Health Topics

General  - There are numerous resources to promote health and prevent disease.  This is a listing of some of the most respected sites for health information.

Alcohol use   - Alcohol use is very common in our society. Drinking alcohol has immediate effects that can increase the risk of many harmful health conditions.

Aging  - Health information specifically for older adults. 

Arthritis  - If you feel pain and stiffness in your body or have trouble moving around, you might have arthritis.

Blood pressure   - Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries.  Did you know that nearly 1 in 3 American adults have high blood pressure?  Many adults who have high blood pressure do not know it.

Cancer  - breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, oral, prostate, skin - Cancer is a group of diseases that cause abnormal cells to grow quickly and spread, causing problems.

Cholesterol  - Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the body.  Your body needs some cholesterol, but if you have too much in your blood, it can stick to the walls of your arteries and cause blockages.

Dental health   - It's important to take care of your mouth and teeth. If you don't, you could have problems with your teeth and gums.

Depression  - Depression is a real, treatable and common illness.  Depression affects how we think, feel and act.

Diabetes  - Type 2 diabetes develops when the body does not properly use insulin.   In response, the pancreas produces more insulin.  Over time, the pancreas will not make enough insulin for the body's needs.  This results in increased amounts of glucose in the blood. 

Flu  - The flu is a highly contagious infection caused by a virus.  It is one of the most severe illnesses of the winter season.  The flu virus causes fever, chills, cough, sore throat, muscle aches and fatigue.  In older adults, the flu can be life-threatening.  Each year more than 36,000 Americans die from complications of the flu.

Healthy eating   - Good nutrition is vital to good health and disease prevention.  Also included in this section are resources on Farmer's Markets.

Heart disease   - Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. Almost 700,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. each year.  Heart disease is a term that includes several types of heart conditions.

Hepatitis  - Hepatitis is a swelling of the liver that makes it stop working well. It can lead to scarring, called cirrhosis, or to cancer.   Your liver helps your body digest food, store energy and removes poisons.

HIV/AIDS  - HIV is a virus. Unlike other viruses, HIV never goes away.  This virus attacks a person's immune system.   As a result, the immune system becomes deficient and doesn't work properly.

Immunizations / Vaccines   - Vaccines protect you and others around you from infectious diseases.  Each year, more than 46,000 adults die from diseases that could have been prevented with a vaccine.  This includes the flu.

Men's health   - Health topics specific to men.

Osteoporosis  - Bone is living tissue.  Each day, the body builds and breaks down bone.  Osteoporosis causes problems with new bone being built.  As a result, bones become thinner and more fragile, and can break more easily.

Physical activity   - Being active is good for you. The numerous benefits of physical activity include: reducing the risk of heart disease, reducing  the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, helping with weight control, helping manage stress and more. 

Safety  - A variety of resources on automobile safety and personal safety.

Sexually transmitted diseases   - Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections that you can get from having sex with someone who has an infection.  There are more than 20 types of STDs caused by bacteria, parasites and viruses.

Tobacco use   - Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death in the US.  Smoking harms nearly every major organ in the body.  Tobacco smoke contains at  least 60 known cancer-causing substances.

Weight - Overweight and obesity are terms for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height.  Being overweight or obese have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems.

Women's health   - Health topics specific to women.