Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Healthy living
• Part 2 of 2: Reducing unnecessary doctor visits
• Tips

Visits to the doctor can be divided into mandatory and optional. The problem is that people outside the healthcare industry find it difficult to understand the difference. Optional appointments place a burden on doctors, which can increase the cost of treatment over time. People usually prescribe because they experience unpleasant symptoms and do not know what caused them or how to cure it. By living a healthy lifestyle and monitoring your performance at home, unnecessary doctor visits can be avoided.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Healthy living

1. 1 Increase the amount of exercise. Getting regular exercise is essential if you want to reduce your risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. People who are overweight, diabetic and / or have heart disease go to their doctor more often. While most of these visits are mandatory, others are completely groundless. It's enough to do 30 minutes of light to moderate cardio workout every day to stay healthy and live a long life, which in turn will lead to fewer doctor visits and less stress on the healthcare system.
   • Start by walking around your area (weather permitting and not in danger), then move to more challenging terrain, a treadmill and / or start cycling.
   • Don't start with intense exercise like running long distances or swimming, especially if you have heart problems.
   • Then add some strength training to the regimen, as large muscle fibers will make bones stronger, which will reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Because of this, older people often go to doctors.
2. 2 Eat well and maintain a healthy weight. Our diets today are often high in calories, unhealthy trans fats, refined carbons and salts. Therefore, it is not surprising that the obesity rate is at its peak. In Russia, about 31% of Russians are obese. Obesity dramatically increases the likelihood of various diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, various types of cancer, arthritis, autoimmune diseases and frequent complaints of the musculoskeletal system. All these problems require large financial costs, and all because of frequent visits to doctors, expensive treatment and drugs.
   • Eat more healthy plant-based mono- and polyunsaturated fats (found in seeds, nuts, and vegetable oils), reduce your intake of saturated (vegetable) fats, and eliminate trans fats (artificial) altogether.
   • Drink fewer sodas and energy drinks (which are high in fruit corn syrup) and plenty of purified water and fresh juices.
   • Calculate and track your Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a very useful metric for determining whether you are overweight or obese. To calculate your BMI, divide your weight (in kilograms) by the square of your height (in meters). A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 indicates overweight, and over 30 indicates obesity.
3. 3 Do not smoke or overuse with booze. Bad and bad habits, such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, are often the cause of various diseases and symptoms, due to which people make unnecessary appointments with doctors. Smoking causes extensive damage throughout the body, particularly in the throat and lungs. In addition to lung cancer, smoking can also cause asthma and emphysema, which are common reasons for doctor visits. Alcoholic beverages have a similar destructive effect on the human body, especially on the stomach, liver and pancreas. Alcoholism has also been linked to nutritional deficiencies, cognitive problems (dementia), and depression.
   • Use nicotine patches or gum to quit smoking. Abrupt cessation of bad habits usually leads to many side effects (withdrawal, depression, headaches and weight gain), and therefore to even more frequent visits to the doctor.
   • Stop drinking alcohol or limit your intake to one drink a day.
   • A high percentage of smokers also consume alcohol regularly. It seems that one bad habit prompts another.

Part 2 of 2: Reducing unnecessary doctor visits

1. 1 Check your vital signs at home. Today, thanks to the widespread and available technology, your vital signs can be easily and conveniently measured at home, and for this you do not need to make unnecessary appointments to the doctor. Blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and even blood sugar (glucose) levels can be easily measured at home using electronic devices made for personal use. If your indicators are not within the normal range, then a visit to the doctor will already be justified, but if everything is fine with you, then there is no need for medical attention. Ask your doctor what values ​​are considered normal, but keep in mind that they change with age.
   • Home medical equipment can be purchased at pharmacies, health supply stores, and rehab centers.
   • Cholesterol levels can also be measured at home. A few years ago, kits for measuring cholesterol levels did not give very accurate results, but now they are close in accuracy to standard laboratory tests (the accuracy is about 95%).
   • Blood and urine can be analyzed with a special test strip that changes color when it reacts with certain compounds or substances.
2. 2 Take medication only as a last resort. While medications can help relieve some symptoms such as pain and inflammation (others are generally vital), they all have side effects. Drugs that cause many side effects in a large proportion of patients include statins (prescribed for high cholesterol) and antihypertensive drugs (for high blood pressure). Excessive consumption and even strict adherence to the dosage often leads to the occurrence of various symptoms and additional visits to the doctor. Ask your doctor about the possibility of side effects after taking all of the drugs they are prescribed. For some conditions, look for alternatives (herbal) with fewer and less severe side effects (these drugs are often not scientifically proven or proven to be effective).
   • Statins often cause muscle pain, liver and digestive problems, skin rashes, flushing, memory loss, and confusion.
   • Herbal remedies that can lower cholesterol include artichoke extract, fish oil, psyllium (psyllium seed shells), flax seeds, green tea extract, niacin (vitamin B3), and oat bran (B7).
   • Antihypertensive drugs often cause cough, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, nervousness, fatigue, lethargy, headaches, impotence, and chronic cough.
   • Herbal remedies that can lower blood pressure include niacin (vitamin B3), grape seed extract, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, coenzyme Q-10, and olive oil.
3. 3 Schedule an annual check-up. To permanently reduce the number of doctor visits, schedule an annual screening, immunization, and check-up for possible health problems so that they can be detected before they become a serious problem. Your health insurance may cover this visit. Ask your insurance agent what exactly is covered by preventive treatment.
   • Prophylactic visits should be scheduled when you are completely healthy, and not to treat a particular illness or physical injury.
4. 4 Go to polyclinics for minor ailments. Another practical way to reduce unnecessary doctor visits is to visit clinics more frequently for vaccinations, prescription updates, vital signs and physical examinations. Some pharmacies also provide similar medical services. This helps take the burden off doctors and the health care system. It happens that such small clinics are not staffed by doctors themselves, but by qualified nurses, nurse practitioners and / or medical assistants.
   • In pharmacies, children and adults can be offered vaccinations against influenza and hepatitis B.
   • In small clinics, appointments are carried out on a first come, first served basis, and when the patient has to wait a long time, he can pass the time by going for groceries (if the pharmacy is inside a grocery store).

Tips

• Mild to moderate musculoskeletal pain (sprains) usually resolves within three to seven days without any treatment.
• Most upper respiratory tract infections clear up within a week and do not need antibiotics, especially if they are due to viruses.
• Reducing stress levels can significantly improve human health and reduce the number of visits to the doctor.
• Pap smears no longer need to be done every year. In the latest guidance, women are advised to have a Papaniolau smear every three years, starting at age 21 and ending at age 65.