So what about health care? How many people use the internet to find out about their cough, their upset stomach or that funny looking spot on their nose…?

Have you ever self-diagnosed on the internet? Have you ever typed your symptoms into Google only to come up with a disturbing and potentially inaccurate diagnosis!?

For any ailment or symptom you may have, the internet usually proclaims to know the answer. There are a plethora of health websites, but how do you know who to trust? How do you know that what you are reading is fact and not fiction? Truth and not someone else’s opinion? How do you know the experience or qualifications of the person giving you the information?!  

5 top tips from Health Wiz to help you get the right information:

1) Seek advice from a health care professional

Visit your GP, naturopath, physiotherapist, chiropractor, or specialist doctor in person.That way, you can check their credentials – these are usually in a big frame on the wall!! (Always very reassuring!)

 If you must use the internet…..

 2) Access peer-reviewed journal articles

Journals you may wish to peruse include PubMed, Medline (now Proquest), The Cochrane Library or Science Direct to name a few. Google Scholar also has some very useful articles too!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/

http://www.cochrane.org/

http://www.sciencedirect.com/

http://scholar.google.com.au/

3) Find a blog written by a health professional

Find one that contains useful links and up to date evidence on the topic (ie Health Wiz!!)

Research to find out who in the medical field is an authority on the subject and purchase their books online through Amazon, Fishpond, or other book stores.

http://www.amazon.com/

http://www.fishpond.com.au/

5) When all else fails, wiki it! Wikipedia is a useful source of information as all entries to this online encyclopedia are peer-reviewed… it has essentially been created by experts the world over!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Happy health to you. And remember to get that second opinion!

Elizabeth 

 Elizabeth is a qualified health professional with a strong passion for promoting community health & wellbeing.

 

 

 

 

What did you want to be when you grew up? As a young girl, I always wanted to be a writer.  Somehow I’ve wound up in health care instead, which is fine by me because I’m also a real people-person. And ok, so I haven’t written that best-seller (yet!) But this blog provides me with an outlet to be creative and to share health information. Who knows where that will lead? It’s a mysterious, beautiful thing.

2) Start today

Don’t put it off for a rainy day, we all know that day will never come. Take action today.  Research your passion, buy some fresh paint, start a blog about your favourite topic, work on those song lyrics. Whatever it takes. Discipline is key. 

3) Acknowledge where you are

Don’t be afraid to admit that your creative desire may take a bit of work! We all have to start somewhere, and there’s always room for improvement. Take lessons in drawing, or dancing if you feel the urge. You don’t have to be the world’s best painter, just paint for the joy of it! 

4) Make it a hobby

Set aside time to do your new creative task daily. The last thing you want is to feel overwhelmed so start small. Just a few minutes each day is enough to reap the rewards and get back into the flow of life. 

In the famous words of American author Oliver Wendell Holmes ’don’t die with your music still inside you’  ♫♪♪♫ Let the magic flow!

- irritability and mood swings

- lack of interest in usual activities (including work and school)

- weight loss or gain (when not dieting)

- sleeping difficulties

- low energy levels

- lack of self worth

- difficulty concentrating

- difficulty falling asleep, waking for prolonged periods during the night, restlessness

Depression is defined as ‘a state of low mood with aversion / avoidance of activity’¹

Anxiety is defined as ‘a psychological and physiological state characterised by emotional, cognitive and behavioural components.’ Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress in life, but when it continues unchecked, it can create feelings of fear, unease, worry or dread. Excessive anxiety may indicate an anxiety disorder¹

3 steps to beating the BLUES

1) Speak up 

2) Nurture yourself

2. Australian Bureau of Statistics (1997). National survey of mental health and wellbeing Canberra, ACT Retrieved August 2011 from: National survey of mental health and wellbeing.

 

Recommended resources:

Dr Sandra Cabot (2009) Anxiety and Depression. WHAS Australia. www.sandracabot.com

Beyond Blue: www.beyondblue.org.au

If you or someone you know may be experiencing anxiety or depression, seek advice from your trusted health care professional.

 

Elizabeth 

 The first step is to write your New Years goals down, ensuing you phrase them in a positive way. You can be as creative as you like with this, just writing them on paper does not have to be the end of it. Write them on a piece of cardboard and bluetack it to your wall. Create a cork-board collage of magazine or newspaper pictures of the places you want to travel to, or the job you are seeking.  

 Paint, draw or write a poem or song about your goal and how you are going to achieve it. You have to SEE IT to BELIEVE IT.  Once your goal exists in the physical world (rather than just in your mind) write down at least 5 strategies that are going to help you achieve it. For example, if your goal is to increase your physical fitness, work out exactly HOW you are going to realistically achieve this. 5 Strategies might be to:

 1) Visit your physiotherapist, exercise physiologist  or fitness instructor for an initial fitness assessment, and discuss any health concerns with your doctor prior to commencing an exercise routine

2) Attend a regular, organised fitness class – try Pilates, Yoga or Zumba!

3) Take a short walk around the block or in your neighbourhood before or after work

4) Ensure the food you are puting into your body is reasonably nutritious! See a naturopath or dietician for a diet plan, or check out the web for healthy meal ideas

5) Find a ‘fitness buddy’, someone that will either walk / attend the class with you most times, or support and encourage you throughout the year.

 Once complete, place this New Years goal (along with your couple of strategies to jog your memory) somewhere prominent so that you will see it EVERYDAY. Ok, so if it happens to be personal and you don’t want every visitor seeing it, place it in your bedroom, somewhere discreet but  still in view.  When lying in bed first thing in the morning and last thing at night, close your eyes and visualise yourself achieving your goal. Now remember, we are often quick to encourage others, but slow to provide this same support  for ourselves, so silence that inner critic and pat yourself on the back…. a few words of encouragement go a long way. And if you feel that you have lost sight of your goal, it is never too late to revisit it, make some changes if necessary and get back on the wagon!

One way to dramatically increase your chance of achieving your goal is to share it with another.   This process creates a valuable support network which can assist you to move in the direction you wish to go. Be sure to discuss goals with people that are going to support you to achieve them, and not bring you down! So choose wisely, select a mentor or someone who has already achieved the goal in their life, and quiz them on their experience. Let’s share our goals and  actively support each other to achieve them well into 2011.