Osher Center for Integrative Medicine
December 2021
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Tidings of Comfort and Joy: Self Care During the Holidays |
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Despite seemingly shorter days and blustery weather, people are in good spirits in December. We see them sipping piping-hot drinks while walking in freshly fallen snow, strategically bundled in hats and scarfs, donning looks of childlike wonder and occasionally humming holiday carols and saying hello to strangers. We also see more acts of generosity, by donating to those in need. It really is a magical time.
While it’s true that there is an abundance of holiday happiness, the reality is that the season may evoke stress as well. From post Thanksgiving preparations until we ring in the New Year, self-care is essential to protect yourself from holiday burnout. Putting yourself first while giving to others is crucial and incredibly healthy. Attuning your emotional awareness is helpful in being able to discern your needs and adjust accordingly.
To stay grounded, try setting healthy emotional, financial and scheduling boundaries, and focus on the present moments and activities at hand. Take baths or walks or sing at the top of your lungs…whatever takes you out of the spin and brings you back to peace.
In order to join a community that helps support and give back to you during the holidays and beyond, I invite you to partner with the Osher Center as a patient, colleague, or supporter. To learn more please visit our website.
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Osher Highlight
The Osher Team's Favorite Things
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You get a car and you get a car and you get a car…….just kidding! Oprah coined it: that sacred list of favorite things, and now we're gonna continue it, Osher style. To help alleviate event planning and shopping stress, click here to check out our Osher Team's favorite, holiday things.
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Research and Education News
Faculty Achievements
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Speaking of gifts- we are thrilled to celebrate recent successes of our Osher team:
Judy Moskowitz, Osher's Research Director, has received funding from NIH for a very important grant called FOREST (Fostering Optimal Regulation of Emotion to prevent Secondary Trauma) that focuses on gun violence prevention in Chicago. Her team has partnered with Readi Chicago to help teach their staff positive emotion intervention tools and trauma informed skills to support their daily work. Senator Dick Durbin has publicly acknowledged the value of this program. The first 2 years of the grant provide funds to help grow and monitor the program, with implementation in years 3-5. Congrats, Dr. Moskowitz; the Osher Team could not be prouder!
Dr. Anna Shannahan, Osher's Associate Director of Education, has been elected to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) board. The board's mission is to improve the health of patients, families, and communities by serving the needs of members with professionalism and creativity. Way to go, Dr. Shannahan!
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News You Can Use
Selected Integrative Medicine Research Developments
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Fenchol, a natural compound abundant in some plants including basil, could help protect the brain against Alzheimer’s disease pathology, according to a preclinical study led by University of South Florida Health (USF Health) published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.
Tip: Using more basil in your daily meals is good for your taste buds and your brain! While fresh is always best for salads, dried herbs are convenient for general cooking. Remember to discard dried herbs after a year, when they start to lose potency, flavor and healthful compounds.
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Ketone supplements containing β-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB) are a purported therapeutic strategy for improving brain health in at-risk populations. Short-term β-OHB supplementation will elevate cerebral blood flow and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, as well as improve cognition in adults with obesity.
Tip: While still in the early stage of research, preliminary evidence suggests ketone supplements may support metabolic health by helping maintain healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels and cellular repair.
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Gut microbiome may play a role in regulating skeletal muscle mass and function. Exercise has been shown to modulate the composition of the microbiome, with specific microbes being associated with enhanced exercise capacity.
Tip: Healing your gut microbiome can be done through taking probiotics and eating fermented foods, dramatically reducing sugar intake, reducing stress, exercising regularly and obtaining enough sleep.
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Diet is thought to strongly influence the risk of colorectal cancer. A new study has found that high-fat diets can trigger a molecular cascade of events that leads to intestinal and colon cancer.
Tip: Plant-based diets are high in antioxidants and are typically lower in fat. If you cannot eliminate meat, then dramatically reducing your intake will help mitigate your risk of colon cancer.
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Osher in the News
Recent Media Highlights
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Read: Dr. Anna Shannahan gives important info on how to trim belly flab with at-home ab exercises. Read it, here.
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Listen: Dr. Ring's podcast on stress and mindfulness with the folks at Well+Good. Check it out, here.
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Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at Northwestern |
The Osher Center for Integrative Medicine and the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University seek a postdoctoral research fellow beginning in July 2022.
Click here for more info.
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Wellbeing Events and Monthly Recipe
See How You Can Take Part!
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Education Opportunities
Osher Grand Rounds began on Thursday, December 2, 2021 with Dr. Peter Wayne from Harvard University. To watch his lecture on "Thai Chi for Whole Person Health", click here.
Our next speaker will be Dr. Iman Majd, on Thursday, January 6, 2022. Dr. Majd is from The University of Washington and his lecture will be on "Constitutional Eating: A Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach To Healthy Eating for Optimal Health".
To join us for these and upcoming talks by leaders in the field, please visit us here.
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Recipes
Herbs can help to support the body in many ways during cold and flu season. They may strengthen the immune system so it can better defend the body against infections, or helping you overcome the infection more quickly and with fewer symptoms.
These two beneficial beverages will be sure to build up your resistance:
1) Click here for Golden Milk
2) Click here for Elderberry Syrup
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Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Northwestern University | Website
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