THE YEAR OF YES, EP. 16: YES TO KEEPING PLANTS & FRESH FLOWERS AROUND

Fresh cut tulips on my dining room table.

Dr. Shah’s prescription: treat yourself to some fresh flowers or a house plant!

I'm not sure if I've ever met someone who doesn't like plants or fresh flowers in their home and work environment. Pretty green things not only make pleasant decor, but they seem to be very good for your brain health too. Research is revealing that our brains are hardwired to de-stress and engage in new ways when we're in touch with beautiful natural things. That’s some good news!

A growing body of scientific evidence is showing that spending time in nature or even just looking at nature (yes, on computer screens too, seriously!), can improve our minds, attention spans, creativity, prosocial behavior (such as kindness), and much more. Being in touch with nature seems to also improve mental health, decreasing depression and increasing the sensation of "aliveness." 

Walk the Green

Studies have shown that city dwellers have higher risk for anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses than people living in less urban environments. A great way to mitigate some of this risk is to choose daily paths to and from your destinations that include greenery, such as a park or tree-lined street. In fact, the Japanese have "forest therapy" as part of their medical arsenal to combat stress, and a study shows that walking in forests indeed decreases cardiovascular risk. Forest therapy can include hiking or simply spending quiet, mindful time with nature among trees and foliage.

See the Green

Adding some green to your indoor environment is a good idea too - plants, fresh-cut flowers, and even nature-scene screen savers and computer background images. Taking intermittent breaks and looking out of a window at some greenery is also helpful for your health, and not just because sitting for prolonged periods is harmful for your body (read more about that in a coming blog post). A study looking at college students in Australia doing a computer test showed that providing a single 40-second "microbreak" of an image of a green rooftop between tests improved their performance.

Be the Green

So, schedule your day to include "green breaks," however brief (does your office have a courtyard, terrace, or green roof?). Take a quick walk during lunch. Take a bike ride. Do some gardening. Have an after dinner stroll by some trees. Thinking creatively here is key. But whatever you do, make "being green" part of your health insurance policy! 💚

The Year of Yes is a weekly photo-and-word installment by Dr. Shah written with the purpose of evoking hope, resilience, and a gentle movement toward healthy change in all of us. 

THE YEAR OF YES, EP. 15: YES TO FOLLOWING THE CYCLES OF NATURE

Dark side of Saturn's largest moon, Titan. Photo credit: NASA Jet Propulsion Lab at CalTech

We are humans, bound by nature, made by nature, literally made up of the same elements as the entire universe. It’s an astonishing concept, maybe even overwhelming, once your mind starts to open to it. This awareness is also what makes us human. No other animal stares deeply upward into the cosmos to ponder the nature of reality. To feel tethered to the greater reality of what it is to be human on this Earth, and to feel the ebb and flow of our micro-corner of this universe, is simply a necessity for me - and I argue - for all of us.

Biorhythms.

Nature’s rhythms are sometimes hard to feel in the big city. Yes, we have some of the most beautiful dawns and dusks in Brooklyn - and I try to take notice daily. Recognizing the passing of weather patterns and the cycling of seasons are also practical ways to stay connected to the broader, elemental picture of our existence. This is especially true when one lives away from the raw opulence of the countryside or forest or coast.

Moon Phases.

Following our moon’s phases is another expansive, nourishing way to follow these natural cycles. I’ve been following the cycles of the moon for many years now, partially because I was once a part of a shaman group that instilled this valuable practice into me and partially because I’m an astronomy & universe-enthusiast. Each new (dark) moon, such as this past Sunday, and full moon (the next one is 4/29), are marked in my Google calendar. Keeping track reminds me to pause, to step back and observe *where I am* in the space-time continuum we call life.

Intention Setting.

Intention-setting is like planting seeds you want to see grow in your life. Sometimes new seeds need to be planted. Other times, your intention seeds that were previously planted require more watering and sunlight - i.e. *attention* and *energy.* And sometimes, the seeds you planted a while back no longer serve you, and they need to be weeded out - i.e. it's time to *let go.*

On new (dark) moon days, I make a point to re-evaluate my day-to-day existence, even if it’s just for a few minutes. It’s a time for me to contemplate the bigger picture of life, and perhaps plant some new seeds by setting a new intention or two in motion. On full moon days, I take stock of intentions I’ve set, and evaluate what needs to be let go as the moon wanes back to darkness.

An intention may be as simple as a word, or a more complex phrase, sentence, or idea. I'll write in more detail about intention setting in another post, stay tuned!

Ebb and Flow.

As the waves in the sea ebb and flow, so do the moon’s phases. And I’m sure you know, the two are interconnected: the tides of all of our oceans are a result of the moon exerting its gravitational force on these great bodies of sea water. We’re made of water and salt too, in different proportions, sure… 

But all of this -- you and me and the moon and the sea -- are parts of the same big, beautiful mystery we call life on planet Earth, within our tiny Solar System, part of the spiral-shaped Milky Way Galaxy, among billions of other galaxies, and so much else we do not yet understand much at all.

Image courtesy of NASA, so much cool stuff to read here.

The Year of Yes is a weekly photo-and-word installment by Dr. Shah written with the purpose of evoking hope, resilience, and a gentle movement toward healthy change in all of us.

THE YEAR OF YES, EP. 14: YES TO THE CLEAN 15

and NO to the DIRTY DOZEN (think: high toxin burden) . . .

Excellent resource, the EWG

If you’re familiar with the Environmental Working Group, great! If you’re not, the EWG is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment. Definitely check out their website if you’re not familiar with them - they have lots of great information on everything from safer foods, the health of our tap water, and the harmful contents of beauty products (ewg.org).

Do keep in mind, however, that organic foods and farming, like anything else in life, is a complex issue, and never a black or white affair. Many factory "organic" farms are not as wholesome as they'd like to appear to be. When possible, I still choose locally grown organic foods for the reasons outlined below.

Why choose organic? Non-organic foods are often laden with endocrine disrupting toxins and have been linked to such issues as cancer, autism, ADHD, neurological issues, and pulmonary disease. There are also many other health issues that may be linked to pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides that science is only starting to uncover. For example, there are studies exposing the burden of pesticide residue in breast milk.

Take a look at the two lists above. Since purchasing organic is usually more expensive than conventional produce, the CLEAN FIFTEEN and the DIRTY DOZEN are exceptionally helpful resources to help you decide which produce to purchase organic. 

Why organic farming? Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring comes to mind when I think about the current state of farming affairs in the U.S. and in many parts of the world today. Organic farming is usually better than current conventional agri-business farming for a number of reasons other than your own health. When done correctly, organic agriculture promotes long-term land and soil sustainability, minimizes water pollution, decreases climate change (by decreasing the use of petrochemical fertilizers & agricides and increasing the sequestration of carbon in the soil), and improves biodiversity (why those summer heirloom tomatoes are so darn tasty.) It’s also safer for those who are working to cultivate the food that gets to your local grocery and onto your plate every day.

What else can you do? Other ways you can help your health and the environment: purchase and eat produce that’s in season, eat less animal-foods and eat more plants, purchase what you can at your local farmer’s market, and join a CSA (community-supported agriculture). You can also take a look here for some safer alternatives to pesticides for insect control. Choosing these options help to remind us that we are all deeply interconnected - with the Earth, seasons, waterways and each other - and that your choices on a day-to-day basis matter.

Safe, healthy food for all

It deeply saddens me that toxin-laden foods are the norm and it seems completely inhumane that safer foods cost more that “conventional” foods. It’s another way in which socio-economic stratification develops in our communities and culture, where those who cannot afford healthier foods are left behind. We can speak with our dollars when we thoughtfully purchase organic foods, regularizing safer food for all. 💚

The Year of Yes is a weekly photo-and-word installment by Dr. Shah written with the purpose of evoking hope, resilience, and a gentle movement toward healthy change in all of us.

THE YEAR OF YES, EP. 13: YES TO BEING YOU

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

— Dr. Seuss

This alien lives next door to me. An alien is a foreigner. I often wonder how many people feel like an alien in this world because they “look different,” “act different,” or dare to be different? I certainly have.

The pressures to conform in life are immense. They come from everywhere, all of the time. From the moment our moms know they’re pregnant, people start asking, boy or girl? The ball keeps rolling from there. Society, school, corporate America, social media, the workplace all urge us to fit inside neat boxes and categories.

It sometimes feels easier to try to fit in rather than to be who you really are, opening yourself up to vulnerability. But take a moment and think about it, at the end of the day, where does that leave you?

I’ve personally never “fit in,” but don’t think that means I didn’t try damn hard as a kid. I’m a brown-skinned human who was born and raised in the lily-white suburbs of Houston and Dallas, Texas by first generation Indian parents. It's no accident that I preferentially went by my middle name Amy for 20 years, a name I asked my parents to legally change for me (from my dad's first name, an Indian custom) when I was a wee five year old kid. I wasted a lot of energy trying to be something I was not.

I’ve been called “weird” more times in my life than I can count. When everyone was listening to the Spice Girls and country music in high school, I was into the Flaming Lips. Though I was pre-med in college, instead of majoring in science, I took the winding road of philosophy, anthropology and art history. I’ve taken the path of Integrative Medicine, which is certainly not the norm in our drug-and-surgery fixated healthcare system.

My experiences will never be the same as yours, even if we share similar struggles, communities, or even parents. That is what makes each of us one-of-a-kind. What I have realized is the very things that make me me, the parts of me that I had so much trouble accepting as a young person, are actually what make me see the world, my work, and problems in creative, innovative ways. I started learning more about the world's great scientists, artists, educators, innovators and peace makers - none of whom took the "safe" road. These amazing human stories have been a source of solace and strength.

I've learned that being who you are is an immense act of courage. And that is truly a magnificent thing. The norm is ordinary. It’s boring. It's stale. It's mediocrity. Dare to be you!

By working on accepting and being the unique creature you are, with the specific skill set that only you possess - and not judging yourself in the process (that's another hard one, I know!) - a new openness emerges, the path of your heart. And if we all started opening our hearts a little more, can you imagine what a better place this world would be?

So let's celebrate your differences and mine. HELL YES!

THE YEAR OF YES, EP. 12: YES TO COMBATING SUPERORGANISMS

Superorganisms are not funny, though the band Superorganism (poster above) surely is a good time.

The spread of deadly drug-resistant infections (“superbugs” / "superorganisms") is growing exponentially globally, and it is posing a huge threat. Avoiding taking antibiotics except when absolutely necessary is a big step that you can take to help combat this major problem.

Working in an urgent care facility a while back, I was privy to the rampant use of antibiotics to treat infections that are usually not bacterial or don’t necessarily require antibiotics, i.e. bronchitis, many sore throats, colds, flus, sinusitis, ear infections, pink eye …

Patients were requesting them at breakneck speed, and urgent care physicians, eager to please, rarely said no. On the other end of the spectrum, all of my time at Columbia University Medical Center / New York-Presbyterian Hospital has been hopeful, where fostering “antibiotic stewardship” is the norm - a set of coordinated strategies to improve the use of antimicrobial medications with the goal of enhancing patient health outcomes and reducing resistance to antibiotics (and preventing superfluous health care spending).

When you use antibiotics unnecessarily, in addition to promoting bacterial infections that can’t be treated in the future for both you but also millions of others, you are also completely altering your microbiome, both in your gut and otherwise. That is, you’re killing off good bacteria in your intestines that are necessary for all sorts of important functions as well as in other parts of your body (ahem, think about such distressing things as yeast infections).

I have seen some horrific infections in the hospital in my day, and still commonly do when I'm working on the hospital wards. These are infections where patients may be required to stay in healthcare facilities for months at a time. Physicians like me have to don impervious spacesuit-like gowns, hoping to avoid being colonized by scary bacteria such as resistant Staph aureus, Enterococcus, and C. diff. Then there are things like resistant strains of gonorrhea... enough said.

So the next time you’re sick, if you and your physician or health care provider decide together that you require antibiotics, make sure you’re taking them for a very specific reason. Educate yourself. Ask questions. Check out the CDC's website to find some great patient information to learn more about the basics.

And, if you’d like to go more in depth, take a look at this great New York Times article, this Telegraph UK article, and this interesting Consumer Reports article. 

Not to fear monger, but this is no joke...

The Year of Yes is a weekly photo-and-word installment by Dr. Shah written with the purpose of evoking hope, resilience, and a gentle movement toward healthy change in all of us.

THE YEAR OF YES, EP. 11: YES TO BOKETTO

Me, White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

(All photos taken with my Canon EOS 7D Mark II)

Boketto is a Japanese noun that means: “blank stare” or “gazing vacantly into the distance without really thinking about anything specific.”

Fossilized reef mountains, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, West Texas

Last week, I reconnected with this beautiful world in which we live. I had the great fortune to take a road trip through two national parks - Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and one national monument - White Sands. I gazed vacantly at a lot of splendid natural things for long periods of time. My week-long digital detox helped immensely to allow the sun-soaked arid rawness of the Southwestern desert and mountains seep into my bones. I am learning that periods of downtime like this reawaken the bedrock of our humanness.

Bendy road, Big Bend

Cloud-gazing. ✓

Star-bathing. ✓

Otherworldly landscapes. ✓

Respite. ✓

Roadrunner buddy, Big Bend National Park

What I learned this week:

voyaging + digital detox = vacation

digital detox + time in nature = aliveness and awe

time in nature + stillness = reflection

stillness + sleep = rest

sleep + seeing = dreaming

seeing + looking = perception

looking + gazing = boketto

boketto + clouds/stars/landscapes = quiet mind.

Prickly pear, Big Bend National Park

I am utterly grateful that the National Park Service exists. There are 58 national parks in America. I prefer to visit the overlooked ones, which tend to be less populated oases, overflowing with majestic beauty rather than people. But, really, any will do. Try one out! And remember, we can keep them protected with our votes.

Marfa, Texas

Finally, Stephen Hawking once said: “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up.”

Yes, Dr. Hawking, yes! May you R. I. P. ♡

The Year of Yes is a weekly photo-and-word installment by Dr. Shah written with the purpose of evoking hope, resilience, and a gentle movement toward healthy change in all of us.

THE YEAR OF YES, EP. 10: YES TO DIGITAL DETOXES, PART II

Isn’t it the strangest thing that “social networking systems,” developed within a virtual reality of global frameworks known as the internet based in binary content (the numbers 0 & 1), birthed at CERN in 1989, processed by “browsers” and tiny intricate machines in our hands, can have such a massive influence on our BRAINS and MINDS and BODIES and SOCIAL CONNECTIONS and TIME -- our life?

Take a long look at this compelling street art image on North 3rd in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It speaks for itself. I am currently preparing to embark on a true digital detox the week of 3/10. Yeah!!

Don’t take me wrong, I don’t think social media is inherently bad. Social media has many marvelous aspects to it, that is for sure. But it unfortunately also has a dark side, one that seems to have many addictive and possibly adverse qualities.

I go through cycles of having a solidly healthy relationship with social media, being able to use it in small increments for what it’s really good for - connecting with others, seeking inspiration, nourishing creativity, practicing writing, finding excellent recipes...

Then there are the times - and I bet most of us can relate - where I feel compelled to check *it* over and again. I loathe that feeling of being compelled to do things I am not actively choosing. Is it two sides of the same coin? Or the polarities of a magnet? Or the two edges of a swinging pendulum?

What are your thoughts? How do you manage this all pervasive but abstract world of social media? Comment below, I’d love to know!

Here are some interesting articles, take a read: social media's effects on our mental health, "social media is making us dumber," social media and body image, social media and the brain.

See you in two weeks! ♥️

The Year of Yes is a weekly photo-and-word installment by Dr. Shah written with the purpose of evoking hope, resilience, and a gentle movement toward healthy change in all of us.

THE YEAR OF YES, EP. 9: YES TO FEELING PRICKLY.

The prickly seed pod pictured here surrounds a growing, glossy chestnut. The spiny covering that protects the nut while immature, called a burr, opens wide when the seed is ripe (Paillet 2005). This beautiful creation of mother nature is a good metaphor for our growth experiences in life.

It’s just so darn easy to get stuck into routine, to let inertia overtake you. Many folks avoid stepping out of their comfort zones - like meeting a relationship trouble head on, traveling to a new place, or quitting a job for a more stimulating but challenging opportunity - because it can feel terribly frightening, possibly paralyzing. As we begin to step out into a wild unknown, we can feel alone, lost, uncomfortable, complicated, annoyed … prickly.

So why bother ever trying something new? It is vital to put ourselves in the discomfort of uncertainty and take risks in life so that we grow as humans, exploring our true potential. Being on this path of uncomfortable awakening can bear amazing outcomes, like a prickly chestnut seed pod, opening up to reveal a delicious, smooth, shiny, nutritious, beautiful fruit.

How, then, do we say YES to the unpleasant feelings that will inevitably emerge on the road of new experiences? How do we allow these feelings to show up without resisting them, perceiving them fully, and then letting them pass without getting bogged down?

I’ve been learning a great meditation tool from masters such as Tara Brach and Jeff Warren that anyone can use in these rough moments. It can help you to work with the intense or difficult feelings you’re encountering, facing them head on, allowing you to work through them. In fact, this tool works well in pleasant, calm moments too, though we're less apt to need help experiencing "the good stuff."

The tool is called RAIN, an acronym that stands for:

• R – Recognize what is happening

• A – Accept / allow life to be just as it is

• I – Investigate inner experience with kindness

• N – Non-Identification.

Here's a 10-minute free meditation exercise by Tara Brach to learn how to use it.

This mindfulness tool takes a bit of effort to remember and have ready when you need it, but it can be deeply helpful when you’re stuck in a prickly place. A little practice goes a long way.

Check out these great articles to further explore and learn more about this great tool: Tara Brach's website, Mindful Magazine article by Tara Brach, article by Susie Harrington, Jeff Warren for the 10% Happier app. 

Now let's crack open and let the beauty emerge! ♡

THE YEAR OF YES, EP. 8: YES TO MINDFUL SHOWERING.

Photo credit: Markus Spiske

You may be rolling your eyes right now. Like, what? Try to stay with me for a few minutes.

There’s usually only one time of day when you’re free of everything but yourself - no stuff, kids, pets, devices, other people - and that’s in the shower. What if you could take that precious alone time and make it even more special by adding a little meditation into your day?

I’ve been practicing mindful showering for a few weeks now and it’s become one of my favorite ways to practice mindfulness. Why? Because it’s a routine task during which we’re often lost in thought and don’t have much else to distract us.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Start with your “beginner’s mind” by just noticing what’s going on. Observe your actions - the removal of your clothing, pulling back on the curtain or shower door, turning on the water, finding the correct temperature. Take note of the water itself - its temperature, sound, wetness. Isn’t it quite the miracle that warm, clean water comes out of your faucet /shower head whenever you want it?

2. Once in the shower, open your awareness to the feeling of the warm water on your body. Notice the pressure of the water flow, how does it feel? Hold the soap in your hands, notice how slick it gets, how it smells, how it feels on your skin. Feel the shampoo and how it foams up, feel the pressure of your fingers on your scalp.

3. Every time your mind wanders off - and it will many times, perhaps to your to-do list, or the time (I’m in a rush!), or something that happened yesterday, or whatever else - bring it gently back to the present, to the physical sensations of the warm water on your body and the weight of your feet on the tub floor. Is there any place you can be but right here, right now?

4. As you towel off, feel the towel's texture, how it soaks up the water, and how it gently scrubs your skin.

5. Finally, observe the difference paying attention makes on this everyday experience you just had.

The practice of mindful showering (or eating, or brushing your teeth, or walking...) is not about thinking, but rather just about awareness of what's going on. On the outset, the practice may seem silly, even boring. However, the more you practice everyday activity mindfulness, the more your mind will start to notice the textures of life, the emotions that come up in your body, and the fact that your thoughts are just thoughts, and not reality. If you'd like to learn more, here is a good article about mindfulness practice for beginners. 

By practicing presence and mindful awareness in the shower, you can get your daily meditation dose in, and get your whole self clean - your body AND your mind. Pretty wonderful, no? ♡

THE YEAR OF YES, EP. 7: YES, SPICE IT UP!

At home with my Indian spice box.

It’s Valentine's Day tomorrow after all… so let’s get spicy!

Name a spice!

Tumeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, caraway seeds, chili powder, black pepper, clove, star anise, mustard seeds, ginger, paprika, chili flake, garlic, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamon, asafoetida, chipotle... shall I go on?

Why are spices so amazing? For thousands upon thousands of years, spices have been used in food preparation and preservation as well as for their medicinal properties. At one time they were the hottest commodity out there (no pun intended), more valuable than gold, think spice trade, spice routes, and the accidental run-in with the Americas. As authors from Oxford Academic BioScience journal write, “Spices taste good, because they are good for us.”

1. Beauty, Flavor & Joy - Spices add gorgeous color and exquisite flavor to foods making them a joy to cook with and eat.

2. Health - Many spices have potent antimicrobial, anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and/or anti-cancer properties making them a healthy addition to your meals. A BMJ population based prospective cohort study showed that compared with those who ate spicy foods less than once a week, those who consumed spicy foods 6 or 7 days a week showed a 14% relative risk reduction in total mortality. Furthermore, unhealthy pre-packaged and processed foods are full of added fats, salt, sugar and additives like MSG (monosodium glutamate) to entice our palates, mainly because they have stepped away from using spices for flavor.

3. Variety - They’re readily available, take up little room in your kitchen, and can be blended in nearly endless combinations, often working synergistically with one another or with other foods making them even more healthy (example: the active compound curcumin found in tumeric + piperine found in black pepper). Cooking with spices is a great way to keep things interesting while also keeping your body, mind, heart, and soul healthy. 

It’s no lie: variety is the spice of life. Look at all of the options you have! Comment below and let me know what your top three favorite spices are and why. 

Happy Valentine's Day! 💋 XOXO

The Year of Yes is a weekly photo-and-word installment by Dr. Shah written with the purpose of evoking hope, resilience, and a gentle movement toward healthy change in all of us.