If you suffer from hearing loss, you’re usually the last to know.

Hearing loss goes unnoticed because it often occurs so gradually and is painless. But it can hamper your quality of life.

“A lot of times family members will notice it first,” said Vicki Blount, certified clinical audiologist at Memorial Medical Center’s Hearing Center. Read the rest of this entry »

Gluten is found in wheat, barley and rye.

Gluten-Free. You’ve heard the term. You’re likely seeing it more and more in grocery store aisles on pasta boxes and other packaged items. But what does it mean? And could you benefit from a gluten-free diet?

Gluten-free eating is associated with celiac disease, a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food. This damage is caused by a reaction from eating foods with gluten, which is found in wheat, barley and rye.

“Your intestinal lining helps absorb nutrients like iron, folate and vitamin B12,” said Gayle Jennings, MS, RD, LDN, a dietitian with Memorial Medical Center. “People with celiac disease can’t absorb these nutrients. And it leads to fatigue, weakness and anemia.”

The condition may be more common than you think. According to The Celiac Disease Center at the University of Chicago, 1 in every 133 people could have celiac disease. Even more startling is that it could take up to 11 years before you’re diagnosed.  Read the rest of this entry »

Osteoporosis – the thinning of bone tissue and loss of bone density over time – is a silent disease.

“Most people are unaware of their deteriorating bone health until they fracture a bone,” explains Jennifer Perkins, RN, coordinator of Memorial’s JointWorks, which oversees the care of more than 1,500 patients receiving hip or knee replacements each year.

Perkins says one out of two women are at risk for developing osteoporosis as well as one out of four men.

Read the rest of this entry »