Media Coverage
The work done by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine faculty members (and even some students) is regularly highlighted in newspapers, online media outlets and more. Below you’ll find links to articles and videos of Feinberg in the news.
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US News & World Report
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How to Provide Long-Distance Caregiving
Supporting aging parents or loved ones from afar can be challenging, but with the right tools and strategies, long-distance caregiving is possible and meaningful. While it’s no easy task to be a long-distance caregiver, the following are some strategies you can adopt to streamline duties and be more organized in your approach. These include arranging family meetings, create a local network, schedule visits and prepare for emergencies. Communication is also very important. When you live at a distance, it’s harder to be informed about your loved one’s well-being. Set up regular check-ins with your family and their caregivers by phone or video calls so that everyone is up to date and well-informed about what’s going on. “If your loved one is cognitively impaired, they may not appreciate what’s happening to them, which will require you to adjust your way of communicating,” says Darby Morhardt, PhD, research professor at Northwestern University Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease. “ If this happens, it will be important for family members to recognize that their loved one’s capacity for decision making is diminishing, which will make them more dependent on the family. The more families can agree on their messages and next steps, the better for all.”
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WebMD
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Keto Debate: Is Low-Carb a Game Changer or a Risky Gamble?
Recent estimates show that 13 million Americans follow a ketogenic diet – a nutrition paradigm based on extremely low carbs and high fats – and its popularity is only growing. Yet for all the benefits, research also highlights serious concerns, including nutrient deficiency, increased heart disease risk, and higher levels of LDL cholesterol (the kind that can build up in arteries and cause heart problems). “The concern is that ketogenic diets are going to raise the level of your cholesterol, and that will be harmful for your heart in the long term, even if there are short-term benefits related to weight loss,” said Sadiya Khan, MD, MSc, a professor of cardiovascular epidemiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Cutting way back on carbs means you likely have to sacrifice whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, leading to deficiencies in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants that supplements can’t make up for, said Khan. Other long-term adverse effects of keto include digestive issues like constipation, bloating, and diarrhea, and a higher risk of kidney stones.
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NBC News
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With a protein-heavy diet, it’s important to eat this crucial nutrient, nutritionists say
Americans can’t seem to get enough protein. Typically the go-to fuel of bodybuilders and athletes, protein has become the wellness world’s ultimate nutrient for weight loss, energy and muscle maintenance. Nutritionists and gastroenterologists warn that the more we load up on protein, another vital nutrient is being left behind: fiber. Insoluble fiber, found in vegetables and whole grains, doesn’t dissolve in water and helps food move through the digestive system. “Insoluble fibers in particular kind of mechanically stimulate the gut,” said Olufemi Kassim, MD, a gastroenterologist at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. It’s important to get a mixture of both types of fiber, she added, as they each provide their own set of benefits to digestion. However, some may want to consume more insoluble fiber depending on their symptoms. “If you’re someone who’s more prone to having loose stools, you probably want to avoid the insoluble fibers,” which can aggravate symptoms, she said. “Soluble fibers will be easier to tolerate.”
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People Magazine
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After 7 Years of Fertility Struggles, This Mom Finally Gave Birth. Then She Was Diagnosed with ALS
In October 2022, Melissa Diaz-Viera started having trouble buttoning her 8-month-old daughter’s pajamas. When she lay down at night, her thigh twitched. “I just thought I was exhausted,” says the mom from Arlington Heights, Ill. At the time, Diaz-Viera was on maternity leave from her job as an elementary school social worker. She was breastfeeding, recovering from a bout of Covid “and all the mom things,” says Diaz-Viera, now 41. But mostly, she and her husband Robert Lang, a 47-year-old middle school Spanish teacher, were relishing in the joy of being new parents. They had spent seven years trying to have a baby, and Diaz-Viera had suffered seven pregnancy losses. “It was a miracle,” Lang says. But in December, Diaz-Viera ordered takeout and realized she couldn’t control the chopsticks. She scheduled a physical and told her doctor about the weakness in her hands. In February 2023, just after celebrating her daughter’s first birthday, Diaz-Viera was diagnosed with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The neurodegenerative condition leads to muscle weakness and affects movement, speech and breathing, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It gets worse over time, and while therapies and medications can manage symptoms and slow the progression, there is no cure. Diaz-Viera sought second opinions and has enrolled in clinical trials from Chicago to Boston. She participated in an observational study at the National Institutes of Health and is a patient at the Northwestern Medicine Les Turner ALS Center. She shares her journey on TikTok and wrote an essay about life as a new mom diagnosed with ALS. She works part-time for Project ALS, helping raise money for research. “She is an incredible woman that inspires me every day,” says her neurologist at Northwestern Medicine Senda Ajroud-Driss, MD. “I’m blown away by her strength.”
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Chicago Sun-Times
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Women face increased heart health risks as they enter menopause, but many don’t know it
Menopause is when a woman goes one year without a period, representing a natural end of her reproductive years. Although the average menopause age for U.S. women is 51, estrogen levels begin decreasing earlier in the transitional years called perimenopause. During this phase, periods become irregular. Sleep disturbances, hot flashes and night sweats may also appear, symptoms associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease, American Heart Association data show. Dr. Priya Freaney, a cardiologist at Northwestern University, said women face greater risk factors for heart disease around the time of menopause as the body’s natural estrogen declines and drives worsening health trends. Total cholesterol and LDL (or “bad” cholesterol) increases as HDL (“good” cholesterol) decreases, blood pressure rises, body fat mass goes up as muscle mass declines, vascular — or blood vessel — health worsens as arteries stiffen, and sleep quality declines, she explained. The downstream effect is increased cardiovascular risk, which can continue after menopause.
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New York Post
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What is normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH)? All about the brain condition affecting Billy Joel
“Piano Man” singer Billy Joel, 76, said Friday that he is bowing out of his 2025 tour after being diagnosed with the brain condition normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Recent live performances “lead to problems with hearing, vision, and balance,” Joel said on Instagram. He was advised by his doctor to refrain from performing while he undergoes treatment and recovery. The “New York State of Mind” performer postponed several tour dates in March due to a “medical condition” that forced him to “undergo physical therapy under the supervision of his doctors” following an onstage fall in February. Hydrocephalus occurs when cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) builds up in the brain, disrupting cognitive functioning. CSF provides nutrients to and removes waste products from the brain while cushioning it and the spinal cord from force. Typically, adults have 5 fluid ounces of CSF, with the body constantly producing, circulating and reabsorbing the fluid to keep that level constant. But when the body fails to circulate or reabsorb CSF correctly, it can accumulate. In NPH, this buildup is usually gradual enough that the pressure inside the skull increases, but stays within normal range. The fluid runs into the brain’s ventricles, which can hold some of the overflow.“NPH is a type of hydrocephalus that is seen typically in older people,” Dr. Matthew Potts, associate professor of neurological surgery, radiology and neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told The Post. “The fluid builds up, and it doesn’t necessarily affect the pressure in the brain — hence the ‘normal pressure’ part — but it still affects the brain.” If CSF keeps collecting, the brain begins to compress. If this compression lasts too long, permanent damage can occur.
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US News & World Report
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A Patient’s Guide to ADHD
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition in which the brain has difficulty with certain tasks, including: focus, organization, planning and managing time, regulating emotions, remembering things and impulse control. Previously known as attention-deficit disorder (ADD), the condition was renamed in 1987 to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder to remove the distinction between hyperactive ADD and nonhyperactive ADD. “I prefer that parents not wait too long after an ADHD diagnosis to begin medication,” says Andrea Spencer, MD, a psychiatrist and an associate professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Medication can help reduce core symptoms of ADHD but does not ‘cure’ ADHD – when you stop the medication, the symptoms return.” Medications for ADHD can increase levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, helping with focus, attention span and emotional regulation. These medications are very effective, working in 80% of cases. While ADHD can make life more challenging, if managed properly, it does not always have to be a negative. Looking at neurodiversity through this lens helps those with ADHD recognize some of the positives, such as an ability to “hyper-focus” on things that interest them.
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TODAY
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Are fluoride tablets bad for kids’ health? What to know as FDA moves to take them off the market
As more communities and states around the country are removing fluoride from public drinking water, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is also moving to take prescription fluoride products for kids off the market. The HHS claimed fluoride tablets and drops can alter kids’ gut microbiome and lead to other health problems, such as reduced IQ, weight gain and thyroid disorders. It’s true that ingesting too much fluoride is dangerous. “Too much of anything, including fluoride, is usually not a good thing,” Santina Wheat, MD, MPH, a family medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine and associate professor of family and community medicine. But according to the experts and the studies provided by HHS, such issues are associated with ingesting amounts of fluoride that far exceed the recommended amount in U.S. water supplies — 0.7 milligrams per liter, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements — and what’s prescribed by dentists and physicians. Study after study shows that water fluoridation decreases the risk of dental caries, also known as cavities, and associated tooth decay. “It decreases the risk of caries forming and slows down the progression of any that exist,” says Wheat. “On top of that, fluoride helps decrease gum disease.” Wheat adds that seeing a dentist regularly “can help identify any developing dental caries, and they can make individualized recommendations for prevention and treatment.”
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ABC News
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What to know about prostate cancer after former President Joe Biden’s diagnosis
Former President Joe Biden’s office announced on Sunday that he was diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer. Biden’s office said the cancer was diagnosed after “increasing urinary symptoms” and that it has metastasized, spreading to his bones. The statement added that the cancer is “hormone-sensitive,” which may allow for effective treatment options, which Biden and his family are reviewing. Maha Hussain, MD, a prostate cancer expert and the Genevieve Teuton professor of medicine in the division of hematology-oncology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, told ABC News it is more common for prostate cancer to be found through regular annual exams than because of symptom occurrence. She added that many symptoms, such as frequent urination or difficulty passing urine, may not be due to prostate cancer but rather due to an enlarged prostate, which is common among older men. “The good news is, nowadays, we have had significant improvement in the medical management of prostate cancer that has spread, and there’s been significant prolongation of life, and so there are all kinds of different treatment options available for these patients,” Hussain said.
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Reuters
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Former US President Biden diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ prostate cancer
Former U.S. President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones, his office said in a statement on Sunday. Biden, 82, was diagnosed on Friday after experiencing urinary symptoms, and he and his family are reviewing treatment options with doctors, according to the statement. Chris George, MD, the medical director of the cancer program for the Northwestern Health Network, said prostate cancer is no longer curable once it spreads to the bones but that there are treatments that can control it. Biden lost a son, Beau Biden, in 2015 due to brain cancer. In 2022, Biden revived an Obama-era program known as Cancer Moonshot, seeking to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50% over the next 25 years.
