Taking control of your health begins with a very simple and majorly overlooked step: asking questions.
We have been directed from a young age to do two things with regards to medical professionals: 1) Trust that they have all the answers and go with what they say 2) Not to question them. This, unfortunately, has led to a complete over-dependence on the medical field, which is one of the many reasons it is so over-loaded and so broken today.
In the same vein, it has led to an over-dependence on prescription medications, a decreased focus on lifestyle and the role diet plays in chronic health issues, and therefore an overall decreased quality of life. Please do not misunderstand me on this: I am not saying prescription medications are unnecessary; I am not an authority on them. I am simply saying from both a subjective and objective point of view, and with plenty of statistical data to back me up - American society, as a whole, is all together too reliant on pharmaceuticals.
We do ourselves and our health a major disservice putting our health solely in the hands of someone else; relieving ourselves completely of responsibility. It is wholly impossible for anyone to have all of the answers, and to have all of the up-to-date information needed in order to have perfect working knowledge. I can tell you, from working in the medical field, there are too many disconnects between different providers and between providers and drug manufacturers to keep up with all of the new findings and new developments.
Often, newly attributed side effects of prescription medications are not made known or connected with a drug until years after said drug has been on the market. Drug manufacturers are required to do some testing, and it is typical during early trials to make note of both common and acute symptoms. But, and again I take issue with this, their trial groups represent a relatively tiny portion of the population, and studies are not conducted for a full lifetime before the drug is released to the public; so long-term effects are rarely known, essentially making the generation it was released a generation of lab rats.
Pharmaceutical drugs are just one small part of the equation, and just one thing we should be questioning. You should be intimately involved with your health, and your relationship with your provider should be one of mutual respect and education. You should feel free to engage in thorough and explorative discussions with them.
In recent years, the idea of questioning things that have been in play for decades has almost become taboo. You can take the issue of vaccine efficacy; if anyone questions vaccines, that person is immediately mocked, discredited and often black-listed from social media. But the purpose of Science is supposed to be the ability to question, prove, reprove, disprove, test and retest.
Just because we have been doing things one way for a while, does not mean that way is impervious to improvement or to further study. If things were meant to remain as they always were, without question or challenge, Doctors would still be encouraging their patients to smoke, those with mental or physical disabilities would still be in insane asylums, and we would still bleed people when they are ill.
If you feel rushed during your time with your provider, or that they are dismissive of your questions...I would encourage you to consider finding another provider. You are the one who will experience the results of your health care firsthand - so you should make sure you are getting the best. You have this body for the rest of your life...for better or for worse.
Engaging is empowering! In today's healthcare platform, you have to advocate for yourself, and your less capable or more vulnerable loved-ones. Ask the tough questions, educate yourself and get second and third opinions from outside providers if you are unsatisfied with the answer. Demand more for yourself, and from your provider. Don't limit yourself: dare to dream to correct the under-lying issue, rather than just covering up symptoms.
If you are not getting quality care, how can you give yourself the best health-future possible?
Here are some example questions to ask when in discussions with your provider:
Why - Why is this necessary? Why do you think this will work versus that?
What - What are the ingredients? What are the possible side effects (not just one or two...all of them)? What makes you believe this will work? What alternatives are there? What is the root cause of the problem? What can I change in my diet or lifestyle that will make it better?
How - How can I fix the problem, not just cover up the symptoms?
Please explain in detail, so I can understand.
Please use layman's terms.