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Q&A: Facts vs. fiction of male ‘menopause’

Dr. Allan Alberton provides medical insight for men and what to expect during their change of life Menopause can be a traumatic transition for women. But what about men? What can they expect during their change of life? We talked to Dr. Allan Alberton, a board certified family medicine practitioner at Winter Haven’s Bond Clinic,…
Pop Quiz: Knowing your heart disease and stroke risk

Are you controlling those health factors within reach? For men, heart disease and stroke together are responsible for nearly 30 percent of all deaths in the U.S., and many of those are preventable. Every man out there should be aware of the health dangers that can lead to heart disease or stroke. While some contributing…
How chronic pain affects your mood

Q&A with Dr. Edward Lubin on the link between mental illness and pain that lasts longer than six months Chronic pain, which is defined as pain that lasts longer than six months, can be so much more impactful on a patient’s daily life than a seven-word description. The type of pain can vary in frequency…

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…