How to stay smart about your health

Health literacy is a hot topic in the health care world, but often the people who need to hear about it the most are left out of the conversation. Everyone, not just medical professionals, should be concerned about being knowledgeable about health. And fortunately, we don’t all have to go to medical school to achieve that. Here are some ways to ensure you are well informed about your health. 

Ask questions 

The No. 1 most important tip: Ask questions. Whether it’s a diagnosis, a new medication, a test result or anything else your healthcare provider is sharing with you, go ahead and interrupt if you’re unclear about what it means. If they give you an answer filled with words that might not make sense, ask them to break it down and define those words. Don’t go home and rely on Dr. Google — internet results can be hard to understand, too, and might bring up results and definitions that don’t make sense for your personal situation.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says nearly nine out of 10 adults struggle to understand and use health information that uses a lot of jargon. It’s understandable — medical professionals have been immersed in their field for years of schooling, so sometimes they forget that the words they hear every day aren’t necessarily common to the rest of us. Don’t feel embarrassed to stop and ask them to explain. They will be glad to help you understand. It might even save time and effort later on if, for example, you aren’t taking medication correctly.  

At an organization like TidalHealth, which has residents (doctors who have completed medical school, but are still learning to practice independently), you may be doing not only yourself but your doctor a favor by helping to increase understanding of how to best communicate health information. 

Know your sources 

Misinformation is rampant in an era where anyone who can access the internet can be an “expert.” Whether you’re reading someone’s social media post or searching for specific information online, make sure it is a trusted source. 

Be careful — scammers selling “snake oil” products that can sound like miracle cures are excellent at sounding scientific. Unfortunately, if a health claim sounds too good, it probably is. Sometimes they will have links to multiple research studies. But not every study is created equal. What do you think has more value — research conducted over a long period of time with a large, randomized group of people, or a study of a few weeks with a handful of carefully chosen test subjects?   

If you are looking for health info online, look for sites affiliated with nonprofit healthcare organizations or government entities. These are more likely to have trustworthy information, because their missions are related to public health and wellness. 

Knowledge is power, so arm yourself well in your quest for good health.