Author Archive | Elaine

Many of us spend an inordinate amount of time reflecting on what we should or should not say, do, or feel in any given situation;  past, present or future. The voices in our heads are frequently judgmental and critical. Yet, we do not need to succumb to this endless and pointless dialog. How often do […]

Medicine for Healing Last week after a Chinese dinner, I opened my fortune cookie and read these words: Love yourself first and everything falls into line. In the past my first reaction would have been:  What?  Love yourself first?  That sounds inconsiderate and selfish.  But instead, the words on that little strip of paper made […]

Transformative Tips for 2019 This year I choose to treat myself to a New Year’s Reset.  I want to hit my refresh button and set the default to Magic!  We often use the word magic to indicate a mysterious or unexpected transformation, and of course our bodies are constantly transforming. In this post I am […]

I originally posted a different version of this in August, 2017 following the tragic events that occurred in Charlottsville, Virginia. As I look back over the last 14 months, I shudder at the astounding number of violent and tragic events our country has endured. The shootings in Las Vegas, Parkland and Pittsburgh are particularly notable. […]

“I’ll never get well- Things will just get worse – The pain will never end –  Why me?”– and on it goes.  Anyone with chronic painful physical or emotional symptoms recognizes these thought loops playing in their mind day after day. It’s important to understand the relationship between our thoughts and our experiences of physical/emotional […]

  “The notion that a human being should be constantly happy is a uniquely modern, uniquely American, uniquely destructive idea.” Dr. Andrew Weil Flashback to the time my high school aged son asked me: “Mom, where’s your great big smile?” Daniel had noticed the absence of the ever- present smile that had earned me the […]

Medical Hexing: Sounds like Voodoo, doesn’t it?  Essentially it may very well be,  And why is it a real threat to your health? We are all familiar with the placebo effect, but we may not be aware of the nocebo effect – the placebo’s “evil twin.” The word placebo literally means “I Will Please.” This psychological […]

I can still hear my mother’s words echoing in my mind – “Always do your best.”  Words most likely spoken with the intent of calming my concerns about my ability to do well in school, sports, music, art etc. Maybe all Mom meant was that my best was good enough, no matter what – a […]

Now that the holiday hoopla has settled down and the resolution frenzy has subsided, it’s time to pause and realize that while we were focusing on what we want to accomplish, change or create in 2018; we may have unknowingly ignored a critical component.  Our plans to strengthen our health, boost our financial security, cultivate […]