written by Rebecca Budde, SIU School of Medicine
Spring forward – fall back.
This Sunday marks the day when we get to turn back the hands of time an extra hour. While it’s tempting to use the extra time to catch up on sleep, consider using your extra time getting yourself and your family prepared for the cold months ahead.
Winterize: It’s not too early to check the safety supplies in your car. Be sure you have a box with an ice scraper, tow rope, blankets, water, non-perishable food, gloves, hats, flashlight and batteries, candle and matches, first aid kit, shovel and any needed medications.
Appetize: Food for thought: Pumpkin pie and Christmas cookies are right around the corner, but you can plan some healthy options to help keep the winter weight away. Use your extra hour to plan out some healthy menus for the year. Get the slow cooker ready and freeze portions to help save cooking time during busy nights.
Moisturize: Dry winter air is hard on the skin and makes breathing more difficult for some. Sanitize your humidifiers with vinegar and hot water so they’re ready to go when the cold hits.
Organize: If you have a fireplace, be sure your chimney has been professionally cleaned. Have your gas lines checked if you have a gas fireplace. If you have a wood burning fireplace, it’s a good time to stock up on wood. Change your furnace filter and grab a couple extra to have on hand.
Copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.
Monthly Archives: October 2014
Three diabetes-friendly meals to help you “stick with it”
written by Lauren Murphy, SIU School of Medicine
The bad news: By 2050, researchers predict that 1 in 3 Americans will have diabetes. Currently, about 1 in 10 Americans live with diabetes.
The good news: Healthy eating can prevent type 2 diabetes and help manage all types of diabetes.
Dr. Michael Jakoby, endocrinologist at SIU School of Medicine, doesn’t recommend a particular diet for diabetic individuals, but suggests people choose the diet they will most likely stick to. And what’s easier than sticking to a diet that has terrific food like this?
In honor of American Diabetes Month this November, below are three quick, easy and delicious meal ideas to try from the American Diabetes Association.
Want more help managing your diabetes? Join SIU School of Medicine diabetes educators and Dr. Jakoby on November 5 for “I Can Stick with It,” a free program designed to help patients get the most out of their meds and learn the importance of monitoring the disease. For more info, click here: http://www.siumed.edu/news/Releases%20FY15/StickWithItDiabetes_Oct-17-14.html
Breakfast: Fruit & Almond Smoothie (serves 2) 
Ingredients:
1 cup original almond milk
1 cup frozen strawberries and peaches
1-3.5 oz. berry-flavored Greek yogurt
Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth and thick.
Lunch: Mediterranean Turkey Wrap (serves 4)
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons hummus
4 whole-wheat wraps, heated
12 ounces no-salt added, deli-style turkey
½ large cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2 roma tomatoes, diced (about 1 cup)
¼ cup reduced-fat, crumbled feta cheese
4 green olives, diced
Instructions: Spread 2 tablespoons hummus on wrap. Top with 3 ounces turkey, ¼ cup cucumber, ¼ cup tomatoes, 1 tablespoon feta cheese and 1 diced olive. Fold wrap to close.
Repeat step 1 for remaining 3 wraps.
Dinner: Slow-cooker Chicken Fajita Burritos (serves 8)
Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken strips
1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup salsa
1/3 cup water
1-15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
8 large low-carb tortillas
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons reduced-fat, shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions:
1. Place chicken breast strips in a slow-cooker. Top with remaining ingredients except for tortillas and cheese.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until done. Shred chicken with fork, if needed.
3. Serve ½ cup chicken and bean mixture on each tortilla and top with 2 tablespoons cheese. Fold into a burrito. – See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/mfa-recipes/recipes/2013-08-slow-cooker-chicken-fajita.html#sthash.aSCR8ibJ.dpuf
copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois
It’s national medical library/librarians month
written by Rebecca Budde, SIU School of Medicine
A bug bites your arm. You check the internet to find out what kind of bug bit you and the best remedy for the itchy, red welt. Congratulations! You’ve conducted one of the 12.5 million daily internet searches about a health-related topic. And while the World Wide Web is full of useful information, only about 30% of medical literature is freely available online. This is where medical libraries (and librarians) come in handy.
SIU School of Medicine houses a medical library on the fourth floor of its main building at 801 N. Rutledge in Springfield. The library serves as a resource and outreach library within the Midwest, providing more than 4,000 documents to other institutions each year from its collection. Here are some other fun facts about SIU’s medical library:
– It houses 157,700 physical volumes
– The oldest volume is a French medical text from 1525
– The library is open 88 hours per week
The library is currently under renovation, which is expected to be complete by January 2015. The new and improved library will have more user space, including group study rooms and collaborative and event spaces. To learn more about SIU School of Medicine’s Medical Library visit their website: http://www.siumed.edu/lib/
copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.
3 fruits to fall for
written by Rebecca Budde, SIU School of Medicine
For some people, harvest time means the end of summer’s bounty of fresh, sweet fruits and berries. But fall has its own crop of delightful options. Apples, pumpkins and grapes, three fruity favorites that thrive this time of year, can be just as delicious and nutritious as their summer competitors.
Apples: With more than 7,500 different types of apples, this power-fruit can work wonders for your health. With very few calories, no fat and only a trace of sodium, one medium apple counts for about 
20% of the USDA’s daily recommendation of fiber. It’s also a great source of vitamin C.
Pumpkin: The bright orange fruit isn’t just good for pie; it’s full of potassium, B-vitamins and beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. A diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease, according to SIU dietitian Sara Lopinski. Illinois produces more pumpkins than any other state, so have a pie and support the local economy.
Grapes: Also low in calories and fat-free, these bite-sized babies are a wonderful source of vitamins C, A and K, carotenes and B-complex vitamins such as pyridoxine, riboflavin and thiamin. Grapes are rich in a compound known as resveratrol, an anti-oxidant found to help fight cancer, heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.
Here are a few recipes to try with these fall favorites:
Easy baked apples with walnuts and raisins (optional) Adapted from a recipe from The American Institute for Cancer Research
makes 6 servings
Per serving: 151 calories, 3.5 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 31 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 5 mg sodium.
Canola oil cooking spray
3 large Granny Smith apples or any variety baking apple
3 Tbsp. whole-wheat flour
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3/4-1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 cup apple cider
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray glass pie dish with non-stick spray.
2. Cut apples in half from top to bottom, core and peel. Lay halves flat and cut into medium slices. Place apple slices in large bowl.
3. In medium bowl, mix together flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle mixture on apples and gently stir until apples are evenly coated with spices. Gently fold in walnuts and raisins.
4. Spoon apple mixture into prepared pie dish. Drizzle cider evenly over top.
5. Bake 50-55 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Using spatula, carefully turn over apple mixture to get caramelized sauce from bottom of dish. Serve hot or let cool to room temperature, refrigerate and serve cold later.
Pumpkin pie protein smoothie
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup (120g) vanilla Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup (120ml) skim milk
2 Tbsp. (30ml) pure maple syrup
2/3 cup (150g) pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
1 cup ice
Add all of the ingredients to the blender in the order listed. Blend on high for at least 3 minutes or until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Add more milk to thin out if it is too thick. Add a couple more ice cubes for a thicker texture, if desired. Add more spices to taste, if desired.
Grabba grape
Grapes are a great addition to any fruit salad, but for a fun, frozen snack, try freezing a small bowl of grapes. Now that’s an easy recipe!
copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.
A new parent’s worst nightmare
written by Steve Sandstrom, SIU School of Medicine
A child’s birth is the beginning of a set of daily wonders for the new parents – and many sleepless nights. One cause for worry can be the small but frightening risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
SIDS is an unexplained cause of death occurring in infants when they are sleeping. It’s the leading cause of death among children under one year old, claiming the lives of more than 2,000 infants in the US each year.
The exact cause of SIDS has not been determined, and the phenomenon is not well understood by medical experts. Dr. Tracy Milbrandt, an SIU pediatrician, says, “The way we define SIDS is an unexplained death of a seemingly otherwise healthy infant under a year of age, where there really is no identifiable cause of death. What we do know is that it typically is the result of some sort of lack of oxygen.”
The good news is that SIDS rates for the United States have dropped steadily since 1994 in all racial and ethnic groups. Thousands of infant lives have been saved, but some ethnic groups are still at higher risk for SIDS.
Dr. Milbrandt explains some risk factors for SIDS that can help parents be more aware. “Being male is an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, and babies who are born early or have low birth weights when they are born are at higher risk. One of the biggest factors we see is mothers who smoke during pregnancy. That increases the risk by three times for babies to die from SIDS.”
Parents and caregivers can take steps to reduce the risk of SIDS:
● Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep, for naps and at night.
● Use a firm sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib covered by a fitted sheet.
● Keep baby’s sleep area in the same room where you sleep.
● Remove soft objects, toys, crib bumpers and loose bedding from your baby’s sleep area.
● Give your baby a dry, unattached pacifier.
● Do not let your baby get too hot during sleep.
To reduce the risk of SIDS, women should:
● Get regular health care during pregnancy.
● Not smoke, drink alcohol or use illegal drugs during pregnancy or after your baby is born.
● Breastfeed
● Follow your health care provider’s guidance on your baby’s vaccines and regular health checkups.
● Avoid products that claim to reduce the risk of SIDS.
● Do not use home heart or breathing monitors.
● Give your baby plenty of tummy time when he or she is awake and when someone is watching.
For more information about SIDS, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics and HealthyChildren.org, or talk to your child’s physician.
copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.
Read more: http://www.sj-r.com/article/20141014/BLOGS/310149992/-1/blogs01#ixzz3GohniZqz
Sources: Safe to Sleep® and the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on SIDS
Breathe easy: LVRS helps those with end-stage emphysema
Imagine having to ask someone to tie your shoes because bending over means you can’t breathe. Not being able to “catch your breath” means that you can’t take a long hot shower or do simple chores like vacuuming without supplemental oxygen. Those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) don’t have to imagine these scenarios.
COPD is a common lung disease that causes difficulty breathing. The two main forms of COPD include chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD is expected to become the third leading cause of 
death world-wide by the 2030s, according to a 2013 report from the World Health Organization.
Emphysema progressively destroys the lungs by turning the air sacs into large, asymmetrical pockets with gaping holes in their inner walls. It also eliminates the elastic fibers that hold open the small airways leading to the air sacs. The airways collapse upon exhalation and the air in the lungs cannot escape. The lungs then increase in size and push down on the diaphragm, making it difficult to breathe. Most patients with end-stage emphysema are very limited in their daily activities: their breathing is labor intensive, and they rely on supplemental oxygen.
Help for patients with end-stage emphysema
SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois is one of five programs in the United States offering the only known surgery to help those with end-stage emphysema. Dr. Stephen Hazelrigg, SIU cardiothoracic surgeon, performs lung volume reductions surgery (LVRS) at Springfield’s Memorial Medical Center (MMC). Dr. Hazelrigg has performed approximately 500 lung volume reduction surgeries on patients from 13 different states since 1993.
To relieve the stress on the diaphragm and help the patient breathe more easily, the surgeon makes three small incisions and removes the most damaged part of the upper lobe of the lung. Removing the damaged areas allows the remaining healthy tissue and surrounding muscles to work more efficiently. Without the damaged area, the lung shrinks down, and the diaphragm can relax and move up and down more easily. “It doesn’t seem to make sense, but it works,” Dr. Hazelrigg says. “Many of these people are out of options; no other medications can help them.”
Relief and breathing improvement varies from person to person. Some patients may feel like they are breathing better during the hospital stay, but it usually takes a few months. Patients report after a month that they are able to do things such as shower more easily or walk through the house without 
supplemental oxygen. LVRS typically improves breathing by 40-50 percent. “This is a dramatic improvement in the lives of these patients,” Dr. Hazelrigg says.
There’s nothing like a good, deep breath and now even some who suffer from COPD will be able to breathe more easily thanks to this life-saving surgery.
Read more about Dr. Hazelrigg and LVRS in SIU School of Medicine’s aspects magazine.
To learn move about Dr. Hazelrigg and watch a short video about how LVRS changed one woman’s life.
-rb
Busting the myths about your bust and breast cancer
written by Lauren Murphy, SIU School of Medicine
Myth #1: Breast cancer can’t be prevented.
While it’s true that not all cases of breast cancer can be prevented, research suggests that between 30-40% of cancer cases are, in fact, preventable through diet. Physicians at SIU School of Medicine recommend eating 5-9 daily servings of fruits and vegetables and limiting the amount of fried, greasy or fatty foods you eat. To top off your cancer-preventing efforts, hop on that treadmill! Studies estimate that up to 20% of cancer deaths in women may be caused by obesity or being overweight.
Myth #2: If you feel a lump, you probably have breast cancer.
Listen closely, if you feel a new lump, get it checked out by a doctor! About 80% of lumps in women’s breasts are caused by noncancerous changes, cysts or other conditions, so you probably do not have breast cancer. However, detecting breast cancer early is key, so schedule an appointment with your doc ASAP. Your doctor will likely recommend a mammogram, ultrasound or biopsy.
Myth #3: Breast cancer always displays itself in the form of a lump.
Lumps may certainly indicate the presence of breast cancer, but according to the American Cancer Society, women should be on the lookout for these other signs as well:
Swelling of the breast
Skin irritation or dimpling
Breast or nipple pain
Nipple retraction (turning inwards)
Redness, scaliness or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
Discharge (other than breast milk)
Myth #4: Wearing a bra too often will cause breast cancer.
Supposedly, the underwire from a bra will compress the breasts’ lymphatic system, causing toxins to accumulate. Do not fret, ladies; your Wonderbra is not going to give your girls cancer. Researchers agree: Neither the tightness or your bra, the amount of time you wear a bra nor the type of bra will determine whether you develop breast cancer.
Myth #5: Breast cancer only affects women.
Sure, women are 100 times more likely than men to develop breast cancer, but that doesn’t mean men can’t get it. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 2,360 new cases of breast cancer in males are diagnosed each year, and about 430 men will lose the battle to breast cancer.
Myth #6: If your mom or grandma had breast cancer, you will get it as well.
The good news: only 5-10% of breast cancers are thought to be hereditary. The bad news: roughly 70% of women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer have no identifiable risk factors for the disease. Sadly, that means it’s pretty difficult to predict who will and who won’t develop breast cancer.
Myth #7: Annual mammograms expose women to too much radiation and up your risk of developing cancer.
When you compare the risks associated with radiation exposure to the risk of not discovering breast cancer until it reaches stage 3 or 4, it isn’t a difficult choice. Rest easy, ladies and gentlemen (see #5), radiation from mammography is minimal. A mammogram has the power to detect lumps well before you can, and remember, the earlier breast cancer is detected, the better one’s chances are for survival. Doctors recommend that 40+ women schedule a mammogram annually.
Myth #8: I don’t need to worry about breast cancer until I’m older.
Starting at age 20, women should conduct monthly breast self-examinations, and doctors should perform clinical breast examinations (CBEs) every three years. About 1 out of 8 invasive breast cancers are found in women younger than 45, while about 2 of 3 invasive breast cancers are found in women age 55 or older.
copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.
How can you help Sangamon County get healthier?
Did you know that Sangamon County ranks third in the state for clinical care (because of the concentration of doctors, hospitals and medical facilities)? Yet the county also ranks 81st out of 102 counties in the 2014 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. How can that be?
According to Dr. David Steward, SIU’s associate dean and director of the office of community health and service, many elements can affect the health of the population, such as exercise, availability of healthy food, crime, education, tobacco, alcohol and drug use and income levels.
What can you do to improve Sangamon County’s health care?
Memorial, St. John’s and the Sangamon County Health Department are working together to conduct a comprehensive Community Health Needs Assessment in Sangamon County. Information on local needs will be gathered through forums and surveys. SIU School of Medicine and the University of Illinois Springfield are providing technical support.
Community residents are invited to provide input and discuss the county’s health needs during the process. Please join us for one of the following forums:
Wednesday, October 8 from 6:30-8 pm at the Auburn Community Center
Thursday, October 9 from 6-7:30 at Lanphier High School
You can also share your opinions and ideas via the online survey at go.uis.edusangamonhealth through Oct. 17.
-rb
October is Breast Cancer Awarenss Month
