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Heart disease warnings for women

| Don’t believe you’re not at risk; do believe you can improve your odds | WOMEN HAVE A MEASURE of built-in protection against heart disease — as long as their ovaries are producing estrogen. Although estrogen may delay the onset of heart disease until the sixties or seventies, women’s risk eventually is the same as…
Pop Quiz: Are you feeding your feelings?

| Stop the snacking and learn to recognize when it’s emotional or physical hunger | EMOTIONAL HUNGER is an issue that many of us deal with, much to the chagrin of our waistlines! It’s especially prevalent during the holidays, as both stress and food are available in large helpings. However, we all have to eat,…
Chat and Chew: The end of dieting and the beginning of a healthier year

“I GIVE UP ON DIETS — they don’t work …” It’s a familiar refrain in America. Dr. Joel Fuhrman in his new book, The End of Dieting, explains, “If you eat American food, you will inevitably develop the diseases common in America, will become overweight, and you will eventually develop high blood pressure and high…

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…