The Health Reference is an independent reference site covering supplements, herbs, and natural medicine. This policy explains what data we collect when you visit, how it is used, and what rights you hold as a visitor — whether you are based in the United States, the European Union, or the United Kingdom. We collect minimal data. We do not sell personal information. We do not operate user accounts or contact forms.
Information We Collect
We do not collect your name, email address, or any personally identifying information directly. No registration, no newsletter signup, no contact form is present on this site. The only data collected is generated passively through two mechanisms: site analytics and affiliate link tracking.
Analytics Data
We use Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors interact with our content. This collects anonymised usage data including pages visited, approximate geographic region, browser type, device category, and session duration. IP addresses are anonymised by default in GA4 — we do not receive or store your full IP address.
Affiliate Tracking Data
Some links on this site direct to third-party retailers. When you click one of these links, the retailer's affiliate network drops a tracking cookie onto your browser to identify that the visit originated from The Health Reference. This enables us to earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. We do not receive your name, payment details, or purchase history from these networks.
Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics 4 is operated by Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. It uses cookies and similar technologies to collect anonymised behavioural data about site usage.
We have configured GA4 with the following privacy settings: IP anonymisation enabled, Google Signals disabled, and ad personalisation features disabled. We do not use GA4 data for any advertising purpose.
Google's data processing practices are governed by the Google Privacy Policy. You may opt out of Google Analytics tracking at any time by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
Affiliate Links and Tracking Cookies
The Health Reference participates in affiliate programmes. When editorial content references a supplement product, we may include an affiliate link to a retailer. Clicking such a link triggers a tracking cookie placed by the affiliate network — not by us directly.
Current Affiliate Relationships
We currently link to iHerb through their affiliate programme. iHerb places a cookie on your browser valid for 7 days from the date of your click. If you purchase a product on iHerb within that window, we receive a commission. iHerb's data practices are governed by the iHerb Privacy Policy.
We may in the future participate in additional affiliate programmes — including but not limited to ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, and Amazon Associates — which use similar cookie-based tracking mechanisms. This policy covers all such relationships without requiring amendment each time a new programme is added.
Editorial note: Affiliate links are always editorially selected. We only link to products that meet our standards for quality and third-party testing. Commission relationships do not influence which products or ingredients we cover editorially.
Third-Party Links
Our content references clinical studies, regulatory bodies, and retailer product pages. Links to external sites leave thehealthreference.com. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of any external site you visit.
Your Rights — United States (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act grants you the following rights with respect to personal information we hold about you.
California Resident Rights
- Right to know — you may request disclosure of what personal information we collect, use, and share
- Right to delete — you may request deletion of personal information we hold, subject to certain exceptions
- Right to opt out — you may direct us not to share your personal information with third parties for commercial purposes
- Right to non-discrimination — exercising your privacy rights will not affect your access to this site
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the address below. We do not sell personal information as defined under CCPA. Affiliate network tracking constitutes data sharing with third parties and is disclosed in full in the section above.
Your Rights — European Union and United Kingdom (GDPR / UK GDPR)
If you are located in the European Union or the United Kingdom, data processing by The Health Reference is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and the UK GDPR respectively. Our lawful basis for processing analytics data is legitimate interest — understanding how our content is used in order to improve it. Our lawful basis for affiliate tracking is legitimate interest in operating a commercially sustainable editorial service.
EU / UK Resident Rights
- Right of access — request a copy of personal data we hold about you
- Right to rectification — request correction of inaccurate data
- Right to erasure — request deletion of your data where no overriding legal basis exists
- Right to restriction — request that we limit processing of your data
- Right to data portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Right to object — object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Right to lodge a complaint — you may file a complaint with your national data protection authority at any time
EU residents may contact the supervisory authority in their member state. UK residents may contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
Managing and Disabling Cookies
You may disable cookies entirely through your browser settings. Doing so will prevent both Google Analytics tracking and affiliate link attribution. It will not affect your ability to read content on this site — no functionality requires cookies to operate.
Instructions for managing cookies are available for all major browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
Children's Privacy
This site is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete it.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. The date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent revision. We encourage you to review this policy whenever you visit. Continued use of the site following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Contact and Privacy Requests
For any questions about this policy, or to exercise any of the rights described above, contact us directly. We aim to respond to all privacy requests within 30 days.
The Health Reference operates as an independent editorial site. For all privacy-related enquiries, data access requests, or deletion requests:
Contact Us →