By Dr. Dale Volquartsen, Pediatrician Many parents today are faced with difficult decisions concerning the feeding of their infants in the midst of what is now a crisis due to the shortage of infant formula. As with most crises, there are numerous factors that play into the shortage.  For one,…

With Spring in full bloom and summer just around the corner, we are seeing more than just tourists arriving here on the Emerald Coast. As is evident by the yellow dust showing up on our cars and, well, everywhere else, allergen levels are on the rise and with them often…

The halfway mark of the year is upon us and it’s time to take stock of all that you have accomplished and what is yet to come. While it’s a lot more fun to think about all the things you have achieved so far in 2022, it is important to…

Technology is an ever-present part of our lives. From the computer you work on to smartphone you use to connect with friends and family, there is rarely a day that we go without some sort of screen in front of our faces. For many of us, daily use of screen-based…

Surgery can be a scary word, but with advances in technology that shouldn’t be the case. As with any medical intervention, surgery can have its risks, which is why it almost always the last route taken by doctors. Fortunately for patients, technological advances have been made, in the form of…

By now, we should all know the importance of regular checkups with your doctor. These annual wellness visits are just as big a part of staying healthy as exercise and a nutritious diet; most importantly because it is often during these visits that doctors perform screenings for serious and potentially…

It’s no secret that medications play a huge role in health care. For as long as people have roamed this Earth, medications, in the form of herbs, pastes, mixtures, pills and more, have been utilized by health care professionals to provide our bodies and minds relief from ailments of all…

During the fight against COVID-19, staying home and limiting interactions has been key to preventing community spread. While there is no argument that taking these steps has benefited all of us in the long run, unhealthy side effects have occurred during this time. “Many people have experienced weight gain during…

Over the last month, vaccines tasked with arming us against COVID-19 have begun arriving around the country, bringing with it much excitement that we might soon be rid of the global pandemic that has plagued us. While it may be a while before the public-at-large is able to receive the…

It’s finally a new year. And as with every new year, it comes with new hope that we can leave the past behind us and usher in a better and brighter tomorrow. After the difficult year that was 2020, this has never been truer. Luckily, leading the charge toward a…

This year has been designated the International Year of the Health Care Worker. As someone who has had the honor of working with physicians and allied health professionals from around the country, I can say that there is not a group more deserving of recognition than the health care workers…

As you may already be aware, at midday on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a mandatory stay-at-home order for the entire state of Florida. The order, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, April 3, 2020, requires all persons in Florida to stay at home…

While there is still a lot to be learned about the effects of vaping, one thing is clear, its popularity is on the rise. Sitting at a red light you will see white clouds billowing out of cracked windows and gas station counters are cluttered with liquids, pens, chargers and…

  Cold and flu season is well underway, and you may hear that, “you better make sure your hair is dry before going to sleep or outside, otherwise you’ll catch a cold.” This myth can be traced back for decades to when it was believed that wet sleeping conditions made…

As the holidays approach, many of us are thinking about what we and our friends and family will be eating come the big day and, as leftovers are an inevitable part of any large meal, many days afterwards. No matter how much you plan and calculate, you will have more…

If you have lived on the coast for long, you have probably heard about the healing properties of swimming at the beach. After all, there has been plenty of historical evidence of people using saltwater to clean and treat wounds. So it’s pretty lucky for us that we live within…

Sometimes it seems like each birthday brings a new set of ailments or pains. Our knees may ache a little more than they used to, or we might squint a little harder when reading the score of Saturday’s game. Those are just a normal sign of aging. However, it is…

When we picture our lives, we all hope that we will grow old easily and peacefully, surrounded by our loved ones who remain healthy and happy right along with us. We never picture ourselves or someone we love struggling with a serious health issue. And so when it happens, it…

Green Nasal Mucus Means It’s Time for Antibiotics. Or Does It? With springtime comes allergies, and for many, a nasty runny nose. But is that runny nose just allergies, or is there an underlying infection? The color of our nasal mucus is not something we tend to dwell on… until…

Every February we honor heart month, and it is a good yearly reminder to assess the health of our hearts and understand our risk for heart disease. With February seemingly long behind us, it’s all too easy to put our healthy heart choices on the back burner and resume our…