BayCare HealthChat

Dr. Nick Dewan discusses getting your life back if you have obsessive-compulsive disorder. He shares treatment options available if you suffer from OCD and how, without treatment, these types of obsessions and compulsions can greatly affect a persons quality of life.  Learn more about BayCare's behavioral health services.

Dr. Kevin Elder discusses the importance of recognizing concussion in youth athletes, management strategies and information about evaluation and prevention of concussion.  Learn more about BayCare’s children’s health services.

A question many people often ask themselves is how do you tell when an emergency requires a trip to the ER, or if an urgent care clinic can address your issues. Stephanie Marzola, MD, discusses why it’s important to know where to go, and whether you need an emergency room or an urgent care center to receive medical treatment. Learn more about BayCare's immediate care services.   BayCare offers a f...

Dr. Leah Chernin discusses the symptoms of nasal and ocular allergies for each season, how to avoid the triggers as much as possible and treatment options to help keep your child more comfortable even with allergies.  Learn more about BayCare’s children’s health services.

José A. Ferreira, MD, discusses ADHD. He shares treatment options aimed at helping your child thrive at school and at home with guidance tips to understand this condition so your child can reach their full potential and succeed.  Learn more about BayCare’s children’s health services.

Dr. Phuong Nguyen shares tips for listeners about how to live a better with diabetes. She discusses how to get tested for diabetes, when to seek help and lifestyle changes that will combat the disease's progression.  Learn more about BayCare’s diabetes programs and services.

Nick Dewan, MD discusses how addiction develops due to brain changes and how it can change life behaviors. He shares how no one treatment for addiction works for everyone, and that the treatment that's best for you may be a combination of medicine, behavior change, and support.  Learn more about BayCare's behavioral health services.

Dr. Christian S. Bailey, discusses colon health 101. He shares his best advice for keeping a healthy colon, the latest screening guidelines as set forth by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and how easy it is to have a colonoscopy, the single best prevention screening tool to prevent colon cancer.  Learn more about BayCare's gastroenterology services.

Ted Farrar, MD discusses the benefits of exercise and some myths surrounding the amount of exercise needed. He discusses the notion that there may be a small increase in risk with excessive exercise, but that the risk of a sedentary lifestyle far outweighs the risk of too much exercise.  Learn more about BayCare's primary care services.

Cigarette smoking is the single leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. But because of the physical and psychological addiction to nicotine, smokers find it quite difficult to quit. If you really want to quit smoking, listen in as Dr. Theresa Dam Lohmiller discusses the smoking cessation program at BayCare Health and how it provides the extra support needed to kick the...

Learning to use utensils is an essential skill and healthy eating is a lifelong habit. Alisa Pierce-Kee, MD discusses toddler nutrition and how to get those little picky eaters to eat a variety of foods, including the ones that are healthy for them!  She also reinforces the fact that toddlers will learn these things when families eat meals together, when they see their parents and siblings enjoyin...

It is estimated that 50-70 million Americans suffer from some type of sleep disorder. Ashley Wilk, DO, discusses how poor sleep and sleep disturbances are associated with poorer overall health, and how good sleep hygiene can help you get the restorative sleep that you need.  Learn more about BayCare's sleep services.

Karin Swisher Hotchkiss, MD, discusses ear infections in children, when to watch and wait and the latest treatment recommendations if your child has an ear infection.  Learn more about BayCare’s children’s health services.

Dr. K. Wade Foster, MD PhD discusses risk factors for Melanoma, the ABCDE characteristics that are used by dermatologists to classify melanomas, the treatment options, and more importantly, prevention.  Learn more about BayCare's cancer services.

Anit Garg, MD discusses why it's important to schedule your annual wellness exams and shares important tips on how to age well and live  longer and healthier with a better quality of life.  Learn more about BayCare's primary care services.

If you have come face to face with the possibility of breast cancer, you will probably feel extremely overwhelmed. Your emotions may range from sheer terror to hope and then to depression, helplessness, and back to optimism time and time again. Kathleen G. Allen, MD, FACS discusses Breast Cancer prevention, screening, and treatment options available at BayCare Health if you have been diagnosed wit...

Alzheimer's and dementia care at BayCare Health is designed to attempt to stimulate the senses, trigger memory, slow disease progression, and keep patients functioning at their highest level possible. Dr. Shannon Foster Barsema discusses age-related memory loss, what's normal, and what warning signs or symptoms should send you or a loved one to see a physician to assess the level of dementia.  Lea...

Dr. Chrisoula Kiriazis explains what prediabetes is, why it should be taken seriously and your options for treatment, which involve lifestyle changes as well as medication. She also covers BayCare's prediabetes workshop and a CDC prevention program at Winter Haven Hospital and local YMCAs.  Learn more about BayCare’s diabetes programs and services.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention accidental falls are the leading cause of accidental death in people over the age of 75. Maryellen Sullivan, PT, MS, DPT, discusses fall prevention, conditions that contribute to falling and how we use several body systems to help maintain our balance so we can prevent those falls in the first place.  Learn more about BayCare's rehabilita...

Eric R. James, MD, discusses common foot and ankle problems, treatment options available and the best ways to take care of our precious feet.  Learn more about BayCare’s orthopedic services.

Margie Atkinson, DMin, BCC, Director Pastoral Care, Ethics, Palliative Care at Morton Plant Mease, discusses what you need to know to set up your living will, advanced directives in case you are unable to speak for yourself and planning for end of life decisions.  Learn more about advance directives or download a free guide to advance directives today.

Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is a heart condition that can cause blood clots, heart failure, stroke and other complications, and it affects more than two million Americans. However, many people don't know about the seriousness of AFib. If untreated, AFib "doubles the risk of heart-related deaths and is associated with a five-fold increase risk for stroke," according to the American Heart Associat...

Do you know how to read a food label? Learning the basics can help you shop smarter, lose weight and even help fight some diseases. Lindsey McKaig, RD Registered Dietitian for BayCare Corporate Wellness, shares her best advice on how to properly decode food labels to make healthier food choices, what to look for, what to avoid and how to spot unregulated terms that might trip you up.  Learn more a...

Bringing your child to the hospital can be a stressful time for you and your family. Depending on their age, children may experience difficulties while being hospitalized due to separation from family, change in routine, unfamiliar faces, misunderstandings about their treatment, fear of upcoming procedures and an overall loss of control. Leslie Dempsey, Senior Certified Child Life Specialist, disc...

Vaccination is one of the best ways parents can protect their children from life threatening diseases. However, for some parents, fears about the safety or necessity of vaccines, and rumors that vaccines can cause serious health problems are a cause for concern. So, how can parents get the facts about vaccine safety? Kristine Rietsma, DO, Pediatrician with BayCare Health System, discusses the impo...