Re-energize your diet and nutrition, exercise and fitness resolutions by testing your health knowledge. We’re excited to introduce a new health quiz with 20 great questions on nutrition and fitness. Answer questions, earn points, and see how your answers compare with others.

Click on the image to test your nutrition and fitness knowledge or go to http://quiz.healia.com/.

Good luck!

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Is a vision test on your “To Do List”? More than 2.2 million Americans age 40 and older have glaucoma (a group of eye diseases which produce increased pressure within the eye) and the best defense against the disease is an annual vision exam. People usually do not notice signs of glaucoma until they have already lost significant vision.

The elevated pressure in glaucoma is caused by a backup of fluid in the eye, which, over time, may damage the optic nerve. At first, people with glaucoma lose their side vision (peripheral vision). And, if the disease is not treated, vision loss may progress to total blindness. Once vision is lost, it cannot be restored. People with one or more of the following risk factors for glaucoma should have their eyes examined on a regular basis:

• Over the age of 45
• A family history of glaucoma
• Abnormally high intraocular pressure (IOP)
• African descent
• Diabetes
• Myopia (nearsightedness)
• Regular, long-term steroid/cortisone use
• Previous eye injury

To test for glaucoma, your doctor will perform a series of quick and painless tests (eye pressure measurements, dilated eye exams, and sometimes visual field testing) to check for any changes in your eye or in your vision. Through early detection, glaucoma can often be controlled with medications, such as eye drops or pills. If glaucoma does not respond to medication, surgery may be recommended.  

Hypothyroidism? Hyperthyroidism? January is Thyroid Awareness Month and Healia would like to help you understand the difference between the two most common thyroid problems– hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

The most common thyroid problems involve abnormal production of thyroid hormones. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland is not active enough. This condition is far more common than hyperthyroidism and can make you gain weight, feel fatigued, and have difficulty dealing with cold temperatures.

If your thyroid is too active, it makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs. This condition is called hyperthyroidism. Too much thyroid hormone can make you lose weight, speed up your heart rate, and make you very sensitive to heat.

As the initial primaries wind down in Iowa and New Hampshire, you may be wondering which of the 2008 presidential candidates will best address health care issues in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), current data indicate that obesity rates in the U.S. are worsening rather than improving. The Census Bureau estimated that 47 million Americans had no health insurance in 2006. Health care costs, including Medicare, have risen to levels that are causing many employers and individuals to opt out of health insurance. Each candidate has a plan for remedying these problems. If health is one of your priorities in this next election, how can you learn more about each candidate’s position on health care to make an educated decision this November?

The Washington Post's Website has a feature which allows you to learn about the leading presidential candidates. In addition to the candidate’s bio, experience, top priorities, and position on health care, you can review their statements on issues such as social security, Iraq, budget, education, poverty, gun control, and stem cell research. You can also take a quiz to find out which candidate(s) most closely match your views.

The Kaiser Family Foundation, with the assistance of Health Policy Alternatives, Inc., prepared the Health08.org Website. This side-by-side comparison of the candidates' positions on health care is based on information appearing on the candidates' websites as supplemented by information from candidate speeches, news reports, and campaign debates. They provide a feature which allows you to create a custom side-by-side summary of up to four candidates.

Another great resource for campaign and candidate information is CNN. On CNN's Website, you can read up-to-the minute updates on political news, as well as register to receive email updates that go straight to your personal email address.