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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…

Editor’s Dose: More than just comfort food

Reading this article on food “made with love” for the sick really brought back some memories. As a young teenager, my mother had to undergo open heart surgery twice within four years. She has a blood disorder that causes her body to produce too many of the clot-forming platelets. Adding to that complications of…
Body, mind & spirit

Taking Care of the Caregiver: Managing Stress that can Lead to Health Issues Caregivers or patient advocates usually spend many hours in doctor’s offices, hospitals or clinics. But beset by stress for a loved one, they may go from crisis to crisis without stopping to consider their own health. “They’re not there to just…
Healthy Cook: Made with love

Classic ‘go-to’ nutrition for the sick “I don’t feel good. I don’t want t-h-a-a-t. Don’t we have something e-l-s-e?” “Wid a cod in de node I can’t taste anyding, anyway.” “My tummy feels funny.” We were told to feed a cold and starve a fever. Or is it starve a cold and feed a fever?…