Health News

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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…

Publisher’s Note: From the pyramid to the plate

As of June 2, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled the federal government’s new food icon: My Plate. Gone is the food pyramid from 1995 and even its more modern descendant, “My Pyramid,” which displayed the concepts of variety, moderation and proportion in vertical color coding (rather…
Body, Mind & Spirit: How not to be your own worst enemy

We’ve all heard it — that not-so-quiet voice in our head that says, “You can’t,” “It’s impossible” or, “You’re not good enough.” Most of us have minor battles with our inner critic during different points in our lives, but some people struggle with self-criticism on a daily basis. Unlike external naysayers in our lives…
Caregivers: Our extended family

Thursday, June 17th was the national observation of Nurse Assistant Day, which kicked-off a week of honoring all nursing assistants around the country. Nursing assistants serve under many different titles in our local homes, hospitals, clinics, schools, and assisted-living facilities. These individuals are the devoted people who in many cases are the primary caretakers…