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Pop Quiz: Cracking the Code on Hunger

If you’ve made resolutions this New Year, statistics say that one of those resolutions is likely about losing weight and eating healthier. Unfortunately, reports show that not even 10% of resolutions are kept by the end of January! One reason for giving up on resolutions to lose weight is many people don’t understand the science…
Don’t Miss Out on Open Enrollment

Time Is Running Out to Make Changes to Your Coverage by REBEKAH PIERCE The end of the year means holidays and open enrollment. The clock is ticking if you need to sign up for Affordable Care Act health insurance through the marketplace. In 2022-2023, Florida led the charge with a record-breaking number of marketplace enrollees…
BayCare Health System Acquires Winter Haven’s Gessler Clinic

by K. MICHELE TRICE BayCare Health System, Central Florida’s largest non-for-profit healthcare provider, is acquiring Gessler Clinic, Winter Haven’s physician-owned health care clinic, effective December 2. “Gessler’s long-standing dedication and high-quality service to its patients make it a natural fit to expand BayCare’s commitment to the community,” BayCare Co-Chief Operating Officer Lou Galdieri said in…

Editor’s Dose: A thank-you letter to nurses

FROM MID-FEBRUARY to about mid-April, my family was at the doctor’s office a lot. The late-spreading flu season (although none of us in our household ever actually caught the flu — thank goodness) must have carried with it many other viruses, because we’ve certainly experienced our fair share. In fact, a few nurses on staff…
Healthy Skin: May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month

“C’MON, DOC. What’s a little sunburn?” is a question I frequently hear from the public. The answer is, if you’re lucky, that’s all it is. But a little sunburn is one of the easiest skin cancer risk factors to avoid. If left untreated, skin cancer, or melanoma, can progress to the point that it’s disfiguring…
Cautions for two of your favorite summer activities

SPRING IS THE TIME OF YEAR in Florida when temperatures begin to warm and the weather is perfect outside. With the sun shining and a gentle breeze blowing, this beautiful weather also marks the beginning of swimming season for Polk’s residents. Swimming and boating are two of the most popular summer activities for people living…