For over a year now, we at CNN have been busy working on a new Web site. Dozens of people came together to try and figure out what our Web users really wanted. You probably know CNN.com is already one of the most visited news sites in the world, and when it came to health, we knew we had to deliver something special. It had to be a place where you could not only get the latest news in the world of health, but also the knowledge that could improve your life every single day. It had to be a place where you could feel confident in the information you were getting, but also offered a way to communicate directly with experts, who are the very best at what they do. It had to rise above the clutter that has become a characteristic of so many health sites and it also had to appeal to your brain… and to your heart.  It had to become an essential part of your life.

The site you are about to open is essential, and we take great pride in knowing it could help improve the quality and length of your life.

You see every day, there is something happening somewhere in the world that could make your life better, sometimes in huge ways, sometimes in small. But, always better. So, here was our challenge. How do we find these new discoveries from places like Okinawa, Costa Rica and Sardinia and make them available to people everywhere in the world? How do we make sure the first sign of success in the treatment of  diseases such as Alzheimer’s, spinal cord injury or ALS is brought to you the consumer immediately? How do we make sure the very best knowledge available anytime, anywhere would be immediately available at your fingertips? That was the challenge and we are pretty sure we got it right.

You see, CNN is a huge news organization with bureaus in major cities all over the world and a newsgathering operation that is second to none.

Just about every minute of every day, our reporters and producers are all over the world finding knowledge.

 Truth is, we gather more far more information and content than can ever be used on television alone. But we also recognize this information is valuable and should be made available to you, the consumer. So, part of our mandate is everything we learn and know – you will now learn and know. It is an incredible tool and we call it CNNhealth.com.

I will be your guide, and I could not be more delighted and honored to do it. Go on this journey with us – and together we will create a culture of wellness and prevention in this country. Together we will create a more fit America and together we will live better and longer for ourselves and for our loved ones.

Let’s get started.