March 10, 2011

Annual men's health conference set for March 26

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Third Annual Southern Illinois Men’s Health Conference is set for March 26 and a number of Southern Illinois University Carbondale students and employees are playing important roles.

The conference will be at John A. Logan College, Building C, in Carterville and there is an advance registration deadline of March 18. The cost is $45 but that all-inclusive price covers a continental breakfast, lunch, informative workshops and hundreds of dollars in health-related screenings.

The event kicks off with blood screening by the Heartland Regional Medical Center from 7 to 8:30 a.m. Participants should fast for 10-12 hours before. The screenings will test for anemia, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, prostrate-specific antigen, total cholesterol, blood sugar and include a coronary heart disease risk assessment. The conference also includes additional health screenings: vision, blood pressure, heart rate, foot problems, fitness level, hearing, dental and skin cancer along with checking height and weight.

SIUC kinesiology students will administer the fitness screening tests. Dr. Kevin Dorsey, dean and provost of the SIU School of Medicine, is the keynote speaker at the luncheon. “Health, What’s In It for Me?” is the title of his presentation and he will discuss the need for a social and personal approach to good health in light of rising health care maintenance costs.

In addition, two of the workshop presenters are from SIUC. Chrissy Wendel of the SIUC Counseling Center will present “PTSD: Beyond the Battlefield” during the first sessions of the morning. She will discuss Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and how it not only affects troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan but also others not in war. During the second period, Phil Anton, assistant professor of exercise physiology at SIUC, will team with Chris Georgantas, aquatics coordinator at JALC, for “Let’s Flex.” They will discuss the need not only for fitness and toning training but also for flexibility in workout routines.

Other “breakout” sessions include: “What’s Up with My Prostrate?” by Dr. Sam Stokes of the Stokes Institute of Urology; “Be Heart Smart” by Dr. Cesar Coello of Prairie Cardiovascular Consultants; “CrossFit 101” by Randy Greer; “The Silent Killer, No Butts About It” by Dr. Zahoor Makhdoom of Southern Illinois G.I. Specialists, LLC; “Eat This, Not That and Save Money, Too” by Sharon Peterson, registered dietitian and owner of Southern Illinois Nutrition Therapy; “You Need a Plan, Man” by Joel W. Sambursky and John M. Forbes of the Forbes Financial Group; “I Ain’t As Good As I Once Was” by Dr. John “J.T.” Davis and physical therapist Pamela B. Hunter of the Southern Illinois Orthopedic Center; “Menopause, Really?” by pharmacist Erik Cornett, owner of NaturalMed Apothecary, Inc. and Dr. Todd Smith; and “Say What?” by Paula Harris, doctor of audiology from the Midwest ENT Clinic.

The second set of breakout sessions includes: “Understanding PAD” (peripheral artery disease) by Dr. Robert Miller; “Playing the Pain Game” by Dr. Steven A. Roodman of the Heartland Regional Medical Center; “Where There’s a Will…Estate Planning 101” by Bhavik Patel of Sandberg, Phoenix and von Gontard, P.C.; “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” by Ken Wallace, executive coach; and “Control Diabetes, Don’t Let it Control You” by Gail Peterman, licensed/registered dietitian.

The conference is a Southern Illinois Men’s Health Conference event, a subsidiary of Women for Health and Wellness Inc. Those attending will have the opportunity to win door prizes too, and it all wraps up at 1:30 p.m. The first two conferences drew nearly 600 men from across the region and organizers are hoping about 400 men will take advantage of this opportunity in 2011.

For more information or to pre-register, visit the website at www.simenshealth.org or call 618/985-9210.