There’s something you may not be making effective enough use of that will help you be well: Your power to think and reason.

When you wonder about something related to your health, are worried, alarmed, scared … think first. Don’t believe the 40 million social media posts you see about the subject. Or what Great Aunt Jean says. Or your neighbor. Or even your friends or family. Stop. Think.

There are 4 billion things posted on social media that are damn far from the truth. Have only a passing resemblance to a fact.

Before you react, get some information of your own. Google it. What do you find? You don’t have to read every link. Check the snippets that pop up. Read just a bit. Get a feel for it. Then see what you think.

Don’t want to do any of that? Well, then realize you’re at the mercy of steering your life according to the, in effect, National Enquirer. Little truth most of the time. Is that really what you want?

Yes, yes, I know I remind you often to trust your core instincts. But, in this, you need to engage your brain because you are too quickly thrown into alarm mode to actually hear that core truth. At minimum, this too-instant reaction is stressful. At worst, dangerous.

I have a huge disdain for this kind of “news” thrown at us anymore. And repeatedly reposted by others without knowing if the info resembles the truth in any way. So should you.