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

Healing SHAME

By Jenn Bovee, LCSW, CRADC, CCHt, The Mental Wellness Center Last month’s article focused on what shame is and what it looks like. Brené Brown defines shame as, “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing we are flawed and therefore unworthy of acceptance and belonging.” For example, many people have such deep shame surrounding […]

Weight Management Myth or Fact You Have to Eat Breakfast

By Michelle May, M.D. In our information-driven society, we receive a constant stream of news reports, research, and expert advice telling us what to do. Don’t get me wrong. Smart choices based on a solid foundation are important. But to make long term lifestyle changes, it’s essential that you think about how information applies to […]

You Don’t Need a Financial Planner to Retire

By Krista McBeath, McBeath Financial Group It may sound odd for a financial planner to say that you don’t need a financial planner in order to retire, but it’s true. You could set up your own retirement plan! You might even do okay. You could use a stockbroker, an insurance agent, or even do it […]

How Not to Get Hit by a Car

By Michael Bluejay Real bicycle safety is about more than wearing a helmet and following the “rules of the road.” A helmet will do absolutely nothing to prevent you from getting hit by a car, although it may certainly help save your life if you do get hit. Following the law is not enough to […]

Foods for Fabulous Skin

Submitted by Doug Leone, MD, and Adrienne Schupbach, MD, Dermatology and Mohs Surgery Institute You’ve heard the old adage “you are what you eat” in regards to how foods you consume are directly related to how you feel. But, did you know that the same connection exists between food and the appearance of the skin? […]

Red Flag Ingredients in Pet Food

Submitted by Nilla’s Tub DIY Dog Wash & Health Food Store What you feed your dog or cat is extremely important to their overall health. There are hundreds of brands available and trying to determine which ones are truly healthy — and not just marketing hype — can be mind boggling. Read your labels and […]

Loads of Fun With Laundry

By Karen Tucker What is your most hated household chore? Cleaning the bathroom? Washing dishes? Picking up dog poop? While it may be hard to pick just one, doing the laundry is at the top of most people’s list. Throwing clothes into the washer and dryer is easy. It’s the folding, putting away, hauling up […]

D.O. or M.D. What’s the Difference?

Submitted by Central Illinois Orthopedic Surgery The medical designation M.D. is well known to most people, but have you ever seen D.O. after a physician’s name and wondered what it meant? M.D. stands for Doctor of Medicine and D.O. stands for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Both M.D.s and D.O.s are physicians, equally qualified to treat […]

Writing Your Story in Rehab — Chapter 1: The Road to Recovery

By Alexander Germanis In the 1980s, a stylized type of book became really popular among young readers. Choose Your Own Adventure, Find Your Fate, and Which Way? books allowed the reader to decide which path to take through the storyline, essentially tailoring their own plot as they went along. So, several people could pick up […]

The Almighty Avocado

Submitted by Elizabeth Madlem, APN, The Bone Health Clinic at Millennium Pain Center Food trends come and go. One such trend that has seemingly enjoyed more staying power than others is avocado toast, a popular dish that might trace some of that admiration to how easy it is to prepare. The popularity of avocado toast […]