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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…

You Have Options When It Comes to Treatment of Acne

Acne is known to be common among teenagers, but it can affect individuals for years, even decades, after their teen years. It can be embarrassing enough to deal with acne when you’re in high school, but if you are still having breakouts while climbing the corporate ladder it can be downright disheartening. Fortunately, there…
Sugar Control and Vascular Disease

Happy New Year! This is the second part of our series focusing on lifestyle management for the prevention of vascular disease. In the December edition, we addressed smoking cessation. Now we will discuss the importance of sugar control. Diabetes and Vascular Disease Diabetes mellitus is a disease that affects the body’s ability to absorb…
7 Ways to Save Money on Your Glaucoma Drops

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that affect the optic nerve of the eye. It is the cable that carries the information from the eye to the brain. Any damage to this optic nerve due to high pressures can damage it, resulting in lower vision or vision loss. Therefore, it is essential to treat glaucoma…