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Coping with cancer

Tips for Helping Children with a Sick Parent Why is this happening to me? Who is going to take care of me? Children are likely to ask questions like these when a parent has cancer or another serious illness. “When cancer hits a younger patient, it’s usually someone who’s in his/her late 30s or 40s…
Putting out fires about diabetes

Debunking common myths that put people at more risk Nine-year-old Bryce Duncan was drinking lots of liquids, complaining of an upset stomach, and losing a lot of weight. The bathing suit his parents bought for him just four months earlier was falling off him. “He would say he needed to take a nap and his…
Planning ahead for holiday meals

Ways to enjoy the food without adding to the waistline The average Thanksgiving meal packs a 2,000-3,000 calorie punch, but you needn’t let it knock you off balance when it comes to fitness. Plan ahead to minimize the hit. Limiting the amount of food on your table and plate is a good place to start.…

Signs & symptoms: When your skin needs medical attention

As a surgeon who often treats and cares for patients whose ailments of the skin have gone too long without medical attention, I’d like to talk about the importance of seeing a doctor right away if you find abnormalities on the skin. I hope people can be aware that it is not only important…
Body, mind & spirit: Integrating primary and behavioral care

When you go to the doctor complaining of stomach pain, you probably don’t expect your problem to be depression. But it just may be. When you complain of headache, clumsiness, dizziness, shakiness, blurred vision, tingling around the mouth and seizures, you might expect an anxiety or bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder. You may be surprised if…
Mediterranean diet for cardiovascular health

Dr. Sean P. O’Rourke is a board-certified cardiologist at Watson Clinic. With a subspecialty in cardiovascular disease, Dr. O’Rourke often sees patients suffering from heart disease. He took the time to answer some questions about heart disease, which has a higher death rate in Polk County than in the rest of Florida. Health…