Become a Health Self-Advocate With These Empowering Tips
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
Advocating for your health and well-being can be as simple as learning how to make better lifestyle choices or as complicated as figuring out exactly what your healthcare plan covers. However you choose to advocate for yourself, it’s important to do it in a way that makes you feel powerful and confident, especially if you’re living with a chronic health condition or a debilitating disease. By taking control of things like your workout routine, your doctor visits, and your diet, you can start to feel better and become a more well-informed advocate at the same time.
It might also be helpful for you to start researching alternative ways to feel better, especially if you’re taking medication, practicing physical therapy, or working on a treatment plan for an existing condition…
Read on for a few tips on how to take control of your wellbeing and become your own personal health advocate:
Assess your lifestyle
We all go through periods in life that are healthier than others, so think about your current routines and assess how they’re working for you. Working long hours, not drinking enough water, eating a poor diet, not getting enough sleep or exercise, and taking on too much stress are a few common issues that can leave you feeling exhausted and weaken your immune system. Creating a plan for positive change–such as finding ways to get active even on days when you’re busy–can be extremely beneficial. Give your diet a boost with leafy greens and proteins, overhaul your bedroom to improve your rest quality, and make fitness a priority every day by sneaking in a walk on your lunch hour or parking further from the door.
Take control of your medical records and get organized
Whether you have to see a doctor or specialist often or just every now and then, it’s a good idea to take control of your health records and keep everything organized. Not only is this helpful for you, it will allow you to stay on top of appointments, medications, and treatments and could come in handy should you need to travel outside the country. You can use an online tool to organize items like X-rays and health-related images; just upload the images from your device into one file and download them for easy access.
You can also simplify important documents by keeping them all in one PDF on your iPhone, which will allow you to access them quickly even if there’s no available wifi coverage. This is a great way to keep track of doctor invoices, receipts, and medical records for both your personal use and for your health insurance company.
Look at all your care options
Whether you require frequent care visits with a doctor/specialist or just want to maintain good health, it’s a good idea to take a look at all of your options, including free preventative care resources that are available under the Affordable Care Act. Of age to qualify for Medicare? You might also take advantage of free programs aimed at seniors that help with physical and mental health, such as the Silver Sneakers program. Sometimes, being a great advocate for your own well-being means finding new ways to boost your health and feel better.
While finding new ways to boost your health–and learning how to maintain it–can be challenging at times, it’s important to learn how to do the research and explore different options on your own. Utilizing helpful online tools to manage important documents, getting organized, and taking the initiative to prepare for your continued good health down the road are all great ways to be your own best advocate.
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-Written by: Erin Reynolds