I think most people are happy that 2021 is here. A pandemic, murder hornets, a slow economy—most people thought 2020 was not their best year.
Health was certainly a part of 2020. Every newscast from March on devoted at least a part of their show to a health-related issue.
We at Omaha Magazine are excited for this new year, and we know health will continue to be a part of it. That’s one reason why we devote our January/February edition to health and wellness.
One feature talks about telehealth. I used a telehealth visit for the first time this year in spring for a call to renew a prescription. Some hospitals and doctors’ offices in the area saw their telehealth visits rise by over 1000% over the last year. It’s a trend that projects to continue growing as technology advances.
Another feature talks about Celiac disease. It’s a disease that has come to the forefront of conversations in recent years, especially as people have started following lower-carbohydrate diets. This article distinguishes between Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, and what happens when someone has Celiac disease, which is, in reality, only 1% of the world’s population.
Omaha Magazine has long partnered with March of Dimes for their Nurse of the Year Awards. Photographer Bill Sitzmann and I agree that this is one of our favorite events of the year. Our friends at March of Dimes go all out to honor these medical professionals, many of whom are hardworking, humble, and truly honored to win an award, and the dinner and awards show is impressive. This year’s awards show went virtual, but they still rolled ahead with a number of fantastic awards, from “Academic Educator” to “Women’s Health.” The winners of these awards are presented in this magazine.
Speaking of nurses, our adventure article is about nurse Steve Stang, who started a new career in 2019 as a traveling nurse. He has already been on a couple of fantastic adventures, and hopes this venture allows him to travel further. The 60-Plus feature is about the Nurses Honor Guard, a group that gathers for funerals of their fallen comrades.
Losing weight and/or eating healthy is a major goal each year for many Americans. Restaurateur Michael Schall lost a significant amount of weight and used that as inspiration to launch his restaurant Greenbelly. His story is the dining profile this month. Those who want additional options for eating healthier while picking up takeout can find some in this issue. Omaha Magazine reviews Foodies, which focuses on fresh food, and features Heirloom Fine Foods meal prep and catering.
Each article in this issue touches the health and medical worlds, whether it is an arts and culture story about a doctor who wrote a book or a pharmacist who collects antique medical bottles. I hope you enjoy them all.
This letter was printed in the January/February 2021 edition of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
