Take Control of Your Health

Control. Who has it? Sometimes our health feels out of our control. We put our physicians on pedestals and expect them to have all of the right answers. I had my annual physical this week. To put it lightly, it did not go well. I walked away feeling frustrated, confused, and definitely not cared for. The worst was one particular piece of 'advice' that went against so many things that I believe and understand about the body, from both Eastern and Western medical perspectives. It became very obvious that my PCP and I are not on the same page. So I'm writing this as a reminder (to myself as much as to you) that you do have control. Take the time to meet with different practitioners, have a conversation, find the right fit. You are the expert of your own body and your own experiences. Don't let someone else undermine that. So needless to say, I'll be looking for a new PCP... Feel free to comment or message with any recommendations on the North Shore! But it's not just our medical doctors. Make sure that you feel comfortable, connected, and in alignment with all of your practitioners. Your physical therapist, chiropractor, massage therapist, and of course your acupuncturist. Do they listen to you? Do they understand you? Do they communicate what they're doing for you? Are you comfortable asking questions? When people find out I'm an acupuncturist, they'll often tell me about their experience with acupuncture if they've had any. This practice is not immune to bad practitioners! I've heard about painful experiences, uncomfortable experiences, of cold, rude acupuncturists, and of people being made feel small. These stories break my heart! But the reality is that there are good and bad practitioners in all fields. Don't write it off, just be sure to find the right fit for a practitioner for you. I won't be writing off Western allopathic medicine any time soon, but you better believe I'll be taking control and looking for a new physician.