Welcome to midlife. Almost everything changes: Hello, family: Your parents are aging and need assistance. Your kids are aging and may be pushing you away. You feel sandwiched between two shifting generations. Hello, partner: ‘Who are we when we aren’t running...
The thing about grief is…We knew it was coming. Between the hearing loss, increasing difficulty standing up, and longer naps, the inevitable was unavoidable: our beloved 14-year-old dog, Oliver, was nearing the end. And yet, we kept being soothed by the sweet sound of...
We hear a lot about mindfulness these days, but what does it really mean to be mindful, and how can we practice it daily? Mindfulness doesn’t have to involve downloading meditation apps and sitting in silence with our thoughts. Instead, it can be about...
News alert! Magic potion slashes risk of death by 30%!!!! You are right to be suspicious that such a potion exists. If there was a pill or potion that could produce this magic, you would certainly be the first to know! The amazing thing is: THERE IS a way we can slash...
Think about the last time you ran late, and traffic wasn’t cooperating. It could be for work, an appointment, or picking up your kids. You look at the clock on the car dashboard, knowing you’re not going to make it on time. Your heart beats faster. You...
I did not think that infertility would be part of my story. But my experience with infertility spanned four years, and I experienced a profound inner journey. I learned significant life lessons, including how to relinquish control, surrender to the process,...
Imagine if it became more difficult every time you went to unlock your front door. The key began to stick and required some jiggling, eventually not working at all. Well, that’s ok, you’ve got a spare key. It works at first, but over time the same problem happens....
When people embark on their New Year’s resolutions, many get into an all or nothing, perfection-over-failing mentality. Too often, we set unrealistic expectations for ourselves and become overwhelmed when we don’t meet them. This can lead to feelings of failure and...
In the past several decades, general practitioners are seeing an increased trend in abdominal pain. Meanwhile patients are wrestling with confusion about diet, lifestyle, and how they impact abdominal symptoms and gut health. Questions such as: “Should I try Paleo?...
This October it’s not just zombies that are suffering from brain fog. “Why did I just walk into this room?” “Where did I put my keys?” These questions probably sound familiar as most of us will have temporary lapses in memory or focus. But when the frequency of these...
You have heard of primary care, but what is integrative primary care? And how does integrative primary care differ from traditional primary care models? Integrative medicine is defined as healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person, including all...
Are you stressed, anxious, or feeling depleted? Adding the fast pace of modern life to the ongoing uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased stress for many. A recent survey found that, “…Two-thirds of adults (63%) agreed that uncertainty about what...
As a nation, we are entering flu season in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. For those of us who live in cooler winter climates, this means that we need to figure out new strategies. How do we stay healthy as the weather turns darker and colder? How do we stay both...
“Mindfulness helps you go home to the present.” – Thich Nhat Hanh While there are formal courses in mindfulness, it is a moment-to-moment practice. Even the awareness of when we are not mindful allows us to come back to the present moment. Practicing mindfulness...
The smell of tomatoes ripening on the vine, the sound of a hummingbird zooming past, and the sight of an early morning summer sky are just a few of the pleasures gardening offers. Add to that list the anti-inflammatory effects of fresh vegetables and the myriad health...
Screens seem necessary right now. They have become our primary way to connect to loved ones, keep up with the news, manage learning for our children, entertain ourselves, and continue working (for working remotely). Without tech and media, life during the COVID-19...
On June 11, we will be hosting a virtual class, “The Power of Your Story” with Anthony Layman. Mr. Layman is in the process of getting his Masters through Lenoir Rhyne University in the developing field of Narrative Medicine. As this is a relatively new discipline,...
We all are experiencing varying degrees of stress and worry right now. In response to this collective challenge, Integrative Family Medicine of Asheville’s providers came together to brainstorm resources, strategies, and ideas for how we could all reduce the noise...
An Interview about budgeting for health with OnTrack WNC and IFMA Health Coach, Ariana Figueroa, NBC-HWC. Money, debt, savings, and retirement: these subjects are not usually discussed directly when meeting with a doctor. Yet we carry our finances with us as we...
Many of us want some aspects of our lives to be different. Are you content? Are you happy with your health, relationships, and work? It can be really challenging to make changes that stick. On the one hand, we would like to be stronger and healthier; on the other...
