Danbury, Conn. (CBS CONNECTICUT) – Wikipedia is the single leading source of health care information for both providers and patients, with 50 percent of physicians reporting that they’ve consulted the community-edited, online encyclopedia for information on health conditions.

A report from IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, a medical technology company that draws on data from more than 100,000 suppliers and 45 billion health care transactions each year, finds that Wikipedia is the single leading source of medical information for patients and healthcare professionals. Serious illnesses, especially less common ones, are among the most frequently searched topics by English-language users.  Read more.

It helps you live longer, lose weight, and gain a stronger heart. It can help you cope with stress and depression and boost your self-esteem. Exercise: It's the best medicine available, yet few doctors are going to write you a prescription for a daily 30-minute jog. "Millions of people in our society suffer from a ridiculous number of health problems—some major, some minor that could become major—because they lack basic fitness," writes Jordan Metzl, MD, in his new book The Exercise Cure. And it's not just making us fat and lazy—it's also bankrupting the nation. "Based on current estimates, the United States spends more than $2.6 trillion—17 percent of the gross national product—on health care. That's $8,300 per person," he adds. "And somehow we rank 28th in the world for life expectancy."   Read more at ABCNews.com

The benefits of cross-training for runners have long been touted as a necessity to a well-balanced training regimen. Some runners turn to yoga; others to cycling and swimming. Another workout that offers runners multiple benefits is Pilates.

For both injured and non-injured runners, Pilates presents a functional workout routine that incorporates many components of physical therapy and strengthening and directly impacts running form and strength.  Read more at US News & World Report

When it comes to staying healthy and fit, everyone has their own beliefs and routines that they stick with to achieve weight goals. Doing Pilates routines daily is an excellent way to burn calories and shed excess weight. Pilates is conditioning for the body that helps to build flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms, hips and back. It is very commonly used by celebrities who frequent Pilates studios or hire personal Pilates instructors to come to their homes and train them.Take a look at some celebrities who use Pilates as their main workout and it shows.  See them at RollingOut.com

Skiing star Lindsey Vonn epitomized red carpet perfection, but the 29-year-old bombshell doesn't always feel perfect.

In an interview with Self magazine, Vonn confessed to occasional feelings of insecurity.

"It was hard to go to the Met Ball with people who eat lettuce and Diet Coke for dinner," Vonn said, speaking of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Benefit annual gala, which is attended by the elites of the fashion and entertainment industries. "It's difficult to be at events with a room full of women who weigh half as much as you do. That's always tough."

Although attending the event alongside her golfer boyfriend Tiger Woods was tough, Vonn said she didn't feel envious of the stars "because so many of them are skinny-fat. They have more cellulite than most people. I feel like I need to give them a cheeseburger. It's sexy and beautiful to be strong."  Read the whole article at ABC News

So you’re ready to make the ultimate commitment to getting in shape (or at least getting off the couch), are you? Getting a personal trainer can provide a healthy dose of accountability and motivation, for sure. But what other magical powers do personal trainers possess (we’re kidding, kind of…)?

There are actually a few unexpected ways that a personal trainer can help boost your workout. See these five surprising insights from personal trainer and registered dietitian Cynthia Sass, author of the New York Times bestseller S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches, and sports dietitian and certified strength and conditioning specialist Marie Spano, MS, RD, to learn more.   Continue reading at UpWave.com

That medieval-looking machine glaring at you from that boutique Pilates studio down the street? Its called the Reformer, and no, its not an instrument of torture. All of those straps, ropes and pulleys combine to provide resistance, build strength and flexibility and help align your body while doing Pilates, says NY-based expert Kristin McGee, whose celeb clients include LeAnn Rimes and Soledad OBrien. You can get a hardcore workout on the Reformer, but mat exercises can be equally effective. Here are the pros and the cons of each:

Mat
Pros: Portable; less expensive; harder to “cheat” because without the help of cords or springs, you must engage your core muscles even more; dont necessarily need an instructor; use your own bodys range of motion; no downtime for switching out equipment, which means your heart rate stays up and your calorie burn intensifies.

Cons: As you improve, it may become harder to challenge your body (try incorporating 1-2 lb hand weights into your mat routine to add resistance).

Reformer
Pros: One-on-one experience with a professional; good for first-timers who need special attention; improves body alignment better than work on the mat; can elevate your mat workout to a new level (and increase muscle mass) by adding resistance with pulleys and springs; also adds more range of motion to help you get more results from each exercise.

Cons: Increased downtime while switching equipment; expensive – an hour with a Reformer can cost anywhere from $55 to $100, depending on where you live and if your teacher is certified. (Visit pilatesmethodalliance.org to locate a certified instructor.)

Overhaul your current belly workout with this innovative, effective Pilates exercise. Not only can it help you get the flat abs you want, but it feels amazing, too.
Unlike other core moves that can irritate your neck -- we're looking at you, crunches -- this simple, gentle exercise puts you in a tabletop position, and then uses your abdominal muscles to keep you balanced as you slowly move your arms and legs. (Flatten your belly without a single crunch with this super-effective No-Crunch Ab Workout.)

The result: a firm, strong, flat belly without all the strain. And because this is a compound movement, you're also toning your hips, back, and upper body at the same time.   Read more at YahooSports

Crossfit, the high-intensity power-training workout, has rocketed in popularity but has also come under fire for its link to the potentially deadly kidney condition rhabdomyolysis.

During the past two years, chiropractors say they've seen an increase in Crossfit patients who are suffering overuse injuries.

"I've gone from never having heard of Crossfit to having a number of regular Crossfit clients," Dr. Robert Hayden told me in an exclusive interview.

"From a business perspective, these folks make great patients because they're recurring customers."


Read more at examiner.com

January is the cruelest month, at least for those with good intentions to get fit. According to recent analyses of decades’ worth of exercise studies, many new exercise “intenders” will abandon their workout routines within two weeks of their New Year’s resolutions, and about half will quit by June. Even longtime exercisers feel the pull of physical entropy. In any given year, around a quarter of the people who had been working out dutifully will stop. (And about 2 percent of those who claim to have no intention of exercising actually start and continue, baffling researchers and possibly the exercisers themselves.)

Continue reading at NYTimes.com