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Partnering with patients and the community in prevention

Dr. Wickstrom-Hill on an integrative approach to medicine and the First Responders Challenge As a waterskier for Cypress Gardens in the 1970s, Dale Wickstrom knew the importance of a healthy diet and keeping fit. After her mother’s near-death experience, she became a respiratory therapist. She later returned to school to become a Registered Nurse, and…
Workplace wellness for today’s modern workforce

How wellness programs can benefit both the employer and employees Company wellness programs don’t just benefit employees. Employers also experience a wealth of benefits from healthier employees, including lower healthcare costs, better overall morale where employees feel valued and respected, reduced absenteeism, improvements in productivity, and reduced turnover. Businesses with secure wellness programs will also…
People who count in an Emergency

In an environment where every minute counts, and vital decisions are made in seconds that are in many cases a matter of life and death, the medical staff that make up the Emergency Room Department are a devoted team of people. These doctors, nurses, surgeons, technicians, coordinators, administrators, and supporting staff work in an atmosphere…

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.…