Back in December, the editors at Make It Better asked me to write about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). But I just couldn’t muster up the energy to open my laptop. Because like 10 percent of all Chicagoland residents, I suffer from SAD, a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year – […]
What happens when you see your spouse in real trouble, out of control and needing to change his or her health and eating habits? How You Can Help (the Dos) Dr. Tamara Goldman Sher is a professor and the director of clinical training at the Illinois Institute of Technology. She says when it comes to […]
The next time you’re at the doctor’s office, make sure you ask about these tests: In your 30s Blood pressure Blood pressure rises with age, so start tracking it early. Anything above 140/90 can lead to stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. Skin check Skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in the U.S., […]
How do you find a great doctor? Whether you’re healthy or struggling with a serious illness, finding an answer to that question can make a difference in your quality of life. Just ask Debbie Madlener. Madlener, a Wilmette mother-turned-patient-advocate whose lifelong battle with a kidney ailment has led her to cycle through a handful of […]
James Beard Award-winning chef Sarah Stegner recently developed a healthy menu for her restaurant Prairie Fire, and in the process, she came up with substitutions that anyone can apply to his or her diet. Stegner’s friend Mary Abbott Hess, a dietitian, nutrition expert and award-winning cookbook author, offered her guidance. 1. If you choose good, […]
It happened to me last weekend. My 11-year-old had a pea-sized bump on his shin. I panicked: What if it’s a blood clot? And then I did what every other parent does, debated whether it warranted an after-hours call to the pediatrician. Thank goodness I have a pediatrician who encourages patients to call. “It’s my […]
Regrettably, it’s not a rare occurrence. Husband and wife are fooling around and he feels a lump in his wife’s breast. But unlike most men, Patrick McDermott didn’t just let his wife know. After the tragic death of his sister-in-law a year before, he wasn’t taking anything for granted and called his doctor the next day. […]
Local clinics are adding ancient techniques to be on the cutting edge of integrative fertility care. Jennifer Botchway of Evanston experimented with yoga, acupuncture, nutrition counseling and massage when she was going through infertility treatment, and would recommend holistic treatment to women trying to conceive. Botchway says, “I felt healthier and good about what I […]
Gentlemen, how much would you do for your mate? Would you cook? Would you clean? Would you wear a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask to stop your snoring? Would you do it for yourself? Loud snoring is annoying to those around you (and down the hall), but it’s also unhealthy for the snorer and […]
