But inside these new and exciting things also lie dangerous pieces parents and caregivers need to keep an eye on. Things such as batteries and magnets, both small and shiny, are potentially life-threatening objects.

Guidance for gift-giving

"In buying gifts for your kids, I'd look for toys that don't have parts that come apart. If they have a battery component, make sure it's screwed in," says Tinsley Anderson, MD, a pediatric surgeon with OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois. "That way you're not changing the battery, and, in a year from now, your kid probably won't want the toy anyway." 

The small, round batteries that come in kids’ toys are particularly problematic, Dr. Anderson says. She adds they can easily get stuck in the esophagus and cause a burn injury. When a kid swallows a battery like this, surgery is needed.

"Your mucus and moisture in your body completes the battery's circuit, so the battery is activated, causing an alkaline burn," Dr. Anderson says. “It causes a coagulative necrosis, which is when your tissue starts to dissolve. It can create holes, and when it heals, it can create narrowing that causes lifelong problems.”

Warning signs to look for

• Drooling
• Unable to swallow
• Unable to eat 
• Belly pain 
• If an item is missing and you think your child might have eaten it

"Things that are particularly concerning are if they're drooling, they can't swallow or eat. There can be items lodged in the airways that can be a surgical emergency. If they're having trouble swallowing, there can be things stuck in their esophagus that aren't getting past," Dr. Anderson says. 

Another potentially life-threatening danger in toys is magnets. They're shiny and can come in all sorts of colors, but Dr. Anderson says they can stick to each other once inside the abdomen and create holes from one side to the other. This can lead to surgery where a child can lose part of their intestine. 

When considering what to buy for a younger child, pay attention to the warning labels, which should indicate what ages are appropriate to play with the toy. A 2018 study by The Toy Association showed many parents ignore age labels on toys and for those who do read them, about 97% ignore them. The study points out crucial age labels are important for child safety and are based on a child’s developmental abilities.

If a child is choking, do the Heimlich maneuver to try and dislodge the item. Dr. Anderson still recommends taking your child to the emergency department afterward in case a piece of the item is still located in the body. Never just sweep your finger around in the child's mouth, as this can get the item stuck even more.

Water beads: Another concern

Over the last few years, Dr. Anderson says her colleagues across the country have come in contact with a newer toy that’s causing quite the commotion: water beads. They’re colorful, tiny and expand when exposed to water. If a water bead expands once it’s inside someone’s body, it can cause bowel obstruction, which leads to needing surgery as well.

If a child swallows a lithium or button battery, it’s best to call the nearest emergency department and let them know you’re taking your child there for a life-threatening emergency. All OSF HealthCare emergency departments offer X-ray services that will tell the medical team exactly what the item is and where it’s located. “A coin is much different than a button battery,” Dr. Anderson points out.

Read this patient story about how a child required life-saving surgery after swallowing a button battery.

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Bathrooms are filled with germ-breeding objects, and your toilet isn’t the sole culprit. 

Showers, toothbrushes, soap dispensers and any surface can be added to the germy list, according to Kaylin Heinz, an infection preventionist RN with OSF HealthCare. Heinz offers some cleaning tips for the different areas of your bathroom.

Shower Cleaning tips 

"When you're cleaning, go from top to bottom," Heinz says. “If you start cleaning your tub and then you clean your shower walls, you're going to have to re-clean the tub. When you're getting out of the shower, think about the moisture that's there. That's where the bacteria and fungus are going to grow, so you're going to want to get rid of that moisture if you can.”

The moisture buildup isn’t limited to linens, Heinz says. She recommends wiping down any moisture seen in the shower before getting out. Use a Squeegee, towel or paper towel to dry the area.

Normally, you should clean your shower at least once a week. If many people use the shower on a daily basis, or if someone is sick, Heinz says it is best to clean it every day.

Charles Gerba, PhD, a microbiology professor at the University of Arizona, told Reader’s Digest that bathmats and other fabrics are some of the dirtiest items, because people step on them with dirty shoes, and they stay wet and damp the longest.

Bathtubs’ path to bacterial and fungal infections

If you have a cut on your body, you can introduce bacteria or fungus to the area during a shower. 

"You can get athlete's foot or a staph infection just through the tub and not cleaning," Heinz says. She adds the film on the bottom of the shower or bathtub is a clear sign of where bacteria is living. Make sure to scrub the area, clean it and let it dry completely. If you notice discoloration in your shower or bathtub, Heinz recommends cleaning it immediately.  

Bathroom cleaning tips

"Your toilet can aerosolize and throw germs up onto surfaces within about five feet," Heinz says. “With flat surfaces, it can collect dust or other things that are in the air, so make sure you're wiping those down frequently. At least weekly, if not daily.”

Heinz recommends cleaning areas of your bathroom twice. The first time is for cleaning, the second time is for disinfecting. And don’t forget about the soap dispenser! Heinz says since this is one of the first places people reach to clean their hands, it’s one of the dirtiest places in the bathroom.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the surface you’re wiping stays wet the entire time of contact to make sure germs are killed. You should clean surfaces with water and soap and scrub them before sanitizing or disinfecting them.

According to the CDC, “Cleaning removes most germs, dirt and impurities from surfaces. Clean with water, soap and scrubbing. Sanitizing reduces germs to levels public health codes or regulations consider safe. Sanitizing is done with weaker bleach solutions or sanitizing sprays. Clean surfaces before you sanitize them. Disinfecting kills most germs on surfaces and objects. Disinfecting is done with stronger bleach solutions or chemicals.”

Don't mix multiple chemicals

"With any products that you're going to be using, I'd make sure you're looking at the warning labels. I would definitely not mix chemicals," Heinz says. “If you are going to use one chemical and then use another, I'd make sure that you're rinsing thoroughly, making sure it dries, and then you can use the next product.”

If you’re diluting a chemical-based product, the CDC says to only use water at room temperature. Adding that an extra safety precaution is to wear eye and skin protection (like gloves) and store chemicals out of children’s reach.

Don’t forget your toothbrush!

Does your toothbrush hang out on the bathroom counter? You might want to rethink that.

"If you keep your toothbrush on the counter, it likely has fecal matter on it. So, put your toothbrush away or switch it often and clean it,” Heinz says.

Stop the spread | Toilet style

Here’s a habit change you can consider. Instead of flushing the toilet and just walking away, close the lid before you flush and keep the germs inside.

"Make sure when you're flushing the toilet, go ahead and close the lid. That's going to minimize the number of germs that are spraying all over your bathroom and aerosolizing," Heinz says.

Heinz adds another fun fact about the dirtiness of toilets – the minerals in the water. She says the minerals in toilet water can get stuck to the toilet bowl, which can also be a breeding ground for germs.

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Sunburns and skin cancer don’t have an exclusive partnership with hot months at the beach. Ultraviolet (UV) rays are still present, even when the temperatures cool down.

November is National Healthy Skin Month, a time to raise awareness about skin health and promoting healthy skin care habits.  

Karen Boyd, an oncology nurse navigator with OSF HealthCare, says sunscreen is an important part of skin safety 365 days a year.

“There are SPF {sun protection factor} sunscreens, we recommend 30 or above that you need to apply to your face, your neck and your ears if they are exposed,” Boyd says. “Don’t forget about your lips; lip balm is so important.”

You’ve probably been told that the sun reflects off the sand or water and can increase your chances of sunburn when you’re at the lake or beach. Boyd says it’s the same idea with snow.

“Even if there’s snow on the ground, you have that glare. Your eyes can feel the effect from the sun,” Boyd says.

And that’s why Boyd recommends UV protective sunglasses.

“UV rays damage eye surface tissue, the cornea, the lens, and can even affect you later, as far as cataracts, acute macular degeneration and even cancers of the eye,” Boyd says while quoting an American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) excerpt. “We don’t think about cancers of the eye often.”

Photokeratitis, also known as an “eye sunburn,” can be very painful. Boyd says an important way to keep your skin healthy, in general, is by hydrating.

“Oral hydration is the key, and water is always the best thing. So, hydrate yourself in the summer and in the winter. It will help protect your body and your skin,” Boyd says.

After a cold and windy day of shoveling snow outside, you may head inside for a mug of hot cocoa and notice your face is extra red. People usually chalk this up to wind burn or just the cold; Boyd says this isn’t always the case.

“How do we know for a fact that that’s not the UV rays?” Boyd asks. “It may be from the reflection off the snow, and it could be sunburn as well.”

The ABCDEs of melanoma skin cancer are important things to keep in mind when it comes to your skin health.

·         A: Asymmetry. “Is it unevenly shaped or notched. Does it look different?” she asks.

·         B: Border irregularity. “The edges of the mole; has it changed? Is it not clearly defined? Is it not a perfect circle?” she asks.

·         C: Color. “Was it a light brown pigmentation but now it’s turning darker? If it looks crusty and it peels off, that’s another key point,” she says.

·         D: Diameter. “Has it changed in size or grown?” Boyd asks.

·         E: Evolution. “Has it evolved or changed? Does it look different?” Boyd asks.

Boyd says, if you’re concerned, you know your body. Mention it to your doctor and they can refer you to a dermatologist.

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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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A beloved actress from one of America’s most popular TV shows has shared the story of her breast cancer journey with the world. 

Jenna Fischer, widely known as Pam from “The Office,” announced on social media she was diagnosed with Stage 1 Triple Positive breast cancer in December 2023.

The 50-year-old’s cancer journey unknowingly began after her routine mammogram in October 2023. She tells The Today Show’s Hoda Kotb that her doctor called with the results, saying they were fine, but that there were a few spots that were difficult to see. The doctor added that Fischer has very dense breast tissue.

Fischer went in for a follow-up breast ultrasound and received the news on her patient portal while on a hike by herself.

“I checked the portal on the hike, and that’s when I saw words like ‘invasive,’ ‘ductal,’ ‘carcinoma,’ ‘malignant,’” Fisher told Kotb. “And I was like, ‘Those words sound like cancer words.’”

Nearly one year later, Fischer announced that she completed surgery, chemotherapy and radiation and is now cancer free. She hopes by sharing her story, she can provide comfort and hope to other women receiving similar diagnoses.

Jamin Addae, MD, is a breast surgeon with OSF HealthCare. He says having dense breast tissue does not necessarily mean you have breast cancer, but it does indicate that you have a higher chance of developing the disease.

Different types of breast tissue

"Dense breast tissue is absolutely normal. Like everything else in life, there are variations of things. You don't have one thing being the same in everybody. Breasts are made of different tissues and some of them we call fatty tissues, which are plain fat. Then we have glandular tissue which is the tissue that forms all the glands that produce milk," Dr. Addae says. “Then you also have the fibrous tissue that supports the breast itself.”

Dr. Addae says seeing the combination of the three types of tissue helps determine how dense the breasts are. He recommends getting routine breast screenings once you reach the age of 40, which is recommended by the American Cancer Society.

That way if you end up having dense breast tissue, your physician may recommend additional imaging to better assess the breast if the needs should arise. Fischer’s story is a perfect example of this.

“Knowing that you have dense breast tissue makes you aware that you have a slightly increased risk than someone who doesn't have dense breast tissue," Dr. Addae says. “It also makes you aware that it's more challenging to read your mammograms, compared to somebody who just has fatty tissue or fatty breasts.”

Technology advances helping survival rates, quality of life

Dr. Addae says the number one technology helping breast surgeons do what they do are what are called localization devices.

“If it's a small, five-millimeter area of calcification, you should be able to get that area out without taking the whole breast off. But that's a big challenge and I think the localization devices have made it possible for us to have a little clip placed in that area. So, in the operating room, we're able to go exactly where the five-millimeter tumor is, only take out that area and conserve the rest of the breast,” Dr. Addae says. “There's also a lot of improvements we're having in treatments. We have better chemotherapy and immunotherapy, which we consider systemic therapy. Radiation is also improving. These have all translated into much better survival rates and quality of life for our patients, compared to 20 or 30 years ago.”

Dr. Addae adds that oncoplastic surgery, which includes combining plastic surgery techniques that improve cosmetic appearance in breast cancer surgery have also led to an improvement in aesthetic outcomes and quality of life of breast cancer survivors.

Ways to decrease the risk of breast cancer

-          Stop smoking

-          Decrease the amount of alcohol you drink

-          Maintain a healthy weight

-          Eat healthy

-          Be physically active

-          Breastfeed

-          Know your family history

-          Avoid hormone replacement therapy

Factors that increase the risk of breast cancer

-          Female at birth

-          Older age

-          Immediate family member has or has had breast cancer

-          Genetic mutations

-          Hormone replacement therapy

-          Early onset of menstrual cycle (before 12 years old)

-          Late menopause (menopause after 55 years)

-          Dense breast tissue

-          Smoking

-          Alcohol

-          Post menopausal obesity

-          Physical inactivity

-          Never breast-fed

-          No full-term pregnancies

-          Radiation treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma

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Around half of what Americans eat is considered ultra-processed food – think pre-packaged and fast-foods. These products are often filled with unhealthy ingredients, leading to an array of health problems.

“These foods are giving you an excessive amount of sodium, fat and sugar, and not enough nutrition," says Jeanna Rich, an oncology registered dietitian with OSF Cancer Support Services. Rich says the longer the ingredient list, especially words you’ve never heard of before, the more processed the foods are.

"If it has a ton of ingredients that include additives, coloring agents or words you just don't know are true foods, it's definitely ultra-processed," Rich says.

Health risks of ultra-processed foods

While the saying “too much of a good thing is a bad thing,” may be true, too much of a bad thing is far worse.

"A lot of ultra-processed foods will have a large amount of saturated fat, also known as the 'bad fat.' That fat is linked to higher risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and other health issues," Rich says. "The additives, food dyes, sugar and fat combined can put us at an increased risk for developing cancer and other diseases as well." 

The link between diabetes and ultra-processed foods: a surplus of added sugars.

"What we're seeing right now, is children developing Type 2 diabetes earlier and earlier,” Rich says. “Extra added sugar is not good for blood sugar management or your immune function." Rich adds that diets high in ultra-processed foods have also been linked to obesity.

Eating foods high in sodium can lead to blood pressure issues and heart disease. There's no nutritional benefit to ultra-processed foods, Rich says, particularly when it comes to getting more fiber in our diet, which helps lower blood pressure, helps us lose weight and lessens inflammation. 

Preserving, drying, heating and curing foods is where they can become detrimental to our health. This is when preservatives get added into the foods that have no health benefits and may even have health harms in them. Many items at fast food restaurants are known to be ultra-processed because they can last a long time in their packaging. 

Hyperpalatable foods

Many foods are meant to seem appealing, and even rewarding, to eat. These are called hyperpalatable foods, and they have addictive qualities to them. Meat, ice cream, snacks and sodas headline this list. But some frozen meals and even vegetables cooked with things like cheese sauce can be added to the list as well.

"A lot of the products in these foods can act as an addictive behavior. They can release brain chemicals that make us feel good, then bring us back down," Rich says. "A lot of these foods can cause people to want to keep eating them, and it worsens their health overall." 

Don’t judge a food box by its cover

Rich says the front of product boxes can be misleading. Words like "natural," "organic," or "healthy" get thrown around a lot. She recommends you really take a good look at the ingredients list and nutrition label. 

If a product begins with the ingredient corn syrup, followed by long words you’ve never heard of before, these are unnatural ingredients you should stay away from. They also include seed oils and synthetic dyes. 

Healthier options will have ingredients like pureed fruits, vitamins and minerals. The color will also come from natural ingredients like carrots, cabbage and/or vegetable juices, not synthetic dyes which originate from petroleum.

Processed vs. Ultra-processed

Any food taken from its original form is considered processed food.

"If you're not picking an apple from a tree, or drinking milk straight from a cow, we are technically processing our food,” Rich says.

The jury’s still out on the exact definition of an ultra-processed food. Ultra-processed foods will typically have thickeners in them, like modified starches, sugar substitutes, synthetic food dyes, artificial flavors – mostly anything that you wouldn’t ever find in your kitchen.

Peanut butter

Many peanut butters are ultra-processed and have trans-fat in them. Key words to look out for: hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated. The label may say zero grams trans-fat, but if the ingredient says hydrogenated on it, it will still contain small traces of trans-fat in the product, Rich says.

Healthier peanut butter options will have different nuts and seeds as the main ingredients, making it a more wholesome food. 

Sugary cereals

Sugary cereals can often be ultra-processed foods. Kellogg's Mini Wheats has brown rice syrup, corn syrup, and "other natural flavors and coloring" in it. "These are things we want to avoid, especially when we have healthier alternatives," Rich adds. 

So, what do we do?

You may be surrounded by fast food restaurants on your drive home, and the grocery store aisles are filled with ultra-processed foods, but healthier options are out there. Creating recipes with lean meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits and whole grains is a great start. The OSF HealthCare website has plenty of recipes for every meal, snack or dessert time you’re looking for.

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Ultra-processed food b-roll 

(Some shots show healthier options side-by-side with ultra-processed foods)

Not only are these bright red, juicy fruits filled with vitamins and minerals, but they can also lessen the risk of cancer, says Katrina Sommer, an advanced clinical dietitian with OSF HealthCare.

“They have these extra ‘bonus nutrients’ we call phytochemicals. They’re found in plant foods, and these help us fight inflammation and act as an antioxidant. This helps get the free radicals out of there that lessen the risk for cancer development,” Sommer says.

Sommer and her team at the OSF Cancer Institute in Peoria, Illinois work alongside cancer patients on what diet is best for them to fight cancer. She says plant foods play a huge role.

“We know a diet that is mostly plant-based, can help lower our risk for cancer and other diseases like heart disease and diabetes,” Sommer says. “It helps us keep a healthy weight, too.”

What is Lycopene?

“Lycopene is one of those phytochemicals. There’s a lot of different groups of these phytochemicals. One of them is called carotenoids. Carotenoids a lot of times will give the plant food its color. Lycopene is a type of carotenoid and gives the tomato that bright red or orange color,” Sommer says. “Lycopene is also found in watermelon, grapefruit and is the red or pink color you see.”

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) identified 72 human and animal studies and concluded that lycopene contained anti-cancer activities. Now, the NIH says the next step is to identify a population that might benefit from lycopene supplementation.

“It’s been shown that eating tomatoes a couple times a week can help lessen the risk of metastatic prostate cancer,” Sommer adds.

Cook tomatoes and drizzle olive oil

“These need to be absorbed very well in our system. To do that, cook them and you can drizzle olive oil on them so we can absorb those nutrients optimally,” Sommer says.

What if I don’t like tomatoes?

“Think of those tomato foods that are cooked. Tomato sauce or tomato soup are good options. They help absorb the lycopene and carotenoids that are in there. So, it doesn’t just have to be a fresh tomato on a salad, you can eat it cooked as well,” Sommer says.

How can red meat or processed meat affect my risk for cancer?

“Something to consider is how much meat you’re eating, especially red meat and processed meat. Too much of these can raise the risk of developing cancer,” Sommer says. “Same with drinking alcohol. We want to lower the amount of alcohol we drink or avoid it if we can.”

Another food factor to consider if you want to avoid cancer - Sommer says to watch out how much added sugar you have in your diet. Too much added sugar intake can affect our weight in negative ways, while not providing any beneficial nutrition. Sodas are a part of this equation due to the added sugar and lack of beneficial nutrition they offer.

“Eating too much fast food or processed food doesn’t have the nutrients we need. It might not have the fiber we get in the plant foods. It doesn’t really help our bodies fight inflammation or cancer risk, so it can raise the risk for cancer developing,” Sommer says.

Overall, Sommer recommends being more mindful of your overall diet and considering the foods and drinks you’re bringing into your body if you want to do everything you can to prevent cancer.

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Enter the food-as-medicine movement. It’s the idea that the food we eat can prevent disease and even treat or manage it. A recent panel of experts brought together by Health News Illinois says the movement could improve health outcomes and even reduce your health care costs down the line.

Erica Dawkins, a registered clinical dietitian with OSF HealthCare, says the food-as-medicine concept is a great way to rethink the way we eat.

"Overall, it's promoting a great base of a healthy diet. Promoting good, fresh produce, as well as eating whole grains, lean meats and dairies. Then you'll incorporate those more often in our diets," Dawkins says. "Aim for different fruits and vegetables with different colors, because they're going to all provide different nutrients. If you ever hear 'make your plate a rainbow,' think about that. So, make sure to use a variety of different colors." 

Veggies and fruits: in. Added sugars and added sodium: out. Added sugars can contribute to weight gain and obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. A diet high in sodium puts people at higher risk for developing high blood pressure, which is a major cause of heart attack and stroke.

The food-as-medicine movement aims to provide education about making healthy choices and improving access to these sorts of foods in local communities. For example, the OSF HealthCare Cancer Institute healing garden offers patients the chance to pick fresh produce to help with their cancer journey. This allows patients and dietitians to create healthy recipes in the CEFCU Teaching Kitchen, working together toward better health outcomes.

Certain foods are believed to have healing qualities, such as tomatoes. The natural, bright red fruit is filled with vitamins and minerals, including Lycopene. Lycopene is a phytochemical which helps fight inflammation and acts as an antioxidant. On the other hand, excessive alcohol use has been tied to an increased risk of cancer.

Dawkins says there are many local markets in the Peoria area with great options to find fresh produce. And don’t let price be an obstacle.

"Illinois has the Illinois link match program. Anyone with a Link card can go, here in Peoria specifically, to the Peoria Riverfront market and Market 309,” Dawkins explains. “You can swipe your Link card, and they will double your value with vouchers that can be used to purchase fruits and vegetables.”

To find healthy recipes for you and your family, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

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Now, health professionals are warning the public about a number of health concerns that can come with sitting on the toilet too long and scrolling on your cell phone.

Leave the phone at the door

Many people have gotten into the habit of taking their phone into the bathroom with them and scrolling TikTok or Instagram while they do their business. Kaylin Heinz, an infection preventionist RN at OSF HealthCare, recommends making the mental decision to not even take your phone with you.

"With you sitting on your phone and looking through TikToks, everyone probably knows that with social media, you look at it for a minute, and next thing you know it's been 30 minutes or an hour. So, I think it's a good idea to just not bring your phone in. Or if you are, just keep it to a minimum," Heinz says.

She adds if your phone tags along to the toilet with you, wipe it down with disinfectant wipes.

Bacteria, fungi and viruses, oh my!

A simple flush doesn’t get rid of the nastiness that is common in the restroom. Especially with bathrooms that have showers and bathtubs in them, the moisture in the room can lead to bacteria, fungi and virus growth, not just inside the toilet, but on all bathroom surfaces. Heinz calls these surfaces a “breeding ground” for germs.

Heinz says it’s important to consider every step of the process, from entering the bathroom to flushing the toilet to washing your hands. Where can the germs be? Are you really cleaning your hands?

"With sitting and scrolling, you're sitting there for long periods. Your hands are probably dirty before you go to the bathroom, because you're typically not washing your hands before you go to the bathroom. Then when you're sitting on the toilet, you're probably setting your phone down on a surface area that has germs," Heinz says. “Then you'll wash your hands, which you'll typically think your hands are clean, but they're not. Then you wash your hands and pick up the phone that was on the surface with germs, and now your hands are dirty again. And you're picking up the germs, taking them elsewhere, and spreading them to other people.”

Save the toothbrushes!

Does your toothbrush hang out on the bathroom counter? You might want to rethink that.

"If you keep your toothbrush on the counter, it likely has fecal matter on it. So, I would definitely put your toothbrush away or switch it often and clean it,” Heinz says.

Stop the spread | Toilet style

Here’s a habit change you can consider. Instead of flushing the toilet and just walking away, close the lid before you flush and keep the germs inside.

"Definitely make sure when you're flushing the toilet, go ahead and close the lid. That's going to minimize the number of germs that are spraying all over your bathroom and aerosolizing," Heinz says.

Heinz adds another fun fact about the dirtiness of toilets -- the minerals in the water. She says the minerals in toilet water can get stuck to the toilet bowl, which can also be a breeding ground for germs.

Clean up, clean up, everybody do their share!

Heinz recommends cleaning your bathroom at least once a week. If someone is sick, she says to clean it once a day, including using disinfectant wipes on all surfaces.

If you’re sick with a virus, your urine and feces can have the virus in them, which keeps the virus living and growing in the toilet longer.

Heinz recommends researching different products and reading over the spray labels, as some can interact with dust or debris, causing them to go into the air. She says if you prefer using wipes but only have spray at the moment, spray a paper towel first and then wipe the surface. She suggests using products with bleach in them, but to never mix chemicals.

“If you’re uncertain about a product, consider spot testing it first, as some finishes can be damaged,” Heinz adds.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the surface you’re wiping stays wet the entire time of contact to make sure germs are killed. You should clean surfaces with water and soap and scrub them before sanitizing or disinfecting them.

According to the CDC, “Cleaning removes most germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. Clean with water, soap and scrubbing. Sanitizing reduces germs to levels public health codes or regulations consider safe. Sanitizing is done with weaker bleach solutions or sanitizing sprays. Clean surfaces before you sanitize them. Disinfecting kills most germs on surfaces and objects. Disinfecting is done with stronger bleach solutions or chemicals.”

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What is Norovirus? 

"Norovirus is a viral infection, most people refer to it as the stomach flu. But it's a distinctly different virus than influenza," says Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare. "It's acquired by contact, meaning you touch it. Then it gets from outside your body, usually in through your mouth, and then into your GI (gastrointestinal) system."

Norovirus symptoms and concerns

"Symptoms usually come on very quickly. Roughly a day or two after exposure, the person will notice gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, abdominal pain, bloating pain, gas and diarrhea," Dr. Kasper says. "Most people that don't have an immuno-compromised history, the symptoms will pass in 2-3 days. It can be a much bigger problem in people who are chronically ill. It leads to dehydration and low food intake. So, if someone is more vulnerable or they have underlying GI issues like Chron's disease, ulcerative colitis, it can cause more profuse symptoms."

Concern for reinfection 

"One of the main issues with Norovirus, is that everybody is susceptible to it. There is no vaccine and there is no significant immunity that is generated by infection," Dr. Kasper says. "Which also means you can be reinfected shortly after you've had infection."

Neutralize Norovirus at the source

"Because people get so sick and they're using the same bathroom, where they're all in the same area, you really have to neutralize Norovirus at the source. Because otherwise people will just reinfect each other over and over again," Dr. Kasper says. 

Dr. Kasper emphasizes that alcohol hand gels do not kill Norovirus. Washing your hands with soap and water and practicing good hand hygiene is extremely important.

For cleaning the contaminated areas and surfaces, use bleach-based products. You must clean bathrooms, common living areas and food preparation counters, Dr. Kasper adds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend leaving the bleach disinfectant on the affected area for five minutes. Then clean the whole area again with soap and hot water, followed by washing any dirty laundry, taking out the trash, and once again washing your hands.

The CDC reports that 685 million total cases of acute gastroenteritis (which leads to vomiting and diarrhea) comes from Norovirus. 200 million of those cases come from kids under 5 years of age, normally peaking in January.

Clean all products the person would've touched while they have Norovirus. Norovirus is "durable," Dr. Kasper says. It can last on surfaces for up to a few days.

Where Norovirus is most common

"We see this a lot in school-aged children, daycares, nursing homes and assisted living facilities where many people are congregating," Dr. Kasper says. "The main issue with Norovirus becomes environmental cleaning and hand hygiene."

Dr. Kasper adds that spikes are typically seen when kids go back to school in the fall or early winter.

“Kids share meals at lunch, or they touch each other through play when they're sick," Dr. Kasper says. "With older adults, especially if they're living in their home, it's less likely because they're just not around that many people or touching things throughout the day."

How food preparation can increase Norovirus spread

"It's not the actual food; it's the person preparing the food. What we worry about with Norovirus is the hand hygiene of the worker. Whether it's at a cafeteria or a restaurant, or even at the home," Dr. Kasper says. "To get infected with Norovirus, the person has to ingest it. It's not a skin infection, so most of the time we put our hands to our mouth, it's when we're eating. So, if somebody is preparing food, and the food becomes contaminated, you acquire it by touching or ingesting the contaminated food. But it's not coming from the food primarily, it's coming from the person who prepares the food."

Norovirus is highly transmissible 

"You need a very small amount of virus, very few copies, for somebody to become infected," Dr. Kasper says. "With any virus, there's a certain amount the person has to acquire to trigger an infection. So, it's not one copy, but Norovirus is on the end of the spectrum where you need many fewer copies to generate infection."

Why Norovirus is dangerous for immunocompromised people

"The immune system is what clears Norovirus. So, somebody who has an intact immune system, although they'll get sick and it'll be very unpleasant, generally they will get better within a period of days," Dr. Kasper says. "Somebody who is immunocompromised, whether it's through having a transplant or medication steroids, they can really struggle to clear Norovirus for a longer period of time. What really builds up is the fluid loss leads to dehydration and possible electrolyte loss that leads to other complications. Then anorexia can occur when you're not hungry to eat. That can compound for somebody that is in a frailer state to begin with."

Most senior living communities have specific cleaning guidelines they’re expected to follow by government agencies. Schools follow different guidelines, Dr. Kasper says, but a lot of the guidance is based on using industrial-based cleaners to try and stop the spread of illnesses.

Norovirus is reported in outbreaks, not a specific number of cases, because the virus spreads so fast and can affect a large amount of people in a smaller space. “When contact happens, infection is likely to occur,” Dr. Kasper adds.

Norovirus is common and not unexpected, Dr. Kasper says. There are no new strains that come out like we see in the flu or COVID-19. The need for communication on the virus is simply to bring awareness to cleaning habits and to give advice on how to keep others safe. 

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The OSF Audiologist says since it's his profession, he knows the dangers of loud noise and the lasting impact it can have on his hearing. 

Our listening habits could be doing more harm than good. Especially for younger people.

A recent published study cautions that between 670 million and more than 1.3 billion teens and young adults could face hearing loss due to unsafe habits. 

Researchers concentrated on two main sources of loud music exposure: live music events and personal listening devices like headphones. 

Listening to sounds at a decibel level of 85 or higher for long or a repeated amount of time can cause hearing loss.

“A lot of us feel invincible at that age, so we tend not to take that message to heart," Dr. Workman says. "Hopefully they understand the potential damage they could do.”

Dr. Workman offers a few helpful tips like wearing protection at concerts and sitting in the back of the venue, if possible. 

He also says to wear ear plus and turn the music down on your headphones. 

If you're concerned you may be experiencing hearing loss, Dr. Workman recommends scheduling a hearing test.

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If you’re looking for more reasons to switch from cocktails to mocktails, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)’s newest study may encourage you to embrace sobriety.

The AACR published its 2024 Cancer Progress Report, showcasing that excessive alcohol use increases an individual’s risk of developing six types of cancer.

-          Certain types of head and neck cancer

-          Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

-          Breast cancer

-          Colorectal cancer

-          Liver cancer

-          Stomach cancers

The study goes on to say that in 2019, 5.4% of cancers were attributed to alcohol consumption. The AACR’s research suggests that by drinking less, or not at all, it can decrease your risk of getting the above-mentioned cancers by 8% and lessen the risk of all cancers by 4%.

Jeanna Rich is an oncology registered dietitian with OSF Cancer Support Services. She says that part of the reason excessive alcohol can affect so many different parts of the body, is because alcohol touches tissue inside the body at most of these places.

"All alcohol contains ethanol, so one alcohol beverage is not safer than the other because they all contain that ethanol component. That can essentially damage or oxidize healthy cells and create DNA damage,” Rich says. “In regard to breast cancer, alcohol can actually increase the levels of estrogen in our body, it can lead to excessive calorie intake, which can lead to obesity." 

Rich says the increase in estrogen is what increases the risk of breast cancer.

Heavy drinking can lead to poor sleep, malnutrition

“Sleep is essential,” Rich says, noting that late nights drinking oftentimes leads to a poor night’s sleep.

“People who are choosing to drink a large amount of alcohol are not eating or drinking other nourishing items, so then they're deficient in other healthy nutrients," Rich adds. 

From cocktails to mocktails

"Why do people drink? Sometimes it's a social factor, sometimes it's for relaxation like going out to dinner with friends and having a glass of wine," Rich says, adding it’s becoming more common to have mocktails on menus at restaurants. “The sober lifestyle trend is becoming very popular. Especially with the New Year coming up, people like to stay sober for a month and see how your body feels, it does make a difference." 

Rich says other than being trendy and fun, if you make them right, mocktails can have beneficial nutrients.

The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) has year-round and holiday-themed mocktail recipes here. The NFCR reports that most Americans double their alcohol intake between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"Some can even include cancer-fighting nutrients like cranberries, teas and mints. So, taking that risk factor away, not only takes away the damage that's going to cause your body, but then it provides you with a cancer-fighting nutritional component that's going to enhance your overall health,” Rich says.

Avoid alcohol completely during cancer treatment

On a cancer journey, it’s important to discuss alcohol with your medical team. Rich says it’s imperative to completely avoid alcohol if you’re under treatment.

"Alcohol needs to be detoxed through our liver. Our liver will choose to focus on alcohol first, versus doing other jobs," Rich says. “We are essentially robbing our body of using our cancer treatment and using nutrition to help keep our bodies fighting that cancer. The overall message is to not drink alcohol during cancer treatment and have that conversation with your health care provider or dietitian, to make sure you understand why you're avoiding alcohol.”

To learn more about nutrition during a cancer journey, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

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They may think, “What if I'm working out alone and find myself short of breath or worse?”

Experts say workout warriors and their parents need not be afraid. You can work up a sweat with asthma if you know your body and prepare for possible problems. 

OSF HealthCare athletic trainer Brittany Delaney says short bursts of exercise are better. 

Also, cold weather and chlorine can cause flare-ups.

If you do suffer chest pain, shortness of breath or other symptoms of an asthma attack, rest and use your inhaler. 

Delaney suggests leaving the inhaler with someone so you know exactly where it is. 

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

If your symptoms don't get better quickly, call 9-1-1. 

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one hundred people got sick and nearly three dozen were hospitalized after eating Quarter Pounders in October. 

One person died and four others developed life-threatening kidney disease. 

In November, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC announced a voluntary recall of multiple sizes and brands of organic carrots. 

In the same week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) alerted the public of an E. coli outbreak linked to ground beef products made by a Detroit-based company. 

E. coli is a bacterium with multiple strains. Humans' microbiome can contain E. coli, specifically in our guts with stool. 

These are different than the strains that cause food-borne illness. 

Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare, offers some food safety guidance with the holidays here.

“For the person at home, as we head into holiday season, you want to remember safe food practices,” Dr. Kasper says. Whether it's with raw meat or raw eggs, you want to wash all those surfaces after you've cooked with them. Wash with soap and water and scrub the surfaces. You want to cook all necessary products to their recommended temperatures.”

There's no need to break out the disinfectants like bleach to clean surfaces. Cleaning and scrubbing the area with soap and water should suffice. 

Also make sure to wash any raw veggies or fruits with water before eating.

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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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Measles can spread through respiratory droplets (like when you cough and sneeze), and it only takes a small amount of the virus to cause infection in others. 

"It can remain in an area for an hour or two after the infected person has left the area. The difference: in a setting that you have many people in a convalescent center, social center or shelter, you'd be concerned about exposure to the unvaccinated people," says Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) calls measles a "serious airborne disease,” reporting 107,500 measles deaths globally in 2023. Most deaths were in children under the age of five. The WHO partially blames the COVID-19 pandemic for the reemergence of measles globally, saying immunization rates and surveillance declined because of it. In 2023, 10.3 million measles cases were reported worldwide, a 20% increase from 2022. 

In 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 280 measles cases have been reported in the United States from 32 jurisdictions, including Washington D.C.

Sixteen outbreaks have been reported this year, compared to four in 2023. Outbreaks are when there are three or more related cases. The CDC adds that 40% of the reported 280 cases ended up in the people being hospitalized.

Who is most at risk?

"The particular populations that we are most concerned about if they were to become exposed to measles are pregnant women or children under the age of five. They can have more severe clinical outcomes," Dr. Kasper says. “We are not seeing any concern for measles in Central Illinois. There has been sporadic reporting of cases by the Illinois Department of Public Health out of Chicago. But the unique details of those cases have not been shared so far. Where did the people travel from? Had they been previously vaccinated? Or were there exposures in the household? We await some guidance if there is a unifying feature among them.”

Measles outbreaks in Illinois

This fall, the Pan American Health Organization, the WHO'S branch in the Americas Region, issued an epidemiological alert for measles cases in the Americas, with the U.S. accounting for the most cases. 

Illinois and Minnesota have reported the most measles cases in the U.S. this year. 

In March, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) reported a measles outbreak in a migrant shelter in the city's Pilsen neighborhood, located in the Lower West Side. The CDPH considered the outbreak "contained" in late May, crediting a rapid vaccination response. 

Vaccine mitigation

One dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 93% effective, while two doses jump to 97% effective. If you've been vaccinated against measles, you're unlikely to have any symptoms at all. The measles vaccine is given alone or often combined with vaccines for mumps, rubella and/or varicella.

"Fortunately, we have widespread vaccination as a standard part of medical care in the United States. As children we receive two shots of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine starting at age one. The second shot will be before entering school at age four or five. The vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles. So, while measles is highly infectious, we have a nationwide response to prevent outbreaks of infection,” Dr. Kasper says.

The recommendation is to complete your childhood vaccine series, which Dr. Kasper calls "very safe, durable and long-lasting." 

Measles symptoms

Symptoms for unvaccinated people: 

• Upper respiratory infections (resulting in a cough or runny nose)
• Followed by fever or rash – fever can be very high (103-104 degrees) 
• Blue spots in the mouth or along the gumline (seen a week into infection)
• Red and watery eyes
• Small white spots inside the cheeks  
• Illness can lead to meningitis or encephalitis

Because of the potential lead to meningitis or encephalitis, Dr. Kasper says getting vaccine protection is the definitive recommended option instead of developing natural immunity. He adds neurological effects down the road are also a concern. 

If families with children under one year of age plan to travel outside the country or to a large metropolitan area in the U.S. with low or no measles vaccination rates, parents should speak to their child's pediatrician. The child's doctor may recommend starting the measles vaccinations as early as 6 months of age. Currently, Dr. Kasper says there is no concern for widespread measles activity in schools, senior living communities or the general public. 

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If you’re looking for more reasons to switch from cocktails to mocktails, the American Association for Cancer Research’s newest study may encourage you to embrace sobriety.

The AACR published its 2024 Cancer Progress Report, showcasing that excessive alcohol use increases an individual’s risk of developing six types of cancer. Certain types of head and neck cancers, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, breast, colorectal, liver, and stomach cancers were all listed.

The study goes on to say that in 2019, nearly five-and-a-half percent of cancers were attributed to alcohol consumption. The AACR’s research suggests that drinking less—or not at all—can decrease your risk of getting the mentioned cancers by eight percent and lessen the risk of all cancers by four percent.

Jeanna Rich is an oncology registered dietitian with OSF Cancer Support Services. She says part of the reason excessive alcohol can affect so many parts of the body is because alcohol touches tissue inside the body at most of these places.

"All alcohol contains ethanol, so one alcoholic beverage is not safer than the other because they all contain that ethanol component. That can essentially damage or oxidize healthy cells and create DNA damage. In regard to breast cancer, alcohol can actually increase the levels of estrogen in our body. It can lead to excessive calorie intake, which can lead to obesity."

Rich adds that excessive drinking can lead to poor sleep and malnutrition as well.

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While many “health” trends have no substance at all, this has promise, according to Gabrielle Haskell, a clinical dietitian for oncology at the OSF Cancer Institute.

The recipe calls for one to two frozen bananas, one cup of coffee, 1/3 cup of milk and two pitted dates. Mix it together in a blender and you have a frappe to enjoy.

So… why bananas?

“Bananas have fiber in them, which helps keep you fuller for longer. Fiber is good for blood sugar management and for management of your cholesterol,” Haskell says. “They also have added vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin C, that can really help boost your immune system.”

The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommends a plant-based diet for cancer prevention. Haskell describes how fruits, like bananas, all play a role.

“By adding more plants to your food, you’re reducing your risk of cancer, and adding in phytochemicals and antioxidants,” Haskell says.

Phytochemicals are part of the plant’s immune system and offer the plant, and the person eating it, protection from viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. Antioxidants are things like Vitamin E and C that help fight off harmful free radicals, which have been linked to diabetes and cancer.

The frozen banana doesn’t just add nutritional benefits to the drink, it also provides a creamy texture that is easier to enjoy. See it as an alternative to coffee creamer. It also adds sweetness, so you can say goodbye to those packets of sugar, too.

“Traditional coffee creamers have a lot of added sugars and oils in them,” Haskell says. “The bananas., milk and dates are really replacing the coffee creamer to add sweetness and creaminess to it.”

Minimizing caffeine intake during cancer treatment

The jury is still out on how coffee impacts cancer risk. The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that some studies have shown coffee lowering the risk of liver and endometrial cancers, as well as mouth, throat, voice box and basal skin cell cancer in both men and women. However, other studies suggest drinking hot beverages like coffee may increase your risk of esophageal cancer, causing ACS to recommend not drinking any beverage at very high temperatures.

Dr. Fredericka Brown and Dr. Kenneth Diller, mechanical engineering professors at the University of Texas at Tyler, researched what the optimal hot beverage temperature is. Their findings showed that hot drinks should be served between 125°F and 136°F.

During cancer treatment, Haskell says caffeinated beverages are not recommended at all.

“Caffeine can increase your risk for dehydration,” Haskell says. “And specifically with caffeinated coffee, if patients drink that when they’re doing certain treatments, symptoms like nausea and acid reflux might be heightened. It’s best to try and reduce your consumption of caffeine as much as possible. If you want, you can swap out regular caffeinated coffee in this recipe for a decaf instead.”

This recipe is another way to make use of those VERY ripe bananas you have laying out on the kitchen counter, hanging on for dear life. There’s no judgment here. Just throw them in the freezer and give them a new, healthier purpose than just attracting fruit flies.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 104 people got sick and 34 people were hospitalized after eating Quarter Pounders from the fast-food chain in October. One person died in Colorado, and four others developed life-threatening kidney disease.

In November, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC announced Grimmway Farms started a voluntary recall of multiple sizes and brands of organic whole and baby carrots. In the same week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) alerted the public of an E. coli outbreak linked to ground beef products made by Wolverine Packing Co., based in Detroit, Michigan. Around 167,000 pounds of ground beef products were recalled.

What is E. coli?

Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli, is a bacterium with multiple strains. Humans’ microbiome can contain E. coli, specifically in our guts with stool. These are different than the strains that cause food-borne illness.

Eating affected foods can lead to serious gastrointestinal illnesses, such as diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and kidney disease if the case is severe. Symptoms can start anywhere from a few days to up to nine days later, according to the FDA. Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare, adds that a bout with E. coli is more than just a usual stomachache.

"Upset stomach, more than typical like you ate too much or have heartburn after a meal,” Dr. Kasper says. “The particular concern would be an acute onset of diarrhea, stool that has blood in it and crampy abdominal pain that persists for more than 24 hours." 

What causes an outbreak?

There’s not a simple answer to where an E. coli outbreak starts, Dr. Kasper says. It could be in the original production facility or in transit, as a lot of food is transported across the United States.

”When you have these outbreaks, it usually comes down to one variable that has change,” Dr. Kasper says. “Maybe it has to do with a weather outbreak or a change in (a weather) pattern in that area that led to something different in how it was harvested."

Food safety practices around the holidays

"For the person at home, as we head into holiday season, you want to remember safe food practices. Whether it's with raw meat or raw eggs, you want to wash all those surfaces after you've cooked with them. Wash with soap and water and scrub the surfaces. You want to cook all necessary products to their recommended temperatures,” Dr. Kasper says.

And there’s no need to break out the disinfectants like ultraviolet light or bleach to clean the surfaces. Cleaning and scrubbing the area with soap and water should suffice.

If you went to the grocery store and picked up raw vegetables or fruits, Dr. Kasper says to make sure you wash them in water before eating them as well. If you have a product at home that’s been a part of a recall, Dr. Kasper says to not “cook your way through a recall.” Just toss the product out. Sometimes the manufacturer or store will offer a refund for impacted items.

There’s some reassurance 

"I look at it more that you have a complex industry, bringing foods across the country that get sourced from different places. As long as there is a constant process to audit this and address issues as they occur, that is the most reassuring part of getting these things to cease as fast as possible," Dr. Kasper says. 

While it can be very concerning to consumers when seeing these recalls, Dr. Kasper says it’s reassuring that the USDA, FDA and CDC investigate when the contamination occurs, gets the products removed from the shelves and then notify and update the public throughout a recall.

If you’re experiencing symptoms like intense stomach pain or diarrhea, potentially with blood in the stool, Dr. Kasper recommends contacting your medical provider immediately. If your symptoms are somewhat mild, OSF PromptCare or OSF OnCall Urgent Care are also available. If symptoms are really severe, you may want to consider a trip to the emergency department.

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Parental instincts and quick reaction time led to two central Illinois parents saving their child’s life.

It started at home when the parents noticed something was extremely wrong with their 2-year-old son. They performed CPR and resuscitated him. He was transported to OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria where it was determined he had suffered sudden cardiac arrest and had a malignant heart condition known as Brugada syndrome.

What is Brugada syndrome?

Brugada syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes heart arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.

“Most kids that go through that, unfortunately, don’t survive,” says Harma Turbendian, MD, a pediatric cardiac surgeon with OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois. “So, this was fast-acting parents who knew what they were doing, then EMS, followed by our team here in the ICU.”

Meet the team

The medical team at OSF Children’s Hospital who treated the toddler was led by Sunita Ferns, MD, the director of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Electrophysiology, Mark Plunkett, MD, the chief of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, and Dr. Turbendian, who was the primary surgeon in the procedure.

OSF HealthCare surgical teams have been using a device known as the EV-ICD, or extravascular implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, made by Medtronic, since spring 2024. But the new technology had only ever been used on adults or much older teenagers. The purpose of the device is that if or when a malignant heart arrhythmia occurs in the person, it will shock the heart back into rhythm.

By analyzing the 2-year-old’s response to a trial of antiarrhythmic medications in the ICU and incorporating insights from his preliminary genetic results, Dr. Ferns made the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome and brought together a team of specialists.

“We needed buy-in to trial a new device for the first time ever in a patient his size from the surgeons and good technical support. Medtronic was excellent. We called our field engineers and had a whole team here,” Dr. Ferns says.

Time to start the procedure

Sudden cardiac arrest is quite rare in kids, only happening in approximately one out of 100,000 children each year. However, the survival rate after one of these events is very low as well, with only 5% of pediatric patients surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Dr. Turbendian explains how the device is inserted.

"They're fairly small incisions that are required for implantation of the device. You actually don't have to access the heart in order to place this thing," Dr. Turbendian says. "You can make a small incision under the breastbone and one part of the device just slides through that small incision to sit under the sternum."

The possibility of implanting an EV-ICD takes away the need for open heart surgery to select patients.

Traditionally, a transvenous pacemaker has been used for older kids and adults. It was determined by Dr. Ferns and her team that the transvenous device was too large for the 2-year-old patient, and the EV-ICD was the better option. The EV-ICD incisions are much smaller, making this the more minimally invasive option.

"The lead was inserted, and the device was implanted outside of his rib cage," Dr. Ferns says. "Given that a 2-year-old is going to grow leaps and bounds over the next decade or two, it's an excellent choice for him. When we tried this, it was the first time in the world that someone trialed it on someone this small.”

Dr. Plunkett calls the device a game changer. One that will send shock waves across the globe in the world of medicine.

“Children in the past had to undergo much larger procedures, oftentimes a sternotomy or thoracotomy. The devices were often bigger, and we were sewing patches on the heart or implanting coils," Dr. Plunkett says. "And some of those devices were not as effective as this new technology." 

History-making procedure

"It’s the first of its kind. This implantation is the smallest and youngest child ever to have this device," Dr. Plunkett says. "So that has expanded its application and market in a huge way. Its design initially was for adults or adult-sized patients. The fact we've proven it to be effective and safely implantable in a child this size really expands its application immensely."

Dr. Ferns agrees, hoping the team’s work will get published soon, which helps medical centers across the world learn when and how to perform this procedure.

"It tells the world that we can now use (the EV-ICD) in a smaller child. That's how a lot of pediatric implants or newer technologies happen. It's one or two centers that do it and they publish their results," Dr. Ferns says. "We expect that to be published shortly. There are kids all around the world who sustain cardiac arrests, and they now have this option." 

EV-ICDs are just a “safety net”

“We don't want it to keep shocking a child, because that's no way to grow up. To keep worrying about when your next shock is going to happen," Dr. Ferns says. "So, we monitor these devices constantly. If we see any arrhythmias in the background, despite the medication he's on, we are able to offer him other technologies. Ablative technologies can help modify the substrate, which is the tissue that's responsible for the bad rhythm.” 

Dr. Ferns is in charge of the child’s post-surgery care moving forward. She says Quinidine, a drug that was initially made to treat malaria and now treats irregular heart arrhythmias, was the perfect match for the patient’s condition.

“He has responded exceptionally well to this treatment,” Dr. Ferns adds.

This decision was made after the child’s EV-ICD did its job and went off while at home. His parents had to bring him back to the team at OSF HealthCare, who then had to ensure everything was meshing correctly.

While Dr. Ferns says the patient will forever be “married” to cardiology, she’s confident in the techniques and technology the Electrophysiology (EP) Lab at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center has to treat these patients. The EP Lab manages arrhythmias from unborn fetuses all the way to patients in their 70s with complex congenital heart disease. Technology like contact force sensing and high-density mapping are available, along with many other resources.

If the patient’s symptoms were to worsen as time goes on, Dr. Ferns and her team in the EP Lab have the ability to perform ablations which target any abnormal heart tissue causing the arrhythmia, suppressing the abnormal electrical focus.

The generator of the device is in the axillary region, or the armpit. So as the child gets older and bigger, the strain sometimes found on conventional epicardial leads as a child gets taller is eliminated. The battery of the ICD should last 10-12 years.

Saving the patient’s life started at home

All three doctors say they can’t overemphasize the importance of the parents’ actions at home.

“When we look at the magnitude of this, first we have to go back to the fact this child survived an arrest at home, was successfully resuscitated, was neurologically intact and presented to our hospital," Dr. Plunkett says. 

This leads Dr. Ferns to say learning CPR is one of the most important things someone can do. Especially as kids enter middle and high school age and are involved with high intensity sports.

Another benefit of an EV-ICD is that if/when a patient experiences an arrhythmia, it will notify the congenital heart team in the EP Device Clinic.

"Most arrhythmia syndromes tend to happen at higher levels of activity. Many abnormalities can be detected by a simple noninvasive test such as an electrocardiogram (ECG)," Dr. Ferns says. "Universal screening is not yet common in the United States, but it is a part of the health care system in many European countries." 

Strong family history is a sign to get checked out

Strong family history of sudden cardiac arrest or heart disease is a sign to get seen by a cardiologist. Dr. Ferns recommends starting off with an ECG which she advises doing before kids participate in high intensity athletics. 

To learn more about the Electrophysiology Lab at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

Dr. Sunita Ferns Video Interview Clips

Dr. Mark Plunkett Video Interview Clips

Dr. Harma Turbendian Video Interview Clips

Sudafed has been a household name for decades, with the drug’s active ingredient pseudoephedrine being around since the 1920s.

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claimed Sudafed PE, one of Sudafed’s more popular items, is not effective and should be banned from over-the-counter use. The announcement came roughly a year after a panel of advisors to the FDA unanimously said phenylephrine doesn’t work to clear up congestion when taken orally.

The PE in Sudafed PE comes from another active ingredient, phenylephrine, marketed as a product taken by mouth that should provide temporary relief of nasal congestion. Many other over-the-counter (OTC) combination drugs contain phenylephrine, including some items under the brand names NyQuil, Benadryl and Mucinex.

The FDA advisor panel’s decision led CVS pharmacy to pull common cold and cough medicines from store shelves in October 2023, which list phenylephrine as the main ingredient.

“It is the FDA’s role to ensure that drugs are safe and effective,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, MD, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). “Based on our review of available data, and consistent with the advice of the advisory committee, we are taking this next step in the process to propose removing oral phenylephrine because it is not effective as a nasal decongestant.”

The FDA points out that while phenylephrine is found in many nasal sprays as well, its recommendation is only related to orally administered phenylephrine.

Entering public comment period

Jason Scheid, the director of Pharmacy Services for Community & Specialty Pharmacy for OSF HealthCare, says the FDA is now seeking public comments on its proposal until May 7, 2025. A final order will be issued after the 180-day comment period.

“At that point (after the 180 days) the FDA will provide the manufacturers with their due warning whether they have to pull the products or reformulate it to find an alternative that meets the labeling requirements,” Scheid says.

Scheid anticipates if drugmakers wanted to reformulate these products, and wanted them to remain as oral decongestants, the companies would have to put pseudoephedrine into the products. This would push more products behind the pharmacy counter, like the original Sudafed.

“If you’re looking for an oral decongestant, the original Sudafed is a good alternative,” Scheid adds. “You have to show your ID and there are purchase limitations. It has shown itself to be an effective alternative. There are nasal decongestants you can try, like Afrin. There’s also nasal steroids and antihistamines, this gets more into the allergy nasal sprays that can help prevent congestion symptoms. You can pick any of those up over the counter at a local pharmacy.”

Phenylephrine or Placebo?

The FDA clarifies that while it’s proposing these products be banned from store shelves, there aren’t any safety concerns attached to them. They’re simply just not effective. Many medications will claim to offer multiple benefits. For example, Mucinex Sinus-Max® claims to clear sinus congestion and relieve headaches, while thinning and loosening mucus. But the drug also has Acetaminophen and Guaifenesin in it. Scheid says this proposal simply targets the phenylephrine component when considering nasal decongestion, so other benefits might still be possible.

“It might provide you a placebo-type effect. You might just feel better because of the other ingredients in it, but that one (phenylephrine) solely is not meeting the effectiveness criteria to remain over the counter,” Scheid says.

Natural treatment options that can relieve symptoms

“Using that hot shower or cool mist humidifier will add moisture to where you are to help with that congestion,” Scheid says. “Something as simple as saline nasal spray will add some moisture to the nasal cavity and give some relief.”

It’s always important to clean your humidifier after each use to prevent mold and other bacteria from being released in the air.

Don’t overdo it on the nasal sprays

Another reason why it’s important to read labels is the effect nasal sprays can have if they are used longer than their intended use. Most nasal decongestant sprays will recommend using the product for three days or less.

“What happens is a rebound nasal congestion, where you lose the effectiveness of the medication to relieve that pressure, and it causes more pressure if it’s used more than just a couple days,” Scheid says.

If congestion is caused by allergies

About one quarter (25.7%) of American adults have a seasonal allergy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), while nearly one in five (18.9%) children are affected. Scheid says treating nasal congestion for those with allergies is a longer-lasting issue.

“You’re looking at longer-term solutions then. You’re either using a long-term nasal steroid spray or antihistamine spray, or oral antihistamine.”

Scheid says if the FDA’s proposal goes through in May, pharmacy shelves will look a whole lot different than they do now.

Another way to clear congestion is to stay hydrated. Drinking water will help thin out mucus discharge from the nose and loosen up any phlegm in the lungs, making it easier to cough up.

Video Interview Clips

Some are turning to a concept called lighthouse parenting. 

According to experts, lighthouse parenting combines important traits such as nurturing, loving and protecting, while giving their kids space to grow and learn on their own. 

Victor Mendoza, behavioral health provider, OSF HealthCare | TAKE SOT

“[It’s like] a regular lighthouse that guides the ships from one place to another. That's how it is with parenting," says Victor Mendoza, a behavioral health provider with OSF HealthCare. "Just being there for your child and helping them get through difficult times. Sometimes [parents can] step in when they need to, and sometimes they let them try things out.” 

Mendoza says lighthouse parenting falls between two other styles – helicopter parenting and free-range parenting. 

For example – a helicopter parent might stand with their child on the tee-ball field helping him or her get to the ball or run to the right base. 

A lighthouse parent might give some guidance before the game and watch the action from the sidelines.

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Video Version Without Chyrons

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) makes clear that energy drinks are “fundamentally different” than sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade. 

But scrolling through social media or strolling through the grocery store aisle, and the lines start to blur a bit. When quarterback Justin Fields was a rookie, he inked an endorsement deal with C4 – an energy drink brand.

More recently, CELSIUS signed six Heisman Trophy “hopefuls” to NIL (name, image and likeness) deals. The company’s slogan is “live fit,” a motto many athletes can relate to.

Karan Rai, MD, is a sports medicine physician with OSF HealthCare who works in partnership with Illinois State University to see and treat ISU athletes. He says he’s having a lot of conversations with athletes about these types of drinks, and he always urges caution.

"Quite a few of them are not FDA approved," Dr. Rai says. “The reason that matters is that we often don't know the exact ingredients or mix of ingredients that are in the drinks. Depending on what's in the drink, that can affect your performance and your health. For example, caffeine is commonly involved in making these drinks.”

CELSIUS and C4, both have 200mg of caffeine content in a 16 ounce can. In contrast, a can of Pepsi has 38mg in a 12-ounce can, while an average 8-ounce cup of coffee has between 80-100mg of caffeine. Dr. Rai says higher levels of caffeine can have a negative effect on performance.

"It can cause excessive energy, anxiety and jitteriness, which depending on your sport or activity, can affect how you play,” Dr. Rai says. "The data is still a little bit mixed on the benefit things like green tea extract or guarana are providing, which are commonly marketed and used in sports drinks. 

In terms of what liquids athletes are putting into their bodies, Dr. Rai likes to break down hydration based on the activity.

"In activities that are generally 60 minutes or less, I recommend maximizing your water intake and timing that for at least 30-60 minutes before your activity," Dr. Rai says. “Then as you get into longer duration activities with more endurance, and you're pushing that 60-minute mark or longer, that's when you need to look into the type of electrolytes you're ingesting as well. Looking at drinks or gels out there that have a mix of sodium and potassium. Those typically help with performance during your activity.”

Another sign if you’re drinking enough water? The color of your pee.

"I often tell my patients and athletes to consider their urination. Typically, we have various scales we use based on your urine color, the amount you're urinating and how thirsty you feel. That can play a role in deciding if you need to hydrate with water alone or use a sports drink like Powerade or Gatorade. Or if you need to adjust your salt intake, things like that," Dr. Rai says.

If you have an underlying heart condition, are younger than 18 or are pregnant, Dr. Rai urges you to steer clear of these drinks.

“With quite a few of the sports performance drinks nowadays, which CELSIUS is one of them that's more publicized, the amount of caffeine in it, and ingredients like guarana, which has a caffeine component to it, can exacerbate underlying arrythmias,” Dr. Rai says. “This can put someone with a pre-existing risk at a higher risk.”

Sports drinks like Powerade and Gatorade have a sugar and electrolyte component that is "fairly safe," Dr. Rai says. But the effects of Celsius, Prime and other drinks out there aren't fully understood yet. So, proceed with caution. Talk with your primary care provider or sports medicine physician to get an individualized take on it. 

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It’s caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae), a bacterium that causes respiratory tract infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports test positivity for walking pneumonia increased in late spring of 2024 and remained high.

The term walking pneumonia was coined because it’s possible for someone to be walking around with the infection, and not even know it.

“They're walking around school and they're not feeling that sick. They do have pneumonia but it's not putting them in the hospital typically,” says Keith Hanson, MD, the medical director of the General Pediatrics Unit at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois.

Dr. Hanson says every year some strains of illness, or a particular virus, are more common than others. Right now, it’s pneumonia.

"What's a little unusual about this year, is we're seeing that same bacteria causing pneumonia in kids that are younger than usual, and the severity of the illness is more. We're seeing more kids admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, and they're definitely younger than that typical age range like preschoolers and even some infants,” Dr. Hanson says.

Tracking cases nationally and across the region

The CDC is tracking the rise in cases, which have been seen both nationwide and locally in central Illinois.

Data from OSF HealthCare show a major increase in overall pneumonia cases for patients younger than 18 years of age this year over last, looking at the dates from August 1 through October 22.

In 2023, there were 171 patients with pneumonia and only three cases were reported to have come from the M. pneumoniae bacterium. In 2024, overall cases jumped to 641 with 143 having pneumonia due to M. pneumoniae. 81 of the cases in the 2024 range were reported from the hospital.

Signs and symptoms of walking pneumonia

"It's that cough, a prolonged cough especially, fevers and difficulty breathing in more severe cases," Dr. Hanson says. “They might be dehydrated and not able to drink as much, so they're not urinating as much. They can be sleepier and more fatigued, which is pretty common.”

Dr. Hanson says as is the case with bacterial infections, there are antibiotics to treat walking pneumonia. The hope of the antibiotics is to shorten the illness and make it less severe, while decreasing the chance of spreading the infection to others.

“This is one that would need antibiotics. Other respiratory infections like RSV or COVID-19 are viruses, where there's no particular medication to treat it," Dr. Hanson says. "So, if it is this Mycoplasma pneumonia, there is an antibiotic that can treat it. We want to make sure kids are staying hydrated and getting enough rest. You can do fever control with Tylenol and ibuprofen." 

While most pneumonia cases don’t send kids to the hospital, it is possible for children with other medical conditions to be hospitalized. If they are admitted, they may need IV fluids for dehydration or oxygen to help with breathing. This is another reason Dr. Hanson recommends starting antibiotics right away, because if pneumonia goes untreated, there’s a higher chance you could end up in the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU).

When pneumonia is connected to a viral infection

"We start thinking about bacterial infections after times that you're sick, you get better, then you get worse a few days later. That's because the virus was going on first, with a runny nose, low grade fever and some coughing. Then you feel better for a couple of days, and then it comes back. That's when we think there was a bacterial infection on top of the virus,” Dr. Hanson says. “That's because when we have the virus, we get mucus and secretions and we're not coughing things up very well. Things are settling there in the lungs and you're not very active. That increased inflammation and mucus is a setup for bacterial infections.”

Pneumonia prevention tips

-          If you’re sick, stay home

-          Make sure kids blow their nose

-          Cough or sneeze in your elbow

-          Wear a mask in the community if you’re sick. It could prevent respiratory droplets from spreading.

-          Wash your hands

-          Hydrate well

-          Focus on good sleep

Video Interview Clips

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

That's why it's important to separate myth and fact when it comes to older adults seeing a mental health professional. 

Kren Harmon, a social worker with OSF HealthCare, has heard people not trust providers. 

Or, they think getting help is a sign of weakness or will create a burden on family. 

She also says some seniors think they will be forced to do off-the-wall treatment.

“There are just a lot of stereotypes about that. It’s going to make me feel like a zombie. I don’t want to be sedated. That’s not what we’re talking about with the newer SSRI medications," Harmon says. "It’s not going to sedate you. It’s just going to help you be a better version of yourself. Have a little more hope and energy.”

Harmon also says health systems have case management teams that can help with things like transportation and insurance.

Health Highlights Video Version With Chyrons

Health Highlights Video Version Without Chyrons

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. 

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Story update, BrucePac recalls: 

Nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products made by BrucePac have been recalled, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

The recall, with impacts nationwide, are due to concern the meat and poultry products are contaminated with listeria. 

"The ready-to-eat meat and poultry items were produced from June 19, 2024, to October 8, 2024. These products were shipped to other establishments and distributors nationwide then distributed to restaurants and institutions. Information regarding product labels and the list of products will be provided when available," the USDA wrote in a release. "The products subject to recall bear establishment numbers "51205 or P-51205" inside or under the USDA mark of inspection." 

Original story, Boar's Head recall:

Approximately 7 million pounds of deli meat sold by Boar’s Head Provisions Co., one of the most well-known deli meat brands in America, have been recalled due to a listeria outbreak.

The outbreak has reached 13 states, including Illinois, and has resulted in the hospitalization of over 30 people. Two people have died after being infected.

The recall of ready-to-eat liverwurst includes 71 products under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names, distributed across the United States and to Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republican and the Cayman Islands, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS). 

Stay informed

Doug Kasper, MD, is an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare. He says listeria outbreaks are nothing new, and recalls aren’t meant to scare people. He says you don’t have to completely change your diet or stop eating certain foods because of a recall, rather just stay informed with recalls from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or USDA.

“These recalls help you audit what you’ve purchased, where you’ve eaten recently, and potentially adjust, for a short amount of time, before the quality has improved,” Dr. Kasper says.

Dr. Kasper says during a recall, the CDC and USDA perform tests on the food while notifying manufacturers and consumers.

What is listeria?

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a series of disease-causing bacteria. When eaten, people can develop a disease called listeriosis.

“It’s a bacterium that can normally be found in the environment. It can be found as part of agriculture where food is produced and then as it’s handled, it can become contaminated,” Dr. Kasper says. “Bacteria is present throughout our world, and we have measures in place to wash food, and ensure food is handled safely. The rates of listeria are consistently monitored, audited and then retroactively checked in fields where there were higher rates detected in the past.”

Who is most at risk?

The CDC says listeriosis can be dangerous for pregnant women and their unborn babies, alongside those 65 and older or people with a weakened immune system.

“Pregnant women are frequently advised to stay away from products that could potentially be infected with listeria. These could be deli meats, unpasteurized dairy and raw milk,” Dr. Kasper says. “The risk is relatively higher. Some other patients on chemotherapy or those with other significant conditions may choose to stay away from those products.”

What do symptoms look like?

The USDA says listeriosis symptoms are very similar to flu-like symptoms. It can cause fever, muscle aches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or convulsions. It can also give a person gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms like upset stomach or diarrhea.

Unlike viruses, listeria cannot be passed from person to person. It can only infect a person when they consume a decent portion of the infected product.

“These are not transmissible by touch or sharing common dining utensils,” Dr. Kasper says. “It’s based off of the product you were exposed to.”

What to do if you’re feeling sick

If you’re feeling sick and it may have been from a food product you’ve eaten recently, Dr. Kasper recommends seeking medical attention immediately, whether it’s your primary care provider or an OSF OnCall Urgent Care or OSF PromptCare.

“If a person develops a fever or sustained illness that lasts more than a day, then it becomes in their best interest to notify their medical provider,” Dr. Kasper says. “For most people that are exposed, the risk is very minimal. It’s unlikely to have a severe outcome, unless the food is repetitively eaten or if the person has an underlying issue.”

In addition to avoiding recalled deli meats entirely and contacting your medical provider, the CDC says to clean your refrigerator and containers and surfaces that may have touched any recalled sliced deli meats. Businesses affected by the recall are advised to thoroughly clean and sanitize all non-food surfaces and throw away any open meats and cheeses in the deli. Taking this a step further, the USDA-FSIS recommends delis to not use any opened deli products because recalled products can cross-contaminate other deli products.

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It’s a season of emotions when you’re having your first child.

Excitement and happiness lead the positive charge, nervousness settles right there in the middle and fear and anxiety creep into the mix as well.

Who knew two tiny pink lines on a pregnancy test could lead to something so earth shattering?

You’ve probably got a lot of questions running through your head, and it’s natural to run to Google for a lot of things. But Mfowethu (mm-FOE-eh-too) Langeni, DO, a family medicine physician who specializes in obstetrical care with OSF HealthCare, has a kickstart list of what to expect when you’re expecting.

First trimester | Increased hormones, morning sickness, first appointment!

Pregnancies are broken up into three trimesters, and Dr. Langeni says the best way to start things off is to schedule a first trimester appointment with a local obstetrics & gynecology provider (OB/GYN).

"Your first trimester is between the first week to the 13th week of pregnancy. During that time, you can expect to have your initial OB visit. It usually takes a little longer than subsequent visits, but it's one of the most important visits to have. During it, we'll talk about your family history, medical history, if you've been pregnant before,” Dr. Langeni says.

You’ll need to get some blood work done to figure out your blood type and make sure everything looks OK. You can also expect to undergo a pelvic exam, checking the anatomy.

You can also talk to your doctor about genetic screening to find out what things your baby may be at-risk for. These are things like cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, or Down syndrome.

One major change that comes with pregnancy is hormonal. This can lead to what’s well-known as “morning sickness,” which varies from mother to mother.

"A lot of times moms will experience morning sickness the most in the first trimester. It's usually because of the pregnancy hormone (human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG) that spikes really high," Dr. Langeni says. "Then it starts to taper off, so those symptoms start to go away. You can get some nausea or vomiting throughout the whole duration of your pregnancy, but it's usually going to be the first and early second trimester."

Medications are available to ease the nausea and vomiting, but it’s important to have that conversation with your OB/GYN on when it’s safe (for you AND the baby) to take any medication. Dr. Langeni says he prefers to focus on diet recommendations first before jumping right into meds. He recommends eating smaller portions of food more often during the day as a starting point.

Second trimester | Grow, grow, grow!

"It's week 14 to week 27. This trimester is where your baby's internal organs are actively growing really fast," Dr. Langeni says. "This trimester is where you may see your baby bump grow and feel baby moving. It's also where an ultrasound will be performed to check the anatomy of the baby to make sure the baby is doing OK and the arms, legs, heart, brain and all the organs look OK." 

Arguably the most exciting part of the second trimester is finding out the sex of the baby and getting those adorable ultrasound photos.

You’ll keep seeing your OB team and at the end of the second trimester, you’ll get testing done to see if you have gestational diabetes.

Third trimester | It’s almost baby time!

In the third trimester, mothers’ office visits become more frequent. You’ll see your care team every two weeks from week 28-36, and then once a week from weeks 36-40.

"This is the part of the pregnancy where you start to talk about 'how am I going to deliver my baby?' There are different methods, vaginal delivery vs. C-section," Dr. Langeni says. "If we need to get baby out a little early, for whatever reason. We'll also talk about the things we're going to do once you're at the hospital. Are you going to have medicines? Do you want no medicine? We'll talk about pain management and things like that so you can get acclimated on what to expect when baby is right around the corner."

Dr. Langeni says it’s extremely important to have a conversation with your OB about water breaking scenarios ahead of it actually happening.

"If you feel like your water broke, it's always recommended to come to the hospital or your primary obstetrician," Dr. Langeni says. "They'll do some tests to make sure your water is truly broken. But sometimes your water doesn't break, and then a scenario pops up where 'I'm past due and my water hasn't broken. I'm not going into labor, what should I do?' Those are really good discussions most providers will have with their patients before something like this happens. Then at least when something like this may happen, it's not the first time you're hearing about it."

Some OB teams will tell the mother she needs to be induced by a certain date, due to health and wellness of mother and baby.

"It depends on what your primary OB has in place for you. From my experience, a plan may be set in place that says when you hit a certain gestational age, for any reason, then we're going to go ahead and induce. Or if you haven't gone into labor by a certain point, we'll have you come to the hospital to start that labor process, so you can have a natural delivery."

If you’re in your third trimester and you haven’t scheduled a hospital visit to learn the lay of the land, you probably should! Dr. Langeni says this is a great way to see what a birthing suite will look like where you plan to deliver, learn more about the process and figure out specifically where to go in the hospital.

You can reach out to OSF HealthCare hospitals around the Ministry by filling out this form for a birthing tour. A Mission Partner will get back to you shortly and help set up your walkthrough!

Now, it’s baby time! OSF has a “hospital bag essentials” checklist for the mother, baby and support person during your stay you can find here. Birthing classes before you head to the hospital are important as well. Find those resources here.

OSF has OB/GYNs and care teams throughout the Ministry. You can find a list of providers here, along with locations and additional resources to help you on your journey to parenthood!

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The newest tool for protecting our littlest population is now available in the United States. 

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine was initially approved in summer 2023 for adults 60 and older, quickly followed by a recommendation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pregnant women. The goal of vaccinating pregnant women would be to pass on RSV antibodies from mom to baby.

"(Pregnant women should get the vaccine) somewhere between 32-36 weeks of pregnancy. As long as they receive the vaccine and give birth two weeks after or more after getting the vaccine, the baby should be having good protection for their first year of life,” says Kinnera Are, DO, a pediatrician with OSF HealthCare.

When is RSV season?

Dr. Are says RSV season normally starts in October, goes through the winter, and wraps up in March or April.

"We are expecting to see it this year, but hopefully not as bad as it has been the last couple of years,” Dr. Are adds.

What babies are eligible?

Infants eight months and younger are eligible for the RSV vaccine, along with older infants who have serious medical conditions like chronic lung disease and heart conditions.

"Some infants at higher risk are eligible to get the vaccine for their second RSV season. So, the second year October through March. Some things that would put them at higher risk if infants have chronic lung disease and prematurity and needed oxygen or medications within the last six months. Otherwise, we can offer it during that second season to infants from American Indian heritage or Alaskan Native heritage,” Dr. Area says. “Severely immunocompromised infants are eligible for that second season, and infants with cystic fibrosis who have issues with their lungs. Or if they're very small and are having issues with growth, they may also be eligible." 

How to protect infants and others from RSV

Ways to protect infants from RSV are on par with other respiratory illnesses.

-          Stay away from sick individuals

-          Keep kids home if sick (fever, runny nose)

-          Prioritize good sleep

-          Focus on good eating habits, hydration

-          Wash your hands

"RSV will show symptoms like most other respiratory illnesses. So, you may start off with congestion and runny nose, maybe a fever or a cough," Dr. Are says. “RSV, especially in the infant age group, tends to affect the lungs a little bit more than older kids. So, you may see more of that cough or congestion that's not coming out.”

Days 3-5 are usually the worst

"Any respiratory illness, but especially RSV, is worse between days three and five. Based on where the infant is when they come in, we'll guide them to see if they're getting better or do we expect it to get worse before it gets better,” Dr. Are says.

When it’s time to go to the emergency department

“Two things that would make me tell someone they need to go to the emergency room; One, if the infant is having respiratory distress like breathing really fast, having trouble breathing or having a lot of wheezing that is not getting better and it's very persistent," Dr. Are says. “You can give us a call (at the pediatrics office) but we'll probably recommend you go to the emergency room. The other thing is dehydration. Severe hydration can be shown in no wet diapers for eight hours and no urine output for eight hours. That's a sign they probably need some IV fluids and need to go to the emergency room for care.”

If a pregnant mother didn’t get the RSV vaccine, your child’s pediatrician will ask if they want the baby to get the vaccine in the first few visits.

Normally, symptoms can be managed at home. Antibiotics aren’t prescribed, since RSV is a virus, but sometimes the virus can cause a secondary bacterial infection like pneumonia, which could call for antibiotics. You can use a nasal suction tool to keep the baby’s nose and airways clean, which is especially important when they’re eating or sleeping.

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Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that affect your body. But, OSF HealthCare gastroenterologist Omar Khokhar, MD, says the research isn't there yet for him to recommend taking probiotic supplements. 

Instead, he suggests getting the nutrients through fermented foods and drinks.

“I suggest you take prebiotics and probiotics in their natural form – in a kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha or Greek yogurt,” Dr. Khokhar says. “Those are highly fermented foods that are in the organic state and have been shown to improve microbiome gut vitality.”

If those types of food or drinks are too challenging to include in your diet, Dr. Khokhar says to talk with your medical provider first. 

In most cases, taking prebiotic or probiotic supplements won't hurt and could possibly help.

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We’re in a time right now that Jason Bill, MD, an interventional gastroenterologist with OSF HealthCare calls an “obesity epidemic.”

Data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) would back up that claim, stating that more than 100 million adults in the U.S. are obese. The prevalence of obesity increased over 11% when comparing statistics gathered from 1999-2000 to statistics from 2017-March 2020. In the earlier timeframe, obesity prevalence was 30.5%. The latest data showed obesity skyrocketed to 41.9%.

Tis the reason for countless “magical” weight loss drugs popping up on commercials, food-prep companies offering specials and zero-calorie drinks lining store shelves. But there’s no real sign of promise yet that America’s obesity problem is slowing down. This leaves many frustrated by the never-ending struggle of trying to eat healthily while working out, and not seeing any progress.

If you’re in that demographic, you’re not alone, and there may be a newer option to consider.

Introducing endoscopic bariatric procedures

In the last six to 12 months, Dr. Bill and his team at OSF HealthCare have started performing endoscopic bariatric procedures, a minimally invasive option to help patients lose weight. 

Dr. Bill says this option is perfect for those who either don’t qualify for bariatric surgery or for those who qualify but just do not want to undergo surgical intervention. His team is able to offer two different procedures:  Endoscopic Sleeve gastroplasty and trans-oral outlet reduction. 

"I think the patients that do the best are patients who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30-40 motivated and active, but just not getting to where they want to go with their standard diet and exercise,” Dr. Bill says. "We do everything through the mouth with our endoscopes. We take a camera to the stomach and use an endoscopic device that goes on the tip of the endoscope to run sutures and decrease the volume of the stomach. These are restrictive procedures, with the sleeve gastroplasty we are reducing the volume of the stomach by about 70 percent." 

Another option Dr. Bill’s team offers is called outlet reduction.

“It’s been really nice for patients who have had bariatric surgery and now are a few years out, but they start noticing they feel hungry or are gaining weight," Dr. Bill says. "We use that same suturing device and narrow down that prior opening that has stretched out over time." 

Minimally invasive means minimal recovery time. Patients go under general anesthesia, undergo the procedure, and then go home the same day. Dr. Bill says side effects are minimal as well. You might have some nausea and stomach discomfort for two to three days. However, the symptoms after the outlet reduction are even less severe, leaving patients energized and ready to get back on their weight loss journey.

How could endoscopic bariatrics and weight loss medicine connect?

"I think they should be used together. I think patients who will do best are those that undergo either surgical or endoscopic weight loss procedures initially.  Then, during their follow up consider starting a medication such as Mounjaro or Wegovy that can result in more robust weight loss,” Dr. Bill says. 

‘Take the lifestyle change head on’

The endoscopic weight loss procedure isn’t a get-out-of-jail free card to return to poor eating habits. It’s also not an excuse to cancel that gym membership or give up on daily exercise.

"The follow up after the procedure is probably as important, if not more important than the procedure itself. The procedure is likely to be successful, because your team is highly skilled, but the rest of the success is built on the patient’s motivation, diet, and exercise since it's a lifestyle change. They have to take that head on otherwise the procedure is not going to work,” Dr. Bill says.

These procedures are generally covered by Medicare and Medicaid. However, it’s hit or miss right now with other commercial payers. Dr. Bill’s team collaborates with the weight loss management team at the RiverPlex in downtown Peoria to get patients prepared for a procedure, and you’ll always know ahead of time whether insurance will cover your procedure.

If an endoscopic bariatric procedure sounds like something that would benefit you, you can call OSF Medical Group – Gastroenterology at 309-308-5900.

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Roughly 465,000 amputations take place in the United States each year, with 83% of them being lower limb amputations like toes and legs, according to the Amputee Coalition.

Eric Martin, DO, the chief of Vascular Surgery at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Illinois, has crafted a predictable and consistent method that provides reliable outcomes for heroic limb salvage. He does it through procedures referred to as regenerative reconstruction, a treatment currently reserved for the most serious of cases like severe bacterial infection, traumatic crushed limbs, and lower limb ulcers that have become infected and spread throughout the body. These procedures normally accompany a lower limb revascularization with either a bypass procedure or angioplasty and stenting.

“We're here to treat people who have a lot of disadvantaged anatomy and protoplasm (living part of cells) with many medical comorbidities, who otherwise would not be able to heal. Through regenerative reconstruction, we're able to accelerate wound healing and accelerate healing of other diseases processes much quicker,” Dr. Martin says. “In the past, amputation or death was the end point. Now we're able to save lives, have a much more robust limb salvage program here at OSF HealthCare which also makes a difference in terms of affecting mortality in certain patients."

OSF Saint Francis is the only location in Illinois performing advanced regenerative reconstruction procedures at this high of a level.

"We like to pride ourselves on being at the tip of the spear at regenerative reconstruction in the state of Illinois," Dr. Martin says. “We've built that up by having good relationships with companies and getting our hands on the latest and greatest products on the market. We’re always trying to optimize our arsenal of regenerative medicine to provide the best results for our patients. Not only to help with the regenerative reconstruction phase, but also to help address chronic biofilm (bacteria) in the inflammatory phase of wound healing.”

Fish skin, pig intestine, pig bladder and more!

Dr. Martin’s algorithm is built by a group of surprising products made up of animal tissue (xenografts) and human tissue (allografts). This includes fish skin, pig intestine, pig bladder, cow tendon and tissue from human umbilical cords that come from planned procedures with women who have planned, elective C-sections.

"The healing capabilities of the fish skin have been quite remarkable," Dr. Martin says. “One of the big reasons is that it's very homologous (same make up) to human skin. The characteristics and composition of the fish skin are nearly identical to what you'd see with human skin. If you'd take a slice of human skin and a slice of fish skin and put it under an electron microscope and look at it, it'd almost look identical.”

The fish skin manufactured by Kerecis, a company in Iceland, spurs on new blood vessel growth and collagen deposition, and eventually helps encourage growth of the outer layer of skin. The fish are caught from the northern Atlantic Ocean near Iceland, and are then skinned and manufactured in plants located in Ísafjörður, Iceland. Dr. Martin started using the fish skin products in August 2023.

Joe Smith, executive vice president of Research and Development and Product Life Cycle at Kerecis, traveled with other researchers to Peoria to learn more about Dr. Martin’s case studies. He says through these techniques, the world is going to see patients healed in ways we never have before.

“We harvest the fish skin right out of the ocean, take the scales off, and put it through a very gentle process,” Smith says. “What comes out is a medical device, homologous to human tissue, and totally absorbs in the body in seven days.”

Smith calls regenerative reconstruction “medical miracles,” and says with the combination of talented surgeons and top tier products these life-saving procedures can be done more and more.

"We also use pig bladder and pig intestine. One company (Organogenesis) has been able to take pig intestine and cross link it to increase its structural integrity and combine it with type 1 collagen. They then add PHMB (Polyhexamethylene biguanide) which is a very powerful antimicrobial agent. When this tissue is put into the human body, it's very good at killing recalcitrant bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics taken by mouth or through the veins," Dr. Martin says.

When Dr. Martin’s patients arrive at the hospital, their wound’s cross-sectional area can cover an entire lower leg or foot, depending on where the infection is. But the wounds don’t start that way. Even a quarter size ulcer on the bottom of someone’s foot, if left untreated, can grow substantially.

Pyoderma gangrenosum cure

A recent case is the first of its kind in the world of medicine. Dr. Martin and his team were able to cure a patient with a rare autoimmune disease called pyoderma gangrenosum. Traditionally, this disease did not have a cure and was treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents only. These medications had many unwanted side effects for patients.

“This is the first surgical cure in the history of medicine, where we were able to eradicate the ulcers that formed in his leg and were present for over a decade through the use of surgery and regenerative medicine," Dr. Martin says. "It was really the regenerative medicine that helped provide immunomodulation and benefit to him to help suppress his body's own immune system and allow him to heal and recover so nicely.”

Who could benefit from this treatment?

Dr. Martin says in the past, medication was offered to patients, but oftentimes the medicine would have side effects with it.

“So now by avoiding long-term use of medicine with many deleterious side effects, the surgery was curative for this patient, and he's done very, very well,” Dr. Martin says.

Most of his patients have diabetes and a history of compromised circulation or have peripheral artery disease. Most are people who smoke and have high levels of cholesterol and blood pressure as well. These people often go on to develop non-healing ulcers in their lower limbs that are arterial, venous or neuropathic in origin.

“Others are patients who have venous stasis disease where vein valves are not working properly, and they go on to develop a venous ulcer,” Dr. Martin adds. “You must first treat the reflux disease and ablate the incompetent vein, before going on to treat the ulcer. The treatment for this is either radio frequency ablation (RFA) or using glue, in the form of VenaSeal.

Many people get amputations because after undergoing treatment time and time again, their wounds just won’t heal. Dr. Martin calls these “chronic wounds.” He says they’re much more difficult to treat than acute wounds because the biofilm (bacteria) doesn’t respond to treatment like antibiotics.

The biofilm fixes in on one place, and something called quorum sensing takes place. Dr. Martin calls this a “bacterial forcefield,” which causes the medical team to be much more aggressive in treatment. Biofilm develops an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) consisting of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This substance made by biofilm, makes it much more resistant to degradation with standard antimicrobial therapy.

This calls for debridement to clear away the damaged tissue, normally from a saline jet system called VERSAJET, which aims to reduce the bacterial bioburden in wound beds. Then through a bottled wound lavage solution called Irrisept (chlorhexidine gluconate), Dr. Martin’s team can irrigate the area. In addition to sharp debridement with a scalpel, Dr. Martin’s team has other adjunctive means to address the biofilm.

Now it’s time to aggressively treat the area with human allograft tissue, fish skin and mammalian-based skin products.

Story straight from the operating room

While operating on a patient at OSF Saint Francis, Dr. Martin discussed his process. The patient’s Achilles’ heel was eroded because of the infection from her chronic wound that had grown for over a year. After debridement, Dr. Martin found a healthy part of the Achilles’ tendon sheet and was ready to treat the area.

“We’re going to be able to regenerate the tendon sheet by using an umbilical cord graft and a piece of fish skin called SurgiBind designed to help reconstruct tendon and cover bone,” Dr. Martin says. “This fish skin tends to be very homologous to human tissue, including similarities in the extracellular matrix (ECM) like laminin, fibronectin, glycosaminoglycan, hyaluronic acid, proteoglycans, collagen and elastin.” Dr. Martin remarks these characteristics are all important for the health of human tissue.

Jessica Collins, a medical device representative and surgical specialist with Kerecis has seen the success stories from regenerative reconstruction.

“The massive amount of technology and products that Dr. Martin has figured out how they all work together synergistically and uses on these patients to help them save body parts, is remarkable,” Collins says.

This patient was suffering from a rare, serious disease called calciphylaxis in both of her legs. She had gone on to develop end stage renal disease (ESRD) with stage 5 chronic kidney disease and was in dire need of a kidney transplant. However, the calciphylaxis in her legs kept her from being eligible for a kidney transplant. In addition, the patient presented in septic shock to the emergency room because the area of skin ulcerations in her lower legs had become secondarily infected with an aggressive fungal infection and polymicrobial bacterial organizations. Because of this, Dr. Martin was consulted to help treat the patient, and the course of action became regenerative reconstruction. Her other option was bilateral above knee amputations (AKAs).

“It’s easy to amputate, that would be the simple solution to this problem. This is the harder course and the road less traveled,” Dr. Martin said during the regenerative reconstruction procedure.

Dr. Martin calls the start of his procedure a “triple stack” of different tissue products.

“We’ve put down the amniotic membrane grafts, we’ve selectively placed umbilical cord grafts and then I’ve wrapped the leg with Kerecis fish skin,” Dr. Martin says. “Why I’m doing this is because the amniotic membrane grafts will incorporate (attach) within three to five days. They contain an abundance of growth factors that are involved in cell signaling and cellular recruitment. The umbilical cord grafts tend to incorporate within 10-14 days, and they contain the progenitor stem cells that help to signal other stem cells to migrate to the wound bed. The fish skin takes more like 14 to 18 days to incorporate, and it contains many components of the extracellular matrix and collagen. It’s a sequential absorption of these grafts into the tissue which helps to build up the granulation tissue from the bottom up and to make this wound more superficial.”

After wrapping the leg, Dr. Martin injects a porcine (pig-derived) bladder xenograft around the wound. He says it addresses the “zone of injury” and will recruit cells to improve cell signaling, pulling healthy cells from the area around the wound bed into it. This pig bladder contains four types of collagens that help with cellular recruitment. He says this maneuver will help skin regenerate within a month in that area, starting to close the wound from the outside in.

“I’ve been doing this for about 10 years in over 350 patients. I’ve never had an adverse reaction, complications, or side effects from doing this,” Dr. Martin says. “Every time, I get a fairly consistent result of helping wounds shrink in size.”

The next step is to cover the wound with a layer of collagen-based product stemming from bovine tendon made by Integra Lifesciences.

“The tendon has two layers. An outer silicon layer that serves as a protection from the environment, similar to what the epidermis would do,” Dr. Martin says. “On the inside, it contains type 1 collagen and chondroitin sulfate from shark cartilage. This helps to generate cell migration into the wound bed.” This process benefits the healing process for patients, Dr. Martin continues, adding that it also protects the grafts underneath.

The bovine layer will then be stapled to the outer skin surrounding the wound bed. Before finalizing the wrapping of the bovine tendon, Dr. Martin places additional powdered fish skin in between the fenestrations of the fish skin product already sewn in place. This helps to promote granulation tissue, which develops during the process of healing. The bovine layer will be left in place for about 22-25 days.

Goals of regenerative reconstruction

The hope of the regenerative reconstruction is to heal wounds from the outside in. In other words, “shrink the wound.” Some of Dr. Martin’s patients had wounds for over a decade before they came in, and by that time their wounds are exponentially worse off.

“I definitely think if patients are able to get to us at a much earlier stage, and not so late because now they're facing sepsis as a result from their wounds becoming infected, now they have a blood stream infection, their blood pressure is low, their heart rate is elevated, and certain organ systems are beginning to fail (kidneys, lungs, liver, heart). A lot more goes into having to resuscitate them and keeping them alive in addition to treating their wounds,” Dr. Martin says. “So definitely before they get to the end stage of full-blown septic shock, it would be nice if patients could get to us at an earlier stage of their clinical presentation so we could treat them more aggressively and get them healed much quicker.”

While the regenerative reconstruction is a very in-depth procedure, it actually decreases the amount of time someone is being treated and lessens long-term morbidity. Someone’s life expectancy after a major amputation is normally around five years, Smith says.

While the cost of surgery can be a lot up front, Dr. Martin says by healing the wound quicker, it will decrease the cost in the long run for both patients and the hospital system. He adds the products used at OSF are all covered by the major health insurances as well.

Dr. Martin was invited to Iceland this June by Kerecis and was the 2024 grand prize winner for the most outstanding regenerative reconstruction in the United States and Europe for one of his cases. He’s slowly becoming one of the country’s foremost leading authorities in regenerative reconstruction, speaking to many research scientists around the country about his work.

Now his goal is to train other doctors around the world, using his techniques in regenerative reconstruction and offer patients new hope and a promise for a better tomorrow.

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Whether it's that look on your significant other's face when they smell it, or that unpleasant odor coming from a stranger chatting you up at a party, bad breath can cause a little anxiety for everyone involved.

Bad breath is common. One in four adults have had it at some point in their lives. It can also be chronic. 

According to Breanne Gendron, a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare, some people don't even know they have bad breath due to a condition called olfactory fatigue, which is when people lose their sensitivity to odors.

“Bad breath can be a totally benign thing, and you just need to brush more, or it could be a sign that something more serious is going on. If you are someone who has bad breath despite regular like twice daily brushing and flossing, then it would be important for you to see your dentist to make sure everything's healthy on the inside of your mouth,” Gendron says.

Gendron adds in addition to brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing is also extremely important. She says brushing at bedtime is the most important time of the day.

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A big one is when to make the switch from rear to front facing. 

There's no one-size-fits-all answer. But Cindy Hamilton, the Child Passenger Safety Program Coordinator at the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois, has some consistent guidelines parents can follow. 

First, the child should max out the height and weight for the rear-facing seat they're in, which is going to differ based on the manufacturer. 

The State of Illinois requires children to be rear facing at least until they're two years old.

However, the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration recommends keeping kids rear facing until they're three. 

Hamilton says if you're in a crash, the shell of the body of the rear-facing seat will absorb the shock. It protects the head, neck and spine more than when your child is front facing.

"A lot of parents might say 'well my child is uncomfortable, their legs are long, but they're still not two,' or they're low in the weight range. Our best advice is that you can heal from a leg injury. A spinal cord, neck or brain injury, maybe not. So that's a key determiner of keeping them rear facing,” Hamilton says.

When you make the switch from rear to front facing, Hamilton says to make sure your child has full control of their head and neck.

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Is my child too tall? What weight should they be? What’s the safer option? 

These questions run through parents’ minds when it comes to their child’s car seats. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but Cindy Hamilton, the Child Passenger Safety program coordinator at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois, has some consistent guidelines parents can follow.

Pay attention to the car seat manufacturer’s guidelines

"The child wants to max out the height and weight for the seat they are using, which is going to be different for every seat based on the manufacturer. So, if this seat goes 40 pounds rear-facing; when they're 40 pounds, we want to turn them around then,” Hamilton says.

How do height and weight play a role?

"A lot of parents might say 'well my child is uncomfortable, their legs are long, but they're still not two,' or they're low in the weight range. Our best advice is that you can heal from a leg injury. A spinal cord, neck or brain injury, maybe not. So that's a key determiner of keeping them rear facing,” Hamilton says.

Illinois state law requires infants to remain rear facing until at least two years old. But Hamilton says, “rear facing longer is always best,” which is also advised by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which recommends keeping kids rear facing until they’re three.

"When you're in a crash, the shell of the body of a rear-facing seat will absorb the shock. It protects the head, neck and spine more than when you are forward facing," Hamilton points out. 

When it comes to forward facing, Hamilton says you want to make sure your kids have full control of their head and neck. This is another “milestone” you can add to your list when you consider making the switch.

Steps to safely secure car seat

When you install the car seat rear facing, install with the seat belt or the seat’s anchors, but not both. Always check both the manufacturer guidelines and the vehicle owner’s manual which lists the locations of the car’s anchors and tethers for car seats.          

Make sure the harness is fitted to the child securely.

Clip the chest clip at armpit level. The lower clip should be snug across the area where the diaper is.

You don’t want to be able to pinch any fabric around the child’s neck and shoulders, Hamilton says.

The rear-facing seat should have a recline angle indicator. You want to make sure that whatever the indicator is, it’s aligned and level with the seat.

If your child has made the switch to forward facing, make sure they can hold their head up and they’re sitting more upright. Connect the top tether to hold the seatback to the seat and install with either lower anchors or seat belt. If you do choose the seat belt, Hamilton says make sure the seat belt is properly locked, which can be done by pulling all the webbing out from the retractor. You can find these locations in the owner’s manual as well.

“We don't put coats or blankets under (the straps) for safety. With a child that's rear facing, we want the straps at or below (the child's shoulders) because that's how they're crash tested,” Hamilton says. “With forward facing, all the same with the harness, but we want the strap at or above (the child's shoulders).”

OSF HealthCare offers a low-cost car seat program. Families who need a car seat can call 1-877-277-6543. There are also community car seat checks and free car seat installation checks held throughout central Illinois.

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The OSF HealthCare Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Fellowship program is adding emergency medicine to the list of tracks for fellows.

The OSF HealthCare APP Fellowship is accredited with distinction as an Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship Program by the American Nursing Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation in Practice Transition Programs.

The 12-month program has more than a 97% graduation rate and offers 100% of graduates a permanent position within OSF HealthCare. The robust, cutting-edge APP Fellowship program at OSF is among the most mature of all health systems in the country.

The APP fellowship program focuses on professional growth by offering mentorship, regular feedback and skills assessment that build on the knowledge fellows learned in graduate school. At the end, they are more prepared to transition into full-time practice. OSF HealthCare is also leveraging federal grant money to extend primary care support to high-need communities with vulnerable populations, using resources such as OSF Care-A-Vans to support street medicine teams or on-site clinics.

The APP Fellowship curriculum stresses the importance of excellent communication with patients and colleagues. Other confidence-building exercises result in developing decision-making and other soft skills that often result in fellows advancing quickly to leadership positions within their area, region, or even across the OSF Ministry.

This new track in emergency medicine will allow fellows to rotate through a variety of emergency departments within our OSF HealthCare system, caring for different populations of patients in critical access hospitals to Level 1 Trauma Centers. Using the Jump Trading Simulation and Education Center, the program will provide hands-on skills training to equip new APPs for any situation they may encounter.

If interested in joining the APP fellowship program, please fill out the form here to receive more information.

The updated COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be available at pharmacies around the country in the coming weeks. 

The mRNA vaccine is not a booster, says Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare. He says it's recommended  for a much broader portion of the population, everyone six months and older, as a one-time, once a year vaccine. 

This vaccine does not prevent you from getting COVID-19, but the goal is to prevent severe illness from the virus. 

Dr. Kasper says it's totally fine to get the COVID-19 and flu vaccines in the same appointment.

"There's no issue with timing on getting the COVID and influenza vaccines. The RSV vaccine is recommended to be given separate," Dr. Kasper says. "Most of that has to do with the fact they weren't studied together, there's not an adverse issue with it. For the population, COVID and influenza are recommended across almost all age groups. RSV is for our older population, so we recommend spacing that out by a week or two."

Dr. Kasper says for those 65 and older with respiratory conditions, it might be recommended they receive a second booster in six-month increments.

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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.

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Research shows 75% of adults participate in some form of reading. However, another study shows the number of kids between the ages of 9 and 13 reading for fun has dropped in the last decade. 

According to Ashley Pratt, a psychotherapist with OSF HealthCare, most people need just six minutes of reading time a day to see some help benefits. Especially for children.

“It's one of the best things we can do for our mental health and our physical health," Pratt says. "It's been shown to greatly reduce our stress levels, lower our blood pressure, improve our memory and cognition, and it improves our sleep quality.”

Pratt says reading fiction tends to be the most helpful when it comes to increasing skills such as empathy and our ability to learn and understand people. 

She adds that reading has been shown to increase resiliency and an ability to handle difficult emotions, as readers learn about characters and challenges they face. 

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

But recently, the human parvovirus B19 has spread through the news cycle with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) issuing a health alert on August 13, not to be confused with the canine parvovirus CPV-2 strain.

What is Parvovirus?

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

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

Symptoms and treatments 

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

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

Dr. Kasper says the “uptick” in cases in the U.S. stems from an increased number of cases in Europe earlier this year. That has prompted health officials to send tests off because they’re prompted to, whereas they haven’t done so in the past.

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

Who is most at risk? 

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

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

Parvovirus and dogs

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

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The updated COVID-19 vaccine is expected to be available at pharmacies around the country in the coming weeks.

The mRNA vaccine is not a booster, says Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare. He says it’s recommended for a much broader portion of the population.

"The vaccine is now recommended for everybody 6 months and older as a one-time, once-a-year vaccine," Dr. Kasper says. “The vaccine has been updated. For people who are at really high risk, those 65 and older or with respiratory conditions, they may get a second shot. This would be in a six-month interval in the springtime.” 

Does the vaccine prevent me from getting COVID-19?

The quick answer? No, much like you find with the annual influenza vaccine.

"The vaccine seeks to protect severe outcomes associated with COVID-19. It doesn't protect you from getting COVID, it tries to decrease the severity of how sick you would get," Dr. Kasper says. 

While there has been an uptick in COVID-19 cases recently, Dr. Kasper says there has not been an increase in COVID hospitalizations. He attributes this to robust natural immunity in the population and adding this COVID-19 vaccine is just another way to protect yourself from severe illness.

FDA’s “What to Know” sheet

The 2024-2025 formula has been updated to protect against the Omicron variant KP.2.

• Unvaccinated individuals 6 months through 4 years of age are eligible to receive three doses of the updated, authorized Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or two doses of the updated, authorized Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
• Individuals 6 months through 4 years of age who have previously been vaccinated against COVID-19 are eligible to receive one or two doses of the updated, authorized Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines (timing and number of doses to administer depends on the previous COVID-19 vaccine received).
• Individuals 5 years through 11 years of age regardless of previous vaccination are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated, authorized Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines; if previously vaccinated, the dose is administered at least two months after the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
• Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated, approved Comirnaty (manufactured by Pfizer BioNTech) or the updated, approved Spikevax (manufactured by Moderna); if previously vaccinated, the dose is administered at least two months since the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
• Additional doses are authorized for certain immunocompromised individuals ages 6 months through 11 years of age as described in the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine fact sheets.

Commercial retailers are the way to go

As the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna become available, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) will publish a pharmacy lookup website at https://www.vaccines.gov/en/vaccines.gov to help people find the nearest vaccine locations.

Dr. Kasper says the best bet at getting a vaccine appointment for COVID-19 or influenza, is through pharmacies at local commercial retailers like Target, Walgreens, CVS or Walmart.

Free COVID-19 home tests are coming back

“The U.S. government will make the at-home COVID testing available for free again this year. You can request up to four home tests that will be delivered to your address for free,” Dr. Kasper says. That gives people another option for testing if they think they're developing signs of COVID even after receiving a vaccine, which can be another way to avoid wait lines at urgent cares, ERs or primary care clinics, and to keep themselves isolated until symptoms have resolved.”

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services reports that COVIDTests.gov will be the website to order from once the website is active.

Status of the Novavax vaccine

A third manufacturer, Novavax, makes a protein-based vaccine similar to influenza vaccines. While it hasn’t been approved by the FDA, Dr. Kasper suspects it will be soon.

"It likely will be approved, and Novavax has been a prior manufacturer of COVID-19 vaccines. That is a third option that will be coming that isn't mRNA based for people to consider if they had an adverse reaction with Pfizer or Moderna in the past,” Dr. Kasper says.

Can I get the COVID-19 and flu vaccine at the same time?

"There's no issue with timing on getting the COVID and influenza vaccines. The RSV vaccine is recommended to be given separate," Dr. Kasper says. “Most of that has to do with the fact they weren't studied together, there's not an adverse issue with it. For the population, COVID and influenza are recommended across almost all age groups. RSV is for our older population, so we recommend spacing that out by a week or two.”

For all vaccine questions, Dr. Kasper recommends speaking with your primary care team to go over options.

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You should not feed a fever and starve a cold, hydration is key when you're sick. 

Do not go back to work or school until you're fever free for 24 hours, that's less than 100.4 degrees, and have improving symptoms. 

You do not need really hot water to wash hands, shower, or bathe. Warm water is fine. 

And for ears, ditch those Q-Tips.

“The ear is a self-cleaning oven. Most everything inside the ear will come out on its own," says Awad Alyami, MD, a pediatrician with OSF HealthCare. "When we put anything inside the ear, we are pushing everything from the outside to the inside, especially earwax. It makes it harder for the ear to clean itself.”

And the five second rule? It's fiction. 

Bacteria from the floor can get on food in a second. So don't try to sneak a bite.

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High school athletes across the country will soon feel the heat when teams begin practices for several sports including football, cross country and soccer. 

Health experts say it's important to stay safe, especially when it comes to practicing during the grueling August temperatures. 

According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, heat stroke is the third-most common cause of sudden death among high school athletes behind cardiac arrest and traumatic brain injuries.

Dr. Faheem Ahmad, a family practice physician with OSF HealthCare, says athletes can experience anything from feeling tired because of heat exhaustion, to symptoms of heat stroke, which can include fainting, loss of consciousness and a body temperature above 103 degrees.

“The summer heat is very dangerous for so many different reasons, and it is important to know and identify those risk factors associated with heat related illnesses, particularly the athletes, their coaches and the staff who work with them," Dr. Ahmad says. 

Other signs of heat stress include headaches, nausea, body pain, muscle cramps and dry mouth. Dr. Ahmad says hydration is key, so take frequent water breaks and drink sports drinks with electrolytes.

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A return to school comes with a return to activities.

But no matter if it’s fall sports, extracurricular activities, or just hanging out with friends, there comes the increase spread of viruses, according to Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare.

“Not only are children, but the family unit as a whole is starting to do much more. They’re going to be exposed to each other much more than they have been over the next few months,” Dr. Kasper says.

The three main viruses remain the same as the past few years: Influenza (flu), COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). But others will arise as well, including adenovirus, rhinovirus/enterovirus (common cold) and more.

When viruses tend to peak

“Influenza in Central Illinois starts to appear around November, and peaks in January,” Dr. Kasper says. “RSV, particularly in young children, starts to show up in September or October. COVID-19 has been a bit more seasonal each year, but we start to predict peaks in October. What you’ll notice is that all of those will start to overlap.”

How vaccinations play a role

As millions of kids are returning to school, Dr. Kasper says it’s time to start scheduling checkups with their pediatrician and discussing back-to-school vaccinations.

“Vaccination now has more of an effect of protecting the individual so they can remain in their activities, school or job as long as possible,” Dr. Kasper says. “We know in most situations there is more than one person in the household and more than one child at home. It's also helping decrease spread within the family unit when these things are brought home."

The flu vaccine, Dr. Kasper says, is recommended for anyone 6 months or older. Whereas the RSV vaccine is only available to certain people.

"RSV is most severe in our younger populations, ages 2 or younger, or in those 60 and older. While vaccination is only offered in select age groups, including pregnant women, there is still benefit to the family unit for the family to make sure those who can be vaccinated against RSV do get those at the appropriate time,” Dr. Kasper says.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have come and gone, but the recommendation for yearly vaccination is starting to resemble the same strategy as the flu vaccine.

"COVID-19 guidance will be a little different,” Dr. Kasper adds. “We're expecting an updated vaccine that will come out in the fall, probably October. We'll have unique recommendations for different age groups or those with medical conditions. But I'd expect the recommendation of one additional COVID-19 vaccine or booster for the fall into winter season.”

Respiratory virus symptoms

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists a dozen symptoms you may potentially experience if you become sick with one of the abovementioned viruses.

-          Fever

-          Chills

-          Fatigue (tiredness)

-          Cough

-          Runny or stuffy nose

-          Decrease in appetite

-          Sore throat

-          Vomiting

-          New loss of taste or smell

-          Headache, muscle or body aches

-          Diarrhea

-          Weakness

If you have trouble breathing or chest pain, seek emergency medical care immediately.

The CDC’s current recommendation is to stay home and away from others until at least 24 hours after you are fever-free, and your symptoms are improving. Remember to wash your hands and improve airflow by opening windows and bringing in fresh outside air, purifying indoor air or spending time outdoors. Make sure to routinely change your central heating, ventilation and air conditioning system filters every few months.

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An early 2023 study has anyone who sweetens their morning coffee or other foods on alert because of what the findings showed.

The study published in the journal Nature Medicine linked a sugar replacement called erythritol to increased cases of blood clotting, stroke, heart attack and death. Erythritol is used to add bulk or sweeten stevia, monk fruit and keto reduced sugar products. It’s a sugar alcohol that can be naturally found in many fruits and vegetables.

The study found those with risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as having diabetes, were two times as likely to have a heart attack or stroke when they had the highest levels of erythritol in their blood.

While the study is getting attention and causing concern, but OSF HealthCare dietitian Olivia DeLeon says there are many limitations to the study that need to be recognized.

“This was what we call an association study. That means they did find an association between erythritol and increased risk for cardiovascular disease or events, however it was not a causation study. It did not show that erythritol causes cardiovascular disease or incidence,” DeLeon says.

She says the participants in the study also need to be kept in mind.

“These individuals were over the age of 60 and they already had pre-existing, or were at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease,” DeLeon says. “It’s difficult for us to apply that information to the general public and that means more research needs to be done.”

DeLeon adds health experts have reviewed different types of sugar alternatives and have found them to be safe to consume.

“You can always use those other non-nutritive sweeteners such as the FDA-approved Sweet-N-Low, Equal and Splenda. Those are great options to use to limit that sugar intake,” DeLeon says. “But you can also use things like fruit to add that extra flavor without adding extra calories. Instead of a sugar-sweetened beverage or an artificial-sweetened beverage, you can always chop up some strawberries, blueberries, and add that to your water for great flavor.”

DeLeon also recommends having a heart-healthy diet. She breaks down some simple tips of how to achieve this.

“Limiting things such as saturated fats, added sugar, and placing a focus on adding more fiber to your diet. Saturated fats are typically found in animal products, such as meats and dairy, but it’s not that we have to completely cut these food groups out but rather choose the lean option,” DeLeon says. “Choosing that 93% lean 7% fat hamburger more often over the 80% lean 20% fat is a simple way to cut out excess saturated fat.”

DeLeon says adding fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans to meals is a great way to add extra fiber to your diet.

You can find healthy recipes here.

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A multi-state outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu), also known as H5N1, has caused the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to closely monitor the situation.

The virus starts with wild birds. Then, it can spread to poultry, cows or cats. How does it reach humans? Through close contact with poultry or cows. It can be passed on through direct physical contact, after someone touches the virus and then touches their eyes, nose or mouth. It can also spread through contaminated surfaces. Lastly, bird flu can spread in the air through droplets or dust. The virus can enter through the eyes, nose or mouth, go through the nasal passage and into the lungs.

“The particular strain is H5N1, which has been talked about as far back as 2009 as being a particular concern of influenza, is circulating in animal populations and has crossed over to a very small number of people. Largely those who work very closely with animals,” says Doug Kasper, MD, an infectious disease specialist with OSF HealthCare.

Before news alerts surrounding bird flu begin to ruffle your feathers, Dr. Kasper says the crossover to humans has been extremely low.  

“This isn’t something that’s going to catch us by surprise. The cases that have occurred and found their way to humans have been relatively mild and have not progressed into the family units of those people. The cases have not led to any sustained change in how we usually identify or treat influenza,” Dr. Kasper says.

H5N1 infections in dairy herds have been found in 12 states including Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says it’s working closely with state animal officials when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting on affected farms. Colorado, Texas and Michigan are the only states where humans have become infected.

Dr. Kasper says the current flu vaccine does not protect against the bird flu.

“While this is not a strain that is readily seen in our population yet, it is something that’s on the CDC’s monitoring list. It is something that may require additional adjustment in our flu vaccine strategy,” Dr. Kasper says. “For now, the guidance remains that when the seasonal flu vaccine becomes available, people 6 months of age or older should receive it.”

Farmers or producers who have been impacted by the spread of bird flu can apply for financial assistance through the USDA’s Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).

The CDC reports more than 4,300 people have been monitored due to exposure to infected animals, while only 13 cases have been confirmed in humans since March 24, 2024. The current public health risk remains low.

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“You’re never going to be stronger than the ocean.”

A wave of caution from Jon Gehlbach, MD, the medical director of the Pediatric Critical Care Unit at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports around 30,000 swimmers have to be saved from rip currents by lifeguards each year, while about 100 people drown after encountering them.

What is a rip current?

Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water. Many summer vacationers travel to the East, West and Gulf Coasts in the summer, where rip currents are prevalent. But some may not know that rip currents are also known to occur on the shores of the Great Lakes. Rip currents are when the waves hit the beach in a certain way, creating a current that flows away from the beach, according to NOAA.

Dr. Gehlbach says whatever you do, don’t try to swim against the rip current.

“Familiarize yourself with where the rip currents are. They’re usually well-marked (with signs on the beach),” Dr. Gehlbach says. “You don’t have to worry about currents or underwater debris in pools, but in oceans, most drownings are related to rip currents. It’s an invisible current pulling people away from the shore. The urge is to swim against it, but if you find yourself in that situation, try to swim parallel to the shore and get out of that rip current as safely as you can.”

“Break the grip of the rip”

“Wave, yell, swim parallel” is another slogan NOAA has. Make sure to continue to breathe, keep your head above water and don’t spend your energy fighting against the current. While rip currents typically flow at one to two feet per second, they can reach up to eight feet per second, or five miles per hour.

While waves or storms can change the shape of the ocean bottom, NOAA reports rip currents are actually the strongest at low tide.

Maybe the beach isn’t your thing, but the lake is. Similar messaging applies. Dr. Gehlbach says there are many unknown factors in natural bodies of water like lakes and rivers that make them more dangerous.

“They tend to be darker, so it’s harder to see what’s going on below the surface. They could have hidden obstacles,” Dr. Gehlbach says. “Currents play a factor as well. Kids might be great swimmers in the pool, but currents make it a lot more challenging to swim safely.”

Rip currents aren’t the same as undertow

Rip currents are much more dangerous, NOAA says. They flow on the surface of water, are usually very strong and can go far out from the shore. Undertow happens when water sinks downhill into the sea after a wave carried it uphill, which is mostly the case at beaches with steep inclines.

When in doubt, don’t go out!

NOAA has the following tips to remain safe on your beach vacations this summer.

-          Swim with a buddy

-          Swim near a lifeguard

-          Learn how to spot a rip current

-          Be prepared

Keep an eye on the local National Weather Service (NWS) Surf Zone Forecasts and Rip Current Statements online and on social media. This can give you a good gauge of what the water’s like before heading to the beach.

Swimsuit color safety

While some parents spend more time than others picking out their kids’ swim outfits, Dr. Gehlbach says the color of their swimsuit could be extremely important in dangerous situations.

“With those blue hues or lighter colors, you might be able to see them well on the surface of the water, but they don’t contrast well with the color of the water, especially pool water, once they go below the surface. Look for things that are brightly colored. Your pinks, reds, oranges, and even black can contrast well against the water,” Dr. Gehlbach says.

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Their sleep schedule is becoming more “normal,” and they're hitting some of their first milestones. 

Then, it's time to introduce them to solid foods. 

But with a new adventure can come a fear about things like allergens. 

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), “The Big 9” of food allergies are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. 

This long list may be daunting to new parents, but Michael Endris, MD, a pediatrician with OSF HealthCare, offers some tips to help guide parents through the journey.

“We know that the earlier introduction of those high allergen foods is beneficial and protective against developing those food allergies,” Dr. Endris says. "Every child is going to be a little bit different. But usually in that four to six-month range is when they are ready to introduce those foods. There are a few steps that we're looking at before we're talking about introducing that.”

Dr. Endris recommends starting to start introducing solid foods, including allergens, during the four to six month window of your baby's life.

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