Self-care: 4 ways to nourish body and soul
There’s a lot of talk about self-care these days, but what is it really? Self-care means paying attention to and supporting one’s own physical and mental health. It is also a big part of treatment for...
View ArticleRemembering the “me” in merry: Self-care strategies for this holiday season
The holiday season is filled with hustle and bustle. There’s plenty of excitement from seeing family and friends, but also stress, travel, long lines, planning, preparation — and a range of emotions...
View ArticleChronic pain and childhood trauma
Recently a journalist colleague of mine put out a call for quotes from those who suffer from severe premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysmorphic disorder (more commonly known as PMS and PMDD,...
View ArticleMindfulness apps: How well do they work?
You’ve heard of mindfulness, but what is it, really? How is it different from meditation? Is mindfulness really helpful? Is it hokey? And can you learn it? Do you need to go to a week-long camp or a...
View ArticleIntegrative approaches to reduce IBS symptoms
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a gastrointestinal condition that involves abdominal pain and altered bowel habits (constipation, diarrhea, or both), affects over 10% of Americans. Though some find the...
View ArticleA positive mindset can help your heart
Can being positive protect against heart disease? Yes! There is a lot of evidence suggesting that having a positive outlook — like being optimistic, cheerful, having gratitude and purpose in life — can...
View ArticleFear of cancer recurrence: Mind-body tools offer hope
Every year, there are more adults who have been diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. All of them face the uncertainty and fear that follow cancer treatments. Research shows that fear of...
View ArticleEasy daily ways to feel more connected
I’ve got some legitimate skills: in no particular order, making pesto, finding lost LEGO pieces, and having debates in my head. That last one might be my specialty. I work for myself and by myself,...
View ArticleBrain-gut connection explains why integrative treatments can help relieve...
During the 20th century, medicine became very good at compartmentalizing different systems of the body in order to understand them better. However, today we are increasingly realizing that different...
View ArticleI’m in pain, so why is my doctor suggesting a psychologist?
Pain makes us human. It is a bell, fine-tuned by evolution, that often rings in moments necessary for our survival. Because of pain, we can receive warnings that trigger the reflexes to escape...
View ArticleMind-body therapies can reduce pain and opioid use
Our ability to feel pain and react to it is both a boon and a curse, simultaneously. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional...
View ArticleDopamine fasting: Misunderstanding science spawns a maladaptive fad
The dopamine fast, created by California psychiatrist Dr. Cameron Sepah, has very little to do with either fasting or dopamine. As Sepah told the New York Times, “Dopamine is just a mechanism that...
View ArticleHealth coaching is effective. Should you try it?
In the fall of 2019, my hospital put out word that it was looking for physicians who might wish to undergo intensive training to become certified health and wellness coaches. Having worked with...
View ArticleFunctional dyspepsia: Causes, treatments, and new directions
Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common condition, loosely defined by some physicians as a stomach ache without a clear cause. More specifically, it is characterized by the feeling of fullness during or...
View ArticleMind-body medicine in addiction recovery
As someone who struggled with a miserable opiate addiction for 10 years, and who has treated hundreds of people for various addictions, I am increasingly impressed with the ways in which mind-body...
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