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…

Get health STAT

Weighing In On National Statistics A Taxing Diet 52 Percent of U.S. adults say it’s easier to do their own taxes than it is to figure out how to eat healthy. Source: International Food Information Council Foundation’s 2012 Food & Health online survey of 1,000 adults This speaks true close to home as…
Eating in or dining out: Realistic steps to keep your diet resolution

Someone long ago said half a loaf is better than none. Half a loaf instead of a whole loaf is better for your waistline. By now, some of us have made the well-intended (but weak) resolutions for eating better, and either broken or forgotten them. But some forethought can make weak resolutions strong enough…
Healthcare report

Three Things You Need to Consider About the Affordable Care Act The next phase of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—PPACA—is soon to begin, and some people are understandably puzzled. One of the biggest issues is that even those in the insurance industry are not quite sure how everything will play out. However, the…