December 2011, Volume 1, Issue 2

DECEMBER 2011, Volume 1, Issue 2

Happy December, everyone!  Here’s this month’s collection of interesting, intriguing, and fun links.  Please feel free to send me anything interesting you would like me to include, and  to share this with friends and colleagues.  Please send suggestions, comments, links, or subscription requests to: chelgason@synergenius.biz.

My favorite link this month is to Dr. Goldacre’s TED Talk.  As someone who tries to bridge the gap between conventional Western medicine and Complementary-Alternative Therapies, combining the best of both worlds when I can, I found his talk both entertaining and sobering.  The reality check of realizing that capital-S Science can be abused to further the ends of any cause – whether it’s alternative medical quackery, or it’s the promotion of dangerous or useless drugs – the end result is the same – people are not getting the best care, and are suffering unnecessarily.  Fortunately, the solution is within our power – choosing to use our critical thinking!

Have a great month!

Chanel

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Today I choose to live by choice, not by chance;

To make changes, not excuses.

To be motivated, not manipulated.

To be useful, not used.

To excel, not compete.

I choose self-esteem, not self-pity.

I choose to listen to the inner voice, not the random opinion of others.

 – Author unknown

THIS MONTH’S LINKS

Fabulous TED talk on ways to lie with science, and how to examine the evidence ourselves:

http://www.ted.com/talks/ben_goldacre_battling_bad_science.html

How praise & belief in our own talents may actually hold us back:

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/11/the_trouble_with_bright_kids.html#.Tta-y6b-8L0.email

Meditation as brain push-ups:

http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=4804a

Enjoyed this paradox – embracing the hopelessness so you can choose to be happy:

http://www.utne.com/Mind-Body/Ten-Things-Feeling-Hopeless-Dave-Pollard.aspx

Multitasking interferes with mindfulness:

http://www.psychiatricannalsonline.com/showPdf.asp?rID=82415

Reflections on our mental health crisis:

http://www.utne.com/Politics/Losing-It-Americas-Mental-Health-Crisis.aspx

Interesting article on post traumatic growth, and the possibly overly inclusive definition of PTSD in modern life:

http://www.salon.com/2011/11/15/how_ptsd_took_over_america/

A really nice article on full body breathing

http://imos-journal.net/?p=4087

 

Dr. Weil’s commentary on the rise in anxiety & depression and his 4 week happiness plan, as seen on Dr. Oz:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/andrew-weils-4-week-plan-happiness

 

The expansion of integrative medicine:

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/07/the-triumph-of-new-age-medicine/8554/ 

A BIT OF HUMOR

http://img2.etsystatic.com/il_fullxfull.153455742.jpg (One of my favorite cartoons, on my bulletin board since med school!)