Kate Thayer – Page 4 –

Kathryn Haeffner, an emergency service counselor, provides guidance during follow-up call at the crisis call center in the DuPage County Health Department on Jan. 6, 2020, in Wheaton.

The 911 for suicide help: Experts say a 3-digit hotline number would reduce stigma, save lives

January 9, 2020 at 12:47 p.m.

An easy-to-remember, three-digit number similar to 911 for those contemplating suicide could save lives, experts say, but it also represents a symbolic shift in a still stigmatized world — that...

For those who may have been overserved during December's festivities, or are just looking for a challenge, that could include cutting out the glass of wine with dinner or the cocktails during nights out with friends. Dry January has become an annual trend in the past several years, prompting many to abstain from alcohol for the inaugural month of the year. But does it work? Experts say it's great for some to slow down their alcohol intake after one of the most celebratory times of the year. It cuts down on calories, improves sleep and brings an awareness of drinking habits. But for others, a deeper problem exists, and a cold turkey approach could actually be dangerous. Here are five things to know about Dry January.

Dry January isn’t for everyone, experts say. Some drinkers need treatment. Others are trying Dry-ish January

January 6, 2020 at 11:57 a.m.

The holiday parties are over, the New Year's resolutions are in and many likely revolve around a healthier 2020. (Kate Thayer/baiduhai)

Cocktails, sans alcohol, sit atop a bar at Flight Club in January 2019 in Chicago.

Dry January isn’t for everyone, experts say. Some drinkers need treatment. Others are trying Dry-ish January

January 6, 2020 at 1:12 p.m.

The holiday parties are over, the New Year's resolutions are in and many likely revolve around a healthier 2020. For those who may have been overserved during December's festivities, or...

Isabella, 4, and Sebastian Cichowski, 7, meet Santa on Dec. 19, 2019, at the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg.

‘Is it a lie or the magic of Christmas?’: Some Chicago parents want to stop Santa from coming to town.

December 23, 2019 at 12:00 a.m.

When Amanda Fabian thinks about Christmases past, she recalls realizing around age 5 that it was her parents, and not a jolly old man in red, placing wrapped gifts under...

A man using an electronic cigarette exhales in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, on Oct. 4, 2019. The number of people visiting emergency departments for a vaping-related respiratory illness is now declining.

As vaping illness cases decline, CDC ‘confident’ vitamin E-laced marijuana vapes are to blame

December 20, 2019 at 1:26 p.m.

The number of people visiting emergency departments for a vaping-related respiratory illness is declining as public health officials confirmed Friday earlier suspicions that vitamin E acetate-laced marijuana products are to...

A 15-year-old high school student uses a vaping device near her school's campus in Massachusetts on April 11, 2018.

Teens vaping marijuana more — but using other drugs, drinking and smoking less, NIH says

December 18, 2019 at 3:19 p.m.

Teens are vaping marijuana more, even as they engage in other illicit drug use, drink and smoke less, according to survey results released Wednesday by the National Institute on Drug...

Erin Werley, 37, consoles her daughter Maddie, 2, while holding 8-month-old Leo at their home in Munster on Dec. 11, 2019.

Parents feel burnout just like other workers: ‘When you’re a mom, you don’t know when your next break is coming.’

December 17, 2019 at 3:00 a.m.

As a former nurse, Erin Werley was used to 12-hour shifts sometimes stretching into 15, constantly being on her feet and feeling high levels of stress. But nothing prepared her...

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin speaks at a press conference regarding vaping at Richard T. Crane Medical Preparatory High School on Sept. 16, 2019, in Chicago.

How would millions of dollars in fees on e-cigarettes be spent? Sen. Dick Durbin and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi have a plan for that.

December 13, 2019 at 5:26 p.m.

A fee placed on manufacturers and importers of e-cigarettes could fund a federal prevention program to arm educators and students with tools to fight the teen vaping epidemic, according to...

Pharmacist Clint Hopkins displays the HIV prevention drug Truvada at Pucci's Pharmacy in Sacramento, California, on Oct. 7, 2019.

Facebook ads mislead patients at risk of HIV who should be taking the drug PrEP, Chicago advocates say

December 11, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.

HIV prevention advocates say widespread social media advertisements that misrepresent side effects of a preventative drug could do serious harm in the fight to eliminate the disease, especially among those...

A healthy lifestyle for kids includes eating a variety of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins, as well as getting regular exercise.

Nearly 1 in 5 kids ages 12-18 are prediabetic — at risk of diabetes, kidney and heart disease, and stroke. Doctors say parents need to act early to prevent the problem.

December 4, 2019 at 12:08 p.m.

After a recent study showed an increasing number of young people are prediabetic — a condition once known only to adults — doctors say the best way to stave off...

All Stories