Enhancing body mind and spirit

It is snowing, again. Yes, it is winter, and I live in New England, but it seems to be snowing every week. It’s gray, and cold, and I’m feeling trapped by COVID and the constriction of cabin fever. And I am the designated snow shoveler. A neighborhood boy had agreed to help, but he wasn’t feeling well and decided to stay in bed. So, the task had fallen, again, on my not so strong shoulders. I don't have the option of ignoring the snow, as the city will fine me for not clearing the sidewalks. I’d organized my day to do an online retreat with Alexis Santos, whose teaching has inspired me (as well as a few PT blog posts, see 11/8/2019 and 4/18/2020). I was looking forward to it. I needed a break—between patient care, teaching, family medical problems, and trying to do too much, I was feeling stretched way too thin. And I was irritable. Santos started the retreat with a powerful quote from Toni Morrison, “All important things are hard.” That felt true. He invited us to be with all … [Read more...] about Mindfulness for Shoveling Snow

Pain is spiking during the pandemic. Source: Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels Key Points: Health problems including headaches and back pain are on the rise. Negative emotions can exacerbate pain, so it's important to develop effective strategies to cope with stress and anxiety . As a pain expert, the question I get asked most is, “Do you treat physical pain or emotional pain?” My answer is always, “Yes!” If you’re experiencing pain during this time of stress and sheltering—headaches, migraine, low back pain—you’re not alone. Pain is commonly triggered, and amplified, by negative emotions like stress, anxiety, anger , and depression . And that’s no coincidence: It’s biology. Contrary to popular belief, emotions don’t just live in your head—they also come out in your body. Nervousness before a presentation creates "butterflies" in your stomach. Depression can make your limbs feel heavy, and make you walk and talk slowly. Fear makes your heart race, eyes widen, breath … [Read more...] about Why Your Body Hurts During the Pandemic

Source: Image by Tumisu, pixabay. Paths to Brain Health “Dementia” may seem like a gloomy topic but preventing it can be satisfying and, at times, even fun. In my previous blog , I summarized the extensive research behind 12 lifestyle choices that can protect your brain.  In brief, these “Terrific Twelve” are: 1. Reduce alcohol consumption. 2. Avoid head injury . 3. Breathe clean air; stay in on polluted-air days. 4. Provide access to early- childhood education . 5. Correct mid-life hearing loss. 6. Monitor and reduce high blood pressure. 7. Maintain a healthy weight.  8. Quit smoking ; avoid inhaling second-hand smoke. 9. Find help for depression and anxiety . 10. Prevent social isolation by connecting with others. 11. Exercise and stay active. 12. Manage and/or reverse diabetes. These twelve lifestyle factors account for a whopping 40% of dementias. This blog will focus on an additional 10 surprising and pleasurable actions anyone can take to reduce … [Read more...] about 10 Odd and Fun Activities That Keep Your Brain Healthy

I like to think out loud. Or write out loud. But in any case, express things in the open as a way of organizing my thoughts. I was invited to present at a very unique gathering called the "Don't Block Your Blessings" festival. It is more of a spiritual gathering of those in the healing profession and healing arts, but even in that description I find myself trying to synthesize two different parts of who I am. The idea is faith and blessing and what part we play in both and in our futures. The concept is simple. The concept is complex. And I am caught in the middle. Jewish Source: Unsplash/Austin Chan As an Orthodox Jew and a psychotherapist, I have seen and heard a lot. Certainly not everything, but a close second. I have seen people at their lowest and their highest. I have heard questions and answers, and perspectives from all sides of the aisle as it were. As a Jew I know that faith is something that can and does operate as a healing property. This is both … [Read more...] about Hope and Faith as a Healing Concept

Source: Image by Enrique Meseguer from Pixabay Do young people still smoke cigarettes ?  Many people are surprised to hear, that the answer is yes.  Although we are decades past the promotion of cigarettes as a personality enhancer or a weight loss aid, smoking apparently remains linked with body image , both physically and psychologically. Overestimating Benefit, Underestimating Danger Ninfa C. Peña-Purcell et al. (2018) studied the association of cigarette smoking with perceptions about self-confidence and body image, in addition to emotional benefits and health hazards.[i] Using a sample of college students, they found smokers more likely to perceive resulting emotional benefits and enhanced body image as compared with nonsmokers; results that are consistent with prior research. Acknowledging the potentially lifetime dangers associated with cigarette smoking, in addition to the likelihood of taking it up during college years, Peña-Purcell et al. found that … [Read more...] about Why Young People Still Smoke Cigarettes