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Let’s Talk About Sickle Cell Disease

by TERESA SCHIFFER Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care Sickle cell disease may be a familiar phrase to many, but most people are still unfamiliar with the condition. “Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited disorders of the red blood cells,” says Dr. Cara Nelson-James of Central Florida Health Care. “It affects close to…
Pop Quiz!

What’s the Secret to Aging Gracefully? Everyone wants to put their “best face forward,” and that means paying attention to anti-aging skin care. However, there is a dizzying amount of information and an array of products out there aimed at fighting the signs of aging on your skin, so it can be a daunting task…
Healthcare Boom

AdventHealth to Open New Hospital in Winter Haven; Orlando Health to Expand Into Lakeland by PAUL CATALA Healthcare facilities are expanding at an astounding rate to match the population boom and increased need in Central Florida. AdventHealth is expanding its footprint in Polk County with a new four-story hospital and emergency department off Cypress Gardens…

The Heart of the Matter: Recommendations from the USPSTF for low-dose aspirin use

LOW-DOSE ASPIRIN has long been a therapy for those with a risk of cardiovascular disease, and studies have shown it to be effective at lowering the risk of colorectal cancer as well. However, aspirin also has been shown to have health dangers, such as increasing the risk for bleeding in the stomach and intestines and…
Healthy Cook: Adding on calories when your senior loved one is too thin

BEING A FEW POUNDS overweight can be a pain in the patootie. That can often be solved by using the simple food equation: calories in versus calories out. On the other hand, people who are too slim and can’t gain weight often have no patootie to speak of. Their challenge of putting on a few…
Surgery Facts: Answering the question: ‘Doc, do I need my gallbladder?’

AS A SURGEON, I am asked this question all the time, usually right after I inform a patient that their abdominal pain is due to gallstones. There is an aura of mystery surrounding this little green organ, with a lot of folks unclear as to its exact role in our bodies and our health. Gallbladder…