May-June 2008 Issue of Health

Things have gotten so hectic of late, I've neglected by blog for something like two whole months!

The May-June 2008 issue of the Southern Health Magazine came and went and I never got around to posting a copy here for my long distance readers.

If you'd like to take a look at it:

Click here to download a low-res PDF copy (3.5 mb) of the Southern Health Magazine.

Click here to download a hi-res PDF copy (8 mb) of the Southern Health Magazine.

Big red dogs, trucks and well child visits

Its Sunday and my story on how a rural health clinic is making literacy a part of regular pediatric care was in the papers today!

Her hands in many pies

Wrote my first story for the main paper a few days ago! So exciting!

It was a feature on this 77-year-old guy who bikes 10-17 miles a day, despite having had both his knees replaced, a hip replaced, peripheral neuropathy of one foot and some pins in his back. Was truly inspirational. Will be writing a story a week for the paper from here on out.

As you can see i'm a regular busy bee these days! :)

The Shaking Cue Stick Club

A story aout four friends who wont let Parkinson's disease or stroke get in the way of some serious fun.

Now this was a story I had a blast writing. I interviewed these four feisty old men who are determined to lead full lives despite their serious health conditions.

Midway through the very serious interview one of them said to me, "You know that one of the side effects of Parkinson's includes having an erection for up to 4 hours or longer, right?"

“Really?” was all I could muster. I was caught completely off guard. I didn’t recall reading anything about erections and Parkinson’s in the course of my research prior to the interview.

And then they started laughing, loudly. Rolling on the floor laughing. It took me a few seconds to realize I’d been had. Imagine pulling a reporter’s leg! Seventy plus and with a fantastic sense of humor to boot! Ha ha ha.


Every Tuesday, three men with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and a recovering stroke patient meet for lunch, followed by an interesting and often comical game of pool. They call themselves the Shaking Cue Stick Club or more hilariously, the Shakers and the Shufflers...
Read the story here.

How Local Residents Deal with Parkinson Disease

Read the story here.

Reducing Recidivism: The Awakenings Way

Revolving Door No More: Why Local Communities Need to Care about those with a Criminal Record

I got a little too involved with this story and ended up interviewing a TON of people! I had the hardest time ever fitting it into the allotted word count.

But the end result is a story that will hopefully initiate conversations about why we as a community need to care about those with a criminal record.

Read the story here

Home Modification for Seniors

Click here to read a text version of the story.

March-April 2008 Issue of Health

Click here to download a low-res PDF copy (3.5 mb) of the Southern Health Magazine.

Click here to download a hi-res PDF copy (8 mb) of the Southern Health Magazine.

Feature: How Veterans Lose Weight. How I lost 71 lbs. How I lost 122 lbs.

This was an insane story to write. Imagine interviewing someone who has lost 71 pounds in all. Wow!

Now imagine interviewing someone else who has lost 122 pounds. Fantastic!

These two gentlemen were such inspirations. And it sure sounds like the MOVE! program, which they participated in works on some level.

An acronym for Managing Obesity and/or Overweight for Veterans Everywhere, this national weight management program, focuses on behavioral health, diet and exercise.

You should totally take the FREE interactive online quiz and get a 4-6 page individualized report, which includes a list of recommended MOVE! handouts (containing nutrition, physical activity, and healthy behavior change information) and see for yourself.

Click here to read the entire story.

Feature: When You've Hit Rock Bottom There's No Place to Go But Up

This was one story that moved me like none other.

I met a woman with a remarkable story to tell and her courage and fortitude in the face of abuse and homelessness just blew me away. She told me, there's no place to go but up, when you have hit rock bottom and thats what kept her going in spite of the odds.

Click here to read the story.

Jan-Feb 2008 Issue of Health

Click here to download a low-res PDF copy (2.30 mb) of the Southern Health Magazine.

Click here to download a hi-res PDF copy (5.46 mb) of the Southern Health Magazine.

Feature: Surviving Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Click here to read the story.
I interviewed a sweet old lady for this story. She was an inflammatory breast cancer survivor and spoke at length to me about her battle with the disease.
Towards the end of the interview, she told me about how she would love to visit India and about her interest in space! She came across as warm, intelligent and full of life.
Unfortunately she never got to see the story in print. She was in hospice care when she spoke to me. She passed away some weeks before this issue came out. I hope she is at peace where ever she is.

Nov-Dec 2007 Issue of Health

This was the issue I collaborated on long distance, while I was in India. It was a crazy time, since dad was in a coma then. My team did a remarkable job putting this together, with my long distance input.


Click here to download a low res PDF of the Southern Health Magazine.
Click here to download a hi-res PDF of the Southern Health Magazine.

Feature: Skin Regenerating Procedures

What are your options?

Click here to read the story.

Feature: In Pursuit of Youthful Skin

Non-Invasive, Anti-Aging Beauty Treatments in Southern Illinois

Click here to read the story.

Oct 2007 issue of Health

I never did get around to uploading the October 2007 issue of Health, did I?

A lot of people told me it was the prettiest issue ever.

I guess we need to thank my gifted graphic artist for that.

Click here to download a high resolution PDF of the magazine (4.9mb).

Click here to download a low resolution PDF of the magazine (3.5 mb)

Feature: "I lost 92 pounds and went from a size 22 to a size 8!"

When I met Melissa, my first thought was, “No way!”

I had seen her “before” pictures when she was 92 pounds (41.82 kg) heavier. She looked like a completely different person then. I had trouble believing this slim lady was the same heavy woman of two years back in the picture, sitting before me.

Her story was so much more than just inspiring. It made me believe that anything is possible when you set your mind to it.
“If you want something badly enough, you will do it,” she told me and her current weight stands testimony to her belief.

Click here to read the main story "I lost 92 pounds and went from a size 22 to a size 8!"

Click here to read the sidebar Strategies that worked for Melissa

Click here to read the sidebar Melissa's food advice

Feature: Biking for Health - How a little bit of cycling can add years to your life and put the smile back on your face

Remember the time you rode your first bike?

This story was all about trying to reawaken that feeling of simple joy as the wind ruffled your hair and you whizzed by houses in the neighborhood.

Click here to read the main story in text format.

Click here to read the sidebar Biking for MS in text format.

Feature: Biking Seniors - How they do it

This was a fun story to write.

Finding senior bikers with fascinating stories to tell was a research exercise by itself.

But I got to meet some truly inspiring folks like the guy who continues to bike after a knee replacement or the couple who bought their first bikes at the age of 63!

Click here to read the story in text format.

September 2007 Issue of Health

Here's the September 2007 issue of the Southern Health Magazine.

I really liked the cover on this one. A new graphic artist worked on this issue, since S. who used to lay it out before got promoted and moved onto more important things!

So I asked P. my new graphic artist to come up with a fun image of an elderly couple and this is what he came up with!

Click here to download a high resolution PDF of the magazine (8mb).

Click here to download a low resolution PDF of the magazine (3.5 mb)