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Fall is a busy time of year, and nobody knows this better than farmers. As harvest season draws to a close, remember these simple strategies that can help you manage the stress that may follow. 1. Make the most of your healthy lifestyle choices (but don't expect perfection). Sleep is hard to come by during harvest season, when weather, moisture, equipment malfunctions and other uncontrollable factors play a major role in whether you can get a solid 8 hours of rest. So, focus on the things you can control, including your diet, alcohol intake and activity level—all of which have a direct impact

By May, most people's New Year’s resolutions go right out the window. This year can be different! Make an effort to check in with a friend, or be self-accountable monthly and reevaluate how you’re doing with your goal to stay healthy this year. If you’ve fallen off track, get your priorities in order and make the choices to become the healthiest version you can be for yourself. Below are five of the easiest ways to stay healthy this year. Start slow by incorporating one or two of these tips at a time until you’re mastering all five. Remember, taking care of our bodies is the first step to

infographic by Lauren Murphy - Jan. 3, 2017 A good night’s sleep—every night—can be the key to better health. We talked to Dr. Mayank Sharma to find out how to get the best out of a good night's rest.

Heat stroke is one of the leading causes of death among children. “People must remember that temperatures of cars are very deceiving,” explains Dr. Wendi El-Amin, a family medicine physician at SIU Center for Family Medicine. “One of the greatest tragedies reported in the media each year involve children who are left in cars and die. Approximately 37 children pass away every year from this preventable tragedy.” Children are especially at risk because their bodies overheat approximately five times faster than an adult body. Even with the windows cracked, a vehicle can reach 125° F in minutes

As the temperature warms up, the days are long and the sun shines bright, more time is spent outdoors. During this favorite season for many, going to the beach, hosting backyard barbecues and playing sports outdoors might be some of your favorite activities. But spending in the summer sun without taking appropriate precautions could increase your risk for skin cancer. According to the National Foundation for Cancer Research, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Fortunately, it’s also the most treatable form. Skin cancer prevention is still much easier than skin

The flu, also known as influenza, is an infectious disease caused by the influenza virus. There are two main types of influenza: influenza type A and influenza type B. The 2019-2020 flu season started early in the central Illinois area in Peoria, but most of the cases were influenza B. During November and December, SIU Medicine partner hospitals reported only a few cases of influenza A, but many cases of influenza B. The latter causes a relatively minor illness with upper respiratory symptoms and most people recover with symptomatic treatment alone. However, the rest of the country, and

Babies are everywhere. A trip to the mall or a quick scroll of any given Facebook news feed will tell you that. But for every adorable photo op (or less-adorable TMI post about baby bodily fluids) there’s another story”the story of those who’d give anything to have a baby of their own but, for whatever reason, can’t. According to the CDC, 1 million married women in the US are considered infertile, meaning they’ve been unable to get pregnant after at least a year of attempting. And 7.5 million women in the US considered to be in their childbearing years have what is known as “impaired fecundity

Life as a resident physician is not for the faint of heart. They must balance patient care, ongoing medical education and training requirements. Resident well-being is part of an ongoing national discussion as medical programs seek to reduce stress and prevent burnout among trainees. Dr. Julio Mendoza Estrada is a second-year internal medicine resident. We followed him on a typical clinic day to learn how he handles the stresses of resident life. “On average I work anywhere from 60 to 70 hours a week. Study hours every day are variable, depending on how busy that day was. But I'll often study

Farming is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 410 farmers lost their lives in 2019 due to a work-related injury, and each day about 100 farmers and agricultural employees sustain some sort of injury or illness that causes them to miss work. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that farming is twice as deadly as law enforcement and five times as deadly as firefighting. While grim, these statistics aren't meant to cause fear nor discourage farmers from committing to their line of