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Sweet tips for controlling candy consumption

Easter guidelines to keep kids from eating too many empty calories You were feeling generous when you bought those gargantuan Easter baskets, expecting that would be more than enough candy for the entire family. But you didn’t count on Easter baskets from the grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles. Nor did you anticipate the spring…
Running with purpose

Participants in the City-to-City 5k and One Mile Fun Walk On your mark, get set, go! The runners were ready, the onlookers were excited, and the race was on. The Polk Training Center held its annual City-to-City 5K race and One Mile Fun Walk on Saturday, February 18. With check-in and registration starting at 7:15…
Eating wisely at work

Tips for increasing healthy food options Your work environment may be laden with temptation in the lunchroom and break room. Frequent office birthday parties, business lunches at swank restaurants, or staff meetings sweetened by coffee and donuts, can be peril for your waistline. But there are ways to eat wisely. “You’ve got to plan,” advises…

Brain Attack (Stroke or Mini-stroke): Are You at Risk?

Approximately 700,000 strokes occur in the United States annually. Stroke or brain attack is a disease that involves the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that brings oxygen to the brain gets blocked by a blood clot most commonly. With the oxygen supply to the brain…
Punctal Plugs

Many patients suffer from dry eye, and eye care professionals have many tools at their disposal to help with symptoms. For many patients, over-the-counter lubricating drops such as Blink or Systane can be helpful. It is important to avoid redness relieving drops, as these tend to cause more problems over time. When over-the-counter drops are…
Understanding Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Last year, I wrote about heart failure. At that time, I had said that about half the patients admitted with congestive heart failure have normal systolic function. This is true. The most common way to express heart function is by measuring ejection fraction (EF). This is the proportion of the amount of blood in the…