The Southern Health Magazine

For a good cause
Senior coat drive, Marion

Fairs, seminars and workshops
Crossing lines: Identity and the sexuality spectrum, Carbondale

Energy drinks may give you more than just a buzz
Experts say energy drink consumers should keep careful track of the amount of caffeine they get in a day.

Black henna tattoos can cause serious skin reactions in kids and adults
Henna tattoos may contain a harmful chemical known as para-phenylenediamine, or PPD, which has been associated with a rash of major skin problems, warn dermatologists.

Southern Illinois Healthcare implements new patient info system
A new information technology system implemented by Southern Illinois Healthcare aims to improve communication and quality of care offered to patients.

Southern Illinois Health News

An umbrella can get you a free ride in Williamson County
During the month of Oct. residents of Williamson County can ride the Rides Mass Transit district bus by donating an umbrella instead of paying the general fare. The umbrellas collected will be donated to the Friendship House and the Lighthouse Shelter for the Homeless.

Want to quit smoking?
Experts say telephone quit lines can increase the success rate in quitting smoking by up to 56 percent.

Free mammograms and breast exams available in Southern Illinois
As part of the "Beautiful Inside and Out" initiative, beauty salons across Illinois are teaming up with the Illinois Department of Public Health to help promote the importance of routine breast cancer screenings and early detection.

Senior Health

Q: Is there a link between joint inflammation and heart disease?
A: Yes there is. It is especially important for people coping with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or gout to pay attention to heart health.

Ancient martial art helps seniors sleep better
More than half of all older adults complain about having difficulties sleeping.

Did you know?
Sports injuries have become the number two reason for baby boomers to visit their doctor, right behind the common cold, according to a survey by National Ambulatory Medical Care.

Her Health

Breast cancer: Early detection saves lives
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and officials with the American Cancer Society say they hope their message of early detection and prevention gets through to women throughout the region.

Your jewelry can give you rash
Suffering from unexplained skin irritations and itchy rashes? Experts say it could be an allergy to nickel in jewelry. The treatment? Avoiding all items containing the offending metal.

Q: Can eating junk food while pregnant harm the baby?
A: We all know that smoking and drinking when pregnant can harm the baby, but new research published in The Journal of Physiology suggests that poor diet may also cause long-lasting, irreversible damage in offspring from heart disease to diabetes.

Kid Health

Q: Does 100 percent fruit juice make children fat?
A: No. The majority of research conducted on 100 percent fruit juice consumption in children does not show a connection to weight.

Oral piercings cause tooth fractures and gum disease
Fifteen to 20 percent of teens with oral piercings are at high risk for both tooth fractures and gum disease, which can later result in premature frontal tooth loss, a new study reports.

His Health

Q: Should obese men attempt to lose weight before trying for a baby?
A: Yes. Experts reveal that men with a higher body mass index (BMI) have lower volumes of seminal fluid and a higher proportion of abnormal sperm. Hence it is best for men to first try to achieve an ideal body weight, before trying for a baby with their partners.

Red wine may lower lung cancer risk
Moderate consumption of red wine may decrease the risk of lung cancer in men.

Did you know?
Men over age 60 who have low blood testosterone levels may be at a higher risk for fractures, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Pet Health

Keep your pets safe this Halloween
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals offers the following tips on keeping your pet safe this Halloween:

Flea control
The pesky little flea can cause a lot of grief.

Kids!
Get schooled in animal protection. Humane High School is a new online program for middle and high school students. Enrolment includes: a free course on how to speak up on behalf of animals to lawmakers; videos on a range of issues facing animals; and service-learning ideas, career advice and more.