Sarasota Edition

Gerry Letendre, RPh, MBA, CHt Sarasota Specialty Pharmacy and Wellness Center are proud members with PCCA (Professional Compounding Centers of America), which means they have access to and use the highest-quality ingredients for all of their compounded pharmaceutical formulations. Only members of PCCA have access, and they are one of very few in the area that have access via PCCA. …

By Heidi Smith, Contributor In 2012 before moving to Florida, Idriss Belghali underwent a sleeve gastrectomy – a type of metabolic/bariatric surgery – and lost considerable weight. But he says he didn’t manage his nutrition properly and re-gained substantial weight. He also developed severe acid reflux and had such bad knee pain he gave up playing pickleball, a sport he …

Each year, doctors diagnose 60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s disease (PD). With advances in pharmacology and surgery giving PD patients longer lives and increased motor function, interventions to prepare family caregivers, empower patients in their daily lives, and improve patient peace of mind become more involved. While many patients live more than 20 years after the diagnosis, the median survival …

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recently held its annual scientific meeting in a three-day virtual event. One of the major topics addressed at the meeting was the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on cancer patients. As one might expect, ASCO reported, “In patients with cancer and COVID-19, cancer that is progressing was independently associated with an increased …

With its ability to bypass the intestines and limit the breakdown that digestion produces (or lack thereof), IV infusion of vitamins and minerals may seem like the latest craze, but a John’s Hopkins physician actually developed the popular Myers Cocktail almost 60 years ago. Due to IV infusions efficacy and remarkable outcomes for various conditions like autoimmune disorders, fatigue, chronic …

By Federico M. Richter, MD Standing on your feet all day can cause a lot more than aches and pain. If your job or lifestyle requires you to stand for a majority of the day, your circulation will be affected; when this happens, you have a higher risk of venous insufficiency. Venous insufficiency is inadequate functioning of the vein valves …

By Ross Johnson, Lead Pastor, Gathering Pointe Church It was sometime during the summer of 2001. We had just moved our family from LaCrosse, WI where I served as a youth pastor for almost five years to Sellersville, PA to begin my Master of Divinity degree at Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary. I had about a month and a half of …

By Federico M. Richter, MD Obesity is a major concern for many health-related issues. According to the CDC, more than one-third of the U.S. adult population is obese. And this overweight nation is at serious risk for developing chronic illnesses and disorders. Obesity can lead to type II diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer. Calculating Obesity Although …

By Heidi Smith, Contributor Women in the Venice area who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or who are at high risk for breast cancer now have access to the latest breast MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technology to aid in further diagnosis and screening through Venice Regional Bayfront Health. Venice Regional’s new breast MRI technology uses radio waves and strong …

Gerry Letendre, RPh, MBA, CHt Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist, meaning that it blocks opioid receptors. Taken at high doses of 50mg to 100mg, it’s been used for decades to help patients addicted to opiates and/or heroine fight their addiction by blocking the “high” feeling within the brain. Additionally, Naltrexone increases endorphins, which are known to enhance immunity. How does …