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Popular Places in Polk to Pump-Up Your Pedometers

by MATT COBBLE Although it’s been more than 50 years since Dr. Yoshiro Hatano first proposed the idea of taking 10,000 steps in a day for health, the notion has truly caught on in the past half-decade thanks to wearable fitness devices, such as FitBits and Apple Watches. While some may see this gamifying of…
Kick off 2019 With These Healthy Physical and Nutritional Guidelines

The new year is a time for resolutions and renewal, and the leading resolutions that Americans make is, without question, to lose weight, get into shape, and to live a healthier lifestyle. However, many Americans might not know exactly what that looks like! How well do you think you know your stats and suggested amounts…
Healthy Foods for the Holiday Season

by TRENT ROWE, food editor Here’s to Uncle Harry. He’s your mom’s roly-poly brother who always plays Santa because he doesn’t need a pillow for padding. When it comes to dinner his favorite phrase isn’t, “ho ho ho”, but “Please pass the gravy.” It’s too bad too, because Uncle Harry is a really nice guy.…

The “Ripe” Time for Cataract Surgery

Whenever I tell a patient that he or she has cataracts they immediately ask if they need to have surgery. We start thinking about cataract surgery whenever the patient’s quality of life is affected. Common complaints include, “I can’t read road signs,” or “I can’t read the writing on TV,” or “I can’t read small…
A Cautionary Tale for Frequent Biting, Grinding, or Clenching

Biting and chewing your food. It’s something we do every day and without thinking. That’s why when most people have biting issues— where they bite the inside tissue of their mouth— they usually don’t think beyond the few minutes of pain and discomfort it causes. However, frequent biting (as well as grinding and clenching) can…
Oral Cancer Awareness Month

The month of April is considered National Oral Cancer Awareness Month. The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers in the United States for 2019 show that about 53,000 people will be diagnosed with oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer and an estimated 10,860 will die of these cancers. Lip and…