Short answer:

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If it claims to treat or cure everything, then it probably actually cures nothing. If financial gain is involved, keep a skeptical eye.

Long Answer:

Educating yourself about your own body and health can be incredibly empowering, but not all learning resources are created the same. We live in a time when almost anyone can have a blog, website, podcast or other public platform. This can be a creative outlet, a chance for information sharing, and community building for some, but it can also contribute to misinformation and the muddying of the “health and wellness” waters.

We can all agree that a thoroughly researched review article that is edited and drafted by a panel of experts and published in the New England Journal of Medicine is just not the same as your cousin’s barber’s “health blog” on how your astrological sign should guide your diet.

Fraudulent health claims, practitioners, and products are not harmless and often target people who feel desperate, are elderly or are chronically ill. The best-case scenario is that someone has a positive placebo effect from a sugar pill or vial of water. The worst-case scenarios are much more frightening. In addition to wasting money and preying on people’s emotions, false medical resources can delay appropriate and vital healthcare.

To be clear, there is absolutely a time and a place for complementary and integrative medical options, but that is not what this discussion is about. We will review some good and bad resources and how to tell the difference between the two when it comes to educating yourself.

Resources you can trust

• Your trusted and board-certified healthcare professional, such as a cardiologist, primary care physician, dentist, dietitian, etc. In addition to personally answering questions, they likely know many other valid places to send you for more information. Also, many physician office websites have articles and guidelines available for your perusal.
• Your pharmacist is a great resource for questions about medication, including dosing, interactions, side effects, etc.
• The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) all have plenty of vetted information on their individual websites. Most specialty areas of healthcare have websites (primarily free and public) with guidelines available. For example, there is the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology, American College of Endocrinologists, and the American Board of Internal Medicine.
• Original literature, such as medical articles, can also be a good choice for those who are more research-inclined. Generally, systematic review articles, meta-analyses, or randomized controlled trials are where you can start with confidence. Make sure the research is recent, relevant, and appears in a trustworthy journal.

Resources to be wary of

• Just anyone in scrubs. People who work in healthcare are trained in various fields of study and have expertise in that field. These health professionals are often asked questions beyond their scope of practice. Some information they pass along may be based on experiences or anecdotes rather than standards of care.
• Televised medical talk shows. Recommendations made on medical talk shows often lack adequate information on specific benefits or the magnitude of the effects of these benefits. Potential conflicts of interest are rarely addressed.  
• Social media. Medical practices and medical journals are getting involved in relaying information via social media. Make sure the social media source is a reputable medical entity.
• Advertisements. These are everywhere! Some may be for legitimate products, but you must remember that those ads' primary goal is to sell a product.

Some other key points to remember

• The word "natural" is essentially meaningless. Other phrases to be wary of include “miracle cure,” “ancient remedy,” “breakthrough,” “belly fat” and “secret that doctors/big pharma/the government don't want you to know.”
• If the grammar, wording or ratio of exclamation points/emoticons reads more like a text than an article, read no further.
• Remember that personal anecdotes are NOT the same as scientific evidence.
•  If a product or website is associated with a celebrity, entertainer or radio show, think long and hard about what you hear, read, or purchase. 

Need to make an appointment with a Piedmont physician? Save time, book online.