Health Information Disclaimer
This is the legal-ish bit. Please read it.
The short version
Healthful Harbor publishes general educational information about fitness, healthy ageing, nutrition, mental wellbeing and everyday health habits. It is not medical advice, and it is not a substitute for diagnosis, treatment or personalised guidance from a qualified healthcare professional who knows you.
What I am, and what I’m not
I’m Ben Shannon — the person writing every post on this site. I have no clinical qualifications. I am not a doctor, dietitian, mental-health professional, physiotherapist, exercise physiologist, or pharmacist. I do not hold myself out as any of those things, and nothing on this site should be read as if a qualified professional had authored it.
The long version
No professional relationship
Reading this site, using one of the routines described, or getting in touch with me does not create a doctor-patient, dietitian-client, therapist-client or any other professional healthcare relationship. If you want that kind of relationship, please find a qualified professional in your area.
Your situation is yours
Health, fitness, nutrition and mental-health advice is not one-size-fits-all. Things that work for me might not work for you, and might even be harmful in your circumstances. Age, medications, pregnancy, disability, injury, chronic conditions, eating-disorder history, neurodivergence, mental-health conditions, and many other factors change what’s appropriate for you.
If any of those apply to you — or if you’re unsure — please talk with a qualified professional before making changes based on anything you read here.
Exercise information
The exercise routines on this site are general patterns for generally healthy adults. They are not physiotherapy prescriptions, not rehab programmes, not tailored to any specific injury or condition. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, are returning to exercise after illness or surgery, or have any concern about whether a movement is safe for you, please check with a qualified professional first.
Use a safe environment, work within your current ability, and stop if you experience:
- sharp or sudden pain,
- chest pain or pressure,
- faintness or dizziness,
- severe or unusual shortness of breath,
- sudden weakness,
- any other symptom that doesn’t feel right.
Seek medical help rather than pushing through. Pain is information, not weakness.
Nutrition information
Nutrition articles on this site describe general patterns, not individual meal plans. They are not treatment for any condition. People with allergies, food intolerances, digestive conditions, kidney disease, diabetes, eating-disorder history, medication interactions, or other specialised needs should get personalised advice from an accredited practising dietitian or their medical team.
This site does not support restrictive dieting, “clean eating” framings, or “superfood” claims. If a post reads that way, please tell me — it’s a mistake I want to fix.
Mental wellbeing
Articles about stress, sleep, breathing, mindfulness and movement are educational tools, not therapy. They do not replace assessment or treatment from a qualified mental-health professional.
If you are in immediate danger, or someone you know is, please contact local emergency or crisis services now. In Australia: 000 for emergency, Lifeline 13 11 14, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. Other countries: please look up the equivalent local services before you need them.
External sources
I link to external organisations for context and further reading. I don’t control their content, availability or privacy practices. A link doesn’t mean I endorse every word on their site.
No guarantee
I aim for useful and accurate information, but evidence and recommendations change. No particular result is guaranteed from using anything on this site. If a post ever sounds like a promise, that’s a sign I phrased it wrong — let me know and I’ll fix it.
Updates and corrections
Important articles are updated when the evidence, recommendations or available services change. The “last updated” date at the top of each post shows when it was last reviewed. For the full picture on how I handle updates, see the Editorial Policy.
A final ask
If you’re a qualified clinician — doctor, dietitian, psychologist, physiotherapist, pharmacist, or any other kind of health professional — and you spot something I’ve got wrong, please get in touch. I’d genuinely like to hear it, and I’ll correct it.