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Tackling Allergies: Natural Remedies to Fight the Summer Sniffles

When the pollen is falling and the mold is flourishing, there are ways to beat back symptoms naturally. Here’s how. Central Florida’s mild climate is a real draw, but its long growing season can spell trouble for allergy sufferers. From winter’s yellow oak pollen, through summer’s grass, weeds, and molds, the allergic are likely going…
Beating the Heat: How to Stay Cool When Temperatures Rise

Central Florida’s summer heat can be stifling, but here are some strategies to help you make the most of the season. When it’s hot and humid, it’s harder to keep cool. That’s because our bodies depend on sweating – and evaporating that sweat – to reduce our temperatures. Humidity slows the process, so muggy Central…
Local Physicians Discuss Skin Cancer Prevention

Summer is here and it’s time for some fun in the sun! It’s the time of year when people love to show some skin in their favorite bathing suits and hit the beach or the pool. As you’re out there enjoying the long summer days, don’t forget to protect yourself from the dangerous UVA and…

Editor’s Dose: A thank-you letter to nurses

FROM MID-FEBRUARY to about mid-April, my family was at the doctor’s office a lot. The late-spreading flu season (although none of us in our household ever actually caught the flu — thank goodness) must have carried with it many other viruses, because we’ve certainly experienced our fair share. In fact, a few nurses on staff…
Healthy Skin: May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month

“C’MON, DOC. What’s a little sunburn?” is a question I frequently hear from the public. The answer is, if you’re lucky, that’s all it is. But a little sunburn is one of the easiest skin cancer risk factors to avoid. If left untreated, skin cancer, or melanoma, can progress to the point that it’s disfiguring…
Cautions for two of your favorite summer activities

SPRING IS THE TIME OF YEAR in Florida when temperatures begin to warm and the weather is perfect outside. With the sun shining and a gentle breeze blowing, this beautiful weather also marks the beginning of swimming season for Polk’s residents. Swimming and boating are two of the most popular summer activities for people living…