Health News

Features

Supporting a cause that helps save lives

| We Care Think Pink and the Susan G. Komen Race (or Sleep-in) for the Cure | BREAST CANCER AFFECTS NEARLY one in eight women at some point during their lifetime. However, with proper preventive care, such as annual mammograms, early detection is much more likely; as with all cancers, early detection results in a…
Your allies on the road to weight loss

| How lifestyle changes through medically supervised programs can benefit your waistline and your overall health | AFTER THE INDULGENCES of holiday parties and family gatherings, weight loss may top your list of New Year’s resolutions. As we embrace a new year and new goals, few people engage their doctor during their weight loss journey.…
Medical Advice: How to stop a fall before it happens

It was reported earlier this year by the Centers for Disease and Prevention that the life expectancy for people in the United States is at an all-time high of 78 years and 9 ½ months. Women born in 2012 are now expected to live more than 81 years and men nearly 76 ½ years. It…

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…