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Pop Quiz: Physical Activity Recommendations for a Healthy Heart

By Erika Aldrich Heart health is on a lot of people’s minds during the beginning of the year, but it should be a major focus year-round as heart disease is this nation’s leading killer of both men and women. Heart disease accounts for nearly one in four deaths in this county. Although many cases of…
Local Mother Achieves Degree Despite Health Challenges

by TERESA SCHIFFER Britainny Palmer may look like an ordinary mother, but she struggles with health issues that few have. Despite the obstacles created by her own body, she has managed to attain a bachelor’s degree in supervision and management recently from Polk State College. It wasn’t an easy task, but with perseverance and a…
Tom Grothouse Working Passionately to Educate, Prevent Pediatric Drownings

by Mary Toothman Tom Grothouse worked in the fields of education and airlines much of his life, but his most recent years have been spent teaching children life-saving skills that prevent drowning. He seems to have found his niche. The Winter Haven resident is passionate about being an Infant Swimming Resource (ISR) instructor. With its…

Demystifying the Eyedrop Aisle

By: Daniel Smith, O.D. Many eye disorders can be treated effectively with eye drops and products found over the counter at the local pharmacy and grocery stores. But with so many options on the shelves, finding the right product for your needs can be overwhelming and confusing. Your eye doctor can provide you with specific…
When to Seek Help for Spider, Varicose Veins

Spider Veins vs. Varicose Veins Varicose veins are superficial veins that appear knotty and — unless painful, achy, or inflamed — may not need to be treated. Varicose veins usually become more apparent with age and are the price humans pay for standing erect, as opposed to monkeys who walk on all four legs. Spider…
Brain Attack, Stroke, and Mini-Stroke: Are You at Risk?

Approximately 700,000 strokes occur in the United States annually. Stroke, or brain attack, is a disease that involves the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that brings oxygen to the brain gets blocked by a blood clot most commonly. With the oxygen supply to the brain…