TEN WAYS TO MAKE YOUR DOCTOR INTO A NATUROPATH

[Guest guest]

TEN WAYS TO MAKE YOUR DOCTOR INTO A NATUROPATH

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1. Pick a workable doctor. How do you know if a doctor is workable?

Interview them. I

screen any physician I am thinking of consulting with. Since there may be

a charge for

this “initial consultation,” I carry this out by asking the office manager,

nurse or assistant

to please relay these three questions to the doctor:

First: “I take vitamin supplements. How do you feel about that?”

Second: “I feel that my doctor should work with me, but that I am in charge

of my health.

Is this compatible with your philosophy of care?”

Third: “I choose to decline immunizations. Are you willing to accept this

viewpoint?”

If the doctor agrees to all three position statements, you are in business.

If not, keep

looking. Be prepared to spend some time on this process. It pays off.

2. Not all doctors that openly promote themselves as “holistic,”

“alternative” or

“complimentary” will be as advertised. Lip-service to a natural philosophy

is not the

same as actually prescribing a fast for obesity or treating bronchitis with

vitamin C.

Hiring a doctor requires an in-depth evaluation which only personal

experience can

provide. Word of mouth is a way to capitalize on others’ experience with

this doctor.

Ask around.

3. Make it easy for your doctor: Stay healthy. Eat right. Do not smoke.

Avoid alcohol. No

illegal drugs. Diet if you need to. Keep fit. Show that you take care of

yourself. As you

brush your teeth before visiting the dentist, present as healthy a body as

possible when

you visit the doctor.

4. Do your homework. Prepare your case before you go in for an office

visit. Look up

your ailment in the Merck Manual. You will there learn what the

conventional medical

approach to such an illness is. Then read up on the alternatives. I have

reviewed 50 of

the best natural health books at http://www.doctoryourself.com There is no

substitute for

being well informed.

5. If you need a diagnosis, get one. Be responsible. Use technology.

Listen to what your

doctor has to say, but do not DO it until you complete step 4, above.

6. Use the “suggestive selling” technique. Suggest a natural alternative

to any medical

treatment you may be offered. Or, instead of an either-or choice, suggest

“both.” Know

what you want and see that you get it.

7. Look at your situation from the doctor’s perspective. If you were

legally bound and

professionally constrained to the extent that most physicians are, how

would you react to

a know-it-all upstart patient that marched in to your office and began to

dictate terms?

To avoid a defensive physician, avoid backing your doctor into any corners.

Instead,

bring along materials written by other physicians who treat naturally.

These may be in

the form of journal papers, published treatment plans (protocols), excerpts

from books,

and highlighted articles. If such-and-such a doctor already does it

successfully, it takes

the pressure off your doctor in trying it with you. Ask for a “therapeutic

trial.”

8. Try the “Good Cop, Bad Cop” approach: Offer to sign a paper stating that

you will not

sue the doctor if the natural treatment you request is not successful. At

the same time,

subtly point out that a patient could sue if the doctor refused a patient’s

natural treatment

request.

9. Half a pie is always better than none. Your doctor does not have to

meet you 100%

on every issue. It is generally sufficient to hear any of the following

phrases, which

commonly indicate an open-minded physician:

“Vitamins aren’t likely to do you any harm.”

“I’ve heard of more and more people doing this.”

“I attended a seminar on this recently.”

“Let’s try it.”

“Let me know how this works out for you.”

“I told my other patients about it.”

10. Doctors love to be told that “their” therapy is successful. Provide

your doctor with

maximum positive feedback and, whenever appropriate, tell him/her that you

are feeling

great. You are likely to be rewarded with, “Whatever you are doing, keep

doing it.” That

is the sweet sound of self-reliant success.