Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet etc

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Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet etc

Postby flabingo » Wed Apr 01, 2015 1:42 pm

I have done some investigation, and I now take my own blood presssure. I read the equipment instructions and reviews carefully, and am satisfied that I have good information. I keep records, and have studied the targets and ranges. I rest five minutes, put my feet on the floor, and make sure my arm is in line with my heart. My next step to become my own primary doctor is to obtain my blood sample from Theranos at Walgreen's and learn to understand my results. I have studied most of the books (McDougall,Campbell, Esselstyn,Furhman, Moss, Topol Barnard, about food as the best drug for good health. All five biometrics are excellent, and eliminated my statin.I am convinced that I have a better education about nutrition than most doctors, and have no incentive to spend money on unnecessary drugs, radiation, etc. I also want to avoid hospitals errors which are the third leading reason for death in this country.
And I have learned that all doctors, hospitals, devices, and drug companies are not equal. Hopefully I can research which hospitals are better than others. For example Sloan Kettering a leading cancer hospital takes Medicare, buy Mayo and many others do not unless you are grandfathered in. Bottoms up seems to be my guiding light.
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Re: Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet e

Postby wade4veg » Wed Apr 01, 2015 1:59 pm

Yes indeed, I'd say you are every bit as capable as Dr. Martin Van Nostrand...
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Re: Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet e

Postby Skip » Wed Apr 01, 2015 2:49 pm

As far as I'm concerned, the only time to see a doctor is if you have a symptom. I haven't seen a doctor in many many years and have no need to see one.
"The fundamental principle of ethics is reverence for life" Albert Schweitzer
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Re: Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet e

Postby roundcoconut » Wed Apr 01, 2015 8:28 pm

If I were you, and if I could afford it, I might consider having a quick consult with Dr. Klaper who works at True North. They'll do consults via phone or Skype for $95 or so. He can go over your blood work with you, and advise you of anything you might want to watch out for, vis a vis any medication you may need to come off of as you get healthier.

I think a good plant-based doctor is worth their weight in gold for someone who is working their way toward better health. If you are already in excellent health, then I see no need for a doctor (plant-based or otherwise).

If you do decide to go it alone for now, watch his video on Vimeo of how to interpret your bloodwork. There is a lot of solid information in there, about how well your liver is functioning, how well your kidneys are functioning, etc. It is not all about your cholesterol or triglycerides.
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/blood/87140614

At the same time, I think it's great that you've written off the mainstream medical establishment, because I too think they're obsolete and a little bonkers! :)
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Re: Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet e

Postby dteresa » Wed Apr 01, 2015 9:34 pm

If you wait until you have a symptom and are not a regular patient, you might not be able to make an appointment when you need one, or be told they are not taking new patients, or be told the soonest they can get you in is three weeks, or be in the position of seeing a perfect stranger and deciding once you have the appointment that you do not like this doctor at all. Your family doctor can be very helpful too if you should need a specialist. Better to at least be a patient on their rolls, even if you only go rarely.

Although you are your own doctor, you cannot write a prescription that any pharmacist will honor and you probably cannot admit yourself to the hospital except through the ER for something serious and if you should need a specialist many insurance companies and specialists require a referral from your family doctor. You also cannot order your own xrays or an MRI should you need these. If you have an infection you cannot order your own antibiotic.

While it is true that doctors know next to nothing about nutrition, give them some credit for having gone through med school and internship and possibly a residency in internal medicine or family practice.

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Re: Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet e

Postby dailycarbs » Fri Apr 03, 2015 2:48 am

wade4veg wrote:Yes indeed, I'd say you are every bit as capable as Dr. Martin Van Nostrand...


Yes indeed! I studied with the good (genius!) doctor and received my diploma. I now feel supremely qualified to dispense medical advice to myself.

Dr. Martin Van Nostrand
http://youtu.be/UhQSnDCPF10
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Re: Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet e

Postby Dougalling » Fri Apr 03, 2015 5:10 am

Hello

" .I am convinced that I have a better education about nutrition than most doctors, and have no incentive to spend money on unnecessary drugs, radiation, etc. "

Have you been diagnosed with cancer ?
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Re: Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet e

Postby Skip » Fri Apr 03, 2015 6:55 am

dteresa wrote:If you wait until you have a symptom and are not a regular patient, you might not be able to make an appointment when you need one, or be told they are not taking new patients, or be told the soonest they can get you in is three weeks, or be in the position of seeing a perfect stranger and deciding once you have the appointment that you do not like this doctor at all. Your family doctor can be very helpful too if you should need a specialist. Better to at least be a patient on their rolls, even if you only go rarely.



If you make an unnecessary appointment with a doctor and he might see you right away, you might be given some unnecessary tests which might lead to some unnecessary pills and procedures which might lead to some unnecessary bad results. Let the buyer beware!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prNX2CjFF2I
"The fundamental principle of ethics is reverence for life" Albert Schweitzer
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Re: Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet e

Postby roundcoconut » Fri Apr 03, 2015 9:54 am

Skip wrote:
dteresa wrote:If you wait until you have a symptom and are not a regular patient, you might not be able to make an appointment when you need one, or be told they are not taking new patients, or be told the soonest they can get you in is three weeks, or be in the position of seeing a perfect stranger and deciding once you have the appointment that you do not like this doctor at all. Your family doctor can be very helpful too if you should need a specialist. Better to at least be a patient on their rolls, even if you only go rarely.



If you make an unnecessary appointment with a doctor and he might see you right away, you might be given some unnecessary tests which might lead to some unnecessary pills and procedures which might lead to some unnecessary bad results. Let the buyer beware!


Yep, sometimes it's best not to open the door and invite the pill-pusher into your life! Modern medicine is designed to do this -- so a well-intentioned doctor following standard protocol will sniff out abnormalities in your blood work and talk about surgical and pharmalogical interventions for same. This is what they are trained to do -- even the nice, well-intentioned ones.
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Re: Can I become my primary doctor through education, diet e

Postby flabingo » Fri Apr 03, 2015 11:23 am

Thank you all for your excellent responses, including Dr Von Nostrad. My original thought after reading about Dr. Topal and Theranos, studying nutrition for these past five years, I have concluded that I know enough about nutrition as most doctors. I think the key is to find a doctor who is on the same page as yourself in terms of diet and exercise. I have had atrial Fibrillation for 35 years, and need medicine which I get from a cardiologist. I found an outstanding one at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, in Mountainview California. Years ago I had a doctor in Pittsburgh and I had high cholesterol, and he prescribed a statin.. After adopting the McDougall plan I eliminated the need for a statin. LDL went from 161 with a statin to 52 without one. And my BP went from 140/90 to 117/77.
Historically I have only gone to a doctor once a year for a checkup,
I do not know the percentage of people that adopt the McDougall diet for weight loss as opposed to good health. I fall in the second category. It would be great if people could post doctors that are on the same page as Dr. Deepah Nair at PAMF.
I read health grades, but they do not tell me enough. Word of mouth is an excellent way. Dr. McDougall has a list of doctors by area, but they are more into weight loss.
With technology moving quite fast, it will not be long until you will have a doctor by remote communication with implanted devices etc. Check out the Elizabeth Holmes story in Forbes magazine Amazing!
In conclusion any doctor who prescribes a statin or a procedure, without first suggesting a diet program is not who I would recommend.
Dr. Esselstyn is an example of the ideal one for me.

I am also going to a nutrition seminar in Phoenix area organized by Andrew Weill May 3-6
but I still understand that doctors are important.
I had two sisters who developed breast cancer, one went the holistic route and died the other had surgury and is very healthy
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