Headaches can be mysterious, frustrating, and painful. Why did it come on? When will it go away? Is there anything I can do to stop the pain? There are different kinds of headaches, and some are more serious than others. When dealing with headaches, we look at symptoms, severity, triggers, frequency, and life impact. Regular […]

Are you 65 or older? If the answer is yes, then congratulations. You are part of the largest group of older Americans ever seen in our country. Indeed, 10,000 people turn 65 years old every day, and those aged 85 and older now make up the fastest growing demographic in the United States. To some, […]

Your personal support system consists of a number of relationships. These include your family, friends, doctor, pastor, neighbors, coworkers, boss and many others. They can support you, or they can add to your stress and burdens. An optimal interpersonal environment is made up of more positive relationships than burdensome ones. Those that are healing in […]

Mind-body practices . . . focus on the interactions of mind, body, and behavior, with the intent to use the mind to affect physical functioning and promote health. –National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, NIH If you have children, chances are good that when they get sick or injured you put on a favorite […]

Healing relationships cultivate emotional and spiritual well-being, creating a powerful way to maintain wellness or recovery. They are typically formed between family members, friends, or other individuals with whom you share a deep connection. During the pandemic, these relationships have been more critical than ever in part due to the healing nature of relationships and […]

A good relationship between a patient and a physician is crucial and could become a lifetime — and life-saving — connection. Personally, I do something I like to call the HOPE Note when I see patients. This stands for Healing Oriented Practices and Environments Note. It is essentially a set of questions physicians can ask their patients that address the underlying determinants of their […]

The past 10 months have been a headache and, in anticipation of the long, trying winter weeks ahead, we are focusing on the theme of “protection” and how patients, and providers, can remain healthy—mentally, socially, and, of course, physically. As we’ve touched on several of those topics in the last few blog posts, we wanted […]

Recently, experts from the Harvard Medical School published a study on some of the best exercises you can ever do. It is a comprehensive list of five exercises that will help you get in shape and lower your risk for disease, “no matter your age or fitness level.” In the spirit of a new year […]

“Healing Tools” summaries are a collection of evidence-based resources to help providers and patients use integrative health approaches to improve health and wellbeing. The tool below is for patients with cancer and their family members as well as providers working with patients with cancer. To see more Healing Tools use this link and to learn about […]

Jenny Leyh is a mother, freelance writer, cancer survivor and integrative health advocate living in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. Hearing the words “you have cancer” was devastating. It was a life-altering diagnosis that caused time to stand still. But once a plan was established and the treatment began, the fear and unknowns morphed into empowerment. […]