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Community outreach programs make check-ups more available

Free dental exams, preventative tooth care, and more Several outreach programs in Polk County recently offered free dental exams and other tooth services to spread awareness about the need for dental health care. At the Haines City Dental Clinic, the Florida Department of Health in Polk County (FDOH-Polk) offered free comprehensive dental exams to children…
Helping make the healthier choice, the easier choice

About the Building a Healthier Polk initiative Building a Healthier Polk is a group of community partners brought together by Polk Vision who are working towards the goal of reducing the obesity rate in Polk County. Polk Vision is a broad, community-led partnership of organizations, businesses, government, and individuals. In 2012, Polk Vision’s Quality of…
The trouble with trigger finger

Local surgeon develops alternate solution for a tricky procedure There’s no getting around this fact: you need your hands. When one or more of your fingers or thumbs doesn’t function properly, it interferes with work and play. Correcting a condition such as trigger finger once meant a trip to a hospital or surgery center for…

Family Health: Beat the heat with summer safety tips for health and wellness

FLORIDA IS NOTORIOUS for its hot, humid weather. During the summer months, take care to protect yourself from the elements. High temps are dangerous for those who are prone to chronic health issues, so it’s imperative to take the proper precautions.
Think of your vacation as a vaca-shun

THERE’S A REASON PEOPLE need vacations and recreation. Vacate and re-create! Think of it as a vaca-shun. Shun the things that bother you. Take in the new. When you’re away, don’t think about the old things that trouble your mind.
Health Facts: Getting to the heat of the matter

AS TEMPERATURES RISE in sunny Florida, so does your risk of developing heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Approximately 20 cases of heat stroke per 100,000 people occur annually, with at least 240 deaths.