The prevalence of diabetes in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. The typical high-calorie, low-exercise American lifestyle has become a driving factor in this unfortunate health crisis.
You can see if you’re at risk for developing type 2 diabetes by taking the 2-minute Diabetes Risk Test at http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/alert-day/.  Answer simple questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors, add up your score and then check the preventive tips at the end. For every test taken through April 25th, Boar’s Head Brand® will donate $5 to the American Diabetes Association, up to $50,000. You can help yourself and help a good cause with one click!

Five Fast Facts About Diabetes
• Nearly 26 million children and adults in the US have diabetes, and about 25% of them don’t know they have it.
• African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, and the aged population are at a higher risk for developing diabetes.
• Caren Bryant, certified diabetes educator at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, says those who sit at a desk most of the day, don’t get much exercise and don’t eat a healthy diet are also at high risk.
• In type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin allows the body to be able to use glucose for energy rather than having the insulin build up in the blood.
• Complications from diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, blindness and a number of life-threatening medical complications.

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Senior medical students in the Class of 2014 at SIU School of Medicine celebrated with family and friends when they learned their destination “matches” to postgraduate training programs across the country.

Sixty-five SIU seniors have secured residency positions in the following medical specialties:

• eleven in pediatrics
• ten in internal medicine
• eight in emergency medicine
• four each in anesthesiology, dermatology, family medicine, general surgery
• three each in orthopaedic surgery and urology
• two each in medicine-pediatrics, neurology, obstetrics-gynecology and radiology
• one each in medicine-psychiatry, neurological surgery, otolaryngology, pathology, pediatrics-primary and plastic surgery

“I am pleased that so many of our students have chosen primary care specialties for their residency training,” said Dr. J. Kevin Dorsey, Ph.D., dean and provost. “With so many of our graduates staying in the region, we can continue to strengthen the health-care services for our citizens.”

The Class of 2014 at SIU School of Medicine will graduate on Saturday, May 17. New physicians begin their residency training in July 2014.

Established in 1970, the mission of SIU School of Medicine is to assist the people of central and southern Illinois in meeting their health needs through education, patient care, research and community service. An international leader in medical education, the School is based in Carbondale and Springfield and is specifically oriented to educating new physicians prepared to practice in Illinois. Since opening, 2,545 physicians have graduated from its program.

View the complete list of SIU student match information here.  See more photos here.

The bad news: If you are 50 or older, you are at risk for developing colorectal cancer.

The good news: Colon cancer and rectal cancer can be prevented, and proper screening can save lives, according to Rhonda Dolen-Hooker, a nurse practitioner in SIU’s division of gastroenterology.

Approximately 140,000 individuals are diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year. Colonoscopies can detect colorectal cancer early, when it is most curable and easier to treat. Nine out of 10 individuals who had their colon cancer detected in the early stages of the disease were still alive five years later, with many of them living a normal life span.

In the early stages of colorectal cancer, there usually aren’t any symptoms. By the time symptoms are noticed, the cancer has often grown and spread to a stage that is very hard to treat. A colonoscopy can prevent this from happening.

What exactly happens during a colonoscopy?

During a colonoscopy, the entire length of the colon and rectum can directly be examined and any suspicious lesions or polyps (abnormal growths) removed before they become cancerous.

How is a colonoscopy performed?

Sedation is administered to the individual undergoing the colonoscopy to reduce discomfort during the procedure.  A physician who has special training in performing a colonoscopy uses a colonoscope, a thin, hollow, flexible tube about the size of a finger with a light and video camera on the end, to view the entire length of the colon. If any unusual looking tissue or polyps are seen, the physician can perform a biopsy or completely remove the polyp at the time of the examination. The entire procedure takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.  All tissue, including polyps, is examined under a microscope by a trained physician.

When should you get screened?

Both men and women should begin screening for colorectal cancer after they turn 50. Screening should continue regularly until the age of 75, with frequency of screening determined by a health-care provider and based on the individual’s risk of developing the disease.  After the age of 75, screening is determined on an individual basis.

Who is at higher risk for developing colorectal cancer?

• Those individuals with inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
• A person with a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps.
• Individuals with a genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome).

Is getting a colonoscopy worth the hassle?

ABSOLUTELY!  A colonoscopy is a relatively simple and safe procedure with low risk factors that CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE.

Resources:  Cancer.net, American Cancer Society, Cancer.org and CDC.gov.
Written by Rhonda Dolen-Hooker, MSN, FNP-BC, SIU HealthCare, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

March 13 is World Kidney Day. According to the World Kidney Day Initiative, about 1 in 10 people suffer kidney damage. Complications from kidney disease lead to millions of premature deaths. Here are some tips to keep your kidneys healthy.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is not just an adult disease – it can happen at any age. In children, CKD is a growing problem, says Dr. Michael Seifert, a pediatric nephrologist at SIU School of Medicine who holds a cross appointment at Washington University in St. Louis.

Most children with CKD are born with the disease, but thousands more are diagnosed each year. More boys than girls develop the condition. While no screening guideline exists for CKD, doctors have several tests that can help diagnosis the disease. Treatment is a lifelong process that might involve changes in children’s diet, exercise and medications. Without management, CKD can progress to kidney failure and the need for a transplant.

Here are some risk factors for developing CKD:

• Obesity
• Premature birth
• Low birth weight
• Smoking or being around smokers
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Anemia
• Cancer

Children with CKD may have additional health problems. These can include:

• Hypertension
• Sleep problems
• Vascular problems
• Decreased growth rate
• Decreased bone density
• Lower quality of life
• Anemia
• Decreased social interactions

Prevention

To keep your kidneys healthy, the National Kidney Disease Education program recommends the following: http://1.usa.gov/1cmclpj

• Lower your blood pressure
• Eat healthy
• Cut back on salt
• Follow your medicine regimen
• Eat heart-healthy foods
• Quit smoking – or don’t start

Resources:

kidney.org/kidneydisease/aboutckd.cfm

nkdep.nih.gov/learn/keep-kidneys-healthy.shtml

siuhealthcare.org/Public/ProviderDetails.aspx?pid=336

worldkidneyday.org/

http://1.usa.gov/1cmclpj

Logo copyrighted WKD

March is National Nutrition Month. Proper diet and exercise are essential to perform at our best and sustain optimal health.

SIU SOM is fortunate to have five registered dietician nutritionists (RDNs) on campus: Erin Paris and Melissa Nicol, OB/GYN; Sibyl Cox, Pediatrics; and Cheryl Burns and Sara Lopinski in the Division of Endocrinology.

The top 10  reasons to consult with an RDN:

1. You have diabetes, cardiovascular problems or high blood pressure.

2. You are considering gastric bypass surgery.

3. You have digestive problems.

4. You’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

5. You need guidance for breastfeeding your baby.

6. Your teenager has issues with food and eating healthfully.

7. You need to gain or lose weight.

8. You’re caring for an aging parent.

9. You want to eat smarter.

10. You want to improve your performance in sports.

Click here to view the entire “top 10” list in more detail.

March is colon cancer prevention month. The colon and rectum are part of the digestive system that form a long tube called the large intestine or large bowel. The colon’s role is to utilize the nutrients and rid the body of leftover waste products called stool or bowel movement. Cancer occurs when normal cells grow out of control. Colon cancer can stay in the colon or spread to other parts of the body.  It likes to go to the liver.

Colon cancer, while a top cancer killer, is one cancer that you can prevent. Caught early, you’ll have a 90% chance of surviving five years. Here are some tips from the American Cancer Society:

1. Maintain a healthy weight
2. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise a day
3. Quit smoking – Smoking has been tied to colon cancer so don’t smoke or quit
4. Make red meat a treat – avoid processed meats, too
5. Limit alcohol – men: 2 drinks a day; women: 1 drink a day
6. Increase fiber intake – eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day along with whole grains
7. Check stool for blood yearly after 50
8. Colonoscopy every 10 years after 50 or sigmoidoscopy every 5 years
9. Sleep at least 8 hours at night
10. Get screened: Screenings are the first step to ward off colon cancer

Risk factors include:

• Age over 50
• Polyps (growths in colon or rectum)
• Family history of colorectal cancer
• Genetic alterations
• Overweight
• Smoker
• Heavy alcohol use
• Diet high in processed and or red meats

If you have any of these risk factors, you should get screened.

The Regional Cancer Partnership of Illinois is giving away free screening kits this month to individuals 50 or older. The free kits will be available from 2- 4 p.m., Friday, March 21, and from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, March 27 at Simmons Cancer Institute (SCI) at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, 315 W. Carpenter in Springfield.  The screening kit does not substitute for a colonoscopy, which is the best method to detect colorectal cancer.

Diarrhea or constipation, feeling bowel doesn’t empty completely, finding blood (either bright red or very dark) in your stool, finding your stool narrower than usual, having frequent gas pains, cramps, or bloating, losing weight for no reason, feeling tired all the time and having nausea or vomiting are all indications that you should see a doctor.

Get screened and prevent colon cancer!

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Sources: American Cancer Society, Celeste Wiley, RN & Diana Weyhenmeyer, RN