Nursing Degree Guide

Are you putting on weight despite your best efforts at eating well and staying fit? There are few things more frustrating than working hard and not seeing results. But don’t lose hope. There could be more culprits at play that are keeping you from achieving your weight loss goals. Here are a few weight gain factors you should pay attention to.

Medications

Some medications may help you out greatly but have side effects that cause you to put on weight. Remember, even if you do suspect your medication is the problem behind your weight gain, never stop taking it without consulting your doctor.

1. Steroids. Steroids such as prednisone, often given to suppress inflammation caused by arthritis, skin rashes and asthma, can cause you to retain more water than you should and in effect put on weight.
2. Antidepressants. If you’re on an SSRI like Prozac or Zoloft, you may be experiencing one of the common side effects, which is weight gain. These medications can decrease your metabolic rate or can cause hormonal changes leading to greater hunger.
3. Diabetes medications. Diabeta and Diabinese, two medications often prescribed to diabetics, cause sometimes cause weight gain. Be aware, however, that other drugs prescribed for diabetes like Symlin can actually cause you to lose weight.
4. Heartburn treatments. Those suffering from horrible acid reflux can often find solace in a heartburn medication like Prevacid and Nexium. These drugs can sometimes cause slight weight gain though in some individuals they react differently, causing a weight loss.
5. Birth control. If you’ve just begun taking birth control and you notice you’ve put on a few pounds, the pill could be the cause. However, weight gain associated with the pill is rarely over a few pounds and should be fairly slight.
6. Migraine relievers. Migraines can totally sidetrack your day but they may also be sidetracking your diet. Some medications can cause weight gain, so ask your doctor if you can switch to a different brand which might have less of an effect.
7. Seizure preventatives. There are several medications out there that can help seizure sufferers but some may cause weight gain, while others like Zonegran can be weight neutral or assist in weight loss.

Lifestyle

Small changes in the way you live or elements of your daily life may be to blame for your weight gain.

8. Going on vacation. If you’ve just gotten back from vacation and noticed you’ve put on a few pounds, you’re not alone. Studies have shown that people often throw good eating habits out the window when they’re on a break, so give yourself a few weeks to get back into the habit of eating right and you’re likely to see the gain go away.
9. Working too much. Being a workaholic can not only stress you out and lead to weight gain, but it’s more than likely requiring that you spend hours in front of a computer screen, not moving much. This inactivity can cause you to burn few calories than usual and put on a few pounds over time.
10. Lack of sleep. As odd as it may seem, not getting enough sleep could be a major reason that you’re putting on weight. When you’re tired your body can’t function as it normally would and begins storing more fat.
11. Stress. Whether you’re stressed about a job, home life or something else, you could be setting yourself up to put on more weight. Our bodies react to stress by slowing down and storing more energy, anticipating hard times ahead.
12. Relying on “low fat” foods. Don’t fall for the low fat packaging on many supposedly healthy foods. Many of these foods contain just as many calories as their high fat counterparts and aren’t really all that healthy at all.
13. Not eating enough fiber. Studies have shown the fiber creates a feeling of fullness and satisfaction when eating that can cause you to eat less. If you feel like you just can’t get full, try switching to a higher fiber diet.
14. Too much high fructose corn syrup. A major ingredient in many sweet treats, this syrupy substance can also be a contributor to weight gain. Your body uses fructose more like a fat than it does glucose, another sugar, which it uses more as an energy source.
15. Drinking too much soda. While it may help perk you up when you’re dragging after lunch, too much soda can help you to pack on the pounds. Containing loads of high fructose corn syrup not to mention calories, soda can be a quiet culprit in weight gain, so if you can’t give it up at least try switching to diet.
16. Friends who are overeaters. If you find that when you go out to dinner with your friends that they encourage you to eat more than you should you may be putting on weight that you could otherwise avoid. That doesn’t mean you have to avoid these friends, just do things that don’t involve eating or be firm about being full.
17. Paying with credit cards at dinner. Studies by major credit card companies have shown that people are inclined to order more food when they are paying by credit card rather than with cash. Keep your hungry eyes from wandering by paying for your meals with paper rather than plastic.
18. Not eating enough. Oddly enough, starving yourself may have the opposite effect than what you desire, at least at first. When your body is starving it will slow down your metabolism and store energy, causing food to stick around longer. So eat right instead of just eating less.
19. Quitting smoking. Some people find that they pack on a few pounds after they quit smoking. Of course, this shouldn’t be a deterrent to quitting as the health benefits of not smoking far outweigh the costs of a few pounds. Just work to compensate for the change by adjusting your diet and lifestyle.
20. Small lifestyle changes. Sometimes your life with undergo small changes that you may not even be aware of related to your eating habits and fitness. Think hard about something that could have changed in your life that would be causing a weight gain.
21. Settling into a relationship. The old stereotype may be true, being in love can cause you to put on more weight. If you notice that you may be a little less conscious about what you eat nowadays, try to get your sweetie involved as well and make it a dual effort to stay fit and sexy.
22. Portion size. Just because something is put in front of you doesn’t mean you have to eat it. You may not realize you’re eating far too much due to simply being served more, so watch what you’re eating.
23. Spending too much time at the bar. Beer and mixed drinks can form a sneaky way for calories to creep into your diet. If you’ve been drinking more than usual your liquid diet could be to blame for your weight gain.
24. Feeling guilty. Many people feel guilty about putting on weight and get depressed, sometimes giving up or emotionally eating instead. Don’t beat yourself up over a few pounds, just try to do better in the future.
25. Skipping meals. Skipping meals can slow down your metabolism and cause you to overeat when you do actually sit down to a meal. So space your meals throughout the day to avoid meal related weight gain.
26. Eating too fast. You may be starving, but slow down and take time to enjoy your meal. It will give your body a chance to register that it’s full before you eat too much.
27. Not intensifying your workout routine. You may be working out, but are you working hard enough? Over time you need to ramp up your workout routine to get the same effect, so make sure you’re not just working out in name alone.

General Physical Factors

Look to these things for possible explanations of strange weight gain.

28. Menopause. Menopause causes many changes in the body, one possible one being a redistribution of weight in the body, moving from the hips to the midsection. Hormonal changes can also trigger greater appetite, poor sleep and depression.
29. Food allergies. Some food allergies, even mild ones, may be causing you to put on weight. As odd as it may sound, when you eat these foods you’re allergic to it can cause an addictive effect, making you crave the food even when you’re full.
30. Aging. Most people, as they age, feel their metabolisms beginning to slow down. If you’re not feeling that its as easy to lose weight as it used to be, take this into account and start working at a program that better reflects your new needs.
31. Depression. While depression can cause a loss of appetite in some people it can also cause an increase in others. Many eat to fill the sadness they are feeling. This emotional eating is harmful to both your mental and psychical health, so seek medical treatment if you think that this is the case for your weight gain.
32. Getting a cold. New studies suggest that getting a cold may actually cause you to gain weight. Certain viruses seem to increase the number of cells that develop into fat, causing a marked increase in weight over time.
33. Inflammation. Many lifestyle factors including stress, smoking and lack of sleep can contribute to inflammation and certain foods can have an inflammatory effect as well. This can lead to weight gains where you feel there should be none.
34. Your genes. While we are all responsible for our own choices, to some degree our ability to lose and maintain weight is determined by our genes. Some people will need to work harder to lose the pounds than others and will be fighting against their natural propensity for weight gain.
35. Building muscle. If you’ve been working out a lot and find that you’ve actually put on weight, don’t freak out. It could just be that you’ve put on muscle weight and are healthier than you were before, despite the increased weight.
36. Pregnancy. While this may be somewhat obvious, pregnancy is a reason for unexplained weight gain and unless you’re entirely sure it’s not the reason for yours don’t completely discount it– many pregnancies are unexpected surprises.
37. Water retention. Most women are familiar with the bloating that can happen when their menstrual cycles are on the horizon but there are times when this water weight gain can be more serious can caused by kidney or heart failure so it’s important to get unexplained water retention checked out.

Disease and Illness

You may be aware you have one of these conditions or just think you might, but it could be the source of your weight gain.

38. Thyroid problems. A common but sometimes undiagnosed cause of weight gain is hypothyroidism. It causes a deficiency in the thyroid hormones leading to fatigue, weight gain and slowed metabolism though much of the weight loss associated with its regulation comes from loss of accumulated body fluids.
39. Cushing’s syndrome. This syndrome is caused by an excess of the hormone cortisol in the body, the same one that’s released when you’re feeling stressed, and causes your body to react in much the same way it would to stress, storing energy and putting on weight.
40. Essential Fatty Acid Deficiency. Essential fatty acids, such as in flaxseed oil, help our bodies to manufacture hormones and maintain a good metabolism. Deficiencies in these can cause cravings for unhealthy foods and metabolic problems and over time, weight gain.
41. Kidney disease. One of the symptoms of kidney disease can be weight gain due to fluid retention. If you’re noticing an especially large amount of bloating without a particular reason, head to your doctor as soon as you can to rule out this serious condition.
42. Heart trouble. An sign of heart trouble may actually be weight gain. This can be caused by your body retaining more fluid than usual. If you can push your fingertip into the skin and it leaves a mark rather than springing back you’re retaining water and should head to the doctor.
43. Blood sugar imbalances. Eating simple carbs can cause rapid fluctuations in blood sugar which in turn can cause more cravings for sugary foods as your body struggles to maintain a balance.
44. Ovarian cysts. Women should look out for polycystic ovary syndrome. It can potentially cause a weight gain of up to 30 pounds over a period of years and over goes unnoticed because it’s so gradual. Doctors are unsure why exactly it causes weight gain but have noted that it appears to be genetic, so get checked out if you know a family member who’s had it.
45. Tumors. In women, sometimes rapid, unexplained weight gain can be associated with ovarian tumors. Many of these are benign, but if left unchecked can grow to huge proportions.
46. Liver dysfunction. Problems with the liver can often be associated with weight gain. Your body may start retaining excess fluid and you will notice a little tightness around your waistline even though you have little appetite. If you suspect this is the reason for your weight gain get to the doctor ASAP.
47. Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia often causes weight gain as it causes hormonal imbalances, affecting levels of cortisol, thyroid, serotonin and insulin, as well as the production of growth hormones. This means your metabolism can slow down and you can put on weight.
48. Breast cancer treatments. Women undergoing chemotherapy treatments for breast cancer may find that they are packing on a few extra pounds. This phenomenon is not yet understood, but shouldn’t be a major cause for alarm if treatment is going well.
49. Adrenal dysfunction. Dysfunctions in the adrenal glands can lead to imbalances in your body’s hormones, upsetting your metabolism and natural balance. Sometimes, this can lead to a noticeable gain in weight.
50. Sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can prevent you from getting a truly restful nights sleep and because of this lack of sleep leave you feeling unrested, stressed out and irritable. Not getting enough sleep can lead to the slowing of your metabolism and sometimes cravings for less than healthy foods.

By Laura Milligan

Nutritionists have a wealth of tools available to them to help their businesses grow, connect them to clients and research diet plans, nutrition data and more. Whether you manage your own consulting business for clients around the country or you’re just trying to break into the industry and learn more about education options and nutrition advocacy, you’ll find what you need to spread the word about safe, healthy eating.

Calorie Counters

From determining how many calories someone needs to maintain their weight to figuring out how many calories are burned during a workout, use these calorie calculators.

1. Calorie Calculator - Daily Caloric Needs: Find out how many calories you need to consume everyday based on your age, weight, eight, exercise level and sex.
2. Stevens Creek Calorie Calculator: Type in your weight, age, sex and activity levels to find out how many calories you burn and how many you need to intake each day.
3. Tool: Calorie Calculator: Use the Mayo Clinic’s simple calorie calculator to get an estimate of how many calories you need to maintain your weight.
4. Calorie Calculator: Type in the food items you consume to figure out how many calories and fat grams you’re consuming.
5. Activity Calorie Calculator: Fill in your weight and the amount of time you want to spend exercising. This calculator then shows you how many calories you can burn doing various exercises for that amount of time.
6. Calories Burned Estimator: Learn how many calories your active clients burn doing various activities using this calculator.
7. Calorie Calculator: Find out how many calories you burn doing the ski machine, weight lifting, aerobics, golf, tennis and more.
8. Diet Power 4.4: This software program manages your calories in a Calorie Bank, which contains data for 21,000 foods.
9. Adult Energy Needs and BMI Calculator: Help adult clients figure out their needed caloric intake here.
10. Fat and Calorie Calculator: The Food Network’s calculator estimates how many calories are in foods like meatloaf, chicken, grapes and more.

Nutrition Information and News

Get information on the food pyramid, nutrition facts labels and more here.

11. What’s In Food: Help your clients better understand carbohydrates, sodium, antioxidants and other food ingredients with these charts and guides.
12. My Pyramid e-Catalog: This tool connects teachers and nutritionists to education materials about the Food Pyramid.
13. Nutrition Facts and Information Center: Look up information on vitamins, nutrients, minerals the Food Pyramid, nutrition needs and more on this site.
14. Nutrition Information and Resource Center: Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences provides this resources, full of information about food science, nutrition for chronic disease and more.
15. Learn to Read Food Labels: This diagram can be a good refresher for you or for your clients
16. Nutrition Data Sheets: Enter a product ID number or product description to get the nutrition data on practically any food.
17. Vegetable Nutrition Data: Quickly look up nutrition information for vegetables like celery, onion, potatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, okra, bell peppers and more.
18. Pizza Hut Nutrition Calculator: The next time one of your client’s wants to skip a healthy option in favor of Pizza Hut, show them this calculator.
19. The Lowdown on Nutrition Data: Direct your clients to this page if they want more information on proteins, the relation of sleep to nutrition and more.
20. Vitamins and Mineral Supplements: This very detailed article and chart goes over nutrition deficiencies and the benefits of different vitamins and minerals.

Government Resources and Guides

Turn to Nutrition.gov and similar government resources to learn about advocacy campaigns, weight loss programs and more.

21. Nutrition.gov: This website features a “What’s in Food” section, weight management tools and guides, and plenty of information about the campaign to help Americans lose weight.
22. Eat Smart. Play Hard: This resources is marketed for teachers, but anyone trying to get adults or kids to eat healthy and exercise can use the materials as part of their lesson.
23. Food Safety Information: The USDA site has news stories, guides for food preparation and more for safe and healthy eating.
24. Healthy Meals Resource System: Nutritionists with children as clients can use this resource to find materials that promote healthy eating, menu planning, and more.
25. National Agricultural Library: This index quickly connects you to all kinds of nutrition and health information, from binge eating to child nutrition to vegetarian nutrition.
26. How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label: Teach your clients how to read the nutrition facts label when they’re at the grocery store by using this tool.
27. Nutrition: This nutrition center from MedLine Plus features basic information on nutrients, tips for eating healthy, and lots of news stories and articles about nutrition.
28. Fruits and Veggies Matter: This government campaign features materials for figuring out portion size, healthy recipes and benefits of eating fruits and veggies.
29. Nutrition Resources for Health Professionals: Find data and statistics, nutrition plans, reports and recommendations, fact sheets and more.
30. Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Make sure your diet plans adhere to this system.

Tools for Your Clients

Refer your clients to these web tools that help them keep track of their diet, learn about menu planning, and setting goals.

31. My Health Record: Lifeclinic’s tool organizes your personal health records, family records, cholesterol measurements, weight and more.
32. NutritionData: Clients can use this site to log their calorie consumption and create menu plans.
33. Food and Nutrition: TeensHealth’s archive of nutrition articles includes titles like “5 Reasons to Pack Your Lunch,” “A Guide to Eating for Sports,” and “Hunger and Malnutrition.”
34. Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid Tool: Whether you want to lose weight or maintain your current weight, this tool can help clients figure out how to make the most of the food pyramid.
35. MealsMatter: Set up an account here to track meals, menu plans, a personal nutrition planner and more.
36. America on the Move: Join this program to access tools like the daily activity log, step counter, weekly chef videos, Cut 100 Calories tool and more.
37. Look at 300 Calories: To give your clients a better perspective on portion size, show them this diagram.
38. MyPyramid Game: Build your own food pyramid based on your activity levels.
39. Calcium Quiz: Take this quiz to find out if you’re getting enough calcium.
40. My Fitness Planner: Track your fitness goals and your activity levels here.

Organization and Tracking

This list includes tools that are useful for nutritionists and their clients, from avoiding weekend diet traps to managing health calculators to maintaining an online food diary.

41. free dieting: This weight loss guide has loads of tools, including health calculators, fitness and workout programs, tips for losing weight and more.
42. NutriBase: This software program can be a great tool for clients and nutritionists, as it allows you to track menu items, find recipes, view a nutrient selection list, get meal plans, set up nutrition goals and more.
43. Weekend Diet Traps: This guide shares tips on how to keep your diet organized and on-track, even on the weekend.
44. The Dietician’s Planner: This very easy-to-use planner tracks intake of all parts of the food pyramid.
45. FitDay Free Diet and Weight Loss Journal: Suggest this tool to clients who have a hard time keeping up with their goals and daily meals.
46. iFitOne: Use this weight loss motivation and tracking tool to help clients reach their goals.
47. NutriDiary: Use this free diet diary to track the weight loss of your clients.
48. MyNetDiary: This is another online diet journal that can be used to figure out our nutrition needs, plan out meals and track weight loss.
49. StartYourDiet.com: Here, nutritionists and clients can link up with diet buddies, monitor their diets, plan meals and more.
50. Weight-by-Date: Windows users can use this software program to track nutrition and weight loss.

Managing Your Business

Becoming a successful nutritionist or dietitian takes more than just knowledge about healthy living. Use these tools to organize your finances, contact management and more.

51. Highrise: Track and manage all of your contact information and contact history with this tool.
52. Breeze: Spread the word about new specials and services with this e-mail campaign tool.
53. Harvest: Use this time-tracking tool to help you with invoicing as you zip from one appointment to the next.
54. Box.net: If you keep client files and diet tracking files on your computer, use this system to share information and free up space elsewhere.
55. Nolo: If you need to manage contracts and other legal paperwork, use this system to help you out.
56. Backpack: Use this popular tool to organize all of your paperwork, to-do lists and more.
57. Google Calendar: Use Google Calendar to keep track of appointments and events, wherever you are.
58. Escrow: Escrow is another finance management tool that’s great for those with their own business.
59. GoToMeeting: Nutritionists who are juggling lots of different clients can use this tool to remind them of upcoming appointments.
60. ConferenceCall: Broaden your business to clients across the country when you use a web conferencing tool like this one.

Networking and Communities

Nutritionists can reap the benefits of networking organizations and online communities. From advertising ideas to sharing tips and recruiting clients to learning about new recipes, tools and diets, these sites afford nutritionists and dietitians all kinds of opportunities.

61. International and American Associations of Clinical Nutritionists: Become a member of the IAACN to become certified, network and more.
62. American Dietetic Association: Food and nutrition professionals can join this group to learn about research projects, education and advocacy, conferences and more.
63. Tropicana Nutrition Institute: This worldwide organization encourages discussion about nutrition science, general health and more.
64. National Association of Sports Nutrition: Access certification programs, jobs and more through this network.
65. Ask the Dietician: Learn about a different specialty on this site, which provides dietitians’ answers to questions about food allergies, cholesterol, migraines, junk food and more.
66. NutriCoach: Become a member to access file sharing capabilities, videos, nutrition and health news and more.
67. Fat Secret: Learn about different diets, share recipes, maintain a food diary and network on this site.
68. dietGuild: Join this group to share tips and build up your business, or refer clients to the community to get inspired to lose weight.
69. Wellsphere: This site encourages users to “indulge in healthier living.” Learn about local gyms and exercise opportunities, meet other members and read about healthy eating.
70. The DailyPlate: This fun to use tracker lets you create a page and join groups, search diets and maintain a free food diary.

Healthy Food Guides and Recipes

Continue learning about healthy eating, vitamins, recipes and organic eating to share the newest trends and news with clients.

71. Shopping Tips for Healthy Eating: Read this article to help your clients figure out smart shopping tips.
72. Top Tips for Eating More Fruit and Veg: This easy guide can help stubborn and picky eaters incorporate more fruits and veggies into their diet.
73. NutritionData blog: This diet and fitness blog has great recipe ideas, motivation for working out and more.
74. 4 Best Web Tools to Help You Eat Local: Encourage your clients to eat local, which will motivate them to try out seasonal vegetables and more produce in general.
75. DietDetective: Visit this site to learn about different types of healthy foods, read blogs about diet and nutrition, perform a food search and more.
76. VegWeb: Find all types of vegetarian recipes here.
77. Healthy Desserts on a Budget: Share these yummy but healthy dessert ideas with clients concerned with their food budgets.
78. 5 Best and Healthiest Foods: This guide, written by dietitians, includes soy, greens, berries, salmon and whole grains.
79. Cheap Healthy Good: Visit this blog to get recipe ideas and information about buying local.
80. The World’s Healthiest Foods: Get nutrition information, recipe ideas and more on the world’s healthiest foods and ingredients here.

Learning About Different Food, Medical and Diet Plans

To broaden your expertise, learn about different food plans, special diets and medical conditions that affect diet.

81. Diet Pyramids: Get an overview of the traditional diet pyramids, as well as a Mediterranean diet pyramid, Latin American diet pyramid and others.
82. Diabetes Healthy Eating Tools: Tools in this set include a blood sugar demo, breakfast matchmaker, carb choices calculator minerals guide and more.
83. Healthy Eating at Any Age: Check this guide for an estimate of the daily caloric needs of males and females from toddler age to over 50.
84. The Dysphagia Calculator: If you have clients with dysphagia, use this tool to create menu plans.
85. Seafood Watch: For diets rich in seafood, track local fish populations and use the mercury calculator.
86. The Athlete’s Calculator: Athletes need special diet plans, and you can use this tool to stay organized.
87. 20 Unhealthy Foods That You Think are Healthy but are Actually Killing You Slowly: Get the lowdown on labels that claim to be “fat free” and “sugar free” here.
88. Special Diets and Recipes: If you have a client with heartburn, cancer or high cholesterol, use this list to come up with healthy and safe recipes.
89. Special Diets Resource Guide: Find recipes and food information for clients with celiac disease, ADD, egg allergies, nut and peanut allergies and more.
90. Food and Diet: This website has lots of great recipe ideas for picky eaters, as well as nutrition information and details for low fat, high protein and low calorie diets.

Educational and Professional Tools and Guides

Here you can find salary reports, education programs and job boards for nutritionists and dietitians.

91. Dietitians and Nutritionists: Get an overview of salary information, education and training, job outlook and more for these two occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
92. Nutrition Education: Learn about the types of classes and programs nutrition students will be expected to take.
93. Who is a Dietitian and What is a Nutritionist?: Find out what these two professionals do on a daily basis, where to find dietitians in your area, median salary information and more.
94. Dietitians and Nutrition: Look up programs and continuing education credits for dietitians and nutritionists here.
95. Nutrition Jobs: This job board is just for job seekers and employers in the nutrition industry, and featured employers include ARAMARK, Healthcare Services Group and Sodexo.
96. RDLink Jobs: Search for jobs in the diet and nutrition industry here.
97. DietitianNutritionist.com: Search for jobs, continuing education resources, industry publications and more on this site.
98. Nutrition Explorations: Find education materials and more on this site for nutrition professionals, parents and educators.
99. National Dairy Council Nutrition Education Materials: From kids’ health education tools to client education tools, you’ll find what you need to teach your clients about nutrition here.
100. Nutritionist: Check out this information from The Princeton Review about what it takes to become a nutritionist.

By Laura Milligan

With Washington fighting over the state of average Americans’ health care rights and medical costs, the rest of us have been left to our own devices to come up with creative ways to find insurance, save for prescriptions and access our health records. To make you feel a little less alone in the struggle, we’ve put together this list of 50 tips and tools that you can use to manage your own medical care and come up with a plan that makes sense for your needs and your budget.

Insurance

This list is full of articles and tips for understanding what kind of health insurance you need, how to get it, and how to stand up for your rights against insurance agencies.

1. Health Insurance 101: Get an overview of the major types of health insurance, as well as definitions of health insurance terms like PPO, HMO, co-payments and more on this website.
2. Health Insurance is Complicated…: RevolutionHealth’s health insurance guide includes tips on using your plan, understanding medical privacy, tips on changing your insurance, figuring out payment options and more.
3. A Consumer Guide to Handling Disputes with Your Employer or Private Health Plan: This guide is from 2005 but still features significant points for consumers who want to file a claim or make a complaint about their health insurance.
4. Health Insurance for Freelancers: Professionals who are self-employed can learn about their health insurance options here.
5. How to Pick and Insurance Plan You Can Afford: This news article encourages consumers to think about generic vs. brand-name drug coverage, lifetime coverage limit and other factors.
6. Health Insurance Eligibility Quiz: Take this quiz to find out if you can receive subsidized or low-cost insurance.
7. Artist’s Health Insurance: Here you can learn about temporary health insurance, discounts, networks that provide health insurance and more.
8. Medicare.gov: This official website has information and tools for drug coverage, lowering your health care costs and more.
9. Health Insurance: Understanding Your Health Plan’s Rules: This article goes over all the grim realities of health insurance plans.
10. 6 Tips to Choosing the Right Health Insurance: Reporter Jean Chatzky’s tips include asking a broker, setting up a health savings account and negotiating your prescriptions.

Health Records

Keep track of your medical records with these innovative online tools.

11. HealthRecordsOnline: Pay for a subscription to this company’s services, and you’ll be able to access your health records and let your doctor find your records online.
12. HealthVault: Microsoft’s HealthVault is free to use and lets members “collect, store and share information with family members” and eventually doctors.
13. Access My Records: This program lets medical professionals view your records from a cell phone through your AccessID card.
14. iHealthRecord: This program works with Google Health and doctors around the country to keep your health information safe and cohesive.
15. healthizen: This site lets members manage their health records, understand and read their vitals, figure out risk assessments, access health and diet calculators and more.
16. Personal Medical Diary: Keep track of your medication, pharmacies, doctors, tests, office visits, vitals and more with this tool.
17. Your Personal Health Record: This online diary lets you organize pages to keep track of emergency contact information, vital signs, appointments, medical history, prescriptions and more. Fill in your information and the portable booklet will be mailed to you.
18. Google Health: Organize your health records and information on Google Health, a program that can also share your records with doctors.
19. Consider your priorities: Determine what kind of online medical records system you want to set up. Do you want one that will help doctors in another part of the country access your records in case of a vacation-related emergency? Or, do you want a program that lets you and your regular doctor share files and lab results more quickly and without office visits?
20. Remember your privacy: Sure, it’s more convenient, but remember to be extremely defensive regarding your medical privacy. Set up passwords, make sure your Internet connection is safe, and find out exactly who is going to be peeking at your medical records before you set up an online system.

Locating Medical Care

When you need help locating medical care while you’re on vacation or when you’ve just moved to a new town, use these tools to locate hospitals and clinics. You can also find specialists in your own hometown.

21. AMA DoctorFinder: The American Medical Association allows you to search “virtually every licensed physician in the United States” using this tool.
22. WebMD Physician Directory: Once you’ve looked up your symptoms on WebMD, search for a doctor in your area by zip code, city, state, last name or specialty.
23. FamilyDoctor.org: Click on a state or type in your zip code to start this family doctor search.
24. Find a Hospital: MedlinePlus’ directory lets you search by name, zip code or city to connect patients to nearby hospitals.
25. DoctorDirectory.com Specialty Search: Browse specialties like osteopathic medicine, family practice, radiology and X-rays, allergies, infectious disease and more with this tool.
26. UCompareHealthCare: This service is linked with About.com and gives the public the tools to compare and locate doctors and hospitals, nursing homes, fertility clinics, mammography centers and more.

Home Remedies and Alternative Medicine

Discover what home remedies and alternative medicine can do for your health and your medical care budget.

27. Medline Plus Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Look up your symptoms and more in the directories and reference guides on this site.
28. Home Remedies: Look up remedies for conditions like arthritis, indigestion, hay fever, yeast infections, nausea and more on this site.
29. Natural Herbs Guide: From Chinese herbs to antioxidants to herbal medicine, use this guide to ease symptoms without paying too much at the pharmacy.
30. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Here you’ll find alternative and natural medical treatments from a safe, authoritative source.

Free and Discounted Medical Care and Tools

For links to free and/or discounted medical care, look here.

31. HRSA Find a Health Center: This government site connects Americans to federally-funded health care centers.
32. Free and/or Low Cost Medical Care: This About.com article outlines free clinics for children and adults.
33. MediLexicon Internet Browser Medical Toolbar: Install this web surfing tool in order to quickly look up medical abbreviations, terms in a medical dictionary, access pharmaceutical companies and more.
34. Harvard Medical School Open Course Initiative: To learn more about your body, drugs, pain management, biology and other medical and health care issues, take a free class from Harvard Medical School through this system.
35. FreeMedicalCamps.com: Look up free clinics and dental clinics by state using this tool.

Authoritative Websites for Diagnosis and Advice

Go beyond Google-ing your symptoms when you look up diseases, ask a specialist, and take advantage of the free medical tools on these sites.

36. Healthline: Look up information on diseases or search your symptoms on this site.
37. WebMD: This awesome site features medical articles, a pill identifier, hospital and doctor finder, discussion boards, personal health record and more.
38. MayoClinic.com: Access free medical tools to determine your health, risk factors and symptoms. MayoClinic.com also publishes articles from doctors and nurses, and you can even submit questions to be answered by specialists.
39. Wrong Diagnosis: Avoid misdiagnosing your symptoms when you take a closer look at the tools and articles on this site. Nothing can compare with a visit to your doctor, but this site can get you started.
40. HealthCentral.com: This network features articles, videos, Q&A opportunities, health tools, a drug library and a lot more.
41. MedicalStudent.com: Access textbooks and more from top medical schools by visiting this site.
42. Medscape: WebMD’s other site, Medscape, invites the public to visit its specialty sites to learn more about certain conditions and treatments. Browse specialties like HIV/AIDS, neurology and neurosurgery, oncology, dermatology and others.
43. HRSA.gov: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides information and links to sites about transplants and organ donation, free health care, vaccine injuries and more.

Tips for Organization and Budgeting

Keeping your medical records and health history organized is paramount to saving money and staying healthy. Get more tips and tools here.

44. Family Health Budget: Use this tool to organize your family’s medical expenses online.
45. 50 Easy Tips to Lower Your Healthcare Expenses: Get insurance hacks and more from this article.
46. Paying for health care in retirement: This guide will help you plan for the high medical expenses you may incur during retirement.
47. Start a health savings account: Starting a health savings account is becoming a more popular solution for many Americans.
48. Organize your health: Here you’ll find out what you need to include in an organized medical history diary.
49. Planning for Health Emergencies Eases Stress of Family Travel: Before going on vacation or sending your children off to college, come up with a medical care plan just in case.
50. Medical Power of Attorney Form: Fill out and submit a form like this one to designate someone to make all medical decisions for you in case you’re unable to do so.

By Jessica Merritt

Practicing yoga is a great way to improve your fitness and overall health, and there are many online resources devoted to learning yoga. Some of the best of these are instructional videos that show you how to get started with yoga, workouts for specific areas, and even traditional yoga poses. Check out this collection to find the perfect yoga videos for you.

Beginners

If you’re just getting started, you’ll want to check out these videos for yoga beginners.

1. Kundalini Yoga for Beginners and Beyond: Watch this video to get an introduction to Kundalini yoga.
2. Kabbalah Yoga for Ambitious Beginners: Get the basics of Kabbalah yoga from this routine.
3. Yoga for Beginners: Patricia Walden shows you how to get started with yoga.
4. Full Spectrum Yoga for Beginners: Watch this video to learn how to do full spectrum yoga.
5. Denise Austin Xtralight Beginners Yoga Essentials: Learn really easy yoga moves from Denise Austin in this video.
6. Beginner Yoga with Shiva Rea: Shiva Rea will guide you though a beginner’s yoga sequence.
7. Element Yoga for Beginners: Elena Brower walks you through a variety of different basic yoga poses.
8. Lunar Yoga Sequence for Beginners: Desi Bartlett’s Lunar Yoga sequence incorporates slow, deep stretches.
9. Best Beginner Kundalini Yoga Exercises: Get started with Kundalini yoga by using this video.

Remedies

See how yoga can be used to heal in these videos.

10. Kundalini Yoga Headache Remedy Interactive: With the instruction in this video, you can learn how to cure headaches with Kundalini yoga.
11. Yoga for stress management: Watch the Mayo Clinic’s yoga video to get your stress under control.
12. How to do Restorative Poses in Yoga: Watch this video to learn about restorative yoga poses.
13. How to do Restorative Poses in Yoga Part 2: Learn even more restorative yoga poses in this tutorial video.
14. Your Ticket to Weight Loss: Yoga: This video explains how you can use yoga for weight loss.
15. Avoid Aches by Doing Yoga: Watch this video to learn how you can avoid aches, pains, and injuries with yoga.
16. How to Relax with Yoga: Unwind from a busy day with the yoga presented in this video.
17. Stress Relief Yoga: Relieve your stress with this yoga video for beginners.
18. Yoga for Neck Pain: Relieve the pain in your neck with this instructional video.
19. Yoga for Sleep, Insomnia, or Deep Relaxation: Become calm, restful and relaxed instantly by using the yoga exercises in this video.

Training

Check out these videos to learn about how yoga can improve your sports training.

20. Yoga for Surfers: Fluid Power Yoga: These yoga poses will make you a more powerful surfer.
21. Yoga Exercises to Burn Fat and Lose Weight: The yoga exercises in this set will help you lose weight, burn fat, and tone your muscles.
22. Yoga for Board Sports: Learn about yoga balance, breathing, and meditation that can help you with board sports.
23. Athlete Yoga: Watch this video to learn a few useful yoga postures for athletes.
24. Yoga for Weight Loss: This video offers a calorie burning yoga sequence for your whole body.
25. Yoga for Surfers: Fit, Focused, Fearless: This strengthening and stretching routine will improve your fitness as a surfer.
26. Breathing Exercises-Introduction to Pranayama: Gain the ability to breathe deeply and fully with this video’s instruction.
27. Yoga for Fitness, Wellness, Mental Health, and a Flexible Body: Cass Naumann explains the benefits of yoga and shows you how to do different yoga positions and poses.
28. Introduction to Yoga for Surfers: Find poses and postures to do before, during, and after your surf in this video.

Yoga Systems

Learn about new and different yoga systems like Hatha, Kabbalah, and Ashtanga yoga in these videos.

29. Hatha Yoga Video Class: Check out this video to learn about Hatha yoga.
30. Preparing for the Light-Kabbalah Yoga: Even if you have no yoga experience, you can try this Kaballah yoga video.
31. A Guide to Hatha Yoga: Find out how to do Hatha yoga with this video.
32. How to do Guided Relaxation in Ashtanga Yoga: Check out this video to learn how to relax in Ashtanga yoga.
33. A Guide to Kundalini Yoga: This video explains the basics of Kundalini yoga.
34. A Guide to Ashtanga Yoga: Watch this video to learn basic poses and concepts from Ashtanga yoga.
35. Hatha Yoga Flow: Watch a full 43 minute Hatha yoga class in this video.

Morning Exercises

Get your day started off right with these yoga morning rituals.

36. Morning Yoga: In this video, you’ll see yoga positions that are great for waking up.
37. AM Energizer: Try this video’s routine, and you won’t need coffee in the morning.
38. Morning Yoga Energizer: Get energized for the day with this video’s routine.
39. Wake up Yoga in Bed: Use your bed as a yoga mat and wake up energized using the yoga sequence in this video.
40. Model Yoga: Morning Routine: Adopt this video as part of your morning routine for more energy and better health.
41. Wake up Happy With Esther: Improve your morning mood and start your day right with this yoga video.

Sexual Health

The exercises in these yoga videos will help you improve your virility and sexual satisfaction.

42. Yoga for Better Sex: Watch this yoga routine to learn how to release tension for better sex.
43. Advanced Sacral Sex Chakra Yoga: These yoga exercises will help you become more virile.
44. Tantric Yoga for Lovers: Increase your sexual energy and share a yoga routine with your partner by following this instructional video.
45. Better Sex Through Yoga: Watch a Better Sex Through Yoga class in this video.
46. Basic Tantra Yoga: Follow Julia Tindall through a basic pelvic and heart warming tantra yoga exercise.

Problem Areas

Work out specific parts of your body with these yoga videos.

47. Abs Yoga Workout for Beginners: With these yoga poses, you’ll be able to firm up your abs.
48. How to do the Six Moves of the Spine: Pay special attention to your spine with these yoga poses.
49. Radiating Yoga Abs Workout with Shiva Rea: Shiva Rea’s yoga video will show you how to strengthen your core with yoga.
50. Yoga for Your Eyes-Using Yoga to Heal: This video will show you how yoga can improve your sight.
51. Yoga Quick Fix for Calves and Shins: Watch this video to find out how to quickly tighten your calves and shins.
52. Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain: Watch Michael Riel’s video designed to release your neck and shoulder muscles.
53. How to Perform Arm Balance in Yoga: Check out this video to learn how to balance your arms while doing yoga.
54. Yoga for Killer Legs: This yoga routine will help you build great legs.
55. Core Yoga Exercises for Ripped Abs: Build six-pack abs with these yoga exercises that are great for your core.
56. Yoga Girl: Yoga Exercise Routine: Improve your posture with the poses in this video.
57. Yoga for Stiff Shoulders: Relieve shoulder pain and make your shoulders more flexible by using this video’s instructions.
58. How to do Dynamic Core Work in Yoga: Bring dynamic core work into your yoga session with this video.
59. How to do Static Core Work in Yoga: Similar to dynamic core work, this video demonstrates static core work in yoga.
60. Back Insurance: Check out this video to find a yoga post that will help prevent back injury.
61. Developing Arm Strength: Make your upper body and arms stronger with these intermediate and advanced yoga postures.

Specific Poses & Postures

Follow these videos along to learn how to do yoga poses and postures.

62. Full Saddle Pose in Yoga: John Paul Grilley demonstrates the full saddle pose.
63. Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Demonstrate Tree Pose: Learn how to do the tree pose from these two instructors.
64. Yoga Deep Breathing Exercise: Open up energy pathways and improve your respiratory system with this breathing exercise.
65. Plank Pose: With the plank pose, you’ll strengthen your abs, arms, and legs.
66. How to do Unlinked Sun Salutes in Yoga: With this video, you’ll learn how to do unlinked sun salutes.
67. How to do Breath in Time in Yoga: Manipulate your breath in time with this video.
68. Plank Pose Flow in Yoga: Learn how to do the plank pose from this video.
69. Yoga Postures-The Warrior: Strengthen your entire body with the warrior posture.
70. How to do the Cobra Pose in Yoga: This video will show you how to perfect the cobra pose.
71. Yoga Class Session-A Routine of 20 Yoga Postures: Learn 20 different postures from this yoga video.
72. How to do a Yoga Stretching Exercise: Find out how to properly stretch in yoga with this video.
73. Advanced Yoga Headstand: Here you’ll find a challenging way to get into a headstand.
74. Camel and Bear Poses in Yoga: Learn how to do the Camel and Bear poses in Yin yoga from this video.
75. Yoga for Flexibility: Designed for both beginners and intermediate yoga students, this class will show you how to improve your flexibility with yoga.
76. How to do Closing in Yoga: This video demonstrates a final yoga position.

Prenatal Yoga

Improve the health of your pregnancy by using the yoga techniques in these videos.

77. An Introduction to Prenatal Yoga for Pregnant Women: Get started with prenatal yoga using this video.
78. Goddess Pose for Parental Yoga: Prepare for labor, delivery, and recovery with this prenatal pose.
79. Pregnancy Yoga: See the routine that a yoga expert has done throughout her pregnancy in this video.
80. Opening Breath for Parental Yoga: Improve your breathing techniques with this yoga video.
81. Leg Drop Pose for Prenatal Yoga: Practice the leg drop pose using the instructions in this video.
82. Prenatal Yoga Positions and Techniques: Learn a few different prenatal yoga poses from this video.
83. Yoga for Pregnancy, Labor and Birth: Rid yourself of aches and strengthen your body for labor and delivery with the exercises shown in this video.
84. Prenatal Yoga Squat Position for Pregnant Women: This video will show you how to do the yoga squat position as a pregnant woman.
85. 9 1/2 Months Pregnant Jess Wants Her Baby Now!: Watch this video to learn about labor inducing pressure points.

Office

Stay healthy at the office with these simple yoga videos for work.

86. Subtle Stretches to Use at Work: Stretch out your sore muscles at work with this video.
87. Office Yoga with Tara Stiles: Relieve tension in your shoulders, lower back and wrists with this video’s yoga exercises.
88. Side Stretch Exercise for Office Yoga: Watch this video to learn how to do a side stretch exercise at work.
89. Desktop Office Yoga Step 1- To Prepare: Get ready to do office yoga with this instructional video.
90. Desktop Office Yoga Step 2- Arm Raise: Stretch your arms with this office yoga video.
91. Desktop Office Yoga Step 3- Chest Stretch: Follow this office yoga video to stretch your chest.
92. Hip Stretch Exercise for Office Yoga: Stretch out your hips at work with this yoga exercise for the office.
93. Breathing Meditation for Energy: Get more energy with these yoga breathing and meditation techniques you can use at the office.
94. Seated Twist with Legs Crossed Exercise for Office Yoga: Try this seated yoga twist exercise to stretch out at work.
95. Thigh Stretch Exercise for Office Yoga: Use these yoga thigh stretches to loosen up at the office.
96. Spine Stretch Exercise for Office Yoga: This video will show you how to stretch your spine at work with simple yoga spine exercises.

Yoga for Kids

Practice yoga with your kids with the help of these videos.

97. Yoga for Kids: Silly to Calm: Calm your kids down by doing these yoga poses with them.
98. Your Move by WhimYoga: In this video, parents and children instruct each other to do yoga moves.
99. Kids’ Yoga: See how a few kids do yoga on Fox and Friends.
100. My First Yoga: Watch a kids’ yoga class in action in this video and follow along with your children.