As the end of summer nears, two things happen with great reliability in southern Indiana. The corn gets tall, and my phone starts ringing with parents who need a physical signed by Friday.

I understand completely. The summer gets away from all of us. But if I could give parents one piece of advice before the first bell rings, it would be this: the annual well-child visit deserves a spot on the back-to-school list, right up there with the new backpack, as well as the shoes that fit in June and mysteriously do not fit in August.

Why the well-child visit is important

A yearly physical is more than a signature on a form. It’s a chance to see whether your child is growing and developing the way we’d expect, to make sure vaccinations are current, and to confidentially talk through balanced meals, sleep, exercise, and any worries about learning, behavior, or mood. It’s also when we can knock out those annual forms, the ones that always seem to turn up in a folder the night before they’re due.

As a reminder on vaccines, Indiana requires certain immunizations for school attendance, with additional ones at key grade levels. These include kindergarten, sixth grade, and twelfth grade. That list generally includes DTaP/Tdap, polio, MMR, chickenpox, hepatitis A and B, and the meningococcal vaccine for middle and high school students.

Since they don’t come up every day, that may sound like a lot, and parents oftentimes have questions. This is one of the reasons it’s good to have a direct conversation with a qualified medical provider.

Addressing physical issues that can inhibit learning

Vision and hearing are worth a look, too. In three decades of practicing medicine, I have never once had a child walk in and announce in a voice that only children have, “Doctor, I believe I need corrective lenses.”

What I hear instead comes from parents: “he squints,” “she gets headaches,” or “he asks us to repeat everything,”

The point? Sometimes the difficult issue that seems to come across like a school problem is really an eyeglasses problem.

When you should connect with the school nurse

If your child manages asthma, diabetes, allergies, or seizures, please connect with the school nurse before the year starts. Send updated medication orders, refresh emergency contacts, and check the dates on inhalers and epinephrine auto-injectors. Expired rescue medication in the nurse’s office does nobody any good.

School issues:  simple worry, or attention-sapping anxiety?

Mental health belongs on the list as well. Going back to school brings excitement and, for plenty of kids, a knot in the stomach. Ask how they’re feeling about it. Ask about friendships, about bullying, about what they do when something feels like too much. If you notice changes in sleep, appetite, mood, or behavior that stick around more than a couple of weeks, a one-on-one talk with your provider is a good idea.

The rest is old-fashioned and still true. Think about starting bedtimes and wake-ups a week or two early, because nobody adjusts to a 6:30 alarm overnight. Children ages 6 to 12 need nine to twelve hours of sleep; teenagers need eight to ten. Eat breakfast. Move every day. Put the screens down before bed. Wash hands, cover coughs, skip the shared water bottle, and stay home with a fever or a stomach bug.

And you athletes: drink a lot of water, wear the gear, and tell a coach immediately about any head injury.

Finally, don’t wait. Schedules usually fill fast as summer comes to a close, and the calendar always wins. Call now, and help your child start the year healthy, confident, and ready to learn.

Board-certified in family medicine, Curtis Thill M.D. has seen multiple generations of children at Southern Indiana Community Health Care on their way back to school.

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In the 50-plus years of family practice here in southern Indiana, the physicians and providers at Southern Indiana Community Health Care have written a mountain of prescriptions. The cheapest and most effective one? It doesn’t come from the pharmacy, and it doesn’t have a copay. It’s the screen door. Open it, walk through it, and go enjoy the great outdoors.

It’s a great time to go beyond your screen door – July is National Park and Recreation Month. SICHC providers will take any excuse to nudge people off the couch, because here’s the truth they see in exam rooms most every week: the human body was not engineered to spend twelve hours folded into the shape of an office chair.

We were built to move—to walk, bend, carry, and work out a little. When we quit moving, things start to creak, stiffen, and file complaints. The medical term for sitting all day is “sedentary.” The Hoosier phrase might be: “fixin’ to feel terrible.”

Time to get on your feet

It’s actually pretty easy. No one is asking you to climb a mountain or run a marathon. You just need to get vertical and aim your feet for the door. 

The remarkable thing—and research backs this up—is that the benefit doesn’t live in the intensity. It lives in the consistency. Most days, a gentle twenty- or thirty-minute walk does honest work on your blood pressure, your blood sugar, your sleep, and your mood. 

Your body doesn’t know whether you’re on a treadmill or a trail. It just knows you finally got up.

Try something different

Want to try something different to fool your mind that you’re on a mini-vacation?  We are spoiled for places to do it. Indiana’s state parks alone offer something like 700 miles of trails, and a fair share of the prettiest ones are right here in our corner of the state. 

Spring Mill near Mitchell has shaded paths and a pioneer village that makes a walk feel like a history lesson. McCormick’s Creek, Brown County, Clifty Falls over by Madison, Harmonie down in New Harmony, O’Bannon Woods, the trails around Patoka Lake — any one of them will hand you sunshine, fresh air, and birdsong for the price of a modest entrance fee. That’s a bargain, considering what you might pay if a month of inactivity leads you to a medical office visit.

Want to set your sights a little higher? If you’re feeling more ambitious and want to chase one of the big national parks, you’ve got options closer than you’d think. Mammoth Cave in Kentucky sits about 177 miles south from my office in Crawford County—a comfortable day trip with a built-in air-conditioning system underground. And speaking of nearby underground air conditioning, Marengo Cave (an official US National Landmark) and Wyandotte Cave are right here in beautiful Crawford County. 

Our sole National Park, Indiana Dunes, is roughly four and a half hours away, where you can walk along the beach and call it cardio. Any of these options beats another afternoon negotiating with the recliner.

Some free medical advice before you go. 

• Take water—more than you think you need, because July and August in Indiana have opinions about humidity. 
• Wear a hat and some sunscreen; a painful sunburn is not a tan, it’s an injury. 
• Start slower than your pride wants to. If you’ve got a heart or lung condition, or you haven’t exercised since the Beatles had their last hit tune, Check with us first. That’s what we’re here for.
• And listen to your body. A little tired is the goal. A little dizzy is a signal to sit in the shade.

What’s one constant in decades of practicing medicine in southern Indiana? Nobody has ever come back from a walk in the woods and told our providers that they regretted it. They come back looser, calmer, and a shade more cheerful than when they left. That’s medicine you can’t bottle.

So this summer, take two laps around the lake, or the through the park. Just go outside through that screen door.

A board-certified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has seen multiple generations of men over three decades of practice in southern Indiana.

The post Doctor’s Orders: Step Outside This Summer appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.

Men sometimes joke that they take their cars in for service more often than they see their own physicians. A sobering fact? With more than three decades of seeing men patients in southern Indiana, I can tell you from experience that the cost of that joke can rise steeply after age 50.

In many instances, throughout their adult lives, men are often more reluctant to schedule an annual check-up. Plus, during their working years, it’s really easy to grab a juicy double cheeseburger and fries for lunch, washed down with a sugary beverage that can make your pancreas cringe. If one lights up for a quick smoke before going back to work, your whole body has to compensate–which all adds up over time.

When men hit their 50s, we start seeing both the accumulated toll of actions like the above, and also many natural and normal changes in men’s bodies and minds.

So, if you’re younger than 50, think about seeing your medical provider once a year just to kick the medical tires and make certain nothing’s percolating under the hood. Meanwhile, if you’re now past the 50 mark, here is what to expect-and actions to consider–decade by decade.

Your 50s: Build the Foundation

While there’s no reason why men can’t continue to live a full life when they hit 50, it is the time to take stock. Here’s a grim but real fact: heart disease remains the leading cause of death in American men, and the 50s are when risk becomes real.

What might you expect? Blood pressure creeps up, cholesterol may misbehave, and stubborn belly fat tends to settle in. Many men begin to notice diminished energy, slower recovery from exercise, and changes in libido. There are steps to take to manage these changes.

What to do at age 50+:

• Schedule annual blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar screenings.
• Begin colorectal cancer screening–typically a colonoscopy every 10 years starting at age 45.
• Have an honest, shared-decision conversation with your medical provider about a baseline PSA test to detect prostate cancer early.
• Get serious about punching in about 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly, plus two sessions of resistance training to preserve muscle and bone density.

Your 60s: Sharpen the Focus

The 60s are when accumulated habits show their dividends–or their bills. Bone density declines, joints can stiffen, and roughly one in five men face clinically low testosterone, which can affect mood, memory, sleep, and abdominal fat. Cognitive processing speed—how you think–naturally slows. This is normal aging, not dementia.

Action steps for this decade:

• Continue PSA discussions with your provider through age 69.
• If you have ever smoked, ask about a one-time abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound between ages 65 and 75, and consider annual low-dose CT lung cancer screening.
• Protect your brain: prioritize sleep, treat hearing loss (a major modifiable dementia risk), stay socially engaged, and lean toward a Mediterranean-style diet (that’s an easy Google search for more info).
• An important point: resistance training twice weekly is no longer optional. It is a major preventative defense against falls, frailty, and metabolic decline.

Your 70s: Preserve Function

In the 70s, the goal shifts from optimization to preservation. The new metric is function — balance, strength, independence, and mental sharpness.

Action steps for this decade:

• Review every medication annually with your medical provider. Polypharmacy—defined as taking five or more drugs, represents a leading cause of falls and confusion.
• Add balance and flexibility work–tai chi, yoga, or simple single-leg stands–to your weekly routine.
• Stay socially and intellectually active. Seek out opportunities for getting together with people–loneliness carries a mortality risk comparable to smoking.
• Be informed and safe – talk with your provider about vaccinations for shingles, pneumonia, RSV, and influenza.

And here’s a critical consideration for everyone: smoking or using tobacco in any form is dangerous to your health at any age. Want to quit but need some help? Pick up our free “Quit Kit” at any of our clinic locations (see locations here: https://sichc.org/locations/).

The Common Thread

Across all three decades, the formula is unchanged: move daily, eat real food, sleep seven hours, manage stress, stay connected, and don’t skip the screenings. Aging is inevitable. The decision and outcome to age well is based on you.

A board-certified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has seen multiple generations of men over three decades of practice in southern Indiana.

The post Aging Well – A Decade-by-Decade Guide for Men in Their 50s, 60s, and 70s appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.

In thirty-some years of practicing family medicine here in southern Indiana, I’ve learned a few things beyond the medical school curriculum. Here’s one you may identify with: a southern Indiana woman will dutifully drive forty-five minutes to take her grandson to the dentist, then turn around and drive forty-five minutes home—and never once think to schedule her own mammogram or check-up on the same trip.

With the above in mind, I’d like to remind you that May is National Women’s Health Month. This time around I’d like to offer some suggestions to make it real for you.

Last month I wrote an open letter to the women of our communities about the annual wellness visit—what I called one of the most powerful preventive tools we have in medicine. The month of May is a good time to try out some new ideas, because spring out here practically begs us to step outside, take stock, and start something new.

Let’s start here. Rural living comes with real gifts: fresh air, neighbors who actually know each other, legendary sweet corn and fresh tomatoes in the summer, and a restoring pace of life that big city people can only dream about.

But it also comes with real obstacles. Longer drives to specialists. Fewer evening appointment slots. And the quiet, unspoken expectation that Mom—or Grandma, or Auntie—will keep the whole operation running.

What women in rural areas face

National data tell us that rural women face higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, and depression than their urban counterparts. Not because country life isn’t healthy, but because the system is harder to navigate when the nearest specialist is an hour away and somebody still needs to feed the chickens.

So here are three things I’d ask you to consider this May. They are simple, they are doable, and—if you’ll humor me — they are how a person builds a life of sustained good health, not just a one-month wellness sprint.

Schedule the visit you keep putting off

You know the one. Maybe it’s the well-woman exam. Maybe it’s the mammogram you’ve rescheduled twice. Maybe it’s the blood pressure or blood sugar check you keep meaning to do “once things settle down.” Let’s be honest. Things never “settle down.” They just shift. So pick one—just one—and put it on the calendar before the month is out.

Most insurance plans cover annual preventive care at no out-of-pocket cost. But if you are uninsured, please call us anyway. We will work with you.

This month, move your body, outdoors, on purpose, as many times as you can

Spring in southern Indiana is one of the great unsung blessings of American life. Walk the dog. Walk without the dog. Pull weeds. Take the grandkids to a trail at Patoka Lake.

You don’t need a gym membership or matching designer workout clothes—you need twenty or thirty minutes of intentional movement, three-to-four times a week. Your heart, your bones, your blood sugar, and your mood will all send you thank-you notes within a very short time.

Tend your mental and emotional health like you tend your tomato plants

You know what I see almost everyday? The caregivers in our communities are world champions at running on fumes.

My point? Sleep matters. So do honest conversations — with a friend, your faith community, or, when the load gets heavy, a counselor. One in four adults will face a mental health concern this year. You are neither alone nor an exception, and there is no judgment here.

May is one month in twelve, but a healthier you starts with one step. Pick one of the three. Take it this week. Then call us if we can help.

You matter to the people around you. And you matter to us. Make the month of May your month!

A board-qualified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has been providing services for women and families for more than 30 years in southern Indiana.

The post A Follow-up to the Women of Southern Indiana — Three Ways to Show Up for Yourself appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.

Spring is a time of encouraging renewal and hope, which reminds me of something I have noticed in over three decades of practicing medicine here in southern Indiana. Over that time, I have found that the women of our communities represent remarkable caregivers who often bring hope and encouragement. When needs arise – or even before others notice – they show up for their children, their aging parents, their neighbors, their churches. They organize, they nurture, they hold things together in ways that often go unnoticed and uncelebrated. They are real treasures for our communities and our southern Indiana way of life.

But far too often, I have found, they do not show up for themselves.

To the women of our southern Indiana communities, I want to bring up for your consideration something important, something that can get passed over: the annual wellness visit. I’m not talking about a quick visit to the clinic when you come down with a cold. Not a trip to the emergency room when something has gone wrong. I am talking about a scheduled, deliberate, proactive appointment – one designed entirely around you – your health history, what you may need to know about risk factors, your questions, and how to take care of yourself for the future.

A powerful tool for healthy living

How important is this? Research and experience has been clear on this point for years. An annual well-woman visit is not a formality. It is one of the most powerful tools we have in medicine – not to treat illness, but to prevent it.

Never had a wellness visit and wonder what happens? During your visit we talk in confidence. We review your personal and family health history. We will probably talk about heart health and whether anyone in your family has faced cancer or chronic conditions. Why? Because your family history can provide important clues that help us understand what may—underscore may – be in store.

The focus is both to emphasize the good things you’re doing health-wise and also to catch potential problems in their early stages. In a relaxed and safe place, we may talk about things like blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar. We may conduct some screenings. Nobody’s going to sit in judgment on these issues, and you may find yourself relieved. And perhaps most importantly, we give you the space to ask questions you may not bring up otherwise.

Important conversations women need to have

That last part matters more than one might think. Many of the health conversations women most need to have — about fatigue, mood changes, sleep, reproductive health, or simply the sense that “something doesn’t feel right” — never happen because life crowds out the opportunity.

A wellness visit creates that space.

Here are two common excuses: “I’m so busy I don’t have time.” Second, many women in our area carry a quiet concern about cost. If you have insurance, you should know that most plans are required to cover annual preventive visits at no out-of-pocket cost to you. If you are uninsured or underinsured, please call our office or the office of whoever provides your medical care. We will work with you.

Your health matters – because you matter

Still thinking you don’t have time? Please consider this: you matter to the people around you. Taking one hour, once a year, to invest in your own well-being is not selfish. It is wise. It is responsible. And I respectfully suspect it may be long overdue for many of you reading this.

So here is my invitation — and my ask. If you have not had a wellness visit this year, please call your provider and schedule one. If you have been putting it off, consider this your gentle and well-meaning nudge. And if a friend or family member comes to mind as you read these words, share this with her.

Your health is worth it. Please act today.

A board-qualified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has been providing wellness visits for women and families for more than 30 years in southern Indiana.

The post An Open Letter to Women in Our Southern Indiana Communities appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.

I’ve been practicing medicine in southern Indiana for a long time – long enough to remember when nobody needed a government pamphlet to tell them that a bag of chips wasn’t dinner. Back then, real food was just called “food.” Turns out, Washington has finally caught up with your grandmother.

Nutrition history in the making

The brand-new Dietary Guidelines that you may have heard about – now available at RealFood.gov – have scrapped the old food pyramid and, for the first time in history, officially told Americans to avoid highly processed food. Think about that. The federal government is now telling us what many of our own mothers and grandmothers told us for free, every single day. Better late than never.

The new framework — called the New Pyramid — flips the old model on its head. Instead of loading your plate with bread and pasta first, the new guidance says: start with protein. Every meal. Quality protein from eggs, meat, fish, dairy, nuts, and beans is now at the top of the priority list, followed by vegetables and fruit, with whole grains taking a modest supporting role. Added sugar? It really has no place at the table at all. Neither do sodas, sweetened drinks, or highly processed snack foods.

As a family physician, this shift matters enormously to me because I personally see the cost of the old way every single week. Here are some sobering facts: half of Americans now have pre-diabetes or diabetes. Three-quarters have at least one chronic condition. These are not just numbers — these are my patients, my neighbors, and quite possibly you or someone you love. 

Positive changes work – and are easier than one might think

The encouraging news is that diet and lifestyle changes work. The American Diabetes Association’s own guidelines confirm that reducing refined carbohydrates and boosting whole, nutrient-dense foods has the strongest evidence for improving blood sugar of any dietary approach. You don’t need a prescription for an avocado.

So what does this look like on a practical Tuesday evening in Marengo, English, Paoli, or Bedford? It may look like a nice lean side of beef, a pile of green beans, and a glass of water. It may look like eggs and cheese for breakfast instead of a bowl of sugary cereal. It looks like reaching for an apple and a handful of walnuts instead of a bag of crackers. 

None of this is complicated. Most of it is just getting back to what our Indiana kitchens used to do naturally before the age of frozen convenience meals.

Now, food is only half the equation — and that’s where I want to tell you about something exciting. Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC) has been offering a free program called Stronger Every Day, funded through the Indiana Department of Health. It’s designed to help people get moving in ways that actually feel doable. No judgment, no pressure, no special equipment required — just comfortable clothes and a willingness to try. If you’ve ever said: “I don’t know where to start,” this program was literally built for that answer.

Whether or not you dive into the free SICHC program or do it on your own, why should you begin exercising regularly? Regular movement — especially combining walking with some resistance exercise — improves insulin sensitivity, lowers blood sugar, strengthens your heart, and helps you maintain a healthy weight. Combined with the Real Food approach, it is genuinely one of the most powerful things you can do for your long-term health. More powerful, in many cases, than the medications that I might end up writing to treat other outcomes. 

I know change can feel overwhelming. I know that driving to a grocery store with a good produce section isn’t always easy out here, and I know that after a long day of work, the drive-through is awfully tempting. I’m not suggesting perfection. I’m asking for progress — one better meal, one short walk, one less soda. Those small choices compound over time in ways that genuinely matter.

For more information, visit RealFood.gov and Stronger Every Day. And if you need someone to walk alongside you on this journey, come see us. 

A board-certified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has practiced medicine and planted organic gardens in southern Indiana for more than three decades.

The post It’s Time to Eat Like Your Grandparents – And Move Like You Mean It appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.

After three decades of seeing multiple generations of families in southern Indiana, I know that boosting health – especially heart health – can be a challenge. I also know that doing what’s needed for heart health isn’t a one-size-fits-all conversation. Heart disease remains our leading killer, but steps can be taken to prevent future heart issues. 

February is a month to focus on cardiovascular wellness, so that gives us an opportunity to talk honestly about the unique challenges we face in rural southern Indiana—and some real solutions that can actually work here.

What am I talking about? Our region deals with a number of heart health risk factors that differ from people living in larger cities. Because of a variety of factors, higher rates of smoking, being overweight, and consuming high-calorie, processed foods often exist in our region. 

This doesn’t demean people in our region, but understanding why these patterns exist is crucial to do something about them.

Here are some examples: many of my patients work physical jobs, yet ironically, they don’t get the kind of physical exercise that actually promotes wellness. Shift work at manufacturing plants and service facilities or long stretches at desk jobs disrupt normal rhythms of sleep and rest. 

Here are some issues many of us face: when someone finishes a ten-hour day, driving to a gym forty minutes away feels impossible. A store offering quality nutritious food to promote health may be twenty-to-thirty miles away, while a convenience store with highly-processed foodstuffs is only a short drive up the road. And yes, smoking remains deeply woven into our southern Indiana culture in ways people living outside our region don’t always understand.

But here’s what I know: rural people are pragmatic. We respond to solutions that fit our lives, not solutions designed for someone else’s reality. Here’s some to consider.

Start with conversation, not judgment. When patients come in, I’m not here to badger them. I’m here to listen. Mrs. Johnson wants to lose some weight, but she mostly eats processed foods. Why? Because she’s working two jobs and needs meals she can prepare for herself and her kids in fifteen minutes. Can we work together on that issue? Absolutely.

Make reasonable exercise and movement realistic. Forget the Iron Man marathon training plan. I encourage my patients to use what’s already available: walking the driveway while talking on your cell phone, taking the stairs, parking farther away. A thirty-minute walk three times a week in your neighborhood costs nothing and requires no driving. Just getting outside for a brief stroll offers numerous benefits.

Rethink the food conversation. When it comes to food and maintaining weight, some think of the discouraging old joke: “If it tastes good, throw it away.” From my perspective, food is here to be enjoyed. So, yes, you can keep your casseroles—but let’s talk about adding more vegetables. Can you try using ground turkey instead of ground beef in your favorite recipes ? Are there frozen vegetables that fit your budget and cooking style? Can you shop at roadside vegetable and fruits stands in the Spring and Summer? Let’s focus on progress, not perfection.

Address smoking thoughtfully. Quitting smoking or using other types of tobacco is tough. It requires time and support, not ultimatums. When a patient tells me they’re thinking about breaking the smoking habit, I discuss options. Each person’s path is different.

Most importantly: regular checkups. Yes, I know that many people — especially men – put off a regular exam. But this is non-negotiable. Why? High blood pressure often has no symptoms. High cholesterol sneaks up silently. A simple visit once a year—more frequently if you have risk factors—can catch problems early when they’re most treatable. We can’t fix what we don’t know about.

My message this February is simple: You belong in this conversation, your challenges are real, and your solutions can be practical. Schedule that checkup. Take that walk. Make one small change this month. Your heart—and your family—will thank you.

A board-certified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has practiced medicine in southern Indiana for more than thirty years.

The post Heart Health – A Physician’s Honest Perspective appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.

After more than 30 years practicing medicine in rural southern Indiana, I’ve learned something important: the best health advice often isn’t found in complex medical journals or one-size-fits-all fitness programs. Ways to get and stay healthy comes from understanding how real people in real communities actually live.

Some patients tell me they can feel discouraged if they compare themselves to idealized images of gym culture or lose-weight-fast diets. But here’s what I’ve come to understand as a success path: the people who achieve lasting health improvements aren’t the ones who try to overhaul their entire lives overnight or make decisions based on negative experiences they’ve had about weight or food. The successful ones are people who make one thoughtful decision at a time, focusing on small, but sustained changes.

I understand from years of serving in southern Indiana that living in a rural area presents unique challenges to lift up changes and create a personal lifestyle that promotes health. Our gyms may be fewer, our fresh produce options more limited by availability, and our work sometimes demands labor that doesn’t always translate into fitness. 

Yet these same environments offer tremendous advantages. We have open spaces, quieter streets, stronger community connections, and often a culture that values self-reliance and practical problem-solving.

Just 1% improvement daily

An important point? The most successful patients I’ve worked with in elevating health started small. Here’s an amazing fact: if you’ve seen or read the book Atomic Habits, you’ll see from demonstrated research that all you have to do is just improve a mere 1% a day in making strides toward health. Over time, that adds up faster than you think. The power of sustained tiny gains is actually pretty impressive.

Oftentimes people simply don’t know where to start.  They may think “I want to lose weight,” or “I want to have more energy.” My suggestion is to focus on making small changes to improve health, which will be more sustainable and carry less emotional baggage.

Small steps to grow Stronger Every Day

There are many ways to start a positive lifestyle change. At Southern Indiana Community Health Care, we’re starting a free program to help people meet their healthy living goals. We’re working to make this fun and offer opportunities for people to see, experience, and sample different ways they can make it personal to themselves. People from throughout our service area (Crawford, Lawrence, and Orange counties) can take part. Get more details at https://sichc.org/stronger-every-day/? Or follow us on our Stronger Every Day Facebook group page.

Whatever you decide to do for improving health, here’s an important point: fitness doesn’t require perfection. It means identifying one small realistic change and committing to a small, sustained effort of just 1% improvement a day for just a few weeks. You may be surprised how quickly these small changes can become a healthy habit. If you choose to take part in our free Strong Every Day program, you can build a personalized program and privately track how you’re doing.

Small steps can lead to surprising changes

The health benefits of regular movement are profound. Beyond the obvious weight management and heart health advantages, physical activity reduces anxiety, improves sleep quality, strengthens bones, and helps prevent chronic diseases that rob our community members of quality years with their families.

Remember, every day offers a fresh opportunity to choose differently. Your body, at any age and fitness level, responds positively to movement and care.

And we’re not talking about becoming an athlete. Small choices compound into a healthier, fuller life. Ley’s all commit to growing stronger and healthier – every day!

A board-certified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has practiced medicine in Crawford County for more than 30 years.

The post Finding Your Personal Path to Better Health appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.

The front-page article in a recent Wall Street Journal summed it up: “The stars are lighting up again.” The coverage chronicled how pop stars and several recent movies in 2025 were effectively eroding “a years-long decline in U.S. smoking rates” by displaying smoking as an acceptable social element, essentially promoting its use. As one health care expert warned about the power of popular role models in today’s society, “I find that concerning – glamorous, attractive people smoking cigarettes.”

Why should people be concerned about this? Is smoking really all that bad?

As a long-time practicing physician in southern Indiana, I emphatically agree – smoking is really not a good habit or option for people of any age, but especially for young people.

Fortunately, strong efforts are underway in our healthcare service area – a region known in the past for unhealthy tobacco and related use – to educate and warn our people about the dangers of smoking and tobacco use.

What an EMT sees on the job

Stephen Parrott, a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with 28 years of experience, is bringing his high-voltage “Tough Talk” to the area, recently speaking to high school students in Crawford, Lawrence, and Orange Counties. Five years ago Parrott – whose day job is serving as a field supervisor for the third largest ambulance service in Kentucky – started presenting programs about drug awareness in local high schools in Indiana and Kentucky, based on his personal experience of treating teens who have overdosed or are addicted. Here are some excerpts of his key messages:

“Many teenagers continually use and experiment with drugs, not knowing what counterfeit drugs may be in what they’re taking, including deadly fentanyl,” he explains. As his contact with high school students expanded, he learned about a critical pathway: “everything starts with experimenting with tobacco.”

Some 35% of teenagers who use substances first started with using tobacco for the nicotine effects of dopamine production in their brain. Many teenagers face conflicting emotions, anxiety, social pressure, and other issues. When they find that nicotine in tobacco can temporarily accelerate the production of dopamine – “that’s the euphoria neurotransmitter that makes people feel good,” he said. “Teens start chasing that high and get their dopamine dump.”

The problem? The body gets used to the nicotine boost, so teens can start experimenting with other drugs, causing a whole host of other issues. Even vaping cartridges can pose major problems, as teens who buy vaping products on the street often have no idea what they are actually buying.

Sadly, when experimentation rises to this level, deadly fentanyl can be introduced as a counterfeit to what a teen or young person may actually think they’re buying or using. The result can quickly turn tragic.

The toughest part

“I ask students what they think is the toughest part of my job,” Parrott said. “They often say responding to car crashes or other major accidents. That’s bad for certain, but that’s not the worst part of my job.”

The most difficult and hard part? “The toughest part of my job is when I have to tell a parent that their child is dead because they accidentally overdosed on illegal fentanyl or some other substance.”

A critical element? “As parents or caregivers, we all have to remember that we were all young once – ten feet tall and bulletproof – or so we thought.” Parents “have to support teens in providing education about the dangers of substance use, including starting with tobacco and vaping.”

“My presentations to high school students are called ‘Tough Talks’ and there’s a reason for that. It’s not easy to talk about these things, but it’s critically important.”

The point? Like Parrott’s EMT experience, I have seen the terrible effects in my healthcare career.  Tobacco use or vaping is not safe. If you or a friend or loved one is using substances, help is available. Don’t wait for the tragic accident – find a trustworthy source and protect yourself, even if the pop stars are not in alignment.

Finally, know a smoker who wants to quit? Contact any of our SICHC offices for a free Quit Kit – all inquiries are confidential (visit https://sichc.org/ for location information).

A board-certified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has practiced medicine in Crawford County for more than 30 years.

The post Smoking and drug use – protect yourself and your teen now appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.

When a patient tells me they want to quit smoking, I often take a moment to both encourage them for making a good decision and also to acknowledge what that really means. Breaking a complicated habit that may have existed over years – even decades – is no small decision.

In truth, making a personal commitment to stop smoking often paradoxically represents one of the hardest and most courageous steps a person can take for their health. But, as I encourage my patients, it’s one that has both immediate and long-term benefits.

Consider these facts: quitting smoking is more than breaking a habit. It involves breaking a relationship with something that has quietly shaped daily routines, emotions, and even who you are. Many people don’t fully appreciate the reality that nicotine is a powerful and highly addictive chemical compound.

Long-term smoking and exposure to nicotine literally changes your brain chemistry. Through long-term use, this powerful chemical actually weaves itself into the behavioral fabric of how you cope, relax, or reward yourself.

That’s a key reason why when people stop smoking, uncomfortable physical feelings and emotional changes quickly appear. The good news? It’s natural to feel both, especially in the first few days or weeks, and these conditions will go away in time.

The body’s challenge: adjusting to life without nicotine

There’s more good news when you quit smoking: literally within a few hours of quitting, your body begins the process of healing. Even within a half hour of your last cigarette or nicotine-saturated vape, your blood pressure and heart rate will move toward healthy levels. Carbon monoxide levels will start to drop, giving your body more access to energy-producing oxygen. By the next day, things will start to taste and smell better.

A challenge? Nicotine exposure helps produce the “feel-good” dopamine neurotransmitter in your brain. When that level drops, the result can be symptoms of irritability, restlessness, headaches, fatigue, or just feeling “off.”

For many people, the first two weeks are the toughest. But I remind my patients that these uncomfortable symptoms are simply signs your body is recalibrating and taking back control.

The mind’s challenge: breaking emotional ties

Here’s an important consideration: after the physical cravings fade (and they will fade), breaking the emotional ties to smoking can be tough. Why? For years, cigarettes may have marked your “thinking time” with coffee, a pleasant break from work stress, or an awarding companion on the drive home. When you find yourself in these situations after quitting, those small moments become powerful triggers to reach back for a smoke.

Many people find that when they stop smoking, they suddenly have to face stress, boredom, or loneliness without that familiar coping tool. That can feel unsettling—but it also represents an incredible opportunity to rediscover healthier new ways to find calm and comfort.

A new beginning

When people experience these physical and mental issues after quitting, some may erroneously suggest that the person step up the personal “willpower,” particularly if there is a momentary setback. “Willpower” is not the issue. Given the addictive potential of nicotine, successful cessation of smoking will probably be a series of challenges and achievements – everyone usually has a different experience.

Sometimes it takes several attempts before the habit is truly broken. Sometimes nicotine gum or other options can help.

Success in quitting is often more successful when it’s a team effort. Talk with your provider for options. You can also go online to websites like https://sichc.org/break-the-habit/ or https://smokefree.gov/ for a wealth of free useful information and encouragement.

If you’ve tried before and struggled, try again. A key fact? Every attempt brings you closer to success. Your provider, including the team at Southern Indiana Community Health Care, can walk alongside you with tools, medications, and encouragement that can make a difference.

You’ve got more strength than you think—and your future self will thank you for every breath that’s free of smoke.

A board- certified family physician, Dr. Curtis Thill has helped many people to successfully quit smoking during 30 years of practicing medicine in southern Indiana.

The post Breaking the Habit – Finding Freedom from Smoking appeared first on Southern Indiana Community Health Care.