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Your health is one of your most valuable assets. It’s important to find a doctor you trust to take your health care needs into consideration, but you must also learn to become your own advocate. These tips from Spry Therapeutics can help you be a healthcare advocate for yourself and your family members.

Find a Healthcare Professional You Trust

There are numerous doctors in every city, so it’s important to find a medical professional you trust when looking for a primary care physician. You want someone with that displays a good bedside manner and who is also thorough when it comes to screening. You may have to visit several physicians before you find one that meets your needs and makes you feel comfortable, and there is nothing wrong with leaving one doctor to go to another that makes you feel more at ease.

Ask Questions

Because doctors dedicate years of their lives to schooling to enter the medical profession, you might think that they know everything regarding certain diagnoses. However, it is never a bad idea to ask questions when it comes to diagnosis, treatment plans or just your health in general. Sometimes you may be overwhelmed and not ask a lot of questions immediately. It’s okay to do some research on your own and then schedule a follow-up visit to speak with your doctor about your concerns.

Many people have a difficult time remembering their questions when they feel stressed. It might be helpful to make a list to help reduce the stress you feel during your appointment.

Adopt Healthy Habits

If you want your kids to live a healthy lifestyle, the best thing you can do is model good habits. Show your kids that you can fit healthy habits into a hectic schedule. Change your diet to include more fruits and vegetables. Drink more water each day because one study suggests that up to 75% of American adults are chronically dehydrated. You can also show your children how to incorporate more movement into their day by increasing your physical activity. For example, tell them how you make time for a walk during your lunch break, or take the stairs instead of the elevator when you are going to your office.

Maintain Your Own Records

Most healthcare providers use digital tools to manage health records for patients. While this is often helpful in reducing the amount of printed documentation you carry around, it’s always a good idea to know what your records say. Consider downloading your medical files to your phone or tablet, then convert that file to a PDF. As a PDF, you don’t need Wi-Fi to access it, and having a copy of your medical records at your fingertips can be invaluable when you are trying to find a diagnosis for a health problem.

If you have frequent appointments via telehealth, you’ll need a way to sign PDFs for disclosure agreements online. Try using this—it’s a tool that allows you to digitally sign PDFs. This will save you the hassle of having to print and rescan documents just to get a signature on them.

Speaking up when you are concerned about your health can be challenging, especially if your opinion challenges what a medical professional might have told you. Try using these tips, to help train yourself to become a good advocate for your personal health.

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