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HawaiiHealthGuide.com Sends a Healthy Aloha to the World!
By Katherine Fisher
 Whether you are a visitor or resident of the Hawaiian Islands, HawaiiHealthGuide.com is designed to help you make informed choices about the resources available in Hawaii for personal, environmental and community health. Statistics show that more than 50% of visitors to Hawaii use the Internet to plan a portion of their experience in Hawaii in advance. A business listed in one of the 10 searchable directories on this award winning website can be read by a worldwide audience interested in experiencing or learning more about health in Hawaii.
Hawaii Health Guide recently received a $35,000 matching grant award from the Hawaii Tourism Authority to promote Hawaii’s health and wellness communities. The founders, Katherine Fisher and Michael Saiz, are continuing their pioneering work of combining powerful database tools, the Internet, and the health and wellness resources in Hawaii, through the online website www.HawaiiHealthGuide.com.
A recent search through the Health Talk article archive revealed a treasure trove of information. Topics include: why redheads are more likely to sunburn, natural fertility information from a Naturopathic Physician, Breast Thermography Techniques available in Hawaii for early detection of breast cancer through non radioactive techniques, the three signs for recognizing a stroke, healthy hiking tips, and creative recipes using local ingredients like banana and poi. Health Talk is also available via RSS feed internationally. Some people even report reading it from their cell phones!
A browse through the Events Directory revealed a wide variety of upcoming healthy events available to the public, ranging from yoga classes to diabetes awareness workshops, a medicinal herb hike through the mountains on Oahu, Health Expos on Maui and the Big Island, an environmental film festival on Oahu, and cultural and music festivals on all the islands.
There is an increase in visitors that come to Hawaii, not just for fun and relaxation, but because they are seeking a healing vacation experience. The Hawaii Health Guide website helps define the health and wellness travel niche in Hawaii and provides a doorway for others to explore it. The website also helps local people locate the practitioners offering health services and skills on the directory. The Health and Wellness niche market is composed of small businesses or individuals that are concerned about their community and environment. Co-founder of the Hawaii Health Guide website, Katherine Fisher, said, “These people make a difference! They are a positive contribution to our community and economy, and we want these businesses to succeed. If you want your favorite vegetarian restaurant or organic farmer to thrive then not only do you have to patronize them, you also have to tell your friends to go there too. You even have to give them feedback on how to improve! This is how a small business survives and thrives in dynamic times. In our case, we thought we'd think local, and act global. Rather then just tell our friends and neighbors, we thought we'd let the world know. So we collaborated with community members and web designers to be able to put a spotlight on businesses and create an on-line community. We hear feedback from the visitors and residents that have been able to find remarkable people, services, accommodations and products through the on-line directory. The Hawaii Tourist Authority and the County Economic Development Office recognize the value of this project to create an active data base of our health and wellness resources in Hawaii. We are happy that the entire community benefits from their support of this project."
Over 1,500 unique visitors a day are currently using HawaiiHealthGuide.com to locate a variety of personal services and community events. Log on today and you can find a health food store near you, discover a special writer's retreat hideaway to write your next book, locate a shiatsu massage therapist specializing in tennis elbow, frequent a gourmet vegan restaurant, attend a cancer support group, select an environmentally-friendly sailing tour, rent a bio-diesel car, unlock the keys to success with a personal coach, learn about acupuncture and stroke recovery, find a farmer's market, meet some new friends at a local church or spiritual gathering, catch a polo match, dive in deep at a meditation retreat, or practice your downward dogs with the local yogis.
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