Mindful Medicine

Take to the kitchen and improve your health.Food is incredible medicine. You just need to learn how to use it to improve your chronic health conditions. According to a study by the Imperial College of London, eating 10 servings of vegetables per day may prevent up to eight million premature deaths each year. Consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables will give you the most benefit. Eat a rainbow of produce every day. Cooking gives you the freedom to eat what you want, when you want. Flex your creative muscles by preparing your own meals so you’re eating what your body really needs. Listen as Dr. Sally Lamont joins Dr. Holly Lucille to share how you can nourish your body and boost your health.

Talk to your loved ones about end-of-life planning.It’s hard to say goodbye to a loved one. It’s even harder when they seem to suffer in their final days. Patients don’t want to die badly, meaning they don’t want to die in a way they wouldn’t have chosen if they had time to prepare. Every individual has preferences, values and morals. Most people want to be cognitively and emotionally themselves, not attached to breathing machines. Education and communication can end dying badly. Speak about death with your family, and consider what to do if something unplanned occurred. Talk to your doctor. Have a plan in place so you don’t enter the end-of-life conveyor belt of tubes and machines if that doesn’t appeal to you. When someone can’t speak for themselves, it’s tough to make a decision for end of life. Family dynamics may play out with members wanting to hold on. Have a conversation about what’s best for the patient. It may take time to sort out and accept what would best suit the patient’s desires. Listen as Dr. Jessica Nutik Zitter joins Dr. Holly Lucille to speak on a dignified and good end of life.

You know you need to make a change but your attempts are met with failure. Are you sabotaging yourself?You know you need to make a change but your attempts are met with failure. Are you sabotaging yourself? There are many resources available at your fingertips to help you achieve your goals.  You probably have a good idea of what you should be doing. You also likely have an idea of what you shouldn’t be doing. But, you’re not making things happen for yourself. What gives? You have to get out of your own way. Self sabotage is the drive toward negative things. You have to come to terms with that knowledge in order to overcome it. While there are conscious things you’re doing to sabotage yourself, some acts are happening on an unconscious level. You don’t recognize those factors until after the fact. Develop self awareness. Know that you want it. Notice what drives you toward negative behavior and away from your goals. You have to be aware of it to gain control over it. See if your behavior consistently leads to negative results. Ending Self Sabotage First, stop being frustrated with yourself. Don’t ask why you keep doing this. There’s no reason to marvel at it like it’s a surprise that you’re sabotaging yourself. To solve the problem of self sabotage, just look at what you’re doing. Second, recognize you’re doing it. Find the part of yourself that wants to move toward the pro-survival goal. Finally, work through the sabotaging behavior. Once you recognize what you do, it’s easier to spot. Listen as Mike Bundrant joins Dr. Holly Lucille to help you end your self sabotage.

Learn how you can influence your own genetic expression and reduce risk for hereditary chronic conditions.Epigenetics is the study of how lifestyle and environment can influence the expression of genes. The choices you make today can affect your own health and the health of future generations. You can’t change your natural hair color, height and foot size. Epigenetics focuses on the things you CAN change, like being overweight, anxiety and chronic health conditions. You may carry a genetic code that predisposes you to a condition. You have the power to prevent those conditions from expressing themselves. Nutrigenomics is the science of the relationship between genetic expression, nutrition and health. It’s a personalized approach to your diet. The Internet is a wonderful resource for more information on these topics, but make sure you examine resources that are evidence-based and research-based. Don’t just base your diet off a Facebook post your friend shared. Listen as Melanie Bivens joins Dr. Holly Lucille to discuss how epigenetics and nutrigenomics can help guide your individual health.

It's crucial to learn about the side effects of medications so you can best manage your own health.Pharmaceutical companies may not expect some of the side effects resulting from their medications. When the side effects appear, do they choose to put profits before people? When you consider the standard minute-length list of side effects disclosed in drug commercials, it would seem like those effects have been silently accepted by the public and physicians. Information that goes to the FDA for approval should be reviewed two years later and beyond. Some side effects don’t become apparent until years after initial FDA approval, up to five years later.  How can you protect yourself and your family members? Spend some time with your doctor to discuss the side effects of any prescription medications. Ask for the product handout and read the black box warning. Educate yourself by researching the drug on the Internet. You are your best health advocate. Your doctor can prescribe and recommend, but you are the one who is responsible for what goes in your body. Listen as Dr. Robert Marx joins Dr. Holly Lucille to discuss how dangerous prescription medications can be.

There may be some nutritionally-based solutions to improve the effects of mental illness and depression.The current model for treating depression and mental illness is limited. Medications are not as effective as desired. Everyone who presents with depression might have a different source and/or contributing factors. The biochemical underlying cause can vary from person to person. Individualized, integrative treatment is important. The gut microbiome may be an underlying cause. Stress could also be a factor. There might even be a toxicity present. Locating biological causes and deficiencies can improve treatment of brain function. Listen as Dr. James Greenblatt joins Dr. Holly Lucille to discuss integrative psychiatry.

Incorporating herbs and spices into your life can get things cooking in the bedroom.An aphrodisiac is a substance or agent that arouses sexual desire. Humans have always been in search of the perfect aphrodisiac. Aphrodisiacs can differ from person to person. What deepens sensuality and joy between you and your partner? Some herbs stimulate blood flow, an important component of joyful sexual relations. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cayenne boost circulation. Herbs can be mixed into elixirs, edibles and topical treatment. Keep in mind that your love life benefits from good overall health. Reduced stress, plenty of sleep, a nutritious diet and exercise make it easier for you to relax enough to engage with your partner. Listen as aromatherapist Stephanie Tourles joins Dr. Holly Lucille to share how herbs can help your love life.

How do you talk to your doctor about an alternative treatment?It’s important for your doctor to listen to you during your visit. You have to be ready for an uphill trip if you have a treatment in mind to discuss with your doctor. Doctors are trained to treat patients with what they’ve learned. They aren’t always aware of alternative treatments. How Not to Shut Down Your Doctor Don’t say you found all the information on an alternative treatment on the Internet. It comes off as a Google medical education. Don’t reference that you heard something in the media. How to Talk to Your Doctor Educate yourself on the treatment and side effects. You can only convince your doctor you’ve really considered the treatment if you’re educated about it. Choose the best information to share with your doctor. Use the pieces that are most convincing and most scholarly for presentation to your doctor. Your doctor may mention there haven’t been double-blind studies. Prepare to have information from university studies. Assemble all of your information in a binder or folder. Bring it to your appointment to present, but don’t expect your doctor to read everything. Ask your doctor to review the information and ask if you can discuss at a future appointment. Respectfully ask for your doctor’s opinion. Your doctor may still be uncomfortable prescribing alternative treatment. Don't get upset. Ask if he would still be comfortable being your doctor if you find another provider to prescribe the alternative treatment. Listen as patient advocate Julia Schopick joins Dr. Holly Lucille to discuss how you can speak with your doctor about alternative treatments. **Email [email protected] for more information about speaking with your doctor about alternative treatments.

How can we improve health and healthcare for all Americans?We have a narrowly defined wellness culture, primarily consisting of the middle class and affluent population. Why is chronic illness on the rise? Why is it so hard to meet the simplest of health goals? Most Americans are struggling for survival within the context of a highly stressful, materially oriented, high performance focused society. They don’t take the time for self-care with diet, exercise and enjoyment of the qualitative aspects of life. Health defaults to the medical system. We expect our doctors and hospitals to just fix the things that are going wrong. Making Changes Speak up and demand the healthcare system improve health promotion. Teaching people important tools for optimal health can improve quality of life. Government officials should create a call to wellness. The citizens need and deserve a way to change the current healthcare system into a caring system. Everyone should be motivated to embrace a wellness lifestyle. Apps and wearable devices can help track your health and wellness. Your lifestyle choices also make a huge difference; they're something within your control. Listen as Dr. John Newport joins Dr. Holly Lucille to share how to improve the current state of health.

Looking at cause and effect can help you address your current health challenges.Our bodies were designed to be healthy. The scientific concept of cause and effect is at the root of all health issues. Two-thirds of Americans have failed or failing adrenals. The adrenal glands secrete cortisol, adrenaline and other hormones. Your adrenal glands are taxed by emotional and physical stress. Eating foods you’re allergic to, negative self-talk, and surprise noises can all generate stress. You can reduce your stress by focusing on the present. Check in with how you’re doing right now. This takes your thoughts away from shame, pain and regret from the past. Paying attention to your breathing can help you focus on now. Listen as Dr. Anastasia Chopelas joins Dr. Holly Lucille to discuss scientific healing. Visit her website for some free gifts from Dr. Chopelas.