You’ll find information on weight training, personal training, and cardio for all ages. We have exercises you can do at home on your own for general health or rehab of an injury or illness.

Whatever the level of fitness you’re seeking, we have something for you! You can find information by category or by using the search box at the top of each page. We have tags to help you find related articles. When we find good resources to help you learn more, we provide links to their site to help you in your quest for good health.

For more information about fitness

For more information on nutrition contact the following organizations:

Steps to a HealthierUS, HHS
Internet address: http://www.healthierus.gov

Weight Control Information Network, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, HHS
Internet address: http://win.niddk.nih.gov

Food and Nutrition Information Center, USDA
Internet address: http://www.nutrition.gov

MyPyramid.gov, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Internet address: http://www.mypyramid.gov

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Internet address: http://www.fitness.gov

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Information Center (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, HHS
Internet address: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov

Food and Drug Administration (FDA), HHS
Internet address: http://www.fda.gov

American Society of Bariatric Physicians
Internet address: http://www.asbp.org/siterun_data/

International Food Information Council
Internet address: http://www.ific.org

Studies now show that whether you will be overweight is likely determined during your first year when your eating habits are developed. As a parent, starting your kids with healthy eating habits makes them less likely to become overweight. And, it’s never too late to change unhealthy eating habits!

Seniors often have the opposite problems with nutrition—not getting enough to eat. And what they do eat is not healthy for them. It’s much harder to cook for one than to cook for a family, not to mention eating alone isn’t nearly as social.

Whether you’re wanting to lose weight, gain weight, or just stay the same, we have something for you! You can find information by category or by using the search box at the top of each page. We have tags to help you find related articles. When we find good resources to help you learn more, we provide links to their site to help you in your quest for good health.

Don’t forget to check out the fitness category—fitness and nutrition go hand-in-hand!

For more information about Nutrition

For more information on nutrition contact the following organizations:

Steps to a HealthierUS, HHS
Internet address: http://www.healthierus.gov

Weight Control Information Network, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, HHS
Internet address: http://win.niddk.nih.gov

Food and Nutrition Information Center, USDA
Internet address: http://www.nutrition.gov

MyPyramid.gov, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Internet address: http://www.mypyramid.gov

The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Internet address: http://www.fitness.gov

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Information Center (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health, HHS
Internet address: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov

Food and Drug Administration (FDA), HHS
Internet address: http://www.fda.gov

American Society of Bariatric Physicians
Internet address: http://www.asbp.org/siterun_data/

International Food Information Council
Internet address: http://www.ific.org

Whatever you information you find our site is for education only. THE INFORMATION IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NEVER TAKE THE PLACE OF YOUR DOCTOR’S ADVICE TO YOU. By using the information on this website, including all purchases and free materials, you agree to our Copyright, Legal Notice and Disclaimer.

We’ll help you get through many of the “normal” high stress events in your life like losing your job, a pet or a family member. We’ll even help out with the good stresses like getting married and having a baby.

Start by:

• Learning all you can about your health problem or symptoms. Search for symptoms or illness if you think you have an idea of what the problem may be.
• Keep written notes about the treatments you do at home—like a list of medicines, temperature records, blood pressure records.
• Make notes about any changes you see after your treatments—did you notice a rash or hives from a medicine, did your temperature go down.
• Decide when you should call your doctor. At the first sign of a problem, make sure you know the availability of your doctor at all times. Keep his office hours and phone number handy. Have a plan in case your doctor cannot see you or it is after hours.

We have lots of practical information here for learning about what ails you and how serious it might be. You can find information by category or by using the search box at the top of each page. We have tags to help you find related articles. When we find good resources to help you learn more, we provide links to their site to help you in your quest for good health.

Whatever you information you find our site is for education only. THE INFORMATION IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NEVER TAKE THE PLACE OF YOUR DOCTOR’S ADVICE TO YOU. By using the information on this website, including all purchases and free materials, you agree to our Copyright, Legal Notice and Disclaimer.

The quality of the health care you receive depends as much on you as it does your doctor. In order to become a patient advocate for yourself and your family you need to do 3 things:

• Develop skills for obtaining the right medical or surgical care.Make sure you know what type of doctor is best for the care you need. As soon as you notice a problem start keeping records of symptoms . Keep written records about when, how long, was there pain and if so how much. Have your symptoms gotten better or worse, what makes your symptoms better or worse?
• Share in every medical decision made by your health care team. Don’t just blindly go through tests and treatment. Understand what the tests should find and what the treatment should do so you can help eliminate unnecessary costs and get on the right treatment more quickly.
• Become a partner with your heath care team. This means working together toward the same goal and learning how to communicate so you reach that goal without spending too much time and money. If you have a chronic illness, make sure you tell your doctor about any new symptoms or changes—for better or worse—of current symptoms.

The information on this site is meant to help you better communicate with your health care team by being able to describe your situation better or better understand what your doctor has prescribed for you. You must become a health advocate for yourself and your family. You can find information by category or by using the search box at the top of each page. We have tags to help you find related articles. When we find good resources to help you learn more, we provide links to their site to help you in your quest for good health.

Your first thoughts may be about how to get out of the surgery and you may be asking yourself whether you really need the surgery. Let’s look at the different categories of surgery. If you don’t know which category your surgery is in ask your surgeon.

Optional Surgery

This is surgery that you choose to have. It is not necessary for your health, but you just want it. Usually, optional surgery is for cosmetic reasons such as a face lift or tummy tuck. Keep in mind that not all cosmetic surgery is optional. Examples include:

• liposuction
• breast implant
• tattoo removal
• nose reshaping

Elective

This surgery also has an element of choice, but less choice than optional. These surgery include corrective procedures that if left alone would not cause worsening of your condition or cause complications later. That means, if you elect not to have the surgery, things will stay the way the are and you will just live with the problem. An example would be vasectomy or tubal ligation. Elective surgery also includes cosmetic surgery that most people think should be corrected but there is no medical or health reason for it. Examples include:

• bunion removal
• dental enhancements
• cataract removal
• removing birthmarks

Necessary

When surgery is necessary, it’s your doctor’s job to try to talk you into the surgery. Even so, no one can make you have surgery. The choice is entirely up to you. Delaying this type surgery usually results in your condition getting worse. But you will likely have time to discuss the issues and get ready for surgery. Most surgery falls into this category. Examples include:

• meniscectomy
• knee replacement or hip replacement
• gallbladder removal
• hernia repair
• breast biopsy

Essential

Essential surgery is similar to elective but has more urgency. That is, if you don’t have the surgery right away, your condition could worsen quickly. Not having the surgery could mean sudden deterioration or even sudden death. Once diagnosed, there is no argument as to whether you should or should not have the surgery. You really have no choice, but you have the legal right to refuse it.Examples include:

• heart or kidney transplant
• heart valve replacement
• coronary artery bypass
• appendectomy

Emergency

Emergency surgery is always urgent and sometimes needed to save your life. It’s needed when vital functions are threatened from heart, circulation or brain problems. Or when there is a risk of overwhelming infection or poisoning. Severe bleeding is a common need for emergency surgery.

You should now be able to determine which type of surgery you are considering and which ones give you time to decide and which ones you should act right away on. Also, don’t hesitate to change your mind about having optional or elective surgery, especially if the risks outweigh the benefits.

Below is a list of surgeons and a link to the general types of surgery they perform.

• Cardiovascular (Heart) Surgery
• Colorectal Surgery
• Gastroenterology Surgery
• General Surgery
• Neurosurgery (Brain Surgery)
• OB/GYN (Obstetrician/Gynecologist) Female Surgery
• Ophthalmology Surgery
• Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Surgery
• Otolaryngology Surgery
• Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery
• Podiatry Surgery
• Thoracic Surgery
• Urology Surgery
• Vascular Surgery

Not sure what kind of surgeon you need—see our list of surgeries and what kind of surgeon does that operation?