Wellness

By Kelly Stalnaker Aside from your initial Medicare enrollment and “special” enrollment for life changing events (moving to a new address, losing your coverage, etc.), you can only make changes to your Medicare plan during the Open Enrollment Period. From October 15 through December 7 only, you can join, drop...

By Kassia Garfield How Much Activity is Enough? A lot of people ask me how much activity they should be doing to stay healthy. People still need to be generally active in their day, and then ALSO add in a higher intensity workout. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of...

By Stephenie Craig I found myself standing in the kitchen littered with craft buckets, rocks, pillows, stress balls, chore charts, money charts, an emotions poster, and a desperate grasp for control and change. More than one of the kids were in developmental seasons of big feelings with big behavior and...

By Dr. Jessica Monteleone, PT MS PhD There were five of us kids. My dad was a well-respected school teacher who educated children attending middle school in a small town in New England. My momma taught sewing class at night school for adults. We didn’t have a lot of money...

By Kelly Stalnaker Are you a CPAP user that’s planning an upcoming trip? Perhaps there’s a late summer getaway in your near future; or a visit to family/friends out of town for a wedding or other special occasion? Traveling with your CPAP machine and supplies may seem daunting, but there...

HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital recently commemorated a half-century of service to our community with a grand celebration marking its 50th anniversary! Since its founding in 1974, the hospital has provided optimal healthcare services while evolving alongside the vibrant community it serves. Zach McCluskey, chief executive officer at HCA Florida...

By Stephenie Craig After three years of talking about moving to Florida, we listed our house thinking it might sell in six months to a year. Twelve days later we were thrust into disruption when the house sold and the reality of a cross country move set in. In some...

By Kay Leaman, Health Architect, HealthyDay HealthyLife LAUGH: To express certain emotions, especially mirth or delight, by a series of spontaneous, usually unarticulated sounds often accompanied by corresponding facial and bodily movements. People bring laughter into their lives in various ways. From watching comedy, to animal videos, telling jokes, listening to songs,...

By Dr. Jessica Monteleone PT MS PhD As I was shoreline strolling the beach last week, an elderly woman was being escorted into the water by someone quite younger than herself. The elder appeared fearful and hesitant. Of course, I asked her if she would like my help, and both...

Did you know that grip strength is one of the biggest indicators of longevity in life? Grip strength can show a few important health factors in an individual, such as the ability to fight infection, can be an indicator of chronic disease and is directly correlated to a healthier...