DR BRETT HILL
Health and wellness expert www.DrBrettHill.com
Every month, chiropractor and wellness columnist Dr Brett Hill brings
you information and inspiration to help you eat, think and move in a
healthy way
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A WELLNESS DOCTOR
In previous columns I have talked about wellness. Here is a guide to finding a wellness practitioner that best suits you.
Recommendation. Your health and wellness is a very important thing. It would be unwise to choose a practitioner because they are the closest or the cheapest. The best way to find a wellness doctor would be to get a recommendation from a friend, relative or local health food shop that shares your goals for health.
Humility. Your wellness doctor should provide inspiration and advice to empower you to take charge of your health, because ultimately it is your body that does the healing. They should also be a good listener, after all no-one knows more about your body than you do.
Do you “click”? It is a hard thing to define, but if you are going to find a wellness doctor that is going to help you get and stay well for the rest of your life, it is important that you connect with them. You should feel comfortable enough to ask all of the tough questions that you need to ask to discover your true health.
Does the doctor look healthy? The best person to guide you towards health and wellness is someone who has been there and done that. They know the road that you need to take and perhaps made some of the mistakes for you along the way.
Physical, chemical and emotional? Is this person looking at all aspects of health and wellness and are they looking at the body as a whole? All of the cells in your body need to be functioning at their best in order for you to be well. Your wellness doctor needs to understand this and needs to look at the body as a whole rather than just some parts or chemicals in isolation.
How are you being evaluated? Is your doctor assessing you based on how you are feeling or how you are functioning? True wellness means ensuring that your body is functioning as well as it can be at all times – not waiting for symptoms to tell you that something is seriously wrong.
What types of techniques are used? Is the doctor using techniques and advice that you are comfortable with? Are the techniques designed to improve your function and wellness or merely dull the symptoms you are experiencing? Are they proven and safe?
Qualifications? Whatever approach you choose, be sure that they are adequately qualified in that area. They should also have sufficient training to advise you chemically, physically and emotionally - or be prepared to refer you to someone who does.
How much does it cost? You should be informed of the fees and charges up front and in an open and honest way. Be sure that the fees for the care required are within what you are prepared to pay for you health.
Are you are seriously ill or suffering from an acute episode? If so then maybe what you require is more than wellness care - maybe you also need some crisis care to get you through this situation. This may or may not require a different practitioner. But you will also want some one to help you address the underlying causes and help you improve your function in the long run.
Perhaps the wellness profession that best encompasses all of these criteria is chiropractic. Chiropractic is one of the few professions with a five year Masters level degree (chiropractic education has more hours of anatomy, physiology and neurology than a medical degree) that still maintains a wellness philosophy that is holistic and uses functional evaluation and techniques.
For more info on this or any other health topic, visit Dr Brett Hill
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DR BRETT HILL
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