Doctor’s Office Mistakes You’re Making

Stop talking on your cell phone while you’re in the exam room. Your health is an important thing…the phone call can wait.
Stop lying. From sexual practices to bad eating habits, many patients choose not to disclose the full truth to their physicians. Unfortunately, the only way a doctor can treat you to the best of their ability is if they have as complete a picture as possible about your particular health needs. Stop being so afraid that your doctor will judge you, and start telling them the truth.


Start describing what you’re feeling as accurately as possible. Is your pain sharp or dull? Is your headache more in your temple or towards the middle of your head? These details may not seem important, but they can help your doctor make the right diagnosis for you to start feeling better.
Doctors agree that if possible, you should describe the exact location of your problem, how intense the pain is, what may have provoked it and how long it’s lasted. To help you remember, write down your symptoms, as well as any questions that you may have for the doctor during your appointment.


Start telling your doctor the full reason for your visit. Believe it or not, many people don’t explain to their doctors exactly why they’re there. Even if you have a list of concerns, disclose them to the doctor as soon as possible so that they can plan your visit accordingly.


Start telling your doctor what you expect from them. If you have certain hopes or expectations, such as a particular prescription or getting rid of a suspicious-looking mole. This isn’t to say that the doctor will always be able to deliver on your requests, but at least they’ll have a better idea of how to approach your care and be able to clearly explain what they can and can’t do for you.


Start bringing in a list of your medications and supplements. Doctors would love for more patients to tell them exactly what they’re taking, so that when they’re considering a form of treatment, they have all the information they need to provide a more reliable course of action.

Stop leaving with unaddressed concerns. If you have a question, ask, even if you think the doctor is rushed. If you’re worried your headache might be a brain tumor, say it even if you think you sound like a hypochondriac. You never know what positive impact your questions can have on the success of your treatment.


Start keeping a copy of your medical records. You don’t bring your medical records or images with you. Unless you know for certain that your doctor, particularly a new doctor, has your records and images from another office, bring them with you. Again, having a more complete picture of what they’re working with can help doctors figure out the best way to treat you.


Stop being afraid to disagree with the doctor. Yes, so many people are programmed to agree with whatever the doctor says, but if your doctor suggests you should take a particular drug or see a certain specialist, and you don’t understand why or don’t agree with them, say so. Just nodding your head and then ignoring the doctor’s recommendation the second you’re out the door will not help you feel better. Doctors aren’t mind readers – they want to know what you’re thinking so that they can prescribe a healthy course of action that you’ll actually follow.

You don’t follow through with your treatment plan. If you ask questions, help the doctor paint a complete picture of your health and voice all of your concerns, the result should be a treatment plan that fits your needs. However, all of that is useless if you don’t actually follow it. Even if you forgot your pills, or had second thoughts about the treatment plan, contact your doctor and admit to it, so they can best advise you what to do next.

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5 Tips For Dropping 5 Pounds By Summer

Celebrity Fitness Trainer and author of 5 Factor diet Harley Pasternak suggests 5 simple tips to lose 5 pounds or more by summer.


1. Be Physically Active All Day
"From the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed, you should be moving," says Pasternak. That means walking up the stairs instead of riding in the elevator, walking instead of driving when feasible, gardening, cleaning anything that doesn't involve your butt being glued to a chair. "At the end of the day, all those calories that you burned periodically really add up," he says.

2. Eat Five Times a Day
"When you graze instead of gorge, you have more control over how much you eat and are less likely to make bad choices," he says. Each meal or snack should include a low-fat protein, a whole grain, fiber, a healthy fat (like olive oil or canola oil) and a sugar-free or low-sugar beverage.

3. Drink Three Liters of Water Each Day
"When you drink enough water, you increase the rate at which you burn calories," says Pasternak. And when you're dehydrated, you can often mistake thirst for hunger, meaning you'll eat more than you would have if you'd stayed hydrated all day.

4. Do Five Workouts Each Week
Combine resistance training with cardio and work up a sweat for at least 25 minutes in each workout. "Make sure your program changes from day to day, in order to make sure your body changes," Pasternak says.

5. Give Yourself a Free Day Each Week
"Indulge in eating a treat such as dark chocolate and sleep in late," says Pasternak. "It will motivate you to keep up a healthy lifestyle during the other six days."

7 Ways to get some Me Time

1. Listen to music.
Studies show that listening to the music you like can have a positive impact on your life and happiness. “Plus, music can trigger memories, give a sense of youthfulness and nostalgia, and take people into different places,” says Karol Ward, L.C.S.W., author of Find Your Inner Voice. “So put on your earphones and let those sounds take you from restless to restful.”

2. Start a blog.
Start a simple blog on something you’re passionate about. Blogging is a great outlet for channeling your thoughts while connecting and sharing your interests with others. “I love blogging during my ‘me’ time,” says Sunny Sea Gold, Glamour health editor and founder of healthygirl.org. “The stuff I blog about is body image and overcoming emotional eating, two things that are super close to my heart. The fact that I’m so passionate about it is what makes the writing so enjoyable and therapeutic. That and getting to know the amazing women who read and comment.”

3. Reorganize your life.
Living and working in a sea of clutter can stress you out without your even realizing it. Each week, spend a few hours clearing out your office or reorganizing your apartment. “Cleaning is therapeutic,” says Elizabeth Kari, 21, from Chicago. “It creates order in my life, and I always feel ready to begin the next day with a fresh, clear start.”

4. Take a power nap.
That’s right. Sleep doctor Michael Breus suggests spending your “me” time sleeping. Just a quick 25-minute power nap and you’ll wake up refreshed and ready to get up and go. To get the most out of this time, try spraying a lavender mist on your pillow. “The smell of lavender eases anxiety and helps you fall asleep,” says Dr. Breus. “In the end it’s about the quality, not quantity, of your sleep.”

5, Send your mind on vacay.
Can’t get away? Visualize it! Imagining yourself in a place that has brought you peace and happiness is a quick, free and clinically proven way to cleanse your mind and enhance your mood. “Picture all the sights, smells and sounds of that wonderful spot,” says Amy Spainhower, director of creative services at metime.com, a company aimed at spreading the “me”-time message. “Just enjoy the feeling of pleasure that comes your way from ‘visiting’ your vacation destination


6.Make an appointment with yourself.

Whether you’re at home reading a book or giving yourself a manicure, scheduling your “me” time is imperative. The key is to make this time a commitment you have to honor, just as you would any other appointment or meeting.


7.Exercise.

Do as the Obamas do: Pick a time each day to work out and stick to it. The physical and mental health benefits of exercise are endless, and it’s the perfect time to spend refocusing, unwinding and concentrating only on you. Plus, you’re not multitasking during Pilates.

DMX Interview on Dr. Drew's Lifechangers

We first heard about the possibility of DMX appearing on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab while he was still in prison. That never happened but Dr. Drew finally got to DMX earlier this week. On his show Lifechangers, the doc was able to have some heart to heart convo with X. Earl revealed more details about his tough childhood, specifically the physical abuse he was subject to from his mother. (Thanks to B.Dot)

X also shared an incredible story about how he escaped from a medium security prison in Upstate New York in 1988. Mind you, it was the middle of winter at the time. This dude really said he was inspired by the movie Runaway Train. Now he didn’t exactly go through some grueling task to break out but simply ran off the prison bus and into the woods.

Ultimately, Dr. Drew helps Earl understand how getting beat as a child really contributed to his problems as an adult