Fundamentals - Merck Manuals Consumer Version

The Human Body

The human body is a complex, highly organized structure made up of unique cells that work together to accomplish the specific functions necessary for sustaining life.
Death and Dying

Death is an intrinsic part of life, and talking about the likely outcomes of illness, including death and dying, is an important part of health care. Doctors and patients vary in the language they use and in their comfort level regarding such discussions.
Exercise and Fitness

There are many benefits of exercise. Exercise is one of the most effective and, when done properly, safest ways to enhance health and wellness. For example, exercise can strengthen the cardiovascular system, lower blood pressure, improve the levels of fats, cholesterol, and sugar in the blood, strengthen muscles, prevent falls, and improve mood. As a result, people may function better, live longer, and avoid many common disorders. Benefits of exercise usually far exceed the possible harms.
Genetics

Genes are segments of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that contain the code for a specific protein that functions in one or more types of cells in the body. Chromosomes are structures within cells that contain a person's genes.
Legal and Ethical Issues

The law has a lot to say about personal decision-making. For example, people have the legal right to make their own health care decisions. However, poor health can jeopardize people’s ability to exercise their legal rights.
Making the Most of Health Care

Gone are the days when everyone can rely solely on their family doctor with the help of a nurse to take charge of their health care. To obtain the best health care today, people should participate actively in the process. Active participation means many things:
Prevention

Traditional medical care focuses on improving health by identifying and treating health problems that have already produced symptoms or complications. In contrast, preventive medical care focuses on preventing health problems from occurring. Preventive care also focuses on diagnosing problems before symptoms or complications arise, when the chances of recovery are greatest. When done well, prevention improves overall health and reduces health care costs.
Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation services are needed by people who have lost the ability to function normally, often because of an injury, a stroke, an infection, a tumor, surgery, or a progressive disorder (such as arthritis).