Advice from Your Doctor

Since When Do You Take Advice from Your Doctor?

If you’re like me, you hate getting advice from your doctor or even going to the doctor. I’m just about on my death bed before I finally decide to go in to see what could be wrong with me. In fact, whenever I call to schedule an appointment I wonder if the doctor I had previously is even practicing anymore—or alive even as that’s how long it is between my visits. Doctors certainly have their place, but I’ve personally found most doctors that I’ve seen to be total quacks. After all, someone has to graduate last in their class, right?

I’m not going to stand here and generalize that all doctors are bad. There are many doctors who take their work very seriously and are amazing at what they do and are a specimen of good health and living a healthy lifestyle. Meanwhile, on the flipside, you have doctors who are truly less than qualified to be giving you health advice as you’re sitting on their table being lectured. I hear it all the time that people say they left the doctor’s office being told they need to lose weight by exercising or changing their diet. No kidding. You expect them not to say that when over half the population is overweight or obese.

Should You Take Advice from Your Doctor About Everything?

While doctors are highly trained professionals with expertise in medical matters, it’s essential to approach advice from your doctor with a thoughtful and informed mindset. Here are some considerations:

  1. Medical Expertise:
    • Trust in Their Field: Doctors undergo extensive education and training in their specific field of medicine. It’s reasonable to trust their advice on matters related to their expertise.
    • Specialization: Consider the doctor’s specialization. A cardiologist may not be the best source for advice on dermatological issues, and vice versa.
  2. Individual Factors:
    • Personalized Care: Medical advice should be tailored to individual health conditions, genetics, lifestyle, and preferences. Make sure your doctor considers these factors when giving recommendations.
    • Open Communication: It’s crucial to maintain open and honest communication with your doctor. Share relevant information about your health, concerns, and lifestyle to ensure accurate advice.
  3. Second Opinions:
    • Complex Cases: For complex or serious conditions, seeking a second opinion can be valuable. Different doctors may have different perspectives or treatment options.
    • Peace of Mind: If you are unsure about a diagnosis or treatment plan, seeking a second opinion can provide peace of mind.
  4. Lifestyle and Preventive Measures:
    • Holistic Approach: Doctors often provide advice beyond just medication, including lifestyle changes and preventive measures. These recommendations are generally beneficial and should be considered.
  5. Critical Thinking:
    • Stay Informed: Take an active role in understanding your health condition. Research and ask questions to ensure you comprehend the advice given.
    • Ask for Explanation: If a recommendation seems unclear, ask your doctor to explain it in a way that makes sense to you.
  6. Limitations:
    • Continuous Learning: Medicine is an ever-evolving field, and doctors may not be aware of the latest developments in all areas. It’s reasonable to discuss recent research findings or alternative treatments with your doctor.
  7. Mental Health Considerations:
    • Seek Specialist Advice: Mental health concerns may require a specialist such as a psychiatrist or psychologist. If your doctor is not a mental health professional, they may refer you to someone with the appropriate expertise.
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If a Doctor is Quick to Write a Prescription Rather Than Getting to the Root of the Problem, Should You Trust Them?

If you feel that your doctor is not adequately addressing the root cause of your health issue, it’s important to consider a few factors before making decisions and taking advice from your doctor.

  1. Communication:
    • Ensure that you have communicated your concerns and symptoms clearly to your doctor. Sometimes, there might be a misunderstanding, and additional information can help your doctor better understand your situation.
  2. Ask Questions:
    • Don’t hesitate to ask questions about the diagnosis, treatment plan, and the rationale behind the recommendations. A good doctor should be willing to explain things in a way that you can understand.
  3. Seek a Second Opinion:
    • If you have doubts or if your condition is complex, seeking a second opinion can provide you with alternative perspectives. Another doctor may have different insights or suggest additional diagnostic tests.
  4. Specialist Referral:
    • If your current doctor is a general practitioner and your condition requires expertise in a specific area, they may refer you to a specialist. Specialists often have more in-depth knowledge about specific medical issues.
  5. Advocate for Yourself:
    • Be proactive in managing your health. If you feel that the root cause is not being addressed, express your concerns and preferences. Discuss potential alternative approaches or additional tests that could provide more insight.
  6. Holistic Approach:
    • Some health issues may require a holistic approach, considering not only medical factors but also lifestyle, nutrition, and mental health. If your doctor is not addressing these aspects, you might consider seeking advice from healthcare professionals with expertise in these areas.
  7. Medical Records:
    • Keep a record of your medical history, symptoms, and any tests or treatments you have undergone. This information can be valuable if you decide to consult another healthcare provider.
  8. Consider a Different Doctor:
    • If, after thorough communication and consideration, you still feel dissatisfied with your doctor’s approach, you may want to consider finding a different healthcare provider who aligns more closely with your preferences and concerns.
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For instance, many health issues like high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and several others, can all be improved by focusing on exercise and nutrition. You don’t necessarily need to start popping pills if you have the ability to fix the root cause of the issue by making changes to your lifestyle and habits.

Stop Taking Fitness & Nutrition Advice from Your Doctor

Just for fun, I asked if their doctor is overweight. Their answer? Yes. So riddle me this… If someone who is more out of shape than you is telling you that you need to work out and watch what you eat, how likely are you to take advice from someone who could possibly be in worse shape than you? That would be like going to a nutritionist for help getting your diet under control and the person you sit down with is 300 pounds with a bag of potato chips on their desk. Heck, even some doctors even smell like an ashtray. Check please. Get me the hell outta there.

My most frequent visit with the doctor I grilled him a little to see just how much he knew about health and fitness. I asked him how often he sees overweight individuals (no, I’m not speaking about myself). His answer was all the time. I asked him if he tells them they need to exercise more in which he replied “yes”. So I dug a little deeper and asked him how he goes about recommending that they exercise more. He responded with he tells them they need to get more active and clean up their diet. I asked first about his direction to clean up their diet and what he tells them or gives them so they know what he means. He said that the only thing he asks them to do is watch their fats, sugars, and carbohydrates. Hmm, not exactly the advice I would have recommended.

So, I keep my thoughts to myself and ask about the getting more active part. He said he tells them to simply walk more and if they are sedentary to get up throughout the day to stretch and move. While that is true, that’s a small part of the bigger picture. So then I asked him how he classifies people—does he do it through weight alone, body fat, or BMI? He responded with the easiest way to measure is by using BMI. I asked him to please use the BMI model to see where I stand. He connects the dots on the chart and says with a brief pause, “Mr. Weik, you are considered to be obese.” Really, doc? I smiled and said, “do I look obese or unhealthy to you? Do I even appear overweight?” He smiled and said “no”. Here is my biggest problem. We are using outdated measures and information to diagnose and categorize people. By using BMI, you aren’t taking an individual’s lean muscle mass into consideration. In fact, the same doctor that I was speaking with didn’t even know what bioelectrical impedance was.

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Matt Weik

Matt Weik, BS, CPT, CSCS, CSN, is the Owner and Head Keyboard Banger of Weik Fitness. He is a well-respected, prolific writer with a global following and a self-proclaimed fitness and supplement nerd. Matt’s content has been featured on thousands of websites, 100+ magazines, and he has authored over a dozen published books.