Evaluating Sources of Health Information

Making good choices about your own health requires reasonable evaluation. 【小题1】 It includes knowing where and how to find relevant information, how to separate fact from opinion, how to recognize poor reasoning, and how to analyze information and the reliability of sources. The following suggestions can help you sort through the health information you receive from common sources.

【小题2】 Media reports often simplify the results of medical research. Find out for yourself what a study really reported, and determine whether it was based on good science. Think about the type of study. And examine the findings of the original research.

Watch for misleading language. Some studies will find that a behavior “contributes to” or is “associated with” an outcome; this does not mean that a certain cause must lead to a certain result. Be aware that information may also be incorrectly explained by an author’s point of view.【小题3】

Use your common sense. If a report seems too good to be true, probably it is.【小题4】 The goal of an advertisement is to sell you something, Evaluate “scientific” statements carefully, and be aware of quackery (江湖骗术).

Make choices that are right for you. Friends and family members can be a great source of ideas and inspiration.【小题5】

Developing the ability to evaluate reasonably and independently about health problems will serve you well throughout your life.

We watch our salt and fat intake to protect our hearts. We exercise and take calcium to protect our bones. We use sunscreen to protect our skin. 【小题1】 A lot. We asked experts what lifestyle steps people should be taking to protect their vision and eye health.

Invest in quality sunglasses. Protecting the eyes from ultraviolet rays (紫外线) is very important. 【小题2】 To shield your eyes, wear sunglasses certified to block out 99 to 100 per cent of UVA and UVB rays.

【小题3】 You don’t have to be doing construction work or factory work to need protective eyewear. Gardening, yard work, home repairs and sports all pose the risk of trauma (损伤) to the eyes. It’s estimated that up to 90 per cent of sports-related eye injuries are actually preventable with proper eye protection. Expert s recommend wearing sports or safety glasses with poly-carbonate lenses, which are a type of plastic that will not easily shatter or break.

Take a break from screens. 【小题4】 But staring at a screen can leave eyes fatigued (疲惫的) and may blur vision. Experts suggest following the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, take a break and look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Get your eyes checked regularly. That means having your eyes tested by an optometrist or health care provider every one to two years. Don’t forget to see an eye specialist for a checkup regularly, if possible. 【小题5】

What would you like to drink? It’s likely the first thing your server will ask when you sit down for a restaurant meal. Whether you ask for it or not, a glass of water usually comes with lemon slices. But be warned: despite all the health benefits of lemon water, you might want to tell your server to leave a lemon slices out.

A 2007 study in the Journal of Environmental Health tested 76 lemons from 21 restaurants for germs(细菌)and had some pretty frightening findings. Nearly 70 percent of the lemon slices had germs. Even though lemon is a natural germ-killer, it can still be polluted by germs. Another ABC research testing one lemon at 10 different restaurants found that half the lemon slices had human waste.

Lemon slices are more likely to have germs than the food you order on a plate because restaurant health standards are likely to be less strict for garnishes(装饰菜). The ABC research noticed that restaurant workers often cut lemons without gloves. If they didn’t scrub their hands completely after using the bathroom, there was a good chance that they could leave the germs on the lemon slices in your drink.

But before you start giving servers an angry look when you see them carrying lemon water, you should know that the garnish won’t necessarily make you sick. The authors of the 2007 study admitted there haven’t been any diseases linked to lemons. And expert Philip Tierno, leader of the ABC research, said, “Your immune system(免疫系统)will usually protect you from getting sick from lemon water.” “The usual course will probably result in no disease, but there is a possibility,” DrTierno said. “You can’t live in a bubble. Your immune system is usually pretty good.”

Still, if you’re concerned, just request your server to bring your water with no lemon slices. Don’t skip the lemon water at home though, because drinking lemon water has huge health benefits. Just make sure to wash the lemon before putting it in your glass.