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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…

Ask a Nurse: Weight gain and genetics

We have all heard the phrase, “I will always be overweight; it’s in my genes!” Well, according to an article on the Mayo Clinic website in June of 2013, “Obesity can sometimes be traced to a medical cause, such as Prader-Willi syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome and other diseases and conditions.” However, with Prader-Willi syndrome’s prevalence…
Publisher’s Note: Inspiration for the present and encouragement for the New Year

With all the changes happening to the healthcare industry in 2014, Central Florida Health News magazine is a trusted resource for how these changes are affecting our local community. We’re starting this edition with a very relevant topic: obesity. The numbers don’t lie. In our region we have a significantly higher obesity rate than the…
Healthy Cook: Sticking to diets that work

Okay folks. The fun is over. It’s time to get back to the real world. That means tightening the belt you let out a couple of notches over the holidays. Controlling weight is a year-long process and, unless there is a medical reason, is a matter of math. Calories in versus calories out. If you…