Your internal medicine physician is someone who can give you great insight into your health. By definition, the job of an internal medicine physician is to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases in adults. Other doctors often consult internal medicine physicians for help with difficult diagnoses because they’re the kind of doctors who are really good with puzzles.

What this means for you is that you have a very powerful resource in your internal medicine physician, otherwise known as an internist. Take advantage of your fountain of knowledge and ask questions to help you better take care of yourself. Here’s a list of a few things to ask your doctor that can help you live a healthier and better life.

1. What can I do to improve my diet? Most internists choose to specialize after medical school. Of the 13 specialties to choose from, 6 (debatably more) of them have direct correlation with your diet. Even if your internal medicine physician doesn’t specialize in something directly related to diet, it’s a good idea to have a conversation about things that can become problems. Cholesterol, fat, and sugar can cause problems down the road. Be honest with your doctor about your diet and your goals for maintaining health and preventing disease. You’re guaranteed to learn something new about eating healthy.
2. What am I specifically at risk for? Asking your doctor what sort of things could affect you can draw your attention to habits and ways to change your life for the better. Age, family history, race, weight, and a plethora of other factors all play into what medical conditions and diseases are most likely to affect you. For example, the Centers for Disease Control found that being of Native Alaskan or Native American descent puts you more at risk of complications from the flu.
3.  What’s wrong with me? While you probably ask your doctor that when you’re there to discuss an illness, there are likely more times when you should ask your doctor to diagnose you, but do not. Many people don’t go to the doctor because they self-diagnose or because they’re scared of bad news. Persistent symptoms, such as a cough or insomnia, can be part of something more serious that hasn’t been diagnosed. If you ever feel like there’s something off, it won’t hurt to ask your doctor to check it out. Ignoring symptoms, on the other hand, is dangerous.

If you ever watched the show House, M.D., you probably have a very exaggerated idea of what an internal medicine physician does. Yes, they do try to figure out the missing pieces in complicated diagnoses, but they’re usually much friendlier and less dramatic. From treating allergies to helping you find a healthy solution to lose weight, think of your internal medicine doctor as the care and maintenance guide for your body.

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