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The Heart of the Matter

Area Physicians Weigh In on ECGs for Student Athletes by PAUL CATALA As the school year ramps up, parents are busy lining up appointments so their student athletes can get their sports physicals. Over the past decade, there’s been increased interest in the incorporation of electrocardiogram heart screenings in these physicals. An electrocardiogram, or ECG,…
When Heroes Need Help

New Initiative Seeks to Connect Veterans and First Responders With Mental Health Resources by RYAN MILEJCZAK A new initiative here in Central Florida seeks to help veterans and first responders struggle with mental health challenges. The Heroes Wellness Collective, launched by Lake Wales-based Operation Recovery, seeks to create a centralized, online platform that connects veterans…
A Different Kind of First Aid

Peace River Center Offers Mental Health First Aid by REBEKAH PIERCE An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This timeless adage is something we think about often when it comes to our physical health, but not necessarily what’s going on inside our heads. Yet the reality is that, in 2024, mental health…

Healthy Cook: Food safety for the outdoor cookouts

Food Safety for the Outdoor Cookouts The sun is shining and the kids are playing and the picnic lunch is waiting to be eaten. It’s a perfect day in Florida. But tomorrow could be a bummer if the cook and helpers don’t know how to keep the food from spoiling. Food safety is a…
Editor’s Dose: My tips if you plan to do a ‘staycation’

In my opinion, there’s nothing better than summer in Florida. You have the beaches, the theme parks, and of course, the sunshine to beckon you outdoors. For residents planning their vacations this season, there are just as many reasons to stay close to home as there are to get away. So how do you…
Get healthy STAT!

Weighing in on National Statistics Take a Shot 13 percentage of parents not vaccinating children on the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended schedule. Source: U.S. CDC The rates in Polk County of parents not completing immunizations on time is 1.6 percent for kindergarten and 1.3 percent for seventh grade, but they…