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Q&A on the most lethal form of dementia

Dr. Gordon J. Rafool shares the symptoms and treatment options of Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in America. In Polk, 11.8 percent of Medicare beneficiaries were treated for Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia in 2013, according to Healthy Tampa Bay. We interviewed Dr. Gordon J. Rafool, a geriatrician…
Pop Quiz: Establishing a solid oral care foundation

Will your child have a future Filled with healthy smiles? Teeth add to your smile, allow you to enjoy delicious foods, and rip apart that plastic wrap off your new DVD. However, as a parent, you might be wondering whether you’re setting up proper oral hygiene habits for your child, or if the little tike…
To smile or not to smile

Dr. Karen Teston and other local experts on oral hygiene and your overall health Some folks are afraid of pain. Some know they haven’t done a good job of taking care of their teeth, and don’t want to be lectured. Still others lack cash. Whatever the reason, many avoid the dentist until an emergency arises.…

One of the many roles of physicians

Physicians perform many functions in our society. One of the tasks physicians perform that almost everyone knows about is the care of the ill and injured patient. But physicians also perform other functions. They take care of patients that are neither ill nor injured. These are individuals in our society that perform critical functions…
Breaking the mold of medical advertising

When asking, “What’s the standard of medical advertising?” That’s a simple question to answer: new medical staff, the latest equipment, or latest ratings from U.S. News and World Report are just some of the qualities we look for in a medical ad. But what other messages can the medical industry send out to the public?…
Editor’s Dose: Don’t miss out on this issue’s Healthy Cook article

As I spoke with various doctors and medical professionals on this month’s topic of breast cancer, several themes were emphasized. Specifically, the importance of a healthy diet and nutrition is one thing that doctors are really focusing on for the long-term overall health of their patients. For this reason, we could not leave out our…