I hear people often say their General Practitioner doesn’t listen or they don’t have enough time during their scheduled appointment. I’ve been there so many times and have come up with a system that works for me. You can adapt to what works with the doctor and your style of communication. 

Knowing exactly how much time is scheduled for the appointment is the first step. My previous doctor scheduled 15 minutes, was always late and rushed off to the next appointment. After several months of total frustration, he had the office check to see if my insurance would allow a double appointment time, which they did. Now instead of 10 minutes at best I can 20 minutes. This made a huge difference. 

You have to set realistic expectations on what can be discussed in your allowed time slot. If you have 15 minutes you can expect 10 minutes in most cases. In ten minutes you can’t discuss 45 minutes worth of topics. Go in with an agenda of two items you want to discuss and have each item laid out on paper with any side effects or symptoms your having and any related questions. When your doctor comes in the room don’t sit and chit chat, go straight for I know you’re busy so here’s what I want to accomplish today. 

This will give your doctor time to ask more detailed questions and dig a little deeper each visit. It will also give you time to discuss any side effects you should be concerned about if a new medication is prescribed. Don’t walk out of there without asking what side effects you should be concerned about, I don’t care if you can look it up on the Internet. It’s the doctor’s responsibility to assess your specific health conditions and the medication. You don’t need all the details, just get the basics, WHEN to go to the hospital or call them. 

If you were not able to discuss all your issue and concerns then don’t leave without another appointment to get them covered. Working with your doctor is a process and one that will take time and each one is different. Remember your doctor is a generalist, not a specialist. If you feel your issues aren’t being heard after repeated attempts then ask for a referral. 

After 15 years I changed doctors, we just weren’t communicating anymore. It’s the best thing I could have done. I love my new doctor and her style, she’s very proactive and hands the baton off to a specialist much quicker than my old doctor. 

My current doctor schedules 30 minutes appointments, is rarely late and we cover three topics. I usually get the full 30 minutes if not a few more. She looks at my chart online while we’re talking if she needs to check medications, we discuss appointments with other doctors and we discuss my three topics or concerns. Because she is so close to the house and I get such focused attention I don’t have to see her as often or when I’m having a hard time, it’s very easy to see her more often. 

My doctor worked in an Internal Medicine office before so she is very familiar with Lyme Disease and Fibromyalgia. In just a few short years I’ve seen her, she has sent me to the appropriate specialist early on versus my old doctor who was slow to give a referral. She sends me a referral as soon as she’s out of her specialty. 

By doing so, she has helped discover several critical health issues that needed immediate attention without delay in trying to treat herself. This is one area I feel my previous doctor failed me in after seeing how my new doctor does business. 

She always looks up the side effects and checks to see if there are interactions with my other medications. She discusses side effects and even knows when my insurance company needs a preapproval on a medication. That way I can be mindful that if it takes a little longer to fill the prescription. 

I look at my doctor’s appointment like I did when calling on high-level executives during my sales career. They are pressed for time, have too much on their plate, usually have big egos and type-A personalities. When you meet with a C-level executive, you go in shake their hand, and tell them why you are there is a few brief sentences then you shut up.

I go to my doctor’s appointments with the same type of mentality. Know how much time I have, state what I need, and give my doctor time to their job. They can’t do that if I don’t stop talking and asking questions. 

Set the right expectation and if you are unsure then ask your doctor honestly how to get the best out of your time with them. 

Go in with facts, a list of symptoms but don’t tell them what is wrong with you unless you are with your specialist or you are talking specific illness-related questions. 

In what ways have you been able to improve your communication with your doctor?

Melinda

These days, more and more people want to live their lives in a way that’s green and sustainable. With everything going on in the world, green living is the aim for many, but it can also be a major source of stress. Rather than feeling pressure and getting overwhelmed by the need to make changes, it’s better to take things slowly and move in a more sustainable way. That way, you’ll start living green without overwhelming yourself too much. 

You’ll also feel more inspired to make changes that do matter, such as Selwyn Duijvestijn and their efforts to center sustainability in their professional life. As you can see, all it takes is a little will, but, ironically, you can sustain. Find out more about that below.

Adding a more minimalist mindset to your home life is something that’s really important. When you have a more minimalist approach to designing your home, you’ll find that you’ll spend less and waste fewer resources. That’s exactly the way it should be when you’re trying to live in a greener way and be more sustainable in general.

The way in which you get around will have a big impact on just how sustainable you are and the impact you have on the planet. Carpooling is a really good way to cut down on your carbon emissions. Trying to reduce your driving, in general, should be one of your top aims. So do what you can to reduce the car journeys you make and consider more active travel if you can.

This can be a controversial one for some people, but there’s no doubting the impact the meat industry has on the planet. So if you’re not quite ready to go vegetarian but you do want to do your bit for the planet, you should definitely think about slowly and gradually reducing your meat consumption, even if it’s only by a relatively small amount.

There are lots of sensible people out there who know what they’re talking about when it comes to green living and sustainable lifestyles. It’s up to you to find those people and educate yourself continually. People like Stephen Troese Jr can teach you a lot, and the better informed you are, the better the decisions you’ll make with regard to your lifestyle and living green.

Finally, you should think about how you buy clothes and whether your current approach to fashion is one that’s going to be sustainable for the planet. Buying more used clothes and not supporting the fast fashion industry and mentality are both things you can do for the planet. They’ll have a big impact because the modern fashion industry isn’t particularly green.

Leading a green lifestyle is really important these days. But it can also put a lot of pressure on your shoulders and cause you to feel a little stressed about the whole thing. That’s not how it should be, so use the tips above and take it slowly and gradually without overwhelming yourself at all.

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda

Anyone who experiences chronic pain will tell you that pain management is in their thoughts daily. There are so many ways to manage chronic pain, and it usually takes a person a long time to find the perfect balance for their pain levels. 

While it is easy to judge others and insist that your way is the best way, at the end of the day, a person’s experience of pain is unique, and can’t be controlled or judged by others. The debate between using natural remedies or prescription medications is ongoing, and in this blog, we will take a look at the benefits of each choice.

Let’s get started in answering the question: are natural remedies or medicine better for chronic pain treatment?

The Benefits of Natural Remedies For Chronic Pain

The term “natural remedies” constitutes many different types of pain management. These include:

• Physical movement, such as stretching, yoga, walking, weight lifting, pilates, swimming, and any other movement treatments.
• Natural herbs and medicines, such as CBD, herbal teas, specific diets such as veganism, and homeopathy.
• Non-medicinal physical treatment, such as acupuncture, physiotherapy, massage, cupping, talking therapy, CBT, hypnosis, and spiritual practices.

While some people scoff at the use of natural remedies for chronic pain, others swear by its powers. 

If you want to avoid harsh medicines that can’t be used long-term, it might be helpful to try out different holistic practices such as the ones listed above. It can’t hurt to measure their effects, and you never know what could work for you! Many of these methods have been used for thousands of years, and have been instrumental in the development of modern medicines and practices.

CBD and hemp oil tinctures, for example, are relatively new products that are totally legal in most countries. These can be administered in cream, oil, or tablet form, and have been said to alleviate chronic pain for many users.

Medicine For Chronic Pain

Of course, medicinal pain management is very common for those who experience chronic pain. If you experience severe pain on a daily basis, there may be no other option for the management of your pain, other than to take prescription medication.

If you see a doctor regularly to discuss your pain management, they may suggest different pain medications for you to try. Pain management is a unique experience, and it can be quite frustrating when you are trying to find the right medicine for you. 

Most prescribed medications are safe for use, but unfortunately, some pain medications can be addictive. That is why it is helpful to try other methods, such as natural remedies, that can supplement your pain management.

Conclusion: which is better for chronic pain, natural remedies, or medicine?

At the end of the day, most people with chronic pain would suggest that a mixture of natural remedies, such as movement, natural medicines and treatments, and prescribed medicine, will help with chronic pain.

While some people who experience chronic pain say that only one or the other works for them, the majority of people would argue that both can be helpful in their own way.

Melinda

The benefits of changing your diet when living with chronic pain have long been debated. But while a diet full of processed and high sugar foods isn’t great for everyone in general, is there actually any truth in a diet curing chronic pain?

While changing your diet can eradicate your pain levels and cure you, there is some truth in looking at what you eat and how you can greatly impact your pain levels. However, because everyone experiences pain differently and lives different lifestyles, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to using diet to manage health conditions and pain. All you can do is an experiment and see what works for you if anything does at all. That being said, there have been numerous studies into an anti-inflammatory diet improving symptoms and pain levels in fibromyalgia patients, meaning they can improve their quality of life by making some easy dietary changes.

Take It Slowly

The main thing to remember when making any dietary changes is that it can take time and patience to find what works for you. For example, cutting out many food groups won’t alert you of anything specific instead, it will further restrict your diet.

So try removing one food group at a time and see if it makes any difference before trying something else.

Best Foods For Inflammation

If you want to try some foods linked to good health, you can find some recommended foods for people with chronic pain. But doing your research into what works for you, especially if you lead an active lifestyle, can give you a better understanding of the nutrients you need to support your body the way it needs it.

Peas and other plant foods that include a pod, including beans and garbanzos (also known as chickpeas), white beans (also known as navy or cannellini beans), and hummus are examples of great foods for people with chronic pain.

Nuts and seeds are further examples of foods that fall into this category. Nuts include walnuts, almonds, pecans, and peanuts, along with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts. Peas and soybeans are a type of plant known as a “legume,” which is produced in a pod. Sugar snap peas, ordinary peas, roasted soy nuts, edamame, and any form of tofu are all acceptable options.

Berries, pomegranates, and cherries are examples of dark-colored fruits, which are beneficial in the prevention of inflammation. Drinking fruit juice should be avoided, or a small glass should be consumed and mixed with equal water. Fruit juice contains a high concentration of sugar, which exacerbates inflammation.

Yellow, orange, and red peppers, as well as tomatoes, are examples of vegetables. Arugula (rocket or roquette) and a variety of mixed greens, particularly dark leafy greens, such as spinach, chard, and kale, as well as leaf lettuce and romaine lettuce. Purple and green cabbage, onions, garlic, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are among the vegetables you should try along with radishes, cucumbers, green beans, and green onions too. 

When it comes to changing your diet to reduce inflammation, you need to experiment with what world for you and allow your body time to adjust to the changes and rid itself of any irritants to fully benefit from the changes.

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda

Energy efficiency is a bit of a buzzword of late, right? But what does it really mean for us and for our homes? When you are more energy-efficient you can save yourself a lot of money, which makes sense for anyone. So if you are wondering what you can do to be more energy-efficient, then here are some things to think about and what an energy-efficient home actually means.

Wall and loft insulation

Heat rises, as the science goes, so if you have heat in your home, where do you think it is going to leave from? It is going to leave from the walls and the ceiling, which is why having loft insulation can really make a difference to how energy-efficient the home is. If your home loses heat quickly, then you will keep spending more and more money on your heating bill to keep the home at a temperature that you like. So check your wall and loft insulation and see if there needs to be an update.

Consider solar panels

Natural and renewable sources of energy are the way forward, but can they be used in the home? The answer is quite simple, yes! One of the most commonly used is solar panels on the roof of people’s homes. This often means a massive cut in electricity bills, even being able to sell some of the power back to the grid. If you’re not too sure about the upfront costs of getting solar panels, then looking at a site like ChooseSolar could be a good idea. The idea there is that homes are connected to solar farms in the local community and can use the power of those solar panels, rather than needing their own.

Windows

Much like loft spaces and walls, heating can also be lost through your windows. If there are even the smallest of gaps, they can let in a lot of air and if it is cold, can mean that you have to keep your heating on for longer, as it will not keep the warm air in the home. If you have single-glazed windows, which can be present in a lot of older homes, then they need to be replaced. This can have quite large upfront costs, but you will quickly see the benefit when it comes to the energy efficiency of the home, not to mention the noise reduction that you will experience when inside the home too.

Switch your energy provider

If you want to pay less on your energy bills, then think about how long you have been with your current energy provider. Are you on an acceptable tariff with them and do they offer the use of renewable energy? When you move to a different provider that does offer such terms, then you can save money and know that you are using better sources of energy that are natural and renewable. 

It would be great to hear what you think. How do you make sure that your home is energy-efficient? 

This is a collaborative post.

Melinda