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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…

Ask a Nurse: A closer look at Vitamin D deficiencies

As many of us swallow down one, two, three, or even four vitamins and supplements every morning, do you ever stop and think, “Do I really need to take all these vitamins?” Well, more research is being conducted for this very reason. In this column, I’d like to focus on vitamin D. Do you know…
Editor’s Dose: An important update on the Affordable Care Act

Like an afternoon soap opera we love to hate, we just can’t seem to stop watching the drama unfold in relation to the Affordable Care Act. Whether you’re in favor or opposed to the ACA (commonly known as ObamaCare), I think we can all agree that it’s important to stay informed and remember that whether…
Publisher’s Note: The method behind the magazine

Last edition, we featured an extensive article on how our region is working towards tackling the issue of obesity in our neighborhoods. On the surface, it might have seemed like we were celebrating the long upheld New Year’s Resolution to shed a few pounds, but there’s really much more to it than that. You see,…