Upstream Health Solutions

Of course many doctors are very concerned with their patients’ welfare, but this is by no means always the case. Sometimes a doctor becomes “bad” through years of overwork and burden caused by simply having too many patients. Nevertheless, you deserve to have the very best health care, and so does your family. Here is a list of things to watch for to determine whether or not you are seeing a bad doctor.

You notice that his communication skills are not good.

If your doctor doesn’t seem to want to communicate with you, this should act as a real warning signal. If you want to be sure of getting the best in medical care, it is imperative that you have excellent communication with your doctor.  This means both give and take. Communication is a two-way street. When you choose your doctor, you should be able to feel confident that he will want to know about your symptoms and that he will want to talk with you about your concerns. Your doctor should listen to you thoroughly. He should not interrupt you while you are explaining your symptoms and concerns. That’s the way misdiagnoses occur or completely missed medical problems happen. Any good doctor will have enough time to listen to you and ask you questions about your symptoms, no matter how busy his schedule may be.

He just gives you a prescription without really knowing what the problem is.

If your doctor just writes you a prescription and doesn’t even think about exploring natural and alternative solutions, he is probably a bad doctor. A good doctor always weighs all the options and chooses the safest alternative. Of course, sometimes a prescription is the answer to your problem. However, prescription medications should not be the only solutions your doctor ever proposes. There are quite a few medical conditions that can be effectively treated with lifestyle change. Slightly elevated blood pressure is an example of this. Double check to be sure your doctor is telling you about all possible options before you agree to take a prescription.

Your doctor tells you to do one thing but does another himself.

A credibility gap is when your doctor tells you that you need to get more exercise and watch your diet, while he is quite clearly a junk-food-loving couch potato. Of course your doctor probably doesn’t have a lot of time to work out. Nonetheless, he doesn’t need to have a bunch of junk food wrappers and overflowing ash trays sitting around his office. Of course, a good doctor will lead by example. It is his obligation to model proper health behavior for you.

He leaves you confused.

When a bad doctor is finished with you, you still have questions. You know you have a bad doctor if he is in such a hurry to hand you your prescription and rush off to the next patient that he doesn’t even tell you what will happen next. A good doctor will explain your diagnosis, give you a list of tests that will be needed, tell you how to treat your condition, and explain any side effects you may experience with your medication. It is understandable that your doctor may not have time to do a complete presentation with slides and bar graphs; however, he should be able to tell you what you diagnosis is, give you a list of tests you will need to have, explain how you will need to treat your condition, and forewarn you about any side effects your medications may have. When you leave, you shouldn’t be more confused than you were when you arrived.

When you try to call a “bad” doctor, you will often be unable to reach him.

You can reach a good doctor when you need to. If you get an answering machine when you call his office and it just gives you the number of the emergency room, you will probably want to think about looking for another doctor. Good doctors take calls themselves or make arrangements with their colleagues to share the responsibility of taking calls. A good doctor makes sure his patients can always reach a doctor for proper care as needed.

Naturally, you will want your doctor to be up on the latest things. This includes not only conventional medicine, but also alternatives. Don’t let yourself be hurt by the unprofessional actions of a bad doctor.

I recently read an article that made my soul weep. The author shared what cancer had cost him. Reading his words reminded me why I chose not to join a support group when I was being treated for my own cancer. I needed to surround myself with the most positive people, events, foods, experiences, books, music and movies I could find. I had no time for people or even one person who would bring me down.

I would never willingly choose to go through this experience again, but if I did, I’d count it yet another blessing. I’d like to share some of the gifts I received because of my cancer.
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Making herbal preparations at home is where the real fun really begins. Herbs and other natural resources are extracted to preserve some components that cannot withstand long exposure to air. Some are extracted to concentrate one or more of the plant’s chemical constituents, or eliminate undesirable ingredients.

The potency of herbs can be standardized through specific extraction processes. The quality of homemade herbal remedies depends on the quality of the plants used. Plants must be free from decomposition spots, insect holes, mold, and they must look, smell and feel healthy and vibrant. Dried or freshly picked, flowers, fruit, seeds, leaves, roots and gums, can be used in herbal preparations. Read the rest of this entry »

A lot of people wonder about that. I don’t fault them for being doubtful since I was this way also.

It is good to be cautious and question things. We exist in an environment that looks to be geared toward dishonesty regarding consumers.
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If the car is a trigger for you to smoke, and if you find that you have to drive for long distances, your smoking habit may become overwhelming. Here are some tips to help alter that trigger!
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First the good news … your body doesn’t stop growing bone tissue when you stop growing. You can continue to add to your bone mass no matter what age you are if you keep physically active and consume enough calcium to meet your daily needs. Now the not-so-good news …
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Choosing and Using

The supplement industry brings in billions of dollars every year, a great deal of which comes in as a result of people buying supplements that they simply do not need. From miracle stimulants to improper bulk-up products labeled for weight loss, there are hundreds of supplements out there that require specific research and strategy for effective use. Many consumers, without researching, end up buying supplements that are not effective, or are rendered ineffective through improper use and strategy. Read the rest of this entry »

Curiously enough, this pair of prescription medications contain the identical generic called Finasteride, but in different amounts. These two are used for very different things, and you cannot interchange them. These medications can do a lot of harm to an unborn baby because of finasteride being soaked into the expectant mother’s skin. Propecia and Proscar are restricted to use in males.
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Chemical substances that are odorless and secreted from human sweat glands are known as pheromones. Animals produce them as well and the pheromones behave as a kind of chemical communication in animals. The purpose of some pheromones produced by animals and humans is to attract a mate and to relay information regarding reproductive status and genetic compatibility. Read the rest of this entry »

Getting consistent medical care can help decrease the chance of diabetic complications. These are 5 examinations that each person with diabetes should have on a regular basis.

The numbers of people that have the disease Diabetes is increasing dramatically in this country. Just about every body organ is affected by this condition. To stop the many problems associated with diabetes, blood sugar needs to be managed appropriately with routine health care and exams to decrease the chance of diabetic problems. For proper health there are some tests and examinations which diabetics need to have performed. You should not ignore these five important exams for diabetic care. Read the rest of this entry »