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Pop Quiz: Do You Know the Signs and Symptoms of Endometriosis?

Pain and discomfort during menstruation are common symptoms women experience, but severe pain and other symptoms during your period may be a sign of endometriosis. This condition may be dismissed as severe symptoms during menstruation, so it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of endometriosis so you can see your doctor and treatment…
Defeat the Dander

Understanding and Treating Pet Allergies by SEAN JARVIS For thousands of people who love animals and their pet companions, there also comes a distracting side effect — pet allergies. Fortunately, there are several ways to manage your allergies and reduce your symptoms. Why Do I have Allergies, and What Causes Them? While…
Common Misconceptions About Service Animals

Rights, Best Practices, and Etiquette by CELÉSTE JO WALLS You have heard of them: guide dogs for the blind, PTSD support dogs for veterans, seizure response dogs, alert dogs for the hearing impaired, diabetic alert dogs, wheelchair assistant dogs, and more. You may have seen them in department stores, at theme parks, in restaurants, and…

Editor’s Dose: Tips for minimizing back-to-school stress

IF YOU ARE LIKE ME, then come early July you were already thinking about preparations for the new school year. Parents and children in the community this year are getting ready extra early because Polk County public schools moved up their calendar by one week — day one of school is August 15.
Making the choice to breastfeed

THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH in Polk County (DOH-Polk) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) recognize August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month. This is a wonderful time of year to promote breastfeeding as a vital health activity and discuss the health benefits breastfeeding provides. Although every woman has their own…
Editor’s Dose: Keeping kids’ bodies and minds active this summer

WHEN I FIRST had the twins, my mom would say, “Have a schedule for them, or they’ll have a schedule for you.” Basically, she was cautioning that I’d better keep those little minds and bodies active, or chaos would inevitably ensue. Being a mother of eight children, I think she was speaking from personal experience.…