National Cancer Institute

• In the NCI’s About Cancer section, users will find information about causes and prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, coping, and managing care. 
• live chat option at the top of the home page and other options for calling and emailing questions through NCI’s cancer information service. 
• NCI’s Spanish-language site

American Cancer Society

• a wealth of information about all types of cancer, available in English and Spanish
• topics include cancer A-Z, staying healthy, and treatment and support
• also provides information about prevention, early detection, treatment, and managing side effects in 12 languages other than English including Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, and Korean
• cancer helpline and live chat options available from the homepage

CancerCare

• national organization dedicated to providing free professional support services to anyone diagnosed with cancer, as well as their friends, family, and caregivers
• large library of downloadable fact sheets on different types of cancer as well as more general topics such as care giving and communicating with your health care team
• provides access to online, telephone, and face-to-face support groups

Medical Library Association

Extensive list of cancer information websites compiled by the Cancer Libraries Section of the Medical Library Association.

Astera Cancer Classes

View our recordings of these classes offering up-to-date information on different cancers, presented by medical specialists.

First, some rough definitions:

• Complementary Medicine typically refers to a non-mainstream practice used together with conventional medicine.
• Alternative Medicine typically refers to a non-mainstream practice used in place of conventional medicine.
• Integrative Health Care aims to bring together conventional and complementary approaches in a coordinated way so as to focus on the whole person.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

The NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health provides evidence-based information on complementary and alternative health topics. The site has a page with tips on how to be an informed consumer when it comes to selecting complementary health services and products.

MedlinePlus Complementary and Integrative Medicine

The CAM topics section of MedlinePlus brings together many CAM resources, mainly from the NIH.

American Holistic Medical Association (AHHA)

The American Holistic Medical Association encourages people to actively participate in their health and healthcare. AHHA compiles wellness resources and shares them as a public service.

Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCCAM)

OCCAM was established to coordinate and enhance the activities of the National Cancer Institute in the area of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Information is available on CAM issues related to cancer, research, and clinical trials. The “for patients” section has links to useful resources such as FAQs on cancer and CAM, a workbook to help you talk with your doctor about CAM, and FAQs for selecting a CAM practitioner.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

The diabetes section of this NIH site has a straight-forward overview of diabetes, its symptoms and causes, tests and treatments, management, and prevention of diabetes related problems.

American Diabetes Association

In addition to general information about diabetes, this website has a large section on food and fitness and also includes an online community for support.  In the “in my community” section, users can locate their local diabetes education office and search for nearby events.

Joslin Diabetes Center

Joslin Diabetes Center is affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Their Education Library and Learning Center has a library of terms clearly describing topics such as A1-C, neuropathy, and insulin resistance.

American Heart Association

• Search for or browse heart health topics
• Answers by Heart provides downloadable information sheets
• Animated videos on cardiovascular health topics

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH)

• Large health topics index
• Information on clinical trials
• Educational resources including patient handouts in pdf form, like these on managing high blood pressure, and videos, like these stories of the heart.

Office on Women’s Health

• Downloadable Heart Disease and Women Fact Sheets in both English and Spanish

International Food Information Council

• Information about nutrition and food safety
• The Topics section includes information on different diets, ingredients, nutrients, and food labeling.

Nutrition.gov

Provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

• Resources on food, healthy eating, physical activity and food safety

The Nutrition Source (Harvard School of Public Health)

• Science-based articles and tools that help you turn nutrition knowledge into daily practice

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

• Vegetarian glossary of terms
• Find a Registered Dietitian
• Food Allergies and Intolerances

SNAP-Ed

• Nutrition information from the USDA, including healthy, budget-friendly recipes
• Visit NJ SNAP-Ed for healthy recipes in partnership with Jersey Fresh, and links to local farmers markets

An essential aspect of controlling your own healthcare is learning how to protect yourself against harmful products and potentially dangerous interactions between supplements and medications.

If you opt to take supplements of any kind, exercise your power of control by:

• understanding what we know and don’t know about supplements, and how supplements are (not) regulated
• getting your information from reliable, non-commercial sources
• staying up-to-date on announcements regarding harmful products
• avoiding harmful interactions by fully informing your healthcare provider about all the supplements you take

The following resources are provided to help you be a well-informed and safe consumer of supplements.

Start with these resources to help you make well-informed decisions about using supplements:

• Using Dietary Supplements Wisely – this excellent overview from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health covers what we know and don’t know about the safety and effectiveness of supplements. Sign up to get dietary supplement updates by e-mail!

• Frequently Asked Questions – Questions about the use, purchase, and regulation of supplements are answered by the NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements. Included are links to independent organizations that perform quality tests to certify that products contain what their labels say they do, although this does not ensure the safety of any product.

Use these resources to understand how supplements, unlike drugs, are considered safe until proven unsafe:

• FDA 101: Dietary Supplements  – supplements can legally be placed on the market without undergoing the safety testing that is required for prescription drugs! Read this important summary from the FDA on what you need to know to help protect yourself. Remember, the FDA can only act after the discovery of contamination, allergens, and fraud in products.

• FDA Regulation of Drugs versus Dietary Supplements – this overview from the American Cancer Society highlights the different ways drugs and supplements are treated and provides cautionary tales of products found to be harmful or contaminated.

Don’t rely on advertising claims when considering supplements! Use these resources to find unbiased information:

• Herbs & Supplements Information – from the National Library of Medicine‘s MedlinePlus: Browse or search this extensive list of dietary supplements and herbal remedies to learn about their effectiveness, usual dosage, and potential interactions.

• Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets – compiled by the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: These fact sheets are available in versions for both consumers (in English and Spanish) and health professionals.

• Dietary Supplement Label Database – from the National Institutes of Health: this resource provides the full label information for dietary supplement products marketed in the U.S. Search by products, ingredients, or manufacturers.

• About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products – From Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: this database offers guidance for the public and healthcare professionals on using common herbs and other dietary supplements. Covers: traditional and proven uses; potential benefits; possible adverse effects; and interactions with other herbs or medicines

• HerbList (App) – from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, use this app while you are shopping for herbal products to find information on the science and safety of popular herbs.

Check these resources to stay up-to-date on newly-reported issues.

• Alerts and Advisories – check here for notices from the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for updates on recalls and tainted products.

• FDA Recalls of Foods & Dietary Supplements – use the Filter’s drop down menu to select ‘Dietary Supplements.’

• Dietary Supplement Ingredient Advisory List – from the FDA: “Consumers may wish to avoid purchasing or consuming dietary supplements that include these ingredients.” (Click on the arrow next to each ingredient name to see common synonyms). You may sign up for email updates to the Dietary Supplement Ingredient Advisory List.

Use these resources to inform yourself about the potential for interactions-but remember that healthcare providers have access to professional databases with more accurate and extensive information:

• Drug-Nutrient Interactions and Drug-Supplement Interactions – this resource from the American Academy of Family Physicians provides a good summary of how your medications, vitamins, and supplements can all interact, and a list of simple questions to ask your doctor that will help ensure your safety.

• Drugs.com Drugs Interaction Checker – this database includes supplements as well as prescription and non-prescription drugs; while it is a commercial site and does display ads, it provides documentation for the sources of all information provided.

• supp.AI – this database from the Allen Institute for AI uses artificial intelligence to search over 20 million published academic research articles for mentions of potential interactions. It is recommended as “way to start a conversation with a health provider.”

Review this fact sheet for helpful information on how to talk to your healthcare professional about supplements:

Supplement Info

MedlinePlus – MedlinePlus, described on the main health information page, provides a Teen Health page which includes information for both teens and their parents. In addition, the websites below are specifically dedicated to health information aimed at teens.

Center for Young Women’s Health and Young Men’s Health

The Center for Young Women’s Health is maintained by Boston Children’s Hospital and has information on topics ranging from general health, sexual health, nutrition and fitness, and mental health.  The ask us tab at the top provides a place for young women to submit questions to professionals and to browse previously asked questions with their answers.

Young Men’s Health is a similar site for young men, also providing a place to ask and review questions.

National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens

The National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens is a division of the NIH.  It has a section on drug facts and provides a library of videos.  This site links to an easy-to-read drug facts site, also sponsored by the NIH.  

Teen Health & Wellness

The award-winning Teen Health & Wellness provides middle and high school students with up-to-date, nonjudgmental, straightforward curricular, and self-help support. Articles are correlated to state, national, and provincial standards, including Common Core Health and Science. Topics covered include diseases, drugs, alcohol, nutrition, mental health, suicide, bullying, LGBTQ+ issues, and more.

ROSEN’s Digital Literacy

Digital Literacy—the newest offering from Rosen Digital—is a content-driven, visually stimulating, and media-rich online digital literacy and cyber citizenship resource specifically designed for students in grades 7–12.  Digital Literacy informs and inspires learners about key digital literacy and cyber citizenship topics including entrepreneurship and careers; communication, cyberbullying, and safety; privacy and ethics; research skills and tools for the digital age; social networking; and gaming.

ROSEN’s Financial Literacy

From personal finance and entrepreneurship to market economics and globalization, Financial Literacy makes economics and finance readily comprehensible and highly engaging. Articles explore macro-, micro-, and global economics as well as personal and household finance. Users will learn to manage credit and debt, invest with confidence, plan for retirement, and avoid fraud and scams.

MILITARY HEALTH

My Health-E-Vet

As the gateway to veteran health benefits and services, this site provides access to trusted health information, links to Federal and Veterans Administration benefits and resources, a personal health journal and online VA prescription refills for qualified registrants.

Disabled American Veterans (DAV)

This organization has over 1 million members and is dedicated to providing free assistance to veterans in obtaining benefits and services earned through their military service.

Everyone Serves Handbook

This is a free resource and handbook for family and friends of service members during pre-deployment, deployment and reintegration.

MENTAL HEALTH

Vet Center

The Department of Veterans Affairs Vet Center program operates a system of 207 community based counseling centers. The Vet Centers are staffed by small multi-disciplinary teams of dedicated providers, many of which are combat veterans themselves.

National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The National Center for PTSD (NCPTSD) aims to advance the clinical care and social welfare of U.S. Veterans through research, education and training on PTSD and stress-related disorders. This site is an educational resource on PTSD and traumatic stress, for veterans and also for mental health care providers, researchers and the general public.

Screening for Mental Health Self-Assessment Program

An anonymous screening tool, available in Spanish and English. This self-assessment questionnaire may help the user to determine whether or not current symptoms are consistent with a condition or concern that would benefit from further evaluation or treatment. It is not intended to provide a diagnosis, but can offer guidance as to where the user might also seek assistance.

SUPPORT GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Wounded Warrior Project

The mission of this non-profit organization is to raise the awareness and enlist public aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet needs.

Military Onesource

This 24/7/365 service is available by phone, online and face-to-face through private counseling sessions in the local community by highly qualified, master’s prepared consultants. Personalized consultations on specific issues such as education, special needs, and finances are provided.

GENERAL HEALTH

Medline Plus- Evaluating Online Health Information Tutorial

Medline Plus – Veterans & Military Health

Clinical Trials

This site provides information about a trial’s purpose, who may participate, locations, and phone numbers for more details.

Centers for Disease Control  (CDC)

The CDC has a collection of resources with vaccination information for parents, including a page on making the vaccine decision, vaccines recommended by age, and what to expect during a vaccine visit .  This information is available in both English and Spanish.

HealthyChildren.org

The American Academy of Pediatrics hosts this site which provides information on childhood vaccinations, including vaccine schedules.

Vaccine Information Statements

The Immunization Action Coalition provides links to the CDC’s Vaccine Information Statements in multiple languages. These statements explain both the benefits and the risks of the named vaccine.

MedlinePlus

Browse the health information in multiple languages page in MedlinePlus to find disease and vaccination information in a particular language.

COVID-19 Vaccines

The NJ COVID-19 vaccine hub and the NIH COVID-19 site provide reliable information for learning more about COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC has a page devoted to explaining mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and how they work. NJ residents and workers may visit the state hub to schedule a vaccine appointment.