By John Ostapkovich

DELAWARE COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- It's bad enough when you or a loved one is sick, but the health care system can seem overwhelming. A new book by a Delaware County man aims to give you the knowledge you need to see what's what.

Once upon a time, Glenn Ellis was on track to be a doctor, but he tweaked that interest into decades of learning all he could on the field. Now, in Information is the Best Medicine: A Guide to Navigating Your Healthcare, he shares what he has found with us. He says it tackles in plain language some of the most challenging, confusing and frightening topics.

"I have 25 or 30 different chapters in the book that cover everything from what happens to a man once he's told, 'You have prostate cancer.' How do you understand what your options are?" Ellis says.

Ellis also discusses oral health, stress, diet and the ins and outs of the medical establishment (who are all those people with stethoscopes anyway?). These are laid out in a way that will not overwhelm average folks but still passes top medical scrutiny.