Your health on the Web

Next to checking e-mail and chatting to friends, the third main reason Australians use the Internet is to find information on health-related topics like diseases, treatments, nutrition, stress management, and drugs.

However, health websites can contain information that is, at best, biased towards the sponsoring manufacturer’s products and, at worst, downright dangerous. Here are 10 of the best to add to your favourites list.

Find out the facts
on the causes, symptoms, diagnoses, prevention strategies, and treatments for hundreds of conditions, from asthma to urinary-tract infections, at www.merckhomeedition.com. The Merck Manual is considered a “bible” for GPs.
Women’s wellness.
Whether you want information on menopause, pregnancy, ageing, health insurance or services in your state, www.healthinsite.gov.au is a smart first destination, with dozens of useful links to information papers and support groups.
Children’s health issues
are well covered at www.cyh.com, a South Australian Government initiative which has info on all sorts of important and timely topics, including immunisation, car seats, buying bunk beds, discrimination, and swine flu, to name just a few.
Nutrition Australia’s
comprehensive site — www.nutritionaustralia.org — is a great place to find credible data on everything from the healthy eating pyramid to the nutrient content of just about every food, plus enticing recipes and updates on food labelling and production methods.
Check your meds.
Enter the name of a prescription or over-the-counter drug at the My Doctor site (www.mydr.com.au) and find out about its applications, and whether it can interfere with other substances.
What’s the alternative?
By clicking on the different natural health modalities at www.naturaltherapypages.com.au, you can learn what each is, how it works, and what it costs, making you better informed and more likely to find a therapist that suits you.
Beat the Big Three.
The Australian Heart Foundation (www.heartfoundation.org.au), Cancer Council (www.cancer.org.au) and Diabetes Australia (www.diabetesaustralia.com.au) sites show you how to reduce your risk and provide informative quizzes and interactive forums.
Get fit.
Studies show that listening to music while exercising motivates you, so visit www.fitmusic.com and download (via iTunes) the playlists. Even the names of the workout-specific sections are fun: Systolic Frolic, Bunwarmer and Shock’n’Awe, anyone?
Need a counsellor?
www.goodtherapy.com.au is a not-for-profit site that explores what therapy means for you — whether it’s awakening creativity or dealing with a problem — then matches your needs with an accredited psychotherapist, psychologist or psychiatrist in your area.
Spritz up your spirit
at www.meditation.org.au, where the Australian Meditation Society offers a wide range of free podcasts providing mental and spiritual nourishment, free learn-to-meditate downloads, and inspiration from visionary artists, therapists, and healers.