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Mia’s Mission

7-Year-Old Uses Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis to Teach Others by TIM CRAIG photos by FOSTER’S PHOTOGRAPHY Monique Mathews played a hunch and saved her daughter’s life. It was November 2019, and her daughter, Mia, was spending the night at her best friend’s house. However, Mia was crying after dinner because of a stomach ache —…
Pop Quiz! Do You Know the Roles Vitamins, Minerals Play in Good Nutrition?

Did you know that micronutrient deficiencies affect billions of people worldwide? Micronutrients, also called vitamins and minerals, are an important part of adequate nutrition. There are six essential micronutrients, and they are essential for healthy development, disease prevention, and overall well-being, and they must be gained through diet or by taking vitamins. Take our quiz…
Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

Health-Conscious Bakery Delivers Low-Carb, Sugar-Free, and Gluten-Free Treats by MARY TOOTHMAN You’ve got to love the name of this little bakery: the No Guilt Baking Company. Owned and operated by Darla and Andrew Markley, the bake shop evolved through the Catapult Lakeland initiative. Three small businesses operate under the umbrella name/theme of “Counter Culture.” …

Understanding Hernias

June is Hernia Awareness Month and to help educate you on what a hernia is, how they can be avoided and how they’re treated, we spoke with board-certified general surgeon Shiva Seetahal, MD. Dr. Seetahal specializes in procedures that treat gastrointestinal conditions, hernias, and endocrine disorders, and provides care for the body, mind, and spirit to support his…
“Doc, I Was Told I Have Granulated Eyelids”

Once in a while, a patient will tell me that a previous doctor told them they had “granulated eyelids.” What does that mean? What they are describing is a medical condition called blepharitis. Most of the time, blepharitis is caused by the staphylococcus bacteria that normally live on our skin. The bacteria are there continually,…
Understanding Valvular Heart Disease

The heart has four valves that keep blood flowing in the correct direction. These valves are the mitral valve, tricuspid valve, pulmonary valve and aortic valve. Each valve has flaps (cusps or leaflets) that open and close once during each heartbeat. Sometimes, the valves do not open or close properly. If a valve doesn’t fully…