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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…

Medical Advice: Your flu prevention to-do list

AS YOU GATHER your “to-do” lists and prepare for the holiday season ahead, the Florida Department of Health in Polk County recommends you add one more important step — get a flu shot! The flu shot is the best way to protect our families and communities against the spread of influenza. When you make it…
Family Health: Flu shots for seniors

HE FLU is nothing to sneeze at. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 200,000 people will be hospitalized this year with the influenza virus, and it has been estimated that 50 to 70 percent of those hospitalized are people age 65 and older.
Word of Mouth: Your dentist is key to early cancer detection

IT SEEMS LIKE you hear about many different kinds of cancers these days, but one that isn’t being talked about enough is oral cancer. Cancer in the mouth and throat are diagnosed in nearly 50,000 Americans a year, and statistics show that only 57 percent of those diagnosed still will be living in five years.