Health and Fitness
-
‘A sense of comfort and peace’: How some suburban care facilities are using doll therapy for dementia and Alzheimer’s patientsSep 28, 2025 4:00 am - About a month after her mother moved into an Elmhurst memory care facility, Gail Bekin bought her a doll. “She never put it down,” said Bekin. For decades, health care providers have incorporated certain techniques — music, art and pet therapy as well as caring for baby dolls — to help treat people with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
-
‘A thorough check is the key’: Cooler weather approaching but ticks still with usSep 28, 2025 12:00 am - Cooler days are coming but that doesn’t mean we’re out of the figurative woods when it comes to ticks, whose bites can cause serious illnesses.
-
West Dundee family unites against Parkinson’s with Moving Day Chicago on Oct. 5Sep 26, 2025 4:26 pm - Tony Saviano embraces exercise like tai chi, rowing, boxing, and CrossFit to manage his Parkinson's symptoms. His family and friends will participate in Moving Day Chicago Oct. 5 to raise funds for the Parkinson's Foundation.
-
Dermatologists say keep your skin care routine simple
Sep 26, 2025 11:30 am - Some dermatologists say that many viral skincare products are unnecessary, even if they feel nice. And while some cause little to no harm, other treatments can cause more problems than they fix.
-
A pluck here, a trim there: What happens to your hair when you cut it?
Sep 26, 2025 11:24 am - Shaving will not make sparse facial hair grow into a thick beard, or armpit or leg hair become darker and coarse. Trims will not make scalp hair grow faster. Yet these myths, which have been dispelled by science since at least the 1920s, persist.
-
Study shows single exercise session may slow cancer cell growth
-
Children’s Health: How parents can help kids cope with new cellphone policies at schoolSep 26, 2025 11:23 am - Does your child or teen's school have a new phone policy starting this year? Some schools now ask students to put phones away from the start of classes through dismissal. New school phone policies like these can mean some adjustments for both students and parents.
-
Ask the doctors: Diarrhea is common side effect after colon surgerySep 26, 2025 11:23 am - The colon is more than a simple tube. It's a complex and finely calibrated organ that requires precise coordination between many systems. More than 100 million neurons oversee digestion, absorption and movement. Then there are trillions of microbes that make up the gut microbiome.
-
Monopoly, anyone?: Playing a board game may reduce your risk of dementia
-
Don’t hesitate to be screened for depressionSep 26, 2025 11:22 am - Depression is more than feeling sad or having a bad day. It can be a symptom of an undiagnosed mental illness or even a physical disorder. October is National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month, a good time to understand what it means to be screened for depression or another emerging mental illness.