Heartland Health Monitor

Beans Add Healthy Fiber And Protein To Gluten-Free Pastas

Pastas made from starches like rice are a boon for those with celiac disease and wheat allergies. The downside: Many spike blood-sugar levels. What to do? Look toward bean-based options.

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Death Linked To Bourbon Virus Raises Questions About Tick-Borne Diseases

Tammy Wilson loved the outdoors and was happy to spend her days working at Meramec State Park in the central part of Missouri. Her family often stopped by to see her, most recently at the end of May “My mom had two seed ticks on her hip – I believe it was her right hip,”…

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Scientists Aim For Better, Cheaper Tests For Alzheimer’s

The goal is to find accurate, painless tests that can help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s early and track the progression of the illness and any response to treatment. A few tests seem promising.

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Female Athletes Are Closing The Gender Gap When It Comes To Concussions

Gina “Danger” Mazany is a professional mixed martial arts athlete, and she’s helping researchers learn more about head injuries and the female brain.

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Beyond The Nasty Needle: Trying To Make Vaccines More Comfy And Convenient

News this summer of a flu vaccine patch sparked a lot of chatter. Could getting vaccinated be as easy as putting on a bandage? Could there be fewer, or at least smaller, needles in our future? Some companies and academic labs are working to make those things happen. They’re refining technologies that involve tiny needles,…

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Dennis Moore and his wife, Stephene

The Caregiver’s Perspective on Alzheimer’s In Our Community

When Elaine and Jose Belardo discovered he had Alzheimer’s disease, their lives seemed to stand still. “Once you get the diagnosis, it’s destabilizing, you lose vision because everything is so dizzying,” Elaine said, “Once I got a new vision, I could orient myself for what could be done.” In that instant, Elaine became not only…

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Artificial Sweeteners Don’t Help People Lose Weight, Review Finds

It’s easy to think that artificial sweeteners are a health win. But a review of research finds that there’s no evidence they help people lose weight, and they may be associated with other problems.

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Rural Health Care Group In Leawood Says Senate Plan Will Hit Rural Hospitals Hard

The health care plan unveiled last month by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate met with fierce opposition from hospital, doctor and patient advocacy groups. Among them was the National Rural Health Association, which is based in Leawood, Kansas, and represents doctors, nurses and hospitals in rural areas nationwide. It says the Senate plan would spell trouble…

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Aubri Thompson with daughter

Kansas Teens Can Face Bumpy Road As They ‘Age Out’ Of Foster Care System

Aubri Thompson has already had her share of challenges by age 21: She left the foster care system without a designated caregiver, lived without a steady home for more than a year and became a single parent before finishing college. Thompson lived in the Kansas foster care system from age 14, when she was reported…

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The Hashmis at home

New Rule May Worsen Backlog For Social Security Disability Claimants

By the time Stephenie Hashmi of Lenexa, Kansas, was in her mid-20s, she had achieved a lifelong dream: She was the charge nurse at one of Kansas City’s largest intensive care units. But even as she cared for patients, she realized something was off with her own health. “I remember just feeling tired and feeling…

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