10 Questions You Should Ask Your Doctor
1. Are you willing to work with me as a partner in my health?
No one can ever truly know your body better than you. And if your doctor is unwilling to act as a partner and continue a dictator role in your health, I’d fire them and move on.
2. What’s your point of view on nutrition and health? Do you think food is medicine?
If your doctor doesn’t recognize that fact that food is the best medicine, then they need to go back to medical school and get updated on the information available.
3. Are you willing to give me copies of my test results and explain to me what they mean?
The reason we’re asking these questions is to make sure that your doctor is willing to work with you, to be detail oriented problem solve your health issues and not simply dismiss you as another patient.
4. If I don’t have any symptoms, how are you going to help me stay healthy?
Prevention is the best medicine! So if your doctor is clueless on how to treat you proactively… look for another one. Just because you’re not sick, doesn’t mean you’re healthy. It’s very common for me to find problems in people who have “normal” lab ranges but are far from “optimal”.
5. How would you treat me if you didn’t have your prescription pad?
Medications can save lives, but it’s best reserved for critical or emergency medicine. In order to treat chronic disease (which is what most people end up suffering from), your doctor must understand the lifestyle, nutritional changes, and supplementation therapies that can create a foundation for health. If she or he has no idea how to treat you without their prescription pad… find a new doctor.
6. How do you feel about the role of vitamins and supplements in health?
It’s hard to optimize nutrient status without using vitamins and supplements. Considering modern lifestyle, soil depletion, the storage and transportation of food, genetic alterations and increasing levels of toxicity in our environment – it’s nearly impossible to achieve optimal nutrient status without supplementation. Therefore it’s so important that your doctor has an understanding of how to use vitamins and supplements therapeutically.
7. Do you believe food allergies or sensitivities can cause health problems such as arthritis, asthma, sinus problems, irritable bowel disease and/or autoimmune diseases?
It is now well established that the digestive system – your gut – contains between 80-90% of your immune system. Imbalances in the microbiome, fungal overgrowth, bacterial infections, parasites and food sensitivities all contribute to a wide range of symptoms (joint pain, fatigue, bloating, inflammation, rashes, etc.). So finding a healthcare practitioner who understands that root causes of these conditions can begin in the gut is crucial.
8. What can you recommend to protect my brain from premature aging and memory loss?
Current research in cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s and dementia, all point to mitochondrial health. The mitochondria are the energy producing centers of every single cell in your body. Your doctor should understand how to assess and correct for mitochondrial dysfunction.
9. How would you treat high cholesterol? Do you believe high cholesterol is the problem?
It’s a scientific fact that high cholesterol is not the enemy. Sugar, flour, processed foods and uncontrolled inflammation are at the root of heart disease; not dietary fat/cholesterol. It’s important to team up with a doctor who is current on the latest research of the #1 cause of death in the U.S.
10. Do you think chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes or osteoporosis is reversible?
Your doctor should understand that these chronic diseases can be reversible with diet, lifestyle and targeted supplementation. Your health is within your control and having a doctor who also understands this is essential for a healthy doctor-patient relationship.
I’m so excited to be a part of your journey to better health. Thanks for joining me and if you ever have any questions or need clarification, please feel free to reach out to me.
Summary
If you're interested in optimizing your health and finding a doctor willing to help you get there, the questions above should prove valuable in finding the right person.
Don't settle for anything less.
