This blog will undergo several changes in the coming months. I’m tired of being timid. The First Amendment guarantees me the right to speak freely, and I intend to use that right to help as many people as I can.

A funny thing happened on the way to do research. I discovered that most of what I wanted to know is already available. It just hasn’t been communicated effectively.

After I thought about this new discovery for awhile, the excitement of a new opportunity replaced the initial disappointment of being scooped. My new goal is to help gifted researchers communicate their findings to the public.

Please follow me on this journey. Feel free to comment, share your ideas, or let me know if you don’t understand what’s going on. You can also stop by just to say hello.

Though Unmasking a Diagnosis has received critical acclaim, I have removed it from circulation because it does not adequately depict my experience with natural or allopathic care.

The medical industrial complex, which fears health care reform efforts, is using my book and a seminar I gave last year to fight the natural care industry. I refuse to be used that way.

My next book will be available in early 2010. Stay informed by subscribing to blog updates by email or RSS feed.

This blog is experiencing technical difficulties. Please excuse me if you’ve received any emails that contain old posts.

9/9/09 – SBWIRE – SAN DIEGO — Who would guess that nearly half of the U.S. population lives with a chronic illness? But according to a study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation over 133 million people have an illness or condition, most of which are invisible, and many that cause daily pain. Illnesses can range from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy to diabetes, multiple sclerosis to fibromyalgia, or painful conditions like back pain and migraines. [Read more...]

The first version of this post incorrectly identified Chris Schroeder as the current chairman of the Online Publishers Association. He is a past chairman.

Last week HealthCentral.com announced it had purchased Wellsphere.com. With over 35 websites, HealthCentral is the leading collection of online consumer health and wellness experiences focused on specific conditions. The two sites draw about 10 million unique visitors each month.

Wellsphere’s technology, which allows consumers to find information that is not specific to a particular disease, will allow HealthCentral to provide a richer mix of information. Contributors include medical professionals, patients, and caregivers.

HealthCentral also includes content from Harvard Health Publications and the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR). An onsite symptom checker helps visitors pinpoint what might be wrong.

HealthCentral’s content is provided by people who have dealt with serious and chronic conditions. Founder and CEO Chris Schroeder created the site when loved ones who faced serious illnesses needed information that addressed the whole person.

Schroeder has years of experience with online publications. Before founding HealthCentral, he was CEO and publisher of washingtonpost.newsweek interactive and host of washingtonpost.com and newsweek.msnbc.com. He is also co-founder and past chairman of the Online Publishers Association.

I have no idea where these developments will lead. I’m just excited about the opportunity to help more people. Stay tuned to this blog to stay abreast of upcoming changes.

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Jacqueline Laurette Jones is author of Unmasking a Diagnosis: How to get Help for a Confusing Chronic Illness Without Filing for Bankruptcy.

Today I received notice that this blog placed 29th in the 2008 People’s HealthBlogger Awards. The real shock was that I won Best of Category for the Healthy Living Community.

I have no idea how to blog. My experience is in print, so I’m winging it while I learn how to write for the Web.

These awards give me incentive to try even harder. Thanks to everyone who voted for me.

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Jacqueline Laurette Jones is author of Unmasking a Diagnosis: How to get Help for a Confusing Chronic Illness Without Filing for Bankruptcy.

For those of you who have been waiting to purchase Unmasking a Diagnosis on Amazon.com, the wait will be a little longer. After listening to feedback from my posts and seminar, I realized I wasn’t communicating effectively.

You need to understand that leading scientists have proved chronic illness can have many different causes. When the causes are identified and addressed, most illnesses can be prevented, slowed, or reversed.

Some techniques will require only a change in lifestyle. Most can save you money by eliminating or reducing medical bills. All will require that you take responsibility for your own health and participate in your treatment. That will only work if you are fully informed.

If your doctor has been unable to pinpoint your illness, I can teach you how to get help from someone who can pinpoint the most likely cause and estimate how much you can recover and how long it will take.

Those of you who have advanced illnesses may never completely regain your health, and some of my own challenges may never disappear. While I can’t promise miracles, I can promise that you will feel better and substantially reduce your medical expenses.

I remain committed to helping you improve your health and living a fuller life. Subscribe to this blog or visit often for more information on chronic disease and related issues and to learn the new publication date for the book.

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Jacqueline Laurette Jones is author of Unmasking a Diagnosis: How to get Help for a Confusing Chronic Illness Without Filing for Bankruptcy.

The last chance to vote for this bog in the People’s HealthBlogger Awards is Saturday, Jan. 31. If you haven’t done so already, please vote for me, and ask the people you know to do the same. I want to inform as many people as I can about chronic disease prevention, treatment, and related issues.

If you click the “Vote Now” button in the badge at the end of this post, you will be taken to Wellsphere.com, where you can vote or find a code to display a badge on your blog, website, or social networking profile. Only one vote per person counts, so the best way to help me is to spread the word. Thanks.

for Jacqueline Jones http://jacquelineljones.com/category/health-issues-unmasked%E2%84%A2

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Jacqueline Laurette Jones is author of Unmasking a Diagnosis: How to get Help for a Confusing Chronic Illness Without Filing for Bankruptcy.