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The tobacco talk

Two-Way Discussion Street to Steering Kids Away from Smoking The Bureau of Tobacco Prevention Program’s Tobacco Free Florida campaign is designed to boost the ranks of Floridians whose health and lives can be enhanced by living without tobacco – including teens and young adults. Health Department Director and USF faculty Dr. Daniel Haight encourages parents…
Fast-track to fit or dead end?

The Truth About Minute Fitness Plans Got a minute? That’s about the only amount of time left in today’s fitness world that is not attached to any workout. From coast to coast in advertisements on television to the Internet, fitness centers and home DVD companies are offering a myriad of exercise programs that are getting…
Bone-up to avoid osteoporosis

Helping women (and men) maintain healthy bones Many people have heard about osteoporosis. However, experts say most people are undereducated about this common affliction. “The most negatively impactful myth is that osteoporosis is a disease that afflicts very elderly women and that it is an inevitable effect of aging,” says Thomas W. Oates, MD, a…

Health Hero: Kia Troutman

Heading Polk County’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Campaign a Personal Crusade for Kia Troutman Kia Troutman knows cancer. She knows how it killed her grandparents and a co-worker. She knows what her 61-year-old cousin in Mississippi, recently diagnosed with breast cancer, is going through. She knows how it touches the lives of African-Americans and…
5 Ways to Help with Smarter Nutrition

Polk County nutritionist at Central Florida Health Care shares how he helps patients make smarter food choices. Okay, it’s time to be honest. When you put food on your plate, does half of your meal consist of fruits and vegetables? If you answered “no” to this question, you’re not alone. In fact, more than 90…
Oral Hygiene and Your Mental Health

The connection between mental health and overall health is under-researched in the medical community, and this is true of the connection between mental health and oral health as well. Healthcare researchers agree there is a connection between oral health and mental health, but the exact connection isn’t a simple one. How Poor Oral Hygiene Affects…