Connections to health and fitness

We've scoured the Web to bring you the best in health information. We looked for sites chock full of good information, while being watchful for well-designed and easy-to-use pages. As we find new and usable sites, we'll link them in

Healthfinder
http://www.healthfinder.gov
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers Healthfinder, a government gateway for health information. It brings under one umbrella the vast resources of the federal government and its partners. Healthfinder also has information in Spanish and has added an entire directory for alternative medicine.

WellnessWeb
http://wellweb.com
To find information quickly and easily on a specific disease or health-related topic, check the conventional medicine section of WellnessWeb. An alphabetized list links to background information on the chosen topic or a related organization's homepage.

Medpatients Network
www.medpatients.com/welcome.htm
An index of general topic areas leads to background information and related links on health topics from AIDS and diabetes, to sexual health and senior health. Also includes on-line discussion forums.

NUTRITION

Ask the Dietitian
www.dietitian.com
Registered dietitian Joanne Larsen uses a Q&A format to provide information on a range of nutrition topics. An alphabetized list lets browsers choose their area of interest, from general topics (children's nutrition, food safety) to specific vitamins and food issues.

Food Finder
www.olen.com/food
Food Finder may be an unpopular site for people who believe "what I don't know won't hurt me." The simple fill-in-the-blanks screen lets you find the calories, fat, sodium and cholesterol contents of over 1,000 fast-food items.

PHYS: "Nutrition for Normal People"
www.phys.com
Produced by Conde Nast with nutrition information and articles pulled from their women's magazines. The site covers tips for healthy eating (curbing late-night snacking, stress-busting foods, etc.), insight on dieting, understanding food labels, and more. Includes a tool for calculating a person's ideal weight, body fat percentage, health risks, daily nutritional requirements, etc. Its "Personal Nutritionist" provides feedback on user's ideal diet or current diet. The site also includes an excellent encyclopedia of nutrients, preservatives and other additives.

FITNESS

Fitness Files
http://rcc.webpoint.com/fitness
A fun site with more depth than immediately apparent. Broken into four categories:
-- Fitness Fundamentals: Basic stretches and exercises, fitness facts and myths, plus, a tools to calculate target heart rate, flexibility and strength.
-- Get Active: personalized calorie-burning calculations for different sports. A questionnaire for finding the right sport for you.
-- The Injurenet: preventing injuries, treating minor injuries and exercises for the office.
-- Fuel for Fitness: calculates calories and fat of what you eat, provides details on the "food pyramid," understanding food labels and foods to avoid.

DISEASES/DISORDERS

American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org
Information on the prevention, detection and treatment of various cancers, plus statistics. Easy to read and navigate. Excellent selection of links to other organizations, government sites and newsgroups.

American Council for Headache Education
www.achenet.org
Good information on the numerous types of headaches and their causes and treatments.

WOMEN'S HEALTH/REPRODUCTION

Olen Interactive Pregnancy Calendar
www.olen.com/baby/
A fascinating day-by-day customized calendar of a pregnancy -- created by self-described computer geeks -- providing details of the baby's development from conception to birth. Plug in the estimated conception date, and keep track of what's going on inside the womb, including what the fetus experiences as it grows. Also gives suggestions for exercise, diet, background reading, and more.

Atlanta Reproductive Health Center WWW
www.ivf.com
Created by a hospital that hopes you'll use its services, this site nevertheless provides comprehensive, general information on infertility problems, contraception, sexually transmitted diseases, birthing options, breastfeeding, and other issues related to women's health.

CHILDREN'S HEALTH

KidsHealth.org
http://kidshealth.org
A well-designed, comprehensive site, divided into sections for kids, parents and health professionals. The parents' section contains information on 50 types of childhood infections (from cold and flu, to mumps and strep throat), their symptoms, home treatment, and when to call a doctor. Also includes links to associations and support groups for various diseases and disorders, tips on food and auto safety, information on childhood topics like bedwetting and immunizations, and nutrition basics for kids.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Alternative Health News Online
www.altmedicine.com
A comprehensive site with an open-minded but low-hype attitude toward alternative and natural ways of health. Sections on Diet/Nutrition, Mind/Body Control, Alternative Medical Systems, Manual Healing, Longevity, and Healthy Living link to the latest articles from general and medical publications. The site's archive contains short summaries of recent studies and reports on a wide variety of topics, with relevant links.

MENTAL HEALTH

National Institute of Mental Health
www.nimh.nih.gov
This plain-looking site provides an easy way to learn about mental illnesses, from depression and anxiety disorders, to learning disabilities and Alzheimer's disease. (Click on the heading "Public Information," then "Information on Specific Mental Disorders.") While it provides virtually no links for additional information, it does provide addresses and phone numbers of related organizations and support groups.

MISCELLANEOUS

The QuitNet (smoking cessation)
www.quitnet.org/index.html
Created by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, this site features interactive tools and questionnaires, quitting guides, a library of information and and online support system.

Researched and compiled by Brenda Biondo

Additional links and organization phone numbers from Chinese medicine to the Pet First Aid link.