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Aging gracefully

What will your health look like in 40 years? Medical science has made inroads against major diseases that snuff short our lives. But by the time we reach 45, disease beats out accidents as the leading cause of death. The National Vital Statistics System shows cancer is the leading cause of death for 45 to…
Q&A on the most lethal form of dementia

Dr. Gordon J. Rafool shares the symptoms and treatment options of Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in America. In Polk, 11.8 percent of Medicare beneficiaries were treated for Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia in 2013, according to Healthy Tampa Bay. We interviewed Dr. Gordon J. Rafool, a geriatrician…
Pop Quiz: Establishing a solid oral care foundation

Will your child have a future Filled with healthy smiles? Teeth add to your smile, allow you to enjoy delicious foods, and rip apart that plastic wrap off your new DVD. However, as a parent, you might be wondering whether you’re setting up proper oral hygiene habits for your child, or if the little tike…

Enjoying good food without bad acid reflux

Some maladies don’t sound too bad. Heartburn could be something to do with affection. Some sound as bad as they are. GERD can’t sound nice. It hurts, and you know it. The proper name is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease… acid reflux to you. Or heartburn. Stomach acid backs up and makes you feel that burning sensation.…
Healthy Cook: 5 school lunch ideas to satisfy kids’ hunger

School lunches have come a long way since I was a boy.If you didn’t go home for lunch, you brought a brown bag with a peanut butter and jam sandwich on white bread. Milk was in a jar that often leaked. The apple was bruised by the jar and the sandwich was squishy from the…
PCMA Letter: One of the hottest months in Florida

Besides the fact that school starts up this month, August is also notoriously known as one of our hottest months of the year! This is important to note for our kids, because the danger of dehydration in children during activity outside. Whether your child is at recess or you take them outside to play after…