A guest blog by Anya Willis
Seeing the doctor can bring on feelings of trepidation, especially when you know you aren’t feeling like your usual self. However, you can help to allay some of these fears by being a stronger advocate for your health by asking all the right questions to help you reach the root cause of your condition much quicker. So, if you’ve been shy in the past to speak up, here are some helpful tips on how to become more assertive, courtesy of The International Week of Happiness at Work.
Build a relationship with your healthcare provider
It’s not always easy to be open with your healthcare provider, especially if you feel your fears are based on a hunch or a gut feeling. This can make it seem intimidating to approach your doctor with any questions you may have because you don’t have the expertise or knowledge on which to base them on. However, it is still important to voice your thoughts because you know yourself better than anyone else does, and you might just be able to give your doctor better insights into your situation than they might have known had you not spoken up.
Arrive on time
Getting to your doctor’s appointments ahead of time can help you to be more prepared for when you do go into the consultation because you’ll have had more time to think things through beforehand.
Be specific about what you’re experiencing
Doctors could use as much information as possible when coming to a definitive diagnosis, and you could be the one to give that to them. So rather than trying to get the appointment over as quickly as possible, take your time and go into specifics if necessary if you feel like that extra information might be able to give them a better understanding of your current condition.
Making healthier lifestyle choices
A part of being a strong advocate for your own health is making healthier lifestyle changes overall. So whether this pertains to your diet or getting more exercise, it’s these small steps toward positive improvement that can help you achieve your health and wellness goals in the long run. For example, you can choose to be more deliberate concerning exercise regardless of how busy you are by jogging during your lunch break and taking the stairs when it would be easier to take the elevator.
Creating a healthier home environment
Your home environment can also play a part and how healthy you feel. Therefore, it could be a good idea to organize your home in such a way so that it feels light, fresh, and uplifting by letting in as much natural sunlight and fresh air as possible, as well as dispersing houseplants in and throughout your home to help it feel more lively and inspiring.
Keeping your medical records on hand
If you feel like keeping your medical records on hand might be helpful to refresh your memory later, one way to combine PDF files and your medical images into a file for quick and easy reference later on is to use this free tool. All you need to do is upload your video and images and merge them with this free tool to download them later when you need them.
The above tips are just a few of the things you can do to have greater peace of mind come your next doctor’s appointment so that you can have increased confidence where your health is concerned.
