Health News

Features

Common dieting pitfalls along the path to healthy weight loss

ASK A PHYSICIAN WHO KNOWS! WEIGHT LOSS IS NEVER an easy prospect, but oftentimes it’s made even harder by our own foibles. There are many “dieting” missteps when it comes to healthy weight loss, and each and every one can throw a wrench in even the best intentions.
Pop quiz on thyroid health and weight

Test your knowledge and understanding of the relationship between your thyroid and weight IT’S NO SECRET that our country has a problem with weight and obesity. According to the statistics, approximately two-thirds of all adult Americans are overweight or obese. While those in the medical profession will tell you that the majority of those in…
A pop puiz on arthroplasty (knee surgery)

Test your knowledge on the before, during, and after of knee surgery FOR MANY INDIVIDUALS, debilitating knee pain due to arthritis or an injury is a daily reality. For those with such knee problems, walking is painful, and stairs of any kind present a major obstacle. Knee surgery is one option for relief, but many…

Signs & symptoms: When your skin needs medical attention

As a surgeon who often treats and cares for patients whose ailments of the skin have gone too long without medical attention, I’d like to talk about the importance of seeing a doctor right away if you find abnormalities on the skin. I hope people can be aware that it is not only important…
Body, mind & spirit: Integrating primary and behavioral care

When you go to the doctor complaining of stomach pain, you probably don’t expect your problem to be depression. But it just may be. When you complain of headache, clumsiness, dizziness, shakiness, blurred vision, tingling around the mouth and seizures, you might expect an anxiety or bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder. You may be surprised if…
Mediterranean diet for cardiovascular health

Dr. Sean P. O’Rourke is a board-certified cardiologist at Watson Clinic. With a subspecialty in cardiovascular disease, Dr. O’Rourke often sees patients suffering from heart disease. He took the time to answer some questions about heart disease, which has a higher death rate in Polk County than in the rest of Florida. Health…