Healthy Bones = Healthy Life
Submitted by Elizabeth Madlem, APN, The Bone Health Clinic at Millennium Pain Center You’ve probably heard of osteoporosis, but you may think that it’s a disease you don’t need to be concerned about. After all, you feel fine, it only affects the elderly, it’s not that common, and it’s not that serious — right? Wrong! […]
3 Serious Medical Conditions Associated With Hearing Loss
Submitted by Central Illinois Hearing and Balance Center Think you might have hearing loss? It turns out procrastinating about that hearing test appointment may put more than just your hearing at risk. Primary care doctors now know hearing loss may be a symptom of another, more serious medical condition. Over the past decade, studies have […]
The Villas of Holly Brook: The Latest Addition to Assisted Living Options in Central Illinois
By Becky Wiese The Baby Boomers keep booming — even as they age, they affect the communities in which they live simply due to sheer numbers. As this population grows older, the number of senior residential facilities grows as well. The need for independent living, assisted living, and memory care services will continue to expand […]
Raw Pet Food 101
Submitted by Nillas’s Tub DIY Dog Wash & Health Food Store Eating real, whole, minimally processed foods is important for optimal health and wellbeing. People who realize this and make healthy eating choices themselves quickly realize that this same logic applies to their cats and dogs. Cats and dogs are biologically designed to eat what […]
Do Kids Get Gingivitis?
Submitted by Thomas Hall, D.M.D and Sara Rauen Dardis, D.D.S, Pediatric Smiles of Bloomington Most people have heard of gingivitis — thanks to the Listerine commercials that say their mouthwash will prevent it — but many people have no idea what this ominous-sounding word actually means. Furthermore, there is the perception that gingivitis is an […]
Assisted Living Communities Benefit Residents Following Loss of Loved Ones
By Darla Price Heath, Philanthropy and Volunteer Engagement Director, Meadows Communities and Jeff Heath, Community Outreach Director, East Lawn Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home The days after experiencing the loss of a loved one are filled with a flurry of activity and decisions. Family and friends need to be notified, and there are decisions regarding […]
RN, NP, CNP — What Do They All Mean?
By Amy Kennard Have you ever gone to a physician’s office and, while the nurse is asking you about your health history, glanced at her name tag? If you have, chances are you’ve noticed the string of letters behind her name. Though you may not know what they stand for, you probably realize that she […]
A Parable About a Hidden Force That May Be Keeping You Stuck
By Michelle May, MD The sisters Regret and Guilt look a lot alike, but they are very different. When Regret makes a mistake she cries, “Oh, I wish I hadn’t done that!” or, “Why did I do that?” or, “I’m never doing that again!” But when Guilt makes a mistake she yells, “You idiot, you […]
New and Novel Non-Surgical Treatments for Spinal Stenosis
By Becky Weise Lumbar spinal stenosis is a common, but painful, malady often associated with aging. The lumbar, or lower back, is made up of the five largest and strongest vertebrae between the diaphragm (just below the ribs) and the pelvis — the backside of the abdomen. Stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal column […]
What Is Lymphedema?
By Peg Zimmerman RN, OCN at the Community Cancer Center The National Lymphedema Network defines lymphedema as an abnormal collection of high-protein fluid just beneath the skin. This swelling, or edema, occurs most commonly in the arm or leg, but it also may occur in other parts of the body, including the breast or trunk, […]