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Manual or Electric Toothbrushes?

Looking at the Pros and Cons of Your Main Oral Hygiene Tool by MARY TOOTHMAN They started out as twigs with frayed ends — ancient civilizations rubbed chew sticks against their teeth to clean them as far back as 3000 BC. But by 1938, the toothbrush as we know it was invented. And the handy…
A Tribute to Our Local Nurses

Celebrating National Nurses Week by Highlighting the Great Work of our Area Nurses Bartow Regional Medical Center Elaine Bernard was named Bartow Regional Medical Center’s 2018 Nurse of Excellence. She is flanked by Misty Holland, Director of Patient Services at BRMC, and Carol Koeppel-Olson, the Chief Nursing Officer for the Polk Region. Elaine said she…
The Connection Between Gum Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease

By Teresa Schiffer Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating illness that many people suffer from as they age. Experts estimate that more than 5.5 million people in the U.S. suffer from Alzheimer’s. A recent research publication from Science Advances suggests that there may be a connection between gum disease and Alzheimer’s. There is a particular bacterium…

Medical Advice: Rabies report and safety reminders

Saint Hubert, who lived from 656-727 A.D., was the patron saint of hunters, mathematicians, opticians, and metal workers. He was called upon to cure rabies until the early 20th century through the use of the St. Hubert’s Key, which was said to have been given to him by St. Peter. St. Hubert Key’s took the…
Ask a Nurse: Genetic testing for mental health medications

We have all heard of, and some of us have even experienced firsthand, the tragedies surrounding mental health disorders. It’s nearly impossible to watch a TV show without hearing about a new antidepressant that causes an endless list of unwanted symptoms. And according to the CDC more than 1 in 10 American’s over the age…
Healthy Food: Create good mood food

Ever get a day when nothing is going right? The kids are fighting. The pool turned green. Gas went up 15 cents. The peanut butter is gone. After all that, you might be thinking, “If I just had some chocolate.” Or a glass of wine. Or a big plate of mashed potatoes. What we eat can change…