August 1, 2018

Wake up:

• Stumbled upon this ketogenic coffee drink at Walmart while on vacation. Very cheap way to keep some ketone enhancing substrate around the office or home. They even put a little bit of sea salt in it. Best to mix in blender but works with a spoon. • Sure it is instant coffee with powdered fats, but better than hospital John Conti. 

FFFF:

• Life in the Fastlane has a weekly trivia post: Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five. Medical history but usually odd / funny enough to take your mind off clinical work. Last week’s post was a particularly good one. A watch that helps you take vital signs, tattoo to teeth ratio, and the cartoon at the bottom is great.
• LITFL is an amazing, free site for education as well. 

Somebody’s Gotta Win:

• Long read from Daily Beast on the big McDonald’s Monopoly scandal. I must have missed this news story back in the early 2000s. The court case actually began Sept 10, 2001, so obviously didn’t receive extended news coverage. Decent 10-15 minute read.
• Finally found out why I never got Boardwalk and Park Place. 

Voluntary Discomfort:

• Ran across this concept again on a new website, gettingstronger.org. (The site encourages application of hormesis to basically all aspects of life. The Stoic practice of voluntary discomfort immunizes one against hardship. Stress inoculation is now part of military training, and some medical training sites are introducing it. 
• Physiologically, you are supplying your body with an acute stress, letting your body know what this feels like. Intermittent acute physiologic stress is actually health, unlike chronic low grade stress.
• Additionally, this discomfort is a stress on your system that you know you have the resources to overcome, which makes it actually a challenge, rather than a stress. This builds resilience. Today try barefoot running, fasting, cold shower, HIIT. 

Compassion:

• We had the privilege of hosting Dr Barry Kerzin these last couple of weeks. He attended medical school class of 2022 orientation events, and spoke at the White Coat Ceremony. He emphasized gratitude, humility, self-care, and courage (especially courage to ask for help). Such a calming presence surrounding someone who meditates hours a day for 30 years. Of course, he still actively practices medicine in India, at no charge to his patients. 
• Check out his book No Fear No Death.  This TED talk is another good place to start.
• Dr Kerzin has known our mayor Greg Fischer for years, and spoke very highly of his efforts to make Louisville a compassionate city.

Quote:

Bring on me now, Zeus, whatever difficulties you will, for I have the means and the resources granted to by yourself to bring honor to myself through whatever may come to pass.                                                                                       – Epictetus


Martin Huecker, MD, is co-editor in chief of the free, open access Journal of Wellness. He is an Associate Professor and Research Director in the Department of Emergency Medicine (EM) at the University of Louisville. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. Dr. Huecker graduated from UofL’s EM Residency Program and (Chief Resident in 2011). He works full time seeing patients and teaching residents in the UofL Emergency Department. His diverse research interests include substance use, accidental hypothermia, and healthcare professional wellness. Dr. Huecker is also a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician (DipABLM). He loves books, (cold) trail runs, dogs, and coffee. His wife is an OB/GYN and they have 4 children with cool names.