It seems everywhere you turn nowadays, somebody�s sick. Emergency rooms and doctor�s-office waiting rooms are overflowing with business. With no control over those around you who are suffering from health issues, maintaining your optimum health level is of paramount importance. And if you do become ill, it�s important to make informed choices. The Internet is overflowing with practical resources, expert advice, and online support for people who resolve to improve their health and, in turn, spend less time sitting in doctors� offices and emergency rooms.

When you want to know, WebMD.com is the place to go. WebMD provides valuable health information, tools for managing your health, and support for those who seek information. You can trust that their content is timely and credible. That information includes a comprehensive drug and herb database, articles about diseases and medical conditions, up-to-date information about clinical trials, and copious news and commentary relating to current events in the medical world. The site also features live chats, includes newsletters on more than 35 subjects, assists users with finding doctors and health insurance, and provides the means for recording your medical profile and health history.

MayoClinic.org is another great go-to medical website. Owned by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, this site has the expertise of more than 3,300 physicians, scientists and researchers from Mayo Clinic. Here one can find in-depth, easy-to-understand information on hundreds of diseases and conditions, drugs and supplements, tests and procedures. It also offers a convenient �Symptom Checker� tool and �First-Aid Guide� for fast answers to all types of health questions, along with medical blogs, expert answers, videos and links to additional resources.

MedicineNet.com is a big player in the field of accredited medical websites. MedicineNet provides easy-to-read, in-depth, authoritative medical information for consumers via its robust, user-friendly, interactive website. Founded in 1996, MedicineNet has a highly accomplished, uniquely experienced team of qualified executives in the fields of medicine, healthcare, Internet technology, and business to bring you the most comprehensive, sought-after healthcare information anywhere. Nationally recognized, doctor-produced by a network of more than 70 U.S. board-certified physicians, MedicineNet is also a trusted source for online health and medical information.

For information specifically on cancer, these are good websites to visit: American Cancer Society cancer.org, National Cancer Institute cancer.gov, Association of Cancer Online Resources acor.org and Cancer Care cancercare.org.

Good heart disease websites are: American Heart Association heart.org, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute www. nhlbi.nih.gov and Congenital Heart Information Network tchin.org.

Diabetes information can be found at: American Diabetes Association diabetes.org, National Diabetes Education Program ndep.nih.gov, Joslin Diabetes Center www.joslin. harvard.edu, and Diabetes Monitor diabetesmonitor. com.

Drugs.com is a useful website to have bookmarked on your smartphone or computer. Drugs.com is the largest, most widely visited, independent medicine-information website available on the Internet. The website presents independent, objective, comprehensive and up-to-date information in a clear and concise format for consumers and healthcare professionals. Here, it�s easy to identify your medication or check for drug interactions. The site features a comprehensive list of drugs �from A to Z,� as well as drugs that can be searched by class or condition. Look up side effects, pregnancy warnings, inactive ingredients, and dosage instructions for any drug. There is also a whole section on medical news and alerts containing up-to-date drug and medicinal information.

It�s also important to choose the right healthcare provider. At RateMDs.com, patients leave ratings for doctors with a scoring system. Here, you can find a specialist near you, and can even search for doctors of specific genders, ones who are highly rated, or ones who are currently accepting new patients. It�s that easy. You can see when the doctor was last reviewed, number of ratings, average rating, educational background, hospital affiliations, and languages spoken. The site also includes a link to the state board of medicine for further information on specific doctors. Vitals.com and Health Grades.com are websites that are very similar to RateMDs. com.

As Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe so eloquently said, �Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through these eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded.�

And, although there is no substitute for seeking the diagnostic opinion of a medical professional, remember that browsing one health website a day might just keep the doctor away.