Jennifer Boltz Harvey
Today, everyone is a ‘health coach’, telling them something important with ‘life-changing’ information. There are tens of millions of Instagram and Facebook accounts that fool you into believing that their health information is based on fact, not opinion.
Even big celebrities have been known to blend into this world of wellness and become leaders in the wellness movement. If Jenny Craig used, I should too. If this Instagram “influencer” drinks apple cider vinegar and hangs upside down for 10 minutes a day, so should I. She has 10 million followers so it has to be real…
I mean, who is providing factual, peer-reviewed, science-based information, and who thinks it should be there to believe and test their information? So, before I write any more health articles, here are some very important things to look for when doing health research. I thought it necessary to introduce
When gathering information, start by using American Accreditation Board International (AACI) accredited sources. From their website: “The development of the AACI Clinical Excellence Standard is part of the AACI Quality and Patient Safety Program. Accreditation provides benefits such as reduced risk and increased operational efficiency, leading to improved performance, reduced costs and ultimately improved patient safety. be connected.”
Well-known AACI-accredited sources include Healthline.com and MedicalNewsToday.com. When you open any of those articles, the content has been written by a scholar, fact-checked by another doctor or appropriate expert, and (most importantly) all sources are a scholarly article for the reader. You can see that it is indicated by a direct link to . Or research. As you scroll through health websites, look for the emblem shown here. Please ensure that the information provided is based on truth and science.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is another agency that seeks to ensure factual, science-based information. Sites managed by HHS include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration. I put the emblem of the department here as well.
Finally, if you find a health topic that interests you but you’re not sure if the source is trustworthy, connect the topic to www.scholar.google.com. You can search any health topic and the search engine will generate scholarly, peer-reviewed, published journal articles. In order for a paper to be published, it must undergo a rigorous peer review process to justify both the informational and ethical integrity of the study.
If that seems like a lot of work, do me one favor. At least find out the background of the person who posted the latest “Too Good Weight Loss Trick to Be True”. Check out the following:
1) Do you have an advanced degree in health and wellness (e.g. Exercise Physiology, Nutrition, Exercise Science, Kinesiology, Nutrition)?
2) Are they accredited by a nationally recognized organization (e.g. American College of Sports Medicine)?
Just because a ‘health coach’ has six-pack abs, posts inspirational quotes, and shows before and after photos all day long, that means he or she is legit It doesn’t mean that the plan is for you.
Your health is important, so make sure the information you get helps you and doesn’t hurt you. And if you still need help navigating this crazy world of health, please email me [email protected].
