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How Much Do You Know About Giving the Gift of Life? There is a dire need for blood donations in the U.S. as an average of 4.5 million Americans need a blood transfusion every year. The medical community relies on donations as 29,000 pints of donated blood are used every day across the nation. These…
Stress Can Wreak Havoc on Physical Health

by TERESA SCHIFFER Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care Stress affects everyone on a daily basis. Some types of stress motivate people to do what needs to be done every day. Then there are times when stress causes us discomfort, unhappiness, and even chronic health conditions. We talked with Julie Decanio, LCSW, who is a…
Forgetful or Fateful?

Determining What’s Normal and When It’s Time to Seek Help by TERESA SCHIFFER Forgetting a name or where you put something is a fairly normal, if annoying, part of life. As you age, these memory slips can occur more often. After all, changes happen throughout the body, including the brain. However, occasional forgetfulness isn’t the…

Publisher’s Note: Fruits and veggies – more matters month

Many may not know that September is national “Fruits and Veggies – More Matters” month. The Produce for Better Health Foundation offers the “Fruits and Veggies – More Matters” initiative as a simple, user-friendly way to get expert cooking advice, nutrition information, and shopping tips. As kids are getting back in school, it’s important…
August STATS

Minority Report 2 Number of adults (out of 10) that meet the suggested physical activity guidelines. Source: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services According to the USDA Food Environment Atlas, in 2007, 63.5% of Polk County residents met the suggested physical activity guidelines. “Physical activity guidelines for healthy adults are a minimum of…
Healthy Cook: Fill up, feel good, and get fit with a plum satisfying food

Want a cheap, portable and healthy treat for the busy days of summer? Nutrition experts say to stock up on dried plums. Sweet, earthy and luscious on the inside and slightly chewy on the outside, these half-dollar-sized dark, wrinkly nibbles are like organic raisins on steroids or little concentrated bites of an expensive ruby…