Has Internet Become Your Health Guru?

Internet has become a fundamental part of our lives. It is very common to hear someone say, “I cannot live without Internet” or “Google is my best friend.” From reading daily newspaper to finding recipes and review of new cell phone, people find Internet as a quick and easy source of information. Although not a substitute to visiting a healthcare professional, Internet is becoming the most preferred source of health information for many of us. There are numerous e-sources (websites) that provide information about health and diseases. Most of the websites give this information in very easy to read format, segregated by symptoms, treatments, causes etc.

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Some people, especially adolescents, consider Internet as a safe and confidential source of information on health matters. In addition, younger generation easily adapts to new technology (e.g., the Internet). According to a survey conducted in Canada, 67 percent adolescents use Internet to learn about specific medical condition. Studies from US indicate that about 49 percent adolescents use Internet to gather information on sensitive health issues, such as sexually transmitted diseases, birth control, diet, fitness, exercise, and sexual behaviors.

Some research also suggests that people suffering from disorder, such as mental illnesses, which has a stigma attached to it, make active use of Internet to educate them. One population survey from UK reported that 18 percent of all Internet users had used the Internet for information related to mental health. Another study from Ireland found that 68 percent of people aged 18 to 24 years, indicated that they would use the Internet for mental health support if they needed.

The statistics above clearly indicates the increased use of Internet as a source of health information for various reasons among people of different age groups. Although some information available on the Internet may be valuable, rapid development of medical information websites raises the issue of its quality.

Therefore, how can you be sure that the information given on a particular website is absolutely authentic and reliable? The US FDA suggests the following checklist to help make sure that the health information you are reading online can be trusted: 

Find Out Who Sponsors the Website

Government organizations, universities, medical schools, and not-for-profit groups generally maintain websites that end with .gov, .edu, or .org. These websites are good sources of health information as the content given is evidence-based.There are some for profit websites that may use .org to reflect their educational mission, therefore it is important to review some of the points listed below.

 Understand the Purpose of Website

Try to understand whether the purpose of website is it to promote a product? Raise money? Or provide information? A good healthcare website aims to provide information for consumers in simple and non-technical language.

Check If the Website Provides Relevant And Original References

Good websites provide the references such as citations of original articles in medical journals. Also this information is prepared or reviewed by people with medical credentials.

 Visit Websites that Provide Latest Information

It is necessary that the health information you read is current and updated. Therefore, check if the most recent update or review date is clearly posted.

Check If Your Privacy is Protected before Signing Up

Before you sign up or participate in any contest, check what kind of information does the web site collect about visitors? Find out if there is an option by which you can directly contact the web site owners with problems, feedback, and questions. For instance, look for “contact us” options.

Click on the following link to read more information provided by the US FDA.

References:

1. Harvey Skinner, PhD, Chair, Sherry Biscope, How Adolescents Use Technology for Health Information: Implications for Health Professionals from Focus Group Studies. J Med Internet Res. 2003; 5(4): e32.

2. Dina L. G. Borzekowski, EdD; Vaughn I. Rickert. Adolescent Cybersurfing for Health Information A New Resource That Crosses Barriers. Arch PediatrAdolesc Med. 2001; 155(7):813-817.

3. Powell J, Clarke A.Internet information-seeking in mental health: population survey. Br J Psychiatry. 2006; 189:273-277.

4. Horgan A, Sweeney J. Young students' use of the Internet for mental health information and support. J PsychiatrMent Health Nurs. 2010; 17(2):117-123.

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How to De-Stress and Achieve True Health with Meditation

“Meditation is the Medication”

Have a hectic lifestyle, ignoring health, became conscious, and joining a gym. If this sequence of events sounds familiar, give a pat on your back. Good job on taking the right step towards better health. But, wait a second, ever thought about your mind?

Without a glitch, you may be managing innumerable number of tasks to balance the frantic lifestyle today. Whilst managing everything one rarely pays any attention to the chaos that builds up inside. On the outside, things may be looking good, but then what is the reason for that lurking stress and anxiety?

Let’s look at the following few situations:

• Does being trapped in a traffic jam bother you to the extent that it spoils your mood for rest of the day?
• Are you troubled by the way anger controls you, rather than you controlling your anger?
• Do you feel tensed and sometimes depressed, due to no major reason at all?

If you answered yes, you are not alone. Today, many of us feel stressed and anxious by the constant pressures of this hectic lifestyle, without realizing how deeply it is affecting us. These daily, seemingly small, events have a dual impact - on your body as well as on your mind. Yes, agreed that life combats us with some situations we have no control over, but we should learn how to respond in these situations. We should learn the art of controlling what’s going on inside - in our mind. It is a well-known fact that the root of many chronic illnesses is in the mind. So by learning to manage your mind, you can reduce the chances of some of the serious chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart problems, stress, anxiety, depression, etc.

The art of attending to your mind is “Meditation.” Although it has been practiced for thousands of years as a part of spiritual and cultural traditions, it now finds way to treat many neurological disorders, stress related conditions, and other diseases. It’s now a Complementary and Alternate Medicine (CAM) therapy suggested by Healthcare Providers (HCPs) all over the world. The 2007 National Health Interview Survey revealed that some 20 million US adults use meditation for health purposes.

The benefits of meditation are manifold. It is an essential practice for mental hygiene. A calm mind, good concentration, clear thinking, improved communication, blossoming of skills and talents, an unshakeable inner strength, healing, the ability to connect with inner source of energy, relaxation, and rejuvenation are all natural results of meditating regularly. The role of meditation in enhancing individual performance, leadership, and productivity is also well documented. In summary, meditation helps you have better emotional, mental, and physical well being. A National Center for Complementary and Alterative Medicine (NCCAM) study suggests that eight weeks of meditation may have an effect on brain function that persists even after someone has stopped meditating.

A will to have a quiet mind, a silent place where you can be at ease, a correct posture with mindfulness are the only essentials for a meditation practice. You can choose any of the different techniques of meditation that you believe will give you maximum results. With the loads of benefits meditation offers, you should resolve today to manifest it as a practice in your daily habits. Just 15 to 30 minutes of this practice would be sufficient if you want to reap the benefits. In today's world, where stress catches on faster than an eye can see or the mind can perceive, meditation is no more a luxury, but a necessity.

 Happy meditating!

IControlMyHealth Editorial Team

References

1. Exploring the Power of Meditation. http://nccam.nih.gov/about/offices/od/2010-06.htm. Accessed July 27, 2013.
2. Meditation: An Introduction. http://nccam.nih.gov/sites/nccam.nih.gov/files/meditation.pdf. Accessed July 27, 2013.
3. Meditation Training Program Shows Brain Effects Even Outside a Meditative State. http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/110112. Accessed July 27, 2013.
4. Meditation. http://www.artofliving.org/in-en/meditation. Accessed July 28, 2013.

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