Many of us have likely been looking for reliable sources for health tips, information and news lately. With something as important as your health, it’s important to have a source (or a few sources) of information that you can trust. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, it could be difficult to understand what breaking health news meant for our individual wellbeing.However, there are some trusted sources for information that you can access for confirmation on health stories and to answer questions you may have.
MedLinePlus
MedLine Plus is a website resource run by the National Library of Medicine. The website consolidates free resources on a variety of health subjects – organized by body/location, demographic, or condition. This is a great resource for checking up on the facts listed in stories about new treatments or diseases in the news. It’s meant for everyone – and condenses the most important information in a format that is easy to understand for everyone (not just doctors).
Healthline
Healthline is both a website and an app with health news stories and editorial content that go through a rigorous review process from their staff of medically trained writers (many of whom have medical degrees). Those looking for information on current health topics, from nutrition to mental health, can visit their site to browse content by the newest stories or by content topic (i.e. “allergies” or “hypertension”). The site is also clear about their advertising policy – and committed to never letting advertising get in the way of the most important information or news stories for consumers.
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) website is easy to read and search and also has up to-date information on everything from diseases to nutrition and sleep. They also have a monthly newsletter – which consolidates popular news stories and features from the month into a reader-friendly format. For news from the NIH’s specific research departments, you can check out the current events section as well. You can subscribe to their newsletter or simply follow NIH on their multiple social media channels to stay up to-date on both current health topics and research from NIH.
American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ABA) gives lots of information on diabetes treatments, management tips, procedures and medications, but also includes several resources for diabetes patients planning out their everyday meal schedules and plans. It can be helpful to put current diseases or health issues in context of an underlying condition like diabetes. Their Diabetes Food Hub provides recipes, tips, meal planning and grocery shopping lists to help keep patients on track.
Drugs.com
Internet users looking for information about specific drugs and their use in treatments can check out drugs.com. It is an up to-date source of drug information online. The information, news and articles are free and peer reviewed so that they provide accurate data on prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural remedies. Not only can you search the site for specific drugs and their uses, you can also view their current news stories and new drug approvals sections for new treatments and their uses. Drugs.com also has a mobile app to help lookup drug information when you’re out and about (say, at the pharmacy).
FamilyDoctor.org
FamilyDoctor.org is a great source of health information, and news, but it also provides more advice surrounding medical treatment – such as how to approach medical insurance, bills or finding the right doctor. The site, run by the American Academy of Family Physicians, offers approachable advice just like you’d get from your regular physician. It also has plenty of health tools, such as a BMI calculator and immunization schedules for families with children.
These are great resources to have for staying on top of health trends and tips, but there are also many other websites and applications out there to help. You can use these sources as fact checkers for much of the health news that you read and hear every day. Do your research and stay healthy!
