Sep 17, 2013 | Integrative Medicine, Music Therapy
Guest post by Abigail Strubel, MA, LCSW
The function of music is to release us from the tyranny of conscious thought.
– English conductor Sir Thomas Beecham (1879 – 1961)
One of the most groundbreaking programs at Beth Israel Medical Center is the Louis and Lucille Armstrong Music Therapy Program. For the past 20 years, it has provided music therapy to an extremely diverse cross-section of patients ranging from premature babies in the neonatal ICU, to geriatric patients in palliative care, to musicians at The Louis Armstrong Center for Music & Medicine, where Stephan Quentzel, MD, and Joanne Loewy, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, and their team treat performing artists from Broadway to the subway. Care is provided on both an inpatient and outpatient basis, with individuals, groups and families. (more…)
Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Diet and Nutrition, Health Tips, Holistic Health, Integrative Medicine, OB/GYN, Pediatric Care, Women's Health
In celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, some common questions about breastfeeding nutrition are answered below. Breastfeeding provides many benefits for both mother and baby. Exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six months of a child’s life helps reduce the development of many acute and chronic illnesses. (more…)
Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Holistic Health, Integrative Medicine, Pediatrics, Social Work
Guest post by Abigail Strubel, MA, LCSW
One of the most revered medical works of the Middle Ages was the Regimen sanitatis Salernitanum, or “Salernitan Guide to Health.” Written in verse, it addresses proper hygiene, diet and sleep practices, along with several outdated treatments such as bloodletting. While much of the text has been discredited, one verse in particular stands out:
“Use three physicians still; first Doctor Quiet, Next Doctor Merry-man and Doctor Diet.”
In other words, rest and appropriate nutrition are important to healing—and so is laughter. (more…)
May 30, 2013 | Common Illness, Digestive Diseases, Exercise, Holistic Health, Integrative Medicine
I cannot count the number of patients who come into our Williamsburg office with a physical ailment and we end up talking about their overwhelming level of stress. Job, housing, kids, relationships, money and health: Anxiety overshadows pleasure and relaxation tenfold. With today’s modern conveniences, why does life seem MORE stressful instead of more relaxing? (more…)
Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Exercise, Health Tips, Holistic Health, Integrative Medicine
This is part 2 of a 2-part series on yoga and stress.
In part 1 of this series, I discussed how adopting a yoga practice as part of your routine can help you manage stress and bring a sense of well-being to your life. Here, I will focus in more detail on how various yoga poses, or asana, can help you cultivate balance and flexibility, both on and off the mat.
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Updated on Jun 30, 2022 | Exercise, Health Tips, Holistic Health, Integrative Medicine
This is part 1 of a 2-part series on yoga and stress.
Stress, in its myriad forms, is an inescapable fact of life. There’s not a person alive who isn’t challenged by it at some time — and perhaps often! — whether it stems from your relationships, work, mounting bills or simply having too much on your “To Do” list.
Exactly how you respond to stress — either engaging it with a fiery passion or retreating from it with a whimper — can determine how it affects you. The goal is to find a healthy and productive balance between the two that allows you to manage and enjoy life. Adopting a yoga practice as part of your routine is an extremely effective tool in helping you do just that. (more…)
