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Preventing PAM: A rare, but lethal infection

Summer season is officially here. It is a great time to enjoy cookouts, playing sports, or participating in water-related activities. The summer season also brings a number of things that we need to be mindful of in order to be safe, such as hurricane season, mosquito season, and the less known amoeba season. Naegleria fowleri…
Getting motivated to move

Local ways to have fun in the sun and get fit Polk County area residents like to run and bike for exercise, but there are plenty of other opportunities to get fit.“I run, bike or swim depending on life’s circumstances, but ideally all three,” shares Dr. Richard Cardosi, a gynecologic oncologist with Watson Clinic and…
Just say NO to lazy days of summer

The benefits of keeping kids active and fit while school is out Although they’re called the “Lazy Days of Summer,” the best summer days for children are filled with physically engaging activities that are challenging and fun. Summer days are for most children less structured and therefore most are looking for something engaging to do. …

Ask a Nurse: Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law to reform the healthcare industry by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010 and upheld by the Supreme Court on June 28, 2012.1 This is a sensitive subject… one that I was not going to touch. However, I’d like to use this opportunity to share some…
Is an urgent illness or injury always an emergency?

Whether you’re suddenly stricken with a migraine or fever, a visit to your primary- care doctor is not always an option. Due to a reduction in available primary-care appointments and limited office hours, you may need to decide between enduring the emergency room or walking into an urgent-care center. Do your research now so you…
Word of Mouth: Facts and myths about wisdom teeth— What you need to know

When it comes to wisdom teeth and myths, the tall tales rank right up there with toads causing warts! You’ll hear a lot of information about wisdom teeth, but not all of it is true. Wisdom teeth myths The first myth—it’s a doozy—is that wisdom teeth contain wisdom or make you smarter. If only! In…