During sleep, our body and brain goes through an intense and critical “housecleaning” process. This includes memory restoration, muscle repair, and immune system modulation, to name a few. During the night, we go in and out of sleep stages. Deep sleep, known as REM (rapid eye movement), is the final …

It’s hard to believe that it will soon be 2022. While many of us are looking forward to waving goodbye to 2021, there are things that you can and should do now to prepare for the new year ahead. Start scheduling your medical appointments now. Florida is booming, and with …

By Rajiv K. Sharma, M.D. Globally, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death. In medical care, cardiac risk stratification is essential. Understanding your risk level is imperative to making sure you are receiving appropriate risk reducing therapies, diagnostic testing, and furthermore allows individuals to be informed about …

More than 7.5 million people in the United States have psoriasis. It ranges from mild to severe and is a lifelong disorder. The effects of psoriasis are both physical and emotional, as individuals are usually in a great deal of discomfort and may also be embarrassed by the way their …

Whether it’s for you or someone you love, facial plastics and aesthetic procedures can improve confidence, motivation, and well-being. Age, stress, toxins, overindulging, getting off track on your fitness journey—These things can contribute to us not feeling so good about ourselves. If you are concerned about the appearance of dull …

The Answer is—a resounding YES, you need sunscreen. One in five people develop skin cancer, and it doesn’t matter what time of year it is. The reason we hear so much advice on wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, and avoiding over sun exposure between 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, is due in …

BayCare hospitals, including Morton Plant North Bay Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital-North, are performing TransCarotid Artery Revascularizations (TCAR), an innovative surgical procedure that is less invasive for patients with carotid artery disease. Carotid arteries are the blood vessels on the side of the neck. The disease happens when fatty, waxy …

It’s not the little blue box from a certain jewelry store; it’s not the newest version of the never-ending latest versions of phones; it’s not even the big bow on top of a new car (although that is pretty cool!)—It’s time. Connecting with loved ones is the best gift that …

Diet, exercise and getting recommended screenings are some of the ways to lessen your risk of getting cancer. As we close out 2021, many of us will be making resolutions to get healthier in the coming year. Even though most Americans know that we should make healthy choices, such as …

Back in 2013, in an effort to reduce the high mortality rate of lung cancer, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released guidance for low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for current and former heavy smokers. The effort successfully reduced lung cancer deaths among participants 55-80 years of age who …