
Health News
Features
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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.…
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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…
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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…
Columns
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Learn About LASIK and Other Refractive Procedures
Refractive surgery is designed to correct myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism to effectively reduce dependency on eyeglasses and contacts. The most popular refractive procedure is LASIK, which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. It involves shaping the cornea using a laser. Other refractive procedures include photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and refractive lens exchange (RLE). Those…
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Pre-Diabetes and the Type 2 Diabetes Struggle is Real— You Don’t Have to Manage It Alone
By DAWN C. HILL, DNP, ARNP, CDE Central Florida Health Care IF YOU ARE wondering whether or not you should be screened for Type 2 diabetes, then ask yourself these questions: • Am I aged 40 years or older? • Am I overweight? • Do I have high blood pressure or cholesterol? • Do I have…
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Fighting the Flu
The flu season is here again and with it concerns for protecting not only ourselves but our loved ones. The most susceptible to the flu are children under 6 months of age, those with chronic illnesses, pregnant women and the elderly. The flu virus can mainly be spread through ‘droplet’ infection that is in the…