March is National Nutrition Month—a time to highlight the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating habits. On this episode, Tallett Vanek (Director of Nutrition at CDPH) is joined by Annie Chacko (Regional Nutrition Coordinator at CDPH) and Nancy Rivera (WIC Supervisor at Alivio Medical Center) to discuss the vital role of CDPH’s WIC clinics in supporting families across Chicago.

WIC clinics provide nutritional education, access to healthy foods, and offer resources that help parents and caregivers give their children the best start in life.

To find more information, go to Chicago.gov/WIC.

¿Sabías que Chicago cuenta con la red de monitoreo de aire más grande de todo el país y la segunda más grande del mundo? Esta red está formada por monitores que recopilan datos sobre la calidad del aire, permitiendo conocer qué respiran los residentes de la ciudad, medir los niveles de contaminación y prevenir problemas de salud. Además, estos datos ayudan a que los ciudadanos puedan tomar decisiones más informadas en su vida diaria.

Tras dos años de intensa planificación y coordinación con socios comunitarios, este proyecto se ha hecho realidad, y organizaciones como la Organización de Justicia Ambiental de La Villita (LVEJO) fueron pieza clave para su implementación. Jocelyn Vázquez-Gómez, de (LVEJO) nos cuenta cuál fue su papel en este proyecto y cómo los monitores de aire ayudarán a generar soluciones en áreas como La Villita, donde se registran altos niveles de contaminación debido a fábricas, el tráfico y otros factores.

Antonio King is no stranger to Chicago Department of Public Health, spending 21 years with the department in various roles before becoming the first Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs for the City of Chicago. [Visit his previous conversation with Jamie Frazier (Executive Director of Lighthouse Foundation) on Episode 68.]

In conversation with CDPH Information Coordinator James Scalzitti, King discusses his new position, challenges and goals that lie ahead, LGBTQ Health Awareness Week, and the influence of the recently passed Reverend Jesse Jackson.

As Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs, King will guide Mayor Johnson administration’s initiatives and programs serving the LGBTQ+ community, ensure LGBTQ+ owned businesses receive equitable attention and support, and coordinate existing efforts across City departments and agencies to uplift LGTBQ+ Chicagoans. As part of the Mayor’s Office of Health and Human Services, King will also work closely with the Mayor’s policy team to develop a policy plan that strengthens protections and opportunities for LGBTQ+ Chicagoans.

Nearly 26% of Chicago’s population lives with a disability—over 500,000 people across all ages, neighborhoods, and backgrounds. In collaboration with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), CDPH recently released its newest report, “Neighborhood Conditions for Adults with Disabilities in Chicago,” highlighting the lived experiences of people with disabilities and the neighborhood conditions that affect them to help the city create more inclusive environments.

In this episode, Tessa Day (epidemiologist at CDPH) and Clarissa Stanhope, (Director of Accessibility Services at Parkland College and formerly with MOPD) discuss the report and how it provides public servants, elected officials, and community leaders with the insights and data needed to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Chicagoans with disabilities.

To read the full report, visit: https://bit.ly/ChicagoDisabilityReport

In the summer of 2025, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health installed 277 sensors throughout Chicago, making it the largest community air monitoring network in the United States and the second largest in the world. Now, the partnership has publicly launched air sensor data via Open Air Chicago.

Grace Adams, CDPH Environmental Health Projects Administrator, and Jaime Groth Searle, Founder and Executive Director of The Southwest Collective, discuss Open Air Chicago, how it can be utilized, and its possible applications for Chicago’s community members, including those in Searle’s beloved southwest region.

Learn more about air quality in your Chicago neighborhood area by visiting the Open Air Chicago map.

El consumo de alimentos poco saludables, el tabaquismo y la falta de actividad física pueden aumentar el riesgo de hipertensión y enfermedades cardiovasculares. Febrero es el mes de la concientización sobre la salud del corazón y representa una oportunidad perfecta para modificar hábitos, realizar chequeos de rutina de este órgano vital y conocer los recursos disponibles para mantenerlo fuerte y sano.

En este episodio te explicamos cómo mantener el cuerpo en movimiento, reducir el consumo de alimentos procesados y realizar controles médicos periódicos puede ayudarte a disminuir el riesgo de enfermedades cardíacas.

February is American Heart Month.

CDPH Medical Director for Immunizations and Emergency Preparedness Alex Sloboda and Commissioner Olusimbo Ige discuss the importance of heart health, heart disease and its risks and symptoms, and how you can decrease your risks for heart issues.

Additionally, the team discusses how CDPH, Chicago Public Libraries, and Chicago Park District work together each February to offer free heart health screenings: https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/heart-health-month.

Find more resources pertaining to heart health at https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/supp_info/chronic-disease/heart-disease.html.

Wherever you go in Chicago, it seems there’s somebody nearby with a cough, runny nose, or congestion. So, what is the city's status during the current respiratory virus season? Medical Director Dr. Brian Borah talks with Senior Epidemiologist Stephanie Gretsch about activity levels of flu, RSV, and COVID; overall trends around virus activity levels; and how to protect yourself when diseases are at elevated levels.

Find out where to get vaccinated and current respiratory illness activity in Chicago.

Dive into the data with the 2025-’26 mid-respiratory season Vaccine Coverage here.

On the last episode of the season, the two-person “Team Tobacco” Chioma Ejiofor (Public Health Administrator III) and Juan Ortega (Public Health Administrator III) discuss the difference between tobacco and nicotine, how smoking affects the brain and body, predatory marketing from the tobacco industry, and how you can get assistance should you want to quit.

Get help quitting tobacco at the Illinois Tobacco Quitline (https://www.quityes.org/) or call 1-866-QUIT-YES.

Find more smoking cessation resources at https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/supp_info/healthy-communities/smoking-cessation.html

On this episode, Dr. Francisco Rodriguez (CDPH Director of Mental Health Clinics) speaks with Donald “DJ” Watson (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Fables CEC) about themes surrounding men’s mental health. The conversation covers toxic masculinity, stereotypes vs. reality, cultural differences in masculinity, and how men can acknowledge personal challenges and ask for help.

DJ Watson can be reached for counseling and therapy services at FablesCEC.com.