Health News

Features

Antibiotics: Fact vs. fiction

Modern Wonder Drugs Not a Cure-All Since it was used in World War II, penicillin has saved countless lives. The use of antibiotics has grown— to the point where it’s become a medical standby. But antibiotics can be overused. Our bodies contain bacteria, or “normal bacterial flora” on the skin and other places. “By exposing…
Pop Quiz: Is work-related stress affecting your health?

Find out where strain at work may lurk and if the stress is helping or hindering your well-being. We’ve all heard before that jobs can be stressful, but could your regular nine-to- five responsibilities be causing you just sleepless nights or putting you on the fast track to a heart attack? Learn more about job…
Creative ways to say ‘thank you’ to the family caregiver

Chances are, you know someone who is a family caregiver even if you aren’t one yourself. According to the Caregiver Action Network (CAN), 90 million adults— two out of every five in the entire country— are responsible for the bulk of a family member’s care. November is National Family Caregivers Month, and this year is…

Editor’s Dose: Tips for minimizing back-to-school stress

IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, then come early July you were already thinking about preparations for the new school year. Parents and children in the community this year are getting ready extra early because Polk County public schools moved up their calendar by one week — day one of school is August 15.
Making the choice to breastfeed

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH in Polk County (DOH-Polk) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) recognize August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month. This is a wonderful time of year to promote breastfeeding as a vital health activity and discuss the health benefits breastfeeding provides. Although every woman has their own…
Editor’s Dose: Keeping kids’ bodies and minds active this summer

WHEN I FIRST had the twins, my mom would say, “Have a schedule for them, or they’ll have a schedule for you.” Basically, she was cautioning that I’d better keep those little minds and bodies active, or chaos would inevitably ensue. Being a mother of eight children, I think she was speaking from personal experience.…