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Dr. Google You’re Fired! – 3 Effective Ways to Reduce Illness Anxiety!

Paging Dr. Google!

When you’re feeling unwell, it’s tempting to turn to Dr. Google. He’s accessible, there’s no copay or wait time, and he offers instant appointments! Having a lot of anxiety about being sick is natural, we even have a name for it – illness anxiety. Unfortunately, he usually arrives with bad news… That cough you’ve had for the last two days… Dr. Google says it must be lung cancer. The diarrhea that won’t seem to go away… oh that’s definitely colon cancer. And what does Dr. Google say about that sore toe? Oh, that’s probably lung cancer too. Of course, I’m being facetious here. 

But there are ways to properly use Google to take charge of your health and make the most out of your visits to the doctor. Let’s talk about some strategies and pitfalls of using Dr. Google and why it’s always important to get a second opinion from a real-life health care professional!

Steps to Combat Illness Anxiety

Don’t Do This: Google your symptoms! I know this is a tall order, but googling symptoms is just going to make that illness anxiety go through the roof! Type in cough, chest tightness, and weight loss and you’ll arrive on a search page full of lung cancer results.

Do This Instead: Make an appointment with your doctor and if you’re really worried, keep a journal about your symptoms. Each day keep track of changes, is your cough getting worse or better? How much weight are you losing each day? Are you feeling too sick to eat each day? Have you been in contact with any sick people lately? Does anything make you feel better or worse?

If You Want to Go Even Further: Get proactive with your health! Don’t wait for symptoms to start thinking about developing healthy habits. Make annual appointments with your family doctor, learn about your health insurance benefits, stay on top of essential labs like tracking your cholesterol and work with your primary doctor to setup important annual screenings. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

 

Don’t Do This: Obsess over illnesses that run-in families. Maybe you haven’t felt well for a while. Maybe a close relative had a serious illness when they were about your age. Maybe they even passed away tragically young. Turning to Dr. Google, you then learn that they may have had XYZ disease and it runs in families! Should you panic now?! No!

Do This Instead: Make an appointment with your primary care doctor to discuss your concerns. Don’t have a primary care doctor? Now’s a great time to get one. Try to stay away from your local Urgent Care, you should be trying to establish long-term care with a physician that’s going to get to know you. After you have your appointment, talk to them about what you’re concerned about and how those concerns are impacting your life. The doctor may order further testing to help rule in or out the chances of illness.

If You Want to Go Even Further: Learn about risk factors for illnesses. For example, diabetes has a strong genetic component. Talk to your doctor, and consult legitimate sources to learn all you can. Then once you’re equipped with that knowledge you can take steps to keep yourself in good health and stay proactive. This should help reduce illness anxiety. If you’re not sure about a source of information, talk to your doctor – they can help you tell apart trustworthy and untrustworthy sources of information, they might even have some good resources of their own! Thrifty Patient is one of those good sources of information. Like our very popular articles on Major Losartan Recalls hitting the country or information about supplements like CBD, we only deliver quality information about your health.  

Don’t Do This: Don’t trust miracle cures that pop up when asking Dr. Google a question. All search engines, Google, Facebook, Yahoo, etc use complex algorithms to direct traffic to popular and relevant content. However, what Dr. Google can’t do is tell evidence-based medicine apart from wacky theories. Abby Ohlheiser of the Washington Post recently wrote about the flood of bogus medical cures that can be found online. 

Do This Instead: Empower yourself in your next discussion with your doctor by asking them how they make their treatment decisions. Most doctors will tell you that they follow evidence-based practices and keep up to date on the latest research guidelines for their specialties.


If You Want to Go Even Further:
Take the evidence-based approach yourself when doing research into therapies. Then bring your evidence to your doctor. You might be surprised at how open and flexible many doctors are to try new things, especially if you can show them good research. Just remember, not all research is created equal. Click here to learn more about the Pyramid of Quality Research!

It’s important to stay on top of your health and we’re the biggest advocates of patients taking their health into their own hands. However, you need good tools if you plan on getting anywhere. Search engines like google are one of those tools that can do as much harm as good. We’d love to hear your stories about illness anxiety and if searching symptoms online helped or caused even greater illness anxiety. 

What is the quickest way to lose weight?

12 Key Facts About the Quickest Way to Lose Weight!

12 Key Facts About the Quickest Way to Lose Weight!

Once you start thinking about wanting to lose weight, you’re faced with a scary task. How do you make sense of all the conflicting information out there? April 2019 is our month of weight loss and obesity education! We’ll be examining diet plans, work-out plans, nutrition, weight-loss groups, the science of obesity and weight-loss, and even some things you can do to make money for losing weight!

Losing weight doesn't have to be scary

We’ve identified 12 key facts you need to know if you want to find the quickest way to lose weight. Trying to figure out the quickest way to lose weight without understanding the basics, is like trying to find the fastest way home when you’re already lost.

Being confused by how to lose weight is normal. Don’t worry, weight loss is confusing and you’re not alone. In a recent post we talked about the importance of losing weight, and how expensive it could be. However, actually losing weight can be dauntingly intimidating. When I was younger it felt simple, eat less and exercise more. Ok, to be honest, when I was younger, I had the metabolism of a humming bird and probably couldn’t gain five pounds if I ate fast food for every meal. Those days are long long gone.

Affiliate Disclaimer – This post highlights one of our affiliates – BistroMD. If you decide to purchase from them, Thrifty Patient may make some money. FYI, our affiliate policy is very strict, and we turn down partnerships that don’t meet our high health, ethical, social, and savings standards.

1. Know Your BMI

The very first piece of information you should understand is your BMI, or Body Mass Index. This will tell you if you fall into an underweight, normal, overweight, or obese category.

Use this simple calculator to find out your BMI.

Why is this Important?: Trying to lose weight without knowing your BMI is trying to tell how much fuel is in your car without looking at the fuel gauge. It’s all just a guess until you take a look at the number!

2. Know That 1 Pound = 3500 Calories

2. 3500 Calories in a Pound

There are 3500 calories (or kilocalories) in a pound. Unfortunately losing a pound isn’t as simple as just dropping 3500 calories. Among other things, you should also know what your estimated calorie count should be.

Why is this Important?: Calories are an important bridge between our food and our weight. It’s not the whole story, but an important piece in weight loss.

3. Know That Shortcuts, Fad Diets, Starvation and Exercise Alone Isn’t Enough!

The quickest way to lose weight is not by taking a shortcut. Also, sadly, exercise alone isn’t enough. Don’t get me wrong, the right diet, cutting down on calories, and exercising are all important. Remember, a short-term, weight-loss shortcut isn’t going to give you the lasting lasting weight-loss results you want. It’s better to make small improvements over a longer period of time.

Why is this Important?: A lot of companies will pray on people who equate weight loss with exercise or radical diets. Yet the science shows that exercise alone isn’t enough. And some of those fad diets can be questionable!

This leads us to one of the reasons we like BistroMD so much. They provide to scientifically-proven and nutritionally balanced meals.

With BistroMD Get 25% OFF plus Free Shipping on your first order!

A Bacon Milkshake, Blech

Remember, a short-term, weight-loss shortcut isn’t going to give you the lasting lasting weight-loss results you want. It’s better to make small improvements over a longer period of time.

4. Know That It’s Not Just What You Eat!

We like to think in simple terms. I’m overweight because I eat too much. If I eat less, I’ll lose weight. This misunderstanding is probably the most important fact you need to know if you want to discover the quickest way to lose weight.

Eating right is just step towards the quickest way to lose weight

The science of food, eating, and weight loss is fairly complex. Our bodies sense if we’re not getting activity. They treat different kinds of food differently! They are regulated by complex hunger hormones and are sensitive to chronic illness and disease.

Why is this Important?: Two reasons. First of all, this fact reminds us to resist the urge to oversimplify. Second, as the saying goes ‘know thyself’. It’s always important to talk to your doctor before starting any weight loss plan. They can help you identify if you have any health concerns that’ll derail your plans!

This is another area where BistroMD really shines. Their meal plans take a complex look at nutrition and dietary needs.


468x60 healthy weight less delivered

5. Know How to be Mindful When Eating

How much time do you spend eating? Do you rush through your meals, like a job to be done? Do you actually take the time to experience your meals or are you too busy thinking of the next thing you need to do?

Why is this Important?: The quickest way to lose weight involves thinking about eating and dieting as an experience that involves our mind, body, social connections, and spirit. Click here to learn more about mindful eating.

Mindful Eating

6. Know Calories in < Calories Out… but…

As you learn more about dieting, don’t forget the basic mantra “Calories in should be less than calories out”. What does this mean? To lose weight, the amount you’re eating in calories should be less then the energy you’re burning and the exercise you’re doing. Remember you need to burn off 3500 calories to lose a pound. However… this doesn’t paint the whole picture. As we’ve stated earlier, it’s tempting to oversimplify and treat all calories the same. It’s obvious that 2000 calories of carrots and 2000 calories of donuts should be treated differently.

Why is this Important?: This is important to keep in mind as a general rule. But we should also be aware of its limitations. If we can be sharp enough to keep track of our calorie intake / output and wise enough to know not all calories are created equal, then we’ve taken a mighty leap along the quickest way to lose weight.

7. Know That Calorie Quality Matters

This point is worth repeating twice. Not all calories are created equal, and calorie quality matters!  Harvard Medical school has a great article that talks about how not all calories are created equal. Another benefit of the BistroMD meal plans is that they’ve created meals that already take this into account. With BistroMD your meals are custom designed by registered dietitians. Take advantage of BistroMD and get 25% and Free Shipping. 

Why is this Important?: If you’re serious about losing weight, self-sabotage is going to be a daily problem. It’s very easy to fool yourself into thinking that a few hundred calories from a drink, or some fast food are just like any other calories.

8. Know That Weight Loss Requires a Whole-Body View

Weight Loss Via a Whole Body View

We don’t eat just because we’re hungry. People eat when stressed, they associate food with happy times and sad times. Can you think of a food you hated or loved eating when growing up? Do you still avoid / crave those foods now? We naturally attach psychological and social events to eating. Here’s an article from the Cleveland Clinic about the roles food plays in our lives and strategies to address the psychological aspects of food.

Why is this Important?: Dieting without anticipating the psychological or social impact creates needless barriers to success. Diets often fail, and not knowing of that failure is due to a physical, social, or a psychological barrier sets you up for future failures.

9. Know That With Plans, One Size DOES NOT Fit All


There is no one right plan or path to weight loss. You’ll read reports about diets like the Atkin’s diet and the Keto diet or about plans like BistroMD or Weight Watchers. Many people will claim that each plan is the quickest way to lose weight. But, always keep in mind that what works for others, might not work for you – and that’s fine! One of the reasons we like BistroMD is because it offers so many choices. They work to reduce the chance of failure by working with you to find a program that works the best for you.

Why is this Important?: Keep in mind that the quickest way to lose weight for OTHERS might not be the quickest path for YOU.

10. Know About Decision Paralysis

Decision Paralysis
Talk About Too Many Choices!!

Decision paralysis is when you have so many options it’s hard to pick one – so you don’t pick any and postpone, or you pick them all and don’t get anywhere. There are so many diet options out there! Many will promise to be the quickest way to lose weight. Each will have true believers, heaps of evidence, and tons of success stories. This leads to an interesting problem. Which do you pick? Are you easily distracted and try every new diet?

Why is this Important?: Keep in mind that the quickest way to lose weight for OTHERS might not be the quickest path for YOU. Being aware of decision paralysis sets you up to create a plan to avoid it.

11. Know How to Identify Points of Failure!

Your weight loss plans are only as good as its weakest link. Do you drive past your favorite fast food place on the way to work? Are you trying to eat vegan but hate carrots? Are you starting your diet up at the same time a big audit is going on at work?

Why is this Important?: Stressors don’t make it impossible to diet, in fact if you can identify and get in front of problems, your chances of success will go way up!

12. Know When to Seek Out Support

No One is An Island

There may be times when you hit a wall, or need advice on how to make your diet work. If you’re serious about losing weight, consider seeking out help. The quickest way to lose weight is through the hard-learned lessons of others.

Why is this Important?:

Get Your Free National Park Pass

5 Ways to Get a Free National Park Pass

Can I Get a Free National Park Pass?

Spring is here and the weather is finally warming up. As part of our launch into April, we’ll be exploring five ways to get a free national park pass. Read below to find out who qualifies for a free national park pass. Want to just skip to the park page? Click Here!

1. You have a Qualifying Permanent Disability

Free National Park Pass

Who is Eligible?: This free LIFETIME pass is available to people who have been medically determined to have a permanent disability.

To get the pass you can either fill out the online form, mail in a paper application, or apply in person. If you fill out the application online or mail it in, there’s a $10 processing fee. If you are planning to apply in person, then you do not need to fill out any forms in advance, just make sure to contact the site to ensure they have passes available. As with all of these passes, in addition to yourself, this pass also covers everyone in the same vehicle as you.

Documentation Needed for the Free National Park Pass

Here’s the requirements for documentation, directly from the form:

A statement signed by a licensed physician attesting that you have a permanent physical, mental, or sensory impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, and stating the nature of the impairment;

OR

A document issued by a Federal agency, such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Administration, which attests that you have been medically determined to be eligible to receive Federal benefits as a result of blindness or permanent disability. Other acceptable Federal agency documents include proof of receipt of Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI);

OR

A document issued by a State agency such as a vocational rehabilitation agency, which attests that you have been medically determined to be eligible to receive vocational rehabilitation agency benefits or services as a result of medically determined blindness or permanent disability. Showing a State motor vehicle department disability sticker, license plate or hang tag is not acceptable documentation.

Have You Heard About the Trend of Taking Uber Instead of an Ambulance to the ER!
Read More on the Thrifty Patient!

Honorable Mention

6. Discounted Senior Passes

Discounter National Park Tickets for Seniors

Who is Eligible?: US Citizens and permanent residents 62 or older.

The Senior Pass is one of the very best bargains out there. For $80 you can get a lifetime pass or for $20 the annual pass.

$80 won’t even get you a day at theme park, but it will buy you lifetime access to every national park in the US sounds like a pretty great deal to me! Read more here.  

2. You’re a US 4th Grader

Who Qualifies?: This is a really fun program available to all 4th Graders in the US.

Educators can even get the annual free national park passes for each of their 4th Grade Students. Here are the details! More rules and conditions can be found here!

3. You’re a Member of the US Military

Who Qualifies?: All current US military members and their dependents. Also most members of the US Reserves and National Guard and all of their dependents.

You’ll need your military ID when applying (CAC Card of DOD Form 1173). This’ll get you (and your dependents) a free $80 annual pass to the parks. Here’s the full FAQ for the annual military park pass.


$20 off at Mission Farms CBD

4. You’ve Volunteered more then 250 hours at a

Who is Eligible?: Anyone who has volunteered 250+ hours at a national park.

This free national park pass is a really nice perk to reward your generosity and dedication. You do not need to complete all 250 hours in a single year. Read more about the volunteer passes here and here.

5. You Head to the Park on a Free Entrance Day

Fee Free Days

2019 Has a number of free entrance days to the National Parks

Straight from the nps.gov website ala the very journalistic copy-and-paste.


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Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

5 Simple Ways to Learn About Drug Recalls

Drug Recalls Should Never be Ignored

Drug recalls happen all the time – are you absolutely certain that none of your prescriptions have been recalled? Do you know how to find out if they were? While some recalls may be issued for drugs problems that pose little risk to humans, other recalls can be for much much more serious issues, and no recall should ever be ignored. Here are the top ways to learn about potential lurking dangers in your medicine cabinet!

 

1. FDA Website

The FDA is the top source for learning about drug recalls

 

Source: Wikipedia Commons

The first and best source of information is the FDA. Not only do they have names and dates, they also give you the reasons why the drug was recalled. Unfortunately some of the reasons the FDA gives are little difficult to understand. While you’re on the FDA’s site, you can learn more about safety alerts.

 

GENERIC VS. BRAND NAME: THE SHOCKING PRICE DIFFERENCE OF THE 10 MOST COMMON DRUGS

 

2. Recalls.gov

This is another great resource for all recalls, even those not related to medication. The prescription drug tab on this website links back to the FDA. However, recalls.gov is so much more. You can learn about all sorts of recalls, from food to drugs to boats! Definitely worth bookmarking.

 

3. FDA’s Recall Twitter

 

Photo by Con Karampelas on Unsplash

I bet you didn’t even know the FDA had a twitter. Let alone one just for recalls! Follow the FDA’s recall twitter to get some of the fastest notifications about drug recalls.

 

4. WebMD – A great source for info on prescription medication recalls.

WebMD is a great source of information about specific recalls. For example, they have detailed information about 2018’s blood pressure medication recall. You may need to do some hunting on the WebMD website to find what you need. Also, they might not have information on every recall. Still, it’s a tremendous source of info if you can find what you’re after.

 

5. Your Doctor or Pharmacist

So far we’ve listed a few ways to learn about recalls by seeking out the information from sources like the FDA. However, many times your doctor or pharmacist will reach out and let you know about recalls. For this reason it’s really important that you keep your contact information up-to-date and check your voicemails. This is especially important if you’re helping elderly parents keep track of their drugs.

 

Have you had any bad experiences with drug recalls? Do you know of other ways to learn about recalls? We’d love to get your input in the comments below!