Finding Trusted Health Information on the Internet

Have you ever found yourself Googling your symptoms when you are sick? A few clicks later and you find yourself absorbing information that correlates with your symptoms and you have convinced yourself that you have this condition and only months to live? I have realized that Googling your symptoms when you are ill is a surefire way to convince yourself that you are dying.

The advent of the internet opened the door for information to be accessible by anyone. Anything and everything you wanted to know can be found online. The problem is, not everything you read or find online is true, honest, or correct. My goal in this blog is to encourage you to think critically and use caution when looking online for medical information.

Below is a list of some resources that I would recommend to my patients wanting to become more familiar with medications, illnesses/conditions, and herbal products and supplements. I encourage you to be proactive in your health and talk with your doctor and pharmacist regularly.

Each resource below is a bit different in regards to content and you will have to find out which one works best for you.

Some resources that may be beneficial to you with trusted medical information include, but are not limited to:

• S. National Library of Medicine DailyMed
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products
• Iodine: Medication information that really helps
• National Institutes of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements

I hope this information can help guide you to understanding your health better and become a trusted resource for you and your family.