Health and Nutrition Sites

5 A Day Fruits and Vegetables (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/5aday/ 
Eating fruits and vegetables is critical to the health of our kids and this nation. Highlights are: Fruits and vegetables of the month; how to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet; recipes and other tidbits. What's really amazing is the huge database of statistical information interspersed throughout the site. Also includes extensive links to related topics.

Agriculture Research Service Activities
http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/contents.htm
Colorful and interesting collection of articles on many different aspects of food production. Includes quizzes. The link takes you to the table of contents page. Designed by the Agriculture Research Service with the USDA.

Allrefer.com
http://health.allrefer.com/
Allrefer.com is a medical and health information resource containing databases of health articles and reference materials. 1Up Health has extensive information from trusted sources on over 4,000 topics including diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries, surgeries, nutrition, poisons, and special topics. There is also focus on family and community health. Major headings include: Alternative Medicine, Clinical Trials, Diet & Nutrition, Diseases & Conditions, Health News, Injuries & Wounds, Poisons & Overdoses, Surgery & Procedures, Symptoms Guide, Special Topics, Tests & Exams, and Medical Encyclopedia. Brief articles, no graphics, and a non-technical presenatation make the information quickly accessible to a broad audience.

Alphabetical Index of Health Topics ( National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/external/faq/alpha.htm  
This listing consists of information on a variety of environmental health topics, including answers to some common environmental questions. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences conducts basic research on environmental health and environment-related diseases.

Australian Canned Food
http://www.cannedfood.org/cfia/
An interesting look at everything you ever wanted or needed to know about canned food! There's history, recipes, nutrition, food sensitivity guides, how cans are made, food safety, even a comic. Biased of course to the metric system; but still useful and interesting.

Bam! Body and Mind
http://www.bam.gov/
BAM! Body and Mind includes a Teacher's Corner with middle school classroom activities based on national education standards for science and health. The site is designed to answer students' questions on health and science topics and recommend ways to make their bodies and minds healthier, stronger, and safer. Fun activities teach about issues ranging from stress, and physical activity, and asthma to epidemiology and a West Nile virus investigation.

BAM! Body and Mind: Immune Platoon
http://www.bam.gov/sub_diseases/diseases_immuneplatoon.html
This site gives a comic book style description of the immune system and the "super powers" it uses to fight infections and other diseases. The site ends with the "case files" of several diseases in their disease database.

Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Foundation
http://www.paralysis.org/site/c.erJMJUOxFmH/b.1169107/k.BE3A/Home.htm
A useful starting point for information about paralysis and spinal cord injuries. The site asks and answers such key questions as: what is paralysis; what are the secondary conditions of paralysis; and is there a cure? The site includes a full catalog of additional resources, links to related Web sites, and advice on how victims of paralysis can live active lives, travel, and stay healthy.

College Drinking: Changing the Culture
http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/
Sections for parents, high school counselors, and students give the latest statistics and information about drinking and youth. For students, the materials are often interactive and show how alcohol affects different parts of the body, alcohol myths, and how much alcohol is costing you, in calories and in dollars. You can also enter information into online software that lets you look at how drinking behavior affects your BAC (Blood Alcohol Content).

Cool Meals
http://www.initial.com/
This site is for cool kids who want to be healthy. Complete with Food Facts, User Guide, and Activities. Students can register (simple first name, nickname, gender and country) to enter the Virtual Body Lab. They can enter the foods they ate for the day and see how healthy they are.

Dairy Council of California Educators Page
http://www.dairycouncilofca.org/edu/index.html  
Since 1919, Dairy Council of California has been an innovator in nutrition education. An Education Advisory Panel provides a grassroots perspective about what kind of programs and services are needed by teachers and health professionals. You will find Lesson Plans, articles, and free handouts appropriate for parents and students.

Do Bugs Need Drugs?
http://www.dobugsneeddrugs.org/index.html
Do Bugs Need Drugs? Probably not. Does the world need a site that tells, both in words and in pictures, how to wash one's hands? Probably not. But that did not stop this non-profit organization from produucing this site that purports to offer information for healthcare professionals, the public, teachers, parents, children, daycares and assisted living sites.

Dole 5 A Day
http://www.dole5aday.com
Eat your fruits and vegetables! Of course you've heard that before. This site (which happens to be hosted by a major fruit and vegetable company) explains why it is important to eat your 5 servings a day. The authors explain the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, and also give you lists of foods that are high in important vitamins. There's even ideas on healthy snacks that help you eat your 5-a-day.

Edible Schoolyard
http://www.edibleschoolyard.org/homepage.html
This is an interesting site where a school created an organic garden and landscape that is wholly integrated into the school's curriculum and lunch program. It involves the students in all aspects of farming the garden – along with preparing, serving, and eating the food. It tells how they did it and provides lessons for the classroom.

Energy Challenge
http://www.activescience-gsk.com/module12/home.html
This is a series of interactives and games that explore how much energy is in food, and how it is used by our bodies.

Facts About Lung Cancer
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35427
The American Lung Association offers this practical guide to facts on lung cancer. Content includes information on what it is, the two different types of lung cancer (non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer), the leading causes and symptoms of lung cancer, how it is detected, and the different methods of treatment. Of special interest to students is the section, "How Can You Prevent Lung Cancer?"

Flow of Food
http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSCHN000/23722/24311.html
What happens to that mouthful of pizza? Follow the flow of food by using this interactive tool provided by InteliHealth. Learn about the digestive organs, what the organs do with food, and how long the organ takes to digest the food.

Food Science Experiments and Learning Opportunities
http://www.foodscience.psu.edu/outreach/fun_food_science.html  
Compiled by Dr. Luke LaBorde of the Department of Food Science, Penn State University, this website is full of links to information, experiments, classroom activities, and much more dealing with food science.

Food Timeline
http://www.foodtimeline.org
"Ever wonder what the Vikings ate when they set off to explore the new world? How Thomas Jefferson made his ice cream? What the pioneers cooked along the Oregon Trail? Who invented the potato chip...and why? Food is the fun part of social studies! The tricky part is finding recipes you can make in a modern kitchen, with ingredients bought at your local supermarket and bring into school to share with your class. This page is for you! We are also stocking up on teacher and parent resources. Looking for social customs, manners & menus? Try the Culinary History Timeline. Bon appetit."

Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer's (PBS)
http://www.pbs.org/theforgetting/index.html  
This site is divided into sections called: Symptoms, Experience, Risk Factors, Coping, Together Time, and Resources. Within each section, you will find information as well as interactive tests, graphics, and statistics. Written in a simple, approachable format. Covers medical and practical aspects.

Fruit and Vegetables at Enchanted Learning
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/themes/fruit.shtml
This section of the Enchanted Learning Site provides many resources for teaching primary aged children about nutrition. Resources include craft ideas, stories, quizzes, scavenger hunts, Spanish/English labels and much more.

Galaxy-H
http://www.galaxy-h.gov.uk/
This site has health information and games for kids, parents, and teachers.

Garfield Star Sleeper for Kids
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/starslp/
This interactive site is intended to educate children – and their parents, educators, and healthcare providers – about the importance of adequate nighttime sleep.

Glencoe Health and Fitness Health Quests: Fast Food Dining Guide
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/health/gh2005/student/guide.php/al
Use the given sites and worksheet to create a guide to healthful dining at fast-food restaurants in your community.

Healthy Choices for Kids Online
http://www.healthychoices.org/  
This is a super site with lots of resources that help teach about nutrition. These resources include printable stories and worksheets, as well as, food logs and lesson plans. This site also has a special section of resources for teaching preschool aged kids about nutrition.

Healthy Fridge
http://www.healthyfridge.org/
"Open the Door to a Healthy Heart! As cholesterol levels increase, most people are unaware that heart disease begins in childhood. This site is dedicated to providing heart-healthy tips for the entire family. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!" Sections include The Healthy Fridge, Good Nutrition, Heart of the Matter (learn all you need to know about heart disease), and Just for Kids. This is a great site for the whole family. It teaches us all about heart disease and healthy eating.

Healthy Snacks
http://www.bch.cuhk.edu.hk/fns/fun-in-seven/english/primary-Snack-background.html
Learn to eat healthy foods between meals. This website provides tips for avoiding junk food and for making "smart" snacks from fruits, vegetables, grains, and lowfat dairy products. The section, "Healthier and Less Healthy Snack Foods or Drinks," provides an illustrated chart of foods you should eat often and foods you should eat only on occasion. And for "dessert" there's a healthy snacks quiz.

Healthy Teeth
http://www.healthyteeth.org/

How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html
This site has everything you want to know about the Nutrition Facts Labels that appear on our foods. There are easy to read graphics and explanations.

Indoor Air Quality
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/
This informative web site from the EPA defines and explains indoor air pollution in all its forms. Content includes a focus on asthma, molds, secondhand smoke, and radon in public buildings and at home. The content is also available in Spanish.

Infection Detection Protection
http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/infection/index.html
This site will help students, families, and teachers understand what causes infectious diseases and what they can do to help prevent them. With many diseases such as the flu and AIDS, there is much people still need to learn. All of the seven activities presented provide excellent learning ways to find about and protect yourself from germs and other types of microbes. You can meet the Amazing Microbe Hunters, solve the Bacteria in the Cafeteria riddle, and the Mixed-up Microbe Mystery.

Inside Cancer
http://www.insidecancer.org/
This high school level site covers most of the basic aspects of the dreaded disease, cancer. Readers will find an in-depth overview of cancer, its causes and prevention, as well as diagnois and treatment.

It's My Life
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/index.html
"It's My Life deals with life and the stuff that we deal with every day. Whatever problem you're dealing with, believe it or not, other kids and teens have gone through the same thing. Here at It's My Life, you can read informative articles, share your stories, play games and activities, take quizzes and polls, watch video clips of other kids talking about their feelings and experiences, get advice from older kids and experts, and contribute your own comments and questions. It's My Life also features interviews with celebrities about stuff they had to go through when they were kids." Also available in Spanish.

Kids: Explore the World of Nutrition with Nutrition Explorations
http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/kids/main.asp
Learn about nutrition by playing games, doing activities, making things in th Kid's Kitchen. Learn about the food groups with an Interactive Pyramid.

Kid's Guide to Shots
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/body/guide_shots.html
Find out why you need to get shots in order to stay healthy. This article provides information pertaining to the ingredients in shots and how they make you immune to many harmful diseases.

KidsHealth for Kids
http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/index.html

KidsHealth for Kids - Fabulous Food Section
http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/  
This site provides all sorts of information about staying healthy. The Fabulous Food Section gives information on vitamins, food labels, dieting for kids, snacks, water, the food pyramid, and more.

KidsPsych
http://www.kidspsych.org/index1.html
The games on this site are designed to help children understand themselves and each other using cognitive thinking skills, deductive reasoning, and also just having fun. There are two levels: ages 6 to 9 and ages 1 to 5. Each game has an "About This Activity" that tells parents and teachers what the activity addresses.

Medline Plus: Children's Health
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenshealth.html
Here are great resources on children's health. Choose from the latest news articles, treatments for common conditions, preventions for childhood diseases, alternative therapies, organizations, and statistics. Many articles are also available in Spanish. The site is offered by the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

MooMilk
http://www.moomilk.com/
This is a fun and educational website about cows and milk with facts, games and recipes. "A dynamic adventure into the dairy industry." Join the herd!

Mouth Power
http://www.mouthpower.org/
Experiment to find the healthiest choices about food, tobacco, and cleaning habits. Explore the history of dentistry and the story of your own teeth! Then create your own poster about healthy mouth habits.

MyPyramid Blast Off Game
http://www.mypyramid.gov/kids/kids_game.html#
An interactive computer game where kids can reach Planet Power by fueling their rocket with food and physical activity. “Fuel” tanks for each food group help students keep track of how their choices fit into MyPyramid.

My Very Own Pizza
http://www.dairycouncilofca.org/Tools/MyPizza/Default.aspx
Have fun making your own pizza. This site provides a "Pizza History," information on the nutritional value of pizza and a drag-and-drop game through which you build your own pizza using foods from all the food groups.

National Institutes of Health: Health Information
http://health.nih.gov/
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the National Institute of Health, provides a comprehensive resource on health issues. Browse hundreds of health topics using the alphabetical index or click into health news especially for men, women, seniors, minorities, or kids. Major sections include Healthy Lifestyles, Research in Action, and Adventures in Parenting. If it's health-related information you need, try this NIH resource first.

National Institutes of Health Office of Science Education
http://science.education.nih.gov/
This site has a wealth of information and free educational resources. The resources are divided into Topics, Grade Levels, and Resource Formats. There are also sections on NIH News, Careers, Programs, and Curriculum Supplements.

NOW: Nutrition On the Web for Teens
http://library.thinkquest.org/10991/index.html
This site gives teens the special help they need when it comes to nutrition. Exercises, World Nutrition, Myths, Case Files, Teen Health and Recipes all provide answers to teen health questions. There is an interactive including a Calorie Catabase, Diet Planner and Nutri-Quiz.

NutritionData's Nutrition Facts Analyzer
http://www.nutritiondata.com/index.html  
Play with it before lunch! NutritionData (ND) generates nutrition labels and provides simplified nutritional analyses such as foods that are lowest in carbohydrates, highest in protein, or that match any other dietary restrictions or goals. Translate confusing ingredient labels with ND's Food Additive identifier or browse a list of the 50 Most Popular Foods. You can even analyze your daily dietary intake using the "Pantry."

Open Wide and Trek Inside (NIH)
http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih2/oral-health/default.htm  
Open Wide and Trek Inside, designed for grades 1 and 2, consists of lesson plans, which are accessed through the Teacher's Guide section of the Web site and the multimedia student activities, which are accessed through the Student Activities page. The Web-based activities for students are only one part of the curriculum unit. The Lesson Plans provide the framework for both the hands-on classroom activities and the Web-based multimedia activities that make up this curriculum supplement. Together, the classroom and multimedia activities enable students to gain a deeper understanding of the science behind this important topic, and how it relates to human health. Open Wide and Trek Inside developed with the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)is a creative, inquiry-based instruction program, designed to promote active learning.

Parents: The Anti-Drug
http://www.theantidrug.com/
The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign offers a site where parents and teachers can get lots of information about helping teens to stay drug-free. Here are facts about many types of drugs, along with parent-to-parent resources, community and corporate resources, news, advice, and a panic button so a parent or teen can "find help locally."

Plastic Fork Diaries
http://www.plasticforkdiaries.org/index_flash.cfm
Follow six middle school students as they experience first-hand the relationship between food and their changing bodies, cultural differences, the vanishing family meal, nutrition and athletic performance.

Sleep, Sleep Disorders, and Biological Rhythms
http://science.education.nih.gov/supplements/nih3/sleep/default.htm  
This curriculum supplement, from The NIH Curriculum Supplement Series, brings cutting-edge medical science and basic research discoveries from the laboratories of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) into classrooms.This curriculum supplement to complements existing life science curricula at both the state and local levels and to be consistent with National Science Education Standards. The authors incorporated real scientific data and actual case studies into classroom activities. A three-year development process included geographically dispersed field tests by teachers and students. The structure of this module enables teachers to effectively facilitate learning and stimulate student interest by applying scientific concepts to real-life scenarios.

Stories of Hope
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/fps/fps_0.asp
This site from the American Cancer Society provides the reader with inspiring words of hope from people who have battled all types of cancer and want to help others by making their stories known.

Tooth Family Song and Jigsaw Puzzle
http://www.britishcouncil.org/kids-songs-tooth-family-popup.htm
Listen to an animated song about teeth, with advice for keeping them healthy and clean. Read-along lyrics make this resource particularly useful in English language learning settings and with beginning readers, but it also fits 21st century skills classrooms, where personal responsibility for one's health and health awareness are stressed.

Tox Mystery
http://toxmystery.nlm.nih.gov/
Sometimes "The Nanny State" can be creative, if a bit out-of-touch. In "Tox-Mystery," presented by The National Institute of Health's Department of health and Human Services, users enter a large suburban colonial (not too common in the inner-city) to discover "Toxie," the-talking-cat, who leads them on a tour of its seven rooms and garage to discover the various health hazards (paint-thinner, lead-based paint) hidden in every-day objects. A good jumping-off place for a science lesson, it has a "For Teachers" page with suggestions and extra activities.

Tox Town (National Library of Medicine)
http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov 
Tox Town provides information on everyday locations where you might find toxic chemicals. It includes descriptions of chemicals and links to authoritative chemical information on the Internet. It also focuses on how the environment can impact human health. Tox Town uses color, graphics, sounds and animation to add interest. Tox Town's target audience is students above elementary-school level, educators, and concerned citizens. There are some resources in Spanish.

Unsolved Mysteries of Human Health: How Scientists Study Toxic Chemicals
http://www.unsolvedmysteries.oregonstate.edu  
The Unsolved Mysteries features cutting edge research and tools currently used by environmental health scientists in the Environmental Health Sciences Center and Marine and Freshwater Biomedical Sciences Center at Oregon State University. Users of the website are challenged with an environmental mystery that they need to solve by using specialized analytical equipment. The website includes interactive lab tours, on-line quizzes, interviews and links to scientists, glossary, and additional resources.

What the World Eats
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519,00.html
Photographs by Peter Menzel, from his book "Hungry Planet: What the World Eats," depict a study of weekly food consumption from around the globe. Learn what families from Japan, Sicily, Chad, Kuwait, the United States, Mexico, Egypt, and many other countries spend on a week's worth of groceries and how many persons must be fed from the purchase. Also learn about each family's favorite foods. This is an enlightening look at the relative wealth of families from different parts of the world and a useful resource for thinking critically about abundance and want.

What You Need to Know About Drugs
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/grow/drugs_alcohol/know_drugs.html
Students are curious about drugs and this is a simple site that delves into what they need to know: what drugs are good and what drugs are harmful, what are illegal drugs, like heroin and marijuana, and why are they illegal. The authors also explain why people may use these drugs and how to tell if someone is using them. The site includes a short glossary and is available in Spanish as well as English.

Winning Connection
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/hsnut/index.html
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign provides "The Winning Connection" for sports and nutrition. Learn about the proper diets for activity, the pregame meal, keeping energy levels up, and proper hydration.

World’s Healthiest Foods
http://www.whfoods.com/
One of the top New Year’s resolutions every year is to eat healthier and on this Web site, you can discover the World’s Healthiest Foods! Not only will you learn about healthy foods, but you will also get great advice on how to prepare them, as well as, recipes to try with them. Each week, a different healthy food is highlighted.

Yellow Jackie
http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/mspot/yjackie/  
Yellow Jackie is an click-through science mystery that should take about an hour to solve. You are "hired" on as crew to help sail a yacht across half the Pacific. After a storm, you will use science-based clues to solve a mystery. This is one of a series of online science mysteries created for Access Excellence @ the National Health Museum (AE@NHM), a national science education program.

Zoothland
http://www.zooth.com/
Flash animations of brushing, flossing, and the mouth are supplemented with some online videogames on dental hygiene. The most useful part of this site may be in the Teachers section, where diagrams of teeth can be printed for use in classrooms.