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Since she was little she has always wanted to help others. Her passion for reading 10-12 books a week, pushed her to find a way to make a difference. Last year she wrote the superintendent of her district 157 and started a book drive for underprivileged children just at her junior high and collected 500 books in 1 week period. This year she expand to K-8 and collected 3400 books that are going to Mahalia Jackson Elementary School in Chicago’s Gresham neighborhood, most of this done by Sam. Going into High school LWE next year she hopes to continue this.

For more information, visit: www.jimcornelison.com

Diabetes is broken down into 2 groups, Type 1 Diabetes ( makes up 5% of all diabetes) and Type 2 Diabetes,( makes up the other 95% of diabetics) they are very different, treated differently but unfortunately can end up with the same complications. So why are we discussing this today, was there a cure found? Is there a new blockbuster drug? Unfortunately the answer to those questions are no. The reason we are discussing is that some very concerning studies came out last week that show that we are probably not going to see a slowdown of the incidence of diabetes and in fact will probably see an increase in the number of case of diabetes, at least Type 2.

So what are the differences between the 2 types of Diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin, it was known as Childhood Diabetes as it was often diagnosed in Children at a young age as many are born with this condition. Type 2 Diabetes which was previously termed Adult Onset diabetes is a different disease, with Type 2 Diabetes the body actually resists the effects of insulin or in some cases it does not make enough insulin. Insulin is needed to move sugar from your bloodstream to your cells that need sugar.

The treatment for Type 1 diabetes is to replace the insulin that the pancreas is not making with shots of insulin. Technology has allowed us to move from the shots to insulin pumps for many people, and the finger stick to monitor your blood sugar is also seeing technology help with sensors that are placed under the skin that monitor your blood sugar continuously thru the day. These results are tracked and stored on your phone with many apps and in some cases the results are sent to your doctor as well. Prior to these advancements, patients had to stick their finger a few times thru the day to monitor their blood sugar levels which would then dictate the amount of insulin they needed. They would keep a paper copy which they would then bring to their doctors visit for the doctor to review, so technology has allowed us to treat and control Type 1 diabetics much better.

The bigger issue is the Type 2 diabetics, remember this used to be termed Adult onset diabetes. A study that came out in JAMA last week gave us some startling and sobering information. This study showed that 1 in 5 adolescents and 1 in 4 young adults are now termed prediabetic. The term prediabetic means that your blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet high enough to be termed a diabetic. These individuals are on track for a likely progression to a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. This is extremely concerning as we have seen a sharp increase in childhood obesity rates over the past decade. Obesity rates in children and adolescents is approaching 20%, which falls right in line with the study showing prediabetic patients being in the 20% rate. The concerning trend is not only with obesity but also with overweight children.

Adults with Type 2 diabetes are treated with medication that makes their existing insulin more effective, but in some cases the patients actually need insulin as well even though they are making insulin. The best treatment for Type 2 diabetes is actually losing weight. The loss of weight allows the insulin to be more effective and thus often eliminates the need for medication.

So why are we discussing this now, It has nothing to do with our Thanksgiving meal discussion however it does relate to the fact that many individuals will gain weight over the winter. There are many reasons for our winter weight gain. Below are a few reasons.
1.) We sleep more in the winter and thus are not actively burning calories for the same time as we do in the summer
2.) Cold weather keeps our outdoor activities limited
3.) We have a few major holiday meetings as well as holiday parties laden with unhealthy high caloric foods
4.) We enjoy comfort foods in the winter, stews and pastas are common in the winter and additional servings are not felt as much as they are in the summer
5.) We find less fresh produce in the stores and when there the prices have increased dramatically
6.) Believe it or not, the extra heavy clothes we wear don’t give us visual clues of any weight gain and thus do not remind us to eat properly
7.) We actually use more salt in the winter, be it from the comfort foods we are eating or the heavier foods and snacks we eat are high in sodium
8.) Let’s not forget the specialty coffees we see at this time of the year whether they are pumpkin latte, peppermint coffee or even spiced apple drinks, the calories add up

Now this would all be fine as we all know about the weight swings we see from winter to summer, however a study was released last week that shared with us the fact that we have many more American’s that weigh over 200lbs than we have ever had and that the majority of individuals in the United States are either overweight or obese. This increase has been noted in both sexes, in 2001 we had 38% of men over 200lbs, now that number is 42%. For women in 2001, 12% had a weight over 200lbs, this year we are closer to 15%. Couple that with measurement of BMI where height is taken into consideration and we find that 70% of American’s are actually over the desired BMI of 25. These statistics tell us why our issue with diabetes is increasing in this country. This additional weight also contributes the heart disease, high blood pressure and joint pain.

The more concerning finding in the study is that American’s overall are more content with their weight and we find that more individuals have no desire to lose weight. American’s are less likely to be bothered by their weight and actually feel that their current weight is “about right”. This study done by Gallup, contradicts the study recently studied in JAMA which said more Americans are trying to lose weight. The reason for the awareness is that obesity is felt to be responsible for 20% of deaths each year and countless other illnesses and injuries.

The feeling of being accepting of our weight certainly played out this week with the backlash from the commercial from exercise bike company Peloton. The commercial which Peloton produced to celebrate fitness and wellness journey was slammed in the media for being sexist and weight loss focused. I find it hard to slam a company that makes exercise equipment for those who want to exercise and stay healthy, but many others obviously disagree.

If we don’t accept that we have a problem with obesity and diabetes in this country then we should be accepting of the increased cost in healthcare. I can tell you that treating diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease is not inexpensive, yet a large portion of those issue can be eliminated or minimized with weight control.

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With a late Thanksgiving, the holiday shopping season has been shortened by a week. Now we all have the stress of Christmas shopping in the next few weeks, even though the Christmas reminders and decorations have been up in stores since July. This time of year we often look for a gift that has a short or single impact, that perfect sweater will only be worn in the winter and only if it continues to fit, the winter coat will certainly keep them warm for the few months they need it, and don’t forget the fruitcake.

One tradition we have here is to discuss Christmas gifts that actually may help in the health of the recipient. The gift of a health related item, can most often be used all year or will be available all year and impacts how one feels and is often a reminder thru the year of your thoughts of their health.

Let’s start with some really simple ones that have a cost under $50.

1.) Health related magazines are very popular right now and are actually tailored to the individual. A year’s subscription to Women’s health or men’s Health magazine can be purchased for under $20 a year and each month they will get a magazine with stories, hints for good health, recipes and other information tailored to them.
2.) Conversation starting books and games are very popular now. We live in a world where we are buried in our phones or iPad. How about a book or game that allows families to actually interact without the phone, where a true conversation is held. Many feel we are losing a generation of individuals that know how to carry on a conversation, that they communicate with short texts and emoji’s. These books and games allow for family or friend time in talk not text. The Complete Book of Questions is highly rated with over 1,000 questions that are written to spark a conversation.
3.) From an exercise point of view a simple yoga mat or foam roller may help that individual with their flexibility, strength, balance and core. There are many free apps that walk individuals thru the use of these from beginner to advanced. It also may encourage them to get out and join a yoga group. Both of these can be purchased for under $25.
4.) An insulated collapsible lunch box. Now many of you may be laughing at this, but how many times have you gone to lunch at a fast food place, spent $10 and had a meal that really wasn’t that good and certainly was not good for you. The lunch box allows you to prepare the meal that you want with the quality of ingredients that you want, it also allows you the freedom of mobility of where you want to eat and actually extends your lunch hour as there is no waiting in lines or waiting for a meal. Many studies have shown not only a financial savings but also a great health benefit with a prepared lunch. Slip a note in there if you are preparing it for someone else, it will make their day. $15
5.) Entering winter always allows for gifting opportunities, again you may laugh but an ergonomic snow shovel is a great gift. We know that shoveling snow is a certainty here in Chicago. Unfortunately although some see it as exercise it is in fact not good for your heart or your back. To minimize the health related issues make sure your heart is strong enough for this high strain activity and make sure you are using the correct tools. A shovel is a shovel is not true, the ergonomic shovel lowers the strain on your back and is designed to make shoveling as safe as possible. $ 30
6.) Have a procrastinator who really wants to exercise but finds it difficult? The Red Dumbbell Alarm may be an appropriate gift. The concept is simple, not only does it alarm to tell you when to work out, it won’t stop alarming until you have done 30 movements with it. Some may find it irritating, however for that procrastinator who truly wants to exercise it may be the perfect nudge to get them up and moving. $20
7.) Infusion water is a craze as well now, this simple concept allows you to get flavored water that you make yourself with a simple diffuser. It allows you to get tasty water without the chemical additives as well as vitamins from the fruit or veggies used to infuse. $25

Looking to spend a little more but still not breaking the bank?

1.) Diffusers are very popular now. We know the impact of aromatherapy. Using essential oils to diffuse aromas can help thru the day, with a great environment for yoga, sleeping and essentially everyday life .WRITE MORE ON ESSENTIAL OILS
2.) Monthly subscription to a food source- there are fruit of the month, keto box of the month, protein box of the month, granola of the month, vegan snack of the month and the popular bacon of the month. Getting a healthy food subscription reminds people of the thoughtful gift as well as exposes them to healthy food options that they may not find in their local stores
3.) Fitness trackers have been popular for many years now and they certainly have advanced, the old Nike fuel band tracked your steps and did not link to any apps, fast forward a few years and now the technology has changed and will be changing a lot over the next 5 years. The Apple Watch, tracks your activity, steps, hours standing, flights of stairs and has exercise goals that encourage you thru the day to “close the rings”, it even has an EKG built into it. I can tell you that I have had this watch for a month and it has definitely changed my exercise habits in a very positive way.
4.) Headphones are also a great gift for a few reasons, one is they now have sound cancelling headphones that protect our hearing. We are all exposed to loud noises that we do not need to hear, headphones may protect you from those noises and help you maintain your hearing. We also know that individuals who use music or books on tape when they exercise actually exercise longer as the boredom factor is eliminated. Cost is about $75-250
5.) Now I know that giving an appliance as a gift for Christmas or a birthday is normally not a great idea, but I will challenge that this year. If you do not have an Air Fryer, this would be a great gift. The Air Fryer actually cooks food using hot air not oil, so if you like crispy French fries or fried chicken without the grease, this is a great healthy gift. It decreases the amount of fat one would consume by up to 90%. A great way to cook healthy “fried” foods. Cost about $75-150
6.) We talk about air quality often as it is a trigger for allergies and asthma and actually our overall health. Home air purifiers reduce the smell of smoke, musty air and food odors. This gift would give individuals with breathing disorders and chance to breath a breath of fresh air, all year long. Cost is about $150
7.) We all enjoy our sleep and one of the rages currently is weighted blankets. Now I am personally not a fan, many people enjoy the feeling and it has increased the quality of many individuals sleep patterns. If you have poor sleeping patterns this may be a good option
8.) Home blood pressure cuffs are a great gift for the family, tracking BP on a regular basis is so much better than having it done once a year at a physical. It also promotes activity and diet changes. Omron makes a great automatic monitor that is very accurate for around $50

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• The ADP Private Payroll’s report for November comes out this morning
• Earnings from Campbell’s Soup & Slack
• Australian GDP numbers

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Last year a new drug to fight influenza was released, the drug Baloxavir. Many had high hopes for it as it was a drug that with a single dose could potentially shorten the duration of symptoms dramatically. A paper published this past week shared that a concern has been raised that the drug has a possibility of achieving resistance while still causing infection and allowing for the resistant strain to be spread to others. The study shared the story of a case in Japan where a child was given the drug shortly after the onset of symptoms and a positive test, he was getting better for a few days and then had a relapse of his symptoms. The child was tested again and found to have the mutated strain still causing infection, and what was worse was that the younger sister came down with influenza and the strain was from her brother and resistant to the medication.

We see a lot of resistance in both viruses as well as bacteria, the resistance will usually take some time to form as the medication may be used inappropriately or at an incorrect dose. In this case the drug was appropriate for the infection and was given at the correct dose.

Baloxavir is being considered a “blockbuster” as we have not seen any new influenza drugs in many years.
The medication has great potential and was studied extensively. The single dose is great for compliance and the results show that if given within the first 48 hours of symptoms will give substantial relief and minimize complications. It will lessen the symptoms as well as shorten the amount of time of illness. The focus group for this drug is those over the age of 65 and those with chronic medical problems. We currently have 4 medications to treat the flu but the treatment is not a substitution for the flu vaccine which is truly preventative.

The question being raised now is will this drug be good as a protective measure against getting the flu if a known exposure has occurred. With a flu season that is expected to be bad will we see this drug be prescribed in the hopes of preventing the flu? It has not been tested for this indication, nor would one know exactly when to take the dose for any type of protection. Overuse may lead to more resistance which is a concern.

High Dose Vaccine shortage versus delay

This year’s vaccine was delayed as we have discussed in the past, the concern raised by experts has had many seniors getting their vaccines. This influx coupled with the late vaccine has caused some shortages of the high dose vaccine designed for seniors. There are areas across the US with shortages of the high dose. We know we will eventually have all of the doses needed so this more of a delay than a shortage. Experts are recommending that seniors get vaccinated now and do not wait for the high dose, if a delivery date is not imminent. The senior high dose is about four times as strong as the standard dose. If the senior looks around and finds the access points are out of the high dose vaccine getting the standard dose is better than waiting at this point. Getting a follow up booster may be an option but should be discussed with your doctor based on your medical condition.

With high levels of influenza activity already being seen in the south and southeast the time to be vaccinated is now if you have not already. Remember the predictions for this year have a strain that can impact seniors and those with chronic illnesses dramatically. We will have information soon as to the accuracy of this year’s vaccine.

Measles

Measles, that simple little rash that we all have heard of that some children get. That statement is far from the truth and in the United States we have not had much to worry about as responsible parents made sure their child was protected from this virus with a simple vaccine. Let’s make sure we understand more about this virus, before we had the vaccine available in the US, 3-4 million individuals were infected, 50,000 were hospitalized, 1,000 had encephalitis and 500 died. The widespread compliance of the MMR vaccine in the US has allowed us to protect our children from this disease that continues to cause over 150,000 deaths a year globally.

This year is a record breaking year for Measles cases in the United States, as of early November we were approaching 1,300 cases. This is the highest number of cases in the past 27 years. It has been seen in 31 states and outbreaks have occurred in 10 of those states including Illinois. The vast majority of those who came down with cases were unvaccinated individuals. We have seen this increase as measles is still prevalent around the world and the amount of international travel has only increased.

To show you what I mean, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, this year they have had close to 250,000 cases with close to 5,000 deaths, mostly children. Remember this is a highly contagious disease that can cause pneumonia, deafness and brain infections, in fact 20% of those infected with the virus will have some complication. In 2017 worldwide Measles caused over 100,000 deaths, mainly in Africa and Asia.

Maternal Protection from Measles to Newborns

We give the Measles vaccine at 12 months of age, this is in the MMR vaccine. Prior to hitting that age, it has been felt that immunity has been extended to the newborn from the mothers immune system. This would protect these babies until the time they could be vaccinated. A study came out in late November that showed that our thoughts on that protection is wrong. The study looked at 200 infants and the results have raised concern around the world. This recent study was done to verify what was thought about newborns and the protection from measles extended by their mother. The blood tests actually showed that the immunity does not last a full year, in fact some lost their protection within a month and what was more concerning is that all of the infants had lost their immunity by the age of 6 months.

This is extremely concerning as we assumed that newborns were protected until they were old enough to be vaccinated and have a good response. This study now opens the questions about moving the vaccination time for measles up to possibly 6 months of age, is the child’s immune system advanced enough at that time to make antibodies for protection, or will studies show that we will have to continue at the 12 month mark and understand that these infants will have a 6 moth window where they will not be protected from this potentially deadly virus . We couple that concern with the obvious concern of the rapidly growing number of Measles cases around the world.

This is concerning as we have discussed the contagious nature of this virus as well as the increasing numbers of individuals we are seeing with measles in this country. The concept of “herd immunity” where if we have enough individuals immunized the virus can be contained and not spread is being challenged. This year as of early November we have had over 1,250 cases in the US, a typical year is closer to 200.

• Futures in the U.S. after President Trump’s comments on the economic report front
• Big jobs report later this week
• Will the markets rebound from losses yesterday?

• It is Cyber Monday, and big money is expected to be spent
• The October Construction spending numbers will be released this morning

It’s Ji’s last day on the show which means it’s also the last day for Neighborhood Eats. Ji introduces Dave Miller, owner of Baker Miller, that specializes on PIE! Be sure to check out her article on the Chicago Sun-Times.

Even though Ji won’t be on the show going forward,  be sure to tune in to the Wintrust Business Lunch which  she’ll be hosting Monday-Friday from 12pm-1pm.

We will miss her fun, smart and one of a kind personality that made every morning entertaining.

THANK YOU JI!  

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On this episode, the show starts off with the Top 6 at 6 followed by Dr. Kevin Most reminding us how many calories are in our favorite spinach dip. Dan Hampton, Bears Hall-of-Famer joins the show to talk about the Bears win against the New York Giants. CNN Correspondent Ryan Nobles has the latest political updates in Washington, and Dean Richards talks AMA awards! The show continues with Breakfast with a Blackhawk, and Phil Purevich, Executive Director, for the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade. The show wraps up with David Hochberg from Homeside Financial, to discuss the latest news in mortgages in Chicago.

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So let’s take the next few minutes and look at it as an education time, a chance to learn some fun facts about a holiday tradition we all enjoy, and maybe it will impact the amount we eat. I also look at it as if we all eat the right amount we will have leftovers for those great sandwiches the next day. $6 million Turkeys eaten on Thanksgiving, average weight is 16 pounds that comes to 750 million pounds of turkey consumed that day, this is the same weight of the Empire State building.

The average individual needs somewhere between 1,800 to 2,500 calories a day, depending on your gender and your activity level. Most women are closer to 2,000 while most men approach the 2,500 calorie number. In the ideal world the calories are separated into 3 meals with the larger meal being at lunch. This calorie intake allows us to maintain our weight and stay healthy. As we discussed recently, with the winter upon us and the time change pushing us into the dark more than light, we are exercising less, sleep more and thus need fewer calories. However in the winter we often eat heavier meals which have more calories, we eat less vegetables, due to availability and cost and thus we are setting ourselves up for weight gain. The goal thru the winter should be to maintain weight.

The world is starting to take this a bit more seriously. Restaurant menus now often post calories for each dish. It allows you to weigh the benefits versus the consequences as you choose your meals. Maggiano’s took a different strategy. If you remember the old Maggiano’s they served huge bowls of pasta which no human could ever or should ever eat. Everyone had leftovers, which were boxed up for you to take home. The new strategy is to give you a normal serving of pasta and then let you choose another one to take home for free. They were smart and showed that they saved money with this strategy as the time to box the leftovers took server time and slowed the turnover of tables. They ended up giving the same amount of pasta and now patrons leave with “an extra meal” not leftovers. This company also allows for the choice of a meal being prepared on the “lighter” side, it may be less butter, or less cheese, but it makes a big difference in the caloric intake. The staff is also not spending time boxing left overs so the they can serve more patrons. This change was for a business reason but it actually also helps the health of their customers.

So let’s take a look at Thanksgiving Meal, spoiler alert, you will not like what I have to say. I noted above that most of us can live on close to 2,000 calories, would you believe that Thanksgiving Meal alone can range from 3,000- 6,000 calories, including 229 grams of fat, depending on seconds and alcohol consumption. So the big message is moderation and preparation. If you eat an appropriate size of a meal you will get a calorie count that is close to where you want to be. If we prepare foods with less butter, cheese or sausage we see a dramatic drop in calories without giving up much flavor.

So let’s go thru the list and start with appetizers

Spinach dip 2 tablespoons – 115 calories
Pigs in a blanket- 70 calories each
Meatballs- 90 calories each
Stuffed mushrooms 50 calories each
Vegetables- it all comes down to the dip

If you have a little bit of each of these to be polite, you are approaching 500 calories and that is without a drink. Add 150 for a beer or 130 for the glass of wine and you are near 650 before dinner starts.

On to the main course

Turkey with gravy- 8 oz. slice 440 calories. Ben Franklin wanted the Turkey to be the national bird, not the bald eagle.
Stuffing- 1 cup 400 calories ( 18 grams of fat and 500 mg of sodium) think about dropping the sausage
Green bean casserole made with cream based soup- 1 cup 350 calories. Campbell’s soup sells $20 million dollars of cream of mushroom soup
Mashed potatoes with butter and gravy- 1 cup 443 calories
Sweet potatoes with marshmallows and brown sugar- 610 calories
Cranberries sauce ½ cup 200 calories
Biscuit with butter 200 calories

Any seconds? You are close to 3,000 calories for the dinner portion

Still hungry? Of course you can’t pass on dessert

Pumpkin pie 300 calories, add the whipped cream throw on another 50 calories. Estimates are that 50 million pumpkin pies are eaten Thanksgiving day
Pecan Pie- 500 calories
Apple Pie 425 calories and 150 for the ice cream scoop

The meal alone is close to 3,000 calories, add the 650 for the appetizers, 450 for a slices of the pie, have 2 drinks and you are approaching 4500 calories for the Thanksgiving experience. That is twice the calories you need for the day and that is assuming no breakfast or other snacking before the big meal.

So what can we do to still enjoy the meal, enjoy the company, don’t offend anyone by skipping whatever they made? The biggest is portion control and preparation. Sharing with the family that you used low sodium chicken broth and no butter in the stuffing will be appreciated. Taking the skin off of your piece of turkey knocks down the calories and the fat intake. Sweet potatoes are a great vegetable until we throw them in brown sugar and marshmallows. They are loaded with Vit A and C, calcium and iron they are great, figure a new way to prepare them with less fattening ingredients, there are recipes everywhere.

Dessert – absolutely no change, it is the one time a year that dessert should be enjoyed as a family, those calories come off when finished and sitting around laughing hard with families and friends.

So the intent was not to ruin your meal but was meant to be aware of the calories for moderation portion control and preparation.

Happy Thanksgiving to all

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Be sure to read Ji’s article in the Chicago Sun-Times!

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Glow Bellies are teddy bears with a secret. They have a glow in the dark vinyl stomach. They wear a collar with a u.v. light and when turned on, the u.v. light can be used to draw on the glow in the dark vinyl belly…producing glow in the dark designs. 

 Katalina came up with her invention  about a year ago when she was afraid of the dark at bedtime.  She asked if she could use a new glow in the dark vinyl and put it on her teddy bear so she would have a glow in the dark bear, and wouldn’t be afraid at night. Then by accident, she saw that her u.v light could be used to draw designs with light, and so the Glow Belly was born.  

Her invention is on Etsy. Click Here for more information. 

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We kick the show off with the Top 6 @ 6, followed by Doc Most discussing several companies that we thought were pharmacies, grocery stores or delivery stores and their decision to disrupt the trillion dollar health care business. Dean Richards takes on the hottest news in entertainment including his feud with Tom Hanks and the Mister Rogers movie, “A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood”.

Will these new models attract the millennials? Will it change how companies look at acute care? Will companies see that this new model is actually better for their bottom line?

CVS-Aetna HealthHub

CVS is in their final stages of merging with Aetna insurance and their plans are a bit different. They certainly have the focus with their 1,000 Minute clinics in CVS stores, this will continue but now they have decided to expand outside of the acute care and into managing chronic conditions as well as preventative care with their new HealthHUB stores. 80% of the US population live within 10 miles of a CVS location

HealthHUB stores will focus on preventative care, wellness, health education and management of chronic illness like asthma and diabetes. Doesn’t this sound like what your primary care doctor should be doing? They plan to open 1.500 of these starting this year. They looked at the footprint of their stores and are planning on removing underperforming areas from the stores and replace them with HealthHub. This is their step into chronic care while still having a focus on acute care with their Minute Clinics.

This is the first step we are seeing with retail pharmacy extending into chronic care. Does it make sense? One would think their focus will be on convenience as they try to change a decade old way of healthcare being delivered. From a business side the pharmacy would rather have the patient who will take the diabetes medicine for 40 years as a customer, especially when compared to the patient from the Minute Clinic who may get 3 days of pain medication or 10 days of an antibiotic. Couple that now with the referral source being tied in and the days of traditional medicine will be changing.

The tie in with Aetna, shows that they feel there is a lot of waste in the system and any dollars they can shave off without lowering premiums goes straight to their bottom line. Aetna would also now have more direct information and could focus on individuals who appear headed in the wrong direction, or patients who use healthcare more than Aetna thinks they should and focus on minimizing those large costs that are provided by ER’s currently.

Walgreens – Village MD, Partners in Primary care Centers, Jenny Craig

Walgreens is also looking at expanding beyond their in store acute care clinics. With over 8 million customers interacting with Walgreens each day, it has gotten the attention of many in health care.

They recently partnered with Village MD in Houston and will be testing the concept of the primary care office right next to 5 current Walgreen’s stores in Houston. This will be their test of a concept, where the pharmacy owns the practice right next to its retail pharmacy. This will focus on convenience as well as affordable care. This concept is an office right next door to the Walgreens. In other parts of the country they will be putting physicians’ offices right in the store with their Partners in Primary Care Centers. The interesting thing here is their partner is Humana, so like CVS the partnership with Aetna another health insurance company may be showing that Health insurance companies see value in partnering with the pharmacy chains versus the sometime contentious negotiations with doctors or health systems. They may push more wellness and also again try to minimize those patients who use healthcare assets incorrectly or too often.

They also recently signed an agreement with Jenny Craig to open “Jenny Craig at Walgreens” in 20 states, including Texas, Arizona and Pennsylvania. In these stores they will offer one on one consultations, customized menu plans and meal delivery. Walgreens trying to show a focus on wellness not just a place you go when you are ill. They also are focusing on convenience to affordable healthcare in their stores.

Walgreens recently renovated a store near their corporate headquarters in Deerfield and it is doing this across the country, testing what services may be best served in this setting. They are considering hearing, vision and lab services. They have partnered with a large national lab company, a hearing aid company as well as Microsoft as they look to see where they will fall in this race to disrupt healthcare

Amazon Care

We talked in the past about the thought of what Amazon would do as they took on healthcare in partnership with JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway. The formation of this group was put in place to focus on the rising cost of health care without any noticeable increase in the value of the services provided. This group now also sees it as a way to attract and maintain great talent as young consumers are now looking for more convenient and lower cost healthcare. We all know amazon has a great deal of information on our spending habits, just think how powerful it will be as they now will have real health data not the fragmented data seen in doctors’ offices now. Amazon understands that and have hired technical and analytic data individuals to help them collect and review health data on a large population

It appears they have decided how they will jump in. They recently announced the creation of Amazon Care, in Seattle. This is currently only for their local Seattle employees but one can easily see that this is a test to see how it could be advanced to other companies and eventually to the general public. This service allows for employees and their families to have virtual visits via telemedicine, medical clinics and in home visits. They are marketing it as “healthcare built around you” with “no more waiting rooms”. They do realize that some patients will need more than a telemedicine visit. If the worker needs in person care, a nurse or doctor, is sent to their office or home to treat them. The percentage of those they can treat without an actual visit and with a telemedicine visit, not only costs less but also will make their staff more productive. ( less days off to go to a doctor visit )

Amazon.care is also now live. It is the Amazon app that offers health advice and virtual medical visits and arranges the home or office visits. Employees are speaking very positively, with dozens of positive reviews of this service already which has only been up for a few weeks. This data point also shows that Amazon is mining patient satisfaction data in real time as well, again something the current healthcare system does poorly.

Is this Amazon’s play to disrupt the young and growing fragmented telemedicine market or is it to show large corporations a way to decrease the cost of healthcare without compromising outcomes? Many argue it may be both. The Amazon brand is so well known and consumers trust and use Amazon often, those eyes alone on the website would expand their telemedicine clinic quickly if that ends up being their focus. Or, Sharing their financial savings to large companies with an offer to roll out Amazon.care to their business may catch the eyes of companies who are facing double digit growth in their premiums without seeing a healthier workforce.

Amazon also has a pharmacy so employees are able to have their medications and any other health supplies a patient may need, like vitamins, needles, dressing for wounds filled and delivered by Amazon, in many cases the same day.

Amazon.care is also now live. It is the Amazon app that offers health advice and virtual medical visits and arranges the home or office visits. Employees are speaking very positively of this service already which has only been up for a few weeks

Amazon is looking at controlling the entire experience, from the visit, to the data collection, to prevention to medication and other health related supplies, truly one stop shopping. Not surprising as they looked at the fragmentation we currently have

Amazon is also expanding into the personal health monitoring device business, building health wearable items that will monitor walking, calories burned, weight, Blood pressure, (Think Apple health) It will have data on the exercise patterns of their workers.

This set up gives them a test lab to see how this works, see if it brings down its own corporate health costs and figures out a way to expand it to the masses. The companies already in this field should be concerned as Amazon has a knack of finding industries with a need for an overhaul and doing exactly that.

A success with this business model would probably then be rolled out to Chase and Berkshire Hathaway for the telehealth portion in partnership with local healthcare.

Walmart Health

Walmart has opened its first primary care clinic, again stepping into the world of chronic care and away from their acute care in store clinics. They plan to charge 30-50 % lower than what people are currently paying at a doctors office. They plan on doing doctor’s visits, lab, and radiology. If this is successful they plan a second one quickly and then rapid expansion to become the nation’s largest provider of healthcare. Look for their home delivery to try to mimic Amazon with medications and other needs delivered to the patient.

Do you not think that Amazon and Wal-Mart could do this? Well what is going on across the Pacific.

Alibaba – Good Doctor

In China online health is ready to explode. The expectation is that will grow dramatically over the next 5 years adding 10 million families in this time frame. In China the wait to see a physician is often over 2-3 months as the number of physicians in the country does not approach the need. Their healthcare infrastructure is poised for this innovative change. Alibaba has already signed up 15,000 doctors to start their continuing consultation services, as it plans to enter this field. China has set some good restrictions on this field. For example an initial diagnosis cannot be made with online services, it must be done in person and then follow up and medication changes can be made using on line interactions. One would expect that Alibaba could mimic Amazon with full service of the medical visit, the medication and supplies and they also have Alipay which would partner with public and private insurance making the payment for care easy for patients, one source of great frustration here in the US.

Google- Ascension Health

We hear every so often about a breach of healthcare data, this is sometimes following the loss of a computer from a healthcare worker or allowing access to data banks at insurance companies. The concern for those breached should not be minimized, health care records are more valuable to thieves as they often contain more information than your bank will have.

What we all need to get ready for is the fact that our healthcare data will be shared by design in many ways in the near future. We have insurance companies trying to save money by decreasing utilization, we have patients moving between doctors, health systems and states, we have companies looking at slowing down the growth of the health care premiums and we have apps that we have chosen to track a lot of our personal health data. In each of these cases personal health information is being stored and shared in some fashion.

We have talked about the need for big data and that is exactly what these companies are looking at. They are taking the results and data from many patients and building algorithms to see if there is anything in a person’s data that may have helped prevent a specific outcome. The physician personally may have a few anecdotes of patients they had seen in the past, or they may have read an article that made a new link to a disease. Consider however if those comparisons could be made by collecting and analyzing the data from the patients of one of the largest healthcare systems in the United States.

Google and Ascension Healthcare have teamed up to collect and review the personal health record data of patients from the 2,600 hospitals, doctors offices and clinics that Ascension owns. The partnership has been named “Project Nightingale” and it was started last year with little fanfare at all. The data they are collecting include lab results, radiology scans, medications diagnosis, hospitalization records that include the patient names and dates of birth. The information then streams to the Nightingale system where it is being reviewed where it may result in treatment plan recommendations for possible tests, may recommend the addition of specific physicians or identify deviations from care including narcotic policies.

Now it has been shared many questions have arisen, but as you may expect they were ready for the questions. It is allowed by law as federal law allows the sharing of information with business partners without telling the patient as long as it is to help the covered entity carry out its healthcare functions. It does not break any HIPPA laws as well.

Why are they doing this? Ascension aims to improve patient care, it hopes to identify tests that perhaps should be done sooner based on the data from many with similar conditions. This will also play well in the AI world where as the data base grows the indications for certain diseases will be fine-tuned and trends will identify earlier testing for diagnosis based on historical data of millions of individuals.

Are there other concerns, sure, Google just made public its 42.1 billion deal with Fitbit, the wearable fitness manufacturer that collects exercise information on those who wear the Fitbit. We know that Amazon, Apple and Microsoft are right behind them and don’t be surprised to see similar agreements with those big 3 technology companies to be announced soon. Think of the data that an Apple watch can now gather, think of how much health data Amazon may have soon as they get into the pharmacy and health business. Microsoft will also make a big play with Microsoft Digital Health and Microsoft HealthVault both areas where health information is collected

The reason this makes the front page of the Wall Street Journal may be that neither the patients nor the doctors had been notified

We know that Amazon, Apple and Microsoft are right behind them and don’t be surprised to see similar agreements with those big 3 technology companies to be announced

We speak with WGN Morning News meteorologist Morgan Kokmeyer, as he talks about the new WGN-TV special “Saturday Night with Friends” mini-marathon – “The Ones Morgan Loves,” featuring Morgan’s six favorite episodes of “Friends.”

Dean Richards takes on the hottest news in entertainment including Katy Perry’s copyright infringement case and the new Billboard Chart Record set by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus.

Then, The Harlem Globetrotter’s Big Easy, stops by the studio to discuss the 2019 Midwest Emmys as he’s this year’s host! The 2019

The 2019 Chicago/Midwest Emmy Ceremony will be held TOMORROW at the Swissotel, (323 E. Upper Wacker). WGN-TV will stream the ceremony on their website (WGNtv.com). The stream will start at 6:30 p.m. with student awards and scholarships. The Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards stream will begin at 7 p.m.

Listen to the podcast here:

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Happy Veterans Day & Thank you for your service and dedication to this country.

-Steve Cochran Show

Listen to the podcast here:

(630)
My grandpa Richard. Vietnam

(847)
I would like to honor my husband
Mike Smogor
US Army 101st Airborne
Vietnam
And the members of
VFW post 981 Arlington Hts where he is commander

(608)
Shout out to my grandpa,
Duane Duhigg
BM3 U.S.N.
1948- 55 Korea
Served on USS Abnaki

(708)
I would like to honor lieutenant colonel Walter Cyga (see-gah) of the Marines. Serve in World War II in the Pacific campaign. Passed away November 2006. Love you grandpa miss you every day

(847)
I would like to honor my dad, Calvin Coolidge Cook who was a Marine in World War II. He passed away in 1997. A great man who never really spoke of what he saw over there (like many others).

(312)
Hi Steve!
Please honor my uncle Frank N. Rodriguez, 10 1st Airborne, a member of the Screaming Eagles during Vietnam. Great man!

(630)
I like to honor my father David Peters, who served in the Navy and my father-in-law Melvin Walsh who was a Marine. Semper Fi!

(708)
Please honor and remember my Dad John Roll Senior who served in world war 2 in the us army in Germany. He passed away in 1996 and is missed every day.

(773)
My Dad-WWII in Okinawa, several uncles in WWII also and me USAF 1968-1976. I was in Philippines at the end of the Vietnam war.

(773)
I would like to honor my father, Ralph Ladkey. Pearl Harbor survivor & career naval officer. It is my First Veterans Day without him. I love and miss him.

(847)
Remembering my dad Everett Lucas. Served in WWII in the 101st Airborne.

(260)
Honor Len Coulman from Indiana.
Marine Commander with 2 tours of Afghanistan.

(630)
I’d like to honor Brian Loeffler served in Afghanistan in 2009 2010 operation enduring freedom

(414)
My Dad Richard Miller served in the Marine Corps from 1954 to 1957

(847)
Honoring my father Fred Beck who served in the army in World war II , 29th infantry division. He passed away almost 2years ago and we miss him everyday.

(708)
When it comes to stories of veterans, I was the only person my grandfather told about his times in World War II. He never said anything to my mom my uncle my grandmother nobody but me and I feel honored that he told me

(217)
I’m honoring two of my nephews who served in Iraq – the first with Saddam & the second with Osama. Also my 4 uncles & father who served in WWII, one of whom died at Pearl Harbor.

(309)
I’d like to honor my 87-year old father, Korean War vet Harry Oloffson (O-luf-son) who lives in Manlius,IL.

(847)
Remembering grandfathers John McMahon and Carl Froberg who served in WWI and father Roger Froberg who served in Seabees in south Pacific in WWII.

(708)
Dwight Snow. Navy. Buried at Abraham Lincoln Cemetery. RIP Daddy

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My father in law John Traynor, passed March 2000.5 bronze star WW2 Army vet, radio operator. Normandy,Bulge,Rumaggen Bridge & many more.AMVETS lifelong member/Leader

(571)
I would like to honor my Grandfather, Maynard Rowe. He served in the Korean “conflict” and was lucky enough to do an Honor Flight to DC to see the memorial just before he passed. He went on to become a field tester/engineer at John Deere in Waterloo and Dubuque, Iowa, for 35 years! Thank you all at WGN radio for recognizing all of the Veterans today, enjoy listening every day.

(630)
My Dad, Eddie Scanlon, WW2 in Italy, 2 Purple Hearts

(563)
I always remember my Grandpa and his 5 (!!!!) Brothers that served during WW2. The Kopatz (co-pats) brothers from Springfield, IL were all at war at the same time. All came back from the war. My grandpa was captured as a POW.

(708)
On Veteran’s Day, I acknowledge my brother Bob Schwiesow, army infantry, who fought in the Vietnam War. Thank you, Peggy Schwiesow

(773)
My father, Jim Forrest. 95 yr old WWII vet, served in France and Germany. I can finally beat him on the golf course.

(224)
I’d like to honor my grandfather William Massof and his twin brother Edward Massof who both served in WWII. Also my Uncle Robert Bending who served in Vietnam.

(630)
Would like to honor our veteran son, Ryan Wiley, US Coast Guard.

(847)
Pfc George Martin Weber WWll
Uss sea robin

(312)
Hi Steve – I would like to honor my Dad, Richard Carzoli. Army First Calvary Division 2 tours in Vietnam. We lost him a couple years ago and miss him everyday

(630)
I’d like to thank my dad, WWII Army Guadalcanal and my mom, who will be 98 in a few weeks, US Marines WWII. Thanks to all who have served!

(815)
Please remember my Dad, Cpl. John Halm, radio operator,Korea, a forgotten war, and my father-in-law Roscoe Butchko, Navy, gunners mate in the Pacific WWII. Miss them both.

(312)
My fiancee Robert C. Boicourt. 1st Air Cav in Vietnam. Killed in action June 1966 at the age of 20. Rest in peace. Missed every day…..

(309) 369-6134
I want to recognize a kid I knew in high school who was KIA 8/1/68 while with the 1st Cavalry, Airmobile, in the same province I was (I was safe).

(815)
My dad Harry McClain WWII Navy Gunner,
Father in law Jack Stilwell
the youngest Merchant Marine WWII.
My son John-Navy corpsman

(630)
My Dad joined the Navy after Pearl Harbor was attacked. Two of the three destroyers he was on were torpedoed & sank. And then the sharks came. I’m obviously thankful he survived!

(312)
I would like to thank all the veterans who liberated Belgium, saved my mom and her family.

(630)
Please honor purpled heart veteran George Kletecka served in the Battle of the Bulge.
Also, please honor marine Jace Hudson
Thankyou for doing this.

(630)
I’d like to honor my brother Robert J Webber who served in Operation Desert Storm with the Navy. So very proud of all who served!

(708)
I’d like to honor my son mike wasik
Who is a purple heart recipient for his service in Afghanistan

(630)
Steve please honor my husband and veteran desert storm hero John Kingsley who served in 126th arial refueling unit, and my 89 year old dad army Sargent Lionel Besse who served in the Korean War

(847)
Honoring my dad
Art Renkosiak
USMC WWII Iwo Jima
Tank driver
Passed away in 1999
Left a legacy of service
Thanks Dad!

(630)
My brother who just passed away on Saturday. US Air Force 1964-1968 Charles Toelcke (Toll-Key)

(219)
My dad: Ed Reynolds.
Corporal US Marine Corp.
wounded on Bougainvillea, Saipan and Iwo Jima. Lost him in 1988. Tough Marine – loving father.

(773)
We are remembering my dad Michael Lacriola, proud world war ii veteran who served in the Pacific and passed away in September at the age of 96. He is missed very much.

(847)
Great uncle Frank goldstein survived the Bataan death march. Came out weighing 60 pounds. Talked to high school groups through proviso west for years before he died.

(224)
I would like to honor my father, Albert Carpenter. Served 13 yrs in army before and during WWII. Wounded in Italy and lost his right leg.

(630)
I would like to honor:
Sam Giammanco Army WW11,
Michael Giammanco USMC &
Major Jennifer Hergenroeder Army Afghanistan

(630)
Honoring my father-in-law, who served in the Merchant Marine in the Pacific in WWII, delivering ordinance and supplies to the islands, sometimes before the Marines assaulted the beaches. The Merchant Mariners were finally recognized for their service in the late 1990s.

(630)
My husband Roger Budny who served in Vietnam, and my dad Bruno Wanat who served in the Battle of the Bulge WWII.

(847)
On Veterans Day I honor my son, Sgt. Nicholas Ballentine, US Army, Kuwait and Iraq, and home safe and sound ❤️

(815)
I’d like to honor my husband retired Navy Commander James E Meason

(779)
My father Douglas Hackman served in Korea as a mechanic

(317)
Donald Rodgers of the Canadian Air Force, Art Hicks, James Kriecha, both US army ww2 hero’s. JAMES was a decorated veteran including a Purple Heart. All missed very much.

(309)
I would like to honor my father in law, James Shaw, served in Vietnam and was awarded the bronze star. We lost him six years ago.

(630)
All veterans from Naperville VFW Post 3873.

(773)
Samuel Sosa ,WWII B-24 nose gunner 42 missions thank you.

(630)
I would like to honor my father WW2 veteran Richard Moloney USN

(847)
Grandfather, Army Staff Sergeant John Robert Miller. WWII, landed on Utah Beach. Watching the Cubs from heaven since May 2017.

(630)
Grandpa Emil WW2. Grandpa Jerome Korea. Miss u both

(708)
Would like to honor my dad, Roy Army; my Uncle Oliver Army-Korean War; Uncle Bob Navy; my brother Mike Air Force retired; nephews Sean Air Force active; Josh and John Marines and Michael Army; Grandfather Frank WWI

(708)
Could you remember my Air Force husband Robert BALOW, Sr. Who served during the Korean War as a radar operator in Air Rescue in Greenland & Labrador. Thanks

(773)
I’d like to honor my fathers shipmates on WW2 Liberty Ships, he was a Navy gunner aboard them but the crews were merchant marine, therefore they didn’t receive

(630)
I would love to hear you give mention to the thousands who supported the military in the factory ,ship yards and the bomb factory

(847)
My brother, Joe O’Donnell, served 30 years as a Catholic Chaplain in the Navy. Now resides in Phoenix. ❤️❤️

(847)
My father and his father who enlisted in the Navy together in WWII. Both came back safely thank God.

(414)
Honoring my Father, Richard Bosley, US Army WWII, 95 yrs old.

(619)
My father Lyman Landry served 68 to 77 Navy. Passed 2013 ALS from service during Vietnam Era.

(847)
Remembering father-in-law Army Sergeant Dale E Smith served in the Korean War

(847)
My dad, Retired Lt. Colonel JA Risley, 2nd Air Division, 446 bomb group. Serve in WWII in NE England on crew of B-24 Liberators! Miss you dad!

(414)
I’d like to send out a remembrance to my grandfather semen green my father coxen Ward and my cell cryptographer Ward regenerations three proud maybe men

(630)
My dad, Richard Barnes served in the Navy in World War II on the USS Fanshaw Bay in the battle of Leyte Gulf in the South Pacific. Passed away in 1987 and I think about him every day and miss him.

(224)
My two grandpas- Joe Hartigan and George Keeley, both WW1 Purple Heart Veterans.

(773)
My dad bernard heisen ww2 army vet dday normandy beach passed in 2012 love and miss you

(773)
Remembering my wonder dad Lt. Col.
George J. Miller
WWII

(414)
I’d like to send a remembrance out to my grandfather Seaman green to my father coxson Ward and myself cryptographer Ward 3 proud Navy Generations

(312)
Thinking about my father in law Dick Coyle who passed away a couple of years ago. He was in the 101st airborne and battle of the bulge. Todd

(773)
Morning to all Veterans-hats off to you for protecting us and our great land!
My husband Arties, U.S. Army, served in the Vietnam war. His life was taken 37 years after his return from the effects of Agent Orange.
So missed by all.

(847) 533-3382
TURNER C LANE SR
CPL US MARINE CORPS
WORLD WAR II, KOREA
DATE OF BIRTH: 11/01/1926
DATE OF DEATH: 01/03/2015
Thanks and miss you Grandpa!

(312)
Remembering my dad, Thomas C. Panian. United States Marine Corps Vietnam. 3 Purple Hearts and Navy Cross recipient. Passed away in 2011 and is interred at Arlington National Cemetery. He was a hero but never thought so because he came home and many of his buddies didn’t. May they all Rest In Peace.

(773)
I honor my great uncle Hugh Ferguson who flew the Great Artist, the instrument support plane that participated in the bombing of Nagasaki. (He was originally pilot Crew of Bockscar, but at last minute the two crews switched planes due to weather). I also honor my uncle Bill Peran who also fought.

(708)
Please remember my father Earl Fornaciari. He fought in the Battle of Okinawa and earned the Bronze Star. We miss him.

(630)
My dad, Wilford Byers, & his brother Carlton joined the Navy after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. He survived the sinking of 2 of the 3 destroyers he was on in the Pacific, despite spending the night in shark infested waters.

(630)
My dad, Larry Griswold, WW2 Air Force Master Sergeant passed 10-6-12. Miss and love you daddy. Mary Griswold-Harris.

(920)
I’d like to honor my uncle mike, a Marine and Purple Heart recipient.

(815)
I want to honor my neighbor Andy, he served in WWII. He just pasted away last Wednesday 😕 He was a wonderful man

(630)
Hi
I like to honor my dad Jim Gorman for his service in Vietnam. I also honor my sister in law and brother in law in Washington DC

(630)
I’d like to honor my husband Robert Kulpinski who served in the Army & spent 1 yr in Vietnam. God bless him & all Vets.

(773)
I’d like to honor my grandfather I won’t give his name or what he did because he wouldn’t want the attention but thanks grandpa you saved the world

(630)
My daughter… Katie Downer, United States Air Force Airmen who served in Kirkuk Iraq

(630
I am honoring my stepfather today, Nicholas Mangiaracina for serving as colonel in the battle of the bulge

(708)
Veteran
Illinois state senator Michael E. Hastings

(331)
I would like to honor my father, William C. Kearns, who helped liberate Dachau.

(678)
I’d like to thank my DAD TONY SOTILLO for serving in Vietnam during the test offensive .I love you Dad, Angie

(815)
My uncle Master sergeant Richard Seip. Airplane mechanic that later went on to be a lawyer for the Pennsylvania railroad.

(312)
Honoring my “Gramps Carlson” WWI and my 96 yr old dad, Bob Carlson WWII, pilot in Army Air Corp.

(219)
My Father Master Tech sgt Harold KAMMRATH pacifictheater purple 💜 silver cross And his brother Killed in Germany Edward Francis Kammrath

(847)
Like to honor my Dad, Albert Fritz, served under General MacArthur in Pacific, after the war he got a job at Schwinn Bicycles where he created the
Iconic Schwinn StingRay

(815)
My Dad served in the Marines during the Korean conflict(War).
He was one of the “Frozen Chosen”. Shot 5 times. Thanks Dad!

(847)
War story. My Dad served in WWII. He was an officer on Destroyer Escot. A sailor had an acute appendicitis attack with no doctor on the ship in rough seas. Ship’s Captain got Spanish doctor on ship to shore radio – doctor instructed ship’s pharmacist (in broken English) how to remove appendix. They were able to save sailors life.

(773)
Grandpa Garrett Meade, WW1 army France. Father Garrett Meade, Korea, Navy. Cousin Bill Pahissa KIA fire base Ripcord Vietnam July 1970.

(630)
Honoring my brothers. Geff Krajci(cra chi) and Gary Krajci both served in Vietnam. Thank you for acknowledging our Vets!!!

(630)
My father Angelo Egizio first lieutenant lead navigator B26 flew missions in World War II received the distinguished flying Cross flew another 90 missions in the Korean War father of eight died Passed away Veterans Day 2001

(630)
I would like to honor my father WW2 veteran Richard Moloney USN. Also my friends dad and Pearl Harbor survivor Robert Ashton USN

(224)
I’d like to honor my dad Norm Bailey, a Navy vet who served in Guam, his brother Eugene who died in WWII at the age of 18 and my nephew Justin Bailey who also served in the Navy and sailed to Europe twice for 2 missions. Thank you to all who serve!

(847)
I wish to honor my father John P Weber. He was a marine. He made me and our family feel safe every day of our lives. We lost him this past February and have felt his loss everyday. RIP dad.

(773)
Remembering my wonderful father Lt. Col. and WWII vet the late George J. Miller.

(708)
Please thank all of the veterans from Park Forest American Legion post 1198

(219)
Honoring my Dad Charles A. Meyer, Purple Heart in WWII, afterward fire fighter and brother Charles L. Meyer,Vietnam Nam vet also became a fire fighter. Brave men of service.

(708)
I’m honoring my dad, Raymond Barko, WWII, US NAVY and my late husband, Byron Grober, US NAVY AND NAVY RESERVE, and my son, Evan Grober, STAFF SERGEANT, USMC, currently serving in Quantico, VA

(847)
My father in law fought in Guam during WWII. He brought home a Japanese flag signed by everyone in his squad. We still have the flag in our home.

(708)
Fr. Chris Doering
Army Chaplain

(630)
Would like to recognize our service Military dogs.

(815)
Much love to my grandpa Glenn Anderson who fought in Korea

(847)
In honor in thanks for the safe return of my three brothers Mike in the Air Force Denny in the army and John in the Navy during the Vietnam war, Lucy

(630)
Like to honor my father John Chamerski serving in World War II under general Pat passed away in 1979 miss you Dad

(630)
Honoring my wife Cheryl Beutell for serving and also being a oncology nurse

(708
My Father Mike Van Zuidam wasArmy Air Force WWII
Bombardier/Tailgunner

(708)
You should do some reading of vets’ names all week. They deserve more than a day. Thanks for this tribute.

(815)
I would like to thank ALL vets and tell them that the young generation really does appreciate all of their scarifies.

(630)
My wife’s uncle, Richard Sikkema, US Navy, was captured by Japanese in February, 1942. Released after war ended. Stayed in Navy until mid 50’s. Passed two years ago at age 99.

(847)
Honoring my dad, Elmer Hallen, WWII army seargent, TRIPLE Purple Heart Veteran!

(708)
Please honor my dad Thomas James. Vietnam veteran. He is now completely bedridden and we take care of them every day at home with my mom

(708)
Honor my brother Edouard Valette( Lt Col Air Force 30 yrs) served time of Korean war- passed away 2016.

(815)
I would like to remember my father, Grant Herman, who proudly served in the Navy in the New Hebrides islands during WWII. He lived to be 95.

(217)
I’d like to honor the father I never knew. He was a Marine who fought at Iwo Jima. Enlisted at age 17, he lied about his age to get in. I believe the war caused him to suffer life long mental health challenges that took a smart and incredibly talented music teacher eventually to homelessness and alcoholism. I honor him and his struggle and my heart goes out to all veterans and their families. The scars of war can last generations.

(312)
I’d like to honor my father Rudolph Wrublik. He served in the army in Italy in World War II. His brothers Eddie and Marty also served in Europe at the same time. One was taken prisoner, the other one was injured in the Battle of the Bulge. All are gone now, I wish they were still here.

The time changed coupled with cold weather has impacted our time we spend outside. Normally at this time we are in the low 60’s and have weather that is still fine to be outside to exercise or stress relief that is not the case this year. That loss of outdoor time came abruptly and it came along with the time change so in a matter of days we were greatly impacted. This impact would have normally been a little more gradual and we would have enjoyed more time outside. The health impacts of this change cannot be minimized as this impacts us mentally as well as physically.

Let’s take a few minutes to discuss the impacts and what we can do to have a healthy winter.

HEART

First let’s consider our heart, blood pressure and cholesterol. These three are tied together with exercise and diet. As we start to get in to the dark cold weather, our body has a craving for heavy meals as well as carbohydrate loaded foods. When you combine a diet like that with a decrease in activity we see our weight go up, which often results in our blood pressure rising as well as our cholesterol. Control of one’s diet is key thru the winter. This is when you should do a couple of things, one is to actually calorie count each day. Although this sounds like a hassle, technology has made it much easier. There are many apps that allow you to put in the ingredients of your meal in and an estimate of calories is projected. Many restaurants now provide calorie counts on their menus. Tracking is easy on many of these apps as well. Do you know how many calories you should take in each day? A rough estimate is 2,000 calories to 2,500 calories a day. For perspective a Whopper with Cheese is 750 calories and footlong Italian sub at Subway is 960 calories, you can see how these add up quickly. In the summer these may be part of your diet as you exercise more and have more outdoor activity, during winter this is not the case.

So consider what you eat, eat in moderation, and beware of the calories. Doing it now will set a tone for the upcoming months. Preventing weight gain is much easier than attempting weight loss, so get on a healthy track early.

Exercise is difficult in the winter. The walk before or after dinner is difficult in the dark and with a wind chill, both factors are not motivating and often replaced with sedentary activities. Many of you have exercise equipment that has been sitting quiet for months as your activity has been outside. Time to get back on that treadmill or bike to get some exercise and burn some calories. My suggestion for success here is to make a schedule each week for what activities and for which days and then track your success. It may be as simple as a 45 minute brisk walk in the mall, or it may be to go up and down stairs in the home 10 additional times in a day. Regardless of the activity schedule it and track it. There are many videos of exercise, yoga or Pilates that are easily accessible on line and led by experts, these often take minimal or no equipment and can be done in an open area of your home. If you are using exercise equipment at home, make sure you place it in front of a TV. Watching the news or Netflix will make the exercise time go by very quickly. Exercise is good to help control any weight change as well as helping with blood pressure.

MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health is stressed at this time of the year. The lack of sunlight impacts us mentally and in some cases much more than others. We all expect to feel a bit down with the winter blues, however if those winter blues seem to be around every day or for most of the day most days, it is worth a discussion with your doctor. Approximately 20 percent of population suffer from SAD in some fashion. SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder also commonly called Winter Depression. This condition appears after the time change and with the shorter days of sunlight, it stays with individuals often until the early summer. This condition is more common in women but is seen in men as well. The further north you live the higher the chance that you will suffer from this.

Symptoms for SAD include
• A change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods
• Weight gain
• A heavy feeling in the arms or legs
• A drop in energy level
• Fatigue
• A tendency to oversleep
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability
• Increased sensitivity to social rejection
• Avoidance of social situations—not wanting to go out
Now many of us may feel that we have some of these symptoms thru the winter but having them occasionally is different than having them daily. If you feel like you have these symptoms consistently speak to your doctor as they have options for treatment. Treatment may include light therapy, this is therapy where the patient is exposed to a light box each day for a few hours and that light mimics the light we see naturally. It allows for the brain receptors to function at a summer level and elevates mood in many cases. Other treatment options include medications and in many cases adding Vitamin D to one’s diet.
We know that social isolation also impacts our mental health and the inability to get out because of cold or inclement weather only makes this worse. Social media has certainly helped with this as well the ability to facetime with others. Spending time with the most natural light is also a key to improving mental health thru the winter, you may need to rearrange furniture and function of the rooms but getting any sunlight is helpful.

VITAMINS
We have discussed the importance of Vitamin D to our body. This is a unique Vitamin as we make it in the body but we need sunlight to activate it. In the summer when we are exposed to a lot of sunlight we have ample Vitamin D, however in the winter that is not the case. Vitamin D is important as It helps us maintain good bone strength by helping us absorb calcium, but it has other very important benefits. In seniors it has been shown to improve cognition, decrease our chances with Diabetes and help us decrease our chance of depression. I recommend individuals take 2,000 IU of Vitamin D each day after the time change as we are not producing enough with the limited day light we see.

INFECTIONS
If you have not received your flu shot, right now is the time. Remember it takes 2 weeks for it to work. With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away we would like to see as many people protected by then. The reason being is the amount of travelers that move across the country that weekend. This increases the opportunity for a local outbreak to be spread quickly. The CDC expects this to be a bad flu year with H3N2 Type A strain causing the most havoc as it did last season in the Southern Hemisphere. So if you have not gotten the flu shot, please do so this week. Many pharmacies and grocery stores are offering it for free.
We do need to realize that we are coming into Cold and Flu season. Protecting ourselves from viral illnesses is important. Not only are they aggravating they can also impact the health of our families and coworkers. Viruses actually do very well in the winter. Many of them have a hard shell covering that allows them to live on surfaces for hours, couple that with people staying indoors and in closer contact allows for viruses to spread. The message here is wash your hands frequently, clean surfaces where many hands touch, (think light switches, door handles, faucets are often over looked) cough into your elbow. The vast majority of winter illnesses are caused by viruses and do not require antibiotics. Do not be mad or disappointed if your doctor tells you that your cold is due to a virus, that you may have it for a week and that supportive measures like fluids, Advil and Mucinex is what they recommend. Antibiotics do nothing against viruses and just increase the chance of bacterial resistance in the community. Those of you who think the Z Pak is the reason your “cold” was cured are incorrect, in fact Z Pak have been so over used that there is a lot of resistant bacteria that are no longer impacted by this antibiotic.

ASTHMA
Those of you with asthma know that this can often be a lot worse in the winter. Not only will viruses and other infections trigger the symptoms but also the bitter cold dry air causes inflammation and triggers the asthma. Individuals with asthma should make sure they don’t miss any of their maintenance medications but equally as important is to check and make sure their rescue inhaler is available and up to date. A well-controlled asthma patient may only need their rescue inhaler 1-2 a month, however in the winter that number can rise based on irritation and inflammation of the airways, so make sure you have your rescue inhaler with you and that it is not expired or empty. Patients with asthma and COPD need to make sure they have their flu vaccine soon if they have not already received it.

On this episode, the show starts off with the Top 6 at 6 followed by Lou’s First Call. Former Chicago Blackhawks player Bryan Bickell joins in studio with his wife Amanda Bickell to talk about The Bryan & Amanda Bickell Foundation. Northwestern Football Coach, Pat Fitzgerald joins the show and later Dan Hampton gives score predictions for the upcoming Bears game against the Lions this Sunday. Richard Roper calls in to introduce the winners of the IES Film Festival, David Smith and Chase Devens. Dean Richards has the latest news in entertainment, and Adam Burish, former Chicago Blackhawks player joins the show for the “Breakfast with a Blackhawk” segment.  The show continues with comedian Christopher Titus in studio and Kelly Rizzo to update you on the latest travel tips! The show wraps up with Let It Be Us, Ken Hoving, who talks about  his stability and success to having a strong adoptive family. 

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Fry the Coop locations are at 5128 W. 95th St. in Oak Lawn, 623 W. North Ave. in Elmhurst and 205 W. Wacker Dr. in Wells Street Market, and the next opens soon at 1529 W. Chicago Ave. in West Town. For more information visit www.frythecoop.com

Be sure to read Ji’s article on the Chicago Sun-Times, HERE

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NICU parking fees can cost more than $1,000 a month. That’s why Jackson Chance Foundation partners with hospitals to provide complimentary parking passes to every family with a baby in the NICU. They ensure that the financial burden of parking does not stand in the way of any parent being with their child.

Guests can compete in a Table Tennis Tournament, play games, or bid on unique auction packages, all while removing the financial burden of parking for families with critically ill babies in the NICU. For more information and to donate visit their website: JacksonChance.Org.

Towards the end of the interview, Ryan and Adam share their thoughts on the both the White Sox and Cubs as the teams get ready to make some offseason moves.

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Coffee and tea in place of the soda I took away last week

We have discussed many times the health benefits from coffee.

1.)  Two cups of coffee following a tough work out can decrease the pain by 50%
2.)  We know those who drink coffee thru the day have a decreased risk of Type 2 diabetes
3.)  Caffeine has been shown to decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
4.)  4 cups of coffee a day shows a decrease in depression
5.)  We have discussed the studies that show coffee can also decrease the risk of Parkinson’s
6.) We have discussed that coffee drinkers can lower their risk of heart disease
7.) When discussing colon cancer we discussed that coffee helps decrease our risk of colon cancer

Wait there’s more, a recent study that discusses the impact of coffee on brown fat in the body. The body has 2 types of fat, brown fat and white fat. Brown fat is found in humans and other mammals. It is thought mainly to be important in producing heat by burning sugar and fat, often in response to cold temperatures. As the activity of brown fat is increased, blood sugars are in better control as well as fats in the blood stream drop. Until this study, we had no idea how to stimulate this in humans until recently when they had individuals drink coffee and then looked at cell activity they noted it increased. They are not sure if it is the caffeine or some other ingredient. As they study this more, this may be used as a part of weight management as well diabetes management.

Coffee has some great health benefits

Not a coffee drinker? Enjoy Tea instead? Well a study out this year has shown that regular tea drinkers have healthier brains and cognitive function when compared to non-tea drinkers. This study looked at seniors over the age of 60. They had neuro testing as well as MRI screens. The results showed that individuals who consumed tea at least 4 times a week had brain testing that suggests that drinking tea regularly has a protective effect against age related decline in brain function.

We know from other studies that tea helps with weight loss, protects your bone health, has powerful antioxidants, improves mood, and reduces your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Green tea is the tea that appears to have the greatest benefit from a cardiovascular view and bone health. Also Tea for the most part has less caffeine than coffee.

So last week I took away soft drinks from you as a health related concern, we have now replaced it with Tea and coffee for its health related benefits.

Get a dog

Who can’t find a dog story uplifting. We often think about adopting a dog as saving the dog, well we may have it backwards. We know that sedentary life style and loneliness are not good for our health and that that is really true for heart attack and stroke victims

We have discussed in the past that dogs help individuals minimize social isolation and actually improves physical activity and lowers blood pressure. Two studies that came out a couple of weeks ago showed that dog ownership is associated with longer life and better cardiovascular outcomes, especially in individuals who have suffered from a stroke or heart attack. This impact is noted by comparing the patients who owned a dog with those who did not, and even when compared to living alone with a dog or with a family with a dog the difference was substantial. They found that dog ownership was associated with a 24% decrease risk of death overall and a 33% decrease risk of death among heart attack survivors that live alone. These studies looked at over 3 million individuals

More studies need to be completed but the initial thought was the dog impacts their mood, is a motivator for physical activity so it works on the rehab of the heart, body and mind.

We also know the impact a dog can make with individuals suffering from PTSD, Depression, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They really are man’s best friend.

We know the mental health benefits of taking care of somebody besides yourself, maybe dogs do as well

Hate those reading glasses, an eye drop may replace them soon.

Ok, how many of you hate reading glasses? Or get to a restaurant and not be able to read the menu because you forgot your glasses? An Israel based company is in the final stages of testing an eye drop that will treat far sightedness. Far sightedness or senior associated vision changes is the change that makes us have difficulty reading or seeing items closely, thus we need glasses that magnify print allowing us to read normally printed items.

The eye drop being developed has been shown to temporarily reverses this change and allows for improvement in distance correction. The drops have thus far shown exceptional safety and tolerability. The study which was just completed Phase 2 studies in research centers across the US was quite encouraging. Phase 2 studies look at dosing and effectiveness on a small and the next step would be start a Phase 3 study where the drug would be tested on a large number of people to again show effectiveness in a larger setting. The drops are made of well-known ingredients that have thus far been safe. The drug reverses its effects after a short period of time, results on the dosing will determine how long the medication works.

If this pans out, individuals may not need their reading glasses and many may hold off on surgery like Lasik surgery to help correct the problem. More to come in the next few years.

The importance of a hug in all phases of life

We know an Apple a day keeps the doctor away, how about a hug a day? We all know the feeling that one gets when a warm embrace occurs, they are comforting, mood elevating, stress relieving and actually lowers our blood pressure. It has been also shown to increase our immune system as well, so although we often want to stay away from someone who is ill, a hug may actually be safer and better for you than a handshake.

In children we know the importance physical contact and this was noted in a very painful way. Orphanage’s in Romania had children that were provided food but not held or hugged, when studied later in life these same children had significant developmental and emotional delays as well as smaller brains. Those studied showed that the physical contact with these infants impacted not only the children’s behavior later in life but also in the development of their cognitive skills.

We also know that with premature babies a light massage over the course of a week causes significant weight gain. It is felt that this action as well as “professional cuddlers” in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units lower stress in the new born infants and speeds their growth. Think of the crying baby, what action do we take? We pick them up and hug them, often the crying stops immediately and the child falls asleep. The contact of the hug puts one into comfort and a relaxed state of mind. The beauty of this action is that individual providing the hugging to these infants gets a large benefit as well

A Study was done that showed that people seeing images of other individuals hugging actually showed changes in their EEG, or brain activity readings.

So a Hug a day may increase your immune system, decrease your stress, decrease your pain levels

Lower your chance of Alzheimer’s

5.8 million individuals in the US from Alzheimer’s, including 200,000 under the age of 65. It is frustrating to all that we don’t have a cure, don’t have many medications that slow or halt the progression of the illness. So without treatment we look to prevention.

A Study came out recently that showed 5 specific lifestyle choices that were linked to a 60% reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s, the study actually showed if you even did 4 of the 5 your risk is still decreased by 60%. The study actually came out of Rush University.. The researchers thought there would be some correlation between lifestyle factors and cognitive outcomes but were surprised by the actual impact.

What are they…….
1.) Make sure to get 150 minutes a week of moderate to vigorous activity
2.) Do not smoke
3.) Limit yourself to one drink a day
4.) Do puzzles or other problem solving tasks daily
5.) Eat a good diet- nuts, veggies, whole grains, seafood, poultry and olive oil. Avoid pastries, sweets, fried foods and red meat or other saturated fats.

Now everyone was not as stringent in the 9 year research, but they found over the time of the study that as an individual added a healthier lifestyle choice to whatever they were currently doing, their risk dropped over 20%.

The same day this study was published another came out in JAMA and showed that a healthy lifestyle can be equally protective and that study looked at over 200,000 individuals.

So a change in your lifestyle will certainly decrease your chance of dementia in the future.

Hopefully this week was more uplifting with positive stories.

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Read Ji’s article on the Chicago Sun Times HERE.

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When she grows up she “wants to build a robot that can do almost anything” and “make a dent in the Universe.” Addy loves Roblox, Minecraft, the Clarinet, her family, Destination Imagination, Portland Oregon, the Beach, Stitch Fix, and her doggies!

Individuals will use E cigs to smoke marijuana as it has the ability to hide the normal odor and can be used in public without any scrutiny at all.

Congress is very unhappy about the pace of identifying the issue and correcting it. The CDC has officially named the illness, it is termed EVALI. This stands for E cigarette Vaping Associated Lung Injury, EVALI. It also gave insight into recommendations for assessment, criteria for hospital admission and treatment. Initial evaluation includes testing to eliminate other possible infectious causes. Treatment is showing early use of steroids is key. 82% of those who were given steroids early on showed improvement, the problem is that steroids are often contraindicated in some infections, so eliminating the possibility of an infection quickly is the key. Patients presenting with lung issues must have infections ruled out first as they are the most common with over 1.5 million individuals hospitalized for this conditions and millions more treated in the outpatient setting each year.

The CDC continues to evaluate each of the cases as the exact cause is still unknown, there have been 35 related deaths in 21 states as of last week. It is also calling for people to stop vaping completely any product that contains THC, some states are looking to completely ban vaping 100%. Colorado is taking a different stand, it understands that the majority of the cases have been associated with THC, which is legal in Colorado. They are looking at the additives that are used to help vaporize the THC oil which is very thick. They are looking at restricting the additives that they find are carcinogens when heated or that may vaporize when heated but condense back when cooled in the lungs. The regulated cannabis market in Colorado, where components known to cause injury could be banned and monitored appears to be the best solution to a problem that probably will not go away any time soon.

The other big concern is that even when the CDC identifies the offending component, halting its use is easy from the regulated or approved vials but obviously they have no control of those vials containing THC that are made illegally. CDC is now testing fluids from the lungs of those affected in the hope of identifying the compound causing the injuries.

Six states have taken some form of action from complete banning to tighter restrictions.

Opioids- technology for overdoses

Let’s put this in perspective in Illinois alone last year we had over 2,200 deaths due to drug overdoses in 2017. Across the country we had 70,200 drug overdose deaths, with 28,000 of them related to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. A study in Massachusetts showed that less than 2 % of the overdose victims who died last year had active prescriptions for these medications. The focus by the federal government to decrease the supply of prescription opioids appears to be overshadowed by the need for more rehabilitation services as the vast majority of overdoses are coming from illicit sources.

We need to keep in our minds that the battle over drug overdoses is equally or more important than the battle against vaping injuries. Last week it was shared that a researcher at Northwestern received a $10 million dollar federal grant to develop technology which would call first responders and deliver Narcan to an individual when low oxygen levels were noted. John Rogers is one of the top researchers in the world in materials science and is based her in Chicago at Northwestern University. We have discussed other products he has designed including the fingernail patch that monitors your sun exposure and the patch that tracks electrolyte loss in athletes.

His latest device is an implantable device that would notice when oxygen levels drop to dangerous levels, when individuals overdose from opioids the drug essentially tells the brain that it does not need to breathe and the individual dies from a lack of oxygen. Narcan is a drug that binds tightly in the brain to the drug receptors and blocks the opioid from reaching that part of the brain. It works very quickly and can reverse the impact of the opioid and if given soon enough can take an individual from an unresponsive state to awake in minutes. The power of the drug is amazing but it must be given soon after the overdose. This is the reason that police and paramedics have Narcan with them. It is delivered via a nasal spray or injection and the impact is lifesaving.

This same implantable device would also trigger a call to first responders via the 911 system. Now do people think this is a good idea? Do they think it is ethical? Does it allow drug addicts to push to the edge? I look at it as an opportunity to save a life and perhaps get them the help they need to quit.

Soft Drinks- heart and digestive deaths

Do you drink soft drinks? How many? Some recent studies may change your intake of these popular drinks. Studies that came out last month showed that both regular as well as diet drink consumption had health related issues that we should be aware of. The studies are observational and cannot show an actual cause and effect. It has been impossible to find a specific artificial sweetener that is causing the health related issues of heart disease or obesity. The recent study published in JAMA found that individuals who drink 2 or more diet sodas a day had a higher risk of dying from heart disease when compared to those who did not drink these sodas.

The study came out of Europe, from a larger study that we have discussed before. This study is the European version of what we are trying to do here with the “All Of Us” study that is starting now in the US, please consider joining. The study has 450,000 individuals that it has been following for the past 20 years, over the 20 years 40,000 individuals have died. They take the information they have captured and compare it against others in the study. This group has allowed us to track the impact of many illnesses as well as social and environmental issues. The US is trying to get a similar study up and running now with the “all of Us “ project.

For those of you drinking non-diet drinks, let’s make sure we explain how the study defined use. Participants who drank 2 glasses of soda a day were consider high users and low users were defined as one glass of soda a month or none.

The study showed that those who were considered in the high user cohort and drank sugar sweetened soft drinks had a much higher risk of dying from digestive related disorders, while those who drank diet sodas had a much higher risk of dying from cardiovascular related diseases. The volume of individuals they had to study, allowed them to remove or neutralize other risk factors we all may think of. The study does admit that they have no smoking gun as to why but that the findings are observational and only show association not cause.

This study reinforces the findings that we have seen in other studies that show the health impact of sodas are pretty much all negative. We have studies that have shown the negative impact on the rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, we know there are chemicals in soft drinks that are tough on our kidneys as well as our bone growth.

So what should we do? Certainly cutting back is the correct thing to do but this may not be as easy as one would think. Just like vaping where the body is addicted to the nicotine the body can also become addicted to the caffeine in soft drinks. Many suggest that cold turkey may not be the best way to quit, cutting back by 1-2 servings a day until you get down to one a day, then go every other day and continue to stretch out the time until you have quit. Replacing it with non-sweetened seltzer water or plain water is what is suggested. Breaking the craving for sweets is difficult as well, and substituting for natural sweets is preferred. Fruit infused water is another great substitute, and they now have fruit infuser water bottles so you can make your own.

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These numbers are staggering but it is encouraging that we have seen a decrease in breast cancer deaths since 1989. However the encouragement needs to be taken with all of the information. The improving death rate appears to be related mainly to white women, we are seeing death rates in women of color to be 40% higher in black women when compared to white women, and really shows a difference in black women under the age of 50. This cancer is a confusing one as we are seeing the incidence of breast cancer continue to rise but fortunately the death rate continue to decrease due to early identification and more effective treatments.

We take this month to increase awareness of the disease as well as to encourage women to make sure they are getting the appropriate and timely screening completed. The timing of beginning to screen for breast cancer can be a bit confusing as some societies call for screening to begin at age 40, while others recommend screening start at age 50. Which is right? It is unclear but women should have a discussion with their physician and an agreement should be reached. The interval for screening may be decided on to be annually or biennial, again this is after a discussion with your doctor. This discussion will take into consideration family history and risk factors as well as the patients desire.

So what are the risk factors for Breast Cancer

1.) Age- we know the risk increases as we age and that increase is noted up to the age of 70
2.) Genetics- we know that if a close relative has had breast cancer the risk is elevated for family members. This is often due to BRCA genes. Your physician may recommend genetic testing
3.) Estrogen exposure- women who started their periods at a young age or have delayed menopause have a higher exposure to estrogen which will increase their risk
4.) Breastfeeding actually appears to decrease the risk of breast cancer
5.) Obesity- women who are overweight and especially those who become overweight after menopause have a higher chance of breast cancer
6.) Alcohol consumption- a high rate of alcohol consumption appears to increase the chance of breast cancer
7.) Radiation exposure from treatment for other forms of cancer may increase the risk as well
8.) Birth control pills may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer as well as hormone replacement therapy

How do we diagnose breast cancer?

We all know that mammograms have been the staple for screening. There are more than one type of mammogram and it is important that women get the best screening they can. Women should be discussing with their doctor if they should be looking for facilities that do Digital Tomosynthesis. This is FDA approved and it is now considered to be the standard of care for screening. Tomo is essentially a 3 D X ray of the breast. To visualize the difference think of the difference between a circle and a ball. The standard mammogram would produce the circle the Tomo would present the ball image. For traditional mammogram 2 – 3 images are taken for the Tomo 11 images are taken and the images are sent to a computer where the images are assembled to picture a 3 D view looking for abnormalities. Not all facilities have this technology so discuss it with your physician.

Physicians may order follow up test which may include Ultrasound which helps distinguish a finding that may be a solid mass or maybe a fluid filled cyst, which is often benign.

MRI is now being used more often as well, sometimes as a follow up to a mammogram but also it is being used more often in women who are deemed to be at high risk.

The treatment for breast cancer continues to be multi focal it includes surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone blocking treatment and newer medications including immunotherapy.

The outlook on breast cancer continues to be based on how early the cancer can be identified. Stage 1 breast cancer, where the cancer is small and has not spread, has a 5 year survival rate of close to 99%, however those individuals identified at Stage 4 where the cancer has spread beyond the breast to other organs in the body, have only a 27% Five year survival rate. As with most cancers early detection is the key to survival as well as the key to easier and less toxic treatment options.

Male breast Cancer

Although women have the vast majority of cases of breast cancer (Well over 99%), Men can still be found to have breast cancer. For men the risk of breast cancer is 1 in 833, this is in stark contrast to the risk in women of 1 in 8. Earlier this month it was shared with the world that Beyoncé’s father, Mathew Knowles has been diagnosed with Breast cancer. It appears his may have been caused by secondary exposure to radiation from a job he held for years.

Mr. Knowles has had surgery and is now becoming an awareness advocate for breast cancer. He was diagnosed after finding bloody discharge on his t shirt.

Breast Cancer vaccine- treat and prevent??

Last week Mayo clinic shared results from a new breast cancer vaccine that showed it helped remove cancer cells. The study is being done initially on early stage breast cancer patients, where the cancer has not spread. The vaccine is being tested now with the hopes it would be fully available in 8 years. The goal of the vaccine not only to stop the reoccurrence of breast cancer but also prevent the cancer from occurring in the first place. It is currently being tested on a few patients as they prepare for a much larger Phase 3 study. The vaccine as is true with other vaccines is to teach the immune system to look for, find and destroy any cancer cells. The few patients who have been allowed to use the vaccine have shown good results with minimal side effects.

If this continues in the direction it is going we may have a vaccine to not only treat breast cancer but to also prevent breast cancer by using the body’s own immune system.

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