Lifestyle Medicine
Do you ever tell your patients/clients about mindfulness? Tell them to ‘be more mindful’?
Suggest to them that by learning mindfulness and/or meditation- how often do we use those interchangeably- that their lives will improve (and by implication, they will make fewer demands on you, the provider).
‘I have to admit, your honour, that I am guilty as charged’
For many years, it tripped off my tongue so easily- ‘Be more mindful’. ‘Have you thought of taking up meditation’?
But it is only in the last 3 or so years that I’ve discovered the magic of this simple tool, the difference it can make- and that it’s not all about learning to breathe (didn’t I learn to do that at birth? What’s different about breathing in meditation?)
So in this last post of the year, the challenge is to take some time over this holiday season to explore mindfulness and meditation.
If you’re a complete beginner, get a book, find an app.
An interactive conference with like minded people about applying Lifestyle Medicine in real life to ourselves and our patients.
Please click here for more information
Please click here for more information
Mindfulness is all about being attentive and being aware of all the things that are happening and not just things majorly but emotions, the behaviour of others, theirs and your feelings, and many more such things.
Meditation is a technique or a way that nurtures mindfulness and helps us focus better.
Mindfulness is associated with changes in connections between regions in the brain. Specifically, the connections between the fear-responsive amygdala and rest of the brain weaken, while those between the emotionally-regulating prefrontal cortex and rest of the brain are strengthened.
Multiple studies have shown that people who meditate are less stressed, more relaxed, more empathetic, more creative and better able to assess situations correctly. Being a clinician is stressful, often requiring long hours and a clear head in order to make difficult, life-and-death decisions.
If you're looking for a New Year reset, or if you've always wondered if there is a way of learning this stuff with others, or if you've been on a retreat before but not since covid... I would thoroughly recommend this retreat, there are a couple of places remaining as of yesterday but bookings are going fast.
Doctors Retreat - click here to book
Nearly 40% of 90 year olds have dementia. And 10% of people over 70.
If we live long enough, is it inevitable? Are we on a slippery slope? Or is there a way to change things?
Many people are worried about 'getting dementia'. Maybe more than any other illness. And it's a question that I'm often asked in surgery, and one that comes up in daily conversation with friends and family.
The good news is- there IS something we can do.
And the even better news is- it's the same lifestyle changes that will reduce your risk of diabetes, stroke, heart attacks, depression.
Lifestyle change is not a magic bullet- but it's been shown to be highly effective both in prevention of the onset of dementia, and in turning around early dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment.
So why are we not promoting it? Running courses for people at risk, those affected and their carers?
Interested? Want to talk more? Please get in touch.
And finally, a reminder of my website
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Lifestyle Medicine - 14th December 2022