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Life after delivery: Q&A with Drs. Peter Alvarez and Diana Wilson on postpartum depression

WHEN A MOTHER brings home a new baby, regardless of whether or not it’s her first child, it is a very special time. Life after delivery is an important phase when mom and baby strengthen the foundation for a bond that lasts a lifetime. But like all phases of life, there are natural stress factors,…
Top Docs Feature: Q&A with Delanie and Gordon Watson

Patients talk with CFHN about their healthcare provider, Dr. Japinder Singh “MY HUSBAND was very, very sick when I met him,” says Delaine Watson. Gordon had all manner of problems with his spleen and gallbladder, hernias — even throat cancer. A Vietnam veteran, he’d also been exposed to Agent Orange.
POP QUIZ … Sun exposure: What you don’t know CAN hurt you

A little skin protection knowledge now could save your life later LIVING IN THE SUNSHINE STATE, we’ve all heard about the dangers of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, it doesn’t seem as if we’ve learned enough, because the effects of sun exposure — like skin cancer — are posing as much danger to residents…

Editor’s Dose: Tips for minimizing back-to-school stress

IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, then come early July you were already thinking about preparations for the new school year. Parents and children in the community this year are getting ready extra early because Polk County public schools moved up their calendar by one week — day one of school is August 15.
Making the choice to breastfeed

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH in Polk County (DOH-Polk) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) recognize August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month. This is a wonderful time of year to promote breastfeeding as a vital health activity and discuss the health benefits breastfeeding provides. Although every woman has their own…
Editor’s Dose: Keeping kids’ bodies and minds active this summer

WHEN I FIRST had the twins, my mom would say, “Have a schedule for them, or they’ll have a schedule for you.” Basically, she was cautioning that I’d better keep those little minds and bodies active, or chaos would inevitably ensue. Being a mother of eight children, I think she was speaking from personal experience.…