Twin Lakes Life - Spring 2019

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SPRING 2019

Twin Lakes LIFE

MEET THE

THOMPSONS Photo by Studio NINE 13

T H E P U B L I C AT I O N F O R T H E R E S I D E N T S O F T W I N L A K E S A PUBLICATION OF QUANTUM MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS, LLC


Thank You!

for Voting for Us!

Best Breakfast, Friendliest Wait Staff, Family Diner and Best Locally Owned Restaurant in the County

BREAKFAST • LUNCH • DINNER Monday–Friday: 5am–8pm Saturday & Sunday: 6am–2pm

407-891-1488 • TheKoffeeKup.com 1407 13th Street • St. Cloud, FL 34769

Under the Water Tower in st. Cloud


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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

elcome to the Second Quarter 2019 issue of Twin Lakes Life. This publication is for the residents and provided by your HOA, Titan Management, Jones Homes and Quantum Marketing Communications. The publication is produced quarterly until we reach a resident threshold and can produce it monthly. A few notes about Quantum Marketing Communications. We are 100% locally owned and produced. We strive to make sure that every penny spent and generated is done right here in Central Florida. Local content that, for the most part, can’t be found elsewhere and particular to Twin Lakes. Local advertising by good reputable companies that love Twin Lakes and wish to reach out to you! PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS AS THEY HELP BRING THE PUBLICATION TO YOU!

Twin Lakes LIFE

SPRING 2019

A publication of Quantum Marketing Communications, LLC www.QMCWorld.com

PUBLISHER & CEO

Bill Bokunic 321.331.6398 Bill@QMCWorld.com

CONTACT INFO FOR RESIDENTS

We need: Twin Lakes content from resident and community leaders. • Stories, Pictures, etc. • A community photographer

HOA OF TWIN LAKES 2453 Model Lane • (407) 556-3903 info@mytwinlakeshoa.com www.mytwinlakeshoa.com

I look forward to hearing from the community and growing together!

HOA Emergency After Hours (407) 508-0570

Bill Bokunic Bill@QMCWorld.com

Water & Sewer City of Saint Cloud: (407) 957-7344 Electric OUC: (407) 957-7373 Gas Florida Public Utilites: 1-800-427-7712 Trash & Recycling Waste Management: (407) 843-7370 Monday: Recycling Wednesday: Yard Waste Friday: Trash United States Postal Service 4701 Old Canoe Creek Rd. St. Cloud, FL 34769 1-800-275-8777 Police (Non-Emergency) Osceola County Sherriff: (407) 348-2222 Jones Homes USA Customer Service Monica Villalobos: (407) 636-8776 service@joneshomesusa.com Spring 2019 | Twin Lakes Life Magazine 1


COVER STORY

Do you do any charity or non-profit work? We do service projects through our church, including United against Poverty (UP) in Orlando, Satellite Beach Cleanup, AIDS walk, Love in Glove Box. Lisa is the service coordinator for our church and looks forward to giving back more to the community now that she is retired. Do you have a cause or business that you would like to promote? John’s technical support is not just a job, it is a passion. He found this during one underemployed periods. He loves helping people use or understand computers and the Internet and technology in general. He is willing to help anyone in Twin Lakes with a computer or technical problem. Contact him at jgt10@yahoo.com.

THOMPSONS What is… Your name? Lisa Thompson Your spouse’s name? John Thompson Your children's names? Erik and Alex Your cats’ names? Brooke and Courtney

companies as Miller Brewing, Best Foods, Clorox and Kraft.

What do you love most about Twin Lakes? Community. All of the social networking, fitness activities, social events and amenities.

John is a third generation Californian, making him as close to royalty in California. He has been playing…working in the computer industry for just over 40 years. His strength is in technical support, understanding both people and computers. He has worked for companies like John Controls, Mosler Systems, National Starch and Chemical, Quadtree, Amdahl, SGI, Livingston Enterprises, Lucent, Openwave, EMC, Symantec and now Oracle. Unlike Lisa, he doubts anyone knows any of them.

Where did you move from? Depends on how many years you go back. Going backwards: Lincolnshire, IL (Northern suburbs of Chicago); Ramsey, NJ (Northern NJ next to the NY border); Pleasanton, CA (30 miles due East of San Francisco); Fanwood, NJ (Central NJ just of US Route 22); Milwaukee, WI; Davis, CA (Home of UC Davis, where we met and married).

What is unusual or unique about Twin Lakes in comparison to your previous home? Weekly Bible study, bunco, games, book groups and bocce ball that have started and grown with neighbors. This is the most unique community we have seen, and we have seen several. It seems that everyone is nice, intelligent, well-mannered and loves being here and meeting new people.

What do you miss most? Our families. Lisa’s Dad and siblings live in SFBA and Oregon, and extended family lives predominately around Philadelphia and Boston. John’s siblings live in, or near, the San Francisco Bay Area and Denver, CO.

What is your favorite weekend activity? For Lisa, Aqua Aerobics is a Saturday passion. Sunday at church, Lake Nona Pres that meets in the Lake Nona Middle School is a priority. Then there are parties, dinners, lunches, movies and reading. John flies radiocontrolled planes and drones as his hobby.

When did you move to Twin Lakes? October 2017. What street do you live on? Pickett Avenue.

What is your background? Lisa is a Jersey girl who recently retired from the food and consumer products market. She started doing sensory analysis work for Miller Brewing. She retired in December from a market researcher position. She has worked for such well-known 2 Twin Lakes Life Magazine | Spring 2019

Is there a neighbor experience you are most proud of? Cooking and taking a dinner to neighbors recovering from surgery or illnesses.

What is the last movie that you have seen in the theatre? “Captain Marvel” in 3D. What is your favorite TV Show? Lisa has been watching “General Hospital” on and off for decades. We both like “Criminal Minds” and “FBI” series. What else should we know about you or your family? Well-traveled. On vacations we have been to Vancouver Island, Canada (both coasts), Mexico, Los Cabos, Cancun and Cozumel, St. Maartin, Grand Caymans, Scotland, England, France and Germany. For work, we have individually travelled to Hawaii, Newfoundland, Mexico and Latin America, Indonesia and Africa. Erik and Alex both graduated from the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. Erik has been an electrical engineer at Lincoln Labs near Boston, MA. Alex graduated as a biomedical engineer and working towards that job. We are hopeful that they will settle down and start families at some point in the not too far future. John’s father graduated from UC Berkley and went straight into World War II. He served on small destroyers in the Pacific theater until the end of the war. His mom was a math teacher. Both have passed away. Lisa’s father went to Purdue at age 16 and was an engineer with RCA when he drafted into the Korean war decoding Russian messages he couldn’t talk about until recently. Her mom was a special ed teacher. Lisa’s dad remarried last year (6 years after her mom passed away|) at aqe 86 a woman who was Lisa’ youth group advisor over 45 years ago. n

PHOTO: Studio NINE 13

MEET THE

What do you do for fun? Reading, swimming and poolside conversations.


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PHOTO: Studio NINE 13

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Fitness Center

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ith spring upon us, it is time to invest in your summer-bod! Our state-of-the-art fitness center is officially open, and it is truly breathtaking, but don’t let the overwhelming size and multitude of different equipment intimidate you, everything inside is completely user-friendly and easy to use. Equipped with six ellipticals, five treadmills, three recumbent bicycles, two stairs-climbers, and two rower machines; weather is no longer a factor in stopping you from getting your cardio workout going. Each one of these machines has its own television to make your cardio workout even easier. Watching your favorite shows will have you lose track of time and hit 20 minutes of working out seem like a cakewalk. Do you enjoy picking up heavy things and setting them back down? The fitness center provides several machines designed to give you a full-body workout. Strengthen your upper and lower body as well as your core with easy to use machines. Adjusting your desired weight is as simple as sticking a pin into the right slot. With a his and hers Sauna, as well as showers in their respective restrooms; you’re able to cool off and enjoy some relaxation as you recover immediately following your workout. Fitness classes are also being held in the fitness center. Our “Pump It Up!” class combines aerobic-training with cardio-conditioning. Your mind and body can get a workout simultaneously during our Tai Chi and Yoga classes which are also offered as well. The fitness center is open 7 days a week and 365 days a year. Hours are 5:00AM to 10:00PM. For more information on fitness classes be sure to check the activities calendar.

4 Twin Lakes Life Magazine | Spring 2019

YOGA WITH LISA CAMPBELL

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would like to begin by thanking the residents of Twin Lakes for allowing me to share my passion of yoga and the privilege of teaching in this growing community. My name is Lisa. I am a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance. I have been practicing yoga for over 20 years. I am also a Licensed Practical Nurse and am CPR/Basic Lifesaving certified. The definition of yoga as the union of the individual with the absolute quiet mind. I teach a gentle yoga course that incorporates meditation, breath control, stretching and yoga poses. (ASANA) Some of the many benefits of yoga include increased strength and balance, lowered blood pressure and calming of the mind. Please join me with your neighbors on Wednesdays at 6PM and Saturdays at 9:30AM. Dress in loose comfortable clothing. Bring water, a mat and a blanket. If you don’t have a mat, don’t worry we have plenty. A light snack before class is perfect; you don’t want to do yoga with a full stomach. The light and the love in me honor the light and the love in you. -Namaste-


WELCOME BACK

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Elizabeth!

e would like to welcome back, Elizabeth “Liz” De Hoyos! Elizabeth has helped manage Twin Lakes’ HOA for several years now and left temporarily as she was promoted to another community and received her CAM license. Being back at Twin Lakes means a whole new role for Liz. Her return to Twin Lakes is now as Assistant Director. Elizabeth will have the authority to make decisions around the community and help the HOA office continue to make your neighborhood, a paradise under the sun. Liz comes from Long Island, New York. She has been living in Florida for the past 9 years. When she is not behind the desk or out in the community doing inspections, Liz enjoys dancing the night away at concerts and travelling any chance that she gets. Liz used to be a part of the Universal Studios Family for over 8 years before hanging it up to officially be a CAM.

Spring 2019 | Twin Lakes Life Magazine 5


Kerry L Scott, CRPC®

IRT-4395D-A

Financial Advisor

www.edwardjones.com

Member SIPC

4115 Neptune Rd St Cloud, FL 34769 407-498-0147

Your Twin Lakes Resale and Real Estate Experts! Why consider The Corcoran Connection for your Twin Lakes real estate needs? We invest heavily in briging buyers The result... your property will spend less time on the market and less real estate fees for you, which means more money in your pocket. Our Buyers can get a free golf membership to Royal St. Cloud Golf Links

Exclusive to The Corcoran Connection, this benefit is a nice bonus for prospective buyers and can make the difference in choosing your house versus another.

Location Our office is 2.5 miles from Twin Lakes, just up the road on Narcoossee. Working together We work with Jones Homes and other builders to assist with the purchase of a new home. It doesn’t cost the buyer any extra money to work with us, plus they will get a one-year golf membership to Royal St. Cloud Golf Links as a bonus for using us! Who we are We are one of the top producing real estate companies in the Twin Lakes area including East Osceola County! We know the market, have the buyers, and have built solid relationships over many years. Jeanine is a Broker and local resident since 2005 (Osceola County Resident since 1987). Bill Bokunic, Husband to Jeanine Corcoran, Realtor® and Publisher of The Twin Lakes Life Magazine.

Jeanine Corcoran, Broker Sister to Real Estate Mogul, Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran 6 Twin Lakes Life Magazine | Spring 2019

Jeanine Corcoran - Broker | Owner The Corcoran Connection 407-953-9118 - office | 407-922-3308 - cell Jeanine@TheCorcoranConnection.com TheCorcoranConnection.com


What to Consider When Choosing Your Home To Retire In

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By Jeanine Corcoran

s more and more baby boomers enter retirement age, the question of whether they should sell their homes and move has become a hot topic. In today’s housing market climate, with low available inventory in the starter and trade-up home categories, it makes sense to evaluate your home’s ability to adapt to your needs in retirement. According to the National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agents (NAEBA), there are 7 factors that you should consider when choosing your retirement home.

1. Affordability

“It may be easy enough to purchase your home today but think long-term about your monthly costs. Account for property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, utilities – all the things that will be due whether or not you have a mortgage on the property.” Would moving to a complex with homeowner association fees actually be cheaper than having to hire all the contractors you would need to maintain your home, lawn, etc.? Would your taxes go down significantly if you relocated? What is your monthly income going to be like in retirement?

you are renting or in a condo? Is the backyard fenced in? How far are you from your favorite veterinarian?

2. Equity

6. Mobility

The equity you have in your current home may be enough to purchase your retirement home with little to no mortgage. Homeowners in the US gained an average of over $9,700 in equity last year.

Sixty is the new 40, right? People are living longer and are more active in retirement, but that doesn’t mean that down the road you won’t need your home to be more accessible. Installing handrails and making sure your hallways and doorways are wide enough may be a good reason to look for a home that was built to accommodate these needs.

3. Maintenance

7. Convenience

As we mentioned earlier, would a condo with an HOA fee be worth the added peace of mind of not having to do the maintenance work yourself?

How close are you to your children and grandchildren? Would relocating to a new area make visits with family easier or more frequent? Beyond being close to your favorite stores and restaurants, there are a lot of factors to consider.

4. Security

Bottom Line

“If you have equity in your current home, you may be able to apply it to the purchase of your next home. Maintaining a healthy amount of home equity gives you a source of emergency funds to tap, via a home equity loan or reverse mortgage.”

“As we age, our tolerance for cleaning gutters, raking leaves and shoveling snow can go right out the window. A condominium with lowmaintenance needs can be a literal lifesaver, if your health or physical abilities decline.”

“Elderly homeowners can be targets for scams or break-ins. Living in a home with security features, such as a manned gate house, resident-only access and a security system can bring peace of mind.” As scary as that thought may be, any additional security is helpful. An extra set of eyes looking out for you always adds to peace of mind.

5. Pets

“Renting won’t do if the dog can’t come too! The companionship of pets can provide emotional and physical benefits.” Consider all of your options when it comes to bringing your ‘furever’ friend with you to a new home. Will there be necessary additional deposits if

“No one wants to picture themselves in a wheelchair or a walker, but the home layout must be able to accommodate limited mobility.”

“Is the new home close to the golf course, or to shopping and dining? Do you have amenities within easy walking distance? This can add to home value!”

When it comes to your forever home, evaluating your current house for its ability to adapt with you as you age can be the first step to guaranteeing your comfort in retirement. If after considering all these factors you find yourself curious about your options, let’s get together to evaluate your ability to sell your house in today’s market and get you into your dream retirement home! Jeanine Corcoran is the Broker and Owner of The Corcoran Connection, LLC – A Real Estate and Property Management Company. Jeanine has been helping families with their Real Estate needs since 2005. Jeanine is Barbara Corcoran’s sister from ABC’s SHARK TANK. Jeanine can be reached at 407.922.3308, email Jeanine@TheCorcoranConnection.com, or visit TheCorcoranConnection.com. Spring 2019 | Twin Lakes Life Magazine 7


SPRING IS HERE

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ell spring is here, and we survived another Florida winter. Now that spring is here, we will be getting ready to start up our weekly maintenance schedule. Beginning in April we will be mowing your yards on a weekly basis. When doing our maintenance, we do a large number of houses all at one time. Which means we will mow, edge and String trim a certain area of the community and then we will come around and clean up after all the work is done. Typically, we will spend one full day in each neighborhood. Over the past couple of months, we have worked on several projects:

• We have worked on our annual refresh of the mulch beds around the community. • We have applied our seasonal weed and feed to all the St. Augustine grass. • We have cut back all the Crepe Myrtles. Doing this allows us to keep their size under control and allows the new blooms to be fuller in the late spring to early summer.

There have been some comments about the weeds in the Bahia grass around the lakes with in the community. Bahia grass naturally reseeds itself by growing seed pods and then releasing those seeds so they can grow more grass. This is called, “letting the grass go to seed”. You may have seen this before; they grow to about one foot tall and usually have a “V” shape at the top. The only way these seed pods can get to the stage for them to be released is to not mow the grass in these areas for 2–3 weeks during the growing season. Without this happening, the Bahai starts to thin out and gives room for the weeds to grow. The HOA has given us permission to start doing this to help improve the quality of the sod around the lakes. While this will not fix the issue overnight, it will be a place for us to start. Finally, your landscaping team truly takes pride in the work we do here, and our goal is to give you a beautiful community to live in. We hope you take advantage of this lovely spring weather and get outside and see all the hard work we have done. Sincerely, Landform, your landscaping team

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8 Twin Lakes Life Magazine | Spring 2019

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NOW SELLING! From the $200s

At Twin Lakes, extraordinary lakeside living is on the horizon. Centered around a magnificent 20,000 square foot clubhouse on the tranquil shores of Live Oak Lake, you’ll enjoy boating, kayaking, and amenities usually reserved for fine resorts. Jones Homes USA offers a variety of innovative home designs with an unheard of combination of luxury features and unique amenities. When you compare, you’ll find Twin Lakes offers exceptional value with luxurious included features that are usually an upgrade with other builders.

407-988-3222 | JonesHomesUSA.com Twin Lakes is a 55+ active adult community. All prices, terms and availability are subject to change without notice. CRC#046154

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10 Twin Lakes Life Magazine | Spring 2019


GUEST POLICY

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ith the summer coming up on us fast, visitors in the community may be at their highest. Therefore, here is a friendly reminder of the current Twin Lakes Guest Policy…

7. Some events may be closed to guest participation. 8. Guests must follow the same rules as residents when they are in the Community.

1. Residents may bring no more than 4 guests per household to use Community amenities; the pools, temporary clubhouse, sports courts, dock, and pavilion.

9. Homeowners will be responsible for any expenses caused from damages by guests.

2. Upon written approval from the HOA, residents are permitted to have more than 4 but no more than 10 guests at the Community amenities, no more than two times per year. Mandatory written approval from the HOA is required.

11. Classes sponsored by the HOA are closed for Guest Participation.

3. Guests must always be accompanied by a Resident.

13. Resident organized groups held at a shared amenity must coordinate with the HOA’s Lifestyle Director to obtain approval to avoid class or HOA scheduled events. All hom­eowners have equal usage rights to the amenities. Amenities are not closed to residents during classes or homeowner organized events.

4. A maximum of 4 guests can attend Community Events sponsored by the HOA if the event is open to guest participation. 5. Residents must RSVP for the number of guests they would like to bring to a Community Event so that we can accommodate the extra attendees. 6. Some events may require additional cost for guest participation.

10. The Fitness Center is for Resident use only.

12. No rentals, closed groups, or private reservations of the temporary clubhouse, pools, courts, or pavilions is permitted.

**This policy may be amended or changed by action of the Board of Directors at any time.

Spring 2019 | Twin Lakes Life Magazine 11



HARMONY W e

e x i s t

t o

k n o w

H i m

a n d

m a k e

H i m

k n o w n

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Spring 2019 | Twin Lakes Life Magazine 13


Free 1-Year Golf Membership! Playing the #1 Rated links course just got easier! Contact us to learn more. The Corcoran Connection and Royal St. Cloud have teamed up for a great offer. New clients receive a one-year Individual Golf Membership with the purchase or sale of a home when using The Corcoran Connection. This is a $950 value. For more information and details, contact The Corcoran Connection.

The Corcoran Connection LLC 407-953-9118 - office Info@TheCorcoranConnection.com TheCorcoranConnection.com Restrictions: Cart fee not included. Valid for 1 year. No cash value. Limited time offer. Non-transferable. One per family.

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Spring 2019 | Twin Lakes Life Magazine 15


HAVE YOU HAD YOUR COLONOSCOPY YET?

I

f you’re thinking, “A colonoscopy?! Isn’t that a test for OLD people?,” you may want to take a closer look at recent news from the American Cancer Society. The ACS this year altered their recommendation for timing of a first-time colon cancer screening from age 50 to age 45, for those at average risk of cancer. The change was directly tied to the rising number of younger adults being diagnosed with colorectal cancers — including many with no family history of the disease. Colon cancer is the third most common form of cancer in the United States, with an expected 90,000 new cases of colon, and 40,000 cases of rectal, cancers expected to be diagnosed in 2018. The National Cancer Institute reports that an average of 117 people in Osceola County were diagnosed with rectal or colon cancer between 2011 and 2015.

In addition to the changes in screening age, the ACS also issued some additional guidance on screening methods that patients and their doctors can consider. If a colonoscopy is not recommended at this time, or there are financial or other barriers to the procedure, talk to your physician about one of these less invasive screening methods: • Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) – stool based test recommended once per year • Guaiac-based fecal occult blood test (gFOBT) – stool-based test once per year • Multi-targeted stool DNA test (MT-sDNA) – stool-based test, once every 3 years • CT Colonography – “virtual colonoscopy,” once every 5 years • Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FSIG) – once every 5 years 16 Twin Lakes Life Magazine | Spring 2019

“While colonoscopy remains the gold standard, there are several diagnostic and lab tools that can screen for the presence of blood or polyps in the colon,” says Quander. “However, patients should be aware that an abnormal result in any of these tests MUST be followed by a full colonoscopy, in order to mitigate the increased risk of cancer, and to promptly remove any polyps. This fact should be considered by both patient and physician, before any of these lesser screening methods are used.” Finally, the new guidance includes very specific precautions for those at increased risk of colon cancer. For these patients, the physician may advise initial screening BEFORE age 45, being screened more often, and/or using specific screening methods to ensure polyps are found and removed early, before they can become cancerous. These risk factors include: • A personal or family history of colorectal cancer, or of certain types of polyps • A personal history of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease • A history of radiation in the abdomen or pelvis, in treatment of previous cancer(s) • A genetic and hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or Lynch syndrome

While it is one of the most common forms of cancer, colon cancer is also highly preventable and treatable. Healthy diet and lifestyle choices, combined with proactive screening and prompt removal of any polyps, can dramatically reduce your risk of contracting this disease. Also, never ignore changes of any kind in your bowel habits — be prepared to share details with your physician, including frequency, consistency and any type of discomfort or dysfunction. If you need more information on colon health or screenings, St. Cloud Medical Group has three Gastroenterology locations throughout St. Cloud and Kissimmee. Visit StCloudPhysicians.com for more information or call 407-891-2900 to schedule an appointment with St. Cloud Medical Group. n About St. Cloud Medical Group: St. Cloud Medical Group is a multi-specialty medical group affiliated with St. Cloud Regional Medical Center. Providers specialize in cardiology, family medicine, gastroenterology, general surgery, internal medicine, occupational medicine, otolaryngology, urology and vascular surgery. St. Cloud Physician Management has convenient locations throughout St. Cloud and Kissimmee, Florida. All providers are board certified or fellowship-trained in each of their specialties and are members of the medical staff of St. Cloud Regional Medical Center. For more information about St. Cloud Medical Group, visit StCloudPhysicians.com.

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“There is the potential for false perceptions regarding the changing data on colon cancer,” says Dr. Carline Quander, board-certified Gastroenterologist with St. Cloud Medical Group. “While mortality rates from colon cancer have been declining over the past 30 years, the number of new diagnoses is actually increasing. This is both good news and bad news — we are doing a better job of screening for and removing polyps before they become cancerous, while lifestyle and diet choices are driving up the risk and incidence of these cancers in general.”


ADOBE STOCK


If you have heartburn twice a week or more, you may have acid reflux disease, also known as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). GERD occurs when the valve between the stomach and esophagus is weak or opens abnormally. Stomach fluids reflux into the esophagus and may cause injuries or produce symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation. These symptoms may signal a more serious condition, so get relief now.

Schedule an appointment online at StCloudPhysicians.com or call 407-891-2900.

HEARTBURN?

MAYBE IT’S TIME TO SEE A SPECIALIST.

102309_STCL_GI_8x8c.indd 1

8/23/18 12:26 PM


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