Ask Doc

Every issue of Retirement Millionaire Daily, I sign off as "Dr. David Eifrig."

If you aren't a longtime subscriber to my paid newsletters, you might not know what kind of doctor I am. But does it matter?

But when you're trying to get the best possible care of your health you need to make sure you're going to the correct medical care provider. Today, I'll explain why you should care and how to know who to go to.

I'll also share an e-mail from a dentist giving us more information on the effects of dentistry on TMJ headaches.

How much importance do you place on the title "Doctor"? Share your thoughts with us at [email protected].

Q: It's obvious you haven't practiced "real eye care" in quite some time. Either that or you still subscribe to the "good old boy" network that has been perpetuating lies to the American public for decades regarding health care provision. Fortunately, many of your currently practicing colleagues appreciate and have respect for other non-M.D. health care providers...

Each profession has strengths and weaknesses. You should stick to investments and I will seek my health care opinions from those more expert than you in that area. Keep up the "other" good work and spare me the old school M.D. drivel. – C.M.

A: C.M., an optometrist – or OD – took issue with our advice on macular degeneration.

In that essay, we recommended checkups with ophthalmologists, which are eye doctors who went through medical school. That means four years of medical school, one year in internship, and three years in a hospital-based residency. They have "MD" after their names. Doctors of osteopathy may also be ophthalmologists, so you can also go to someone with "DO" after their name.

On the other hand, an OD is an optometrist. These folks go to a four-year program in optometry school. They are not able to perform surgery and may not be able to treat some eye diseases. In fact, licensing laws differ from state to state, so an OD in Maine may not be able to treat something that an OD in Maryland can.

The website All About Vision has put together an excellent guide outlining the differences. Read it right here.

Regardless of which type of eye care provider you choose, make sure you do your homework. Ask up front what diseases they can diagnose and which they can treat. If you're concerned about age-related macular degeneration ("AMD"), make sure to go to someone who can treat you. Check out references from other patients. Ask for the doctor's stats too – including how many procedures they've performed and their rate of success. If they don't have that data, find another doc immediately.

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My team and I spent a year on a single special report...

We just released our research to my Retirement Millionaire subscribers on the "Four Surprises the U.S. Government and the Pharmaceutical Industry Don't Want You to Know." (If you're a subscriber, you can find this valuable read right here.)

It seems like every way you turn, Big Brother is telling us what to do...

From how much salt we can put in our food to hassling travelers at the airport, lots of big U.S. government agencies are trying to control our wealth and health.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is one of the worst...

According to the SSA, 22% of people over 65 years old almost entirely depend on Social Security for their income. But thanks to the agency's complex maze of rules and regulations, most people don't know how to get the most out of their benefits.

More than 40% of people start collecting their benefits at 62, not realizing how much they're losing out by waiting until full retirement age.

At the end of this month, new Social Security rules could change the way you claim your benefits.

Today, we'll discuss this major change, as well as a nonsense health myth and the best way to consume fruit.

What's Big Brother done for you? How have you taken control of your life? Let us know at [email protected].

Q: There are all kinds of advertisement-posts on Facebook and other ads almost screaming that there is a change coming in Social Security in April and we need to act fast! ... Could you comment on what this change is and what it means to us who are near retirement? – P.P.

A: As of May 1, the Social Security Administration is changing the way some benefits can be claimed. In Retirement Millionaire, we've talked about several strategies to boost your Social Security income. But because of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, those strategies are ending.

The biggest change is the ability to "file and suspend." This loophole allowed you to file for benefits at full retirement age, and then suspend them until a later date. So you'd have higher monthly payments by waiting longer to collect and allow your spouse to collect spousal benefits while you wait.

The changes are more complex than we can explain here. That's why we wrote an entire report on the changes and how you can take advantage of loopholes before the end of April. No, it's not a free report. (We've got to keep the lights on somehow!) But Retirement Millionaire subscribers – such as yourself – can read our full report here.

For readers who aren't already Retirement Millionaire subscribers, click here to learn how to get access to our Social Security research.

Q: I few years ago I read an article written by Marilyn vos Savant in her weekly column for the Sunday Parade magazine. A reader had posed the question: "Since diet soda has a lot of water in it can it be included in the amount one drinks towards the daily recommended quantity of eight glasses full?" Her answer was in short – yes. I was wondering what you thought about this. – R.V.

A: There's a long-held belief that folks should drink eight 8-ounce glasses (about half a gallon) of water per day to stay healthy. But it's misleading and not backed by science...

We get about 20% of our water needs from food, especially fruits and vegetables with high water content like watermelon and cucumber. The beverages we drink – including caffeinated drinks and alcohol – also add to our daily water needs. So it's unlikely you'd need eight glasses of water in addition to everything you eat and drink.

There's a simple way to tell if you're properly hydrated... Look at the color of your urine. When your body is properly hydrated, your urine should be a pale, nearly transparent, yellow. Dark yellow urine could indicate dehydration. (The Cleveland Clinic has a helpful chart of the health implications of different urine colors here.)

If your urine is dark, add a glass or two of water to your daily intake. If your urine is clear (and you're urinating more than eight times per day), you're likely drinking more than you need to. The body can only absorb and excrete so much water at a time.

So check your urine color, and sip water throughout the day.

Six months ago, we published our first issue of Retirement Millionaire Daily...

Since then, we've sent you hundreds of ways to take control of your health, wealth, and retirement.

I'm one of the biggest newsletter readers I know...

Thirty years ago, my dad gave me my first newsletter. I still get that letter today.

Risk versus reward is one of my favorite subjects in investing...

When I recommend a company to my Retirement Millionaire subscribers, I always weigh the risk of catastrophe against the potential rewards.

Small steps make a big difference...

As I mentioned in December, New Year's resolutions lead people to make big goals that they hope to achieve quickly. Unfortunately, this tactic leaves most frustrated when they don't get the results fast enough.

The hardest part of investing is getting started...

People have lots of reasons why they don't invest... from a lack of knowledge to a lack of funds. We've heard every excuse.

The mainstream media love a sensational story...

It makes for good headlines and grabs public attention. And it's great for spoon-feeding propaganda.

That's the No. 1 question we got in response to our essay, "The Most Popular Painkiller in America Is Deadly."

Today, we're sharing the story of a subscriber who experienced the dangers of too much acetaminophen firsthand. And we talk about whether or not you should use the second-most popular painkiller...