Posts Tagged

well-being

I have written previously on the importance of rites and rituals to our well-being. This month, religious practitioners of varying faiths are experiencing Lent, Purim, Ramadan, Holi, Naw-Rúz and numerous other celebrations. To our Muslim colleagues, this weekend we wish you, “Eid Mubarak.” Today is also the Vernal Equinox, with many ancient, including Indigenous, rituals […]

Oh, my goodness, even those who do research in these areas have contradictory definitions! Nonetheless, it’s important for practitioners to have an understanding of the differences between these concepts, as the differences impact patients and practitioners themselves. The descriptions I like best tend to point toward sympathy as a pity-based response where understanding is limited, […]

Though one of the pillars of lifestyle medicine is “avoidance of risky substances,” perhaps a better interpretation would be “avoidance of risky behaviors regarding substance use.” Substances used ceremonially/ritually (tobacco, even hallucinogens in Indigenous cultures, wine in sacrament) are typically not significantly “risky.” Used outside of subscribed bounds, however, between 15% and 20% of the […]

In my last column, I mentioned reviewing the six pillars of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and discussed “restorative” sleep. Today, I’ll discuss food/nutrition. It goes without saying that good nutrition has a significant impact on overall well-being. But first a mea culpa: I admit I don’t always practice what I preach. My wife […]

Over the next few months, I’ll write about each of the six pillars of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine: restorative sleep, nutrition, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, social connection, and physical activity. Today’s subject is restorative sleep. Hopefully, your circadian rhythms have readjusted since we began “daylight savings” time in November. As most […]

My family has seen four generations working in the healthcare field. Some of you have likely heard me speak of growing up in a rural physician’s household, where our telephone number had five digits and our phone system was a “party line.” Likewise, I’ve heard stories (and contributed my own) about the changes in healthcare […]

We know that chronic stress is not good for our physical and mental health. But if you take a moment to think of things that might contribute to your ongoing sense of stress, it’s not likely that “holding a grudge” makes your list. As Mark Twain allegedly put it, “Anger is an acid that can […]

A collection of researchers at the SMHS studying well-being are seeking participation in a research study designed to assess the general well-being of UND SMHS community members, whether faculty, staff, students, residents, fellows, and/or post-docs. Why is your participation important? Because your feedback will help to assess the well-being of the SMHS community. This quick, […]

Rituals frequently bring individuals together and often reduce anxiety and uncertainty. Whether we understand them well or not, they are important to individuals, families, communities, and societies. Dimitris Xygalatas, a cognitive scientist and anthropologist, notes in Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living, that our social institutions are permeated by ritual. At the […]

Life is complicated, and our brains have developed short cuts in order to deal with such complexities. While such shortcuts can be very efficient, at other times these ways of thinking cause problems, as they often result in significant biases and inaccuracies. One particular type of thought pattern is termed a “cognitive distortion.” Cognitive distortions […]