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Survival of the fittest for the holidays

Staying Focused on the Right Routine for the Best Results In the midst of holiday shopping and parties, it’s easy to rationalize skipping or postponing your regular workout. Don’t! “Stay active. Monitor your time. Make sure you schedule those workouts,” advises Rob Ciccone, a certified fitness trainer at Anytime Fitness in Auburndale. More than ever,…
Flu shot pop quiz

What’s Your Influenza IQ? Achoo! Flu season is upon us and now is the time to take the family for their flu vaccines, whether they want them or not. As you sit in the clinic lobby waiting for your turn for the vaccine, test your knowledge of precautions, symptoms and immunizations to for the influenza…
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…

Understanding Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a weakening or dilatation in a part of an artery. About 15,000 people die of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) every year in the U.S. About 200,000 new cases of AAA are diagnosed every year. Most of these are diagnosed by tests that are done for unrelated reasons. The aorta is the…
A Guide to Over-the-Counter Artificial Tears for Dry Eye

by Chelsea Hollier, O.D. Dry eye disease, also known as Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca, is a prevalent condition characterized by insufficient tear production (aqueous deficient dry eye) or poor tear quality (evaporative dry eye). It affects millions worldwide, leading to discomfort and irritation. Fortunately, over-the-counter (OTC) artificial tears provide relief and aid in managing symptoms. Dry eye…
3 Options for Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Management

In the previous two columns, I discussed aneurysms that occur in the aorta situated in the chest cavity. In this article, I will explain the various types of treatment options available for those thoracic aortic aneurysms. In general, outcomes favor endovascular repair over open repair as open repair is associated with higher rates of morbidity…