https://paulnystrom.com/tags/consult/Recent content in Consult on Paul NystromHugoen-usFri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://paulnystrom.com/posts/i-dont-know-your-doctor/Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://paulnystrom.com/posts/i-dont-know-your-doctor/<p>Very frequently, when asking patients about their medical problems, they will tell me the name of their specific provider. Sometimes this is a primary care provider; sometimes it&rsquo;s a specialist. Their tone suggests that they assume I know who they&rsquo;re talking about.</p> <p>Me: What other medical problems do you have?</p> <p>Patient: I see Dr. Johnson—you know, across the street—for my heart stuff. He did my angiogram last year.</p> <p>Me outloud: OK.</p>https://paulnystrom.com/posts/dont-consult-a-physician-before-exercise/Sun, 26 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://paulnystrom.com/posts/dont-consult-a-physician-before-exercise/<p>The advice to ask your doctor before starting an exercise program has no basis in science, as far as I know. It’s primarily a CYA (cover your ass) disclaimer. Virtually everyone in the fitness industry has adopted it, so it’s stated almost everywhere:</p> <ul> <li>Gyms, fitness centers, and health clubs</li> <li>Fitness equipment: weight-lifting machines, treadmills, stationary bikes, elliptical machines, etc.</li> <li>Websites</li> <li>Magazines</li> <li>Fitness books</li> </ul> <p>Apparently, we assume people are too incompetent to exercise without first consulting someone else. Ironically, they’re instructed to ask a physician, a person unlikely to have expertise in exercise unless they’ve pursued it independently. As I mentioned earlier, my medical education included no lectures on exercise. I suspect that hasn’t changed much in most medical schools today.</p>