Wabi-Sabi Time
Anyone who doesn’t see that we are living in an uncertain, turbulent time has her head too deep in the sand. I even avoid reading or watching the news on and off, because whenever I do, the world and our country look like they are on fire. Do humans thrive on chaos? I suspect some…
Anyone Can Have a Goal. Make Yours SMART!
It seems that every year around this time we talk about SMART goals. In December of 2024, we had a post giving examples and describing them as small steps that are: Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant to your goal, and Time dependent What does that look like in practice? The goal can be related to any measure that…
In a Word – My Goal is Improvement
I’m not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions, as they rarely last beyond January. But for the past few years, inspired by a friend and wonderful writer, Salma Ali, I try to come up with a word that will inspire my actions for the year, and I’ve asked some Lady Docs friends to join me. A few…
A Year of Doing Nothing and Everything
It’s been a year since I freed myself from corporate practice in Gynecology. I stopped practicing Obstetrics in 2020. I even limited myself to only office Gynecology toward the end. I thought that was such an easy job, after thirty years of taking night calls. But something inside remained unsettled. Did I make a meaningful…
The Cold Outdoors is Still the Great Outdoors
Winter weather has descended on the Washington area. Many of us may move our exercise routines indoors and manage to perform aerobic exercises within a small space. However, being outdoors has additional benefits because exposure to nature has been found to lower our stress level and is a powerful tool to manage mental illnesses. Dr….
Success in Starting a Healthy New Habit – Part 2
In the last post, we talked about SMART goals and setting yourself up for success in creating a new habit. This article follows up with actionable suggestions. The difference between a routine and a habit is that a habit is done without any thought. Consider brushing your teeth. In The Power of Habit, Duhigg points out that marketers encouraged adding…
Success in Starting a New Healthy Habit
New Year’s Day is only 4 weeks away – the day that virtuous resolutions are made, and unfortunately, broken by February. I’m not so much a fan of New Year’s Resolutions as I am of optimizing health – any time of the year. This is as good a time as any to talk about how to…
LadyDocs Give Thanks
We would not be honest if we can’t admit that 2024 has been a turbulent year, with several major wars in the world and many conflicts in our own country where tribal fights are in the open. Which side should one be on? Who are our saviors and who are the destroyers? Many of us…
MUSCLE MASS – USE IT OR LOSE IT – Sarcopenia Part 1
Sarcopenia is the natural loss of muscle mass and strength that occurs with aging. There’s so much to say about it, that I’ll plan to post in three parts. Here’s the first!! Muscle loss happens imperceptibly at first, but it eventually leads to a loss of function and potentially to a loss of independence, as the weakness…
LIFESTYLE MATTERS!
We are born with genes derived from our parents. Although they remain with us through life, you are in charge of modifying them! You can lower your risk of many illnesses by your behavior. A major study reported last week in the Journal of the American Heart Association showed that our everyday behavior affects how much…