Health News

Features

Reason to say ‘Cheese’

Technological advances and affordability give local patients more options in dental care DIANNE TANNER was wearing dentures at 21. Her family couldn’t afford regular dental visits when she was growing up — and her teeth suffered. By the time she was working and able to afford it, she was ready for false teeth. The “regular…
Chat and Chew group meets to address heart health and diet

Cookbook authors offer wisdom to attendees over Skype at this free event IF YOU THINK olive oil is the healthiest way to add flavor when cooking healthy meals, you might want to expand your culinary tool belt and attend the upcoming Chat and Chew session. Even olive oil is technically processed — meaning it is…
How Joan and Robert are conquering cardiac distress

One couple shares their patient-doctor relationship and its role in their quality of life THERE ARE MANY TYPES OF HEROES in this world. From the fictional sort we all know and love from classic comic books to the real-life soldiers of our Armed Forces — and even everyday heroes, such as firefighters and other emergency…

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…