FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

The internet is our key to the unknown. Need a definition for a tough word? Forget the trusty dictionary sitting on the bookshelf. The internet is quicker, easier, and so much more convenient. Need a quick recipe for chicken, potatoes, or say, cookies? No need for a visit to that old recipe box or cookbook. A quick search of the internet can score bunches of tried and true blueprints for the cravings that consume us. And when it comes to our health? Heck, who doesn't self-diagnose by way of the keyboard?

At times, we all share the same doctor. Austin Fit Magazine calls our collective physician Dr. Google and while many of us might highly recommend the good doctor, it's possible we're relying on this seemingly trusty source of medical information a bit too much.

Surveys reveal that nearly 40 percent of web-using adults have gone online to research a medical condition. Some use sites like Web MD. Some simply type a symptom like "ankle pain" or "sore throat" into a search box. Such investigation can be helpful but it can also lead to panic, anxiety, and plain old misinformation. Without an actual person who can offer comfort and explanation, online searches can be downright dangerous.

As with everything, using the internet for medical pursuits is all about balance. Too much information from this source can undermine the real patient-physician relationship. On the other hand, knowing our stuff before we head into an exam room isn't such a bad idea.

Whether you call it empowerment, useless wandering, or something in between, perusing the internet requires an open mind and a whole lot of common sense too. The bottom line is this: Use Dr. Google's free-flowing information as you will. But remember that medicine was never intended to become a do-it-yourself project.

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Dr. Mehmet Oz makes an appearance in the February 2008 issue of Reader's Digest and dishes out some heart-y facts.

• The heart is the body's metronome. This means it gives our bodies a rhythm that lasts until the day we die.
  
  

• Did you know male and female hearts are different when it comes to heart disease? Dr. Oz says they are. Female hearts are affected more by emotion, says the good doctor. Their arteries are more likely to spasm under emotional distress. Men's arteries, in contrast, tend to be rigid.

• The heart is selfish, in a good way. Before sending blood to the brain, lungs, and elsewhere, it sends blood to the coronary arteries. Essentially, it feeds itself first so it can keep pumping, no matter what. Dr. Oz says mothers would be wise to adopt this selfish tendency so they don't sacrifice their own health to benefit their children.

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Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

I'm thrilled to death about my guest this week, Dr. Mehmet Oz., vice chair of surgery and professor of cardiac surgery at Columbia University. I, along with millions of others met Dr. Oz a couple of years ago when he started appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show as her health expert. Kind of like the way she introduced Dr. Phil; except that Dr. Oz is truly brilliant in a non-subjective kind of way, easy on the eyes, and easy to understand.

I've been teaching fitness for almost two decades and have earned a Master's Degree in Exercise and Sports Sciences. I'm always hungry for new and relevant information. Rarely I find it. But, Dr. Oz always teaches me something new. He breaks highly advanced medical concepts down, so that everyone can understand them and how they affect our lives.

Dr. Oz is a major force in the push for real deal, gimmick-free healthy living. Mehmet is one of Oprah's favorite things, and a host of his own talk show on the Oprah and Friends radio network. He has a series on the Discovery Health Channel called You:Staying Young. He also happens to have best selling books out: You:Staying Young and You:On a Diet. I'd like to shrink down small and run around in his brain for a while to absorb all that he has to offer; either that or be his apprentice for a week. Since I probably can't do that, I invited him for an interview. Enjoy it. I did!

Fitz: How did you make the transition from cardiologist to wellness guru?

Dr. Oz: I spent the first few years of my career doing general medicine; you have to learn all other aspects of being a doctor before becoming a cardiologist. I got a great education on how the entire body works. Medicine is somewhat of a narcissistic profession, and I've spent a lot of my life keeping myself healthy. I saw the lifestyle mistakes others were making which led them to me, and I started to feel kind of guilty for not sharing what I knew about health and fitness. The stuff I've been pursuing my whole life! I lettered in eleven sports; everything from water polo to football. I love how you feel after working out; there's a lot to learn in life from pushing your body.

Fitz: How old are you?

Dr. Oz: I'm 47.

Fitz: Do you have children?

Dr. Oz: I have four kids. Ages twenty-one, seventeen, thirteen, and eight.

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I just spoke to the health expert for the Oprah Winfrey show, Dr. Oz, as I'll be featuring him in an upcoming Celebrity Fitzness Report. Fortunately for all of us, we spoke for almost an hour and the man filled my brain up with so much great information that I'll be sharing it with you for a long time to come.

Dr. Oz's tips for staying fit over the holidays:

1. Never walk around a holiday party with both hands full; one with a drink and one with food. Keep a hand free to greet people and you'll cut lots of calories.

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I caught a minute of ABC's The View on Tuesday and learned that co-host Whoopi Goldberg is trying to quit smoking. Good for her.

"I want to be done by December 15," Whoopi told her audience. A wise plan, considering smoking damages nearly every organ in the human body, is linked to 10 different cancers, and accounts for 30 percent of all cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. Yet one in four Americans still light up.

Smoking is by far the leading risk factor for lung cancer. And it is far more dangerous for women than men. Now wrap your head around this fact: The nicotine found in cigarettes is as addictive as heroin. If that's not reason enough to stop smoking, I don't know what is.

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The Diet Detective's Count Down: 7500 of Your Favorite Food Counts with Their Exercise Equivalents for Walking, Running, Biking, Swimming, Yoga, and Dance by Charles Stuart Platkin is the perfect book for those looking to balance out their daily exercise with their calories consumed. Mr. Platkin has obtained the caloric counts for a massive amount of food, including meals from all of your favorite restaurants. He also gives you an idea on how much exercise you'll need to do to burn each item off.

Calories burned vs. calories consumed is the ultimate decider on weight loss, gain, or maintenance. If you're curious to find out what your favorite lunch is truly worth, this book will come in handy.

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