Best July Events in Lake County, Florida

July in Lake County consists of plenty of Independence Day celebrations, Art Summer Camp for the kids, an Elvis tribute, a Back to School expo, and more. We've rounded up the very best Lake County has to offer this month, so dive right in below!

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Signing the Declaration of Independence

Select dates in July starting July 1^st – check the Lake County Calendar here for details.

Presidents Hall of Fame

123 N. U.S. Highway 27, Clermont

Celebrate the Fourth of July all month long with the Presidents Hall of Fame’s signing of the Declaration of Independence. You’ll get to interact with living historians, see a White House replica, and sign the Declaration of Independence yourself.

The City of Leesburg’s 4th of July Celebration at Venetian Gardens

Venetian Gardens

201 E. Dixie Ave., Leesburg

The 4^th of July Celebration at Venetian Gardens will be filled will live entertainment, kids games, free baseball, lots of food to devour, and of course a spectacular display of fireworks. 

Kids Art Summer Camp

Select dates starting June 28^th – check the Lake County Calendar here for details.

Mount Dora Center for the Arts

138 E. 5^th Ave., Mount Dora

A hands on art experience for the kids. They’ll be exploring different art materials and using their imagination to collages, drawings, paintings, and more.

 A Night of Jazz and Blues

Saturday, July 9^th, 2016

Modernism Museum Mount Dora

145 E. 4^th Ave., Mount Dora

Mount Dora’s Night of Jazz and Blues will welcome Winner of the Independent Music Award for Best R&B Album and Best Gospel Song, Cece Teneal, as she entertains the audience for a two and a half hour show.

Double Trouble! Elvis Tribute

Sunday, July 10^th, 2016

Mount Dora Community Building Theater

520 N. Baker Street, Mount Dora

Elvis tribute artists Richie Santa and Peter Alden come together for a night of Elvis excitement, as they take you back to a time when Elvis was King.

                        

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap

Select dates starting July 16^th – check the Lake County Calendar here for details.

Bridges Covenant Church

1100 N Saint Clair Abrams Ave., Tavares

One of Agatha Christie’s best loved murder mysteries comes to life with Tavares Theater.

NTC Lace It Up Series: Caped Crusader 5K

National Training Center

1935 Don Wickam Drive, Clermont

The Lace It Up series provides the opportunity for runners of all fitness levels and age groups to lace up their sneakers and hit the trail with fellow community members and athletes alike.

 Mad Dogs – The Joe Cocker Experience

Saturday, July 16^th, 2016

Mount Dora Community Building Theater

520 N. Baker Street, Mount Dora

A thrilling Joe Cocker experience that will be as close to a Joe Cocker concert as possible.

                                         

Back to School Expo

Saturday, July 23^rd, 2016

Minneola City Hall

800 US-27, Minneola, Florida, Minneola

If you’re looking for an extracurricular activity or after school program for your child, the Back to School expo is the place to be. There will be free photos and face painting as well – fun for the entire family!

ClermontRadiology.com

Brain Health for The Worrier In All of Us

I’ve always worried about brain health. Even as a child, I worried about getting Alzheimer’s, and as I got older I realized I wasn’t the only one. A lot of my peers expressed the same concerns, especially after they saw The Notebook the first time at the ripe old age of 16. I’m 27 now, and my worst fear is still Alzheimer’s disease; my second worst fear is brain cancer. I'm mostly just scared of losing my keys at home and losing my focus everywhere else.

For me and worriers like me (hi mom,) it’s nice to know, then, that there is so much we can do to keep our brains bright and humming along happily.  From eating the right foods to reading, below are some of the best ways to keep your noggin in top form.

Eat your way to a healthy brain

In high school I read something where Dr. Perricone (the famous skin doctor) talked about how salmon, fish oil, and blueberries are really good for your skin, and that he ate them for breakfast every morning. So I began to eat them for breakfast every morning, too. The formula worked; my skin cleared up and gained an amazing glow. What I also noticed, though, was that I was thinking a lot clearer at school as well. I have always believed I have a touch of ADD (I may or may not be a hypochondriac,) but during that time, I remember being able to focus a lot better than before. Even in math! (A miracle!)

Turns out, it’s a proven fact that fish oil, salmon (and other fatty fish like tuna and mackerel), and blueberries are all super foods for your brain. The fish oil and salmon is due to the high amount of Omega-3 fatty acids, which you can also find in flaxseed, olive oil, walnuts. And blueberries help protect the brain from free radicals, and may reduce the effects of dementia.

Walnuts are also a great source of Vitamin E which has been shown in some studies to less cognitive decline as we age. Dark chocolate, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, avocados, kale, collard greens, spinach, and broccoli are also super high in Vitamin E.

Red wine has also been praised as a brain booster in the past, though some recent studies say this isn’t the case. Either way, why risk it? Have a glass anyway (or two.)

Keep an overall healthy diet

Make sure to not only include the foods listed above, but to maintain a completely healthy diet that’s low sugar and full of essential nutrients for all aspects of your health. That includes lean meats, a colorful array of vegetables and fruits, and whole grains.

Other brain boosting activities

As much as I hate math, solving math problems is a great way to keep you mentally sharp. Other mental stimulation exercises include reading, word puzzles, taking courses, making crafts, drawing/painting, and writing. Also worth mentioning is Luminosity.com, which is one of the most fun ways to stimulate your brain. So pull out the Sodoku or that James Joyce novel you’ve been putting off, and make some time for yourself!

Physical exercise!

I had to add an exclamation point to “Physical exercise!” because it’s something not many people get excited about, but it’s something that’s vitally important to all aspects of your health. (I’m one of those people.) Exercising increases the tiny blood vessels responsible for thought and bringing oxygen filled blood to the brain. Exercise is also known to increase the development of new nerve cells and the connections between brain cells. Let’s not forget that exercise also lowers blood pressure, reduces mental stress, and improves cholesterol levels.

Avoid tobacco and avoid abusing alcohol

Tobacco cuts years from your life, and alcohol abuse is a major contributor in dementia. Quite frankly, when it comes to mental health, saying no to tobacco and limiting alcohol really is a no brainer.

Care about your mental health

I really need to take this into consideration since I have constant anxiety about brain health. It is well known that caring for your state of mind does wonders for your overall health. Treating depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on your state of mind and your brain as a whole. Happier people have happier brains. (We wrote a blog post a while back about the connection between sleep and breast cancer, & included some sleeping tips as well. Read it here.)

Help others and build social networks

Those who are involved in their community and have strong social ties have been shown to exhibit lower blood pressure and longer life expectancies than those who do not. All the more excuse to gather up your friends and volunteer at the local animal shelter!

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I’m still pretty frightened about Alzheimer’s and brain cancers, and no amount of fish oil is going to help me find my keys, but it's a comfort knowing I have some level of control over what happens to my brain and how it operates.

If you are in need of an MRI or CT scan, or any of the other services we provide here at Clermont Radiology, give us a call today!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some salmon and blueberries to eat while I play brain games on Luminosity.

ClermontRadiology.com

The Connection Between Melatonin & Breast Cancer Treatment

A new study finds that the sleep hormones found in melatonin can make breast cancer treatment more effective. The study was conducted by Tabiz University of Medical Sciences in Iran and showed that tiny bubbles filled with melatonin were effective in making tamoxifen stronger, helping it to kill cancer cells. The bubbles are called nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs).

Another find from the university is that NLCs filled with melatonin could also be effective in keeping the cancer cells from avoiding becoming resistant to treatment. 

The main drug used in treating women diagnosed with breast cancer is tamoxifen, which stops breast cells from growing. However, tamoxifen has some severe side effects worth discussing. In addition to regular side effects including irregular menstruation, weight loss, and hot flashes, tamoxifen also can increase the risk of uterine cancer, stroke, pulmonary embolism, and can cause vision problems.

Tamofixen users also run the risk of the developing chemoresistance, which means cancer cells become resistant to it and become less effective and/or stop working altogether.

In the past, melatonin has shown that it can kill cancer cells, so the researchers on the study decided to team it with tamofixen to kill cells more effectively.

"We tried to solve both issues by putting melatonin into nanostructures so they can help the chemotherapeutic agent kill more cells," said corresponding author Dr. Nasser Samadi,from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. "By doing this, you can decrease the dose of tamoxifen needed, reducing the severity of the side effects."

A naturally occurring hormone in the body, melatonin is needed for sleep and the growth and development of different tissues. However, it is very easily broke down and needs to be taken or re-injected every few hours in order to have a constant presence in the body for it to kill cancer cells. To take advantage of this fact, the researchers on the study tested the effectiveness of melatonin as an adjuvant to tamofixen by developing the tiny bubbles, NLCs, to release melatonin slowly over a period of time. This makes it possible for the hormone to continually kills cancer cells without the patient having to take new doses.

The researchers were able to discover, through testing the structures on cells in the lab, that the NLCs filled with melatonin inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells more effectively than melatonin alone. Empty NLCs were also tested and were found to not kill breast cancer cells by themselves, although they weren’t toxic to the surrounding tissue either.

"Lots of nanostructures these days are toxic to the body or to other cells, but we found no significant toxicity in the empty NLCs. The characteristics are very suitable for applying to these kinds of treatments,” says Dr. Samadi.

Even though the study was only recently conducted and research is at a very early stage, the researchers plans to test the NLCs on other cancer cells and eventually move to clinical trials in the future.

ClermontRadiology.com

Clermont Radiology Customer Testimonial

Reviews from our patients here at Clermont Radiology are one of our favorite things to showcase on our blog. Even though we have a page that exhibits a lot of reviews from the past (which you can read here,) it is always nice when a patient expresses their support of our facility and we get to use it in a blog post. Today we have two new reviews that we received in April. Check them out below! 

A testimonial from our rating sheet –

Chris and the team were able to arrange all the references and phone calls so my husband (who was in some pain) was able to be seen. Many thanks for making it easy.

-         E. Nowos, 4/27/’16

An email from one of our clients –

Hi Charla! I sure hope that I’ve gotten your email address correct! I just want you to know that from the minute I walked in Clermont Radiology, until the moment I walked out, I was treated like a Queen!!!! WONDERFUL staff!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

-         Chris, 4/27/’16

Thank you not only to our two clients above, but to all of our patients for your positive feedback. We hold all of you in the highest regard, and because of you, we love coming to work in the morning. There is nothing more rewarding than knowing that we’re doing our very best to accommodate our patients, and it is one of the best compliments we can receive.

Be sure to head over to clermontradiology.com to schedule an appointment, or give us a call at 352.241.6100. We look forward to assisting you!

Top 5 Lake County Events in June

Concerts, food fests, and wine walks, oh my! June is definitely serving up some spectacularly fun things to do in Lake County. Summer in Florida can be unbearable sometimes, but luckily with the options below you'll have some water activities and cool Caribbean food to help you beat the heat.

The Cadillac Concert Series present The Alter Eagles

June 3, 2016

Mount Dora Community Building

520 North Baker Street

Mount Dora

Professional touring musicians come together to perform the most accurate live recreation of the Eagles music as possible. Hardcore fans of the Eagles say The Alter Eagles are just like the real deal!

Taste of the Caribbean and Jerk Festival

June 11, 2016

Clermont Waterfront Park,

100 Third Street

Clermont

You can visit the Caribbean without ever leaving Lake County! The Taste of the Caribbean and Jerk Festival will feature a jerk cook-off competition, dominoes, food and craft vendors, lives reggae, Latin, soca, calypso music, and more. Visit www.caalc.org for more info.

Mount Dora Paddle Fest
June 4, 2016

Lakeside Inn
100 North Alexander Street
Mount Dora

Now in its third year, the Mount Dora Paddle Fest invites serious racers as well as the casual paddlers out for a fun day on the lake. There will be races, eco-tours, canoe/kayak instruction, boat dealers and equipment vendors.

Final Friday Wine Walk

June 24, 2016

303 N Baker Street

Mount Dora

This monthly wine walk is hosted by Norm’s Palette, and will give you the chance to experience over 16 wines from around the world at shops like The Moderism Museum Shoppe, The Wow Factory, and Julieanne’s Coastal Cottage.

Rhythm, Blues, BBQ and Car Show

June 25^th, 2016

Berry Park, 2121 Johns Avenue

Leesburg

13^th Annual Juneteenth Celebration hosted by the West Leesburg Community Development Corporation, a Not-For-Profit in Leesburg. Enjoy classic cars, tons of delicious BBQ, and blues, at one of Lake County's favorite festivals.



ClermontRadiology.com

The Best Foods for Bone Health

Here at Clermont Radiology we offer DEXA scans, which measure bone density. Women mostly get bone density scans to check for osteoporosis, but it’s never too early to start thinking about bone health. There are plenty of foods that you think of when it comes to bone health; dairy products like cheese and milk being the major ones. They contain calcium, which is essential for bone health since calcium supports bones and teeth structure. Some dairy products also contain Vitamin D, which improves calcium absorption and bone growth. Besides dairy products, there are plenty of other foods that are great for your bones, too! Let’s take a look.

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Fish: Salmon and sardines contain a ton of calcium and Vitamin D (Salmon actually contains 100% of your daily Vitamin D needs in a 3 oz piece,) and other varieties such as mackerel and tuna also contain Vitamin D.

Eggs: Eggs don’t contain too much Vitamin D, but eating a couple is a good way to get it regardless. The Vitamin D is in the egg yolks, however, so make sure to keep them!

Spinach: One cup of cooked spinach contains 25% of your daily calcium, and also plenty of fiber, iron, and Vitamin A, as well as Vitamin K which is also essential to bone health.

Collard greens: One cup of cooked collards, like spinach, contains 25% of your daily calcium needs and plenty of Vitamin K.

Fortified cereal: A lot of cereal companies are adding calcium to their cereals, and they can give you half a day’s worth of calcium in one serving. Some also contain Vitamin D - up to 25%! Check your labels, but some of the best fortified brands are Kashi and Wheaties.

Fortified orange juice: Orange juice doesn’t naturally contain calcium or Vitamin D, but companies like Tropicana have begun including these nutrients into the orange juice. Studies have also shown that the asorbic acid in orange juice may help with calcium absorption. 

Tofu and soybeans: One half cup of firm tofu fortified with calcium gets you 20 percent of the daily recommendation for calcium. It’s also protein packed, and delicious when stir fried with any sauce! Tofu’s counterpart, soybeans, are also packed with calcium and magnesium.

Almonds: Another great nutrient needed for bone health is magnesium. 24 almonds will provide 20 percent of your daily magnesium needs as well as being a great source of healthy fats, but be careful – they’re also high in calories. One ounce is 160 calories!

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These are just a few of the foods that you can look for when concerned about your bone health. Be sure to maintain a well rounded diet, and if you are in need of a bone density DEXA scan, be sure to contact us here at Clermont Radiology.

ClermontRadiology.com

The Connection Between Sleep and Breast Cancer

A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine states that women who sleep for shorter periods and experience frequent snoring before being diagnosed with breast cancer may have a lower chance of survival.

Around 246,660 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the U.S. this year, and more than 40,000 of those women will die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.

There have been plenty of studies over the years that link sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality to higher cancer risks, and this study is no different. The authors of the study note “the relationship between sleep and cancer outcomes has not been well characterized.”

The study involved 21,230 women who were part of the Women’s Health Initiative, which is a longitudinal study of postmenopausal women, and the researchers assessed whether or not certain sleep characteristics have any impact of the breast cancer survival rate of women.

At the time of the study, the women had all been diagnosed with primary cancer, which is cancer that has not spread beyond the primary site. The women took surveys on their sleep habits, so the research team was able to compare the sleep data with the women’s cancer outcomes in order to figure out whether cancer survival is influenced by sleep deprivation.

The study concluded that women with breast cancer who snored more than 5 nights a week and slept for less than 6 hours each night were at least two times more likely to die from the disease, compared to the women who rarely snored and slept for 7 to 8 hours each night.

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How to Get More Sleep

It is recommended for adults to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, but most adults have a problem getting within the recommended range. So how can we fix this? Below are some tried and true ways to improve not only the amount of sleep you get, but your quality of sleep, as well.

-          Stick to a sleep schedule: When you stick to the same bedtime every day, even on the weekends, it regulates your body’s clock so that you’re able to fall asleep faster and sleep sounder.

-          Don’t take naps if you have trouble sleeping.

-          Exercise daily, preferably vigorous exercise if possible.

-          Keep your room cool – between 60 and 67 degrees.

-          Keep your room noise free and light free. Things like blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, “white noise” machines, humidifiers, and fans can help.

-          Practice a relaxing ritual like taking a warm bath, sipping chamomile tea, or reading. Whatever relaxes you can help!

-          Make sure your mattress and pillows are comfortable and supportive.

-          Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, heavy meals and caffeine in the evening. A general rule is to avoid eating  large meals two to three hours before bedtime.

-          For some people, electronics make it harder to fall asleep, so avoid getting onto your laptop or phone if you are about to go to bed.

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      If you still have trouble sleeping, consider seeing a sleep professional. You want your breast cancer risks to be as low as possible. And don’t forget to get your annual mammogram – call us today to schedule your appointment.

ClermontRadiology.com