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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…
Where Sleep and Mental Health Intersect

by TERESA SCHIFFER Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care Sleep is often an underrated aspect of our self-care routine, but lack of sleep can have a negative impact on our health, especially our mental and behavioral health. There are two broad categories of sleep: REM and non-REM. REM stands for “rapid eye movement.…
Teaming Up For Good Pediatric Oral Health

by TERESA SCHIFFER Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care Good oral health begins early, with proper pediatric dental care. Although the importance of healthy baby teeth isn’t often talked about, the fact of the matter is that cavities and oral infections in children can lead to serious problems. Poor oral health may cause…

Antiplatelet and Anticoagulation Therapy

With the increase in longevity and improvement in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, a sizable proportion of Americans are on either an antiplatelet agent or full anticoagulation. These are commonly known as blood thinners. In the next two columns, I’ll talk about the most commonly used blood thinners. Common indications for requiring antiplatelet agents are…
Celebrating Glaucoma Awareness Month

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. What is Glaucoma? Glaucoma is a disease where the optic nerve in the eye becomes damaged over time. Each eye has an optic nerve. This nerve acts like a cable sending information about what you see to the brain. This is just like a cable to your television. Without treatment,…
Smoking Hurts More Than Your Lungs

I cannot really believe that the holidays are upon us already. This year has been like no other with 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 that can lend a sense of control in its otherwise…