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Take personal responsibility for your own health care. Partner with your doctor. Ask questions and understand what is going on.

Prepare for your visit. Make lists of questions and concerns and use the list during your visit. Question any medications, their interactions and their side effects. Ask why and why not. Don’t assume anything. Use MyChart if your health system makes it available.

Treat this appointment the same as your car mechanic, your hair stylist/barber or any other entity tha5 provides goods or services.

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There is interesting science behind this. In the book Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength by Roy F. Baumeister & John Tierney, studies show that our willpower is depleted over time as the brain consumes glucose to fuel mental effort, such as decision making.

The court system has a comparable track record as the medical office example shared in the article.

In cases with similar crime statistics, those heard in the morning and right after lunch were more likely to be considered in terms of rehabilitation and support. Those cases heard before lunch and at the end of the day were given stricter sentences with less support attached.

Other examples related to dieting, exercise, goal setting, being productive at work, etc. The neuroscience behind it all is fascinating.

It is a great book and makes sense of many things we struggle to leverage in our lives.

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Interesting but if one has elevated blood pressure (as I do) afternoon readings are typically better. This also negates the suggestion to have a cup of coffee before the appointment. As Darrell pointed out, the best thing you can do is maintain open and honest dialogue with your primary care provider. We are all different and need to be responsible for our own health care.

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founding

It’s called practicing medicine. They don’t yet have it right. As the others have said, if you are not your best advocate. Why not?

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