7 Things to do at home in QUARANTINE

As COVID-19 social distancing and self quarantining continue, I find myself going a little stir crazy and very anxious. I am still going to work every day and seeing patients. When I am at home, I decompress by learning how to make infographics. Here are some things I came up with for things to do during quarantine to help with anxiety and stress: LEARN Learning a new skill can be extremely fun...

Building Good Habits in Quarantine

Never in the history of the world has the PAUSE button been hit. Yet, here we are in this unprecedented time. Now that this button has been pressed, one of the things I want to challenge everyone is to adopt ONE healthy habit that can be built upon after quarantine. How long does it take to build a habit? The answer is it depends on you! According to Dr. Maxwell Maltz's blockbuster hit book, it...

9 Do’s and Don’ts for Optimal Sleep

Sleep is CRITICAL for mental health, physical health, and wellbeing. This is especially true in times of uncertainty when we are riddled with anxiety--eg the coronavirus pandemic. It is especially important during this time to get optimal sleep to strengthen our immune system. Poor sleep may decrease the activity of immune natural killer cell by 70% -- leading to immune system weakening. This can...

Coronavirus: Preventative Tips and Herbs to Help your Immune System

Everyone is talking about the novel coronavirus disease (abbreviated COVID-19). The virus that causes this disease is named "SARS-CoV-2". Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses from various animal species, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. In rare cases, animal coronaviruses can infect humans, like the current SARS-COV-2 has. The epicenter of the outbreak has been linked to the large...

Immune System Boosters

There's no magic herb or vitamin you can pop to automatically prevent a cold, flu or other virus. There is also no medicines to treat it. However, there are some supplements that may help boost your immune system so that you have the best fighting chance. All these components have been shown in some research studies to be effective for colds and flu, while boosting your immune system. Remember...

Immunity Mushroom Soup

This immunity mushroom recipe is great for a cold weather meal for those of us that might need a little immune system boost. Prep 15 minutes Cook 45 minutes (varies) Total 1 hour (varies) INGREDIENTS 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 1 large onions, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, mashed (let sit for 10 minutes for allicin release) 1/4 cup chopped scallions 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1...

Diet-Related Diseases are Leading Cause of Death in the US

In a JAMA study titled "The State of US Health, 19990-2016" on millions of Americans over 26 years, diseases linked to diet and lifestyle choices are the leading cause of death. The highlights are as follows: Our biggest risk factor for disease, disability, and death is our DIET. What we eat in America--known as the Standard American Diet (SAD)--is more deadly than anything else. Our second,...

Acid Reflux Diet

Getting a case of acid reflux (heartburn) once in a while isn't unusual, but some people suffer from burning discomfort, bloating and belching almost every time they eat. About 20% of the population has gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a chronic acid reflux condition that's diagnosed by a doctor. Normally, the esophageal sphincter (a muscular tube that lets food pass into the stomach and...

4-7-8 Breathing

Before you can MEDITATE, you have to learn to BREATHE. Conscious breathing takes various forms. As the Zen Buddhist monk Thích Nhất Hạnh puts it, “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” The 4-7-8 Breath (also known as the Relaxing Breath) is the perfect, portable stress antidote, as it puts the practitioner in a relaxed state almost...

Healthy Plate

VEGETABLES & FRUITS These two components should make up 1/2 of your plate.  Aim for color and variety, and remember that potatoes don’t count as vegetables on the Healthy Eating Plate because of their negative impact on blood sugar. WHOLE GRAINS This should make up 1/4 of your plate.  Whole and intact grains—whole wheat, barley, wheat berries, quinoa, oats, brown rice, and foods made...