A doctor decodes new health hazards of the 21st Century

Our modern world comes with its own new set of health challenges, ranging from digital eye strain to viruses that can travel faster than ever before. Dr. Brian Goldman, an ER physician and host of White Coat, Black Art, dropped by The Goods studio to talk about modern day health hazards.

Texting

Your head is a heavy structure. When you carry its weight forward, you're putting a lot of pressure on the base of the neck, and top of the shoulders. This can cause a lot of strain on your body that can have long-term effects. Texting can cause repetitive strain disorders such as carpal tunnel, as well. To stay healthy, watch your posture and put your phone away while driving or crossing the street.

Binge watching

Binge watching instead of sleeping can cause deteriorating mood and cognitive abilities, depression, and digital eye strain. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that adults get at least seven or more hours of sleep nightly. Try to minimize your use of devices, and take breaks," says Dr. Hawrylyshyn. Texting can also have a similar affect our sleep: being exposed to our phones' lit screens before bed can keep us up later than we should, and can cause us to be restless during sleep when we're all trying to catch some quality shut eye. The American Osteopathic Association also recommends controlling the brightness and glare of your phone and TV screen, as well as adopting proper posture and distances for screen viewing. Set reasonable limits on viewing, and turn off at least 30 minutes before bed.

New diseases

Zika, Dengue fever, and Chikungunya are all spread by infected mosquitoes. Zika is prevalent in parts of Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, the Carribbean, Mexico, and has just begun to show up in parts of Florida and Texas. For most people, Zika causes a flu like illness plus a rash and joint aches and pains. Infection with the Zika virus during pregnancy can lead to birth defects. To protect yourself, pay attention to travel advisories from Health Canada. Consider postponing travel if trying to get pregnant. If you travel to a Zika-endemic region, use insect repellent and protective clothing, and avoid wooded areas.

Super bugs

Super bugs often have weird names like Clostridium dificile and MRSA or Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus. There are many reasons for superbugs, but the big one is the overuse of antibiotics. Colds and flus are caused by viruses. Antibiotics don't cure viruses. So, if you have a cold or a flu, don't ask for an antibiotic. If your doctor prescribes an antibiotic, ask if it's really necessary, and don't take it if you don't need it. If you do need an antibiotic, finish the prescription. If you stop taking the antibiotic before the prescription is finished, you may end up breeding more superbugs.

Dr. Internet?

With all of these new hazards out there, should we rely on the Internet as a reliable source of health information?

"I think it's fine to use Dr. Google, provided you use reputable websites, don't do it compulsively, and have a health professional you can bounce ideas off of," says Dr. Goldman.

Here are some other tips to help keep you healthy in this brave new world:

Watch for red flags

There's all kinds of fake health news on the Internet. Recent examples include everything from high levels of sleeping pills being detected in the water supply to Nutella causing cancer. You can't believe everything you read on the Internet. Be careful of sites or blogs that are just trying to sell you a product or service. Red flags include frequent mentions of advertisements of a drug company, no information about the experts behind the web site, and the use of terms like "breakthrough" or "miracle cure." Spelling mistakes are also an obvious tip off.

Reliable sources

Fortunately, there are lots of reputable health information web sites. They include the Mayo Clinic, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which has alphabetized health topics, traveler's health, immunization, news alerts, journals. Go Ask Alice! is a health question and answer service by the Health Promotion Program at Health Services at Columbia University and it's written in a friendly, down to earth tone. The Canadian Cancer Society, Heart & Stroke Foundation, HealthLink BC and EatRight Ontario, as well as CAMH - the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital - all provide good information. But even if it's a trustworthy site always check with your doctor before changing up your vitamin, diet, or exercise routine.

No replacement for the real thing

If you're sure you've got the bubonic plague, slow down. Don't fall into "cyberchondria," obsessive Googling of symptoms and getting fixated on the worst possible diagnosis. Reputable web sites have information on when self-diagnosis is safe and when you need to seek help. When in doubt, as your health professional. Physicians are becoming more receptive to a patient's online research and self-diagnosis. As a general rule, a growing number of physicians recognize the value of having a curious and engaged patient as a partner for better health, provided of course that they don't carry things too far.