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Know the Numbers: 1 in 4

Don’t Underestimate the Effects of Stress on Heart Health by TERESA SCHIFFER Heart disease accounts for one in every four deaths in the United States. With odds like that, it’s good to know that some contributing factors are within your control. Stress is one of those factors. Everyone experiences stress at some…
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…

“There’s a fly in my soup!”

“There’s a fly in my soup!” No… wait, that’s not a fly. It’s a floater. What are floaters? And why do we get them? Floaters are a symptom of the natural aging of the vitreous gel in the eye. Our eyeballs are filled with gel, and as we grow older, the gel becomes more liquid.…
The Connection Between Lifestyle, Vascular Disease

I cannot really believe that the holidays are upon us already. This year has been a unique one with another surge of Covid, and its usual mix of pain and pleasure. I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize the role of lifestyle in the management of vascular disease, which can lend a sense…
Diabetes — the Leading Cause of Blindness

October may be National Diabetes Month, but for me as an eye doctor, every month is diabetes month. Complications from diabetes are the leading cause of blindness in adults in the United States. For my patients who are diabetic, I am always on the lookout for bleeding inside the eye as well as internal swelling,…