Deb Balzer (@DebBalzer)
Deb Balzer is a Senior Communications Specialist at Mayo Clinic. She began her career as a TV news producer in Rochester, NY, before joining CONUS Communications, a pioneering national news satellite organization. She also field produced for ABC, CNN, the Rachael Ray Show and Farmers’ Almanac TV. Joining Mayo Clinic in 2015, Deb writes, produces and collaborates on medical stories with Mayo Clinic’s leading experts, providing trusted health and medical information to help patients.
A sore throat is a common symptom of an upper respiratory infection such as a cold or flu. It's also a symptom of a bacterial[...]
The 2018 flu season is expected to get active in the U.S. over the coming weeks. Health officials hope to avoid a repeat of the[...]
Raw turkey products have been linked to an outbreak of salmonella infection affecting 164 people in 35 states, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The outbreak does[...]
A traditional Southern diet – identified as fried foods, organ meats, processed meats, egg and egg dishes, sugar-sweetened beverages, and bread – play a large role[...]
Penicillin is a powerful antibiotic that has saved millions of lives since its discovery in 1928. Now, 90 years later, overuse of this and other[...]
Reported cases of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, have been on the rise since the 1980s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and[...]
Hand, foot and mouth disease is a highly contagious childhood illness that commonly affects kids ages 5 or under. However, anyone can become sickened – especially[...]
Syphilis has long been a global health issue affecting millions of people. Through the centuries, it's had many names, including the "great pox" and "great crippler."[...]
The U.S. has seen a sharp increase in the number of diagnosed sexually transmitted infections (STIs) over the last four years, according to a report by the[...]
Global Handwashing Day is celebrated on Oct. 15 as a way to promote good health through good hand hygiene. Washing hands with soap and warm waters can prevent[...]
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the HPV vaccine for people 27 - 45. "This is hugely positive for the health of younger[...]
Breast cancer survivors are not getting the recommended number of mammograms following surgery, according to a recent study led by Dr. Kathryn Ruddy, a Mayo Clinic oncologist.[...]