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Pop Quiz! Beware of Interactions Between Medications and Herbal Supplements

July is Herbal/Prescription Interaction Awareness Month, and it’s time to talk about some common interactions between herbal supplements and prescriptions or over-the-counter medications. Most people will take at least one prescription medication in their lives, and some estimates maintain that about 70 percent of those age 60 and older take at least one herbal medication…
Vitiligo Vigilance

Protection Is Key During Florida’s Intense Summers by PAUL CATALA Not long after Tonja Johnson was diagnosed, she knew her days out in the direct summer sun were, for the most part, over. In 2013, Johnson was living in Lakeland and working as a program manager for the Hillsborough County Department of Health. It was…
New Face at Winter Haven Hospital

Chief Medical Officer Brings Optimism, Drive to BayCare Facility by TERESA SCHIFFER BayCare’s Winter Haven Hospital welcomed new Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Davidyock on May 31. Davidyock is board-certified in internal medicine and hails from eastern Pennsylvania, near Lehigh Valley in the Philadelphia region, where he had been practicing medicine for about 15 years.…

What does Medicare mean to you?

For many Floridians, including our elderly and disabled citizens who depend on the program for care, Medicare is a lifeline. For Florida physicians, Medicare represents a cycle of uncertainty and an access-to-care crisis for some of our most vulnerable patients. Now, the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction has a chance to fix the…
Healthy Cook: Why dark chocolate is a healthier option

Ahhhh, hot fudge sundaes. Cocoa with whipped cream. Creamy chocolate milkshakes. If you’re concerned about health – or your waistline – they’re probably on your taboo list. Yet chocolate is actually good for you. “Chocolate contains Flavonoids, an antioxidant believed to help the body’s cells resist damage,” says Lisa Tomasiak, clinical nutrition manager at…
Signs & Symptoms: Understanding the warning signs of a stroke

A stroke requires immediate hospital care, but most Americans don’t recognize the symptoms of this potentially deadly “brain attack.” This widespread lack of awareness often results in preventable long-term disabilities. A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 13 states and the District of Columbia revealed most people can’t identify the five…