Holiday stress isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s sickening. It literally makes you physically ill if you let it—and many people do. I know that because I’m a pain management doctor and I counsel patients on how to minimize their Christmas-time stress to minimize their pain and other symptoms. Are you ready for a surprise? In this article, I do NOT dwell on self-evident tips, like (1) get your Christmas shopping done early (DUH!); (2) stick to your budget (DUH!); (3) don’t over-eat (DUH!); and (4) get enough rest, pray more than ever, and exercise (DUH, DUH, DUH!). Like most people, you’ve probably heard […]

The holiday season is right around the corner and now is the time to prepare for a healthy holiday. Preparation is the key to avoiding unhealthy pitfalls during the holidays. Every year I hear and see the same pattern from many of our patients, I like to call it “the great disconnect.” This happens when you disconnect from all the healthy things that you have been doing so well all year long. The diet goes out the window, the exercise plan is nonexistent, and the word “health” is not in your vocabulary. This behavior might last for a few months. […]

Here we are again, right in the middle of it, and the closer we are to Christmas the worse it gets! Starting with those little candies at Halloween and continuing through the wings and nachos of Super Bowl Sunday, it’s the three toughest months of the year to stay healthy; what can be called the “season of temptation.” And even though some people do not celebrate Halloween or even like football, the foods of the season come as an onslaught; especially with all the December parties right on the heels of the Thanksgiving feasting. This is the time when even […]

When it comes to illness, you cannot make a wise choice about treatment options unless you first know the cause of your problem. Despite this fact, the most common approach to healthcare for Christians, as well as the general population, is modern medicine; also known as the allopathic model. Allopathic medicine is popular because it emphasizes quick fixes and symptom relief, even though it typically neglects the real underlying cause. Biblically speaking, we should always look for solutions on the road less traveled which leads to life, as opposed to the easy road which often leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). […]

October is upon us and the year 2012 seems to be flying by. Fall will be settling in soon, which means longer evenings and cooler days. Here are some October themed dishes for the young at heart. Harvest Soup 1 Tbsp olive oil 4 chicken breasts (skinned, deboned, chopped) 1 large onion, large dice 3 carrots, large dice 3 celery stalks, large dice 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 (14 oz) cans chicken broth 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon 1 tsp ground cumin ¼ tsp ground red pepper 2 (16 oz) cans green beans (drained) 1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chiles […]

Finding tasty meals that takes minimal time to prepare is hard, especially with lengthy to-do lists and chores that seem to pile up out of nowhere. Here are some quick recipes to help lighten the workload. Mixed Greens Salad PREP TIME: 10 minutes TOTAL TIME: 15-20 minutes Serves: Eight 1 cup portions 1/3 Cup of Pecan halves (can be substituted for any other type of nut) 1/2 Teaspoon of cinnamon 1 (5oz) package of mixed salad greens 1 large pear, thinly sliced 1 large apple, thinly sliced 1/2 Cup dried cranberries or yellow raisins 1/2 Cup of your favorite cheese, […]

We know it is too expensive to get sick, but is it too expensive to stay well? Healthcare expenses continue to absorb a larger and larger percentage of our budget, and financial times are already difficult enough. Costs are rocketing out of control, and even though the Supreme Court has put a period on the argument about who will be required to buy health insurance, the controversy over healthcare remains. With more and more people looking to cut corners, the question prevails: how can you stay healthy on a tight budget? Does living a healthy lifestyle cost too much? When […]