Osher Center For Integrative Medicine
October 2021
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Trick or Treat? How To View Fear As Motivation |
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Halloween is typically a love-it or hate-it holiday. If you are in the love-it camp, you look forward to the sound of crunchy leaves under your feet, giving out treats to the neighborhood kids, and having a perfect excuse to play dress up. If you are in the hate-it camp, the spooky happenings may instead create anxiety and uncomfortable visceral reactions. But what if that vulnerable feeling of fear could actually be used as a motivation to help us experience life to the fullest?
At its most basic level, fear can be categorized into two types: rational and irrational. Rational fear is anything you experience to help you stay alive. Irrational fear is fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid it, despite the awareness and reassurance that it is not dangerous. Most of our fears fall under the irrational category and, believe it or not, addressing these head on may actually be helpful to our emotional and mental wellbeing. We can use fear as a treat, and not as the mental trick it presents.
Your fears are real to you, rational or not. Taking steps to identify the underlying trigger may help you overcome fears that are holding you back. Working with a qualified therapist can be a great support. You can also explore your relationship with fear through a 3 step process: 1) Breathe and acknowledge your feelings 2) Journal or have a conversation with your fear- what is it trying to tell you? 3) Express gratitude to your fear, for the lessons it is bringing to light.
Using fear as motivation can change how you tackle life’s uncomfortable moments. You cannot conquer fear from a place of fear. Instead, pause to acknowledge your fear, appreciate it for what it is, and take actions that lead you to greater understanding of yourself.
Over the pandemic, fear has been at peak levels. Join us at our virtual community education symposium on Integrative Approaches to Immunity” on Saturday November 6th for expert talks that will give you the knowledge to feel empowered, not fearful, as we head into fall.
As always, 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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5 Million Dollar Education Endowment Awarded to the Osher Collaborative Coordinating Center |
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The Osher Foundation has awarded a five-million-dollar endowment to the Osher Collaborative Coordinating Center for education efforts that span all seven Osher Centers.
Click here to find out more.
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Community Education Symposium:
Integrative Approaches to Immunity
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Join us on Saturday, November 6, 2021 from 10 am-3 pm (virtual event).
From movement to nutrition and gut health to stress relief, our Osher experts will take you through an informative and relaxing day that will be a blend of practical information on diet and lifestyle approaches, combined with activities you can join from the comfort of your home. Appropriate for community members and patients as well as interested healthcare professionals.
Guest speakers from the Osher Collaborative:
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Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH
Education Director, Harvard University
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Karen Koffler, MD
Medical Director Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of
Miami, Miller School of Medicine
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Iman Majd, MD
Director of Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, UW
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News You Can Use
Selected Integrative Medicine Research Developments
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A two-year trial of eating walnuts as part of a usual diet in people age 63-79 years suggested possible benefits in slowing cognitive decline according to functional MRI imaging.
Tip: Long touted for heart-health, omega-3 rich walnuts may also help your brain stay young. Grabbing 2-3 oz. of walnuts a day can help keep inflammation down and your brain sharp.
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Participants who took approximately 7000 steps/day or more experienced 50% to 70% lower risk of mortality compared with more sedentary people. Taking more than 10 000 steps/day wasn't associated with further reduction in mortality risk.
Tip: Exercise can reduce cardiovascular risk by improving blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, improvement of hyperglycemia [blood sugar] in diabetes, and contributing to weight reduction. Use your favorite step-tracking device and work your way up to 7000 steps (or more) to get longevity gains.
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The e-Nature Positive Emotions Photography Database comprising 403 photographs grouped into nine general categories: Landscape, Water, Forest/woodland, Pale Bird, Colorful Bird, Sky, Flower, Insects, and Sea. Participants evaluated them with a single evoked feeling and rating scale. Pictures of skies and flowers were rated the most relaxing, while stormy seas and insects were more likely to evoke negative emotions.
Tip: Interaction with nature is, for many people, an effective stress-relieving strategy. If you do not have access to natural environments, surrounding yourself with images of nature may help promote positivity and a sense of well being.
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Of more than 590,000 adults surveyed, researchers found that the quarter with the most plant-rich diets had a 9% lower risk of developing COVID-19 than the quarter with the least-healthy diets. Their risk of severe COVID-19 was 41% lower. Studies show that poor diet quality may be one of the social and economic contributors to COVID-19 risk.
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Osher In The News
Recent Media Highlights
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Read: Dr. Melinda Ring was featured in the Insider article 5 major benefits of green tea for your memory, skin, and heart health. You can read it, here.
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Discover: Dr. David Victorson is a lead investigator on an innovative app called WeCanManage (WCM), to empower cancer survivors with disabilities to manage cancer and its consequences as a chronic condition. Read more here.
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Watch: Dr. Inger Burnett-Zeigler's segment Black Women and Trauma from June 29, 2021 on Good Morning America, here.
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Cochrane Complementary Medicine collaborates with partners to disseminate evidence relevant to integrative health.
This site provides consumer-friendly summaries of some of the recent reviews. Click the link above for more information.
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Wellbeing Events and Monthly Recipe
See How You Can Take Part!
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Osher Grand Rounds will begin again this December. Please explore our upcoming and past lectures and register here to join us for these exciting talks by leaders in the field.
SAVE THE DATE for our virtual Integrative Approaches to Immunity on November 6th, 2021. Click here for updates and registration.
TedX Chicago Dr. Melinda Ring will be giving a TEDxChicago Talk on October 14th. To purchase tickets, click here.
Cleveland Clinic Virtual Preventive Medicine and Longevity Conference
Dr. Melinda Ring will be speaking at this conference on December 4-5. Click here for more information.
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Recipe
October wouldn't be October without Pumpkin EVERYTHING... (and don't get us wrong, we love it). Typically you'll find that pumpkin-y goodness in things like pumpkin pancakes and the infamous pumpkin spice latte, b ut what about when you want pumpkin without all the sugar? That's why we've rounded up this terrific savory pumpkin dish.
Click here for White Bean Pumpkin Hummus.
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Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Northwestern University | Website
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