Tim Ditman

2 weeks ago | riverbender.com | Tim Ditman

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Treat your body like a temple.”Bob Weaver admits he used to treat his like a tent. The 62-year-old OSF HealthCare Mission Partner (employee) from Danville, Illinois, has had three heart stents to fix blockages. The most recent came in October 2024, something he dubbed a “last chance wake up call.”And wake up he did. During cardiac rehabilitation, Weaver lost 33 pounds, four inches off his waist and got his blood pressure and cholesterol back to a healthy level.

2 weeks ago | riverbender.com | Tim Ditman

In a 2010 interview, actress Courtney Cox claimed she and her Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow ate a Cobb salad for lunch every day for 10 years. More recently, actress Selena Gomez, 32, said she picked up an “old man habit” from her Only Murders in the Building co-stars Martin Short, 74, and Steve Martin, 79. Gomez said the elder statesmen eat the same thing every day, and she follows suit, typically with a chicken salad sandwich.

3 weeks ago | riverbender.com | Tim Ditman

From news reports to social media blurbs to medical studies, they’ve been in the public eye a lot lately. And experts say that likely won’t change. We’re talking about microplastics or nanoplastics, incredibly small pieces of plastic that can get into our body. So, how concerned should we be? Philip Ovadia, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon at OSF HealthCare, says this issue will continue to be studied for years. But there are things you can do now to optimize your health and reduce your risk of problems.

1 month ago | riverbender.com | Tim Ditman

Key takeaways:Elbow or shoulder pain from overuse in baseball can happen at young ages. Providers will treat the young athletes with physical therapy and rest. Sometimes, the child will have to sit out for up to three months. Young athletes should have a good training program and not work too many pitches into their toolbox. When you think of youth baseball, you think fun and games, right? More learning fundamentals and less curveballs and collisions.

1 month ago | riverbender.com | Tim Ditman

Key takeaways:Shin splints bring pain, swelling, tenderness or soreness along the front part of your lower leg. Treatment involves icing, resting and slowly returning to competition. Prevention involves finding the right footwear and getting on the right workout plan. Leg compression sleeves can also help. Outdoor track and field season is underway. That means Brittany Delaney gets reacquainted with the shin – the front part of the leg between the knee and the ankle.