Learning About Personal Health Journals

By Randi Morse

A little over a year ago, I discovered how helpful writing in a journal is for my mental health. It's something that I heartily approve of and promote, but what I didn't know about until recently is the personal health journal. What, exactly, is a personal health journal? Do you need to start one? What do you put in it? I'm going to break down everything you need to know about personal health journals and how you can start one.

What Is It?

A personal health journal can also be called a personal diary. It's a journal that you keep at home where you record information about your health and can come in extremely handy. Whenever you go to a new doctor you're asked to answer all sorts of questions which can include things like:

• Can you please list all your surgeries?
• Can you please list any hospitalizations?
• Have you had a tetanus shot in the past five years?
• Do you have a family history of a significant medical condition?

These types of questions can be difficult to answer if you don't go to the doctor often, or if you're like me and have a hard time remembering specific dates. If you have a personal health journal, you can bring it along with you to easily and quickly answer those types of questions.

What Do I Put In It?

You should write anything that has to do with your health in your health journal. One great idea is to section off your journal. Have one section be for general health information, another be for surgery information, another for vaccines, and so on. You can even have one for dental visits. Then any time you have new information, a significant illness or infection, surgery, or a doctor's visit, you can write it in your journal. This can help you keep track of how your health is doing and can be extremely helpful for doctors as well, especially if you become ill. 

What Kind of Journal Do I Get?

One of the great things about this type of journal is that you can buy any type of book you like, as long as it has a number of blank pages in it. Buy whatever journal strikes your fancy. You can even use a simple notebook. 

By keeping track of your health in a personal health journal you're helping to set yourself, and any doctor that you work with, up for success. Having the information down allows you to access it easily without having to rack your brain trying to remember everything. 

To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Rialto, Calif.