Medicine: Very cool article from the New Yorker on anesthesia. I haven’t bought Katie Cole-Adams’s book yet, and might start with this one. But I like how this article (and apparently Cole-Adams’s book) explore the philosophical aspects of being put to sleep, rather than the clinical side. Some scary reports of people being “awake” during a surgery. It does appear that…
Survey Article: Interesting article on 1580 low carb dieters who answered an online survey. The majority had improved blood markers of diabetes, 25% had medication cost savings (average $288 per month!). Also, use of pain relievers / anti-inflammatory medications dropped. Sure its just survey data, but if a new drug achieved these results it would be all over…
Wisdom from a patient: Below is a quote is featured in this article about patients who are referred from one ER to another due to lack of insurance. WE hear a variation of this every shift at UofL. “Like awful, man. Awful like a piece of trash, because if you don’t have the money or health insurance you ain’t worth nothing.”-Patient and…
Tax Overhaul: Most of us are not rich enough to benefit from the tax cuts. If you are, please take me out on your yacht! But if anyone is interested in the impact of the legislation on physicians specifically, check out this post on White Coat Investor. It is comprehensive, includes unbiased political background, and is easy…
Reverse Bucket List: Article in Fast Company about writing your own “reverse bucket list.” Rather than thinking about all of the things you want to accomplish someday, take some time to write down some big achievements you already have. Celebrate small wins like fitting into your old pants again, up to bigger stuff like getting accepted to medical…
Wisdom from a med school graduate: Check out this article from a physician who has practiced more than 30 years, giving advice to his younger self.Patients are real, not mechanisms. You don’t have to be the hero (emphasized by Dr Drummond of happymd.com). Patients heal themselves (Voltaire). Doctors make mistakes. You can change the world – hint: choose to…
Good!: I love this motto from Jocko Willink (the guy who said “discipline equals freedom”). “Good!” is basically a shortened version of Amor Fati. Anytime something bad happens, say “Good!” and decide how you can turn it into a positive. Jocko used this in his Navy Seal career. “Phone battery died? Good! I can read a book.”“Forgot my coat? Good! I can…
Accept: Amor Fati. Love Fate. This is the daily commitment to accept what happens, even the negatives. According to Neitzsche, “want nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it…but love it.” The wise Robert Greene speaks of a power “so immense it is hard to fathom … you feel that…
Grow: I have encountered the same concept in a few different locations this week: -In Learn Better, the author talks about “stretching.” To truly learn, you must build on a current store of knowledge, rather than 1) reviewing what you know or 2) jumping into quantum physics with no background. -Then in So Good They Can’t Ignore You, Cal Newport cites the idea of the…
Rest: Pearl (from Tim Ferriss’s book Tools of Titans) from Chade-Meng “Meng” Tan: the practice of “one breath.” Breathing is the common denominator of all mindful practices. One SINGLE breath is the most achievable, least intimidating meditation you can do. No one can say she doesn’t have time to take ONE mindful breath. When I first came across this concept I…
