Health News
Features
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The good, the bad and the ugly cholesterol
Q&A with Cynthia L. Ritter, CCRN, MSN, ARNP-C Central Florida Health News: Is there a “Good” and “Bad” cholesterol? Cynthia L. Ritter: Yes. Cholesterol is made of two types of lipoproteins, triglycerides and something called Lp(a). The two lipoproteins, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) have been given the terms good and bad cholesterol.…
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The key to staying young
4 Building Blocks of Senior Fitness Regular exercise helps maintain one’s health. Staying physically active can help prevent and reduce the impact of illness and chronic disease. The benefits of exercise for seniors include improved heart health, lower blood pressure, stress reduction, and better bone density. It also lowers the risk of several chronic conditions…
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Here veggies come to save the day
New studies link certain produce to protecting from cancer and other health risks Most people are no doubt aware that they should be consuming more fruits and vegetables. It’s nearly impossible to escape the message that produce is an essential part of a healthy diet. “Many studies link diets high in fruits and vegetables with…
Columns
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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…
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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…
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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…