Working with the community... for a healthier community.

To Brace or Not to Brace?

  By Bryce Paschold, DPM, Orthopedic & Sports Enhancement Center Ankle sprains have been known to be the most common injury in all of sports, accounting for 40 percent of all sports-related injuries. There are approximately 3 million ankle sprains seen per year in the United States. As a result, ankle bracing or taping has […]

The New Battle Against Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Part 2

By Alexander Germanis Trickling throughout Central Illinois are a number of small streams and rivers. Streams like these are tributaries for larger rivers like the Illinois, which in turn feed into greater rivers like the Mississippi. Like the mighty Old Man River, the spinal cord is the main channel into which flow the myriad nerves […]

Life-Saving Five Minutes Oral Cancer, Part 6

By Alexander Germanis Five minutes can pass very quickly. It’s just 300 little ticks on the clock. In that short period, you can listen to only one song on the radio, take a really quick shower, or heat up a meal in the microwave. Or, in those five minutes, your life can be saved. Five […]

Don’t Let Frosty Bite You This Winter!

By Zain Rizvi, DPM, Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates, P.C. “Cold weather doesn’t have to put a damper on your outdoor fun.” Living in Central Illinois, the winters can always be rough. There are several health complications that can result from this, frostbite being one that is, at times, overlooked. This condition, if not treated […]

10 Steps to Help Prevent Cancer

Submitted by the Community Cancer Center Nearly 4 out of 10 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, and it remains the second-leading cause of death for Americans, but nearly half of all cancer cases can be prevented. Research from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) shows that diet, exercise, and weight […]

Diet and Activity Trackers: The Next Generation of Misused Tools

By Michelle May, MD Fitness bands, calorie counting apps, body composition monitors, and other gadgets have brought the old diet diary, bathroom scale, and pedometer into the digital age. But, are they really an improvement? Based on my personal and professional experience, not so much. Instead, the countless devices, apps, and other tools on the […]

Protect Your Home From Old Man Winter

By Karen Tucker While most homeowners know that there are some important things they should do to prepare their homes for winter, many people don’t know what to do or they just never got around to doing it. Even though it’s January and you may be kicking yourself that you didn’t winterize your home back […]

Senior Weight Loss Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle

Submitted by The Village at Mercy Creek Weight loss is a common New Year’s resolution. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and maintaining a healthy weight is important at any age. For those over 60, maintaining a healthy weight isn’t always so easy. Slowing metabolisms; decreases in muscle mass, strength, and overall flexibility; chronic pain; lower […]

Winter Is the Perfect Time to Treat Varicose and Spider Veins

Submitted by Drs. Bohn, Nielsen, Castillo, Wright, and Ward, The Vein Specialists, LLC It is winter, the weather is cold and blustery, and we are wearing long pants or tights that cover our legs. If you are already looking forward to summer sun, bathing suits, shorts, and short skirts, now is the perfect time to […]