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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…

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…