Polk/Brandon

In the 1960s DC Comics introduced a comic called Bizarro World, featuring a square planet, where everything was opposite. What would be up on Planet Earth was down. A compliment was an insult. Marilyn Monroe was ugly, and people bought investments guaranteed to lose money. Well, your favorite hair restoration …

Acholecystectomy (koh-luh-sis-TEK-tuh-me) is a surgical procedure to remove your gallbladder — a pear-shaped organ that sits just below your liver on the upper right side of your abdomen. Your gallbladder collects and stores bile — a digestive fluid produced in your liver. A cholecystectomy is a common surgery, approximately 1.2 …

Skin changes – discoloration (pinkish or brownish), thickening, dryness and itching in the lower leg are usually signs of venous (vein) disease. If you have any of these in your lower legs and ankles, the specialists at Vascular Vein Centers can help with a careful evaluation and explanation of what …

According to the CDC’s website, someone in the US has a heart attack every 40 seconds. That translates to about 805,000 people having a heart attack each year! A heart attack can be a frightening experience. Still, many people who’ve had a heart attack go on to enjoy full lives. …

Submitted by Hospice of Marion County All of us deserve to live as comfortably as possible; however, when an accident, sudden illness or chronic condition takes hold of our lives, comfort may seem impossible or out of reach. In the past decade, hope for relief from acute pain and distressing …

Eleuterio Cancel knows the physicians who deliver babies at Winter Haven Women’s Hospital (WHWH) pretty well. He’s been a security guard at the hospital for three years. On Dec. 5, though, he was particularly interested as Dr. Naxdaris Gonzalez and Dr. Akhila Reddy checked in. That’s because they were there …

by Alan J. Bauman, MD, ABHRS February is the month of love, so it got me reflecting on some romantic comedies I’ve seen that I particularly enjoyed. Do you remember the 2005 film, “Hitch,” starring Will Smith? It’s about a “date doctor” who helped men, who didn’t know how, get …

I know being physically active and eating healthy is good for my heart, but how does stress affect my heart? We’ve all heard eating healthy and getting enough exercise is good for our heart, but did you know mental health can impact your heart, too? Research shows that conditions like …

Over time, your skin will show signs of age. It’s natural: Skin loosens up because it starts to lose proteins called collagen and elastin, the substances that make skin firm. This loss results in wrinkles, sagging, and a creepy appearance on your hands, neck, and face. There are numerous anti-aging …

Gallbladder cancer is a rare disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that in the United States, 6,570 women and 5,750 men will be diagnosed with cancer of the gallbladder or nearby large bile ducts in 2023. It occurs more frequently in women than in men, and the incidence is higher …