Giving the Gift of Good Health

America is the fattest nation on earth and Fitbug is dedicated to reversing that sad fact. Myfitbug.com, is for people who know they ought to lose weight and get in shape but don't have spare time in their busy schedules. Fitbug tracks activity and even knows how much is aerobic. Online nutrition and fitness gurus offer personalized support and encouragement to reach realistic goals set by the user.

December 10, 2005 -- When it comes to choosing holiday presents, it is both the thought and the gift that counts. This year thousands of Americans will get the gift of good health in the form of a nifty little computerized fitness coach called Fitbug™. Fitbug, www.myfitbug.com, accurately tracks every step you take and calculates calories burned, distance covered and even can tell how much of your activity is aerobic. As soon as you clip the little “bug” on your belt or slip it in a pocket, you can see the results adding up. The bug also lets you save the information online to track your progress.

According to the Center for Disease Control, America is the fattest nation on earth and that’s no laughing matter because inactivity and poor eating habits can lead to obesity, diabetes, and lost productivity in the workplace.

The good news is that physicians and nutritionists agree that regular exercise, specifically walking, can help reverse the trend. Simply walking a little more at home, work and leisure directly affects weight loss and improves overall fitness.

Fitbug membership includes personalized online advice and support from trained fitness and nutrition gurus who help you set goals that fit into your busy schedule. Suggestions include target numbers to work towards, menu ideas and relaxation techniques. Users set the pace, and Fitbug helps them get a little bit more fit every step of the way.

One of the motivations to keep moving is an online community feature that lets users join walking leagues. Friends, families or co-workers around the world can see how far other members are walking each week. Instead of competition, it’s a friendly environment that encourages and supports everyone in the league.

For more information, take a free tour at: My Fit Bug . For information on setting up a Fitbug walking league.

BLACK PHYSICIAN NAMED PARTNER IN LARGEST GULF STATES VASCULAR PRACTICE

Baton Rouge, LA - Albert D. Sam II MD, FACS has been named partner in Vascular Surgery Associates, PMC (Baton Rouge, LA) and its subsidiaries. Serving the entire gulf coast region, Vascular Associates is the largest single-specialty vascular and endovascular surgical practice in Louisiana.

Dr. Sam is the first African American board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeon in the state of Louisiana and has the distinction of being the first physician to achieve certifications in general surgery, vascular surgery, and endovascular medicine.

As a director of several clinical trials through the research division of Vascular Associates, Dr. Sam serves as a Principle Investigator for the Carotid Revascularization: Endarterectomy vs. Stenting Trial (CREST) - the largest, National Institutes of Health sponsored trial for stroke prevention.

He is founding partner of the Vascular Associates Educational Foundation whose dual commitment is to 1) increase the awareness of the general public to peripheral vascular diseases signs and symptoms; and 2) to expose high school and college students to medical, technological, and research career opportunities related to vascular health care.

Vascular disease affects millions of Americans on a daily basis with African Americans disproportionately affected compared to other groups. African Americans also tend to have worse outcomes with treatment.

The organization's mission is to improve the quality of vascular health of those individuals in the southern United States - the most severely affected region of the country.

Dr. Sam also serves as Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.


About Vascular Associates, PMC
Vascular Associates in the largest single specialty vascular and endovascular surgical practice in the gulf coast region with headquarters in Baton Rouge, LA. Its subsidiaries include Vascular Associates Laboratory (VAL) and Total Vein Care of Louisiana TM (TVC). VAL serves as the largest vascular laboratory in the state and serves the entire Gulf Coast region performing more than 12,000 non-invasive studies monthly. TVC is the leading freestanding gulf coast clinic dedicated to the complete medical, surgical and cosmetic care of problematic veins performing more minimally invasive, endoluminal vein ablations than any center in the Southeastern United States.