LAS VEGAS — there might not be a better location than Las Vegas for a celebration of Muhammad Ali’s life. it was here, amongst the glitz on The Strip, that Ali conceived the swagger and braggadocio to match his brilliance in the ring. And it is here that some of the most advanced research and treatment of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, the disease Ali has been afflicted with for three decades, is being conducted at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in downtown Las Vegas. about 2,000 people attended a star-studded gala and fund-raiser to honor Ali during an evening of celebration at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night. Attendees paid as much as $10,000 a ticket for the event, with the proceeds going to the Lou Ruvo Center and to the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky. Ali arrived late Saturday surrounded by his family, including his wife and daughter. When chants of “Ali, Ali” rang out through the arena, Ali’s face lit up and he did his best to acknowledge the crowd. Organizers were concerned that the funeral for Whitney Houston in Newark on Saturday afternoon would create conflicts for entertainers who were scheduled to perform at the Vegas gala. but only two performers, Stevie wonder and Sean Combs, had to amend their travel schedules, flying here after the Houston services. Bob Arum of Top Rank, who promoted 27 of Ali’s 61 fights, flew in some of Ali’s former opponents, including George Chuvalo, Earnie Shavers, Chuck Wepner and Leon Spinks, along with Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns. Arum thought it was important for those fighters to attend, because he wanted the night to be special for Ali. he saw Ali at the funeral of his former trainer, Angelo Dundee in Clearwater, Fla., last week. “He didn’t look good,” said Arum, who described Ali as expressionless during the funeral service. “It’s the worst I’ve ever seen him look.” George Foreman, who keeps in contact with Ali on a weekly basis via texts and email, said it is important that Ali makes himself visible. “There isn’t any reason to hide out,” Foreman said. “He is sending a very important message just by being in the public eye.” Shavers, whom Ali called “The Acorn” because of the shape of his bald head, said he owes everything to Ali and wouldn’t have thought of missing the celebration. “I’m still getting bookings today because I fought Ali,” Shavers said. “He changed my life. he changed my family’s life. I wouldn’t be where I’m at now, at age 67, if it wasn’t for Ali.” All of the fighters were invited into two large boxing rings on opposite sides of the stage, and the floor of the arena was filled with many people who felt the same as Shaver and Foreman. it was aptly entitled “The Power of love Gala.” it was a homecoming of sorts for Ali, because legend has it that Ali conceived of the idea of being brash and bold after meeting the flamboyant wrestler gorgeous George in Las Vegas in 1961. Ali was just 19 years old and was fighting Duke Sabedong, a heavyweight from Hawaii, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. two days before his fight, Ali and gorgeous George were scheduled to appear on a local TV sportscast. George talked smack about his opponent, about how pretty he was and how he was going to dispatch him. Supposedly George told Ali that if he wanted to make it big in boxing he needed to add some showbiz flare to his repertoire. Ali defeated Sabedong in a 10-round decision and took gorgeous George’s advice. “The Greatest” was born. Fifty years later, back in Las Vegas, and being honored with songs from Lenny Kravitz, Kelly Rowland, Cee Lo Green and others, Ali is a stoic figure — locked away inside a shell ravaged by Parkinson’s. No one knows whether years of shots to the head during his ring career and hundreds of rounds of sparring led to Ali’s current condition. but the research that is being done at the center in downtown Las Vegas, inside of a Stainless Steel building designed by noted architect Frank Gehry to that question. And that research may be able to stop long-term brain injuries from occurring with boxers in the future. The center is currently undertaking an extensive brain study involving 146 active professional boxers and Mixed Martial Arts fighters. The boxers will undergo MRIs of the brain and other tests once a year for four years to detect subtle changes in the brain that affect memory, movement and mood. Dr. Charles Bernick, a Las Vegas neurologist, is leading the study and he hopes to identify the point at which the changes occur that result in impaired thinking and brain function. “We know that changes occur decades before the onset of symptoms,” Bernick said during a tour of the facility with a small group of reporters Friday afternoon. by studying those subtle changes, Bernick said boxers will be armed with information that would allow them to determine whether it is safe to continue their careers or walk away from the sport. Jesse Magdaleno, a 20-year-old junior featherweight prospect with an 8-0 record, is participating in the study. “This is a great thing for my health, especially starting as a young fighter,” Magdaleno said. “Starting from here and going for four years we’ll see how my brain is functioning. every little thing will help and it will help other fighters out there. you have to be 100% with your health or other things will happen to you.”

Understanding key numbers—BMI, blood-sugar level—can lead to better health.

Blood PressureHealthy number: less than 120/80 mmHg.

Blood pressure refers to the force of blood against the walls of your arteries when your heart beats (systolic pressure, the top number) and during rests between beats (diastolic pressure, the bottom) and is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). 

“The lower yours is, the better,” says Dr. Holly Thacker, director of the Center for Specialized Women’s Health at the Cleveland Clinic. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is 140/90 mmHg or higher. Hypertension is called “the silent killer” because it often has no symptoms and, left untreated, can lead to stroke, heart disease, kidney damage, and vision and memory problems. (If your top number is between 120 and 139 and the lower is between 80 and 89, you have prehypertension, which also carries risks.)

Have yours checked: Every time you see a doctor, including an ob-gyn. To lower your numbers, consume a low-fat, low-sodium diet; exercise often; maintain a healthy weight; limit alcohol intake; don’t smoke; and manage stress. Your doctor may prescribe a diuretic to flush out excess sodium. if that and lifestyle changes don’t work, other medicines, like an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, may be prescribed. 

Blood SugarHealthy number: A fasting blood-sugar level of 99 mg/dL or less.

A fasting blood-sugar test measures glucose (sugar) in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood after you haven’t eaten for at least eight hours. A level of 126 mg/dL or higher indicates diabetes, a condition in which your body doesn’t produce enough insulin (which converts blood sugar into energy) or use insulin properly. Diabetes more than doubles your risk of heart disease and increases your chances of kidney disease, vision loss, and other health issues.

Have yours checked: At age 45, then every three years after that. (Your doctor may test you earlier if you are overweight or have a family history of diabetes.) Some doctors also do a hemoglobin A1C test, which measures glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), a substance in red blood cells that forms when glucose attaches to hemoglobin. this “gives a better picture of average blood sugar over the previous three months,” says Dr. Wendy S. Klein, an internist in Richmond, Va. An optimal A1C reading is less than 5.7 percent. To improve your blood-sugar numbers, shed any excess pounds.

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CholesterolHealthy number: Total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL; LDL cholesterol under 100 mg/dL.

“The higher your cholesterol levels, the greater your risk of heart disease,” says Dr. Nieca Goldberg, director of the Langone Women’s Heart Center at New York University, in New York City. To minimize health risks, your total cholesterol should stay under 200 mg/dL (cholesterol is measured by milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter of blood). But it’s actually low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol—the “bad,” artery-clogging kind—that causes the damage. 

“Elevated LDL levels cause the formation of plaque in the artery walls,” explains Goldberg, which leads to atherosclerosis and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. for most people, the optimal level of LDL is under 100 mg/dL (and under 70 mg/dL if you have diabetes or heart disease).

Have yours checked: Starting at age 20 and older. “You should have a fasting blood test to measure total cholesterol and LDL, plus the other lipids, triglycerides, and HDL [high-density lipoprotein],” says Goldberg. “If the numbers are normal, you don’t have to recheck them for five years.” 

If the numbers are not where they should be, the best way to improve your cholesterol levels is to lose excess weight; exercise more often; stick with a diet that is low in cholesterol, saturated fat, and trans fats; and get your levels rechecked yearly. Even if you do all this, you may still need to take a cholesterol-lowering medication.

HDL CholesterolHealthy number: 50 mg/dL or higher.

High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is the “good” cholesterol, so the higher your number, the better your health. “HDL cholesterol helps remove harmful LDL cholesterol from arteries,” says Goldberg. An HDL level lower than 50 mg/dL is a heart-disease risk factor for women, while a level of 60 mg/dL or higher helps protect you from heart disease. The best ways to raise your HDL are to quit smoking; exercise; eat monounsaturated fats (olive oil is one source) instead of saturated and trans fats; and avoid having more than one alcoholic drink a day. When HDL is low and LDL is seriously high, cholesterol-lowering drugs, like statins, as well as niacin supplements can help.Triglycerides

Healthy number: less than 150 mg/dL.Triglycerides are a type of fat in the blood, and elevated levels increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Your triglyceride level (measured by milligrams of triglycerides per deciliter of blood, or mg?/dL) is borderline high if it is between 150 and 199 mg?/dL and high if it’s 200 mg?/dL or higher.Have yours checked: Annually. It’s usually part of the same test used to gauge your cholesterol. People with a high level are often low in HDL cholesterol and vice versa. Research suggests elevated triglycerides may be a greater risk factor for heart disease in women than in men, though no one knows exactly why this is. just consider it another good reason to get your level into the target zone. To do that, lose weight, quit smoking, consume no more than one alcoholic drink a day, and exercise regularly.

ThyroidHealthy number: A thyroid-stimulating hormone level under 4.0 mIU/L.

Produced by the pituitary gland, the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) directs the thyroid gland in your neck to secrete the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Besides helping regulate your metabolism, body temperature, and heart rate, these hormones affect skin, hair, muscle strength, mood, and mental functioning. if your TSH level is high, above 4.5 mIU/L (or milli–international units of TSH per liter of blood), your thyroid isn’t producing enough hormones to help your body function efficiently.

Have yours checked: Starting at age 35. Hypothyroidism is a condition that is fairly common among women and can raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lead to heart problems and depression. if your TSH level is high, your doctor may prescribe a thyroid replacement medication. if it is normal, recheck it every five years.

Body Mass IndexHealthy number: between 18.5 and 24.9.

Your body mass index (BMI) is a measure of your weight in relation to your height (calculate yours at nhlbisupport.com/bmi). A BMI of less than 18.5 means you’re underweight and at risk for irregular periods, fertility problems, anemia, and the bone loss that can lead to osteoporosis. Many Americans, however, have the opposite problem: a BMI that is too high. if a person’s BMI is between 25 and 29.9, she is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 or higher is defined as obese—and that’s a problem that lasts long after bathing-suit season is over. 

“Obesity increases your risk for just about every disease,” says Klein. But BMI alone doesn’t tell the whole story; bear in mind that if you carry extra weight around your middle (say, your waist circumference is 35 inches or greater), you’re at risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and all their attendant health issues, even if your BMI is in the normal range, notes Dr. Stephanie Faubion, an internist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Calculate yours: Annually, or after a weight gain or loss. if it’s too high, make an effort to eat less and exercise more. Keep a tape measure handy to track any waist changes as well.

C-Reactive ProteinHealthy number: lower than 1.0 mg/L.

The amount of C-reactive protein (CRP) found in the blood, measured in milligrams per liter (mg/L), is a marker of chronic, low-grade inflammation that has been linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.

Have yours checked: When you don’t know your risk for heart disease. CRP levels aren’t routinely measured, “but it’s useful information, especially if you don’t know your risk or family history for heart disease,” says Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University School of Medicine Prevention Research Center. “Doctors typically test CRP levels if they’re undecided about how aggressively to treat someone with borderline-high cholesterol or symptoms of angina but no other risk factors.” 

They may also order the test if a patient lacks these risk factors but has a strong family history of heart disease. in such cases, a high CRP level may lead a doctor to prescribe drug therapy, such as statins, earlier, or to suggest that the patient make more aggressive lifestyle changes (a healthy diet, more exercise) sooner rather than later. if you have high CRP levels, your doctor should recommend lifestyle changes and eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon, walnuts, canola oil, and ground flaxseed) to help reduce inflammation in the body.

HeightHealthy number: How tall you were at age 21.

This target is yours alone, to see if you’re keeping up your vertical peak.

Have yours checked: Annually. if you shrink by more than an inch and a half after age 21, which suggests bone loss (osteoporosis), you should get a bone-density test or a spine X-ray. “About one in every two women has an osteoporotic break or fracture in her lifetime,” warns Thacker. so if you have lost some of your full height at any age and find out that your bone density is low, you’re on notice: Your bones are fragile and at risk for breaking with a minor fall. To protect them, consume a calcium-rich diet and vitamin D, and do regular weight-bearing exercises (like brisk walking or tennis) and strength training. Smoking and alcohol intake can also adversely affect bone health. take a bone-protective medication if your doctor advises it.

Hitting Your NumbersTo get or stay in healthy ranges, aim for the following:* Get 150 to 240 minutes of aerobic exercise a week. Include some weight-bearing exercise (walking, jogging) on most days.

* Do strength training (weights, resistance bands) two to three times a week.

* Consume five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

* Eat a serving of fatty fish twice a week, or take a fish-oil supplement (three grams or less) daily.

* Get at least 75 milligrams of vitamin C (about six ounces of orange juice) daily.

* Consume 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium and at least 1,000 IU (international units) of vitamin D a day.

* Limit your alcohol intake to one drink per day maximum.

* Get seven to eight hours of sleep a night.

Is there a website that can diagnose symptoms? like you can input or choose from a box of symptoms then the site will tell you the probable diseases you have?

Thanks!

WebMD.com is good, however, I'd suggest asking an actual doctor, either via the phone or a visit.

Webmd.com is very good for this sort of thing

try mayoclinic.com or webMD or cleveland clinic