I work in healthcare and see this question frequently. The short answer is that individual results vary enormously. What works for one person might not work for another. The best approach is to work with your doctor to find what's right for your specific situation.

Stress does more damage to your health than people give it credit for. Half the physical symptoms I used to worry about turned out to be tension and anxiety. Sometimes the best medicine is a vacation and a good night's sleep.

My advice: don't self-diagnose using the internet. You'll convince yourself you have some rare terrible disease when it's probably nothing. I did this once and worked myself into a panic over what turned out to be a pulled muscle.

If you don't have insurance, look into a community health clinic. A lot of them charge on a sliding scale based on income. Don't skip care because you're worried about the cost — small problems are cheaper to fix than big ones.

Talk to a pharmacist — they're an underrated resource and they're free to talk to. They know a ton about medications and interactions and can tell you whether something is worth a doctor visit or whether an over-the-counter remedy will do.