If you have a medical problem that needs ongoing treatment, it’s up to you to take charge of your day-to-day care. This often means making lifestyle changes to help improve your health. But as much as you want to get better, you may find that you have mixed feelings about giving up old habits for new ones. For example, if you’ve been diagnosed with a condition such as high blood pressure or heart disease, you may need to lose weight and watch your diet more carefully. You might think the prospect of getting sicker would be enough motivation to make changes. But fear isn’t always a good motivator.

People who are experts in helping others change their behavior and stick with it say that knowledge is power. Motivation to change often grows after you fully understand the facts about your medical problem and how your habits affect your condition and quality of life. Below are some ways to increase your knowledge — and spark your desire to change.

Get information from your doctor, nurse, dietitian or other health professional. Talking with your doctor or other provider is the best place to start. Ask questions and don’t hesitate to keep asking them until you clearly understand your condition and what you need to do about it. Health professionals can often give you printed health education materials as well.

Tap into free information clearinghouses. You can call for a list from the National Health Information Center at 800-336-4797 or visit www.health.gov/nhic. The National Library of Medicine also offers toll-free health hotlines. Visit http://hotlines.nlm.nih.gov.

Surf the Internet — wisely. Be sure to get your information from trustworthy, up-to-date Websites. Look for those sponsored by a government agency, medical society or nonprofit health organization. The National Library of Medicine site is a good place to start (www.nlm.nih.gov). Just enter the name of your condition in the search box. Other helpful sites are www.healthfinder.gov or the government’s Combined Health Information Database at www.chid.nih.gov.

Visit the library. Your local library and the medical library at your local hospital or university are also good resources. Bring a list of questions so that the librarian can help guide your search. If you don’t know how to use the Internet, ask the librarian for help.

Knowledge and motivation go hand in hand. There are certain things you can’t change, but small adjustments in your lifestyle can add up to a healthier you.

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