Multimedia Features
Innovative Exercise
By Paige Bierma, James Burke, Diana Hembree, and Jen Robb Do you hate to exercise? Are you fed up with the gym? If the answers are yes, we have some good news: Keeping fit doesn't have to be a chore. This video series gives you an inside look at hooping, Orienteering, salsa dancing, and Baby Boot Camp -- four ways you can work up a sweat while making friends and having some outrageous fun. Click here or on the picture to start. 
Generics Drugs: Rx for Your Wallet
By Paige Bierma, David Dudley, Tim Fitzgerald, Diana Hembree, and Fabian Redrovan Hundreds of brand-name medications now have generic alternatives: drugs that contain the same active ingredients -- often at a fraction of the cost -- and work just as well. A survey by Consumer Reports shows that despite the potential savings, many consumers have yet to try them. Learn more about this low-cost alternative to expensive medications. Click here or on the picture to start.
Farm-Fresh Cooking
By Paige Bierma, James Burke, David Dudley, Tim Fitzgerald, Paola Laverde, Nancy Montgomery, and Jen Robb Nothing tastes better than fruits and vegetables fresh from the farm. Take a tour of a local farmers' market with chef Mike C from Kitchen on Fire, a cooking school in Berkeley, California. Then follow him back to his kitchen to learn how to turn this bounty into three tantalizing dishes. Click here or on the picture to start.
Fat City, Fit City?
By Elaine Herscher and Paige Bierma For years, San Antonio has ranked among the fattest cities in the nation, and now an alarming number of the city's children are developing type 2 diabetes. Many people in San Antonio are trying to reverse this trend and help kids eat healthier, be active, and reduce their risk of diabetes complications in the future. Click here or on the picture to start.
Lice Attack!
By Jenny Biddle Lice can spark irrational fear in even the coolest parent. While gently spoofing people's fear and revulsion toward lice, we show that lice don't actually spread disease -- and that even the cleanest people can get them. We also feature a fun and unique guide to dealing with an infestation. Click here or on the picture to start.
Meditation and Stress Management
By Paige Bierma Meditation is an ancient spiritual practice common to many cultures. The goal is to clear the mind and enter a state of relaxation and heightened awareness. Medical studies suggest that meditation can help relieve stress and pain and promote healing. Click here or on the picture to start.
Yoga for Stress Relief
By Paige Bierma The ancient Indian practice of yoga has become very popular in the United States. Many Americans attend their first class hoping to lose some weight or gain a little flexibility only to discover a very welcome side effect of the practice: stress reduction. Click here or on the picture to start.
MRSA: The New Superbug?
By Paige Bierma, James Burke, Tim Fitzgerald, Diana Hembree, and Paola Laverde Drug-resistant staph infections are linked to nearly 19,000 deaths each year in the United States, but many Americans have barely heard of MRSA. Our five-part package discusses how to recognize and prevent these potentially life-threatening infections. Click here or on the picture to start.
Rx for Medication Disposal
By David Dudley and Laurie Udesky Experts say that tossing unwanted medicines down the toilet or in the trash is hurting our environment, polluting our waterways for wildlife, and even contaminating our drinking water. Short of stockpiling them at home, what should you do with your old medicines? Click here or on the picture to start.
Cohousing: The 21st Century Village
By Psyche Pascual Groups around the country are making the close-knit community a reality by creating new developments called cohousing. Built for young and for old, these communities attract people who want to know their neighbors as friends. Click here or on the picture to start.
Stumps R Us: An Irreverent Amputee Support Group
By David Dudley and Laurie Udesky Each year some 185,000 people in the United States undergo amputation because of disease or injury. Many amputees find help and encouragement from loved ones and from support groups, including one with a refreshing approach -- humor. Click here or on the picture to start.
Couch Potato Tots? Keeping Toddlers Active
By Karisa Ding Your toddler may seem like a perpetual motion machine, so does he really need your help getting enough exercise? These days, with the lure of television and strollers, the answer may be yes. Click here or on the picture to start.
The Edible Schoolyard: Berkeley Schools Lead a Revolution
By Jennifer Biddle, Elaine Herscher, Paola Laverde, and Eric Turner Gardening and cooking at school? Absolutely. Kids learn to love fresh, healthy food if they help grow and prepare it. We explore the Edible Schoolyard program, a model for schools nationwide. Click here or on the picture to start.
Staying Alive: Surviving the Bicycle Commute
By Paige Bierma, James Burke, Diana Hembree, and Jen Robb More and more of us are biking to work to save money, stay fit, and help the environment. But there are right ways and wrong ways to bike in urban areas. We explain with videos and an illustrated guide. Click here or on the picture to start.
Healing Waters: Dogs in Motion
By Karisa Ding, Nancy Montgomery, Psyche Pascual, and Benj Vardigan Dog owners are discovering that water therapy can help their old or injured pets recover mobility and lead happier, healthier lives. Our videos take a look at a hydrotherapy session and tell one dog's success story. Click here or on the picture to start.
A Guide to Acupuncture
By Deepi Brar, David Dudley, Tim Fitzgerald, and Laurie Udesky While acupuncture is becoming more accepted in the West, it is still a mystery to most. Our multimedia package explains with a video guide to your first visit, historical timeline, and more. Click here or on the picture to start.
Troubleshooting:
• Multimedia files tend to be large, so users with slower Internet connections may experience short delays while loading the Flash or video files. As always, Internet Explorer users need to click once on a Flash file to "activate" it before any links or buttons will open.
• If the video looks slow or jerky, try hitting the "pause" button and letting the video buffer for a while (check the loading bar and wait for it to reach the end for smoothest viewing).
• If you don't hear any sound, try turning up the volume of your computer speakers and checking whether your computer volume has been set to mute.
• If the Flash package doesn't open or videos won't play, you may need to download and install the latest version of the free Flash player from Adobe Systems, Inc. Note: If you're at work, you may have trouble downloading or installing Flash or other programs because of firewalls, lack of administrative rights, or other restrictions on your network or computer.
Our reviewers are members of Consumer Health Interactive's medical advisory board.
To learn more about our writers and editors, click here.
Copyright © 2008 Consumer Health Interactive
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