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Expanding Care

Lakeland Regional’s Behavioral Health Center to Address Acute Need in Area by TERESA SCHIFFER Mental and behavioral health issues continue to be a major concern in the United States, and Central Florida is not immune to these problems. The unfortunate reality is that in Polk County, there is just one mental health provider for every…
Pop Quiz: Yoga Is More Powerful Than You Think

Yoga has been practiced for at least 5,000 years, and with good reason. It’s good for you in a number of different ways. The health benefits—physical, mental, and emotional—of yoga are numerous, and it’s a practice that can be taken up at any age. Take our quiz and test your knowledge of the health benefits…
Chill and Relax

Cryotherapy a Quick, Holistic Option for a Wide Range of Ailments by MARY TOOTHMAN Cryotherapy enthusiasts can recite a lengthy and varied list of ailments, issues and challenges that may be treated with the icy cold form of holistic therapy — now available in several locations in Central Florida. While some of us may…

Ask a Nurse: Alzheimer’s is Type 3 Diabetes!

In 1906, a German neuropathologist Dr. Alois Alzheimer first identified what is now considered Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). He was caring for a middle-aged woman suffering from memory loss and disorientation. Just a short five years later, the woman passed away after enduring the torment of hallucinations and symptoms of dementia. Currently “the presence of neurofibrillary…
Publisher’s Note: Update on Florida Health Choices

In early March, www.myfloridachoices.org became live. It is the website devoted to Florida Health Choices (the state’s health insurance marketplace, separate from the federal plans under the Affordable Care Act). The state’s health insurance marketplace offers a few options for discounted plans under dental, vision, telemedicine, and prescription coverage. It’s important to note that this…
Medical Advice: Awareness is key to stopping upward trend of STDs

Every year in April, we observe STD Awareness Month. This is an opportunity for individuals, doctors, and communities to address ways to prevent some of the nearly 20 million sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that occur in the United States each year. Half of all new infections occur among people between the ages of 15 to…