Health News

Features

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…

Heard it through the grapevine

Knowing when the ‘Organic’ Label is Worth the Extra Dollars Buying everything organic – from milk to mangoes – might be a healthy choice for the body, but many consumers have found it’s less-than-healthy for the household budget. For those that can’t afford to go all organic, certain foods take priority over others –…
Children and obesity

Taking Steps to Reverse this Growing Epidemic If most parents knew there was an epidemic that could affect the health of their child, these moms and dads would do everything in their power to keep their children safe. Parents ensure their children are vaccinated against diseases, often keep them home at the first signs of…
Editor’s Dose: A little pill of insight on nutrition news you can use

They don’t say “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” for no reason. This edition of Central Florida Health News is focusing on food because what you put in is what you get out. It’s so important for your health and the well-being of your family to eat a balanced diet of protein,…