Lately, Dr. Craig Backs’ patients have been asking him if he’s all right. Backs lost more than 50 pounds over the past few months, but he’s not fighting cancer or some other disease.]]> Old city directories and phone books tell the story.Thirty years ago, fewer than five health centers, fitness clubs, gymnasiums – pick a noun – did business in Springfield. Twenty years ag]]> Move. It’s one of the simplest things that humans innately do on a day-to-day basis. So how come more than 70 percent of Americans are sedentary? We were made to be constantly moving, but there ]]> This is an abridged version of a talk delivered Nov. 17 by Kathryn Pearson at the Sangamon County Medical Society’s Physician Wellness Conference. How are food, money and sexuality related to ou]]> Brian Moore of Springfield is not your typical doctor. Instead of relying solely on medicine, he believes in being physically fit, and teaching patients that fitness is key to health. At age 54, he is]]> My weight has been an issue for me for much of my life. I was a stocky kid off and on throughout my childhood. Just before my senior year of high school, I was able to lose a large amount of weight, a]]> Springfield Bicycle ClubLearn about the club’s local and out-of-town rides and events for all skill levels. Each ride meets at a different location, time and day of the week. Visit spfldcycling.]]> Untitled Document Tim Butler used to run in high school and college, but he says it’s nothing compared to what he’s been up to for the past 13 years. ]]> You may approach the subject with the best of intentions, but nutritionists recommend you don’t talk to your teen daughter about dieting, and do not put her on a diet. “If you decide your ]]> So the economy has you rethinking that gym membership, and now you’d like to start working out at home – but you don’t know where to put all that cumbersome exercise equipment. Or pe]]> Science fiction would have us believe that one day in the future we’ll get all our food through little pills. Many of us have started down that path by opting for a handful of supplements in ord]]> An entire day meditating in silence may not be how you usually fill a Saturday, but here’s an opportunity to try something different. Eva Muller and Juliet Slack are leading “A Day of Mind]]> Brent Bohlen, a retired state worker and current exercise enthusiast, is an unlikely person to be speaking to doctors at a high-level conference on Alzheimer’s disease held this month at Souther]]> Untitled Document Dr. Glennon Paul has worked with Springfield asthma patients for 33 years, but even he admits that he doesn’t have all the answers]]> It happened so subtly that I hardly noticed. From junior high through the beginning of college, I got fat. At just over six feet tall and weighing more than 270 pounds, I was positively obese – ]]> If shedding those extra pounds is your top New Year’s resolution, health experts say you should start small – with your sweet tooth.According to the latest figures from the United States D]]> When Teresa Paul’s son, Sean, was born, she dreamed of the day when he would graduate from college, get married and have children of his own. Like many new moms, she was excited to take her baby]]> Untitled Document This year, keep your workout promise With the new year comes the promise of starting, then sticking with fitness routines. Make a difference]]> Untitled Document Let’s backtrack to Jan. 1, 2007. You swore you’d stick to your diet and finally rid yourself of that layer of fat that has come between ]]> Avoid the New Year’s resolution trapJanuary, 2010…you’ve been handed a proverbial clean slate -- another chance to shrug off your bad habits and reach for your dreams. It never fail]]>