Social media is providing opportunities to spread messages about health

World famous emergency physician and television doctor Travis Stork said that social media is providing unprecedented opportunities to spread positive messages about health.
He was speaking at the first session of the Arab Social Media Influencers Summit (ASMIS), which began in Dubai today.
Social media can be used to get people excited about health, said Dr. Stork, who is best known for being the host of the syndicated daytime TV talk show 'The Doctors'.
People are using social media to talk about what they are passionate about. Social media, he said, helps him learn how to teach people about things that he is passionate about.
He noted that the social media audience of his show 'The Doctors' was 20 years younger that the TV audience, while also observing that 70% of those who engage with the show are under the age of 34. The younger audiences don't watch television but reach the show through social media, he said.
One of the key messages Dr. Stork has conveyed to people is to look at food as medicine. "Too often, we tell people to eat healthy and it feels like a chore. We're not telling people to enjoy their lives. The secret formula that I have learned with them is to let food be their medicine," he said.
However, he said that the information from social media can be "really good or really bad." He urged people to make sure that they follow only advice and information received from trusted sources on social media. Before making key decisions related to health, he advised the audience to consult with a doctor, even if it is something as simple as taking vitamin pills.
He said that being a TV doctor has made him more familiar to patients. In the Emergency Room when patients see a familiar face, they feel more reassured. "I've found that being a TV doctor has benefits. It's ironically an ice breaker," he said.