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Pop Quiz: Germs 101—A Crash Course for Parents

Back-to-school season is upon us, and that means your child’s chances of coming down with an illness is greatly increased. While schools are centers of learning, they are also breeding grounds for all manner of germs. However, there are ways to lessen your child’s chances of coming down with something, having to miss school due…
Tackling Mental Health Together

Establishing the West Central Florida Mental Wellness Coalition Recognizing the record number of suicide rates, substance use and opioid deaths, nearly 30 local organizations have joined forces to develop a regional mental health initiative. On June 20, BayCare CEO and President Tommy Inzina and participating leaders from other hospitals, behavioral health providers, law enforcement, government…
Working Like a Dog

Reading with Bonnie the Therapy Dog by RACHEL CHRISTIAN Cassandra Banning and Bonnie, her 10-year-old shih tzu therapy dog, have been bringing joy and happiness to people in the Plant City area for almost six years. The pair can be spotted across town visiting nursing homes, hospitals, and even Bruton Memorial Library. Unlike service animals…

Protect Your Eyes

While aging is a fact of life we cannot escape, there are certain measures that can be taken to ensure the best possible vision as you age. The following lifestyle modifications can help delay or prevent certain eye diseases. Regular Eye Examinations One of the most important things you can do is schedule yearly eye…
Diabetes Mellitus: It’s not just about the sugar!

Diabetes mellitus is a well-known disease in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Patients need to control these levels so that the HBA1c or hemoglobin A1c test is less than 7%, through diet, exercise, and medication. It is important to understand that high glucose levels result in organ damage. Every organ has the…
Lumps in the Neck – Should I be Concerned?

Very often I see patients who have swellings or lumps in the neck and their first question is “should I be worried?” This is a great question but the answer is not always straightforward. There are many different causes of swelling in the neck that range from harmless to the very concerning. Let’s talk about…