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Pop Quiz: Germs 101—A Crash Course for Parents

Back-to-school season is upon us, and that means your child’s chances of coming down with an illness is greatly increased. While schools are centers of learning, they are also breeding grounds for all manner of germs. However, there are ways to lessen your child’s chances of coming down with something, having to miss school due…
Tackling Mental Health Together

Establishing the West Central Florida Mental Wellness Coalition Recognizing the record number of suicide rates, substance use and opioid deaths, nearly 30 local organizations have joined forces to develop a regional mental health initiative. On June 20, BayCare CEO and President Tommy Inzina and participating leaders from other hospitals, behavioral health providers, law enforcement, government…
Working Like a Dog

Reading with Bonnie the Therapy Dog by RACHEL CHRISTIAN Cassandra Banning and Bonnie, her 10-year-old shih tzu therapy dog, have been bringing joy and happiness to people in the Plant City area for almost six years. The pair can be spotted across town visiting nursing homes, hospitals, and even Bruton Memorial Library. Unlike service animals…

Healthy Cook: Keep calm and cook on

There is too much going on . . . the holidays to cook for . . . Grandma and the bratty cousins to buy for . . . the new puppy will probably knock the tree over (if the cat doesn’t climb it first) . . . Take a deep breath, go relax in a…
PCMA Letter: Working for your health

The Polk County Medical Association (PCMA), its members and affiliates, are constantly working for the betterment of health in the community. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates once said, “Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.” At the PCMA, we take the opportunity to heal pretty seriously, which…
Healthy Cook: Healthy work lunch ideas that won’t break the bank

Get out the old Number 2 pencil and give the lead a lick. It’s time to figure how much lunch costs. And it does add up. Say you buy a sandwich for $4, an iced tea is a couple of bucks, a bag of chips sets you back a dollar. You’re at $7. Without the…