Obesity, Drinking a Double Threat to the Liver
By Luke | March 11, 2010
By — Randy Dotinga of HealthDay News (full article)
Obesity plus daily drinking boosts the risk of liver disease in men and women, researchers report in two new studies.
In one study, scientists at the University of Oxford examined the medical records of 1.2 million middle-aged British women. They followed them for an average of about six years and found that overweight or obese women faced a higher risk of cirrhosis of the liver, and the risk increased if they also reported drinking an average of a third to half a drink a day.
Still the overall numbers were small: Of those who drank that much, only 0.8 or 1 in 1,000 was admitted to the hospital with cirrhosis of the liver or died of the disease over five years.
But among those who reported drinking an average of 2.5 drinks a day, the rate was 2.7 in 1,000 among those with healthy weight and five in 1,000 among those who were obese.
In another study, teams at the universities of Glasgow and Bristol tracked more than 9,000 men in Scotland for an average of 29 years. They found that a combination of higher alcohol consumption and obesity boosted the levels of liver disease beyond what would be expected.
Both reports appear online March 12 in the BMJ.
The American Liver Foundation has more about alcohol-induced liver disease. You can also visit shermanhealth.com to learn more about the services we offer.
Topics: Health News | No Comments »
Congratulations to our Heart Month Winners!
By Luke | March 3, 2010
Back in February, Sherman Health created two items on Facebook to increase heart awareness.
Heart-Healthy Recipe Contest
The winner of the contest would have his or her recipe featured on the menu at the Sherman Café every Friday from March 13 – April 2. After deliberation, a group of judges has come to a decision. Congratulations to our Recipe Contest winner, Ana Ortiz-Hollian!
Ana’s recipe was for stuffed shells, made with ground turkey, fat-free cheeses and a wide variety of vegetables. But Ana’s recipe was not the only standout in the group. Because of the quality of the submitted recipes, we will be adding a recipe section to the blog that will make it easy to find the best submitted recipes. Look for these new posts in the coming weeks!
Support American Heart Month and Win a Free CT Scan
In an effort to increase awareness about the importance of maintaining a healthy heart, we created a Cause on Facebook that asked people to join and accepted donations to the American Heart Association. The winner of a free CT scan was randomly selected yesterday. Congratulations to Chris Walker Brandt!
A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who submitted a heart-healthy recipe or joined our Facebook cause. Be on the lookout for more recipes in the near future, and don’t forget to sign up for your own CT scan. The scans are highly recommended for men over 40 and women over 45.
Topics: Community/Community Events, Recipes, Sherman News | No Comments »
Mediterranean Diet: A healthy way to eat without giving up those foods you love
By Mollie | February 26, 2010
Do you have trouble sticking to a strict, calorie-counting weight loss diet? And does the word “diet” alone make you cringe? Perhaps it’s time to check out eating the Mediterranean way.
The Mediterranean diet, which allows for olive oil, cheese, breads, and even wine among other treats, is a healthy alternative to the American way of consuming food. It focuses on a balance of food that can lead to weight loss and other nutritious perks, including less chance of heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes control, and other problems. But unlike most diets, the focus seems to be less on cutting and restriction and more on a shift in the overall food pyramid.
The Mediterranean diet is not just the latest diet craze, either. In the 1950s, researchers discovered that people in the Mediterranean area had longer life expectancies and were the healthiest people in the world. Looking closer, they could attribute it to what they ate. While the many countries don’t share the exact diet, the basic foundation is the same.
So just what is a Mediterranean diet? The focus is on the following:
- An abundance of plant foods, including fruits and vegetables, but also breads, cereals, potatoes, beans and nuts.
- Non-processed foods, when possible eating seasonally and locally grown foods
- Olive oil, which is rich in healthful fats, to replace butter and margarine as the main fat source
- Low and non-fat cheese and yogurts
- Fish and poultry in moderate amounts
- Up to four eggs a week
- Red meat a few times a month
- Fresh fruit for dessert, limiting desserts with high sugar and saturated fat.
- 1-2 glasses of wine per day if you drink alcohol
If you’d like to learn more about exploring a Mediterranean diet, read “The Mediterranean Diet and Good Health” and check out our free “Eating the Mediterranean Way” class Tuesday night from 6-7PM at the new hospital. If you can’t make it Tuesday, the class will be offered again. Just let us know in the comments, and we’ll notify you.
Topics: Tips/Advice | No Comments »
Kane County ranks 11th and 19th in health study
By Mollie | February 24, 2010
In a recent study on Illinois health, Kane County can be proud to be ranked in the top 20 out of 101 counties. According to the Courier News, the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a study that compared several health factors in various counties, and Kane ranked 11th in the area of Health Outcomes, defined as longevity and how well people feel and 19th in the area of Health Factors like behavior, clinical care, socioeconomic factors, and physical environment.
Even with reports that 1 out of 2 children in U46 is considered obese, the area’s programs like Activate Elgin, which Sherman is a part of, help to push the county in the right direction. The program encourages area residents to focus on health, kids and families to eat healthy and be active, and parents to take an active role in their children’s health.
Also, over the past few years, as our clinical nutrition manager, Joan Kanute, points out in the article, residents have shown an increased interest in our healthy living classes. A few worth highlighting, in case you’re interested in taking a more active role in your own health:
- Focus on Plants: Exploring the Vegetarian Way.
- Nutrition and Health: Making Healthy Food Choices
- Eating the Mediterranean Way
You can read the full article on Kane County’s health ranking at the Courier News website: “Kane County Fares Well in Health Checkup”
Topics: Health News | No Comments »
Warning Signs of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
By Luke | February 23, 2010
This post was taken from Diana Kohnle at HealthDay News.
Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by extreme tiredness and a feeling of being worn out all the time, even after waking up. Its cause isn’t understood.
The U.S. National Women’s Health Information Center says chronic fatigue syndrome may have these symptoms:
To see the many services Sherman offers, just visit shermanhealth.com
Topics: Health News, Tips/Advice | No Comments »
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