USA Today, Need a new diet this new year? Here's out to pick one and stick with it by Brett Molina — Focus on small changes at first: Angie Murad, a wellness dietitian with the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, said the key to choosing a diet is making sure it's sustainable. One way to do that is introducing subtle changes — such as replacing unhealthy foods for healthier ones — to your diet instead of all at once. "When it comes to eating, making a lot of changes at once — and big changes — are a lot to sustain," she said.

New York Times, In Search of Lost Screen Time by Paul Greenberg — More than three-quarters of all Americans own a smartphone. In 2018 those 253 million Americans spent $1,380 and 1,460 hours on their smartphone and other mobile devices. That’s 91 waking days; cumulatively, that adds up to 370 billion waking American hours and $349 billion. In 2019, here’s what we could do instead… Heal: According to the Mayo Clinic, swimming, walking or running for 30 minutes a day will lower your blood pressure by four to nine mllimeters of mercury, as much or more than some blood pressure medication. Yes, you could keep your phone with you while you exercise, but who needs the stress? And if you’d rather not exercise, blood pressure medication costs about $900 per year.

Reuters, Athletics-Two-Hour Mark Tipped to Tumble, but Not for Another Decade by Andrew Both — Michael Joyner, a doctor and researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, backs Clayton's opinion that it will probably take another decade or so for the two-hour barrier to be breached. He wrote a paper nearly 30 years ago predicting that a sub two-hour time was feasible, and has observed nothing in the ensuing years to change his mind. Much as he admires Kipchoge, he thinks it is doubtful the reigning Olympic champion will be the one to do so…"If he stays motivated and avoids injury, no reason he can’t go another three or four years at a high level," Joyner told Reuters in a telephone interview. Additional coverage: New York Times

Reuters, Data on safety, effectiveness of common acne drug unreliable, some researchers say by Lisa Rapaport — Isotretinoin, a drug for severe chronic acne, has long been linked to miscarriages, birth defects and other serious problems, but a research review suggests much of data on the drug’s safety, effectiveness and side effects may be unreliable. The analysis in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews concludes that the available evidence is of such low quality that it’s hard to say for sure how well isotretinoin works or how dangerous it may be…If anything, the Cochrane review highlights the need for standardized research on acne, said Dr. Megha Tollefson of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Most patients taking isotretinoin have tried antibiotics and other medications without success, Tollefson, who wasn’t involved in the Cochrane study, said by email. “Isotretinoin is an excellent (both effective and safe) medication for the treatment of acne in the correct setting, and is very appropriate to use in patients including teenagers with moderate to severe acne,” Tollefson said.

CNBC, The $35 billion race to cure a silent killer that affects 30 million Americans by Lori Ioannou — At the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, the liver transplant group is busy handling an onslaught of patients who have come from all over the country in hopes of a chance at life. For many, a liver transplant is their last hope, after being diagnosed with a deadly disease sweeping the nation at epic proportions. People crowd the unit and undergo scores of testing and evaluation in an effort to get on the hospital's coveted transplant list. It's a program with a 94 percent survival rate after liver transplant, one of the highest in the nation. For many the culprit is a serious form of fatty liver disease called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, also known as NASH. An outgrowth of the obesity epidemic in the Western world and around the globe, it causes scarring and inflammation that can lead to liver cirrhosis, cardiac and lung complications, liver cancer and death. Additional coverage: NBC News

Prevention, Exactly How to Deal With Holiday Stress, According to Psychologists by Evelyn Spence — An overpacked schedule: Not only do you have a ton to do, but you’re likely trying to do it all at once. “Your mental health is like a bank account,” says Lisa Hardesty, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist with Mayo Clinic Health System. “This time of year, most people have too many withdrawals that stretch us thin.” Holiday stress strategy: Finally practice mindfulness. You’ll actually feel more efficient if you do: Research shows that multitasking can reduce productivity by 40%. See below to get started, and give yourself permission to find time for yourself if there’s still too much to do. Sondoozi recommends letting your loved ones down gently by declining requests while offering a more manageable alternative.

Prevention, 8 Simple Ways to Improve Your Balance by Sarah Mahoney — While there are hallmarks of clumsiness—such as poor handwriting and constantly banged-up shins and knees—even naturally agile people need to work to boost balance with age. "Balance is a separate system, just like strength or flexibility. You can improve it if you continue to challenge it," says Edward Laskowski, MD, codirector of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center in Rochester, MN.

Good Housekeeping, Can Elysium Health's Basis Pill Change Your Life? by Nicole Saporita — ...Basis is also NSF Certified for Sport, which means products are tested on an ongoing basis to confirm, among other things, that their content matches label claims. One member of the scientific advisory board, Jim Kirkland, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, explains that this research-based approach is one reason he was excited to join the team (which includes eight Nobel Laureates). “They’re taking the hard road — they’re actually doing clinical trials,” he says.

Post-Bulletin, Second southern Minnesota community adopts Tobacco 21 by Emily Cutts — A little more than 55 miles west of Rochester, the city of Waseca became the second city in the region to adopt ordinances that raise the age of buying tobacco to 21. It is the 21st community in the state to become a “Tobacco 21 community” and the second in southern Minnesota to adopt the new policy. The North Mankato City Council adopted the ordinance in early 2018 and it will go into effect in just a few weeks on Jan. 1, 2019… “It’s rare for people to start smoking after age 21. If you avoid tobacco use up to age 21, the vast majority of those people will never smoke,” said Dr. Taylor Hays, medical director of Mayo Clinic’s Nicotine Dependence Center. While the Nicotine Dependence Center’s focus and mission is to treat patients, Hays said on a personal level he has been involved in testimony before policy boards on the topic of smoke free indoor air laws and calls the Tobacco 21 initiative a “very promising move.”

Post-Bulletin, Lanier, past 'Proceedings' editor, will speak Jan. 15 — The Sigma Xi lecture for January will feature Dr. William L. Lanier, Jr., past editor-in-chief of of the scholarly medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, from 1999 to 2017. The lecture, in Leighton Auditorium in Mayo Clinic's Siebens Building, begins at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15. Dr. Lanier, in his presentation, "Author Misconduct: An Editor's Perspective," will discuss the common forms of author misconduct related to biomedical journals. He will then review the methods that journals (and others) use to identify misconduct and the consequences for authors when misconduct has been discovered.

Post-Bulletin, Newsmakers in 2019: Harrington helps chamber find its way by Jeff Kiger — While Kathleen Harrington describes her love of public policy and community as “hokey,” she re-focused the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce and is steering it toward new goals in 2019. Sitting in her office on South Broadway under work notes written on a wall-sized white board, she talks about her journey at the chamber and where she hopes it goes next…Harrington had a long career in politics in Washington, D.C., working with the likes of Bob Dole and others. Then after a stint working with Mayo Clinic’s political arm, she retired from politics to step into the role of interim president of the then-struggling Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce.

Post-Bulletin, Our view: How will new leaders tackle the issues? — Partly due to the November election, and partly due to retirements, local leadership is set to undergo a wave of changes as 2018 turns to 2019. With that come new ideas, new energy and new interest. We’re optimistic that the fine standard of leadership set by those leaving the scene as the year ends will be maintained by the new cadre of leaders. That’s because, unlike in some places, changes in leadership here in Rochester and southeastern Minnesota tend to come in measured steps. There are rarely wild swings in character or style or politics. At Mayo Clinic, Minnesota’s largest private employer, Dr. John Noseworthy, who has been president and CEO since 2009, will hand over leadership of the nation’s No. 1 ranked medical center to Dr. Gianrico Farrugia. It should be a seamless transition, in that Farrugia has been CEO of Mayo’s Jacksonville campus since 2015, and was at Mayo Rochester for 26 years prior to that.

Post-Bulletin, Noseworthy: America needs 'quality, sustainable' health system by Tom Weber — As he prepares to retire next week from his position as president and CEO of Mayo Clinic, Dr. John Noseworthy issued what sounded like a challenge to the American people. “There are some unanswered questions in American health care,” Noseworthy, who will retire Jan. 1, said during a session Wednesday with Rochester news media. “Society has to make a choice. Does America want to have a quality, sustainable health care system?” So far, he said, that has not been enough of a priority to force solutions. Additional coverage: Med City Beat, KROC

KAAL, Olmsted County's First Baby of 2019 — The new year is full of firsts, and that includes Rochester's first baby of 2019. Just after midnight Tuesday, Jackson Zachary Kammueller came into the world. "He's not even 24 hours old and he's already going to be all over the news," said his mom, Bridget Gongora. Jackson was born at 12:41 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2019, to first-time parents Bridget and Zach. "You're so happy, but you sob uncontrollably; it's kind of weird," Zach Kammueller said. "You don't know what they're going to look like; you're just waiting for nine months, just thinking about it, and then when you finally seem them, you're like, 'you're the most perfect baby ever,'" Gongora said. Additional coverage: KIMT, KTTC, Post-Bulletin, FOX47

KAAL, In-Depth at 6:30: The Other Side of the Holiday Season (Pt. 1) by Viven Tran — Discussion opened up with two people about how the holiday season doesn't always bring the happiest and joyous times for some. Anita Bissinger is a clinical therapist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and she not only hears stories of those who come to her, but she can relate to them as well. Bissinger goes in-depth on what signs to look for and how we can help others cope while they struggle through the holiday season.

KAAL, Wisconsin Teen Continues Giving With Blanket Drive For Mayo Dialysis Patients — A southeastern Wisconsin teenager known for his large gift to Rochester's Ronald McDonald House Charities is continuing his giving through a blanket drive for kidney dialysis patients at Mayo Clinic. ABC 6 News first introduced viewers to then-16-year-old Seth Bayles in July 2017, when he collected more than one million pop tabs for his "second home." During an interview, he met ABC 6's chief photojournalist Chad Corey, who undergoes multiple weekly dialysis treatments as he waits for a kidney transplant. The two became friends and kept in touch, and when visiting Chad at dialysis one day, Seth had an idea.

KAAL, Suicide Rates on the Rise in Minnesota — Nearly 800 Minnesotans died by suicide in 2017, up five percent from the previous year. But the trend has been growing upward for some time now…“There are a lot of people that don’t necessarily reach out to the services or even know that there are services out there,” said Stephanie Miller, a clinical social worker at Mayo Clinic Health Systems Austin.

KAAL, Rochester Family gets a Trip of a Lifetime — The Rose Bowl Parade is a New Year’s Day tradition and for one Rochester family, it was an experience of a lifetime. “Before Steve got sick Disney was definitely on the agenda you know it’s like every family’s dream to take your kids to Disney and have an awesome vacation and that just got pushed back a bit,” Caren Shank, Steve’s wife, said when we first met the Shanks back in December. Two years ago, Steve got a lung transplant…A nomination from Mayo Clinic landed Steve on the Donate Life float at the Rose Parade. “You know, riding the float is an experience of a lifetime,” Steve said. Additional coverage: KCRG

KIMT, Transplant recipient will go to Rose Parade by Isabella Basco — Steve Shank's lungs were normal for most of his life -- but just before his 40th birthday, he received a devastating diagnosis: Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, a rare condition that can cause bleeding, pulmonary fibrosis and vision problems. "Between your thirties and forties you require a lung transplant," Shank said. "It was a crazy wild ride from initial symptoms to complete lung failure." But an angel came in the form of a donor named Tommy. Now - Shank is better than ever… Mikel Prieto is a transplant surgeon at Mayo Clinic and says patients are transformed by organ donations. "A lot of patients like him realize how wonderful it is to be alive and feel healthy and do all kinds of things," Dr. Prieto said. Thanks to Tommy -- Steve will feel that wonder and happiness in Pasadena, living out his Rose Bowl dreams. Additional coverage: KAAL, Iowa City Press-Citizen, Post-Bulletin

KIMT, Mayo Clinic psychologist explains how to beat the holiday blues by Jon Bendickson — Dr. Nathaniel Lombardi explains how to beat the holiday blues.

KIMT, The generous gift of life on Christmas Eve by Katie Lange — In the hustle and bustle of this holiday season, as you search for the perfect gift, sometimes it simply can't be bought. It's an exclusive story you'll only see on KIMT News 3. A miracle took place on Christmas Eve at Mayo Clinic. "It's the best gift ever, and as she said, it's the last gift she is getting me for Christmas," joked Kevin O'Connor. O'Connor is in need of a kidney transplant. "It has progressively gotten worse and gotten to the point now that my kidneys are starting to shut down, so it's time to replace them," explained O'Connor. On December 24th, one day before the most magical day of the year, he got a second chance at life thanks to the generosity of his sister, Mary Bauer.

KTTC, Mayo Clinic Health System Austin and Albert Lea each welcome their first babies of 2019 — Mayo Clinic Health System hospitals in Albert Lea and Austin each welcomed their first babies of 2019. The first baby at the Albert Lea campus was a girl named Latalya. She was born just before 6:45 p.m. Tuesday night to Sky Jensen and Quinten Youngblood-Amos III from Albert Lea. Latalya is the first girl born in the family. Additional coverage: Albert Lea Tribune

Y105-Radio, Minnesota Mom Says “Thank you” To Mayo Clinic For Saving Her Husbands Life by Jessica Williams — A year ago, what I thought would be a quick little ER trip at 5 am to get some xrays and meds for my husband ended up being an almost 2-week long hospital stay at two hospitals in Rochester (and an expensive ambulance ride). The weeks up to Christmas are busy enough with three kids, all the Christmas and holiday concerts and parties. This was not on my list...and didn’t fit well on my Google calendar.   When I gowned up to get into the room and then heard that my husband would possibly be sent to a hospital out of Minnesota, that is when life got a bit more real. When he went to the ER, we didn’t see it, but his fingernails were blue.  Very blue. He had pneumonia but also had fluid around several areas in his lungs that required multiple CT scans and several chest tubes...which I can tell were very painful.  He wasn’t even able to move an inch without his oxygen plummeting and so, he was also on oxygen for about a week.

Star Tribune, Yes, Mayo Clinic receives gifts. In 2017, nearly $34 million's worth by Christopher Snowbeck — Mayo Clinic saw the value of noncash gifts jump last year — and the tally doesn't even factor in the old Mayo rocking horse. A mong Minnesota nonprofits, Mayo routinely stands out for receiving millions of dollars' worth of gifts each year that aren't cash, but tangible items such as stock, real estate, artwork and collectibles. The donations are detailed in IRS filings made public in November, and the most recent release shows noncash contributions to the clinic in 2017 were up 57 percent over the previous year, to $33.8 million. The filing didn't place a value on a number of historical artifacts that were donated in 2017, but the gifts include a rocking horse from descendants of one of its founders and other items that can be traced to the Rochester-based clinic's founding family. "The Mayo family heirlooms include a rocking horse that was created decades ago by the Mayo family's handyman as a gift to the Mayo children," the clinic said in a statement. "Additional items include a silver platter dated 1911 and engraved with Dr. Charles H. Mayo's initials [and] detailed Mayo family genealogical information."

Star Tribune, They helped save the historic Mayo mansion in Rochester, Minn; now Friends of Mayowood is disbanding by John Reinan — Back when Ronald Reagan was the newly elected president, a group of local residents held a Christmas party at historic Mayowood, built in 1911 by Dr. Charles H. Mayo in the countryside outside Rochester. They had a lot of fun. And they noticed something about the 38-room, 25,000-square-foot mansion. “We looked around and we thought, ‘Good heavens, this place needs help,’ ” recalled Joann Sheldon, one of the partygoers that evening in 1980. Furnishings were frayed. Oil paintings were covered in decades of grime. Wooden floors were scarred and the roof leaked. Sheldon and others decided they’d do something about it. The following year they formed a nonprofit, Friends of Mayowood, and set out to raise money to help renovate the mansion and, especially, its historic period furnishings. The group quickly grew to more than 500 members and inaugurated a tradition of Christmastime mansion tours. Now, after 37 years and narly $600,000 raised, Friends of Mayowood is disbanding. In part, because the group’s efforts are no longer needed. In 2013, the Mayo Clinic took ownership of the mansion and has spent more than $3 million on renovations. Additional coverage: KROC-Radio

KMSP, St. Cloud woman doesn't think twice about donating kidney to her ex-husband by Amy Hockert — When you're 14 and you're in love, relationships seem so simple. Mary Zeigler remembers dating her first and only boyfriend, Bill Henrichs. "He was a musician and I would hang out with him when he would be in the band and help drag around the amplifiers all over the place,” she said. As soon as they turned 18, Bill and Mary headed to the alter. They had only dated each other and back then that was the natural progression. Fourteen years later they had two children, Matthew and Macy. But as time went on, Bill and Mary grew up and apart… In February 2018, Bill found out he needed a kidney transplant. He needed to find a donor. Mary says, "Things were just starting to point my direction… and sent the first round of bloodwork down and not only were we a good match but they said we shared some antigens." Mary tested at the Mayo Clinic and was a solid match. Additional coverage: KARE 11, Daily Mail

Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, 2019 People to Watch: Dr. Gianrico Farrugia, president and CEO of Mayo Clinic by Katharine Grayson — Dr. Gianrico Farrugia will succeed Dr. John Noseworthy as president and CEO of Mayo Clinic this year, taking the helm of the organization amid a period of expansion and at a time of leadership changes across the health care giant's campuses.

Twin Cities Business, Mayo Clinic Looks South by Sam Schaust — Insecurity is driving a wave of change at the Mayo Clinic, all around an area that’s long been a shared point of awkwardness for doctors and patients: the groin. COVR Medical, based at the Mayo Clinic Business Accelerator, is testing a line of disposable garments intended to fill an unserved niche in the market. “There is a lot of [intellectual property] around the upper body for the female and yet there was shockingly nothing for the genitals,” says Dr. Bruce Levy, an orthopedic surgeon who developed the concept with his wife, Heather.

Arizona Daily Sun, Replace alcohol with hot cocoa to stay warm this winter by Kaitlin Olson — Yesterday marked the official start of winter, which, in Flagstaff, can bring as much celebration as harm when temperatures drop, causing roads and walkways to freeze over. Residents and visitors to the region are encouraged to exercise caution and practice safe winter behavior, especially when partaking in festivities involving alcoholic beverages… The Mayo Clinic lists alcohol as one of the top risk factors for hypothermia, the condition when the body reaches dangerously low temperatures, causing organs to fail. Hypothermia and intoxication share many of the same symptoms, including slurred speech and loss of coordination. Alcohol not only causes rapid heat loss directly from the skin’s surface, it also reduces shivering and can affect judgment about proper winter clothing and the need to get warm. The Mayo Clinic therefore warns not to drink alcohol if you are going to be outside in cold weather or before going to bed on cold nights.

Austin Daily Herald, SMART Transit beginning Albert Lea routes by Eric Johnson — On Wednesday, SMART Transit will begin its new shuttle route between Austin and Albert Lea in conjunction with Mayo Clinic Health System. The new transportation schedule was made possible through an annual grant for $64,000 through the Minnesota Department of Transportation. SMART Transit Operations Manager Kirk Kuchera said they have been hard at work making sure the routes are lined up and ready to go.

Austin Daily Herald, Mayo Clinic Health System-Austin to add new Family Birth Center — Mayo Clinic Health System – Albert Lea and Austin announced in August it plans to create a new third-floor Family Birth Center and a two-story connecting link between the main clinic entrance and the hospital on its Austin campus. Construction on the $11.2 million expansion is expected to begin in mid-2019 and finish near the end of 2020.

Albert Lea Tribune, Guest Column: What does it mean to ‘eat healthy for your heart?’ — Each year, February brings awareness to heart health with American Heart Month. This is important and pertinent given that one out of every three people in the United States dies from heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. There are many important lifestyle factors that affect our heart health, including nutrition. You may have heard that you need to “eat healthy for your heart,” but what exactly does that mean? … Albert Lea resident Emily Schmidt is a registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea. She enjoys writing, cooking and spending time with her son and family.

Owatonna People’s Press, Mayo Clinic Health System employees donate to Transitional Housing of Steele County by Allison Miller — Since incorporating in 2000, Transitional Housing of Steele County has helped safely house over 1,100 homeless individuals. This year, in addition to the employee program, Mayo Clinic Health System was able to make a donation to the organization to assist with operations and programmatic support. Lesa Anderson, a nurse administrator at Mayo Clinic Health System who helped to implement the “12 Families for Christmas” program says, “This special event with the help of Transitional Housing of Steele County unites us in a special way.” “I cannot emphasize enough what a difference this will make for our families, many of whom are working, but struggling to make ends meet,” says Julie Anderson, Executive Director of Transitional Housing. “We are proud to partner with Mayo Clinic and are deeply grateful to the clinic staff for reaching out to these families in their time of need.”

Jordan Independent, Mayo Clinic to expand services, open Urgent Care location in New Prague — Mayo Clinic Health System in New Prague today announced plans to expand same-day services by opening an Urgent Care location by April 2019. Mayo Clinic Health System will transition out of its Express Care practice inside the Coborn’s grocery store shortly before opening Urgent Care, which will be located in the specialty clinic on the medical center campus. The same providers and nurses from the Express Care in Coborn’s will help staff Urgent Care. “Our community is in need of more expansive same-day health care options that are available during the weekday, as well as after hours and on weekends,” Martin Herrmann, medical director of Mayo Clinic Health System in New Prague, said in a press release.

WKBT La Crosse, Researchers find loneliness peaks at three times during lifespan by Mal Meyer — The holidays can be a tough time of year for people and loneliness can set in for them. People might be thinking of traditions they no longer have and weather may also play a factor, especially if people have seasonal affective disorder… For people in their 20's, it may be because they haven't reached certain milestones. "Other people their age are married or in a relationship or have kids and they don't. That's another time when it's kind of like, 'Wow, everyone else has a family of their own, you know, and I don't,'" said Theresa Helgeson, clinical therapist for Mayo Clinic Health System.

WKBT La Crosse, Local doctors have advice for when a sore throats means strep throat by Alex Fischer — Doctors from the Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse say a sore throat is a common symptom of viral infection such as cold or the flu, as well as the bacterial infection called 'strep throat'… "It is typically associated with a fever, sore throat, perhaps some enlarged lymph glands or nodes in the neck―as well as perhaps a headache, feeling under the weather: just not feeling very well at all," said Charlie Peter, M.D., a pediatric consultant with the Mayo Clinic Health System.

WKBT La Crosse, La Crosse Salvation Army 2018 bell ringing ends on high note by Deb Brazil — The Salvation Army of La Crosse County wrapped up their bell ringing portion of the 2018 Red Kettle Campaign on a high note. According to Alex Riley, volunteer Coordinator of The Salvation Army of La Crosse County, bell ringing in 2018 raised a total of $282,082.05, which is more than $36,000 ahead of last year's total. The bell ringing portion does not include dollars from Match Day sponsors, only donations made into red kettles. Included in the total is the $33,661.29 in public donations raised during Mayo Clinic Health System’s Match Day on December 22 – the highest daily total at kettles over the past three years.

WKBT La Crosse, Flu cases increasing in La Crosse area by Greg White — Area hospitals are seeing an increase in people with the flu this week…Mayo Clinic Health System says they've seen a small increase in flu cases.

WKBT La Crosse, Most popular baby names of 2018 by Deb Brazil — Both Gundersen Health System and Mayo Clinic Health System release the most popular baby names of 2018. Additional coverage: WXOW La Crosse, La Crosse Tribune

WKBT La Crosse, Reminders to help you avoid hangovers by Greg White — Doctors at Mayo Clinic Health System say while not drinking is the only definite away to avoid a hangover, some choices may help you avoid one. Avoid the cognacs, the brandys, the tequilas. They all have congeners which are things that are pollutants, small little particles that are in the liquor that actually cause you to feel worse," said Anthony Deuster, Emergency Medicine Physician with Mayo Clinic Health System.

WXOW La Crosse, Committing to weight loss goals through classes — With a fresh calendar page ahead, many plan to make changes to their health and well-being. For those who need a little help in doing so, Mayo Clinic Health System is offering some advice and a way to commit to fitness-based goals. Mayo registered dietitian Jamie Pronschinske said the biggest hurdle is often getting started. She said those who want to make lifestyle changes think they need to be big, but in reality, doing something as simple as taking a walk three times a week can make any future fitness goals more realistic. When it comes to healthy eating, Pronschinske said she’s hesitant to give blanket advice because everyone’s needs are different. However, she said we can all add more fresh fruit and vegetables to the mix. She suggests trying to have half of your plate filled with fruits and veggies as a way to balance your diet.

La Crosse Tribune, A Christmas confession: My brothers stole tree from creche scene by Mike Tighe — Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Rochelle Potaracke submitted an absorbing anecdote about chicanery and thievery for the Tribune’s annual Christmas Memories feature, set to be published in the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day papers. But Potaracke’s memory, which she wrote when officials of Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare were looking for information about the hospital’s original Christmas creche scene, exceeded our word limit. But it is so fraught with mystery and even subterfuge — to protect parents’ feelings or, perhaps, children’s behinds — that it rose above possible disqualification to earn a place of its own.

La Crosse Tribune, Sparta boy thriving after devastating heart condition diagnosis just before Christmas 2013 by Emily Pyrek — Finley Carter wants a Hatchimal and Trix Trux for Christmas. Five years ago, his mother had only one Christmas wish: that her son would make it see the presents under the tree. Finley was born the picture of health on June 10, 2013, the firstborn of parents Sara and Shawn Carter of Sparta. The first few months of his life followed the normal routine — bottles, diapers, naps — but at 4 months, it was clear something was wrong. The infant had dropped in weight to the first percentile, and despite a high calorie formula diet, Finley was down to the 0.66 percentile for weight just two months later. “It was concerning, and perplexing,” said Catherine Ziegler, a nurse practitioner at Mayo Clinic in Sparta. The tiny child’s cardiac silhouette revealed a larger-than-normal heart, and on Dec. 20, 2013, an echocardiogram confirmed the devastating reason for Finley’s failure to thrive: complete atrioventricular canal defect. A severe congenital heart disease, CAVC creates a large hole between the chambers of the heart, sending extra blood to the lungs and enlarging the overworked heart muscle... Sent to Mayo Clinic in Rochester on Dec. 23, Finley was seen by pediatric cardiologist Dr. Frank Cetta Jr., who informed Sara and Shawn their six month old would need open heart surgery. “It’s devastating,” Cetta Jr. said. “The first time we tell people, there’s a lot of emotions, a lot of tears. They probably hear one percent of what we said ... Nobody chooses this deck of cards, but we try to make it better.”

WEAU Eau Claire, Staff member is mother of first baby born in 2019 at Mayo in Eau Claire — Talk about being dedicated to your job. Alecia Brinkman and her husband, Nick Brinkman, of Chippewa Falls, are parents of the first baby born at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire in 2019. Penelope “Penny” Brinkman was born at 12:52 p.m. on Jan. 1. For the past three years, Alecia Brinkman has worked as a certified nursing assistant at Mayo Clinic Health System in Bloomer. Even though she was experiencing contractions on the job, she completed her overnight shift at 6:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day, before heading to the hospital to deliver her baby.

WIZM-Radio, POLL: Nurses most trusted, Congress least by Drew Kelly — Nurses have quite the dynasty going when it comes to honesty and ethics. A recent Gallup Poll of those qualities among 20 occupations found nurses on top for the 17th consecutive year with 84 percent of the vote this time around — up from 82% last year. On the opposite side of that poll, Congress, down two percent from last year at 58%. Betty Jorgenson, nurse administrator at Mayo Health System in La Crosse, said part of that — nurse’s honest, not Congress’) has to do with the amount of time they spend with a patient and that trust is there when patients are most vulnerable. “Being able to empathize with the patient,” Jorgenson said. “Recognize that they may have certain stressors or certain questions or concerns, so nurses really try to understand where the patient is coming from.”

WIZM-Radio, “Hair of the dog” hangover treatment, not actually gonna help you Jan. 1 by Drew Kelly — It’ll be a fun night for many in La Crosse as they ring in the start of a new year and say goodbye to 2018. How you feel Jan. 1 might be a different story. If you want to get rid of a hangover, Dr. Zha with Mayo Health System in La Crosse, doesn’t recommend the hair of the dog treatment. “Drinking more, that will only delay how long it takes for alcohol to get out of your system,” she said. “That’s not really a way to avoid a hangover.” Additional coverage: GQ Australia

Green Bay Gazette, Green Bay man gives up a kidney to save wife's cousin and change city policy by Paul Srubas — Make no mistake: It takes a lot of stones to be able to donate a kidney. Scott Asplund admits he was scared, that he had serious second thoughts, that he seriously half-hoped his kidney wouldn’t be a match so he could keep it all to himself instead of donating it to his wife’s cousin, Carina DeGrave, who had a very serious hereditary illness called polycystic kidney disease that had killed five of her family members. But this is a Christmas story, and you can’t really write a Christmas story about somebody chickening out. You maybe could pretend to, but it would need a dramatic twist in the end, until finally it's “Here’s a kidney for you, and God bless us everyone!” For DeGrave and Asplund, this one was even more direct than that. “I can’t say I never had second thoughts,” says Asplund, helpfully trying to add some Dickensian drama to the tale. But nope. It went right from DeGrave getting sicker and sicker to Asplund and a bunch of other family members signing up on Mayo Clinic’s donation list, Asplund’s kidney revealing itself to be the perfect medical match, and then “cut-cut-snip-snip-stitch-stitch, here you go, you two, now be off with you and live happily ever after.”

Scope, Informed consent: A reminder that each patient is different by Adela Wu — Any procedure, from a lumbar puncture in the emergency department to a lung transplant operation, requires informed consent. This is when your physician sits down with you and explains the basics of the procedure as well as the benefits, risks, and alternative options. In addition, as neurosurgeon Michelle Clarke, MD, puts it, informed consent should also “include a real recommendation.” Recently, the Stanford Department of Neurosurgery invited Clarke, from Mayo Clinic, for a guest lecture. In addition to performing complex spine surgeries, often of rare spinal tumors requiring significant reconstruction, Clarke also has interests and expertise in bioethics. Her presentation described not only the technically difficult aspects of her most interesting surgical cases but also the emotional and ethical challenges fraught in these cases.

Becker’s Hospital Review, Medscape names best, worst physicians of 2018 by Molly Gamble — Best: Three clinicians on a Delta Airlines flight: Aditya Shah, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.; Anne Hanson, a retired nurse; and Blake Tyra, an emergency medical technician, were all on a Delta Airlines flight from London to Minneapolis in March when the flight crew announced need for medical professionals. Each clinician helped a passenger who was experiencing a corneal melt and tended to him before the plane made an emergency landing in Shannon, Ireland, where he was taken to a hospital for emergency surgery. Additional coverage: Becker’s ASC Review

Deseret News, Utah toddler pushing to regain control of her life after rare disease left her paralyzed by Ben Lockhart — Recent growth in the number of acute flaccid myelitis cases in the United States has caused alarm among medical professionals, including at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, which has called the trend "concerning." "I think the entire medical community is involved, is sharing information and wants to find out an answer as soon as possible," Dr. Kenneth Mack, a Mayo Clinic neurologist, recently told that health care system's internal news service, speaking about the unknowns related to the disease's cause and uptick in prevalence. "Unfortunately, it's going to take us more time."

Welland Tribune, Rare treatment pays off for pair with MS by Gord Howard — …Both their treatments took about four weeks, at the Clinica Ruiz, in Puebla, Mexico. The clinic is led by Dr. Ruiz Arguelles, named the 2011 alumnus of the year by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The clinic's website notes that over 20 years it has performed about 2,500 HSCT treatments, including 600 for people with MS. It says positive results were achieved in 78 per cent of those cases.

GenomeWeb, BioFire Blood Stream Infection Test Has Little Effect on Clinician Prescribing Behavior, Mayo Study Finds by Madeleine Johnson — Researchers at a Mayo Clinic campus in Phoenix have found that the knowing the test results from BioFire's rapid multiplex diagnostic panel for detecting blood stream infections does not actually alter certain aspects of clinician prescribing behavior, contradicting previous published reports. Prior studies have established that antimicrobial stewardship interventions are required in combination with the BioFire FilmArray BCID test in order to move the needle on factors such as the time to first appropriate antimicrobial prescribing — or escalation — and the discontinuation of inappropriate treatment after a pathogen is identified, otherwise known as de-escalation.

Finance & Commerce, Spotlight on Small Biz: Mayo professors seek crowdfunding for obesity blood test by Todd Nelson — For as little as $100, small investors can invest in Rochester-based Phenomix Sciences, an early-stage startup seeking to raise $1 million to commercialize a new clinical test for obesity developed by Mayo Clinic professors. Phenomix Sciences is turning to Wefunder, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based investment crowdfunding platform, for the seed round it opened at the end of November. The financing would go to lease equipment and retrofit space in Minneapolis for further study of the Phenomix blood test for obesity, said Ross Higgins, the company’s chief operating officer.

Quartz, What we learned about drinking alcohol in 2018 by Katherine Ellen Foley & Elijah Wolfson — Here’s what we know for sure: On a cellular level, alcohol temporarily harms the body. The liver breaks down the majority of the alcohol we drink, creating acetaldehyde as a byproduct. The acetaldehyde, which is a carcinogenic, causes the liver to accumulate fat, says Doug Simonetto, a hepatologist at the Mayo Clinic. Inflammatory cells then flock to the excess fat, where they release substances that can cause liver cells to die. The liver is a resilient organ and regenerates cells fairly quickly, similar to the way skin heals after a minor cut. However, if you don’t give your liver a break from drinking, the damage occurs faster than the liver can recover.

Woman’s Day, What Is the Keto Diet, Exactly? by Karla Walsh — The Mayo Clinic promoted the menu as four parts fat to every one part carbohydrate and protein combined (4:1 ratio), for a diet that added up to 90% of calories from fat, 5% from protein, and 5% from carbohydrates. Today, a few different variations exist, but the strict keto diet calls for 70 to 80% of calories from fat, 10 to 20% from protein, and 5 to 10% from carbs. The goal is to restrict carb consumption to between 20 to 50 grams of carbs per day to trigger ketosis.

Healthcare IT News, Top 10 Healthcare IT News articles of 2018 by Tom Sullivan — Mayo Clinic CIO Christopher Ross on breaking the $1 billion barrier with EHR and IT modernization work: Ross explained how Mayo managed a project so big in scope, discussed the challenges and obstacle to avoid, and outlined reasons why his health system focused on experience and optimization from the get-go. “The project is highly complex due to the number of specialties and subspecialties involved,” Ross said. “We are not only focused on building and delivering a converged technical solution, we are also invested in the people side of change to support them in adopting, utilizing, and becoming proficient in the Epic system. This is being accomplished through a comprehensive change management strategy.”

Yahoo!, What Your Headaches Can Tell You About Your Health by Amy Marturana — Migraines: Migraines typically cause pain (sometimes so intense that it affects a person’s ability to function) on one side of the head and possibly nausea and/or sensitivity to light, the Mayo Clinic explains. It’s not totally clear what causes migraines, but it’s possible that they have to do with “changes in the brainstem and its interactions with the trigeminal nerve,” the Mayo Clinic says. (Changes in serotonin levels in the brain may also play a role, but more research is needed to determine how and why.) Experts believe migraines are primarily genetic.

Cancer Network, TRIM29: A New Target in Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma? by Naveed Saleh, M.D. — In an interview with Cancer Network, dermatologist Jerry D. Brewer, MD, MS, a dermatologist and professor of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic, considered the potential implications of the study. “This is an interesting study, the findings of which may spur further research or even drive treatment strategies in the future for cutaneous SCC.”

Clinical Advisor, Is Bed Rest Necessary in Pregnancy? by Jim Anderson — According to the Mayo Clinic, even when a patient's condition warrants bed rest, it should be done with as much moderation as possible, with activity-restriction levels varying in order to keep pregnant patients as active as possible. This might include limiting or avoiding certain activities such as strenuous exercise, lifting, and other intense activities. Pelvic rest is different from bed rest and describes the avoidance of certain activities for patients with conditions such as placenta previa. Pelvic rest may include avoiding actions that place pressure on the pelvis or pelvic muscles, such as intercourse, douching, or using tampons. According to information from the Mayo Clinic website, some of the negative effects of overprescribed bed rest include deep vein thrombosis, decreased bone mass, overall decrease in conditioning, and increased occurrence of depression and anxiety disorders.

HealthDay, Building the Bonds of Friendship by Len Canter — It's well known that having friends plays a big part in our emotional and physical well-being. And while friendships make life more rewarding at every age, we're now learning that as we get older, quality becomes more important than quantity… The Mayo Clinic suggests these ways to nurture friendships: Show kindness -- remember the old adage of treating others as you want to be treated. Listen intently -- people appreciate feeling as though you're taking their thoughts and concerns seriously. Spend real time, not just virtual visits, with friends.

HealthDay, You Can Have a Role to Play in ER Care by Len Canter — There are few life events more unsettling than being in a hospital emergency room. In situations that threaten life or limb, you may not have any say in your care. But in some instances, there is time to evaluate your options. Leaders in the field of emergency medicine have been developing initiatives, such as checklists and even apps, to help patients understand their diagnoses and be part of the decision-making process. For instance, Chest Pain Choice, developed at the Mayo Clinic, is a one-page sheet with descriptions and graphics that allows ER patients with low-risk chest pain to discuss treatment options with their doctor.

HealthDay, What's the Best Diet for 2019? Experts Weigh In by Serena Gordon — For overall healthy eating, the best diet plan is the Mediterranean diet, according to U.S. News & World Report's annual diet review…The magazine asked a panel of nutrition experts to review 41 diet plans. Like Heller, the expert panelists emphasized the importance of well-balanced, sustainable diets that aren't overly restrictive. These types of diets can help teach lifelong positive eating habits. Lifestyle diets, such as the Mayo Clinic diet and MIND diet, are healthier and more sustainable than weight-loss plans such as the Ketogenic or Atkins diet are, the panelists concluded.

MedPage Today, Cancer Treatment and Arthritis: A Growing Complaint by Nancy Walsh — A recent publication in Arthritis & Rheumatology from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, reported on 61 cases of rheumatic syndromes in patients being treated with ICIs from 2011 to 2018. When asked if the incidence of these complications will likely continue to rise, lead author Uma Thanarajasingam, MD, told MedPage Today, "We don't have a definite answer to this as yet, but I would expect that as the number of checkpoint inhibitors approved for clinical use expands, as well as the clinical indications for their use, we will be seeing a greater number of rheumatic toxicities."

MedPage Today, AFM Can Mimic MOG Antibody Myelitis by Judy George — Spinal cord inflammation associated with an antibody to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) can mimic acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a small retrospective study showed. Of 54 patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein autoantibody (MOG-IgG) myelitis, 19% were initially misdiagnosed with AFM, reported Eoin Flanagan, MB, BCh, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues in JAMA Neurology. The study focused on transverse myelitis, for which MOG is a biomarker, and the mimicry was an unexpected finding, Flanagan said. "When we were looking at cases with transverse myelitis, we recognized that some of those cases had been diagnosed with AFM," he told MedPage Today.

Healio, Visual art intervention reduces pain and anxiety, improves mood among individuals with blood cancers — A bedside visual art intervention improved mood while reducing pain and anxiety among patients with hematologic malignancies, according to study results. Alexandra P. Wolanskyj-Spinner, MD, professor of medicine and consultant in the division of hematology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues assessed whether a 30-minute art intervention could benefit individuals with cancer. Wolanskyj-Spinner and colleagues measured the outcomes using the visual analog scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) scale…“This accessible experience, provided by artists within the community, may be considered as an adjunct to conventional treatments in patients with cancerrelated mood symptoms and pain,” Wolanskyj-Spinner and colleagues wrote. “Future studies with balanced gender participation may support the generalizability of these findings.”

Healio, Exemplar joins Mayo Clinic to launch hepatocyte development company — Exemplar Genetics in partnership with Mayo Clinic launched a new company, Cytotheryx, focused on the development of a high-quality source of human liver cells or hepatocytes for clinical research, according to a press release. “This collaboration combines our focus on unmet needs of patients with an innovative way to drive development of new therapies,” Andrew Danielsen, vice-chair of the department of business development at Mayo Clinic, said in the release. Exemplar Genetics will provide business and technical resources for the company, while Mayo Clinic will use any revenue it receives to support nonprofit missions in patient care, education and research.

Healio, Antibiotic spacers in THA yields infection eradication, improved clinical function — Data published in The Journal of Arthroplasty showed infection eradication and improved clinical function when an articulating antibiotic spacer was inserted during a two-stage revision total hip arthroplasty for periprosthetic joint infection. Kevin I. Perry, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic and assistant professor of orthopedics at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, and colleagues identified 135 hips in 131 patients undergoing a two-stage revision total hip arthroplasty for periprosthetic joint infection with Prostalac acetabular and femoral components (DePuy) and classified infections according to Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria.

Bustle, What Happens If You Take Too Much Melatonin? This Is Why You Should Always Stick To The Recommended Dose by Brandi Neal — …The Mayo Clinic recommended talking it over with your doctor before taking melatonin. "Your body likely produces enough melatonin for its general needs. However, evidence suggests that melatonin promotes sleep and is safe for short-term use. Melatonin can be used to treat delayed sleep phase and circadian rhythm sleep disorders in the blind and provide some insomnia relief. Treat melatonin as you would any sleeping pill and use it under your doctor's supervision."

SELF, 4 Signs You Might Be Allergic to Sugar by Korin Miller — It's rare, but some people don't react well to certain sugars. Have you ever had a painful stomach ache or felt lethargic and icky after eating something sugary? You’re not only one. But are those symptoms of a sugar allergy or something else? In many cases, feeling crappy post-sweets is really just a “sugar hangover” that happens if you eat a ton of sugar, thanks to how loads of it at once can make your blood sugar spike, then crash and burn. But some people are super sensitive to even a smaller amount of the sweet stuff… In general, a food intolerance causes digestive issues, and the symptoms are not as severe as those of a food allergy, the Mayo Clinic says. There are a variety of reasons that you could be intolerant to a particular food. Sometimes, it’s a result of your body not producing an enzyme necessary to break that food down (e.g. if you’re lactose intolerant, you lack the enzyme lactase that’s needed to break down lactose, the sugar in milk). Other times, it has to do with an underlying health condition, like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or even stress or anxiety, the Mayo Clinic says.

Mayo Clinic in the News is a weekly highlights summary of major media coverage. If you would like to be added to the weekly distribution list, send a note to Emily Blahnik with this subject line: SUBSCRIBE to Mayo Clinic in the News. Thank you.

Editors: Emily Blahnik, Karl Oestreich

Tags: acne, Acute Flaccid Myelitis, alcohol, Angie Murad, Anita Bissinger, arthritis, balance, bed rest, Bill Henrichs, BioFire, cancer treatment, Chad Corey, Chest Pain Choice, Christopher Ross, Cytotheryx, diet, Dr. Aditya Shah, Dr. Alexandra Wolanskyj-Spinner, Dr. Bruce Levy, Dr. Charlie Peters, Dr. Doug Simonetto, Dr. Edward Laskowski, Dr. Eoin Flanagan, Dr. Jerry D. Brewer, Dr. Jim Kirkland, Dr. Kenneth Mack, Dr. Kevin I. Perry, Dr. Lisa Hardesty, Dr. Martin Herrmann, Dr. Megha Tollefson, Dr. Michelle Clarke, Dr. Mikel Prieto, Dr. Nathaniel Lombardi, Dr. Taylor Hays, Dr. Uma Thanarajasingam, Dr. William L. Lanier, Emily Schmidt, Exemplar, fatty liver disease, fitness, healthcare IT, holiday stress, Isotretinoin, Joann Sheldon, Kathleen Harrington, keto diet, Kevin O'Connor, kidney transplant, Lesa Anderson, liver transplant, loneliness, lung transplant, marathon, Mary Zeigler, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Mayowood, melatonin, migraines, New Year, nicotine dependence, Phenomix, pregnancy, Rose Bowl, Seth Bayles, SMART Transit, sore throat, Stephanie Miller, Steve Shank, strep throat, sugar, suicide, Theresa Helgeson, Uncategorized