Image source: http://www.zo.utexas.edu/faculty/sjasper/images/airpolsources.jpg
What does health mean to you? Is it running a really fast 100-meter sprint or a long distance marathon? Is it going 15 rounds in the ring or lifting really heavy deadlifts? Is it being able to twist yourself into poses or just living really long? Being healthy is one of the most overused and among the least understood ideas floating around in the zeitgeist. Health and fitness is one of the only businesses that never has a market crash, and thanks to the internet Health is now content, put the two together and you have a perfect storm of disinformation, misinformation and malicious information.
On one hand, there are the really trusted sources of health and medical information and then there are blogs that claim the source to eternal youth is found by things like auto-urine therapy and ayahuasca ceremonies. Here we look at websites that help you stay healthy and get healthier, during medical treatments and as a part of your daily life.
1) WebMD
WebMD is the leader in health information, especially for American audiences. It gives you in-depth information for an exhaustive list of illnesses and has a professionally written database of health and medical information. With WebMD though you can suffer from the rabbit-hole effect. You may go in looking for help with acid reflux and end up believing you need open heart surgery.
2) Livestrong
Livestrong, in spite of all the scandals good ol' Lance had to suffer, is still going strong. It has a backbone of really interesting and easily understandable material for everyday Americans. It specialises in fitness and nutrition and you will find yourself regularly using Livestrong when you're in search of information on even some obscure fitness topic. However, the fact that it focuses on fitness may leave you need more if you need some serious healthcare info.
3) National MS Society
Foundation websites like the National MS Society website or the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology are often the best way to get what you need to know about serious illnesses and diseases. Since these sites have a narrow focus they bring unmatched latest information with as much focus on all the possible scenarios a patient may face.
4) Health.Online
Health.online is the new kid on the block looking to bridge the gap between specialised medical information and everyday health information. They have some interesting social media posts that let you keep in touch with your everyday fitness and healthy living information, but also offers complex disease related information in a crisp and level way.
5) Mayo Clinic
The hallowed Mayo Clinic is at the other end of the spectrum, like your stern but experienced doctor in whites. Mayo offers comprehensive and detailed symptomatic and clinical information, but you might get lost in the jargon if you're a lazy person or just go "tl;dr" (the internet's way of saying Too Long Didn't Read)
6) Homeveda
Homeveda deals with the ancient Indian medicinal tradition known as Ayurveda. The website gives information regarding the methods to make many Ayurvedic concoctions for different ailments. Video clips are also available in the website to learn the preparation methods. The concoctions mentioned in the website can easily be made at home using ingredients that are easily available in grocery stores. The website also has many diet plans and cures for all kinds of health problems.
7) Everyday Health
Everydayhealth helps users check possible causes of many common symptoms such as arm pain, abdominal pain, earache, body ache, breast pain, diarrhea, cough, gas, irregular periods, joint pain, excessive sweating, vomiting, vaginal itching, sore throat and many more.
