Independent optometrist Marcia E. Blake has been providing vision care in Beverly/Morgan Park for nearly 17 years. She provides comprehensive vision exams as well as care for eye infections and injuries. Fashion frames from many well-known designers are available for eyewear and sunwear needs. Designs for sports and safety look great as they protect your the eyes. Specialty lens materials and treatments can increase visual comfort. For example, anti-glare treatment will eliminate that annoying glare from headlights during night driving while actually improving the clarity of vision. 

In addition, contact lenses for almost everyone are expertly prescribed and are available in nearsighted, farsighted, astigmatic, and multifocal  designs. Contact lenses in many prescriptions can even change one’s eye color. For more information or an appointment contact Dr. Marcia E. Blake, at 773-233-7799 or mebod@sbcglobal.net.

 

The only home medical supply just for mothers, Perinatal HomeMedical Supply offers Medela and Ameda electric breast pumps, pregnancy support belts and compression pantyhose at lower-than-department store prices. They provide the paperwork for insurance, too. Gift certificates and shower gift cards are available. For more information, call 888-404-7467 or visit preinatalhomemed.com.

 

A new omega-3 study from the US National Eye Institute followed the diets of over 1800 men and women who were likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD). After 12 years, compared to those who consumed the least omega-3 fatty acids, those who consumed the most omega-3’s –equal to about 1/10 of total calories – were 30 percent less likely to develop the two types of AMD, wet and dry.

 

Researchers concluded that omega-3 fatty acid supplements may be a low-cost, easily implemented preventive treatment for AMD.

 

In a related omega-3 study, researchers measured the diets of more than 2100 people with signs of potential AMD in both eyes. After 12 years, those who had consumed the most eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) alone or combined with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), were 50 percent less likely to have lost sight in the center field of vision, the most common characteristic of AMD.

 

In an AMD study, doctors measured the diets of 1300 women, age 50 to 79, to see how fats might affect the chances of AMD. Women younger than 75, who ate a high fat diet (averaging 43 percent of total calories) were 70 percent more likely to develop AMD compared to women who ate the least fat (21 percent of total calories, on average.)

Doctors noted that the polyunsaturated fat, such as omega-3 and omega-6, needed to be in balance. When omega-6s were too high compared to omega-3s, chances of AMD rose.

Generally for women younger than 75, as saturated fats – which are usually from animal sources – increased, so did the chances of AMD. As monounsaturated fats – those from nuts and olive oil – increased, chances of AMD declined. (Reference: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; 2009, Vol. 90, No. 6).

 

For more information on health and nutrition, visit southtownhealthfoods.com.

 

Traditional Chinese acupuncture is based on complex philosophies that are thousands of years old. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) utilizes acupuncture, herbs, acupressure, dietary recommendations and physical exercise to promote a state of balance of health. Oriental Medicine is premised on the central idea that the life force (qi) circulates through the meridian pathways to animate the body and spirit.

 

TCM is effective for a variety of conditions including chronic pain, tendonitis, back pain, sinusitis, headaches, chemo/radiation support, infertility, stress, dermatological conditions, weight loss, smoking cessation, depression and more.

 

In order to determine the cause of an illness, a TCM practitioner diagnoses imbalances in the system. When the organ systems are out of balance or are qi deficient, a state of illness – or imbalance – occurs.

 

Acupuncture has been used to treat more people than have been treated with all other combined methods of health care. Acupuncturists restore health by correcting the flow of qi through the meridian pathways by inserting thin needles at specific points, safely stimulating the body’s innate healing abilities. The needles are sterile, disposable and virtually painless. A typical treatment utilizes 10 to 30 acupoints and lasts about 30 minutes. Generally, a course of acupuncture is completed within 4 to 6 visits. Many insurance plans now cover acupuncture treatments.

 

Kathy Broderick and Wendy Murray are both licensed acupuncturists, board-certified Chinese herbalists and registered nurses. Broderick also practices TCM in the Integrative Cancer Center at Little Company of Mary Hospital. For more information, call 773-233-9000.

On Tues., Apr. 13, Ald. Ginger Rugai, 19th Ward, will cut the “official ribbon” for MetroSouth Medical Center’s recently opened Morgan Park Health Center, 1701 W. Monterey (111^th and Vincennes). 

 

The 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. celebration will include a commemorative toast, hors d’oeuvres, raffle prizes and a Wii and Wii Fit exercise system as the grand prize. In addition, exercise experts will be on hand to show guests prevention strategies for beating “achy knees.”  All attendees will leave with materials to recreate simple knee-strengthening exercises at home, including a card listing injury prevention techniques.

 

The focus on knee pain is in response to MetroSouth’s March and April hospital-wide focus on orthopedics. To stress the importance of healthy knee joints, MetroSouth will be offering free knee screenings this spring to women who have three or more of the following symptoms: Knee pain, stiffness, swelling, catching, locking, weakness and loss of motion. Quantities are limited, and are provided on a first-come, first-served basis; register by calling 708-489-7927. You can also call 708-489-7927 for grand opening reservations.

 

During the month of March, MetroSouth Health Center at Morgan Park will additionally be offering free heart-health screenings including cholesterol, glucose level, body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure, on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., as the center extends its successful “Know Your Numbers by Heart” campaign. The campaign launched in early February, yielding participation from local luminaries and even Andy Avalos (NBC5) and Jeanne Sparrow (WCIU) who, thanks to MetroSouth, now know their numbers. To register for a free heart-health screening, call 773-298-9800.

 

For optimal screening results, fast two hours before screening. Visit MetroSouthMedicalCenter.com for more information.