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Game On!

Polk Senior Games Return This Year With Outdoor Activities by CATHERINE CERVONE This year marks the 29th year of the annual Polk Senior Games, the largest of the 20 local senior games held in Florida. Participants who are turning at least 50 years old in 2022 can participate in a variety of…
Pop Quiz: Heart attack or Panic Attack: Which Is It?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., so it’s no wonder that a heart attack—a result of coronary artery disease, which is one of the forms of heart disease—is a concern. While the most common symptoms of a heart attack are often recognizable, the symptoms of another common health condition—a panic…
Are You Talking to Me?

Recognizing and Neutralizing Negative Self-Talk by TERESA SCHIFFER As the new year gets underway, there’s always a lot of talk about resolutions. Healthy lifestyles, fewer expletives, diets and procrastination rank up there with the most common goals. This year, how about a different kind of resolution? One that could have a lasting effect on…

A Pain in Your Foot

Your feet shouldn’t hurt. When painful feet prevent you from walking, running or wearing shoes there is a reason. There are many causes of foot pain and determining the reason for pain is the first step to treating the pain. SOME COMMON CAUSES Gout: This is very common in the big toe and causes redness,…
Does Charcoal Toothpaste Really Whiten Teeth?

If you’re like most people, you want your smile to be as white as possible, and that might have led you to charcoal toothpaste. Sellers and manufacturers of charcoal toothpaste maintain that this (usually) black toothpaste or powder will get you as white a smile as you could want. However, do their claims hold up?…
What You Need to Know About Pediatric Heart Murmurs

We all want our children to be healthy and active, so what do you do when your child is diagnosed with a heart murmur? Well, the short answer is, nothing. In most cases, the heart murmurs that occur in children are deemed “innocent.” They may also be called “functional” or “physiologic,” but these three terms…