Written by Lauren Murphy, SIU School of Medicine
Whether it’s working off that layer of winter warmth you gained during the holidays or managing your debt a little better, New Year’s resolutions can be tricky to maintain. Some sources report that only eight percent of Americans stick with their January goals.
With the help of Jeanne Hansen, mental health counselor at the SIU School of Medicine, you can make 2015 your best year yet!
1. Set specific, realistic goals: Start the year off right by setting small, attainable goals. “I think any time we are realistic with ourselves, we are much more likely to keep with the resolution and attain success,” explains Hansen. If you want to hit the gym more often, realize you probably won’t make it seven days a week. Instead, set a date with the treadmill three or four times a week. If you are a bit of fast food junkie but want to lose weight in 2015, start by limiting the number of times you visit McDonald’s each week.
2. Share your goals with friends and family members:  Those around you can be great support system, especially when your motivation is waning. According to Hansen, “What makes a New Year’s resolution successful is willingness to share what those resolutions or those goals are. You kind of hold yourself accountable then and then you have friends or family or supportive people in your corner asking how things are going and holding your feet to the fire, so to speak.”
3. Track your progress: Hansen says to write things down. Consider keeping a calendar and mark the days you work out. Or, keep a food diary. Seeing your behaviors on paper can keep you motivated or help you recognize where you’re falling short.
4. Reward small goals: “Rewarding yourself for making those small steps toward accomplishing some of those goals and resolutions are great ways to increase the likelihood of success,” suggests Hansen. If you make it to the gym four times a week, give yourself a small reward, such as a new water bottle to use at the gym. Or, if you go a full week without fast food, go see a movie using the money you would have spent in the drive-thru.
5. Realize you’re only human: At some point during your journey to becoming healthier or debt-free, you will likely slip up at least once, and that’s okay. Let your mistake(s) motivate you to do better in the future and realize you’ve already taken the first step to a better life. “Make those goals; just the simple act of making them is going to set you on the right path to achieving them,” says Hansen.
Copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois

Written by Lauren Murphy, SIU School of Medicine
The classic flick “Back to the Future” predicted we would have self-tying shoe laces, automatic dog walkers, self-drying jackets and a power source fueled by garbage by 2015. While we must still suffer through tying our own shoelaces and using an umbrella to stay dry, the medical community has come up with some pretty spectacular gadgets in the last few years that we think might be even cooler than an automatic dog walker. Check out our list of top medical innovations.
1. Surgical Robotics: Robotic surgical devices, such as Southern Illinois University School of Medicine’s da Vinci Hysterectomy, can benefit patients by causing less pain, reducing the risk of infection, cutting down on blood loss, minimizing scarring and speeding up recovery time. Surgical robotics have been described by some as “the future of medicine,” likely due to their ability to lessen recovery time by approximately 50 percent through the use of minimally invasive procedures.
2. Fetal monitoring systems: SIU School of Medicine researchers Dr. Robert Abrams, division chief of maternal fetal medicine, and Dr. Nazeih Botros, are testing a device known as AmmSensor™, a system that can monitor, record and analyze fetal movements in real-time in the hope of decreasing the risk of fetal death. Expectant mothers with high-risk pregnancies can place the device around their abdomens and wirelessly transmit the data, including the fetal heart rate, uterine contractions and pressure occurrences on the uterine wall, to their physicians.
3. Home automation systems: You’ve probably seen the window shades that close with the tap of a remote, but did you know there are entire automation systems that help aging loved ones, especially those with Alzheimer’s disease, safely stay in their own homes longer? Sensors, which can track activity, turn off appliances and detect flooding, are placed around the home. If, for example, an Alzheimer’s patient leaves her home at 3 am, a silent sensor on her front door will text her daughter to alert her that her mother has left.  A sensor can also be installed in the kitchen to monitor eating habits or in the bedroom to detect sleeping issues. Naturally, this may seem like an invasion of privacy, which is why we advocated for detecting Alzheimer’s disease early on so that the affected may be a part of the conversation.
4. Bioprinted tissues and organs: Multi-layered skin grafts, custom-fit bones, tracheal splints, heart tissue and more can now be bioprinted using layer-by-layer positioning of biochemicals, biological materials and living cells. According to Sean Murphy and Anthony Atala, authors at Nature Biotechnology, the futuristic technology also has the potential to be used for research, drug discovery and toxicology.
5. Ingestible Smart Pills: Designed for patients who often forget to take their medications or mix up dosages, “smart pills,” which are linked to sensors and powered by electrolytes within the body, can track the precise moment when medications are taken for several days at a time. If a patient forgets his/her medication, a text message will be sent to the patient’s caretaker who can remind him/her to take the medication. Although smart pills have been extensively tested, they are still relatively new. Researchers are working on an ingestible pill that would do the job of a colonoscopy. One company has recently designed a battery-powered camera pill that can take high-speed photos of the intestinal tract. The patient could transmit the data collected by the smart pill to his/her doctor for review. As if that wasn’t cool enough, nanotechnology that can travel the bloodstream and alert users of impending health issues, such as a heart attack or infection, is also making its way to the forefront of medicine.  Take that, automatic dog walkers.
Copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.

Written by Rebecca Budde, SIU School of Medicine
It’s party-going season, and for many of us the food and beverage indulgences abound. Those who decide to drink alcohol should take precaution, especially during these months. Nearly one-third of motor-vehicle deaths are related to alcohol impairment, and statistics are higher at this time of year, according to the CDC.
The highest group of fatalities occurs among those between the ages of 21-25, according to SIU substance abuse counselor and psychotherapist Ron Kanwischer. Additionally, studies show that a higher blood alcohol concentration leads to a greater risk of injury from a traffic accident, and the injuries will be more significant too.
While each person’s tolerance for alcohol is different, Kanwischer says serious medical consequences can occur for those who overindulge. “Alcohol is a drug that has the potential to affect almost every organ in the body,” Kanwischer says. “Long-term heavy alcohol use can cause health conditions such as cancer and liver failure.”
Kanwisher offers these tips to stay safe during the party-going holiday season:

• Before the event, decide who will be the designated driver.
• Call a taxi if you’re unsure of your/your driver’s ability to drive safely.
• Ask your friends for their keys if you feel that they are too impaired to drive or offer them a ride if you have a designated driver.
• If you host a party, have plenty of food available, offer non-alcoholic drinks and have a cab company’s number readily available.

If you have a drinking problem, see your mental health or primary care provider. To schedule an appointment with one of SIU’s primary care physicians or psychologists, call 545-8000.
Copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois.

Stroke affects nearly 800,000 people yearly in the United States and is the fourth leading cause of death. Assistant Professor Dr. Sajjad Mueed, a neurologist at SIU School of Medicine and director of Memorial Medical Center’s Stroke Center, says that while some risk factors are out of the patient’s hands, patients have control over several risk factors. “Taking these risk factors out of your life can reduce the risk of stroke significantly. These risk factors account for 90 percent of strokes,” Dr. Mueed said. Other rare medical conditions may also contribute to stroke risk.
Here are the top 10 risk factors for stroke:
1. High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)  This a major risk, according to the American Stroke Association Guidelines. This is roughly defined as blood pressures over 140/90 (normal is 120/80). Adopting healthy lifestyle habits to lower blood pressure can go a long way to prevent a stroke.
2. Smoking  After high blood pressure, smoking is the single greatest contributor to stroke. Among the many health problems smoking causes, it also contributes to your risk for a stroke.
3. Physical Inactivity  You’ve heard it before, but being a couch potato contributes to numerous preventable illnesses, including stroke.
4. Diet  You’ve heard this one, too. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is good for your waistline and reduces your risk of stroke. Dr. Mueed recommends lowering sodium intake and increasing potassium intake to lower blood pressure.
5. High Cholesterol (Dylipidemia)  If a healthy, low-fat diet does not work, then medication such as statins can lower risk. Ask your doctor.
6. Obesity  Since 1980, the prevalence of obesity in adults has doubled. In children, it’s tripled. With obesity comes higher blood pressure (the number one risk factor for stroke). Managing your weight will help lower your risk of stroke (along with diabetes, heart disease, and many others).
7. Diabetes  Diabetes increases your risk of vascular diseases (atherosclerosis). People living with diabetes also may have difficulty keeping their blood pressure stable.
8. Atrial Fibrillation  An estimated 2.3 million Americans have chronic atrial fibrillation — when a heart beats irregularly, quivering instead of beating. This affects the atria or upper chambers of the heart. Those with sustained or non-sustained AF have a 4-5 times greater risk for stroke. This risk can be significantly reduced with use of strong blood thinners like warfarin (coumadin) and several newer medications.
9. Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis The carotid artery is the large artery you can feel on the side of your neck. Atherosclerosis, the build up of plaque, narrows the carotid artery causing carotid artery stenosis, a common diagnosis. Treatment with anti-hypertensive drugs, anti-platelet drugs (such as aspirin) and statins can decrease stroke risk. With higher degrees of carotid artery stenosis, surgical procedures to open up the artery are beneficial.
10. Abuse of recreational street drugs Studies have shown that recreational street drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines and others are associated with increased risk of stroke and heart attacks.
Many of these preventable risk factors are related to each other. Resources are available to help you take charge of your health. Talk with your doctor about how you can lower your risk of stroke. SIU School of Medicine has numerous programs in place for patients interested in quitting smoking, better diabetes management and weight loss programs. Stop a stroke before it starts.
For more information:
http://www.siuhealthcare.org/Public/ProviderDetails.aspx?pid=327
National Stroke Association
American Stroke Association

Written by Laura Castelon, SIU Center for Family Medicine
The winter season has a unique beauty, as the sun glistens off snow-covered trees and ice sparkles on the ground. But winter also brings bitterly cold weather, and that picturesque snow and ice can cause problems for travelers. It is always important to consider your health and take proper precautions when driving in the winter.
Here are some seasonal traveling tips.

• Keep a box in the car 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.
• Make sure your tires are in good condition and properly inflated.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full.
• Bring a fully charged cell phone, or the phone charger for your car.
• Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed garage space. Make sure your exhaust pipe is not clogged with snow, ice or mud. Deadly carbon monoxide gas can build up inside the vehicle.
• Always wear your seatbelt.
• Do not use cruise control on slippery surfaces (ice, snow, wet ground).
• Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Know the breaking system of the car. Standard brakes can be pumped, antilock brakes require steady pressure.
• Drive slow, giving yourself time to maneuver. Maintain a safe following distance in traffic.
• Bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads freeze first.

If traveling long distance, make sure your car is in top operating condition and watch weather reports prior to leaving. If possible, avoid isolated roads. Let others know your destination, route, estimated time of arrival and call when you safely arrive.
If you become snowbound, stay in your vehicle. This increases your chances of survival and rescue. Run the engine and heater long enough to take the chill out, use whatever you can to insulate your body (floor mats, maps, newspapers), tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna to signal distress and use your flashlight at night to help rescuers find you.
Finally, do not underestimate the power of Mother Nature during the winter months. If you really don’t have to go out, hunker down at home. It’s safe and warm, and you can admire the beauty of winter through your windows.
SIU Center for Family Medicine, 520 N. Fourth Street in Springfield, cares about your overall health every season. If you need a doctor please call 545-8000 or walk in.
Copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois

Written by Lauren Murphy, SIU School of Medicine
1. Bluetooth Scale, $169.99: There’s a right way and several very wrong ways to give a high tech scale to someone you love, am I right, ladies? You should never give this gift if you think it might be interpreted as a sign that you think your significant other, friend or family member should alter his/her body in any way. This gift might best be reserved for someone who is in the middle of losing weight as an acknowledgement of his/her hard work. Or, consider giving it to someone who is actively building muscle and gaining weight.
Why splurge?  Not only will a Bluetooth scale track how much you weigh via your smartphone, it will also measure body fat and calculate your body mass index (BMI), letting you track fat loss versus muscle gain.
2. Sonic toothbrush, $39.99: So your significant other might not have the freshest of breath, but that doesn’t mean you should tell him that. Maybe just label this one, “From Santa.” Just kidding, kind of. A sonic toothbrush is also a great option for children or the elderly who may not hit every tooth or brush long enough.
Why splurge? A Cochrane Oral Health Groupstudy suggested sonic toothbrushes resulted in less plaque and fewer cases of gingivitis. Less plaque means fewer cavities and less time you’ll have to spend with the dentist.
3. xBox 360 with Kinect, $280.87: The Kinect has been around for several years now, but that doesn’t mean it’s become any less entertaining. Not only can your significant other rub elbows with Mario Kart’s finest (lookin’ at you, Yoshi), she can also dance along to Latin-inspired Zumba classes or de-stress in a yoga class held in the comfort of her living room. Or, consider giving this to your kids and help promote a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Why splurge?  Research from JAMA Pediatrics has shown “exergames” to be an effective tool in preventing and treating excess weight and promoting physical activity in children. Some experts have labeled these exercise-gaming gadgets the cure for the childhood obesity epidemic.
4. Wake-up, Work-out Alarm, $29.95: This may simultaneously be the best and most annoying gift ever. In order to stop the blaring alarm, you have to execute 30 perfect arm curls holding the hand weight-shaped alarm clock. This gadget is perfect for that someone who says they want to work out but maybe can’t always find the motivation.
Why splurge? According to Lara Carlson, PhD, an associate professor at the University of New England, people who work out in the morning have been shown to have lower blood pressure throughout the day and get better sleep.
5. FitBit-Surge, $249.99: Not only can your loved one track his distance traveled, pace and elevation climbed, he can also play his favorite workout jams, monitor his heart rate and discover his sleep patterns. This little gizmo wirelessly synchs with smartphones, allowing the wearer to still receive text notifications and calls while pumping iron.
Why splurge? Many devices like the FitBit come with free access to online support communities, which can give you that extra push to keep going when your workouts start to become boring or difficult to maintain. Plus, the amount of data these tools track can provide a great deal of insight into how active (or sedentary) you are. Many users suggest setting goals, such as 10,000 steps per day, the daily minimum recommended by the National Institutes of Health, and using the FitBit to track your success.
Copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois

Dr. Patricia Fank, SIU School of Medicine psychologist, weighs in on how to prevent holiday stress.
For many of us, the holiday season approaches with a myriad of emotions – joy, excitement, cheer, as well as a frustration, stress and depression. Alongside the joy of reuniting with family comes the stress of finding the perfect gift, planning the perfect party and hosting a picture-perfect family gathering. Planning for the holidays can leave us feeling overwhelmed, impatient, irritable, and in some cases, depressed. In fact, holiday depression is quite common, and many find the holidays bring back memories of a happier time or loved ones we have lost.
Here’s the good news: It’s never too late to make changes or adopt new holiday traditions. Let this be a refresher for you, and just maybe, it’ll spark a change so that you too can minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays this year.
Here are 10 tips that may change your approach to this year’s holiday season:
1) Remember what’s important. Too many of us get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and forget what and why we are celebrating in the first place. The holidays are a time for being thankful for what we have, rather than focusing on what we don’t. The holidays are a time to focus on the important relationships we have with family and friends and to help those in need. Take time this holiday season and look for simple pleasures, such as making a snowman, enjoying a cup of eggnog, helping a stranger or sitting around the fire with loved ones.
2) Set realistic expectations for family, time, and money. The approach of the holiday season fills many of us with expectations. Unfortunately however, expectations frequently fall short from what actually occurs. When we place unrealistic expectations on ourselves to cook the perfect meals, attend every holiday party and pick just the right gifts, we are setting ourselves up for stress, disappointment and unhappiness. So, accept your limitations and the limitations of others, and if your plans are idealistic, rethink how you’ll approach this season to close the gap between fantasy and reality.
3) Commit to less. The fewer commitments you make, the simpler and more enjoyable the holidays will be. Overextending yourself just leads to more stress for you and those around you when you take your frustration out on them. Taking a step back can be quite difficult since we are often expected to juggle family events, shopping, parties, cooking and other holiday-related activities, and we don’t realize how much time and energy each one will take. This year, make it a goal to do less. Perhaps you will not see as many people, write as many cards or cook as many pies, but you will be much less stressed and enjoy the holidays even more.
4) Prepare in advance, manage time and plan ahead. Decide what your priorities are regarding holiday events, put them in order of priority and give yourself a realistic deadline. Do not wait until the last minute to complete tasks and do not take on more than you can physically and mentally accomplish. You are not a superhero! If you can spare time to help others, great, but make sure you have plenty of time to accomplish what you need to first.
5) Continue healthy habits. People are busier than normal and can’t keep up with their regular workout routines while eating habits are easily swayed by holiday travel and tempting treats. Overeating during the holidays has unfortunately becomes an acceptable, even encouraged part of the holiday tradition, but that overindulgence can add stress to your holidays. Before holiday parties have a healthy snack; don’t arrive on an empty stomach. Try to select small portions, choose wisely and eat slowly. Also, avoid excess alcohol, which is a depressant and may actually release more “stress hormones”. And most importantly, continue to get plenty of sleep and don’t forget to exercise, even if that means taking a short walk before or after meals. How we feel physically is directly connected to how we feel emotionally.
6) Schedule time with family and friends. If you live alone or just dread this particular time of year, it’s important not to spend the holidays alone. Whatever uncomfortable feelings you associate with the holiday will be exacerbated by spending it alone. Do whatever you can to shift your focus from the past to the present. While it is healthy to remember events and lost loved ones, it doesn’t need to be the entire focus of the holiday for you.
7) Take time for yourself. While rushing around during the holidays, we often put ourselves last and end up feeling more exhausted after our “holiday” than before. This year, take some time to be kind to yourself, even if it’s just a few minutes each day. For example, sleep in a few more minutes or spend a few minutes in solitude remembering what you are grateful for.
8) Practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is not something we do for others; it is something that we do for ourselves. When you hold a grudge, you are most often the one who ends up suffering. This holiday season, give yourself the opportunity to be happy by a) letting go of grudges and b) preventing those same old transgressions from happening again. Look at this season as an opportunity to work on accepting family members and friends for who they are, even if they don’t live up to all of your expectations. Anticipate that they too might be feeling the effects of holiday stress, pressure and depression, and consider giving the gift of compassion and forgiveness to those who may have wronged you. Most importantly, if you are practicing the rest of this list, it is quite likely they you will be able to approach difficult family gatherings with greater patience and understanding.
9) Accept feelings. Just because it is the holiday season does not mean that you can force yourself to be happy. Acknowledge your feelings and recognize that it is appropriate to mourn losses and reminisce about happier times. Especially if you have recently lost someone close to you or you can’t be with loved ones this holiday season, realize that it’s normal to feel loneliness, sadness and grief. Reach out to those around you, and if you feel lonely or isolated, seek out community, religious, or other support. Volunteering your time to help others is another good way to lift your spirits.
10) Seek professional help. No matter how hard you try, you may find yourself continuously struggling with feelings of sadness, anxiety or irritability. You may have difficulty sleeping, experience physical symptoms, feel overwhelmed, or struggle to face routine household chores. If any of these sound familiar, know that you are not alone. Talk to your doctor or a mental health professional who might be able to offer you some additional support during this holiday season. Together, we can find a way to “make” a happy holiday, because the holidays truly are what you make them.
Copyright © SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois