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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…
Vaccination, Early Detection Key to Fighting Cervical Cancer

by TIM CRAIG Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care January is Cervical Cancer Awareness month, and Central Florida Health Care is spending the month reminding women (and men!) that there are two key factors in fighting this disease: vaccination and early detection. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 14,480 new cases…
Pop Quiz: Think You Know Thyroid Disorders? Think Again

Weight gain and weight loss are common occurrences in any adult’s lifetime, but unexplained weight fluctuations can be the result of a thyroid problem. Issues with your thyroid can have long-lasting side effects for your health beyond just weight loss or weight gain, so it’s not an issue that you want to ignore. January is…

Signs & symptoms: When your skin needs medical attention

As a surgeon who often treats and cares for patients whose ailments of the skin have gone too long without medical attention, I’d like to talk about the importance of seeing a doctor right away if you find abnormalities on the skin. I hope people can be aware that it is not only important…
Body, mind & spirit: Integrating primary and behavioral care

When you go to the doctor complaining of stomach pain, you probably don’t expect your problem to be depression. But it just may be. When you complain of headache, clumsiness, dizziness, shakiness, blurred vision, tingling around the mouth and seizures, you might expect an anxiety or bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder. You may be surprised if…
Mediterranean diet for cardiovascular health

Dr. Sean P. O’Rourke is a board-certified cardiologist at Watson Clinic. With a subspecialty in cardiovascular disease, Dr. O’Rourke often sees patients suffering from heart disease. He took the time to answer some questions about heart disease, which has a higher death rate in Polk County than in the rest of Florida. Health…