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To smile or not to smile

Dr. Karen Teston and other local experts on oral hygiene and your overall health Some folks are afraid of pain. Some know they haven’t done a good job of taking care of their teeth, and don’t want to be lectured. Still others lack cash. Whatever the reason, many avoid the dentist until an emergency arises.…
Community outreach programs make check-ups more available

Free dental exams, preventative tooth care, and more Several outreach programs in Polk County recently offered free dental exams and other tooth services to spread awareness about the need for dental health care. At the Haines City Dental Clinic, the Florida Department of Health in Polk County (FDOH-Polk) offered free comprehensive dental exams to children…
Helping make the healthier choice, the easier choice

About the Building a Healthier Polk initiative Building a Healthier Polk is a group of community partners brought together by Polk Vision who are working towards the goal of reducing the obesity rate in Polk County. Polk Vision is a broad, community-led partnership of organizations, businesses, government, and individuals. In 2012, Polk Vision’s Quality of…

The Heart of the Matter: The most life-threatening misconception of a heart attack

WHEN THE TOPIC of a myocardial infarction arises — commonly known as a heart attack — most people think of a middle-aged man clutching at his chest in pain and then falling to the floor. Unfortunately, that image is erroneous a large portion of the time, and it’s a misconception held by many doctors and…
Medical Advice: ‘Savor the Flavor of Eating Right’ with these tips

MARCH MARKS the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It is also the time when we celebrate National Nutrition Month and turn our focus on healthy eating.
Editor’s Dose: Tips for getting the little kids to eat seafood

WHAT IS IT that makes peanut butter and jelly, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and macaroni and cheese the universally-accepted kid food? As a grown adult who came from a non-fish house (it was rarely ever eaten under our roof as a child because my mom doesn’t like it, and she was the cook), you would…