Building Up My Gratitude Muscle
The practice of gratitude has been a powerful healing routine for me. During the pandemic at dinner time, we started playing a gratitude game. The rules were simple – you share one thing you are grateful for from the day. My 4- and 6-year-olds found it fun and were happy to share how they were grateful…
Feeling Alone in a Crowd
December into January is a favorite time of the year for many people. It’s the time that many go “home” for the holidays, to be with families and friends. Millions take flights all over the world to be with families. Humans are sociable beings. The holiday season, however, can be the hardest and most lonely…
How Much is Enough?
The last time I went to a mall was in late September when I was getting ready for a trip to the kingdom of Bhutan and Nepal for a Himalayan Writing Workshop. I would be half a world away and was worried that the weather might be too hot or too cold for me. I…
Musings on Spinach
We’ve each got our ‘things’ right? I’ve wondered for a while, whenever I’ve prepared spinach, “What is a ‘serving’ of spinach?” Is it the amount that covers a salad plate? Is it the tiny side dish that results from sautéing an entire bunch or bag of leaves? I recently have delved deeper into the…
Jewel Salad
In the intense summer heat, I was not in the mood for cooking or for eating heavy food and went looking for meal salads which required little prep. This one is easy, is good year-round, and doesn’t involve much cooking. It also makes a lot, so it’s good for a crowd or for leftovers. Farro…
A National Focus on Food as Medicine
On Wednesday, September 28th, 2022, at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, President Biden introduced a national strategy that recognizes the critical role that nutrition plays in health. Efforts were spurred by the fact that 80% of our health expenditures go to treat preventable illnesses, and that one in ten households still do…
Unconscious Bias – in medicine and in life
When physicians in Maryland renew our medical licenses, we need at least 50 hours of continuing education. Previously, in internal medicine, there were no specific topics to cover. For our next renewal, are required to educate ourselves about unconscious bias as it affects our interactions with our patients, office staff and other medical professionals. The…
Powerhouse Veggies – especially during COVID times
Summer is here, when local vegetables are more abundant, some of which we can even grow in our own vegetable gardens. Are there some that we could eat to help fight illness during the Covid pandemic? Vegetables are generally what we should consume daily in great amounts, but some are known to be anti-oxidant powerhouses. …
A Special Medical School Graduate: A Salute to Johanny
Last week, my family took a flight to Jacksonville, Florida, to attend the medical school graduation (from the Mayo Clinic) of our young friend and former mentee Johanny. We were moved and honored to have witnessed the day when Johanny’s dream came true. She made it through medical school, and will be on her way…
Managing Emotions During the Holidays
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, is how the song goes. For some people, there is nothing that matches the excitement of the holidays and the focus on family and tradition. However, for others, this time of year feels fraught with expectations that other people hold. In my practice, this is the time…