Cultural hang-ups
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Sleep
The American culture has a hard time with sleep. In clinical practice, it literally is one of the top things I discuss with patients. The struggle is very real: folks have a hard time falling asleep, staying asleep, and then wake up too early. Different factors affect sleep in significant ways: stress, bad habits, relational…
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No
Do you trust your instincts? My first thought when I saw this prompt was to answer yes: I follow my instincts all the time. I feel like my work day is full of this dynamic: I have a feeling, then I act on it and make the right call. I have a conversation with a…
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The elephant in the room
For decades, the healthcare world believed that a bit of alcohol every day provided some heart benefit, specifically red wine. It seemed to be part of the magical Mediterranean diet, which again and again proves wondrous for the human heart and decreased disease. Unfortunately, the science behind this suggestion was wrong, and not only false…
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Poisoning of America
Did you know that multiple herbicides, pesticides, and poisons currently in use in the United States are banned in most of the developed world due to KNOWN neurotoxicity. “The U.S. EPA continues to allow use of 85 pesticides for outdoor agricultural applications that are banned or in the process of being completely phased out elsewhere,…
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Politics and healthcare
How have your political views changed over time? One of my favorite SNL skits shows a stark reality of American Life recently: the political turmoil in every family. It’s Thanksgiving and arguments break out between different viewpoints and factions, and then a child starts playing an Adele song and the arguing suddenly stops. Click here…
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Is anything actually boring?
What bores you? How many times have I heard this phrase: “I’m so bored…” What does it mean and why do people say it? By definition it means “not interested… feeling weary due to tedious activity.” Unfortunately, I’ve heard this statement all too often when I am interested in something and others around me are…
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New Year issues…
What are your biggest challenges? Jan 1 – It’s the first morning of the new year. It’s a cold morning and the clouds are low. They have an almost fog like presence that pushes the coldness right to your core. I feel motivated to start the year right, make some goals, and do some writing. Winter is…
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Snacks… a dilemma
I find this question so frustrating most of the time. Just thinking about it makes me crave a donut. An apple fritter in particular. When I have to drive, this is a literal cage fight of wants and desires. It plays out like a movie in my mind… The actor playing me is Jack Black, with some bad tight…
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Living a long life
As a nurse practitioner, I’ve had many conversations with people about how long they want to live. In fact, part of my routine as a primary care provider has been to have a conversation about end of life issues, fill out a POLST form (portable/physician orders for life sustaining treatment), and talk about advanced directives and…
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