Are you dragging after lunch at work? Many people hit a bit of a wall with energy in the afternoon hours. The human circadian rhythm (which governs sleep and wakefulness drives) actually has two energy peaks and two dips a day. All of our bodies are wired to have a bit of a drop in … Continue reading Afternoon Energy Dips: To Fight or to Lean in?
Category: Physical Health
Powerlifting as Therapy
Today's PRs Wow, it's been around 10 months since I've written. What can I say, it's been a long pandemic. Somewhere in there I took up powerlifting as a way to be more body positive. I told myself maybe when I had something big to celebrate, it could be my next blog. Well kids, today … Continue reading Powerlifting as Therapy
Palliative Care and Hospice Medicine are Complementary but Distinct
My day job is now in Palliative Care. I support the clinical teams who have borne an outsized burden in the pandemic. When I took this role, many people asked me what palliative care is. Others already thought they had it understood- it was support of the dying. There's a lot more to the profession, … Continue reading Palliative Care and Hospice Medicine are Complementary but Distinct
Stages of Change for Health and Wellness
"Only a minority (usually less than 20%) of a population at risk is prepared to take action at any given time. Thus, action-oriented advice mis-serves individuals in the early stages." -Prochaska and DeClementi Whether you're looking to quit smoking, eat better, or make some other lifestyle change, it is important to note that it's not … Continue reading Stages of Change for Health and Wellness
Immunity Hack: Deconstructing Jade Windscreen
Four common herbs in the formula As vaccine distribution continues to be a mess, and as new variants of the coronavirus continue to circulate, it looks like some time before life returns to any semblance of normal. Given my auto-immune issues and asthma, my acupuncturist prescribed me an herbal formula called Jade Windscreen, which is … Continue reading Immunity Hack: Deconstructing Jade Windscreen
Fasting with a Buddy
There's been a lot of research in the past decade or so on the health benefits of periodic fasting. The science shows it's about much more than simple weight loss. It can help with cellular rejuvenation, prevention of diabetes, reduction of systemic inflammation, and much more. I've always been a fad dieter, so when my … Continue reading Fasting with a Buddy
Mocktails! Tonics for Liver Health and More
There's a movement called sober curious which is for people who maybe aren't clinically alcoholics, but would like to break out of just the default of a glass or two of wine after work. Before that, there was dry January. And of course, there are 12 step programs and those who have maybe always abstained … Continue reading Mocktails! Tonics for Liver Health and More
Sleep, the Immune System, and Chronic Inflammation
Immune molecules can induce sleep in dogs and humans! Before coronavirus took over our world, infectious diseases had been on a decades-long decline in terms of cause of death and impact in the public health sphere. Indeed, present pandemic aside, the leading cause of death for the past 100 years or so have generally been … Continue reading Sleep, the Immune System, and Chronic Inflammation
Essential Oils and Aromatherapy- More than Just a Spa Treat!
This is a collaboration with my personal acupuncturist and guest author Amber Sharma, Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Disclaimer: these therapies are not FDA approved. We are presenting opinion from an integrative health perspective and none of the content below should be construed as a substitute for medical advice or therapies which your physician … Continue reading Essential Oils and Aromatherapy- More than Just a Spa Treat!
Cupping for Pain, Sports & Sleep
In his 2016 Olympics appearance, Michael Phelps introduced much of the world to an ancient practice of cupping. Many people were puzzled by the strange, bruise-like marks visible on his skin. These days, cupping has become somewhat mainstream and is now found in many sports medicine, physical therapy, and massage practice. But it's roots go … Continue reading Cupping for Pain, Sports & Sleep
Taking a Stab at Veganism
A month or so ago, I wrote about learning I have allergies to dairy and eggs. As a celiac, this was adding insult to injury. I tried a few weeks of avoiding those foods and after a time, I thought - hell, I'm barely eating any meat anyway these days, maybe I should try going … Continue reading Taking a Stab at Veganism
Prone Breathing: It’s not just for COVID!
You may have heard about how hospital are experimenting with putting critically ill COVID-19 patients on their stomach, in some cases even while intubated. This is quite a novel idea for most medical practitioners in the West. As a rule, patients are generally on their backs (supine) or side (lateral). But our physicians have been … Continue reading Prone Breathing: It’s not just for COVID!
Bodies in Space: Normally and During a Pandemic
Here's a vocabulary word for the day: proprioception, which is a fancy way of describing the body's awareness of its own movements and position in space. What a random thing to talk about during a pandemic. Or not. This is a term used mostly by physical therapists. When people have a deficit in this proposed … Continue reading Bodies in Space: Normally and During a Pandemic
Music Therapy: An Annotated Playlist for our Times
I put together a genre-defying "End Times" playlist on my Apple account. It's all over the place. Uptempo ballads, hip hop, metal, and touchy-feely semi-spiritual slow jams. It is heavily concentrated in the 90's (oldest kind of millennial here). Some songs are great for driving into the hospital each day and preparing to help in … Continue reading Music Therapy: An Annotated Playlist for our Times
Maintaining Your Immune System
We all know to wash our hands and maintain social distancing. These go without saying now. But how else can we bolster our immune system? How can we maintain our health whether we are healthcare workers rushing into the front lines of battle, or those stuck at home and suffering from isolation and likely facing … Continue reading Maintaining Your Immune System
Integrative Medicine and Coronavirus
Caution: This posting is meant to share interesting science coming out related to COVID-19. It is not meant to suggest that you look to herbs or any other form of alternative medicine in lieu of recommended guidelines. Stay home and wash your hands! I mean, really. How can you write about anything else this week? … Continue reading Integrative Medicine and Coronavirus
Qi Gong- Meditation in Motion
Confession: Yoga just isn't my jam. I know it's life for a lot of people and it's clearly beneficial for health and well-being. I just don't follow directions well, and I'm not particularly spacial or graceful. Form is so important, and I feel inept and like I never can translate the pose of the instructor … Continue reading Qi Gong- Meditation in Motion
Overcoming Burnout
Burnout contributed to my almost quitting my job about a year ago. I literally wrote my resignation and tried handing it in. Some wonderfully supportive humans pulled me off the edge, but it was a challenging year or so to get through. Now I'm for the most part on the other side of it, and … Continue reading Overcoming Burnout
Grounding with the Earth and Sea
Why does it feel so good to walk barefoot on the beach or on grass? It’s more than just the tactile sensations on your feet. There are two other fairly magical things which can happen when you connect with the Earth. The soil hosts bacteria which have been found to improve your mood! There are … Continue reading Grounding with the Earth and Sea