Notes from my real-life practice:
“I know all this — so why can’t I just do it?”
All of my patients already know they should make healthy choices to look after themselves:
Not one of my heart health patients has ever been shocked when I talk about increasing physical activity.
Not one of my couples on fertility journeys has been surprised to hear that what they eat is important.
None of my patients with menopause are ever taken aback to when I say we should improve their sleep.
Where patients tell me they struggle:
1) Putting healthy changes into practice in a way that is sustainable. That means they can do it long-term and doesn’t cause stress in their life. It should just become a new stress-free – if not enjoyable – habit.
2) Sifting through the misinformation and noise, especially on social media, on exactly what “getting healthy” involvess: diet plans, supplements, apps, books, memberships, hypnosis, online hormone testing. [spoiler: none of them] Targeting this information at patients with menopause, obesity, or subfertility is especially common.
The take-away here is that making healthy changes is hard – but that this isn’t about “willpower” or motivation or intelligence. Patients are strong. Patients are smart.
So if they are struggling, then we need to ask why – use science and evidence-based medicine to set up them up for success. Not sell them another quick-fix or gadget or powdered shake.
#doctorpatient #hearthealth #healthjourneys #wellness #evidencebasedmedicine
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