Health News

Features

  • Painting the town red with heart disease prevention

    Painting the town red with heart disease prevention

    How Polk is taking steps to increase awareness and lower your risk Bill Mutz thought he was just going to help with a demonstration when he volunteered for an ultrasound at a Lakeland Leadership Cardiology group. But what he learned actually helped him: The ultrasound showed blood was not flowing properly through his heart’s mitral…

  • New year, New you!

    New year, New you!

    How Polk County is Tackling Obesity and Residents are Making Healthier Lifestyle Choices Fifty-one year-old Ann Good topped 200 pounds last May. She lacked energy and was short of breath. Concerned about a family history of heart disease and diabetes, she decided to act. Today Good is 50 pounds lighter and breathing easier, in more…

  • Pop Quiz: Could it be premature menopause?

    Pop Quiz: Could it be premature menopause?

    Is it just the after-effects of the holiday rush getting to you, or are you encountering possible symptoms of premature menopause? It’s definitely not easy to be a woman, especially as you age.  Yet, could the unusual hot flashes, mood swings and feminine “discomfort” you are feeling be the precursor for premature menopause?  Find out…

Columns

  • Diabetic Eye Disease By Terrance Hafner, O.D.

    Diabetic Eye Disease By Terrance Hafner, O.D.

    Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the United States in adults. November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month. Over the past several years, the incidence of diabetes has grown as well as the rate of vision loss due to the disease. Diabetes can cause many eye problems. Here are three important things every…

  • Lymphedema Is a Common Cause of Swelling

    Lymphedema Is a Common Cause of Swelling

    Lymphedema, which is swelling caused by obstruction or reflux in the lymphatic vessels, is one of the most common conditions affecting humans. The lymph vessels are long, thin-walled tubes that form a very intricate network in the arms and the legs. In some cases, these lymph vessels are absent or are damaged or destroyed, and…

  • Your Eyes Are the Windows to Your Health

    Your Eyes Are the Windows to Your Health

    by DR. SELINA LIN Did you know that countless medical conditions can be detected during an eye exam?  The most common medical diagnoses detectable are diabetes and hypertension. These medical diagnoses can cause hemorrhages and swelling in the retina that may need treatment. Worsening eye findings could indicate deteriorating disease processes in the body and…

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