On My Radar: May 2014

I spend some time each week reading articles either for the pure sake of learning or for entertainment. This blog is mainly dedicated to veganism and Traditional Oriental Medicine, but I find other topics to be relevant for this blog as well. In my efforts to educate myself to become the best health practitioner I can be, an integral part of healing is educating my patients and community. 

This monthly blog series will consist of news stories and articles regarding things that are "On My Radar."

Can Patients Afford Their Medicine?

With the rising cost of healthcare, it should be on the doctor's radar to check if their patients are having a difficult time paying for their health. This could mean paying for doctors visits, medications and supplements, or even healthy food. Check out this article from the NY Times to see just how many Americans need help paying for basic health necessities. 

GMO Labeling Bill in CA, Again!
A new bill that would require the labeling of packaged foods and produce that has been genetically engineered (aka genetically modified) was heard in the Appropriations Committee on 5/12/14. Read here about differences between the new bill and Prop 37. Look for upcoming news about how it did in the latest committee hearing.

The Health Benefits of Smiling
Read this great article about 15 health benefits of smiling.

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Digestive Health

This is a simple, to-the-point article about digestive health. One of my favorite areas of practice is digestion and I've had great success using acupuncture, nutrition counseling, and Chinese herbal medicine to treat digestive imbalances. Please read this article to see if you have less than optimal digestive health. You'd be surprised to know that many people with digestive issues don't know they even have a problem. If digestive issues go untreated, it can lead to toxic build-up in the body and cause seemingly unrelated symptoms.

Valerie Harper Kicks Cancer's Butt!

See how the beloved TV star has used conventional medicine, Chinese medicine, and mindfulness to live more than one year past her predicted "expiration date."

Three Surprises About Acupuncture

This article talks about three of the most common surprises that people encounter when first learning about acupuncture: 1) acupuncture is not just for pain, 2) acupuncture is relaxing, and my personal favorite 3) acupuncturists go to school for a long time. 

Mindfulness

Lately, I have found myself thinking a lot about mindfulness. Being mindful has many definitions, but what I think it boils down to is living and thinking in the present moment. How many times during the day do you think about your next appointment or meeting, what you have to do tomorrow or this weekend, or what has happened in the past. All of these thoughts are based on the past or the future, not the present.

I find myself in this fast-paced life of school, work and living near Los Angeles craving a slower pace. Mindfulness helps me slow things down and calm my mind. I recenlty took a big step towards mindfulness by making a conscious effort to stop checking my social media networks. These networks often serve as a distraction when I need to focus on my studies, my work, or my patients. After two weeks of "being off" social media, I already feel more connected to the people in my life and most importantly myself.

Some other mindfulness practices I have are breathing exercises like meditation and yoga. I also practice mindful eating. During mindful eating, I really focus on the nourishing food that is going into my body. I put down my cell phone, turn off the TV and focus on chewing my food as many as 50 times each bite. Eating can be a very social part of our lives and that's fine, but I try to find at least one meal per day where I eat alone and focus entirely on my chewing and the nourishment of my body from that food.

By practicing mindfulness I am more relaxed, I can more easily solve problems that come my way, I can handle stressful situations with less stress and more efficiency. 

How do you add mindfulness to you life?

If you are looking for more information on mindfulness, check out the following blog. I follow this blog regularly and it gives me a lot of different tools to incorporate mindfulness into all aspects of my life. Mindful Influence Blog

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