There are a lot of health conscious people where I live. There are also a lot of reckless folks among them - ones that don’t go to a doctor and believe that all medicine is all bad.
I must admit, I’m rather tin-hat compared to most when it comes to modern medicine, but it’s because I know so much about the human body, how it works and how to work with it.
I am extremely suspicious of doctors who prescribe expensive medications, miss cues of nutritional deficiencies and obviously don’t take care of themselves. I know the deficiency in their training and I know what working in a hospital bureaucracy looks like from the inside.
Let me also say that I was raised by a physician, am dating a chiropractor and have many MDs in the family. I have had the luck of spending time with good doctors and taking their recommendation of books and article to read. I know not all of them are bad, but I also am not intimidated or beguiled by the “god-like knowledge” like most folks out there..
In my experience as someone who has been working in health and fitness coaching for over 10 years, MDs work in disease and very few of them actually work in health. Because preventative medicine doesn't pay that much - definitely not enough to support a hospital.
Your health is truly the only thing you will ever completely own. This is why you must take ownership of it and be an active participant in it. Finding the right doctor can save you thousands of dollars in avoided medical costs and keep you in control of your health.
So how do you know your MD, dietitian or general practitioner is full of garbage? There are tells for sure.
They told you to "Stop working out during pregnancy"
If you have ever had a doctor tell you that you should stop working out in capacity because you are pregnant, you need a new doctor. This is scientifically not true. I've had my clients tell me the wildest things that their doctor repeated to them: no squats, swim only, your too lean/athletic to give birth, rest it best.
This is a sign that the doc is letting their personal opinion get in the way of medical fact. Get a new doc.
They tell you "The amt of progesterone in birth control is normal to have in the body"
Any doctor that tell you birth control is completely safe and these days it “normal” to have the amount of progesterone in your body is completely out of date. In a recent study in Holland found that women on HBC had TRIPLE the rate of suicide compared to those who used non-hormonal methods. Depression was 70% higher too.
Any doc reporting that you can easily switch from one HBC to another is also out of the loop. HBC is very serious and make a BIG impact in you reproductive and mental health. Approach with caution and fire anyone who tell you otherwise
They Perscribe SSRI, Steroid Creams, Surgery and Satins Before Lifestyle Change
Are you getting prescriptions and surgery dates for every ailment you have? Treat eczema and psoriasis with a steroid or tumor pill? SSRI for women in their mid-40s with brain fog, fatigue and overwhelm? Did a doc tell you you needed a knee replacement or spinal fusion before you even went to physical therapy or chiropractor?
These are HUGE red flags. Many common ailments can be treated with great success with simple lifestyle changes. Literally anything that shows up on you skin is a reaction to stress or something you are putting in your body. Most women in their late 30s & 40s are going through perimenopause and suffering from hormone imbalances. Most of the time some herbal supplements and some nutritional changes are all you need to cure yourself.
Hormonal testing is rarely done outside of extremely obvious cases. You can ask for one of these tests. In fact, you should demand it. No doc would ever say no to a requested cholesterol test.
Fat, Smoking Doc
Dude, if you doctor is a smoker and severely overweight, you might need a new doc. Unless this person in wildly awarded, in demand and decorated as a specialist physician or surgeon, you need a new doctor.
Food Pyramid User
Did your doctor or dietitian tell you to stay away from eggs because of high cholesterol, east 4 servings of fruit or 6 serving of grain? Did they put sugar and salt in the same “dangerous” category of food?
This is a sign that this person is behind modern science. We know that no one should be eating that much fortified and processed grain. Sugar is toxic and salt is essential to survival. When the government puts out the food pyramid in 1991, obesity became an epidemic one year later. What a coincidence.
You Don't Like or Respect Them
Sorry but if you don't like your doc, you will never fully trust them or open up to them. This is important with a general practitioner or chiropractor.
With specialists, they don’t have to have the social skills to be best buds but, you do have to respect them. No respect means no trust. Getting a crappy doctor isn’t fate. You can choose someone who is right for you. Find someone you jive with.
A good doctor will tell you no sometimes and that just a fact. They are the doctor and you have to like then and respect them enough to value their opinion.
You Don't Feel Heard
‘Three Minute Docs’ I call them. You list symptoms and they are nodding, checking boxes or clicking on a computer, trying to get a head start on insurance paperwork. Get rid of this quack.
You deserve to be heard when it comes to your health. A good doctor will ask questions about your family, what breakfast is like and how old your mattress is. A great doctor will listen when you express concern.
You Feel Judged by Your Doctor
If you ever hold anything back because you think you will be judged by your doctor you need a new doctor. This means that you will never open up and tell the truth. This can put your health at great risk.
You Get Creepy Vibes
Trust you creeper instincts. This is a powerful tool. If any doc makes you feel uncomfortable or too comfortable, find a new doc!
Telling You Gatorade is Replenishing
My future mother in law has GI issues and had a colonoscopy. Her doctor told her to replenish her electrolyte stores with 2 big bottles of Gatorade. Then her results came back and he wanted to push up her surgery. He said she was completely inflamed despite her telling him that she has been very symptom free from a number of months.
I pointed out to her, a women who consumes 2 grams of sugar a day, that her doctor told her to drink 112 grams of sugar - the most inflammatory substance in her diet in one night. Of course she came back inflamed.
The fact that the doctor didn't even catch on to this infuriated me. Electrolytes are sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium. She could have had 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or a sprinkle of Himalayan salt in some water and been fine.
Will Not Coordinate to Other Specialists
If you have a health issue and your doctor or surgeon will not talk to you other care providers, this is a person who is focused on being right and not you being healthy. You need a team player. MDs are usually specialists so working with other to get a whole picture is part of the job.
The Office or Staff is a Circus
You are the sum of the 5 people you hang out with. If the office is a mess and the staff is disorganized or difficult to deal with, this reflects poorly on the doctor. You should definitely judge a book by the cover 90% of the time and a bad office is one of the tells of a bad doctor - because they don't care about the details or the comfort of the patients!
Never Asks You about Poop, Periods, Boners, Sleep, Nutrition or Exercise
You GP should be all up in your business. Every health practitioner knows that the signs of good or bad health are shown in the functions of our body and our sleep. If your conversation together is talking about symptom only and no questions are asked about your normal routines, this is not a problem solving doctor. This is a prescription writing doctor
Your LIFE gives the picture of your health. By asking probing questions, a good doctor can see what is going on. She may see the same cases day after day, but everyone is different and has different aggravators.
Never Give You the Walmart Alternative to Medications
Are you on a budget? Does you doc know?
Did you know every nearly major med is copied my a cheaper alternative that doesn't require insurance? Did you know doctors get in trouble if they prescribe you the cheaper generic brand of meds?
I know this because my mom works with low income women. She prescribed only med that were on the Walmart 4$ Dollar list. There is even an 8 dollar list! Most of these women don’t have insurance or the $20-50 for their meds - but they had 4 bucks! She got reprimanded constantly for it!
Ask you doctor if the med you need is on the 4 dollar list. Any down talk or hesitation should clue you in as to whether or not he has been bought.
They Never Refer You to Someone Else, say “I was wrong” or “I don’t know”
This is a sign that someone is drinking their own kool-aid. Something this serious need knowledge from all sides and no one knows everything. If your doctor can’t point you in another direction for a second opinion or can't admit their mistakes, this is a problem.