Does it promise too much?
Ever seen a product or a diet that claims it can do everything?
Does it blame all your health woes on a single thing?
Getty / WLADIMIR BULGAR
Often, theres a seed of truth that lets this weed grow.
Peoples worries and fears about gluten illustrate this well.
So its true that gluten can cause health problems for some people.
And yeah, sometimes itisthat one thing.
But it isnt always, or even often.
Is the evidence confined to anecdotes?
Who needs scienceI know what I saw!
Dont take this as a hard-and-fast rule that something isnt reputable if its being promoted on Instagram.
Throw on the brakes and ask your doctor for their thoughts first.
Which scientific or medical boards or bodies have evaluated it?
Pay close attention to those.
And also be selective about the medical boards you accept a stamp of approval from.
Are you drawn to it for reasons other than its efficacy?
Like, say, desperation to find a solution?
I wish Id asked myself this when the severe pain from my trigeminal nerve disorder hit in my twenties.
I wish Id been a little more skeptical, because I skipped some cupcakes for zero headache relief.
Often when turning to alternative medical solutions, its because the mainstream medical establishment is slow to offer treatments.
Sometimes its because conditions are a process to treat and diagnose.
And sometimes its because doctors dont communicate effectively with patients.
Our desperation and biases are what the snake-oil salesmen count on to supplant evidence.
Is there a way to measure evidence that the product works?
What the fuck does any of this mean?
Its stuff that science cant measure in any controlled way?
Then its probably not science.
And if it seems like bullshit but you just cant put your finger on it, ask around.
I look at something and think, Does this mesh with reality?
Go through this checklist.
Look for independent testing.
Ask a scientist in a relevant field.
Learn to recognize and find more than one trusted source of information.
Thisis a great 101 on evaluating studies, for example.
And c’mon, never entrust your health to the internet.
But remember, the internet hasnt examined you.
It operates in, at best, inconsistent medical reality, and its credentials are unverified.
If you want to make major (or minor) changes to your health, talk to your doctor.
