How to Find Your Wellness Doctor in Austin

Guest Blogger - By Bethany Ferguson, Owner of Zenwell Massage and Wellness.   Wellness has not always been a passion of mine.  It is only in recent years that I have seen the benefits of looking beyond the ‘traditional’ medicine route. I started with baby steps.  Slowly creeping outside of the box.  For me, the most daunting hurdle was finding a reputable wellness doctor.  In hopes to help your journey to the wellness be a bit more seamless; I have outlined a few helpful tips and links on how to find a wellness doctor in Austin that is a good fit for you.

#1.  DO THEY TREAT THE CAUSE OR THE SYMPTOM?

Find someone that will look at the whole body & your lifestyle, not simply the symptom or the disease. I feel the biggest reason people look for help outside of traditional medicine is because they don’t feel like they are getting to the root of their health problem.  You need a wellness doctor that will not disregard the symptoms your body is portraying.  They are willing to challenge you even if it may be uncomfortable; for instance, they might ask you to change your diet or take additional blood testing to better pinpoint the cause — this is the first sign of a good wellness doctor.

#2.  DO THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE?

This is huge to me!  You need a doctor with a lot of tricks up their sleeve! Every single body is unique and different. It may take a few routes to get your health running on all cylinders. These are a few alternative medical practices that I have found helpful: 

• Applied Kinesiology, otherwise known as muscle testing.  When I did this the first time, I had a lot of doubts. However, it has proven to be legitimate. I have heard from loads of people where muscle testing helped cure their illness.
• Functional blood testing analysis.  Blood chemistry is an effective tool to use in order to identify an imbalance in the body. It serves as an inexpensive way to assess major bodily functions.  Doctors that have learned the skills required to analyze blood panels, past the pathological level, can pinpoint the cause to your symptoms and sometimes access the risk even before a disease develops.
• Acupuncture.  From the research I have read and from experience, acupuncture helps relieve various types of pain.  Practitioners claim other benefits as well.  But my experience is, many pain areas have benefited. 
• Chiropractic care.  The reason I feel this is an important tool to have in a wellness doctor is because I believe spinal alignment is important to maintain overall health. A lot of people go to a chiropractor only when they are hurt, and that is defiantly when you should go, but think of all the other times your spine might need an adjustment? Do you work at a desk all day?  Are you pregnant?  Are you physical training for something?   Are you over 65?  Any time your spine is being strained, even if you do not feel it, you should check in with a chiropractor.   It will help your circulation, improve your muscle tension and help you prevent injuries. 

Even if you do not choose to marry the two professions (chiropractor and wellness doctor) you should have a good chiropractor on hand to adjust you. Make sure they have a license.  I’ve heard countless people going to a health coach online or over the phone and paying a premium for an UN-licensed or uneducated ‘someone’ to throw an arrow at board and say what they “think” is wrong .   Um-mm, no thank you…I’d rather not.   Don’t fall for this!

#3.   HAVE THEY DEALT WITH SIMILAR ISSUES BEFORE?

Don’t feel like you should have to pay for an appointment without knowing if they have been able to fix your issue in the past.  There are several ways to find this out.  Call the office and ask for a free consultation.  Even a free 10 min phone call will do.  Friend referrals are also a great place to start.  In fact, that is how I found my doctor.  Another way is to check out their website for testimonials and any personal experience they have.  A lot of times a wellness doctor has chosen their path in life because they or someone they love have had health issues that were heals by alternative health practices.  Find out their story.

#4.  CAN THEY COMBINE ALTERNATIVE AND CONVENTIONAL MEDICATION?

Here is a list of trusted wellness doctors in Austin and Waxahachie.