Privacy at Balanced Years

1. About this policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Balanced Years handles personal information associated with use of this website. It applies to information you choose to provide to us and limited technical information generated when the website is accessed. It should be read together with our Cookie Policy and User Agreement.

2. Information you provide directly

If you email, telephone or otherwise contact us, we may receive information such as your name, email address, telephone number, the contents of your message and any other details you choose to include. Please do not send medical records, copies of identity documents, payment-card details or other highly sensitive information unless we have specifically asked for it through an appropriate secure process.

3. Technical and usage information

Web servers and hosting providers may generate standard technical logs. These can include an IP address, browser and device information, requested pages, timestamps, referral information and basic error or security data. Such information is generally used to keep the website available, investigate faults, prevent abuse and understand technical performance.

4. How we use information

Personal information may be used to respond to enquiries, review correction requests, manage editorial correspondence, protect the website from misuse, diagnose technical problems and maintain reasonable business records. We do not use information submitted through ordinary contact channels to make automated health decisions about visitors.

5. Lawful handling and legitimate interests

Where data-protection law requires a lawful basis, the relevant basis will depend on the context. For example, responding to a request you have made may be necessary to take steps at your request, while website security and ordinary editorial administration may rely on legitimate interests. Where consent is specifically required for an optional activity, it will be requested separately.

6. Cookies and browser storage

The current build uses a small browser preference to remember when the cookie notice has been dismissed. The site does not intentionally place advertising or behavioural-marketing cookies in this build. Browser storage can be cleared through your browser settings. More detail is available in our Cookie Policy.

7. Sharing with service providers

Information may be processed by organisations that provide services necessary to operate the website, such as hosting, infrastructure, security, email or technical support providers. They may process information only to the extent required for those services or as otherwise permitted by law. We do not sell personal information to advertisers or data brokers.

8. External websites

Articles may link to third-party websites for reference or additional reading. Those services operate under their own privacy notices and security practices. Following an external link may allow the destination website to receive technical information such as your IP address and browser data.

9. Retention

We aim to keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was received, to maintain appropriate records, resolve disputes, protect the website or meet applicable obligations. Retention periods can vary depending on the nature of the correspondence and the reason it was collected.

10. Security

Reasonable organisational and technical measures are used to reduce the risk of unauthorised access, alteration, loss or disclosure. No internet service can guarantee absolute security, so visitors should avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information through ordinary email or contact channels.

11. Your choices and rights

Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may have rights relating to access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection or portability of personal information. These rights are not absolute in every situation. If you make a request, we may need enough information to identify the relevant records and confirm that the request relates to you.

12. Children

Balanced Years is written for an adult audience and is not designed as a service for children. We do not intentionally request personal information from children through the website.

13. Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated when the website, its features, service providers or applicable requirements change. The latest version will be published on this page with an updated date.

14. Contact

Questions about this Privacy Policy or personal information you have provided can be sent to [email protected]. When contacting us about privacy, include enough information for us to understand the request but avoid sending unnecessary sensitive data.