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State Mandate Calls for Mental Health Education in Florida Schools by MARY TOOTHMAN The State Board of Education has voted to approve a new mandate that calls for specific mental health lessons to be given to students in grades six through 12. The focus will be on awareness, prevention, and reducing stigma. At least…
Pop Quiz: Facts and Stats about Glaucoma

1.) Which of the following defines glaucoma? A medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision. A complex disease in which damage to the optic nerve leads to progressive, irreversible vision loss. The inability to perceive differences in various shades of colors. The loss of vision after…
Talking Skin Cancer Care and Prevention

by TERESA SCHIFFER Here in Central Florida, we are bathed in sunlight most days of the year. People love living in Florida because of the sunny weather, but all that sunlight comes with some risks. One risk that people need to be aware of is the risk of skin cancer. In fact, new research shows…

Enterovirus D68: Symptoms, Severity, and Treatment

We are currently experiencing a nationwide outbreak of the Enterovirus D68. Enterovirus D68 can cause respiratory illness ranging from mild to severe. Infants, children, and teenagers are most likely to get infected and become ill. Adults may also become infected but are more likely to have no symptoms or mild symptoms. Children with asthma may…
Editor’s Dose: One trip to the ER that made me think

The last time I was at the Emergency Room was for my four-year-old daughter. Since April of this year, she has been suffering from chronic hives. At first glance, these hives could be mistaken for an allergic reaction— or worse, some kind of viral infection. During the course of her treatment, I’ve had multiple parents…
Healthy Cook: An ounce of canning is worth a pound of preparedness

In the olden days, when our parents’ parents were new parents, “Putting food by” was a big job.