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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…
Pop Quiz: Could it be premature menopause?

Is it just the after-effects of the holiday rush getting to you, or are you encountering possible symptoms of premature menopause? It’s definitely not easy to be a woman, especially as you age. Yet, could the unusual hot flashes, mood swings and feminine “discomfort” you are feeling be the precursor for premature menopause? Find out…

Does having a sense of purpose help you live longer?

Published in the journal Psychological Science, the research from Patrick Hill of Carleton University in Canada and Nicholas Turiano of the University of Rochester Medical Center is reinforcing the idea that a sense of purpose reduces mortality risks. From PsychologicalScience.org: “Our findings point to the fact that finding a direction for life, and setting overarching…
Healthy Cook: Real men CAN eat quiche

Real men shouldn’t eat quiche! Quiche has eggs, bacon, and cheese in the filling and butter in the crust. That’s a lot of high-calorie foods in one dish. Men need energy to keep them going without adding inches to their waistlines. “Energy density” is the key to feeling full and having plenty of get-up-and-go without…
Editor’s Dose: Take a little personal time

As moms, we often find ourselves putting our needs on the backburner in order to take care of the people that matter most to us. I find this fact to also be true in dads, especially my husband. He doesn’t like to draw attention to himself or things that might be bothering him. He just…