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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!

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?

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…

UV ray eye safety tips to remember

In addition to the article about how to avoid heat stress – or worse – heat stroke on page 23, this month is also national UV Safety Month. The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Polk County Medical Association want to help everyone understand the dangers of over exposure to ultraviolet radiation. UV rays…
Healthy Cook: How do I eat my protein? Let me count the ways

“Make sure you get enough protein. Eat your meat. You need a lot of protein,” Mom harped. We do need protein. We need a lot of different nutrients to keep our body machines humming along nicely. Protein is just one of them. And it’s easy to get. Experts in Washington decree how much nutrients we…
Publisher’s Note: We are your reader advocates

In a former life as a newspaper publisher, we sometimes had a position in the newsroom called a “reader advocate.” Our editors would rotate on this desk and some loved the assignment and some frankly hated it. Basically the job entailed taking phone calls or answering emails about this or that regarding the content of…