Health News

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Making African-American history in Polk

Alice Manley: A lifetime of service (above) Alice Manley stands with four generations of directors for the health department. From left to right: Dr. Ulyee Choe (November 2012-Present); Dr. Daniel Haight (July 1996-November 2012); Dr. William F. Hill (January 1967-June 1985); and Dr. Kevin Sherin (July 1988-October 1993). Photo courtesy of the Florida Department of…
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!

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…

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…