Why you should never ignore shortness of breath (and other health lessons learned from celebs)

The OrganizedWisdom team was saddened to learn of Robin Williams' hospitalization and aortic valve replacement. While he surely gave his family, friends, and fans a big scare, doctors say the surgery should be routine (just as long as the patient can refrain from telling jokes while they're holding their scalpels).

The silver lining is that every time a celebrity comes forward to disclose a health condition, thousands of average Joes pay closer attention to their own symptoms and get them checked out. In this case, Williams complained of shortness of breath, which can be a symptom of asthma, COPD, heart attack, and heart failure. It's definitely something to tell your doctor about if you've experienced it.

OrganizedWisdom has tracked down great resources to help you learn more about celebs with conditions you may be curious about. Here are some highly searched stars and the valuable health lessons they've shared.

• Sometimes major fatigue is a sign that you need more than just a day off: Halle Berry and Diabetes
• Extreme pain in feet and hands is nothing to shrug off: Kathleen Turner and Rheumatoid Arthritis
• A bout of indigestion can be an early sign of something worse: Anne Rice and Diabetes
• Many skin conditions stay with you for life, but new treatments can help you manage: Leann Rimes and Psoriasis

More on Celebrities and Health at OrganizedWisdom

One of our favorite celebrity health blogs: Celebrity Psychings