6 HEALTH TIPS YOUR DOCTOR WISHES YOU WOULD FOLLOW


With the goal of optimum health in mind, here's what doctors wish all patients would do:


1. BUILD A STRONG DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP. Some people think a doctor is a doctor, so what's the difference? You can have 10 different doctors with 10 different treatments that are equally good. However, if you start intertwining the treatment recommendations of multiple doctors, the result can be a recipe for disaster. Without continuity of care, there can be a big difference in the quality of care.


2. FOLLOW THE DOCTOR'S ORDERS. If you are put on a medication and it has a side effect you don't like, don't just stop taking the medication without calling. It is not uncommon for patients to do that...then return for their follow-up visit a month later and tell their doctor then that they have stopped taking the prescription.


3. WATCH YOUR DIET AND EXERCISE. The most important things that any of us can do to stave off many diseases is to eat healthful, nutritious foods and move more. When patients are given a written diet plan with specific foods to eat and specific foods to avoid - with instructions to keep a daily food journal for review at the next visit - there is a much better chance of success. This holds true for exercise as well.


4. KEEP A RECORD OF YOUR MEDICATIONS WITH YOU. Medications can have negative interactions when combined. Patients should make a list of not only every medication they take - including over the counter drugs - but also the specific conditions for which they are taking each one. A copy should be given to each physician, the patient's health care proxy, kept with important documents, as well as in the patient's wallet.


5. MAKE A LIST OF THE TOP TWO OR THREE THINGS TO DISCUSS. With so little time for not only an exam but also all your questions, it is easy to forget some of the particulars you thought about a few days ago that you wanted to discuss. When the doctor asks "Is there anything else?," that list will provide the answer.


6. REMEMBER, THE INTERNET IS JUST A TOOL. It can be a very good - or very bad - tool. Don't believe everything you see online, and go to reliable sites to do an independent research. Read blogs, reviews, and reactions with an open mind.





source: http://www.recordonline.com/