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…

Understanding Tailbone and Pelvic Pain

We’ve all heard it: “This is a pain in the butt,” right? As with most expressions, fables and fairytales, that expression came from somewhere. Pain in your tailbone and pelvis can be very debilitating but different from other forms of back pain like sciatica or stenosis, which basically are inflammation or pinching of nerves and…
The Dangers of Diabetes

Diabetes affects millions of people in the U.S. It is one of the most common diseases affecting the developed world and is strongly linked to the obesity factor. It’s a chronic illness, and like HIV, people don’t die of diabetes but its complications. More than 7 million people with diabetes are undiagnosed, and 1 in…
Get Ahead of the Class: Making the Most of Your Child’s Back to School Physical

Summertime feels a little bit different this year, and going back to school might feel different, too. While we may not know exactly what’s in store for the next school session, there’s no better time than the present to make sure your kids are ready by having their required physicals. Get Your Child Ahead of…