp:imageDescription></item><item>
                        <title>Parents are feeling the loneliness epidemic</title>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/parents-are-feeling-the-loneliness-epidemic/</link>
                        <guid>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/parents-are-feeling-the-loneliness-epidemic/</guid><pp:caseid>662322</pp:caseid><pp:summary><![CDATA[<p><strong>Key Takeaways:</strong></p><ul><li><span>Recent research shows nearly two-thirds of parents felt the demands of parenthood sometimes or frequently and feel isolated and lonely</span></li><li><span>The surgeon general earlier this spring issued an advisory about parental loneliness and burnout</span></li><li><span>Dr. Kyle Boerke of OSF HealthCare suggests added pressures during the pandemic and social media use are contributing factors</span></li></ul>]]></pp:summary><description><![CDATA[<p>Recent research shows parents are feeling lonely and unsupported. The US surgeon general recently issued an advisory about it. &nbsp;An OSF HealthCare behavioral health expert offers advice.</p>]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/ff3f7d6e-7490-4cbd-98e6-2fcb8c781958/1920_morganhurtadoandfamily.jpg?10000"><p><span>Morgan Hurtado of Bloomington, Illinois, is in her early 30s and has three boys. She works during the day, while her husband works second shift. Weekends are spent with her oldest boy’s travel soccer team. But as Hurtado began reflecting, the mom realized she mostly relies on her family for deep discussions and support.</span></p><p><span>Hurtado’s experience isn’t rare.&nbsp; Results of </span><a href="https://nursing.osu.edu/news/2024/05/01/new-survey-finds-loneliness-epidemic-runs-deep-among-parents"><span>research released this year</span></a><span> found the loneliness epidemic is deep among parents.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>According to a survey by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, nearly two-thirds of parents surveyed “felt the demands of parenthood sometimes or frequently feel isolated and lonely.” About 62% feel “burned out by their responsibilities as a parent.” Nearly two in five (38%) “feel they have no one to support them in their parenting role.”</span></p><p><span>In May, the United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy </span><a href="https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2024/08/28/us-surgeon-general-issues-advisory-mental-health-well-being-parents.html"><span>released a new surgeon general advisory</span></a><span> calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation and lack of connection in our country.</span></p><p><span>Kyle Boerke, PsyD, a clinical child psychologist and the director of behavioral health outpatient services at OSF HealthCare, says parents have long felt lonely due to the heavy investment in their children, and the latest Ohio State research confirms that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Parents were forced to take on additional roles for their children.</span></p><p><span>“They also were thrown into being a teacher, or they were thrown into becoming a daycare provider, in addition to whatever their typical job was, as well. And so, the demands continue rising for parents. And they’re investing so much into their children, and it’s draining. It’s leading to that burnout we’re hearing about in the study,” Dr. Boerke says.</span></p><p><span>Dr. Boerke has spoken across the country about the harms of social media and says despite the idea that it can keep people feeling more connected, he says it is actually contributing to the loneliness epidemic.</span></p><p><span>“It’s very clear the anxiety, depression, loneliness that people feel. It’s literally a one-to-one correspondence. Increase in social media use, increase in anxiety and depression.”</span></p><p><span>The artificial social interaction, he stresses, often replaces efforts for one-on-one or group social interaction. Still, he thinks social media, when used for good, can be an important connector.</span></p><p><span>“If we utilize the tool of social media to find social interactions and then go do those human-to-human, face- to-face, in-person interactions, that’s a great use of the tool,” Dr. Boerke says. But he adds, “Unfortunately, that’s not oftentimes how it’s being used.”</span></p><p><span>Hurtado is challenging herself to get out of her comfort zone and make more in-person connections.</span></p><p><span>“Something I’m trying in my personal life as sort of an experiment, if you will, is to limit my social media interactions or just limit my time as a whole on social media, forcing me to have those in-person interactions more often and maybe leading to new relationships and friendships,” she says.</span></p><p><span>Just as counselors often advise busy parents to make sure they have regular date nights to keep their relationship strong, Dr. Boerke says couples need to keep their individual “buckets” full.&nbsp; In other words, it’s vitally important to make time for yourself and have social interactions that bring you joy and that are not necessarily focused on children.</span></p><p><span>Dr. Boerke suggests joining a book club and focusing on whether you can do that with people in your own neighborhood This way, you don’t have to get in your car and drive and can’t use the excuse that you’re too tired to do it. Proximity for interactions, Dr. Boerke suggests, is important to keep you accountable.</span></p><p><span>“Because if I can find somebody close by, even if it’s, ‘I’m gonna ask a neighbor to go on a walk with me three times a week, Monday, Wednesday Friday. We’re gonna walk in the morning before we go to work or before I start the day’,” Dr. Boerke suggests.</span></p><p><span>Mom groups are also an outlet for social interaction with people who have shared experiences.&nbsp; Dr. Boerke explains you might have great friends, but their kids are in high school. And although they’ve been through the preschool age, those preschool experiences are in the past for them. So that connection is going to be a little weaker or not as beneficial to you.</span></p><p><span>Some parents find real friendship with parents of other kids during travel sports. Dr. Boerke advises when choosing activities for kids, make sure to select teams or groups where you personally connect well with other parents.</span></p><h2><span style="color:#21a63c;">Dr. Kyle Boerke</span></h2><h2><span style="color:#21a63c;">Mom of three Morgan Hurtado of Bloomington, Illinois</span></h2><h2><span style="color:#21a63c;">B-roll for parental loneliness</span></h2>]]></content:encoded><category><![CDATA[news,Loneliness,Dr. Kyle Boerke,OSF HealthCare,Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center,Morgan Hurtado,social media,isolation,depression,loneliness epidemic,feature]]></category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 25 Sep 2024 12:38:00 -0500</pubDate>
            <enclosure url="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/ff3f7d6e-7490-4cbd-98e6-2fcb8c781958/500_morganhurtadoandfamily.jpg?10000" length="0" type="image/jpg" />
                <pp:image>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/ff3f7d6e-7490-4cbd-98e6-2fcb8c781958/500_morganhurtadoandfamily.jpg?10000</pp:image>
                <pp:imageOriginal>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/ff3f7d6e-7490-4cbd-98e6-2fcb8c781958/morganhurtadoandfamily.jpg?10000</pp:imageOriginal><pp:imageTitle><![CDATA[Morgan Hurtado and family]]></pp:imageTitle></item><item>
                        <title>Health Highlights: Digital Mirrors + Ennui</title>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/health-highlights-digital-mirrors--ennui/</link>
                        <guid>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/health-highlights-digital-mirrors--ennui/</guid><pp:caseid>627855</pp:caseid><description><![CDATA[<p>Four of the new emotions in the upcoming movie Inside Out 2 are sure to ring a ball.&nbsp;</p><p>But what is ennui? (Pronounced awn-WEE).&nbsp;</p><p>Kyle Boerke, PsyD, is a child psychologist with OSF HealthCare. He says ennui is a type of boredom first seen in the pre-teen or teen years.</p><p><span>“The biggest thing we can do with children from a young age is understanding and naming emotions," Dr. Boerke says. "If I can get a two, three or four-year-old naming emotions, I have succeeded. And the first Inside Out movie did a fantastic job with that.”</span></p><p><span>Dr. Boerke says parents can use the Inside Out movies as a teaching tool.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>For example, kids should know that there are no “bad” emotions, only bad ways to express emotions.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Up to 95% of kids aged 13-17, and nearly 40% of children aged 8-12 use a social media platform, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.</span></p><p>It's no secret a major part of posting that “picture perfect” moment happens after the picture is taken.&nbsp;</p><p>Through editing with filters, body positioning and even artificial intelligence, the photos you see of those you follow may not be an accurate representation of their life.</p><p>Dr. Boerke says what we go through as social media users when looking at the influencers we follow is called “upward social comparison.”</p><p>“You, as a teenager, take your worst day and you are comparing it to this video of somebody’s best day. Or I would say, artificial day, because it’s not real due to the filters and editing," Dr. Boerke says. "We have a lot of research that talks a lot about the direct correlation between time spent on social media and an increase in anxiety and depression. We’re talking about a one-to-one correspondence where every hour spent on social media increases your likelihood of anxiety and depression.”</p><p>To help, Dr. Boerke says to limit your exposure to social media as a whole and avoid people who are negative and body shaming.</p><h2><span style="color:#209445;"><strong>Health Highlights Video Version With Chyrons</strong></span></h2><h2><span style="color:#23a655;"><span><strong>Health Highlights Video Version Without Chyrons</strong></span></span></h2>]]></description><category><![CDATA[healthhighlights,exclude,Inside Out,ennui,emotions,social media,Digital media,Instagram,X,Twitter,Facebook,TikTok,YouTube,Teen safety]]></category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:52:04 -0500</pubDate>
            <enclosure url="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/65044983-6e94-4455-8b9b-65f5d268e902/500_healthhighlightstitle.png?10000" length="0" type="image/png" />
                <pp:image>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/65044983-6e94-4455-8b9b-65f5d268e902/500_healthhighlightstitle.png?10000</pp:image>
                <pp:imageOriginal>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/65044983-6e94-4455-8b9b-65f5d268e902/healthhighlightstitle.png?10000</pp:imageOriginal><pp:imageTitle><![CDATA[Health Highlights Title]]></pp:imageTitle><pp:imageDescription><![CDATA[Health Highlights graphic]]></pp:imageDescription></item><item>
                        <title>72-Hour Fruit Diet: Myths vs. Facts</title>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/72-hour-fruit-diet-myths-vs-facts/</link>
                        <guid>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/72-hour-fruit-diet-myths-vs-facts/</guid><pp:caseid>582709</pp:caseid><pp:summary><![CDATA[<p style="margin-left:0px;text-align:left;"><strong>Key takeaways:</strong></p><ul><li>Debunking claims made on a viral “health” TikTok</li><li>Too much fiber can promote bloating, abdominal cramping and pain</li><li>"The best way to burn body fat is to reduce calories and increase physical activity,” Ashley Simper says.</li></ul>]]></pp:summary><description><![CDATA[<p>A TikTok video has gone viral claiming only eating fruits for 72 hours will detoxify your body. Is this fact or fiction? OSF Dietitian Ashley Simper responds to the claims.</p>]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/037c3189-f814-4f84-9d88-d2b6d48f556b/1920_shutterstock-252338818.jpg?10000"><p style="margin-left:0in;">A TikTok video has gone viral claiming only eating fruits for 72 hours can provide miraculous benefits. The video from the “HealthyToMe” account, which has over 8 million views, shows an AI-generated “doctor” who makes numerous claims regarding this diet. It also includes a widely-used AI-generated voice to read the text on the screen.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">Ashley Simper, manager of Dietetic Services with OSF HealthCare, breaks down the claims and what is myth vs. fact.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;"><strong><u>Claim #1: </u></strong>After 12 hours, you will experience improved digestion. Your body will start to digest and absorb the nutrients present in the fruits. The dietary fibers will reduce bloating, relieve your swollen belly, and alleviate stomachaches.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">“Fiber is important to help keep our digestive system moving. But if you have a sudden increase in fiber in your diet, as you would if you ate all fruits for three days straight, it can have the opposite effect. The claims to reduce bloating can be quite the opposite. It can actually promote bloating, abdominal cramping and pain,” Simper says. “What we would recommend is a slow increase in fiber as well as making sure you’re having adequate fluids (eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily), we don’t want to do something like that overnight.”</p><p style="margin-left:0in;"><strong><u>Claim #2: </u></strong>After 24 hours, you will start burning bad fats. Your body will enter a state of nutritional ketosis, meaning it will begin using stored fats as a source of energy.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">“The claim that it’s going to burn bad fats through ketosis, which is pulling your fat from your stored energy, is completely false. You have to have the absence of carbohydrates in the diet to induce ketosis. Fruit is a carbohydrate-containing food. You’re not going to be inducing ketosis with an all-fruit diet in three days,” Simper says.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">Simper adds that she does not recommend ketogenetic diets for weight loss.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">“It is not sustainable, and it can lead to nutrient deficiencies. The best way to burn body fat is to reduce calories and increase physical activity,” Simper says. “If you lose weight within three days on an all-fruit diet, it’s likely going to be water weight. You can sometimes lose lean mass at the same time, we don’t want to lose that muscle mass.”</p><p style="margin-left:0in;"><strong><u>Claim #3: </u></strong>After 48 hours, you will experience reduced illness. Your immune system will be stimulated by the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants present in the fruits.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">“Nutrients in fruit, like antioxidants and fiber can help boost your immunity and reduce illness, this certainly will not happen overnight,” Simper says. “What’s important for your overall health is to eat a variety of foods, consistently for days or even months, to see those benefits.”</p><p style="margin-left:0in;"><strong><u>Claim #4:</u></strong> After 72 hours, your organs will undergo detoxification. Your body will have benefited from a digestive break and detoxification. You will have more energy, clearer skin and an anti-aging effect.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">“Detoxification of our organs happens naturally in the body. We have built-in mechanisms that help rid our body of waste. Fruit is high in water, so it can help you stay hydrated and flush some of the waste of the body out through the kidneys, but this is not some kind of miracle detox that happens when you eat fruit for three days,” Simper says.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">Simper adds her dietetic practice does not promote anything that claims to detoxify our bodies.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">“Especially things like over-the-counter supplements, those can be very dangerous,” Simper adds.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">While this diet could improve your energy temporarily, it’s still a low-calorie diet, which Simper says can make you feel more sluggish.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">The video goes on to claim the best fruits to include in this “fasting period” are antioxidant rich berries, apples, oranges and grapefruits, kiwis and pomegranates.</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">Simper calls this 72-hour fruit diet an “overly restricted fad diet.”</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">“This has some very far-reaching and false claims. Although it’s not going to be dangerous to someone to eat only fruits for 72 hours, if you’re considered a somewhat healthy individual. What’s important is adding a variety of foods in your diet, reducing your calories, and pairing it with physical activity to see those long-term solutions for your health.”</p><p style="margin-left:0in;">If you have any questions about your diet, you can speak with an OSF HealthCare dietitian. Find providers and locations here: <a href="https://healthlibrary.osfhealthcare.org/Search/85,P01156" target="_blank">https://healthlibrary.osfhealthcare.org/Search/85,P01156</a></p><h2><span style="color:#27ae60;"><strong>Video Interview Clips</strong></span></h2>]]></content:encoded><category><![CDATA[feature,OSF,OSF HealthCare,fruit,Fruit Diet,TikTok,social media,Trend,Fad,diet,Wellness,health,fitness,exercise,eating,healthy,Carbs,Well-rounded diet,Tips,peoria,Illinois,Healthy Living,lifestyle]]></category>
            <pubDate>Mon, 31 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
            <enclosure url="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/bb6ca496-a042-472e-966c-54929221947e/500_shutterstock-1574479240.jpg?10000" length="0" type="image/jpg" />
                <pp:image>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/bb6ca496-a042-472e-966c-54929221947e/500_shutterstock-1574479240.jpg?10000</pp:image>
                <pp:imageOriginal>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/bb6ca496-a042-472e-966c-54929221947e/shutterstock-1574479240.jpg?10000</pp:imageOriginal><pp:imageTitle><![CDATA[shutterstock_1574479240]]></pp:imageTitle></item><item>
                        <title>Becoming friends with artificial intelligence</title>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/becoming-friends-with-artificial-intelligence/</link>
                        <guid>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/becoming-friends-with-artificial-intelligence/</guid><pp:caseid>576510</pp:caseid><pp:subtitle>Fears of the unknown are normal, but AI can be useful to your health if you can navigate it</pp:subtitle><description><![CDATA[<p>Fears of the unknown are normal, but AI can be useful to your health if you can navigate it.</p>]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/9cb0c925-3d3e-4215-86cf-701335e1bd2c/1920_shutterstock-721161124.jpg?10000"><p>Artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly expanded in 2023, and it’s here to stay. ChatGPT, Snapchat and altered photos and videos are just some of the AI encounters people have on their devices daily.</p><p>AI has many positives. But experts say when it comes to health advice, take it from a trained human being, not a robot. And if you’re scared of “the rise of the robots” – as they say in Hollywood – there are ways to cope.</p><p>“You’re absolutely normal to be anxious when there’s the first stirrings of big shifts in technology or other things that might change our life,” says Ari Lakritz, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at OSF HealthCare who says he sees these concerns often.</p><p><strong>Coming to grips with technology advances</strong></p><p>Common fears include technology making your job obsolete or providing you with misinformation. Dr. Lakritz suggests being proactive to the changes, not reactive. Learn how AI is changing your job or hobbies.</p><p>“See if you might be able to be part of that. Start integrating some of that into your day-to-day practice,” Dr. Lakritz says.</p><p>AI can be a time-saver, too.</p><p>“It has potential to streamline things we don’t like to do, giving us more time and energy to do things we want or things we feel are important,” Dr. Lakritz says.</p><p>For example, it may take you an hour to do an online search for sources for your college essay. If ChatGPT can do it in minutes, you might have time to take that afternoon walk or meet a friend for lunch, boosting your mental and physical health and spurring creativity.</p><p>It’s also not our first time dealing with digital unknowns. Remember the supposed Y2K bug around the turn of the millennium? Fears of computer clocks malfunctioning and worse didn’t materialize, and experts took away lessons for the next big technology shift, like AI. And a silver lining of the Y2K anxiety, Dr. Lakritz says, is that it got people learning about technology.</p><p><strong>Don’t go to a robot for mental health care</strong></p><p><span>Snapchat, the photo messaging application popular with young people, recently rolled out a chatbot called “My AI.” It’s a way for people to connect with someone when they have no one else.</span></p><p><span>“</span><span style="background-color:white;"><span>My AI can answer a burning trivia question, offer advice on the perfect gift for your BFF’s birthday, help plan a hiking trip for a long weekend, or suggest what to make for dinner,” Snapchat’s website says.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color:white;">But the company concedes: “It’s possible My AI’s responses may include biased, incorrect, harmful, or misleading content. Because My AI is an evolving feature, you should always independently check answers provided by My AI before relying on any advice, and you should not share confidential or sensitive information.”</span></p><p><span>Some parents and mental health experts have picked up on that concern, too. They worry young people are getting inadequate mental health advice from a robot.</span></p><p><span>“That’s like Googling your symptoms when you’re sick instead of going to a real doctor,” Dr. Lakritz says with a hint of dismay. “You’ll get a great deal of information, but there will be very little guidance about </span><i><span>how</span></i><span> to use that information and which information is more applicable to you.”</span></p><p><span>If talking about your mental health virtually is your preferred way to go, there are more legitimate options than Snapchat, Dr. Lakritz says. First and foremost, your health care provider may offer virtual visits. Otherwise, talk to a provider or trusted adult about online, third-party counseling options.</span></p><p><span>“These are programs that have been tested and vetted. There’s oversight and accountability. There’s research behind it,” Dr. Lakritz explains. “Whereas with an AI assistant, it’s not clear the source of information. It’s not clear how to </span><i><span>use</span></i><span> that information best.”</span></p><p><span>Will AI and chatrooms replace in-person mental health care? Don’t count on it, Dr. Lakritz predicts. The human connection of being in a room with someone can’t be understated, he says.</span></p><p><strong>When in doubt</strong></p><p>When the content on your device is just too much to handle, turn it off, set it aside and take a break.</p><p>Look for these warning signs:</p><p>“Do you feel you’re doing too much of it? Do you find your use of technology is taking over other interests in your life? Have you tried to cut down but have not been able to? Do you find that using so much technology causes you to stress or dysfunction?” Dr. Lakritz asks.</p><p>Most devices have settings that can limit screen time. Parents should set boundaries with their children’s device use. Dr. Lakritz says you can even share your browsing or chat history with a trusted adult so they can make sure you’re using technology appropriately.</p><p>If your technology use is causing significant mental health problems, talk to your primary care provider or mental health provider. You can also call 9-8-8 to reach the <a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/suicide-prevention-involves-all-of-us/">Nation Suicide Prevention Lifeline</a>.</p><p><strong>Learn more</strong></p><p>Learn more about behavioral and mental health on the <a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/mental-health/">OSF HealthCare website</a>.</p><h2><span style="color:#669933;"><strong>Interview clips</strong></span></h2><h2><span style="color:#669933;"><strong>B-roll</strong></span></h2><p><span style="color:#669933;">Related stories</span><br><br><a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/social-media-and-brain-changes/" target="_blank">Social media and brain changes</a><br><a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/mental-health-care-starts-with-a-first-step/" target="_blank">Mental health care starts with a first step</a><br><a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/being-open-and-honest-about-mental-health/" target="_blank">Being open and honest about mental health</a><br><a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/tackling-pediatric-mental-health/" target="_blank">Tackling pediatric mental health</a><br><a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/is-social-media-impacting-your-mental-health/" target="_blank">Is social media impacting your mental health?</a><br><a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/tiktok-brain/" target="_blank">TikTok brain</a><br><a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/online-safety-among-children-teens/" target="_blank">Playing it safe online</a></p>]]></content:encoded><category><![CDATA[feature,OSF,OSF HealthCare,OSF Saint Anthony&#039;s,Saint Anthony&#039;s Health Center,Alton,Godfrey,Bethalto,Madison County,Illinois,St. Louis,Missouri,AI,artifical,artificial intelligence,intelligence,health,chat,ChatGPT,Snapchat,social media,Media,social,chatbot,bot,robot,photo,video,technology,Ari Lakritz,mental health,mental,Behavioral Health,behavioral,psychology,psychologist,job,work,information,misinformation,hobby,time,energy,online,web,computer,phone,tablet,physical,physical health,creative,Y2K,millenium,bias,incorrect,fact,fact check,check,advice,Google,symptom,doctor,provider,health care provider,care,health care,guidance,counseling,chatroom,screen,screen time,device,browse]]></category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 07 Jun 2023 12:24:43 -0500</pubDate>
            <enclosure url="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/9cb0c925-3d3e-4215-86cf-701335e1bd2c/500_shutterstock-721161124.jpg?10000" length="0" type="image/jpg" />
                <pp:image>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/9cb0c925-3d3e-4215-86cf-701335e1bd2c/500_shutterstock-721161124.jpg?10000</pp:image>
                <pp:imageOriginal>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/9cb0c925-3d3e-4215-86cf-701335e1bd2c/shutterstock-721161124.jpg?10000</pp:imageOriginal><pp:imageTitle><![CDATA[stock photo of a chat bot]]></pp:imageTitle></item><item>
                        <title>There’s no magic weight loss drug</title>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/theres-no-magic-weight-loss-drug/</link>
                        <guid>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/theres-no-magic-weight-loss-drug/</guid><pp:caseid>554329</pp:caseid><description><![CDATA[<p>Ongoing social media chatter claims drugs like Ozempic are the magic way to weight loss. Doctors say it's not that simple, not to mention the side effects of these drugs.</p>]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/1920_stockphotoofozempic.jpg?10000"><p>From Elon Musk to TikTokers, ongoing social media chatter claims drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy are the magic way to weight loss.</p><p>There’s good news, says Aminat Ogun, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare in Champaign, Illinois. Those drugs <i>can</i> help you lose weight when prescribed by a doctor under specific circumstances and paired with diet and exercise.</p><p>The more important bad news? There’s no magic, one-size-fits-all drug that will by itself cause you to shed pounds. And if someone on social media is claiming so, they’re wrong.</p><p>Dr. Ogun says Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy are from the same family of medicine. They are usually prescribed to people with Type 2 diabetes.</p><p>“It increases the insulin in the body, which helps bring glucose into the cells,” Dr. Ogun explains.</p><p>The medications also slow food leaving your stomach and suppress appetite.</p><p>Once the drugs became more well known, Dr. Ogun says people found, not surprisingly, that weight loss was a side effect and began prescribing them for that purpose under specific circumstances. She says the patient should have a <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm">body mass index</a> (BMI) greater than 30 or a BMI greater than 27 with a chronic condition like diabetes, hypertension or hyperlipidemia.</p><p>But even if you meet those guidelines, Dr. Ogun says you should talk with your doctor about whether a weight loss drug is right for you or whether simply changing habits can get the results you want.</p><p>For one, Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy are expensive and may not be covered by insurance.</p><p>Also, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports a shortage of <a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/dsp_ActiveIngredientDetails.cfm?AI=Semaglutide%20(Ozempic)%20Injection&st=c">Ozempic</a> and <a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/dsp_ActiveIngredientDetails.cfm?AI=Semaglutide%20(WEGOVY%C2%AE)%20Injection&st=c">Wegovy</a>. So Dr. Ogun says doctors may be less likely to prescribe the drugs for weight loss when diabetics may have a more critical need.</p><p>And like any other medication, there is a list of side effects.</p><p>“Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and constipation are possible,” Dr. Ogun says. “There are also hypersensitivity side effects like angioedema and an anaphylaxis reaction. It’s also been known to cause kidney injury or pancreatitis.”<br><br>Lately, the term “Ozempic face” has been trending on social media, describing a hollowed-out appearance due to quick weight loss.</p><p>One last piece of advice you’ll hear doctors give over and over: don’t rely on social media for health tips. If you find a tip that might benefit you, talk to your doctor before starting any treatment.</p><p>“The good thing about social media is that it allows a lot of people to receive a variety of information all at once,” Dr. Ogun says. “The downside: is it a credible source?”<br><br>Find a primary care provider on the <a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/">OSF HealthCare website</a>.</p><h2><span style="color:#669933;"><strong>Interview clips</strong></span></h2>]]></content:encoded><category><![CDATA[feature,OSF,OSF HealthCare,OSF Heart of Mary,Heart of Mary Medical Center,Champaign,Urbana,primary care,OSF Primary Care,Elon Musk,TikTok,social media,Ozempic,Mounjaro,Wegovy,weight,weight loss,Aminat Ogun,doctor,prescription,medicine,medication,drug,diet,exercise,diabetes,Type 2 diabetes,insulin,glucose,stomach,gastric,gastric emptying,appetite,appetite suppression,body mass index,BMI,hypertension,hyperlipidemia,insurance,health insurance,FDA,Food and Drug Administration,shortage,side effect,abdominal pain,abdominal,nausea,vomit,throw up,diarrhea,constipation,hypersensitivity,angioedema,anaphylaxis,anaphylaxis reaction,allergy,allergic,allergic reaction,kidney,pancreas,pancreatitis]]></category>
            <pubDate>Mon, 13 Feb 2023 09:36:48 -0600</pubDate>
            <enclosure url="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_stockphotoofozempic.jpg?10000" length="0" type="image/jpg" />
                <pp:image>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_stockphotoofozempic.jpg?10000</pp:image>
                <pp:imageOriginal>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/stockphotoofozempic.jpg?10000</pp:imageOriginal><pp:imageTitle><![CDATA[Ozempic]]></pp:imageTitle><pp:imageDescription><![CDATA[stock photo of Ozempic]]></pp:imageDescription></item><item>
                        <title>Social media and brain changes</title>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/social-media-and-brain-changes/</link>
                        <guid>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/social-media-and-brain-changes/</guid><pp:caseid>557727</pp:caseid><description><![CDATA[<p>A recent study suggests <span>frequent social media use leads to changes in brain development during the formative adolescent years.</span></p>]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/1920_stockphotoofayoungpersoncheckingsocialmedia.jpg?10000"><p>The pros and cons of social media are well documented. It allows you to connect with friends and pursue passions, but bullying and misinformation can be rampant.</p><p>But can frequent social media use lead to changes in brain development during the formative adolescent years? A <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2799812?utm_campaign=articlePDF&utm_medium=articlePDFlink&utm_source=articlePDF&utm_content=jamapediatrics.2022.4924">recent study</a> suggests so, but much more investigation is needed, says <a href="https://www2.osfhealthcare.org/providers/karna-sherwood-1464822">Karna Sherwood, MD</a>, a neurologist at OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois.</p><p>The study tracked 169 sixth and seventh graders and found those who habitually checked social media were more sensitive to rewards and punishments. To view it a different way, kids who constantly refresh Facebook hoping the likes on their post will go up may be more impulsive to seek out real-life recognition.</p><p>“At a certain point, 10 likes or 20 likes are no longer gratifying enough,” Dr. Sherwood says. “And then you have to find another way to get even more likes or more appreciation.”</p><p>That “another way” could lead to risky behaviors such as substance abuse. But Dr. Sherwood says more study is needed to conclusively make the link. Just how much does our life in the digital realm affect our life away from the device?</p><p>“A follow up study would certainly investigate if [frequent social media use] has an effect on rates of anxiety and depression,” says Dr. Sherwood. “Could this affect addiction? And what interventions could be taken to nullify those behaviors?</p><p>“As a society, if we want to raise happy and healthy people in an age where we are getting better technologically, what steps do we need to take?”</p><p>Until then, Dr. Sherwood has some good advice no matter your age or number of Twitter followers.</p><p>“Until you get the rest of the information, it’s better to have some degree of regulation,” and restraint with social media, Dr. Sherwood says.</p><p>Learn more about how the brain works on the <a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/services/neurosciences/">OSF HealthCare website</a>.</p><h2><span style="color:#669933;"><strong>Interview clips</strong></span></h2><p><span style="color:#669933;">Previous coverage</span><br><br><a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/tackling-pediatric-mental-health/" target="_blank">Tackling pediatric mental health</a><br><br><a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/bullying-and-the-era-of-technology/" target="_blank">Bullying and the era of technology</a><br><br><a href="https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/is-social-media-impacting-your-mental-health/" target="_blank">Is social media impacting your mental health?</a><br><br><a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/kids-screen-time-how-much-is-too-much/" target="_blank">Kids' screen time: How much is too much?</a></p>]]></content:encoded><category><![CDATA[OSF,OSF HealthCare,OSF Saint Anthony&#039;s,Saint Anthony&#039;s Health Center,Alton,Godfrey,Madison County,Illinois,feature,social media,technology,brain,neurology,reward,punishment,like,dislike,youth,kid,children,teen,teenager,adolescent,bully,bullying,misinformation,Karna Sherwood,recognition,impluse,substance abuse,alcohol,drugs,digital,anxiety,depression,mental health,mental,behavioral,Behavioral Health,counseling,therapy,Facebook,Twitter,Instagram,TikTok,Snapchat]]></category>
            <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2023 09:10:45 -0600</pubDate>
            <enclosure url="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_stockphotoofayoungpersoncheckingsocialmedia.jpg?10000" length="0" type="image/jpg" />
                <pp:image>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_stockphotoofayoungpersoncheckingsocialmedia.jpg?10000</pp:image>
                <pp:imageOriginal>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/stockphotoofayoungpersoncheckingsocialmedia.jpg?10000</pp:imageOriginal><pp:imageTitle><![CDATA[stock photo of a young person checking social media]]></pp:imageTitle></item><item>
                        <title>Developing an app to alert health care pros to misinformation on social media</title>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/developing-an-app-to-alert-health-care-pros-to-misinformation-on-social-media/</link>
                        <guid>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/developing-an-app-to-alert-health-care-pros-to-misinformation-on-social-media/</guid><pp:caseid>552002</pp:caseid><pp:subtitle>Jump ARCHES grant provides $100,000 toward research and development</pp:subtitle><description><![CDATA[<p>Development of a software app for health care pros to know what medical misinformation is trending on social media has received a $100,000 boost through a <a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/innovation/how/academic-incubator/jump-arches/" target="_blank">Jump ARCHES</a> grant.</p>]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<img src="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/1920_misinformationforhealthprosapp.jpg?10000"><p><span>University of Illinois sociology professor Kevin Leicht, PhD, recalls a time during the COVID-19 pandemic when during a conversation, someone insisted only six people had died from the highly-infectious and rapidly-circulating virus. It was clear disinformation was driving people to doubt the potential deadly nature of the virus.</span></p><p><span>But even before the pandemic, researchers at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) had begun work on researching the spread of medical misinformation. Leicht, who is also science team lead at the Chicago-based </span><a href="https://dpi.uillinois.edu/"><span>Discovery Partners Institute</span></a><span> (DPI), is co-leading work funded by DPI and a more than $100,000 </span><a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/innovation/how/academic-incubator/jump-arches/"><span>Jump ARCHES</span></a><span> newly-awarded grant to develop a software application for health care professionals to receive real-time alerts about misinformation on social media. The project builds on </span><a href="https://www.misinfolab.com/"><span>misinformation research</span></a><span> and past National Science Foundation and Jump ARCHES-funded efforts to identify the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 and other debunked medical research.</span></p><p><span>Leicht says he and fellow researchers investigated what was available to identify and prevent the spread of bad information on social media. Colleagues were a bit surprised there wasn’t a more robust and commercially-available software platform. But, Leicht says he often reminds his team that research and development is usually more difficult than anyone anticipates.</span></p><p><span>“If this were easy, somebody would have done it already,” he says, laughing. “We were both surprised nobody tried to have done it. And then when we got into it. ‘Wow, it's really difficult.’”</span></p><p><span>Leicht points out that social media platforms don’t want to be in the content-identification and moderation business because it is so complex, and as in the case of Twitter, is also seen as quelling free speech.</span></p><p><span>Right now, health care providers are limited in their ability to answer patients’ questions or to counter misinformation by searching fact-checking websites such as </span><a href="https://www.snopes.com/"><span>snopes.com</span></a><span> or </span><a href="https://www.factcheck.org/"><span>factcheck.org</span></a><span>. Leicht and his colleagues are using natural language processing, machine learning, data mining, specific information filters and retrieval methods that expand and automate the effort to identify inaccurate health information trending on social media.</span></p><p><span>“What our project actually does is take not only the pre-existing fact-checked data and query it all in one place, it brings it forward in a user-friendly fashion. But then it's also trying to come up with a way of adding to this data in a way that's faster than having a human fact checker just scan the web all the time, looking for what the new piece of misinformation is.”&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Leicht says computer science and data expertise will be leveraged with what social scientists know about how cultural and political fragmentation impact the spread of misinformation and how effective communication can become an antidote.</span></p><p><span>Co-lead investigator Mary Stapel, MD, is </span><span style="background-color:white;">Community Care lead physician for OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center&nbsp;and assistant program director for the combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP). Dr. Stapel says an innovative software application could make a significant difference, especially if alerts are easily available within software programs clinicians use every day.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:white;">Many community health nurses and digitally-enabled health care workers would also find the real-time misinformation alerts helpful. Those individuals work to build trust, particularly with those who have suffered past trauma or unequal treatment in their experience with the health care system. Dr. Stapel says community-based organizations also engage in “trust transfers,” when they invite health care professionals to educate their clients and work collaboratively to identify the source of misinformation and publicly counter it.</span></p><p><strong>Stopping viral spread</strong></p><p><span style="background-color:white;">The alerts could allow organizations to stop bad information from going viral.</span></p><p><span>“If we can even get ahead of that – and know what information is circulating and start feeding out more accurate information ahead of time through our community partners; that really could be a game changer when we're thinking about things like pandemics and infectious disease," says Dr. Stapel.</span></p><p><span style="background-color:white;">During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Stapel says she learned that the problem of medical misinformation impacts everyone, regardless of their education level or other socio-economic factors.</span></p><p><span>“There was an interesting turn during the pandemic, where after education – large-scale campaigns and initiatives were put out around vaccination; there actually was sort of a flip to where communities of color, lower socio-economic communities were more vaccinated than upper class, more predominantly white communities so I really think it is across the spectrum.”&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Leicht says misinformation challenges many computer science and information mining techniques due to the way it changes quickly and spreads between languages and countries. It also requires human interpretation of the content identified and categorized through artificial intelligence.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>“Having humans curate that a little bit … you have content experts that look at that and say, ‘Is this dangerous or is it not? Is this trending, is it not?’ And then figuring out a way to deliver that to the final customer in a way that requires as little &nbsp;interface by them as we can possibly get away with.”&nbsp;</span></p><p><span>Leicht thinks it’ll take two years to get the software application completed. Researchers believe there is demand for what they’re creating. Already they have an industrial, non-profit software development partner, </span><a href="https://meedan.com/check"><span>Meedan Labs</span></a><span>, which creates open-source tools for creating and sharing context on digital media through verification, annotation, archival and translation services. The Discovery Partners Institute will also be involved in making the product commercially available not only for health care providers, but eventually for patients via electronic medical portals such as OSF MyChart.</span></p><h2><span style="color:#16a085;">Video clips with Kevin Leicht, sociology professor UIUC</span></h2><h2><span style="color:#16a085;">Video clips with Dr. Mary Stapel, </span><span style="background-color:white;color:#16a085;">Community Care lead physician for OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center&nbsp;and assistant program director for the combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency UICOMP</span></h2>]]></content:encoded><category><![CDATA[innovate,Jump ARCHES,misinformation,social media,health care professionals,Discovery Partners Institute,Jump Simulation &amp; Education Center]]></category>
            <pubDate>Thu, 15 Dec 2022 16:22:40 -0600</pubDate>
            <enclosure url="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_misinformationforhealthprosapp.jpg?10000" length="0" type="image/jpg" />
                <pp:image>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_misinformationforhealthprosapp.jpg?10000</pp:image>
                <pp:imageOriginal>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/misinformationforhealthprosapp.jpg?10000</pp:imageOriginal><pp:imageTitle><![CDATA[Misinformation for health pros app]]></pp:imageTitle><pp:imageDescription><![CDATA[image of women in scrubs at computer]]></pp:imageDescription></item><item>
                        <title>OSF HealthCare blog receives international recognition</title>
                        <link>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/osf-healthcare-blog-receives-international-recognition/</link>
                        <guid>https://newsroom.osfhealthcare.org/osf-healthcare-blog-receives-international-recognition/</guid><pp:caseid>501836</pp:caseid><pp:boilerplate><![CDATA[<p><span><strong>About</strong> <strong>OSF HealthCare: </strong>OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system owned and operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, headquartered in Peoria, Illinois. OSF HealthCare employs nearly 24,000 Mission Partners in 150 locations, including 15 hospitals – ten acute care, five critical access – with 2,089 licensed beds, and two colleges of nursing throughout Illinois and Michigan. The OSF HealthCare physician network employs more than 1,500 primary care, specialist and advanced practice providers. OSF HealthCare, through OSF Home Care Services, operates an extensive network of home health and hospice services. It also owns Pointcore, Inc., comprised of health care-related businesses; OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm for the organization; and OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. More at </span><a href="http://www.osfhealthcare.org"><span>www.osfhealthcare.org</span></a><span>.</span></p>]]></pp:boilerplate><description><![CDATA[<img src="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/1920_osfhealthcareblogscreenshot.png?53821"><p><span>The </span><a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/"><span>OSF HealthCare blog</span></a><span> has been named to Feedspot’s “</span><a href="https://blog.feedspot.com/healthcare_blogs/"><span>Top 100 Healthcare Blogs and Websites</span></a><span>” list of health care blogs to follow in 2022. Feedspot is considered the largest human curated database of bloggers and podcasts.</span></p><p><span>The OSF HealthCare blog recently checked in at number 27 on the list, which evolves every few weeks. The recognition highlighted the OSF blog’s polished and relevant content and its robust following. In 2021, the blog registered nearly eight million visits.</span></p><p><span>“This recognition is a testament to our team’s work to bring relevant and valuable information to the community,” said Susan Milford, Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications at OSF HealthCare. “Health care can be complicated, and especially during the pandemic, trusted and up-to-date factual information for our communities became even more important. The content found on the OSF HealthCare blog provides expert answers to a number of questions and connects people with life-changing resources.”</span></p><p><span>The OSF HealthCare blog features multimedia articles on a wide range of topics. Recent entries include </span><a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/can-earbuds-cause-ear-infection/"><span>“Can earbuds cause ear infection?”</span></a><span>, </span><a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/preparing-your-daughter-for-her-first-period/"><span>“Preparing your daughter for her first period”</span></a><span>, and </span><a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/blog/smart-breakfast-choices-if-you-have-diabetes/"><span>“Smart breakfast choices if you have diabetes.”</span></a><span> Blog readers can sort articles by hot topics, see popular posts, follow OSF HealthCare on social media, and sign up for e-mail updates. Blog posts also often link to OSF HealthCare’s </span><a href="https://healthlibrary.osfhealthcare.org/"><span>Health Library</span></a><span>, where readers can take a deep dive into topics. The blog posts also appear on the </span><a href="http://www.osfhealthcare.org"><span>OSF HealthCare homepage</span></a><span>.</span></p><p><span>Blog readers can also do a quick and easy search for an OSF HealthCare </span><a href="https://providers.osfhealthcare.org/"><span>provider</span></a><span> or </span><a href="https://www.osfhealthcare.org/practices/search/"><span>office</span></a><span> near them.</span></p>]]></description><pp:quotes><pp:quote>
                    <pp:quotename><![CDATA[Susan Milford, Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications at OSF HealthCare]]></pp:quotename>
                    <pp:quotetext><![CDATA[Health care can be complicated, and especially during the pandemic, trusted and up-to-date factual information for our communities became even more important. The content found on the OSF HealthCare blog provides expert answers to a number of questions and connects people with life-changing resources.]]></pp:quotetext>
                </pp:quote></pp:quotes><category><![CDATA[OSF HealthCare,blog,news,exclude,Feedspot,Susan Milford,article,social media,health library]]></category>
            <pubDate>Wed, 13 Apr 2022 07:52:02 -0500</pubDate>
            <enclosure url="https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_osfhealthcarelogonewstacked2017.jpg?63889" length="0" type="image/jpg" />
                <pp:image>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/500_osfhealthcarelogonewstacked2017.jpg?63889</pp:image>
                <pp:imageOriginal>https://content.presspage.com/uploads/1873/osfhealthcarelogonewstacked2017.jpg?63889</pp:imageOriginal><pp:imageTitle><![CDATA[OSF HealthCare logo (stacked)]]></pp:imageTitle></item></channel>
                    </rss>