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

  • The Link Between Obesity, Vascular Disease

    The Link Between Obesity, Vascular Disease

    Loving ourselves and taking care of our health to prevent or delay the onset of chronic conditions is an important aspect of our health.   This is the fourth part of a series focusing on lifestyle management for the prevention of vascular disease. In previous columns, we’ve addressed smoking cessation, blood pressure regulation, and the…

  • Hypertension and Vascular Disease

    Hypertension and Vascular Disease

    In the previous two issues, we addressed smoking cessation and the importance of sugar control. In this edition, we will look at the role of hypertension in the prevention of vascular disease and how we can make lifestyle choices that can prevent or delay the onset of hypertension.     Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects…

  • Common Vision Problems

    Common Vision Problems

    There are many types of vision problems that can affect your eyesight. The focus of this topic will be on the four most common causes of blurred vision.   Astigmatism   Astigmatism is an uneven or irregular curvature of the cornea and/or lens of the eye. This results in blurred or distorted vision. Other symptoms…

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