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Adapting to Change

Pandemic Doesn’t Hold Back ‘Making Strides’ Virtual Campaign by TERESA SCHIFFER With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and 2020 being a year of social distancing and heightened health and safety measures, it’s no surprise that many annual fundraising events are being postponed, canceled, or held virtually. While this doesn’t have to stop people from…
The Journey and Beyond

How One Woman’s Breast Cancer Brought Her New Perspective by TIM CRAIG photos by APRIL SPAULDING For Toshika Chambers, it was a moment that put everything in perspective. Sitting in the lobby of her doctor’s office, the Lakeland native and Haines City resident waited for the results of a biopsy. Her mind swirled. A…
Body, Mind & Spirit

Why We Avoid Routine Medical Examinations By MARY JOYE, LMHC Most of us do it, or rather don’t do it when it comes to scheduling routine medical screenings or examinations. Who really wants a mammogram, colonoscopy or other unpleasant procedures? We procrastinate though we are told and scolded by the media and experts that…

Medical Advice: Awareness is key to stopping upward trend of STDs

Every year in April, we observe STD Awareness Month. This is an opportunity for individuals, doctors, and communities to address ways to prevent some of the nearly 20 million sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that occur in the United States each year. Half of all new infections occur among people between the ages of 15 to…
Ask a Nurse: Dental plaque & arterial plaque

Have you ever wondered what the dentist scrapes off of your teeth when you go in for your annual cleaning? Several studies over the past few years have found some surprising results. In 2010, Cornell University and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden collected samples from the mouth, gut, and arteries of 15 heart disease patients.…
Publisher’s Note: More options coming for Florida residents seeking health and dental coverage

You may or may not have heard already that there is an alternative option for discounted health coverage outside of the plans offered under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Four companies intend to offer 15 to 20 discounted plans, which will include health and dental coverage options. Once the website is launched, residents should be…