by admin | Aug 12, 2020 | health |
I hope you are enjoying your summer. Have you noticed that sometimes your contentment in life gets interrupted by unpleasant and negative thoughts, either about yourself or others or about a situation? As you know, right now we are going through an unprecedented time, where we have to conform to rules and regulations that serve to protect us but that also restrict our freedom to move about and interact with others. It’s not easy to deal with this even though we know it is in our best interest. This can cause frustration and stress. This edition of the Newsletter is designed to help you better cope with negative and distressing thoughts and feelings such as these, and others. I am going to tell you about a powerful modality called Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) designed by a Psychologist to help you manage difficult situations. DBT was initially created by Dr. Marsha Linehan to treat patients with borderline personality disorder who were suicidal. It was also found to help people with other psychological conditions such as depression, PTSD, substance abuse, and eating disorders. And research has shown that DBT works in NON-clinical settings to help anyone develop better emotional and interpersonal skills. It has components from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and includes “two acceptance-oriented skills (mindfulness and distress tolerance) and two change-oriented skills (emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness).” ¹ ² The 4 core “behavioral skill modules” of DBT are: * “Mindfulness: the practice of being fully aware and present in this one moment * Distress Tolerance: how to tolerate pain in difficult situations, not change it * Interpersonal Effectiveness: how to...
by admin | Aug 12, 2020 | health |
I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe during this time. Moment of Silence Before I delve into the subject matter of today’s Newsletter, I ask that we take a virtual moment of silence to acknowledge the people who have passed from Covid-19 and also to honor the front line physicians, other health care workers, and all people on the front lines who are making our country survive and thrive. Thank you. Covid-19 Updates As I write this Newsletter, the deaths and cases from Covid-19 have been dropping. However, we still must be vigilant and comply with the social distancing and mask wearing regulations until we have further information. With regard to antibody testing, there are many questions about the validity of these tests and what they mean, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He spoke on Good Morning America on April 20th and discussed the “perils and pitfalls” of this testing. See his interview here: Here are some tips to help you strengthen your lungs: We are living in a time of uncertainty, which can make many of us anxious, fearful, and unmoored. Strengthening our minds and bodies can help us cope with these emotions and weather these times. There are things you can do to shore up your resistance and improve your immunity. In a previous Newsletter, I offered some tips to stay strong. There is evidence that improving your respiratory health may improve your outcome if you get Covid-19.¹ Please review these tips to improve your lungs below. “Good ventilation and frequent cleaning of...
by admin | Aug 12, 2020 | health |
In the research for my upcoming book, Don’t Mess with Stress!,™ I have learned what I think is the most important thing for our overall health—SLEEP! I know firsthand what sleep deprivation feels like. I have experienced different types of insomnia at times–either not being able to fall asleep, or waking up during the night and not being able to fall back to sleep. After a poor night’s sleep, I feel irritable, less efficient at tasks, have decreased attention and focus, and a strong desire to find a place to lie down. Sleep deprivation—either from inadequate hours of sleep and/or poor quality of sleep can rob you of energy, vitality, and enthusiasm for life! One in four Americans suffers from sleep issues. The good news is that 75% of people with sleep issues resolve them! ¹ And during the current time of uncertainty, stress and anxiety are contributing to people’s insomnia. Why is sleep important? It’s a time of recovery, restoration, and rejuvenation for the mind and body.² Consequences of Sleep Deprivation: ³ ⁴ Fatigue Poor decision-making Increased risk of accidents Decreased Memory Formation Decreased Immune Function Doubled risk of developing cancer Increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease Increased blood sugar levels Increased risk of heart disease Increased risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts Weight gain What Can You Do to Improve Your Sleep? Create Bedtime Rituals—to get your body ready for sleep Choose a bedtime—before Midnight—ideally earlier than 11pm. Sleep Experts recommend adhering to this every day and on weekends—(Don’t stress about it—do your best) Decide on a wakeup time—try and stick to this. Stop all screens one...
by admin | Apr 21, 2020 | Newsletter |
I hope you are staying safe and healthy during this very challenging and surreal time. It is not easy hearing about the swelling number of cases of and deaths from Coronavirus. It can be frightening and difficult to process. That said, I thought I would send out some thoughts and information, as well as some lighter fare to brighten your day. To start, here is a funny message I received from a friend: “A person was in CVS and saw a man whose cart was so full to the brim with hand sanitizers, baby wipes, and soaps. Everything that people need! The person told him how selfish he was and gave him the low down on the elderly, moms and people who need these types of things. The person also told the man he should be ashamed of himself. He then asked the person, “Are you done? Because I really need to get back to restocking the shelves now.” And a sweet takeoff on the Simon and Garfunkle song, “Homeward Bound” to make you smile. For Health Education about Coronavirus, I direct you to two videos that I found helpful: * A poignant and informative video from Dr. David Price, who is on the frontlines at New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. * A helpful video from a fellow Family Physician on how to clean your food from the supermarket or takeout. Can be applied to food delivery. “Silver Linings” from the Coronavirus Pandemic: First—We in the medical community are on a steep learning curve. We are learning much about this virus. It is possible that new treatments and preventive measures...
by admin | Mar 26, 2020 | Newsletter |
I know we are going through a challenging and surreal time during this Coronavirus pandemic. I have been reflecting on how best to empower myself and you to stay strong, healthy and keep a positive attitude. Reading and listening to the news, albeit important, also brings me down, both mind and body. The key is to stay abreast of the news, yet, prevent our immune systems from weakening from the stress, fear, and negativity. Here are some tips to help us weather the storm of this serious crisis. Of course, I cannot promise that any of these tips will prevent you from getting sick, but I believe they can strengthen your resilience and enhance your immune system. The Basics: Remain Calm. Stress and worry weaken your immune defenses. Avoid contact with the virus–I know this is challenging, since you don’t know who is infected or a carrier. Do your best to avoid crowded areas. Get enough Sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours per night. Go to bed before midnight, and ideally earlier, as the stress hormone cortisol goes up after midnight. Wash your hands often for at least 20 sec (sing Happy Birthday twice) –with soap and water, or if not, with hand sanitizer containing greater than 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth, and face with unwashed hands. For additional tips on Coronavirus prevention, please go to this CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html Tips from Traditional Chinese Medicine: 1. Drink boiled hot water and add honey. Honey adds moisture to your lungs, according to Dr. Nan Lu, a Traditional Chinese Medicine expert and colleague. You can also add fresh ginger slices...
