Where Our Information Comes From

Readers sometimes ask how a small team without medical qualifications decides what to write. It is a fair question, and the honest answer is that we lean heavily on people who do have that expertise and try not to go beyond what they say.

The kinds of sources we use

When we research a topic, we start with material that is written to be reliable rather than to sell something. In rough order of preference:

1. Public health services and government health pages written for patients and the general public.
2. Professional and specialist bodies in medicine, dentistry, nutrition and sleep, especially their public information leaflets.
3. Patient information from hospitals and charities that focus on a particular condition.
4. Reviews and summaries of research where we need to understand a debate, read carefully and described in general terms.

We are wary of single studies, press releases, social media posts and anything published by a company that sells the product being discussed.

How that shapes an article

Where trusted sources agree, we state the point plainly. Where they differ, or where evidence is thin, we say so rather than picking the most exciting version. We do not invent figures, quote unnamed experts or present a single result as settled fact. If an article such as foods high in magnesium talks about what to eat, it describes general patterns rather than doses, because amounts depend on the individual.

Things we deliberately keep off the page

• Specific doses for supplements or medicines
• Claims that something cures, prevents or reverses a disease
• Before-and-after stories presented as proof
• Comparisons that rely on marketing material

Checking before publishing

Every article is read by a second member of the team before it goes live. That read focuses on three things: does each claim match what reliable sources say, is the wording calm and clear, and is there a sensible note about when to see a professional. Anything that cannot be backed up comes out.

Older articles

Some posts on the site have been here for a while. As we revisit them, we bring them in line with this approach, rewriting where needed. If you find a piece that seems to fall short, please tell us through the contact page.

A reminder

Good sources make for better articles, but they do not turn an article into personal advice. Our health information notice explains how to use what we publish safely.