Recommended Health & Nutrition Websites

nccam.nih.gov/health/webresources/ –– “Ten Things To Know About Evaluating Medical Resources on the Web.” The number of websites offering health-related resources grows every day. Many sites provide valuable information, while others may have information that is unreliable or misleading. This short guide prepared by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health contains important questions you should consider as you look for health information online. Answering these questions when you visit a new site will help you evaluate the information you find.

www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/ –– This Food and Drug Administration site provides consumer information on all drugs approved by the FDA since 1998. The information includes specific descriptions of what each drug is used for, special warnings about usage and side effects, dosage information, and reports on the experiences of patients who have used the drugs.

www.americanheart.org –– The nonprofit American Heart Association offers information and education on fighting heart disease and stroke. The website contains family health info, including nutrition and exercise; sections on heart diseases, conditions and treatments; a separate site for women’s cardiovascular health issues; a comprehensive heart and stroke encyclopedia; and a risk assessment tool.

psychcentral.com –– PsychCentral links to mental health and psychology online resources and includes live interactive chats, answers to frequently asked questions, and support forums. The site has a section on disorder symptoms and treatments with symptom checklists and detailed treatment information. It also offers an Internet Resource Directory on mental health issues.

chid.aerie.com –– Combined Health Information Database. This database is produced by health-related agencies of the Federal Government. It provides titles, abstracts, and availability information for health information and health education resources. The value of this database is that it lists health promotion and education materials and program descriptions that may not be indexed anywhere else.

www.netwellness.org –– Comprehensive site produced by health and information professionals; contains health news and information on general health topics. Also includes an “Ask an Expert” feature, in which health professionals will answer your questions.

www.cnn.com/health –– CNN Interactive, Health. This site is a subset of this huge news organization’s website. CNN Health contains breaking news stories on health topics of interest to consumers. It also maintains a searchable archive of past news items.

navigator.tufts.edu –– The Nutrition Navigator is a rating guide for nutrition websites produced by the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition and Science and Policy at Tufts University. It categorizes and reviews hundreds of sites to help people distinguish the very best nutrition sites from all the rest. This site is highly recommended as a starting place in your search for useful nutrition information.

www.dole5aday.com –– Dole 5-A-Day. This is an award-winning site that educates kids, parents, and teachers alike about why fruits and vegetables are so good for you. With dancing veggies and skateboarding bananas, the site is a lot of fun for kids, and particularly useful for teachers who made download lesson plans aimed at third and fourth graders providing accurate information on the benefits of eating vegetables and fruits.

www.mayohealth.org –– Directed by a team of Mayo Clinic physicians, writers, and educators, this site is updated every weekday. It contains news and information on a wide variety of medical topics, including treatment of illnesses and disease prevention. Its “Ask A Specialist” section provides current information on timely topics, including Alzheimer’s, cancer, women’s health, and even mad cow disease.