He (or she) prescribes medication without testing you for anything.

Doctors are big on scientific evidence. They demand that millions of dollars be poured into research to prove that things work.

Yet, when you visit his office, he often doesn’t gather any verifiable evidence on what he is treating YOU for. Isn’t that interesting?

You spend a few minutes with a guy who prescribes powerful medication to mess with your neurotransmitters. No tests – not even a questionnaire. You bring your kid in to a pediatrician and leave a few minutes later with powerful brain stimulants for ADHD – and the doc never did one test!

Quacks don’t know of any tests for many of the conditions for which they regularly prescribe medication.

He tells you it’s all in your head.

Telling you that your real symptoms are all in your head (translation: he thinks you are crazy) means that the answers are NOT in his head. When quacks don’t have the answer, they don’t consider that there is anything for them to learn. They just blame you. Nice.

A legitimate practitioner will admit when he doesn’t know something and commit to finding solutions by expanding his knowledge, or working with other practitioners, who may shed fresh light on the subject.

He denies the role of lifestyle, nutrition and stress.

Eat the donuts, camp out on the couch, drink the booze…no problem. All this has nothing to do with disease. Just take your pills.

Nowadays, some quacks are conceding that diet and lifestyle have something to do with the onset of disease, but they are STILL NOT TALKING TO YOU ABOUT IT. They never mention it. They don’t ask you how you eat, sleep or manage stress.

It’s because quacks don’t know much about these things. When practitioners do not know much about the cause of 90% of disease – that’s a scam.

He puts you on the medication roller coaster.

Some unfortunate folks, after dealing with a quack who doesn’t know what he is doing, end up on ten or twenty drugs and have lost touch with what it is like to feel normal. They live in a world of symptoms and side effects and – for some reason – keep going back for more.

The quack responds by continuing to dish it out, but he has NO IDEA how these medications are interacting with each other, really. He is just guessing and writing more prescriptions.

His own health is a mess.

Walk your talk. Does your doc do it? Is he an example of true health? If not, then he may not even know what genuine health feels like. How is he going to get you there?

Doctors are among the most stressed out and suicidal populations on earth. But we’re all stressed. Docs are supposed to be examples, are they not?

His doesn’t involve you in your own treatment.

So, you heard that this or that lab test might be worth doing. You read an article or did some of your own research, huh? Is your doctor interested? Is he willing to consider that you may know something?

Quacks look down their nose at you, but real health practitioners will cooperate with you in your own treatment. They will investigate with you, consider your ideas and your feelings and work as a member of your team.

He believes you cannot heal, but treats you anyway.

You have a disease for which there is no cure. You will need to take these pills for the rest of your life. Please don’t believe that nutrition, vitamins, herbs, or anyone can heal you. You are stuck. Take your medicine.

Meanwhile, thousands of your fellow human beings are healing from the very symptoms that trouble you. You are dealing with a quack who will medicate you into oblivion and witness your inevitable decline, according to his expectations.

His communication skills are pathetic.

You have six months to live. Nothing more we can do. There’s the door.

Thanks for the compassion, doc.

He spends less than ten minutes with you.

Recent research shows that new doctors are spending less time than ever with patients – an average of eight minutes per. This is your health – the most precious gift you have. It needs time and attention and real expertise. Eight minutes is not enough.

New docs are quoted as saying, “We just don’t have time.”

Translation: “We don’t have time if we are going to make a lot of money.” (Or meet Medicare requirements.)

Money before patients = Quackery.

He thinks he is God.

In spite of all the obvious signs of quackery, he still thinks he is all-knowing. You still cannot connect with him as a person. He doesn’t see you as a person. He won’t take your ideas and suggestions, because you obviously don’t know anything. After all, he is omniscient.

Stop supporting your quack and find real help. Do it intelligently. Begin to seek integrative and alternative practitioners who, according to these indicators, qualify as real health practitioners.

Written by a retired genuine practitioner.

And follow Ann Wigmore’s RECIPES FOR LONGER LIFE.