Naperville Sun

Friends can help each other cross finish line

Sat, 18 May 2013 06:07:30 -0500

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve heard the grumblings of frustration from those who set resolutions in January and can’t seem to find them. The good news is that spring is around the corner which means it’s time to start thinking spring and new goals. Naperville resident Karen Hichborn just might be the inspiration you need to get off the sofa and out the door. Some of you might remember that last year I completed my very first triathlon. I had shared my struggles with readers and based on the responses I received, many of you were inspired to …

Nicki Anderson: Doctor shares truth about chronic pain

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 06:11:46 -0500

Dr. Kathy Borchardt, a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Naperville, provides specialized services in neuropsychology, pediatric neuropsychology, behavioral medicine, pain management and cognitive rehabilitation. She has some fascinating insight on chronic pain and strategies you can take to find relief.

Junior League focuses on Kids in the Kitchen

Sat, 04 May 2013 06:09:30 -0500

Obesity continues to permeate the lives of more than a third of U.S. adults and children. Many are doing their part to combat it in a way that is educational and practical, including the Junior League of Kane & DuPage Counties. The group will host a family event, Kids in the Kitchen between noon and 3 p.m. April 20 at Whole Foods Naperville.

Nicki Anderson: Seasons change along with appetite

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 06:10:45 -0500

I don’t know about you, but once the first snow falls and the daylight is cut short, the foods I crave change dramatically. My morning smoothies are replaced with oatmeal, my lunchtime salads are replaced with soup, and by dinner time, I’m longing for something rich and hearty. There seems to be a consistent shift with my appetite every fall and spring, coincidence? Likely not. Craving triggers I have learned that one of the culprits of cravings is brain chemistry. Apparently it is affected by the seasons, and it shifts with your body’s biological clock. Brain shift, craving shift. Another …

Nicki Anderson: Mediterranean diet way to change lifestyle

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 06:11:25 -0500

Last week the benefits of consuming a Mediterranean diet were confirmed. Although the findings are not necessarily new, it is the first major clinical trial to measure the diet’s effect on heart risks. For me, it simply affirms what I’ve been practicing for years. So, if you’re not following a Mediterranean diet, perhaps this column will inspire you to shift toward healthier eating.

Anderson: Raffi shares lesson from the heart

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 06:15:07 -0500

In September, Raffi Demerdjian was feeling chronically tired, not common for him. At the urging of family and friends, Raffi decided to make a trip to the emergency room at Edward Hospital. He was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DC), a condition in which the heart becomes weakened and enlarged. It can affect anyone at any age. However, it is most common in adult men.

Nicki Anderson: Listen to your body, especially your heart

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 06:15:41 -0500

Michele Beck, of Aurora, suffered a heart attack at 33 years old in 1994. Since then, she’s found a doctor who will listen to her concerns and has made life changes to put her heart health on track.

Nicki Anderson: You can prevent heart disease

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 06:17:57 -0500

Even with the surplus of information via internet and media about National Heart Month, lack of awareness about heart disease and its potential deadly impact continues. Many are still unaware that simple lifestyle changes can reverse heart disease, also known at cardiovascular disease. Yet, if heart disease goes undetected or untreated, it can be fatal.

Nicki Anderson: Celebrate National Heart Month

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 06:20:18 -0500

During National Heart Month, Nicki Anderson’s columns will focus on prevention education as well as some insight in to heart disease. We all have within our power the ability to make healthier choices. Why not use National Heart Month as an excuse to choose wisely.

80-year-old great-grandmother still teaching yoga

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 19:36:44 -0500

Columnist Nicki Anderson winds up her January series on inspirational people with Char Gregory. Last week, Char celebrated her 80th birthday. Though reaching 80 is a great milestone, this great-grandmother of 17 also teaches aerobics class three days a week at Grace United Methodist Church in Naperville.

Injury won’t stop this athlete

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 06:08:41 -0500

Tom Krawiec is a 30-year-old physical therapist and competitive, natural (drug-free) powerlifter. He grew up in Naperville and graduated from Neuqua Valley High School in 2000. As a physical therapist at Momentum Physical Therapy in Naperville, he is all too familiar with rehabilitating people through injuries. Little did he know that one day he would have to act as his own physical therapist. “On May 14, 2011, I simultaneously tore both my ACL’s and right meniscus from squatting. I heard two loud “pops,” and I knew immediately something bad (like structural damage) had happened,” Krawiec said. Hours after the injury, …

Nicki Anderson: Life is good 90 pounds lighter

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 06:14:51 -0500

Twenty-three years after playing NCAA football, Dean Chapman’s once-athletic physique carried an extra 90 pounds. He and his wife, Teresa, along with their son, Tyler, had fallen into busy suburban life, and Dean lost sight of being active and eating healthy. At 280 pounds, not only was Dean suffering from chronic fatigue, he had high cholesterol, sleep apnea and 40 percent of his body was fat.

Nicki Anderson: Naperville residents, the best inspiring stories

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 17:47:52 -0500

All Nicki Anderson’s January columns will feature Naperville residents who have overcome major challenges to create an amazing, healthy life for themselves. The first is about lifelong runner Laura LaRue who had a severe reaction to a flu shot that put her into the hospital.

Nicki Anderson: Good health trends coming in new year

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 06:13:33 -0500

In my perfect world, changes would include more healthy food options that are easy and accessible, and more opportunities for adults and children to be more active. The good news is that some of those changes are on the horizon. Next year looks to be the year healthier foods and lifestyles take center stage!

Nicki Anderson: Try one of these healthy-gift ideas

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 06:11:30 -0500

For those of you with fitness buffs to buy for, or a loved one interested in getting started on the road to healthier living, following are some healthy gift giving ideas that might make gift buying a bit easier.

Nicki Anderson: Weighing in on junior high fitness program

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 06:14:03 -0500

In Friday’s Sun, an article by Sun staff reporter Susan Frick Carlman caught my attention. It seems there’s been some unrest amongst parents about weigh-ins for District 203 junior high students.