Menu
Virtual Visit Request an Appointment ER Wait Times
Search
Back

Filter By

All Search Results

  • Arsenic in rice: is it safe?

    Last week, Consumer Reports issued a warning to consumers regarding potentially harmful levels of arsenic found in rice and rice products. The Food and Drug Administration also released preliminary data from an in-depth study which seemed to be in line with those conclusions. But, don’t run to the pantry to purge your home of your favorite cereal just yet.

    What is arsenic?

    Arsenic is a chemical substance found in our environment that can be naturally occurring (due to the erosion of rocks or volcanic eruptions) or can occur due to the use of arsenic-containing pesticides. Low levels of arsenic are found in air, soil and water, which means that it can also be taken up into plants as they grow.

  • Have you had the “sexting” talk with your teen?

    “Sexting” has probably turned up on one of those lists of new words for 2011 or 2012.  Since I work with young people and have a 20-year-old son, I try to keep up but the first time I heard this word, I did a double-take—sexting?!  However, in just the past couple of years I’ve heard a lot more and what I’ve learned kind of scares me.

  • Why I'm not riding the organic bandwagon

    On Fridays, my daughter and I participate in a playgroup. We have an informal group of moms and kids that get together to do fun activities. It’s a great way for the kids to socialize and learn to play well together, while having the opportunity to do something fun. Once in a while, the moms even have a chance to have a conversation, too.

  • What it means to give back

    Last month, the Holy Family Catholic School hosted their first mother-daughter fundraiser to benefit Arnold Palmer Hospital! It was a special night for young girls to experience what it means to give back to the families in their community. Several families shared emotional stories of their time at Arnold Palmer Hospital. These little girls who are students at the school, have battled diseases that many people will never have to face in their lifetime. They were the inspiration behind this community event. Their strength, courage, and determination to fight set the tone for the evening. You could see the overwhelming joy these families had for Arnold Palmer Hospital and the doctors and nurses who were with them throughout their journey as tears started welling up in their eyes while telling their story. These families wanted to be able to give back to the hospital that had done so much for them, and this was their way to say thank you. It was amazing to see how every mom and daughter rallied around these families throughout the night. Everyone loved on them and made them feel like the stars of the night.

  • Building a stronger community, one family at a time

    Odil Douglas knows what it's like to be overwhelmed. Five years ago, she found herself raising two young children and a newborn, as well as caring for her sick mother in the hospital. Alone, stressed and unsure where to turn for assistance, Odil found an "extended family" in the Healthy Families Orange program at The Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families. An intensive home visitation program based on a national model, Healthy Families Orange prevents child maltreatment in 98% of families served and builds healthy, positive parenting behaviors for new mothers and fathers through education, referrals and resources. Odil credits Healthy Families Orange with helping her make it through the most difficult time of her life, all while teaching her how to be the best mom possible to her three young children.

  • It’s time to get up and get outside!

    With summer just around the corner, what better time to get your kids more active? Concern over kids’ health and the growing obesity rates has been a hot topic for years, bringing to attention the fact that physical activity is a crucial part of kids’ health. Not only does it help to keep kids’ weight in check, but also plays a role in the development of cognitive and social skills.

  • The pink slime controversy

    Pink Slime. Ever heard of it? The nickname originated between two scientists within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) who were concerned about the safety and lack of labeling of the beef additive. The term "pink slime” became increasingly popular when Jamie Oliver brought attention to the controversial product on his Food Revolution TV show, created to bring awareness to the foods Americans are consuming and the link to childhood obesity.

    I’ve heard of it. But what is pink slime?

    In short, it has been termed “lean, finely textured beef”, an additive used in ground beef and beef products to help reduce consumer cost. Pink slime consists of beef scraps and connective tissue that have been mechanically removed from fat through a high-pressure, high-temperature process. The beef mixture is then treated with ammonium hydroxide to help eliminate possible pathogens, such as E. Coli and Salmonella. It is then finely ground and frozen into blocks to be shipped out to suppliers to use in their beef products.

  • What goes on at your dinner table?

    Dinnertime is not what it used to be. It used to be a time for the whole family to sit down around the table and spend an hour of quality time together. It was the one time of the day where everyone could sit down to a nice home-cooked meal and share stories from their day, catch up, and have meaningful conversation that otherwise wouldn’t happen on-the-go. It was the normalcy and the time of the day that parents looked forward to.

  • What you need to know about your crying baby

    All new parents expect a wonderful, smiling, responsive baby. Being confronted with a screaming, inconsolable baby, who appears to be crying for no reason and does not respond to your attempts to stop the crying, is one of the most disappointing and frustrating experiences of a new parent.

  • Calling All Teens: Let's get some pep in your step!

    Dear teenager,