By pauline A Web Site For Those Living With Diabetes When it comes to getting information about health care, a growing number of Americans have a healthy respect for the Internet. According to a recent survey, one in five Americans online feels that the Internet has greatly improved the way they get their health care information.
But with so many medical and health Web sites available, it can be challenging to find sites that provide complete, accurate and up-to-date information.
A Web site created for the nearly 21 million Americans with diabetes is hoping to make it easier to get the latest news and information about diet, exercise, medication, blood sugar monitoring and emotional well-being-all factors that play a key role in proper diabetes management.
, produced by LifeScan, Inc., is a one-stop source for diabetes patients and their loved ones who want to become more active in managing the disease and in living healthier lives. As the name suggests, the site aims to be the “gold standard” for useful information for those living with diabetes.
The site provides visitors with a personalized meal plan and over 1,000 diabetes-healthy recipes. There are also recipes timed to holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, and easy access to information that can help people avoid serious long-term complications associated with diabetes.
Other resources on the site include:
� A Fitness section that provides a quick, customized, realistic fitness plan that can be maintained-for life
� A Coping & Complications section that provides the latest preventative information, and offers help and inspiration for dealing with the emotional side of the disease
� A Meds & Monitoring section that offers the latest in research and medical information
� A Special Offers section that features monthly sweepstakes, coupons, product samples and downloadable health-related books.
Registration is free and takes just a few minutes. The program provides members with an “online magazine” of the latest diabetes information. The site also features monthly articles written exclusively for the Web site by researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and other experts in the field. Members can elect to receive a monthly e-newsletter with up-to-date diabetes news and health tips.