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Enhancing the Safety Net

Polk County Approves $4 Million for Indigent Health Care by PAUL CATALA It’s funding that’s being called a local healthcare “safety net” for the underinsured and uninsured in Polk County. In November, Polk County Commissioners unanimously approved more than $4 million in funding for primary care, dental services and behavioral health services for Indigent Healthcare Services.…
The Battle Within the Battle

Cancer Drugs Caused Weight Gain, but Bariatric Surgery Restored Her Health by TERESA SCHIFFER Rhonda Smith is feeling great these days. She’s in great health, eating right, getting regular exercise, and savoring life in a new way after an arduous battle. In 2005, at the age of 27, Smith visited her doctor because she was…
Striking a Balance

Fitness Center Is Helping Women Get On- and Stay On – the Road to Good Health by PAUL CATALAphotos provided by THE BALANCE CULTURE The temptation and indulgence of the holidays are enough to make even the most enthusiastic fitness buffs take a few weeks off. New Year’s resolutions are often cited for driving gym…

Healthy Skin: Not forsaking the most common cancer

CAN YOU NAME the most common form of cancer? For your health (and information!), the answer is, by far, skin cancer. The American Cancer Society maintains that of the main types of skin cancer, 3.5 million basal and squamous cells skin cancers will be diagnosed and over 73,000 cases of the more deadly melanoma will…
Healthy Smiles: Cautions for the smoker on the increased use of e-cigarettes

ACCORDING TO RECENT studies, oral cancer rates among women and young people have increased! Although a variety of factors are to blame, the increasing use of e-cigarette products could be associated with the rise in cases.
The Heart of the Matter: New study gives women one more good reason to get their mammograms

AS A CARDIOLOGIST who sees many female patients, I encourage all of them to receive regular mammograms in order to take preventive action and precautions against breast cancer. However, a recent study has reported that the breast arterial calcification (BAC) score — which is used in standard digital mammography to measure the number of blood…