Where Can I Find Health Information I Can Trust?

There is a LOT of health information on the internet. How can you tell which sites you can trust?

One way is by checking the "about us" link on the website. This should let you know who runs the site and why it was created. Is the site trying to make money from you? If the main purpose of the site is to make money, you might not be able to trust the information it shows. Does the site have a seal of approval? This is one way of knowing that the information on the site should be trustworthy. Make sure the information on the site has been recently reviewed and updated by checking the dates on the articles. If the site makes claims that are too good to be true, then it is probably not a site you can trust. Check and see what the purpose of the site is? Does it stick to its' purpose? There should be a place on the website that tells you how they will use your information. Make sure you read this before signing up, giving your e-mail address or phone number to protect your privacy.

There are a number of health related websites that you can trust. Here are a few of my favorites: American Heart Association, American Cancer Association, American Diabetes Association, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Mayo Clinic, and National Institute of Health.

There are also many apps that you can use to track your health. Care Zone is a great app for tracking your medications. Many pharmacies have apps that will send you reminders when it is time to refill your medications. My Fitness Pal is an app where you can track what you eat, and what exercise you  have done. This app even has the ability to send that information to your doctor. HeartWise Blood Pressure Tracker is a good way to track your blood pressure. Substitutions can help you modify your diet if you are diabetic or need a low sodium diet. Many physician's offices have apps where you can check for the results of tests you have had done. Ask the doctor for apps he may recommend. You can find these apps by searching in the App Store on an Apple device and in the Play Store on a Google device.