Top 10 Best Health And Wellness Sites

A close look at the health and wellness websites that can provide not only information, but inspiration and motivation.

We’re living in interesting times. On the one hand, it’s never been easier to be unhealthy. Supersized portions cost just a couple of bucks, while health food is much more costly. Technology has made it harder to get up and take a walk outside. Environmental concerns, political strife, busy schedules, and stress all have the potential to weaken us both physically and mentally.

But on the other hand, it’s never been easier to access the tools we need to get into shape.

We have more scientific knowledge than ever telling us which foods give us which nutrients. We know the importance of exercise for physical and mental health. And those same pesky gadgets that keep us glued to the couch hold all we need to become educated, inspired, and motivated to live healthier.

So, while the battle lines have certainly been drawn, we can use technology to our advantage in beating the easy, unhealthy options that lurk around every corner. Of course, no website can replace professional medical care from your personal doctor. But these 10 health and wellness sites offer invaluable information, tips, and strategies that can get you on track to leading a healthier lifestyle.

1. Mayo Clinic

• Authoritative resource on diseases from the prestigious Mayo Clinic

The prestigious Mayo Clinic attracts patients from all around the world for its top-ranked care. Likewise, its website is a trusted, expert-driven destination that millions turn to for health and medical information. Here you’ll find a symptoms tracker, well-organized disease and condition information, medical and health tips, as well as the latest in medical science and research. Unlike many symptoms tracker sites out there, the Mayo Clinic offers sober, research-backed information that isn’t as likely to produce anxiety as others online.

2. Heart.org

• The American Heart Association's site for all things cardio health

Run by the American Heart Association (AHA), Heart.org offers research-backed resources for those with heart disease and anyone concerned with heart care. Heart.org tackles all facets of heart care with medical, diet, fitness, and lifestyle tips. Quick-view pages like the heart attack and stroke symptoms page is a necessary resource to have on hand, while more in-depth articles, recipes, workout routines, and topics by disease are informative, authoritative, and worth bookmarking for anyone experiencing or worried about heart disease and other cardiac conditions.

3. National Institutes of Health

• Up-to-date health info from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Service

National Institutes of Health, or NIH.org, is run by the US Department of Health and Human Services and is a trustworthy resource for up-to-date medical news and health updates. NIH is a great site to read up on important updates from the CDC and other official channels, though it also features more practical tools, such as wellness checklists and health advice, which are backed by the latest research and medical science.

4. Dr. Weil

• A compendium of alternative medicine resources from Dr. Andrew Weil

Dr. Andrew Weil is one of the most accomplished and recognizable voices for integrative and natural medicine. The smiling white-bearded face that adorns the cover of his numerous popular books is the same that will greet you on his website, where you’ll find an exhaustive library of health and wellness articles written in Dr. Weil’s trademark accessible style. There’s virtually no facet of health untouched on the site, though Dr. Weil is an especially solid resource for finding natural foods and vitamins that combat common conditions such as headaches, flus, and gastrointestinal problems.

5. WebMD

• Widely accepted as an online authority on health information

One of the definitive symptom-checking sites, WebMD offers detailed information for symptoms ranging from runny noses to sore throats and more serious conditions. Though most people use WebMD to check symptoms, it offers a number of other helpful tools including medication interaction resources and pill identifiers.

6. Psychology Today

• Mental health and wellness articles from the long-running magazine

Since 1967, Psychology Today has been the leading magazine for mental health news and resources. All the contributors are psychologists, psychiatrists, academics, and experts in their field, but the magazine is written for a general audience and includes reader-friendly articles, advice blogs, and strategies that cover the wide-ranging world of mental health. Also worth checking out is Psychology Today’s Find a Therapist directory, which will help you locate licensed and experienced psychologists and psychiatrists in your area.

7. furthermore

• Here you can find nutritious recipes, workouts, advice and more

Furthermore by Equinox has loads of effective exercise ideas and diet tips that help you find creative, personalized alternatives to simply running on the treadmill for half an hour. A stylish website that mixes lifestyle and travel content with science-backed performance tips, furthermore is a fun and readable site that will inspire you to create a healthier lifestyle and provide research-backed strategies to getting in shape.

8. Healthline

• Learn about health conditions, medications, healthy living strategies

Healthline is a straightforward site with science-backed articles on disease, treatment, nutrition, and recovery. You can search by disease or topic for in-depth health information, and then explore countless articles and blogs on adjacent topics. Though Healthline has healthy competition, one of its unique features, the human body maps page, is worth checking out for an in-depth visual look at organs and other functions.

9. MindBodyGreen

• Daily articles and unique content about every aspect of healthy living

Whether you’re being coached or dieting on your own, you’ll want to have a slew of healthy recipes on hand. For that, you can check out MindBodyGreen, which has great healthy recipes as well as info about why you have certain cravings, superfood suggestions to include in your diet, and more.

10. Well+Good

• Stylish online magazine with inspiring lifestyle and wellness articles

Well+Good combines health and lifestyle content into a stylish, inspirational resource for looking and feeling your best. It features articles on everything from skincare to fitness tips and even relationship advice, along with features on gardening, workout fashion, and holistic treatments. As a bonus, check out Well+Good’s superbly produced wellness talks or order the Well+Good cookbook for recipes geared towards skin health, improved mood, energy, focus, and sex.

Whatever You Choose, Make Sure It’s For You

Whether you want to tackle dieting, healthy eating, weight loss, or a combination of them all, the key to choosing your path toward a healthy lifestyle is to choose the method that’s best for YOU.

Remember, YOU are the star of your own health, not your food and not your exercise. So when you choose which health website to go to to help you get fit, choose the site that’s right for YOU, not for other people.