ROCKFORD - It’s no great surprise to read that men and women both benefit from working out.
But women may receive greater benefits from regular exercise than men, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Photo provided
Mary O’Meara OSF Cardiovascular Institute
The study centered on the importance of exercise as a way to avoid dying prematurely. The researchers studied data from 400,000 people and found that women who exercised were 24% less likely to die early from any cause. Men who exercised, however, were 15% less likely to die early.
The study also revealed that the women who exercise had a 36% lower risk of dying from a cardiovascular event, compared to men at 14%. That’s important because women have twice the risk of dying from a heart attack than a man.
Mary O’Meara is a nurse practitioner with OSF HealthCare. She says society still views heart attacks more as a man’s disease. That’s simply not true.
“Usually, a male is feeling this really bad chest pressure, chest pain going in the left arm into the jaw, very pale. Women, very often, will just complain of fatigue, nausea or heartburn. ‘I feel wiped out. I just can't walk across the room. I need to sit down,’” explains O’Meara. “Unfortunately, that can be a sign of a heart attack in a female, and it gets missed quite often.”
While any movement is good, O’Meara stresses the importance of women incorporating strength and/or resistance training, such as lifting weights. Frequency and the amount of weight depend on the person and their situation.
Photo: MovePrivateFitness/Pixabay
“For a long time, women were encouraged to do more aerobics-calisthenics. We were always thought of as the weaker sex, I guess you can say, and we weren't really encouraged to do any weight bearing exercise,” says O’Meara. “A lot of research has come back that states that women should be focusing on weight bearing exercises for several different reasons.”
Strength training can also help women as menopause becomes an issue. According to O’Meara, hormones start changing between the ages of 40 and 50 – a time when women start losing muscle and see an increase in body fat. Strength training can help with that change, along with other health issues.
“We found that weight bearing exercise can reduce our risk of dementia and Alzheimer's, and also reduce our risk of osteoporosis, which is a big one,” says O’Meara.
O’Meara also has a nutrition tip for her patients. Protein, she says, is important for women to prevent muscle loss, especially during menopause. O’Meara recommends 30 milligrams of protein before and 15 milligrams after a workout, to help rebuild muscle that has been naturally broken-down during exercise.
Additionally, O'Meara is a proponent of healthy fats. She encourages patients to incorporate grape seed oils, olive oils, fish oils, flax seed oils, nuts and avocados into their diets. Her philosophy is that good fats battle bad fats, and good fats protect our heart.
O’Meara stresses that it's never too late for women to start exercising. Even a short walk or work around the home, for instance, can go a long way to a healthier future.
“You read many testimonials from people who were couch potatoes and never exercised,” she says. “And then, they go into these exercises and do wonderful things that have really made a difference.”
PEORIA - A Tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Kansas City, Kansas, has people on edge, with not much public knowledge about the disease or how to prevent it.
The Kansas Department of Health & Environment reported as of January 31, 67 people were infected in the latest outbreak. Two people died and roughly half have finished treatment and are considered cured.
What is Tuberculosis?
Dr. Sharjeel Ahmad OSF Healthcare
“TB is referred to as ‘the great mimicker,’ says Sharjeel Ahmad, MD, a staff physician of infectious disease with OSF HealthCare, meaning the signs and symptoms are like many other viruses and bacterial infections people get.
“Tuberculosis is a very contagious bacterial infection,” Dr. Ahmad says. “It’s caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is spread when people cough, sneeze or spit. So, if you cough, spit or sneeze, you generate tiny particles. When someone else inhales that, you can get infected by TB.”
While active TB disease cases are rare, Dr. Ahmad says it's likely that one in four people worldwide have been exposed to this bacterium. In Peoria, Illinois, OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center treated six TB patients in 2024. The bacteria can be transmitted easily, with the infectious dose being a single live bacterium sufficient to infect people. The infection is transmitted airborne, through droplets and aerosol.
Tuberculosis signs and symptoms
“Warning signs include, but are not limited to, unexplained fever, night sweats and unintentional weight loss,” Dr. Ahmad says. “The infection is spread through inhaling, so the lungs are the primary site for infection”
Lung symptoms include a chronic cough that doesn’t go away, along with vague chest aches and pains. You may have phlegm, which could sometimes have blood in it.
What you should know:
Tuberculosis outbreak was reported in Kansas City, Kansas
The disease is not common in the United States
There is a vaccine, but its efficacy is questionable
Symptoms can be unexplained fevers, night sweats, and weight loss
The disease is spread airborne through respiratory droplets
“The Vampire Effect”
Dr. Ahmad says, "Before the Industrial Revolution, folklore often associated tuberculosis with vampires. When one member of a family died from the disease, the other infected members would lose their health slowly. People believed this was caused by the original person with TB draining the life from the other family members".
"It can be deadly if it's left untreated. It was colloquially referred to as 'the consumption,' way back when because it consumes the body, and the body can get overwhelmed by it."
The youngest and oldest populations are both at high-risk for TB, along with those who have been around an infected person.
"This is a disease of overcrowding and poor hygiene," Dr. Ahmad says. "It's been around in humans forever. It's transmitted from person to person via the respiratory route."
People with a weakened immune system are also at risk of developing the disease if they are exposed to it. This could include people with diabetes or HIV. Patients who take medications that suppress the immune system – including patients with autoimmune diseases, transplants, and cancer patients are also more at risk. Patients with prior history of lung disease/damage are also at risk.
Dr. Ahmad adds that homeless shelters, correctional facilities and those with substance use disorder are also at-risk for becoming infected with TB.
How TB is treated in the hospital
Dr. Ahmad says care teams use "airborne precautions," including rooms with special ventilation systems in the hospital. TB patients are kept in these "negative pressure rooms" away from others to prevent the spread of infection. The entire care team wears personal protective equipment, including gowns, gloves and N95 masks, while in the room with the patient.
The medication regimen for TB patients is intense. Traditionally, four different antibiotics will be used for the first two months. "Once we have the antibiotic susceptibility results, and everything looks good, we can drop the patient down to just two antibiotics until we reach six months’ duration of treatment for lung TB," Dr. Ahmad says. If TB spreads outside the lungs, treatment can be even longer.
While therapy can be initiated at the hospital, the patient does not have to stay in the hospital for the whole duration of treatment. Once a care plan has been formulated, it is coordinated with the local health department to ensure there are no gaps in care during the transition, the patient continues to have access to the medication, and they do not pose a public health risk to others. The aim is to limit the patient's interaction with others inside and outside the hospital until they are deemed non-infectious, meaning they cannot transmit the infection. The hospital infection control/prevention team and county health department also remain vigilant, ensuring any potential exposures are traced and screened.
St. Joseph-Ogden Landen Butts heads back to the bench after his match during the Spartans' home dual against Hoopeston last month. The 144-pounder lost his opening match on Friday. He needs two wins today to advance to the IHSA state wrestling tournament next weekend. Butts and three other sectional qualifiers are still active at the Clinton sectional, hoping to advance to state on the consolation side of their brackets.
CLINTON - Four wrestlers from St. Joseph-Ogden launched their sectional campaigns yesterday at Clinton High School, aiming for a spot in this year's state tournament at State Farm Center on Friday. Here's a recap of their performances:
Jackson Walsh fell 13-8 in his quarterfinal match against Clinton's Briley Carter in the 113-pound weight class. Walsh started strong, leading 4-2 in the first period with a takedown and a penalty point. In the second period, he maintained control, extending his lead to 6-5 despite conceding a reversal. However, Carter turned the tide in the final period, securing a takedown and nearfall to take a decisive 13-6 lead. Walsh fought back with a reversal in the closing seconds but ultimately moved to the consolation bracket, now aiming for a third-place finish. Today, he faces sophomore Jackson Buehler (25-22) from Camp Point Central.
Cam Wagner began his sectional debut with a victory, pinning Williamsville's sophomore Liam Dodsworth in 2:33. He faced a first-period defeat in his second match against Olympia's Darian Holloway. Wagner advances to the consolation round in the 285-pound bracket, where he will meet Clinton senior Dawson Thayer (26-6).
Another Spartan, Ben Wells, also contends for a third-place finish today. He is set to wrestle Farmington freshman Jayden Schmider (19-24) in the consolation bracket. Wells secured his sectional opener with a second-period pin against Clinton's Cayden Bostic. In his subsequent match, he was pinned in the first period by Canton's Jaxsun Owens.
Today, senior Landen Butts (35-14) continues his pursuit through the 144-pound consolation bracket. Butts narrowly lost his opening match to Normal University's Hayden Washum, 10-8. Washum took an early lead with a takedown and near fall in the first period, leading 5-0. Butts responded in the second period with a reversal, closing the gap. Washum earned an escape point, countered by Butts with a takedown, making it a one-point match. In the third period, Butts briefly led 8-6 with a takedown but was outscored by Washum, who secured a reversal and near fall in the final seconds to win 10-8.
Receiving a bye in the second round of the consolation bracket, Butts faces Olympia's Austin Kisner today. He needs two victories to secure a spot in next week's state tournament in Champaign.
For decades, Harvard University was synonymous with academic prestige, but the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has recently surpassed it as the top university in the U.S. MIT’s commitment to intellectual rigor and meritocracy has redefined higher education, while Harvard’s reliance on legacy admissions and non-academic factors has undermined its academic credibility.
Harvard’s admissions policies prioritize legacy status, recruited athletes, and wealthy donors, admitting around 25% of students who lack exceptional academic qualifications. These practices are increasingly seen as unfair, diminishing Harvard’s reputation and aligning it with privilege over merit. Additionally, internal issues like declining applications, financial struggles, and controversies—including its mishandling of antisemitism and the resignation of its first Black president over plagiarism—have damaged its image further.
In contrast, MIT’s meritocratic admissions process ensures that only the most academically accomplished students are admitted, making it the top choice for the highest achieving students. Studies show that 72% of those accepted to both MIT and Harvard choose MIT, reflecting its growing appeal. MIT graduates earn higher starting salaries than those from Harvard, and its focus on technical expertise and problem-solving prepares students for today’s job market.
As Harvard’s legacy admissions continue, its brand is increasingly seen as a liability, especially in industries like tech and finance, where employers favor MIT’s rigorous academic standards. While Harvard’s prestige fades, MIT’s emphasis on innovation, intellectual curiosity, and academic excellence positions it as the future leader in higher education.
John Hoffman, Founder
Oliver Scholars
New York, NY
TOLONO - In a hard-fought battle at the Rocket Center, the Unity Rockets (21-7) fell 76-69 to the Danville Vikings (8-17) in a non-conference matchup on Tuesday. Despite a strong first-half performance, Unity couldn't hold off Danville’s late surge, fueled by a dominant fourth quarter from CI Dye. The senior guard finished with 21 points—18 in the second half—including 11 in the final period to lead the Vikings’ 23-14 run.
Dye wasn’t the only standout for Danville, as Jerry Reed III added 17 points and went a perfect 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, while Javaughn Robinson contributed 16 points, making all four of his free throws.
Unity controlled much of the game, taking a 38-32 halftime lead after hitting all nine of their second-quarter free throws. They entered the fourth quarter ahead 55-53 but couldn’t maintain their momentum. The Rockets shot well from the line overall, finishing 17-for-19. Brayden Henry led the way with a perfect 5-for-5 performance, and Colton Langendorf went 4-for-4. Overall, the Rockets were 17-for-19 from the line.
Dane Eisenmenger led Unity with a team-high 17 points, Henry finished with 13 points, and Langendorf chipped 10 points to lead the team's scoring effort in the loss.
With the loss behind them, the Rockets now turn their focus to a critical road matchup against St. Joseph-Ogden (18-7) tonight at 7 p.m. With an undefeated Illini Prairie Conference record on the line, a Unity win would secure them the outright conference championship. A loss, however, would create a potential tie for the title with the Spartans, who sit at 6-1 in IPC play.
The Rockets have navigated a challenging schedule this season leading up to this game, squaring off against larger programs and top-ranked teams, including three area Big 12 teams: Danville, Centennial, and Central, along with Tuetopolis and Lincoln-Way East. Playing away shouldn't pose a significant challenge for Unity, boasting an impressive 9-1 record on the road this season.
President Trump has made it clear that he’s dead set on attacking our immigrant friends, families, and neighbors — and that the only people he’ll protect are his loyalists and billionaires.
Since day one, Trump has launched a blatantly hateful agenda against immigrants. He’s issued executive orders that would unlawfully shut down asylum at the U.S. southern border, use the military to separate families, and make it easier to detain and deport migrants — including detaining them at the notorious Guantanamo Bay prison.
Undocumented people contributed $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022 — just one tax year, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.
These attacks come at an enormous cost to the entire country. The American Immigration Council estimates that mass deportations will cost $88 billion per year over the course of a decade.
There are already 40,000 people locked up in detention centers — and Trump’s detention expansion plan would triple that capacity. Republicans in the Houseand Senate are proposing plans of an eye-popping $175 billion or more to detain and deport undocumented people.
Nor are these the only costs. Undocumented people contributed $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022 — just one tax year, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. That’s nearly $100 billion in lost revenue a year that everyone else would end up having to cover.
But these attacks aren’t going unopposed. People are showing up for their immigrant neighbors and loved ones, making clear they simply won’t accept the nightmare of mass deportations and detentions.
The groups United We Dream, CASA, Make the Road States, and Action Lab recently pledged to build “a strong and sustainable movement to defend ourselves and our neighbors.” With their #CommunitiesNotCages campaign, Detention Watch Network is working with local communities to protest ICE actions and shut down detention centers.
And the list goes on.
On February 1, thousands of people blocked a highway in Los Angeles to protest against ICE raids. Just two days later, many gathered in solidarity for a Day Without Immigrants. On this day, students stayed home from school, employees didn’t show up to work, and over 250 businesses closed nationwide to show how important immigrants are to everyone’s day-to-day lives.
Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union and other major legal organizations sued the administration for seeking to shut down asylum at the border — on the grounds that it’s a violation of long-time international and domestic law.
Finally, my fellow immigrants and I are also standing our ground. We’re stating the facts: Immigration is good for our country, our economy, and our culture — something 68 percent of Americans agree with. And we’re here to stay.
Immigrants are essential to this country. We bring opportunity and possibility to the United States. And not only do we contribute as students and professionals, business owners, and essential workers — we’re also human beings trying to live good and successful lives like anyone else. We’re a part of the American story.
Now and more than ever, we’ll continue to show up for each other — and we hope you will, too. Our lives and families depend on it.
Alliyah Lusuegro is the Outreach Coordinator for the National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.
URBANA - Here’s something new to bring up the next time you visit your health care provider: Should I undergo a CT calcium score screen to take stock of my heart health? It’s not for everybody, but it could mean the difference between a long, healthy life and finding yourself on an operating table.
“The number one killer in the United States is heart disease,” says Ash Al-Dadah, MD, an interventional cardiologist at OSF HealthCare. “We have to do a better job.
“This calcium scoring is a screening where we may say ‘Hey, you need to exercise more’ or ‘Hey, we just found out you have high blood pressure. Let’s control that.’ or ‘Hey, you’re a smoker. Maybe you need to quit that,’” he adds. “We go after the risk factors that precipitate and lead to heart disease. It’s a wake-up call. Getting ahead of things so you’re not coming in with a heart attack and damage to the heart muscle. At that point, it’s too late.”
The screening
Dr. Al-Dadah says the 15-minute or so, non-invasive procedure is similar to other CT [computed tomography] scans. “A fancy X-ray,” he calls it. You lie down, and a doughnut-looking device surrounds you and takes pictures of your heart.
“The arteries in our heart are supposed to be flesh and appear gray [on the imaging]. As we roll the body through the scan, we want to see all gray,” Dr. Al-Dadah explains. “But if there’s hardening and plaque formation in the arteries, it will light up as white. That’s because plaque as it ages forms calcification. There are calcium deposits.”
You could be told you’re at low, medium or high risk. Or, providers may look at the results based on your age compared to the typical amount of plaque found in a person of that age.
Put simply: “It’s one way to measure risk for heart disease,” Dr. Al-Dadah says. “The most common heart disease is blocked arteries, leading to a risk for heart attacks and other issues.”Cardiologists and radiologists have a scoring system based on how much plaque is found.
Next steps
Dr. Al-Dadah says if your screen comes back with red flags, you’ll want to see a cardiologist to discuss next steps. That could mean more tests, especially if you have daily symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath:
A stress test, where you walk and run on a treadmill while providers see how your heart functions.
A coronary angiogram, which provides more comprehensive images of your arteries.
Or, a provider could recommend you get another CT calcium screen in a few years.
Plaque in heart
Other treatment options for milder cases: “Even if your cholesterol level is normal, I could still put you on a medication class called statins. Statins reduce plaque thickness. They stabilize the plaque and reduce the risk for heart attack,” Dr. Al-Dadah outlines.
“I could put you on aspirin. Aspirin will dramatically reduce the risk for a heart attack if you have significant plaque,” he adds.
One other outcome of note: Though rare, Dr. Al-Dadah says your CT calcium screen could come back OK, but you could still have a heart issue soon after. No screening is a silver bullet to keep you 100% healthy, in other words. That’s why it’s important to follow your provider’s recommendations and practice healthy habits, like eating a balanced diet, exercising and ditching the cigarettes.
For me?
Who is this screening intended for? Dr. Al-Dadah says it’s often done on people aged 40 to 65 or people with a family history of heart disease. But, anyone can and should ask their provider about it.
“If you’re 75 and have diabetes,” for example, Dr. Al-Dadah says. “You’re going to have a lot of calcification in the arteries. But it does not signify blockages. It’s just hardening of the arteries that comes with age. But if you’re younger and have that calcification, that’s a marker for risk of heart disease and heart attack.”
by Paul Arco
Dye wasn’t the only standout for Danville, as Jerry Reed III added 17 points and went a perfect 2-for-2 from the free-throw line, while Javaughn Robinson contributed 16 points, making all four of his free throws.
Unity controlled much of the game, taking a 38-32 halftime lead after hitting all nine of their second-quarter free throws. They entered the fourth quarter ahead 55-53 but couldn’t maintain their momentum. The Rockets shot well from the line overall, finishing 17-for-19. 
