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HEALTH WATCH MARCH 2020
‘Clean’ living closer than you think
2 • Wednesday, March 25, 2020 • Health Watch
IN THIS ISSUE 3....... ‘Clean’ living closer than you think 4.......Conscious and Connected with Dr. Kristina 5.......Better hearing for better living 6 ......Dear Dietitian answers your health questions 8.......3 steps for a healthy technology relationship 9.......AHS group helps breast cancer patients 10.....AMH adds Human Motion Institute Bethalto location 11......Know the signs of vascular disease
healthwatch
ON THE COVER: Cleta’s Nutrition regular customer Duane Atchley, left, of Alton, discusses different spices, all either organic, vegetarian or both, available in bulk at the Godfrey store at 3004 Godfrey Road, with full-time consultant and sales Jennifer Rulo. Atchley regularly shops at Cleta’s, particularly for his wife, Tamara Atchley, who is vegan. (Jill Moon|Health Watch)
HEALTH WATCH PUBLISHER Denise VonderHaar dvonderhaar@edwpub. net (618) 463-2500 — HEALTH WATCH ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Carole Fredeking carole.fredeking@ hearst.com (618) 463-2500 —
HEALTH WATCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jill Moon jill.moon@hearst.com (618) 208-6448 — HEALTH WATCH COORDINATOR Regina Harbison rharbison@the telegraph.com (618) 208-6433 —
Health Watch • Wednesday, March 25, 2020 • 3
‘Clean’ living: Closer than you think Food, spices, supplements, mind, body By Jill Moon
jill.moon@hearst.com
A pair of the region’s best health food destinations are right here in our own backyard — Cleta’s Nutrition, in Godfrey, and Green Earth Grocery, in Edwardsville, both having decades in the industry. “We’re the place you come to if you have a food intolerance,” said Cleta’s Nutrition store manager Wendi Wittman. “We have that edge. We carry and focus on what you would normally have to go to St. Louis to find.” Wittman’s mother, Beverly Roberts, 75, founded Cleta’s Nutrition, in Godfrey, nearly three decades ago, at 3004 Godfrey Road, and still works at the health food store. Wittman, 49, and knowledgeable full-time sales consultant, Jennifer Rulo, 46, research every single brand and product that is sold at Cleta’s Nutrition. Rulo, a former customer, came to Cleta’s 12 years ago seeking pain relief. Not only did she find that
relief — often through trial and error — but she also discovered a desire to help others find relief from persistent daily human conditions. “She is a blessing,” said Roberts, who opened Cleta’s Nutrition in 1991. “She’s on it, she’s into it, her heart’s into health.” Rulo originally came to Cleta’s Nutrition to address her own fibromyalgia and inflammation. Now she’s worked at Cleta’s for more than four years, helping others who walk through Cleta’s door to manage their own physical pain and fatigue. “I do a lot of one-onone,” Rulo said. “People approach me about different things — there’s so many options. There’s a lot of different avenues as far as what people respond to — we never diagnose or recommend, but talk about what has worked for other people and different research on pain management. “You have to know your companies and do your research to talk to others
about ‘clean’ products,” she said, “and you should always consult a physician before changing your diet or adding any supplements, especially with prescription medication.” Current diet trends include a ketogenic diet, high in fat, adequate in protein and low in carbohydrates, or plant-based, not necessarily vegetarian, consisting mostly, or entirely, of plant-derived foods, including vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and fruits, and with few, or no, animal products. Diets that address food intolerance issues also are common, Rulo said. Roberts began working in the health food and nutrition industry in the 1970s, for River City Nutrition, founded by Carl Muckler, who had an Alton location and three Missouri locations: Florissant, Chesterfield and Kirkwood, where Roberts worked. But her experience there wasn’t the only thing that inspired her to have her own health food and nutrition business. “Different family mem-
Just a small sampling of Cleta’s Nutrition’s all-natural product lines. (Photos for Health Watch)
Above: Edwardsville’s Green Earth Grocery, 441 S. Buchanan St., with 40 years in the health food business, founded by Thad Buckey, who owned his first health food store 43 years ago in Webster Groves, Missouri. Buckey owns Green Earth Grocery with his wife, Sue Buckey. Right: Cleta’s Nutrition’s full-time sales consultant, Jennifer Rulo, left, store manager Wendi Wittman, center, and Wittman’s mother and Cleta’s founder, Beverly Roberts, all of Godfrey, stand inside Cleta’s Nutrition, at 3004 Godfrey Road, in Godfrey. Roberts founded the health food store in 1991. (Photos for Health Watch)
bers were getting sick and I was trying to think outside the box, about what could fuel the body so it could heal,” Roberts recalled. Now twice widowed, Roberts said health improved for her first and for her second husband when, during the course of their respective medical treatment, they began consuming “clean” foods and giving more attention to nutrition. “’Clean’ means no chemicals, no dyes, no preservatives, no artificial or synthetic anything,” explained Wittman. In general, clean eating follows the belief that consuming whole foods in
their most natural state and avoiding processed foods, such as refined sugar, offers certain health benefits. “For instance, organic ketchup has 45 percent more lycopene than commercial brands,” Wittman noted. Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, can be found as a supplement, but it may be most effective when consumed from lycopene-rich foods, like, tomatoes. Lycopene’s many health benefits purportedly include improved heart health and lower risk of certain types of cancer, as well as sun protection. Roberts was diagnosed with lupus approximately three years ago, she said, and credits clean eating for reversing the systemic
autoimmune disease, for which she no longer tests positive. “Within a year and a half, I tested negative,” she said. “God made the body to heal. In my recovery, I worked with diet changes, cleaning it up even more.” Cleta’s also offers healthy alternatives, such as homeopathic medicinal products, for mind and body, including beauty and hygiene products, such as fluoride-free toothpaste and hair and skin care. “It’s nutrition for your outer organs,” Wittman said. Roberts gives all the credit for Cleta’s longevity to God. “He’s the reason, He has See CLEAN | Page 4
4 • Wednesday, March 25, 2020 • Health Watch
Conscious and Connected with Dr. Kristina An overall approach to ‘de-toxing’ By Dr. Kristina Bemis Tupman For Health Watch
Now that March is here and New Year’s Resolutions are starting to lose their momentum and luster, we are again starting to hear a lot of talk about “de-toxing.” An often discussed way is through weight loss programs since swimsuit season is right around the corner. But, I have been pleasantly surprised to also see home “de-toxing” programs for spring cleaning or Lent, which include decluttering your home. There is also a big push to start “de-toxing” your home of the harmful chemicals many of us use for cleaning and for personal care use for ourselves and our family members. So, where should you start your “de-toxing” journey? First of all, it’s important to understand that there is absolutely NO quick fix to changing your health. None. Nada. Zilch. Truly adapting better habits to achieve results takes time, dedication and consistency. That being said, we have to start somewhere if we want to see, feel and experience change in any aspect of our life. The basics of de-toxing include actually detoxing — meaning using and consuming toxin-free items and reducing the toxic buildup in and around our bodies and homes. This applies to every aspect you want to de-tox.
Clean From page 3 blessed our business,” she said. “People come in here for so many things medically that may be irreversible, but you can clean up.” And then, there’s Edwardsville’s Green Earth Grocery, 441 S. Buchanan St., with 40 years in the health food business. Founder Thad Buckey, who owns Green Earth Grocery, along with his wife, Sue Buckey, first owned a health food store 43 years ago in Webster Groves, Missouri. “After owning my shop for about three years, my friend said he was having trouble with his health food store in Edwardsville and asked if I wanted to buy it,” Thad Buckey said in 2015. Buckey’s own medical issues drove him to open his own store. As a younger man, he walked into The Natural Way, a health food
If your goal is to rid your body of nasty toxins and excess weight that you’ve allowed to build up, due to poor eating habits, lack of hydration, too much sugar, not enough exercise, etc. then, to detox, you have to stop consuming the bad, and only consume the good. The foods we choose to fuel our bodies will determine the performance. If your goal is to rid your home of unnecessary clutter, then start removing items and constrict how much you purchase. (I can personally attest that de-cluttering and donating items from our home has been a wonderful experience for my family!) If your goal is to rid your home of the hundreds of potential toxic chemicals you have lying around, then you must replace the toxic products with toxin-free products, and stop purchasing products that contain toxic ingredients. There are many resources available to help you navigate “clean” and “green” household products. My personal favorites are the “Think Dirty” and “EWG” apps. You’re able to scan products and get a rating on their safety, right then and there. These are wonderful ways to begin de-toxing your life. However, I believe there is one more crucial component — mindset. Our physical health is often a reflection of our mental
store in Webster Groves, seeking relief from ulcers. “They told me how to deal with my ulcers,” he recalled. He originally tried to buy The Natural Way, which helped rid him of his ulcers, but he ultimately opened Green Earth Grocery. He learned as a customer at The Natural Way, that his “body was too acidic,” he said. “I drank cabbage and carrot juice every day,” he said. “I got rid of (the ulcers). All I had to do was outline my body. “That’s what got me interested in owning a health food store.” Buckey worked for IBM before opening a Webster Groves health food, where he worked for three years. “I’ve always been a naturaloriented person,” Buckey has said. “I wanted to grow my own vegetables, and I love yoga and gardening.” Green Earth Grocery carries only organic produce, fresh breads,
Just a small sampling of Green Earth Grocery’s all-natural product lines. (Photos for Health Watch)
local meats, bulk items, specialty products and more, including a fullservice deli. The deli provides a healthy alternative to mainstream lunch options, offering soups and case items made from scratch. The deli
and emotional health. We’ve all been in tune with this at one time or another, often in high-stress situations. Acknowledging the need to deal with mental and emotional toxins is often the missing link to truly achieving optimal health and happiness. When we’re mentally and emotionally in a good place, we are kinder to ourselves, we are kinder to others, we tend to make healthier decisions, we tend to sleep better and we tend to laugh more. I strongly believe there is something to be said about “laughter is the best medicine.” As a chiropractor, I have the pleasure of often helping people achieve their goals by allowing their bodies to function the best that it can. It’s hard to make positive changes if your body can’t keep up with your brain due to lack of mobility or because of pain. Where and when you start your journey is up to you. Just remember that every journey starts with a single step, and there’s always someone needing you as much as you need them. Dr. Kristina Bemis Tupman owns Bemis Tupman Chiropractic, along with her husband, Dr. Stephen Tupman, at 4105 Humbert Rd suite 101, Alton. For more information on how to begin or continue your journey on sustainable, toxin-free living, join Dr. Bemis Tupman’s Facebook group — Consciously Connected Momma — where she focuses on education, awareness and accessibly.
menu features hot and cold sandwiches, salads, juices and smoothies made from only the highestquality, always-fresh and organic ingredients. Green Earth’s experienced staff is always ready to advise customers in their decision making process, to
get the best product that fits their needs. For more information about Green Earth Grocery, in Edwardsville, follow its Facebook page, visit www.greenearthgrocer.com or call 618-656-3375; for Cleta’s Nutrition, in Godfrey, visit its Facebook page.
Health Watch • Wednesday, March 25, 2020 • 5
Better hearing for better living: hearing protection for the win By Dr. T K. Parthasarathy For Health Watch
Protect What Matters Most
With major league sports season’s start, Dr. T.K. Parthasarathy, of Better Hearing Clinic, offers ways to protect hearing while watching the competitions. “The exuberance of the fans is an integral part of the soccer experience,” said Dr. Parthasarathy, a hearing care provider in the Metro East and St. Louis region 25-plus years. “With that, comes dangerous levels of noise. There are ways, however, to protect your hearing and still enjoy conversations.” Any sound louder than 85 decibels (dB) can damage hearing. One study conducted ® at a stadium in South Africa reported an average sound level of 100.5 dB, with peaks as HOME LIFEof average sports-bar noise highAUTO as 144.2•dB. And a•study reported a reasonable 70 dB, but during big plays, the noise reached 112 dB — about the same noise level as a rock concert. Hearing protection is a proven way to minimize hearing damage risk, and there are options for every situation and
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budget: Disposable earplugs. Affordable and simple to use, these foam plugs should be discarded after each use. Reusable earplugs. Reusable earplugs cost a tad more, but they are easily cleaned for reuse and often come with a cord so you don’t lose them if they fall out. Musicians’ earplugs. Non-custom musicians’ earplugs let in good sounds — your friends’ banter — but keep out harmful sounds, like the crowd’s roar following a big play. Custom earplugs. Only available through hearing care professionals, these are highly efficient because they are custom built based on a mold of your ear. “Protecting your hearing doesn’t have to mean shutting out the world,” said Dr. Parthasarathy. “The right hearing protection will let you enjoy your friends while keeping your ears safe from loud noise.”
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6 • Wednesday, March 25, 2020 • Health Watch
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Dear Readers, Last month we discussed U.S. News’ rankings of the top three diets for overall health, so it seems only balanced to discuss the bottom three this week. A panel of nutrition experts evaluated each diet based on seven categories: how easy it is to follow, its ability to produce short-term and long-term weight loss, its nutritional completeness, its safety, and its potential for preventing and managing diabetes and heart disease. Coming in at number 33 is the Whole 30 Diet. Its claim, although lacking scientific evidence, is that our modern, industrialized food production is the cause of many health problems. In this diet, alcohol, grains, dairy, legumes and sugar are eliminated for 30 days. On the 31st day, you begin adding foods back to your diet so you can identify the ones that cause digestive distress. Number 34 is the Keto Diet, a highfat, low-carbohydrate diet. This diet provides quick weight loss in the beginning, and many claim they don’t feel hungry because they are filling up on fat, which stays in the stomach longer than carbs. Since you are taking in very few carbs, your body’s preferred energy source, your body goes into a state of ketosis in which it relies on fat for energy. The fat isn’t broken down efficiently in the absence of carbohydrates, producing ketones in the process. Hence, the name Keto. Bringing up the rear at number 35 is yet another low-carb diet, the Dukan Diet. This diet was created by Dr. Pierre Dukan, a French physician who specializes in weight management. Its premise is that eating protein helps people lose weight, so on this diet you basically eat a lot of meat with non-starchy vegetables. It promises fast weight loss in the beginning and, once you’ve reached your goal, lets you slowly add bread, cheese and fruit back to your meal plan. The one thing all these diets have in common is that they are all low-carbo-
hydrate diets. As I’ve stated in the past, low-carb diets produce fast weight loss in the beginning by depleting the body’s glycogen stores. Glycogen is a form of carbohydrate stored in the muscles and liver that is used for energy between meals. Water is released when glycogen stores are depleted, resulting in a quick three- to five-pound weight loss. The vast majority of research on nutrition and disease prevention shows that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, i.e. healthy carbohydrates, is the key to preventing chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. Therefore, we need more of these foods in our diets to provide better health. Dear Dietitian does not recommend any of the “bottom three” diets for weight loss or better health. These diets restrict healthy foods and may result in nutrient deficiencies. Please talk to your doctor or dietitian before beginning a new diet. Until next time, be healthy! Dear Dietitian Leanne McCrate, RDN, LD, CNSC is an award-winning dietitian based in Missouri. Her mission is to educate consumers on sound, science-based nutrition. Do you have a nutrition question? Email her at deardietitian411@ gmail.com. Dear Dietitian does not endorse any products, health programs, or diet plans.
Leanne McCrate
Health Watch • Wednesday, March 25, 2020 • 7
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8 • Wednesday, March 25, 2020 • Health Watch
3 steps for a healthy technology relationship OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center
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Take a digital detox • Make a goal to unplug — and stick to it. • Whether a few hours a day, one hour per week or participating in the National Day of Unplugging, deliberately take time to disconnect, which can help maintain a healthy relationship with electronic devices.
ALTON — As adults, most of us are tethered to our phones, actually feeling something is missing if we don’t have it with us. If not a phone, it’s a television or a tablet or laptop. According to a Nielsen study, U.S. adults consume more than 11 hours of media a day, and younger generations purportedly watch us older people while glued to our screens. With ties to depression, obesity, troubled sleep and more, here’s some tips to make sure screen time doesn’t get the best of any of us. Make a plan The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends creating a family media use plan. Together, draft a document that lays down basic rules. Consider: • No screens in bedrooms. • Unplugged family mealtimes. • A “media curfew” at least one hour before bedtime. • Sticking to age-appropriate content, as determined by
Follow screen time limits by age • Infant — OSF Medical Group – Pediatrics’ Dr. Ameera Nauman’s hard-and-fast rule is “no screens” for individuals age 2 and younger. At this age, the human brain’s neural networks develop most rapidly, during the first five years, and language and emergent literacy skills are better learned through personal contact. • Toddler — by the time an infant becomes a toddler, technically they can learn words from a live video chat, as well as some interactive touch screens, but only when parents watch with their toddlers and reiterate content, Dr. Nauman said. • Age 3-5 — the American Academy of Pediatrics said, “No more than an hour of screen time is a good guideline.” • School-age children and teens — Dr. Nauman, and
other pediatricians, said it’s important for parents to watch television with these youngsters and to monitor any computer or screen use. Dr. Nauman said it’s important to balance screen time with other healthy behaviors and encourages this age group to be active 15 minutes for every hour of screen time. She also said to limit overall screen time to two hours a day, excluding homework. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Nauman, call 618462-2222. For more information, contact OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center.
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Health Watch • Wednesday, March 25, 2020 • 9
Alton High School group helps breast cancer patients Alton Memorial Hospital Special to Health Watch
ALTON — This year, the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) group at Alton High School did its most personal service project to date and the effort of that project went toward Alton Memorial Hospital’s Cancer and Infusion Center. When the student FCCLA chapter members learned that one of its advisors, Regina Birch, received a diagnosis of breast cancer, at the beginning of the school year, three of those students — Paige Ontis, Abby Jarnagin and Maddie Besaw — organized a special service project. The winter project involved a workshop to sew port pillows for chemotherapy patients. A port pillow is a small pillow that attaches by Velcro, particularly to a seat belt, to cover a patient’s port-a-cath, or “port,” placed beneath the patient’s skin, used to deliver chemo. The pillow prevents an uncomfortable rub at the patient’s port site and a seat belt. AHS FCCLA alumni members, 26 students and others participated in the workshop, learning how to make the comfort item, of which 165 were made and donated to the AMH Cancer and Infusion Center. “When patients put a seat belt on, the belt will often cross right over the catheter,” said the center’s assistant nurse manager, Donna Campbell. “We’ve had patients tell us in the past that this is the most uncomfortable part about the port,” Campbell recalled. “So having these port pillows is a tremendous help to us, in caring for our patients. We are so grateful to Alton High and the FCCLA.” A port-a-cath, also referred to simply as a “port,” is an implanted device that allows easy access to a patient’s veins. A port-a-cath is surgically-inserted completely beneath the skin and consists of two parts: the portal and the catheter. Chemo medication is administered through the portal. AHS FCCLA members said they were devastated when they learned of Birch’s diagnosis. “We all wanted to do something to contribute, to help other people out,” Jarnagin said. “We knew how it felt to have someone in our lives who is going through that.” The port pillow project began last fall with a campaign for increasing education, as well as funds, to fight breast cancer. Students first distributed informational brochures, along with bulletin board access at the high school for parent-teacher
Assistant Nurse Manager Donna Campbell, left, with Alton Memorial Hospital Cancer and Infusion Center, receives a donation of 165 port pillows from Alton High School Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) student members, left to right, Paige Ontis, Madeline Besaw and Abby Jarnagin, and the school’s FCCLA advisor, Regina Birch, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last fall. The FCCLA student chapter did a community service project inspired by Birch. (For Health Watch)
conferences. The FCCLA raised funds for cancer research by selling pink armbands to wear, raising awareness, and sundaes to eat. The AHS student group raised $1,165 to be divided between the “You’ve Got A Friend” fund of the nonprofit Alton Memorial Health Services Foundation and the Siteman Cancer Network, of which AMH is a part, led by the Siteman Cancer Center, affiliated with the St. Louis-based nonprofit Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital. AMH’s You’ve Got A Friend fund came in handy last year for a patient when her vehicle’s brakes went out, with a repair costing more than her monthly income. The You’ve Got A Friend fund assists breast cancer patients, so that they can focus on healing and recovery. “The You’ve Got a Friend fund is a wonderful service for our patients,” said Alton Memorial Health Services Foundation’s Kristen Ryrie, man-
ager of development. “Patients, who we identify as having financial stresses due to their diagnosis, can fill out an application for assistance,” Ryrie explained. You’ve Got a Friend can spend $800 per person, from its fund, to help with car repairs, rent/mortgage, utility payments, gas cards, et cetera, so that patients can focus on healing and treatment. The foundation is grateful, representatives said, and accepting of any help for the You’ve Got a Friend fund. “These donations go directly to the patients,” Ryrie said. At Alton Memorial, Birch will first undergo surgery and then radiation treatment. “I’m not going down without a fight,” she said. ”I’m very thankful to everyone in the group. They have really gotten behind this and done a lot of great things.”
10 • Wednesday, March 25, 2020 • Health Watch
AMH adds Human Motion Institute Bethalto location Alton Memorial Hospital Special to Health Watch
ALTON — Alton Memorial Hospital’s Todd Meiser had dreams of being a star athlete, but now he’s rewarded by helping local athletes stay healthy and in the game. Meiser, a Bethalto native and physical therapist at AMH’s new location of its Human Motion Institute, brings nearly 30 years of experience to AMH’s Human Motion Institute Rehabilitation Services, 155 E. Bethalto Drive, Bethalto, which opened in January. Meiser, a 1989 graduate of Bethalto’s Civic Memorial High School, in 1994 earned a bachelor’s in physical therapy from St. Louis’ Maryville University. AMH’s Human Motion Institute added an office by Family Physicians of Bethalto, 163 E. Bethalto Drive, which — all in one building — houses an expanded practice with new family physicians, convenient care and lab. The building replaced the former Family Physicians
of Bethalto building, which now houses the new BJC Medical Group office and an Alton Memorial Convenient Care location. Meiser began his practice in 1994 and acquired a broad range of experiences working in both private and home care practices. He worked in his own clinic since 1997 and, in 2013, opened Bethalto’s Team Physical Therapy. Drawn to the profession during his high school years by his love of sports and his interest in helping people to stay active and pain free, Meiser said he still is motivated to ease the pain of and help his patients return to their normal active living. “I was an athlete as a kid, and had delusions of grandeur,” he recalled, “but working in physical therapy is great. “We offer general services for all ages,” he said. “We get our share of athletes from the high school and it’s very satisfying to help them stay active.” Meiser and his wife, Brenda, have two daughters,
Tory and Madyson, and a son, Ethan. Tory is a nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Madyson a freshman at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Ethan a sophomore at CMHS. Not surprisingly, all of the Meisers’ children participated in high school athletics. Todd Meiser has been a member of the Bethalto school board since 2005. The AMH Human Motion Institute now has three regional locations. The main location is at Alton Memorial, ground level of the Olin Wing, and an additional location AMH’s 226 Regional Drive, is on Homer Adams Parkway, between Alton Square Mall and Target. “It’s a wonderful opportunity being with Alton Memorial,” Meiser said. “A lot of patients came over with me from my old place, so we’re already very busy.” AMH Human Motion Institute office manager Amy Richey, with AMH since 1999, oversees the Bethalto location. Call 618-433-6496 or visit www.altonmemorial hospital.org for more information.
Alton Memorial Hospital (AMH) Human Motion Institute office manager Amy Richey and AMH physical therapist Todd Meiser at an additional, new location of AMH’s Human Motion Institute Rehabilitation Services, 155 E. Bethalto Drive, Bethalto. (For Health Watch)
Health Watch • Wednesday, March 25, 2020 • 11
Know the signs of vascular disease OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony’s Health Center For Health Watch
ALTON — OSF HealthCare’s cardiovascular specialists offer advice to recognize signs of vascular diseases. A vascular disease is a condition that impacts arteries and veins, harming blood flow, which, in turn, harms other parts of the human body. There are several different kinds of vascular disease. Vascular disease also can develop because of blood clots, which block blood flow. Inflammation caused by the condition also narrows blood vessels. The condition also can be a factor of genetics. But vascular disease’ most common cause is atherosclerosis, which happens when fatty substance, or plaque, builds up
inarteries, causing arteries to narrow and slowing or blocking arterial blood flow. The causes of atherosclerosis is not clearly understood, but experts do know several things that increase risk. Risk factors • High cholesterol and triglyceride levels • High blood pressure • Smoking • Diabetes • Obesity • Physical inactivity • High saturated fat diet Several serious vascular diseases will show no symptoms before victims have a stroke or heart attack, so risk reduction is the most important thing to do to try to avoid this disease. Talk with a physician about healthy lifestyle choices that promote a healthy vascular system.
Vascular diseases include coronary artery disease, which is caused by atherosclerosis in blood-supply arteries to the heart. Coronary artery disease is the number one killer of U.S. adults and can cause heart attack. Coronary artery disease symptoms prior to suffering a heart attack • Angina (chest pain) • Heaviness, tightness, pressure, burning or pain in chest behind the breastbone • Pain spreading to the arms, shoulders, jaw, neck,or back • Shortness of breath • Weakness and severe tiredness (fatigue), especially during periods of activity • Nausea • Sweating Cerebrovascular disease This can cause a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), which is short-term loss of blood flow to an area of the brain. It usually last less than 5 minutes but not longer than 24 hours, with complete recovery. There are generally no symptoms
prior to a stroke. Peripheral vascular disease This occurs when blood flow to your limbs is restricted, increasing your risk of heart attack or stroke, due to blood clots. Many have no symptoms, but those who do tend to suffer from pain in the thigh, calf or buttocks, particularly while walking or exercising. Symptoms include: • Pale or bluish skin • Lack of leg hair or toenail growth • Sores on toes, feet or legs that heal slowly or not at all • Decreased skin temperature, or thin, brittle, shiny skin on the legs and feet • Weak pulses in legs and feet • Gangrene • Impotence • Wounds that won’t heal at pressure points, such as heels or ankles • Numbness, weakness or heaviness in muscles • Burning or aching pain at rest, commonly in the toes and at night, while lying flat • Restricted mobility • Thickened, opaque toenails
• Varicose veins
Thoracic aortic aneurysm This is a bulging aneurysm, a weakened area in the blood vessel wall, in which it occurs in the aorta where it goes through the chest. The aorta is the largest blood vessel, which delivers oxygenated blood from the heart throughout the body. There may be no symptoms to this condition, but sudden severe pain could be a thoracic aneurysm sign of a life-threatening medical emergency. Symptoms include: • Pain in the jaw, neck or upper back • Pain in the chest or back • Wheezing, coughing or shortness of breath • Hoarseness as a result of pressure on the vocal cords • Trouble swallowing If you experience the symptoms of any of these conditions, schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible — it’s better to be safe than sorry. To find a primary care provider, call Alton’s OSF Medical Group – Primary Care at 618-462-2222.
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CANCER. CANCER.
It’s personal.
It’s personal.
Will I be able to work? How will I get to treatments? Will I lose my hair? Will I see my children grow up? Where do I find hope?
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We’re by your side from diagnosis through treatment. Because for all of us – it’s personal. To learn more, visit osfhealthcare.org/cancercare.