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Prevention and treatment for stretch marks

Are you spinning your wheels over striae? Ahhh, stretch marks. Those dreaded angry red, purple or pink squiggles that typically show up over hip bones, on thighs and underarms, or across bellies, breasts and bottoms. When you’re pregnant, you’re more susceptible because of inevitable weight gain. So what’s a gal to do? Unfortunately, there’s no…
One U.S. veteran and his life of service

Navy hero William D. Brinson honored by cornerstone SALUTES! Little did William D. Brinson know upon graduating St. Bernard High School in Alabama that he would live through war and into his senior years only to fight cancer. After his departure from his ordained seminary education, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1953, and…
Q & A on fertility problems for him

Dr. Sijo J. Parekattil talks diagnosis and treatment For a couple trying to conceive, the realization that there may be a physical problem preventing conception can be devastating. Infertility affects approximately 6.1 million individuals throughout the United States. However, the diagnosis doesn’t mean impossible and for couples in Polk County, help is, literally, right around…

A Pain in Your Foot

Your feet shouldn’t hurt. When painful feet prevent you from walking, running or wearing shoes there is a reason. There are many causes of foot pain and determining the reason for pain is the first step to treating the pain. SOME COMMON CAUSES Gout: This is very common in the big toe and causes redness,…
Does Charcoal Toothpaste Really Whiten Teeth?

If you’re like most people, you want your smile to be as white as possible, and that might have led you to charcoal toothpaste. Sellers and manufacturers of charcoal toothpaste maintain that this (usually) black toothpaste or powder will get you as white a smile as you could want. However, do their claims hold up?…
What You Need to Know About Pediatric Heart Murmurs

We all want our children to be healthy and active, so what do you do when your child is diagnosed with a heart murmur? Well, the short answer is, nothing. In most cases, the heart murmurs that occur in children are deemed “innocent.” They may also be called “functional” or “physiologic,” but these three terms…