Choosing the Right Doctor for You
We entrust our health in the hands of our doctors. We expect them to tell us when something is wrong, when we need to get more testing or a second opinion, when that mole looks a little strange, and we trust them to guide us to lead a healthy life. Being that we as patients rely on their expertise for our own heath, we should hold them to the highest standard of their own health. We look to these experts for guidance and their knowledge to help us, they should set a good example to all of their patients.
If your doctor does not embody their healthiest self then how can you be expected to trust them with your own health and wellbeing? If they are not the example of a healthy lifestyle, how are we expected to trust their opinion? It’s like getting on a plane with a pilot who has never actually flown a plane, they just read a book on it and trust the autopilot. They look the part, have the credentials saying they can do the job, but they do not embody the actual skills. You would never trust a pilot who hasn’t gone through every bit of training so why do you trust a doctor who doesn’t embody the skills of that profession?
If your doctor is overweight, unfit, eating a predominantly animal based diet but then gives you advice on how to improve your health how does that make sense? We should hold our doctors to a higher standard and choose a doctor that represents a healthy lifestyle. If my doctor is more unfit/unhealthy than I am, I can’t be expected to trust their opinion.
So how should we think about our choice in a doctor? What are the things to consider if we value a long, healthy, full life?
Choose your doctor based on the health issues that are most important to you. If you seek to be physically fit, disease-free, and to live a long healthy life choose a doctor that embodies those qualities. As a bonus, ask your doctor what type of nutrition training they have received. In most programs doctors receive less than a year’s worth of information on nutrition and they only cover the societal basics (think the things we all have learned in health class). How many calories are in fat, carbs, protein? How is protein made? It is astounding that so little time is given to our best resource for health and nutrition, food. Food is medicine so the fact that it is ignored and not understood by the medical community is an incredible disconnect and a huge opportunity for improvement in our medical system.
When choosing your doctor have a list, criteria, that you are looking for and ask them all the questions you have. Your doctor should align with the kind of health path you are on or should embody the goals you have.
Here are some tips on how to choose the right doctor for you:
The doctor should have expertise in the area of health that pertains to you
Are you already healthy and want a doctor that helps you stay in good health?
Are you overweight and looking to lose weight?
Are you looking to reverse your diabetes?
These, and more, are all things to consider as you look for your doctor
Does the doctor embody a healthy life?
Are they unhealthy/unfit
Or are they in good health and promote a healthy lifestyle
Ask a lot of questions in your first visit
How much nutrition training do they have?
Do they believe in just prescribing medicine without finding the deeper issue?
Do they exercise?
Do they receive any sort of a kickback from any pharmaceutical companies?
Make a list of anything you want to know about your doctor and ask all of them. Remember your doctor is there for you not the other way around. Make sure you are getting what you want from their service. Know what is important to you and you health and get the answers
Find a doctor that embodies the life you want
Your visits and health should be a collaboration with your doctor
Your doctor should educate you on the why of certain recommendations or medicines not just give them over without educating you, the patient
The doctor you choose for yourself should make you feel confident in trusting their advice and opinions
Many of our medical professionals truly desire the best for their patients and their role in society is one that I value greatly. With that being said you as the patient also do not need to settle for a doctor that you do not have confidence in.
Do the research, ask the questions, and find a doctor who embodies the values and health that you desire as the patient.
To read more on this topic I recommend taking a look at Peter Attia’s website and conversation on this topic.
