The 12th right of Dr. Carolyn Demarco’s A Woman’s Bill of Rights, states, “I have a responsibility to look after my diet, reduce, stress, exercise, and relax on a regular basis.”

Why is this included in Demarco’s bill of rights? Because diet, stress, exercise, and relaxation are fundamental to good health and only you have the power to control these aspects of your life. A doctor can surgically repair any wound, but s/he cannot make you exercise every day or remove items from your dinner plate that are unhealthy. A doctor can only tell you what you should do; you are responsible for putting his or her advice into action.

All doctors acknowledge that diet, stress, exercise, and relaxation are four fundamental keys for good health. Regardless of whether you are in perfect physical condition or currently struggling with an illness, integrating these four keys into your life will have a huge impact on your health. Some of the many benefits include:

• Preventing future illness: A person who puts the four keys into action is more likely to fight-off illness. Numerous studies have shown that a diet high in fruits and vegetables not only fights current illnesses, but wards off future illnesses. A person who experiences high levels of stress is more likely to succumb to illness – so try to bring that stress down.
• Reducing inflammation: Inflammation can cause chronic pain and many other ailments. To learn about how the four keys can help reduce inflammation, please read our article, “Anti-inflammatories, and Reducing Inflammation Naturally.”
• Improving Mental Acuity: When your body is supplied with the right foods, exercised regularly, and allowed to relax without stress, you will find that your mind functions at a higher level. Many people find they can think faster, clearer, and harder.
• Healing Faster: If you have recently had an illness or injury, the four keys can help you heal faster. Exercise alone will help you heal eight times faster.
• Improving Stress, Diet, Exercise, and Relaxation: As you incorporate each key into your life, you will find that other keys are simultaneously improved. For example, if you eat a healthy diet, your body will be able to exercise better and burn energy faster. Conversely, when you exercise more, your body will crave healthier food and be able to relax more. Exercise is also a great way to burn-off stress. When you are not as stressed, emotional eating decreases.

By incorporating these four keys into your life, you will create a strong, healthy body that forms the basis for your future health. Start today by incorporating one of the keys into your life and then gradually work to incorporate the others.

By Kandy Newland-Platt

Have you ever left an appointment with a healthcare provider feeling frustrated, or that your needs were not fully met? Did you feel that your healthcare provider did not listen to you? Or maybe you left the visit not fully understanding your diagnosis or why you need additional medications or tests? If any of the above scenarios sound familiar, you are not alone. Many of us have experienced this at one time or another, and sometimes more than once.

We all have the responsibility to take a pro-active role in our own well-being; we need to be in control of how we want our bodies to be treated and taken care of. After all, you are the true expert of your body. You live in it every day and experience the joys, sorrows, aches, and pains that no one else really knows. Therefore, we all need to have the tools to effectively and thoroughly communicate our needs to our healthcare provider.

Over the years I have complied and gathered the following suggestions which I have found to be beneficial for me during appointments and I hope that you might be able to add some of these suggestions to you own tool box for future reference.  

• Once your appointment has been scheduled with your healthcare provider, start compiling a list of any questions, symptoms, and concerns that you would like to have addressed during your visit. I find it useful to have a small notepad in my purse to jot down any questions that come to mind.
•  A couple of days prior to your appointment, go through your compiled list of questions and concerns. Review each item to make sure that you have been simple, direct, and to the point with your question. Next, prioritize each item in order of importance to you. (In my experience it has been beneficial to have the most important items discussed first.)
• Take your list with you to your appointment. Don’t be afraid to be direct with your questions. Remember, you are the expert on your body. Address each topic simply, but frankly. Write down your healthcare providers answers. If you do not understand the response from your healthcare provider, ask her/him to please repeat the answer in terminology that you are comfortable with. Address each item in the same manner.
• If something is being said that just “doesn’t feel right,” follow your intuition and speak up, letting the healthcare provider know your feelings. And remember, if you need time to think about an option, test, medication, or procedure, it is ok to take the time to think about it before agreeing to anything. The only exception to this would be in a life-threatening instance when you would need to make a decision on the spot.
• Once you reach the conclusion of your visit, summarize what your understanding is of each item addressed with your healthcare provider and ask if s/he has the same understanding.  

There is a multitude of material available to you on the internet on the topic of effective communication. For more information on tips to effectively communicate with your healthcare provider, I suggest checking out the following sites that may be of interest to you: www.healing.com and www.takingcarge.csh.umn.edu/healthcare_system/communicate

By Kandy

In Dr. Demarco’s A Women’s Bill of Rights, the 8th right states, “I have a right to request a second opinion on any major surgery or health decision.”  How many of us seek second opinions? According to a 2005 Gallup poll in a Newsweek article by Barbara Kantrowitz & Pat Wingert, half of 5,000 Americans surveyed said they never sought a second opinion when their doctor diagnosed a condition or prescribed a drug, treatment or surgery, and only 3% said they always sought a second opinion.

How do you know when to seek the advice of another physician, healthcare provider, or specialist? The September 8, 2004 issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource stated that a second opinion may be warranted, “If your diagnosis isn’t clear, you have a rare or serious condition, your doctor suggests a procedure that is expensive, risky, or experimental, or your current treatment isn’t working.”

Another instance when it’s appropriate to consider or seek a second opinion would be when any non-emergency surgery or invasive procedure is being considered, when you’re being prescribed long-term medication that has potential side effects, or if you are not showing improvement or “feeling better” after repeated visits to your physician.

Lastly, you ARE the expert in knowing your body and anytime your instinct is telling you that something does not feel right or you physically do not feel any better since trying suggested treatments, medications, etc. You always have the right for a second opinion.

The 11th right of Dr. Carolyn Demarco’s A Woman’s Bill of Rights, states, “I have a responsibility to learn as much as possible about my health problems so I can make informed choices.”

In the United States today, we frequently exalt the opinions of doctors and place all of our trust and faith in their diagnoses. Dr. Demarco’s 11th right does not question the integrity of doctor’s choices. It acknowledges that doctors may not know all available treatment options – and it would be unfair to expect them to. There are thousands of approaches to medicine, along with thousands of different treatment options. A western doctor is trained to know the best of conventional western medicine; s/he simply does not have the time to stay versed in other treatment options such as nutrition, naturopathy, Chinese medicine, etc. Furthermore, only you can know which option fits your daily routine, lifestyle, and vision for your health.

If you want the best for your health, it is up to YOU to learn as much as possible. So where can you start? A study released this month by Fertility and Sterility (Jan 2009), examined where infertile women go to find information. The study found that the majority of women head to the internet first. The internet holds countless resources to explore – government health sites, national organizations that address certain conditions, chat sites devoted to various diseases, etc.

The study found that the second most popular source was books. Try going to the local bookstore or library to see what books are offered for your condition. Don’t forget about the natural treatment section. These books may offer some non-invasive and easily adaptable treatments to ease your symptoms.

The third most common source was doctors. For many women, this may be the best place to start. A doctor can rule-out a serious condition and be an incredible resource. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It is also beneficial to seek a second opinion – even if you are happy with your doctor. Doctors can have different approaches and perspectives that can shed more light on your condition.

Regardless of where you start, the most important aspect of your search is STARTING. It can be daunting at first, but once you have conquered a few web sites or books, you will be amazed at how much easier it becomes.

On the web today, you can find various proclamations and bills of rights about women’s health. Below is a bill of rights by Dr. Carolyn Demarco from Take Charge of Your Body – Women’s Health Advisor.  This bill of rights stands apart from others because it addresses issues important to women struggling with infertility, sexual dysfunction, and pain. In the upcoming weeks, I will share patient stories, studies, and personal experiences at CPT that highlight the importance of each of these rights. To read these stories, please click on any of the links below.

1. I have a right to be treated as an equal human being.
2. I have a right to be listened to and have my problems taken seriously.
3. I have a right to an explanation that I can understand in my native language (using a translator if necessary) on any questions concerning my health care.
4. I have a right to know the choices I face in getting treated for any health problem and to have the possible side effects of any drugs or surgical treatment clearly explained.
5. I have a right to choose the types of treatment I prefer from among the options offered to me by my doctor.
6. I have a right for normal events in my life, such as pregnancy and menopause, not to be treated as diseases requiring treatment.
7. I have a right to choose natural therapies and not be ridiculed for doing so.
8. I have a right to request a second opinion on any major surgery or health decision.
9. I have a right to refuse any drug or surgical treatment.
10. I have a responsibility to become knowledgeable about my body and how it works.
11. I have a responsibility to learn as much as possible about my health problems so I can make informed choices.
12. I have a responsibility to look after my diet, reduce stress, exercise, and relax on a regular basis.
13. I have a responsibility to avoid pressuring my doctor into giving me drugs when I don’t need them.
14. I have a responsibility to prepare my questions for my doctor beforehand and schedule adequate appointment time to discuss them.
15. I am ultimately responsible for my own health care, using my doctor as a resource rather than an authority.