OSF HealthCare Newsroom

The Mediterranean diet and liver health

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:00 -0500

We’ve all heard the joke. Someone consumes something like alcohol and says, “My liver isn’t going to like this.”

But liver health – and more importantly what can go wrong with the organ – are no laughing matter. That’s why providers like Marcie Lindstrom, APRN, a family nurse practitioner in gastroenterology at OSF HealthCare, are getting the word out about how the Mediterranean diet can help keep our liver healthy.

How the Mediterranean diet helps

A good diet is a mainstay of liver health, both proactive and reactive when you develop a problem, Lindstrom stresses. The Mediterranean diet is one to discuss with your health care provider to see how it can work for you. This diet is mostly plant-based, incorporating things like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds, extra virgin olive oil, brown rice and seafood. It gets its named because it’s based on the eating habits of people who live near the Mediterranean Sea.

“A diet like this that’s rich in whole foods, fiber, unsaturated fat and antioxidants can help reduce liver fat. It improves metabolic markers and decreases inflammation in our liver,” Lindstrom says.

Lindstrom also states the obvious: the Mediterranean diet alone won’t keep your liver pristine. It must be part of a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and avoiding risky behaviors like heavy drinking, smoking, high stress levels, mental health concerns, unsafe needle use and unsafe sexual relations. She encourages her patients to make small changes to achieve this healthy lifestyle. Swap chips for carrots for that mid-afternoon snack, and build your diet from there. Or, start your exercise routine by walking to the end of the block. Then when you’re up for it, walk a few blocks paired with some light weightlifting.

“Strength training [like weightlifting] helps build muscle mass and prevent muscle mass loss. That can help with your metabolism, which can improve liver health,” Lindstrom says.

Why this is important

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

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

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

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

Learn more

Read more about gastrointestinal health on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

Creatine | Take your fitness to the next level

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0500

In the sports world, victory can be just inches or seconds away.

Think about ‘The Longest Yard’ in Super Bowl 34 between the Tennessee Titans and St. Louis Rams. In the final play of the game, one yard was all that stood between the Titans and the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

Or look at the 2024 Summer Olympics! Noah Lyles earned the United States a gold medal after winning by just five thousandths of a second in the 100-meter final.

Athletes look for game changers to help propel themselves ahead of the competition, and creatine has entered the chat.

Who does creatine work for?

“Creatine, when used appropriately, can improve your max power. It can help with muscle growth in certain individuals, it typically does not have as significant of an impact when you're doing more endurance-based sports," says Karan Rai, MD, a sports medicine physician with OSF HealthCare. "If you're a weekend warrior or CrossFit athlete trying to get a little extra boost, while practicing appropriate hydration and dietary intake, I think creatine has benefits.”

Dr. Rai adds that in the realm of supplements, creatine has been “decently studied over the years.” He says football players, power lifters and track sprinters could benefit from the supplement. However, if you’re training for an upcoming Ironman or triathlon, it’s really not necessary.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

It’s no surprise that extreme exercise increases the amount we sweat. With or without creatine, that’s reason enough to up your water intake. But Dr. Rai says with creatine, there’s an added reason to why water is so important.

“Commonly I'll find someone who is new to using a supplement and they'll come see me and talk about muscle cramps or excessive fatigue after their workouts,” Dr. Rai says. Oftentimes it's because of an imbalance in their intake, whether that's food intake or hydration."

If you already cramp constantly or are not as experienced in weight training, Dr. Rai would recommend caution in using creatine. He says to talk to your primary care physician or a sports medicine physician to see if creatine is a beneficial option for you.

Best times to use creatine

Before and/or after your workouts are times Dr. Rai recommends taking creatine. He says like most dietary changes, don’t rush it.

"When someone is using creatine, I recommend they start slowly. Typically, utilizing it before the workout and making sure your workout is power based vs. endurance-based matters," Dr. Rai says. “Just starting off, depending on the serving size, use one to two scoops.”

Careful with the caffeine!

Avoid a ton of caffeine consumption if you're using creatine. Caffeine can elevate the heart rate and creatine can cause cramping, so combining those things could lead to "adverse outcomes," Dr. Rai says.

"Supplements are meant for augmentation," Dr. Rai adds. “A healthy diet, hydrating appropriately while cultivating your goals, whether you're a power or endurance athlete, gives the max benefit. Really we should be looking at creatine or sports drinks as a way to augment and get that extra 5-10% we are pushing for, based off our goals.”

If you’re looking to add creatine to your lifestyle, Dr. Rai recommends creating an individualized plan with your doctor or sports medicine team.

Due to limited data, the American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend creatine for kids under 18.

Video Interview Clips

Pregnancy | Exercise's new gym partner

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 08:00:00 -0500

Gym moms, if your child is a future Olympic athlete, you’ll always be able to say you were their first-ever gym partner.

Becoming pregnant doesn’t mean you have to toss your exercise plan to the side, says Mfowethu Langeni, DO, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare who specializes in obstetrics. In fact, it’s the opposite!

“Whatever you are doing activity-wise before pregnancy, you can keep on doing those as far as your body will let you," Dr. Langeni says. “Early on in pregnancy, you will have that added weight and body changes. But exercising is totally normal and is actually recommended, about 150 minutes per week.”

As your baby sits and kicks in the womb for nine months, Dr. Langeni says core exercises and strength training like lifting weights are great ways to prioritize both mom and baby’s health.

"(Labor) does take a lot of stamina, strength and core strength. But all women are different," Dr. Langeni says. "Some women push for hours during labor; some don't need to push much at all. Either way, strength conditioning and core training before and during pregnancy will help overall."

Keep on running!

Are you a marathon runner? That doesn’t have to stop either.

"You can run! If you're a runner, you can run a marathon, sprints or whatever you feel that your body can comfortably do. If you're a power squatter, that's also recommended. You can lift weights, take walks or do none of it," Dr. Langeni says. “Studies have shown that you get more bang for your buck during cardio when it's at a higher intensity. Everyone's built differently, so cater to what you can and can't do, and what your body can tolerate.”

The best starting point, Dr. Langeni says, is having a conversation with your OB/GYN. Tell them about your exercise goals, and make sure everything is safe for mom and baby. The main thing to avoid, Dr. Langeni says, is any exercise that would inflict trauma to the stomach.

Full body workouts are great if you’re pregnant or not, Dr. Langeni adds. “Doing core strength helps boost your metabolism and immunity and helps to regain your strength. It also helps with your cardiovascular system.”

Prioritize hydration

While hydration is always necessary, it becomes even more important during pregnancy. Good hydration helps provide a healthy blood supply to mom and baby.

"When you're pregnant, the body starts to change physically and physiologically. Women's blood volume increases by about 50% during pregnancy, so it's very important to stay hydrated," Dr. Langeni says.

It can even help keep moms out of the hospital in the first trimester or early second trimester.

Drop the cigarettes and alcohol

"Cigarette smoking also has some (negative) implications to the baby. People who smoke cigarettes have a higher chance of having complications in pregnancy," Dr. Langeni says. “You increase your risk of preterm labor, smaller baby in size and increase your risk of maternal issues like high blood pressure.”

Drinking alcohol can also harm the fetus. “Zero alcohol is better,” he emphasizes. The baby can develop something called fetal alcohol syndrome, which comes from chronic alcohol use if the mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy.

Electrolyte drinks and pregnancy

While Dr. Langeni is a proponent of electrolyte drinks in general, he urges caution for pregnant moms to drink them, reminding everyone to keep a close eye on the labels. Different electrolyte drinks will have high amounts of sugar, but he recommends sugar free electrolyte substitutions like sugar free Gatorade and Pedialyte.

Dr. Langeni says moms will naturally gain weight in pregnancy. It’s totally normal! He even says your caloric intake should increase around 300 calories per day to keep mom and baby healthy.

Staying away from processed lunch meats, unpasteurized meats and drinks or seafoods that contain mercury is also a must.

Video Interview Clips

Handle with care: A guide to safely use smelling salts

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Winning a sporting event can come down to the last second or even just a couple of inches. And athletes look for whatever might give them the edge against their opponents.

One example: smelling salts, a trend that is making the rounds on social media.

What are smelling salts?

Ammonia inhalants, commonly known as smelling salts, are bottled powders or packets used to arouse consciousness. The British Journal of Sports Medicine reports the release of ammonia gas irritates the membranes of the nose and lungs, which triggers an inhalation reflex. Athletes use this as an added burst of energy before hitting the field, and body builders may use this before a max-weight lift in the gym.

Karan Rai, MD, is a sports medicine physician with OSF HealthCare. He says the smelling salts can also increase your heart rate and give a sense of having more energy.

“Typically, though, that’s more of a placebo effect,” Dr. Rai says.

Are there dangers to smelling salts?

For the most part, there are no significant health risks to athletes using smelling salts. Dr. Rai says his directions are more focused on the proper way to use them.

“The most detrimental part of a smelling salt is if you are holding it too close to your nose or using it too often,” Dr. Rai says. “It can cause some injury if used too frequently. I definitely would not recommend inserting them into your nostrils.”

How do smelling salts impact those with heart conditions?

As Dr. Rai mentioned, smelling salts can increase your heart rate. So, what impact does this have on someone with a heart condition?

“The time that the body is having that increased heart rate shouldn’t be enough to exacerbate anyone’s cardiac status if they do have an underlying atrial fibrillation or arrhythmia,” Dr. Rai says.

How can smelling salts affect someone’s routine?

Studies have shown routine and superstition before and/or during a sporting event can help boost your performance.

“Smelling salts can be part of someone’s routine or superstition, prior to performing a maximal lift in the weight room or before participating in an athletic competition. That has shown routines and superstitions help you get more prepared and more focused,” Dr. Rai adds.

Should smelling salts be used after a head injury?

Dr. Rai says smelling salts, or a form of them, have been used since the Victorian ages. The British Journal of Sports Medicine concludes that smelling salts were used to help women who had fainting spells. But the Journal cites a lack of evidence showing any benefit to using smelling salts after a sport-related head injury. Dr. Rai agrees.

“This was thought to help revive an athlete. Nowadays that is contraindicated. One reason is when someone is being assessed for a head injury, another concerning area is if they’ve had a spinal injury,” Dr. Rai says. “Typically, if you’re inhaling that salt, it can cause a whiplash effect on your cervical spine, which can exacerbate an underlying injury.”

Dr. Rai says if you’re considering trying out smelling salts, speak with your health care provider first.