10 Tips to Find the Right Doctor

You might have been raised to believe that doctors are gods and that you shouldn’t question us, but let me tell you the real truth, my loves. We docs are in the service industry — it’s our job to love, nurture, tend and care for you, and if we’re not doing that the way you deserve, you should fire our sorry asses!
If you weren’t getting what you needed from your massage therapist, hairdresser, or yoga instructor, you would find someone else, right? Why should your doctor be any different? And yet, your doctor is even more important. This is serious stuff we’re talking about here.
Plus, medicine is, after all, a spiritual practice. At least it should be, and if your doctor doesn’t believe that, do you really want to put your body and your life in his or her hands? If you didn’t like your priest, minister, guru, or shaman, you would go elsewhere, right?
I just got an email from a reader saying she was miserable with her doctor, but she was afraid to see anyone else because she didn’t want to get labeled as a troublesome “doctor shopper.”
Why Not Doctor Shop?
My response to her was “Why not doctor shop? And who cares if someone labels you ‘troublesome?’ It’s your body. Your health. Your life. Your choice.”
10 Tips to Help You Find the Right Doctor

• Interview your doctor. Let them know when you schedule the appointment that you would like to schedule a consultation to make sure your doctor is the right fit for you. If the doctor won’t submit to being interviewed, you gotta wonder what they’re afraid of. Find someone who has enough confidence in his or her awesomeness to agree to being interviewed.
• Be willing to get what you pay for. Insurance may not pay for you to doctor shop or for consultative interviews with doctors. So tell the front desk you’re willing to pay cash when you schedule the appointment. Also, doctors who do not accept insurance tend to offer more time. Find a doctor who will give you a whole hour if you can.
• Demand what you deserve (in a gentle, loving way, of course). Understand that your doctor may have 40 patients on her schedule, so be mindful of her time and ask how long you have allotted for you. Then be clear about what you expect and don’t settle for less.
• Seek someone who shares your beliefs. If you are a spiritual person counting on your relationship with the Divine to guide you on your self-healing journey, and your doctor is an atheist, it might not be the best fit.
• Check in with how your body reacts. If you feel tight, clenched, nervous, cold, shivery or closed off, your body may be telling you something. Look for feelings of openness, warmth, relaxation and calmness in your body.
• Listen to your intuition. What does your gut say? Do you trust this doctor? Do you feel safe in her hands? Trust your Inner Pilot Light (that 100% authentic, unapologetically YOU, that knowing inner healer who will always steer you in the right direction).
• Ask your doctor if they believe you can be healed. If your doctor reads you negative statistics, dismisses your self-healing superpowers, insists that there’s no hope, lacks belief in miracles, and generally considers you a hopeless case, get thee the hell outta dodge!
• Feel the love. I know I practice love, with a little medicine on the side. Science may cure, but only love heals. Go where the love is. There are plenty of loving doctors out there. Find one.
• Ensure that your doctor trusts your intuition. If you believe homeopathy is going to heal you, and your doctor thinks homeopaths are quacks, fire her. You and your inner wisdom know more than anyone else, no matter how long they went to medical school.
• Know that you deserve the best care possible. Don’t go telling yourself stories about how you’re not good enough/smart enough/young enough/rich enough/[fill in the blank] enough to get this kind of stellar medical care. If you believe you’ll only get bad care, it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Know you are worth it.

Are You Ready To Go Out And Get The Kind Of Care You Deserve?
This doesn’t just apply to doctors, you know. (I picked on them because my profession is notoriously bad about providing good customer service these days.) But this also goes for alternative health providers, the woman who does your pedicure, and your dentist.
I believe in you. There are so many good doctors and other health care practitioners out there. Find the ones who are right for you.
For more about me and the atypical medical services I offer, read here.
Do you feel comfortable doing these things? Have you already found awesome healers? Do you have other tips for how to find great docs? Tell us what you think!

Radical Self-Love

For much of my life, my identity was wrapped up in achieving (more accurately, overachieving) and caring for others. Though neither professional success nor the genuine desire to help others are bad, “Am I enough?” kept popping up. Just me. Not the me who cares for people or the me with a killer C.V., but rather some core part of me that exists at a deeper level than these things I do. What about when I am just being?
My journey from “I am not enough” to radical self-love took me on a solo backpacking adventure through Europe. What better way to practice trusting in my enough-ness than to spend three months exploring my inner landscape (while taking in some beautiful external landscapes)? As I prepared for this trip with intentionality, the old voices fought back: “You’re being too self-indulgent.” “You should be more dedicated to your career.” “You could be doing countless more “productive’ things.” I also feared the amount of time I would spend in solitude: “What if I am unbearably lonely?”
Challenging these voices and setting out alone took courage and an adventurous spirit, as it was no small feat for this recovering overachiever to leave North America without knowing the route she would travel or where she would hang her hat each night. It also took copious amounts of self-love.
Self-love led me to an incredible vista in Cinque Terre National Park, trusting my intuition’s suggestion to finish a hike alone, rather than with some fellow hostellers. Gazing at the Mediterranean, I realized that this moment was no less beautiful for not having someone by my side. I could celebrate and witness it for myself.
Self-love challenged my worship of doing and allowed me to rest in countless funky cafés and gorgeous parks. As I became more self-assured, the old voices needed to find new guises: “Why don’t you study a language or seek meaningful volunteer work?” “Now that you’re in (name of European city), you’ll need a highly detailed agenda.” “You’ll be returning home soon and you haven’t figured out your entire life’s path/attained spiritual enlightenment.” Acknowledging those voices as patterns that no longer served me, I smiled and wished them farewell.
Taking language classes or volunteering would have made my trip more familiar; however, the purpose of this journey was not to be at the top of my beginner Italian class. Nothing needed to be done “when in Rome,” except remain present in each moment and trust it was enough. My journey took me from actions of self-care to a rooted foundation of self-love, a belief system in which I am worthy of the same love that I extend to others. Actions of self-care are nothing but items on yet another “to do” list until prompted by a genuine belief in one’s worthiness of their pursuit.
Before leaving Canada, I wrote myself a letter for each week of travel, reminders of my intentions for solo traveller Liz. It seemed fitting to end the trip in a similar fashion, and so I spent a good part of my final day writing a love letter:
“I am writing to you from a pretentious Parisian café. Life won’t always feel this beautiful and effortless. The joy that is bubbling over within my spirit will at times seem silent. I’m writing to you to tell you about me, and remind you that the me I am today is within you. Remember me, eyes spilling with tears of joy and pride, beaming, overflowing.”
Each day since my return has not felt as effortless as that day. However, my experience of myself while travelling is equally true: empowered, intuitive, self-loving and present. Life invites us to live fully, lovingly, courageously, no matter what our surroundings. I’m inviting you into the spirit of this journey, to remain in the present wherever life leads you next. How will you live fully and with self-love today?

Change Your Kitchen, Change Your Diet

Our diet generally stems from our eating patterns that have been in place for most of our lives. It takes more than desire or intention to change lifelong patterns. While we must approach change from the inside through our thoughts and intentions, we must also make changes from the outside. Making changes to our environment is one of the best ways to do this.
As a feng shui consultant, I’ve seen a lot of kitchens. Your kitchen says everything about your health. Our home, generally speaking, reflects our mind, body and spirit. The kitchen is that part that represents our nurturing or ‘nutritioning’ ourselves. Each time I step into a client’s kitchen who is trying to lose weight or change her diet, it is apparent. Often, the paint color is undesirable, there is kitty litter lurking, the counters are stacked up with clutter and there is no place to sit down to eat. It is an unpleasant room to be in, let alone properly digest food in.
One of the big culprits of losing weight or changing diet is transitioning from eating out (for example, fast food) to eating in. Spending too much time in the kitchen is not the problem… It’s not spending enough time in the kitchen. It is so much easier to just pick up a quick meal or heat up a meal of processed food than it is to spend time in your kitchen and cook a wholesome meal. That is, unless, you have a kitchen you enjoy being in. To successfully change your diet, you must make changes to your kitchen. In fact, you must love your kitchen. Here are some ways to do just that:
1. Add a fresh coat of paint – Nothing affects the energy in a room quite like a coat of paint. Not to mention, color can greatly affect our energy, metabolism, mood and digestion. Take an objective look at the color of your kitchen walls. Do you like the color? Could the color be improved? Does it stimulate you, calm you or make you want to leave the room? Generally speaking, greens and reds are good colors for kitchens and dining rooms. Bright yellow, gold, brown, or muddy colors can leave an ick feeling with our digestion. But, most importantly, it needs to be color that you love!
2. Reduce clutter – Clutter is stagnant energy, and extra weight on our body is stagnant energy. There is a direct correlation. The kitchen often ends up being a major clutter zone for mail and stacks of paper. This can quickly lead to a desire to not even go into the kitchen. Notice what your body does and where your body wants to go. If you notice it averting the kitchen, then there is probably clutter lurking somewhere. Even if the clutter is not sitting out in the open, your subconscious mind knows there’s clutter lurking in the cabinets. I find a lot of people have a hard time letting go of Tupperware containers or other kitchen oddities. While these items seem so benign, they can weigh on our subconscious mind, preventing us from spending time in the kitchen.
3. Clean out refrigerator and pantry – This is a no-brainer, but had to be mentioned. Start with a clean food slate. Remove all food items that are not consistent with your new diet, your new life. Easy. Done.
4. Spice it up – I’m actually not talking about cardamom and ginger, but that’s not a bad idea, either. I’m talking about the overall feel of the kitchen. Once you’ve cleared out all things that don’t resonate with the new you, then it’s time to add a few items that do. For example, add a piece of kitchen art. Art is like subliminal messages. You could have art of healthy foods or art that includes positive affirmations, like “Live, Love, Laugh.” Add a candle, a healthy cookbook, a juicer or a spice rack. Fresh fruit and flowers are always a nice touch, too.
And, under no circumstances are you to have the kitty litter in the kitchen. This is a completely different stage of digestion. Don’t confuse the body

Why Girlfriends = Health

It’s been said that “one of the best things a man could do for his health is to be married to a woman, whereas for a woman, one of the best things she could do for her health was to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends.” Women’s need for connection with other women is built in to our DNA – it’s part of our biological makeup. Expert Louann Brizendine wrote about how women find biological comfort in one another’s company in her book “The Female Brain.” Our brains just work differently than men’s, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
We get energized by our own “happy” hormones when we respond to stress with nurturing, fun activities and the creation and maintenance of protective social networks. (That’s why women are the most active users on Facebook and Twitter!) That means we actually feel better and become healthier when we connect with supportive girlfriends. Quality “girl time” physically and mentally helps us create more dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls and kicks on the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. Bonding between babes and mamas, as well as between trusting girlfriends, is cemented with the attachment hormone, oxytocin. Yeah, we actually bond with our girlfriends as we do with our offspring, creating a chemical love cocktail between us when we share and support.
What’s strange is that, as a society, we’re experiencing a decline in girl time and connection. A major national survey jointly-conducted by Duke University and University of Arizona in 2006 found a big dip in friendships. More people are feeling more isolated, and this lack of social ties creates mental and physical health problems, on a big scale. It’s basically the same as the risks we see from being overweight or smoking cigarettes—that’s how bad it is. See, most women need connection to maintain their health like they need sunlight to create vitamin D.
When us girls get together, start sharing worries and experiences, talking about our feelings, and unveil our souls with our sisters, our bodies feel as rejuvenated as if we had gone to the gym, and our brains are filled with those happy, anti-depressant neurotransmitters that make life so juicy. Rather than feeling guilty for hanging out with our friends, we should give ourselves a squeeze and a “yeehaw!” for doing something that is so good for our health, hormones and outlook. We women are very lucky – when we indulge our true desires for connection and girl time, we actually promote within ourselves the ability to heal.
For more by this author, visit deliciousvitality.com

Detox to Divinity

Fasting has been prescribed in most ancient traditions as a tool to cleanse and purify one’s mind and body in order to achieve inner purity and find the path to divinity. It was believed that when thoughts of preparing food and feeding were out of one’s mental schemata, one could focus without hindrance on mantra, prayer or devotion. Fasting was considered a tool in aiding devotees to disconnect from the physical realm as they turned deeply inward.
Spiritual awakening is awareness of a higher source. And it means looking at life as not just a constant unfolding of events, but stepping back and out of the box of our lives, to look at all of creation as part and parcel of a grand plan, a great mystery. It beckons us to develop trust in ourselves, to cultivate faith so that we can accept with grace and dignity the many things that happen in our lives, especially when they are beyond our understanding and not according to our own “plans.”
You don’t have to be religious or even spiritual to know that when you accept certain unpleasant events as they are, then they appear less threatening. When you create that distance between yourself and events in life, you gain a totally different perspective. You begin to understand that challenging circumstances are just that: challenges. And you start developing strategies to handle those situations, instead of reacting and creating an emotional web of discontent around your life. You start thinking with clarity and make better decisions as you plan to work through the challenges. You arm yourself with objective knowledge of the situation and are then able to handle it with less interference from conflicting emotions.
It’s akin to becoming a spectator, watching a sport in the stadium that is your life. That distance allows you to look at things objectively instead of reacting to circumstances.
What is the connection between this clarity and fasting or detoxing? The first time I heard the saying, “God is in your gut,” it was during my first yoga teacher training. Since then, I have encountered this saying in books I have read on both spirituality and physical health. And what it means is that when your physical body is cleansed, it then becomes a breeding ground for positive thoughts, higher aspirations and an overall lighter sense of being. Once the cobwebs are cleaned out, light can shine more brightly within. Processed and fatty foods clog not just our arteries, but our colons, our guts and our faculty to think clearly. Small wonder that these days with the world being so sick of falling sick with inexplicable diseases, many doctors and health practitioners have turned their attention away from traditional Western medicine and have begun imbibing the ancient wisdoms of the East.
One such wisdom is that of fasting. Modern medicine has proven that it is only in rest that our body begins a deep detoxification process, a process which is beyond just the daily elimination of waste matter. When we rest our bodies from the effort of digesting and breaking down food, our bodies then begin the real work of pulling waste matter from the organs, where it has been accumulating over the years, made worse as a result of modern industrial living. It is this accumulation of waste products and stress on the organs that ultimately results in disease. And allowing the body to fast occasionally creates an environment of less taxation on the digestive process, which then enables the body the space and time to begin the deeper cleaning of the guts and all the other organs.
This cleansing through fasting makes for a balanced body that fuels a balanced mind. In a balanced mind, divinity can exist. In a stressed and toxic environment, divinity will look for a quick escape. Only negativity and darkness will breed.
There are different kinds of fasts out there in the organic world now. Religious fasting generally cuts out all solid foods and, in some cases, devotees eat or drink nothing at all for a set number of hours a day. Western doctors often prescribe a juice fast or a smoothie fast in which you drink teas, juices and smoothies, as they are much lighter on the body since the breaking-down process of the food has already occurred in your blender. This taxes the digestive system far less and speeds up the process of absorbing nutrients into the body, thus resulting in giving the body freedom to begin the deep detoxification process.
I personally like Dr. Alejandro Junger’s “Clean” detoxification diet, or Kris Carr’s green-juice fasting suggestions found in “Crazy Sexy Diet” and her digital book, “Crazy Sexy Juices & Succulent Smoothies.” Both have carefully weighed in on the value of the greens and fruits they recommend and have experimented on themselves with glorious results.

Libra Full Moon: Love, Balance and Appreciation

Friday, April 6, 2012—Turn on your love light! Friday’s full moon in romantic Libra has us giddy with the flush of spring fever. Partnerships are Libra’s forte, and this full moon sounds the call for commitment. Relationships that have been budding since the Libra new moon six months ago, could blossom full-force. Hello engagements, co-signed contracts, joint business ventures and other two-person efforts of the long-term variety.
Where has life become a bit, er, lopsided? Libra is the zodiac’s great equalizer, helping us bring back the balance. Represented by the scales, Libra is the “peace, love and harmony” sign. With a gracious charm, this full moon makes a plea for greater equality, restoring the flow of give-and-take in our closest relationships. Here are a few ways you can maximize the lunar light of Libra’s full moon.
Attract An Opposite. How can you make your duos even more dynamic? While common ground is great, Libra loves the principle of “opposites attract.” Branch out and work the buddy system with someone who knows how to pick up where you leave off. Complementary skill sets make for a total dream team, even if the match-up seems bizarre on paper. In truth, these unlikely pairings can be the greatest win-win combinations. If you’re stuck in a rut, don’t autopilot into dialing a BFF who can commiserate. It would be far more productive to reach out to someone new … someone who has conquered the very dragon you’re trying to slay. Creatives, call upon the gearheads; engineers, reach out to an artiste.
Acknowledge The Positives In People. Relationship harmony is a major focus of this Libra full moon. Feeding the “emotional bank account,” as “7 Habits” author Stephen Covey calls it, doesn’t require a huge deposit. This week, acknowledging and appreciating the little things that people do can be the glue that seals your bonds. Here are a few magic phrases to try:
-“I love the way you X (insert action or trait).”
- “I really appreciate the way you X.”
- “Thank you for doing X.”
It’s so easy to overlook the wonderful gifts people bring us on a daily basis, but being taken for granted can be a huge buzzkill to romance and friendship. Get the love-fest going by showering people with compliments this week. Do you need to be acknowledged too? There’s nothing wrong with asking for it, but be a giver first. The reciprocal remarks may come “automagically” once you start doling them out to others.
Join The Justice League. The scales of justice are the Libra motif, and this full moon shines a bright beam on bias, discrimination, or anything that’s just plain unfair. Appoint yourself a member of the Justice League, and bring things back to a level playing field. Is someone being bullied in your neighborhood, school, or within your family? Would you like to see your office culture be more inclusive? Are animals being mistreated in your area? Do something to help right the wrong. This is especially potent if you are on the winning team. It’s not really a victory, after all, if someone else has to suffer for your gain. Remember that Libra is the peaceful warrior. In the famous words of Libra pacifist Mahatma Gandhi, “Whenever you are confronted by an opponent, conquer him with love.”
Consult A Stylist. Luxe-loving Libra is ruled by Venus, planet of beauty, fashion, and the arts. Personal style is a rich form of self-expression and a powerful way to wear your soul on your sleeve. This full moon helps you identify a signature look; your tribal markings, if you will.  Are you feeling like a fashion victim, riding the roller coaster of trends? A session with a stylist might seem extravagant, but could actually save you big bucks in the long run. Working with a pro can help you develop a customized look, and save you from all those costly wardrobing missteps. Image may not be everything, but Libra knows the powerful impact great style can have. Let this full moon teach you how to speak a strong visual language. Opt for a touch of luxury too and splurge on something that stands the test of time.
Regain Your Balance. When in balance, we feel surefooted and stable, as if we are standing on solid ground. Libra’s equalizing energy can be incorporated into our physicality this week. One of the simplest exercises for improving balance is to stand with feet hips with apart; bend a knee and alternatively lift one leg off the ground, holding it there for 30 seconds. More advanced balancers could try this on a BOSU ball. Yogis and yoginis, Tree Pose (Vrksasana) is an excellent way to improve stability. Hold your abdominal muscles tight while doing these exercises. This protects and strengthens the lower back, which is the part of the body that Libra rules.

Just Start

Two people told me recently that they really want to start skiing, but they can’t. Not yet. They’re not ready to start.
Not because they’re missing a limb.
Not because they don’t have the money.
They’re simply waiting to start because they think they weigh too much. They’re waiting to start until they lose some weight. They think the weight will cause them to get exhausted.
They’re worried they’ll have to call “uncle” and head in early.
They’re scared their weight might cause their knees to hurt.
The truth is, these aren’t good reasons not to start something.
You will get tired. You might have to quit early. You might fail. There’s a risk that you will hurt yourself.
It doesn’t matter how much you weigh.
Skinny people get tired. Professional athletes get hurt. People quit early every day.
That is life.
Here’s what I say.
Stop waiting. Go skiing.
There’s nothing I believe in more than starting.
In my book, it’s way more important than finishing.
And it isn’t always easy.
Before you start, you see all the obstacles in front of you.
You see all the possible barriers and potential failures.
All the reasons not to try.
Before you start you lack momentum.
You lack the early wins and inspired feelings that can keep you going when going gets hard.
You lack experience and confidence.
But starting is where the magic is.
It’s where the dream is fresh.
It’s where the vision is unscathed.
It’s where you get the joy of discovering you can.
There are no risk-free days.
But when you live life avoiding risks, you also avoid pleasure.
You don’t experience the exhilaration of the single run because you’re afraid you might not make it for the full day. Afraid you might look like a wuss.
Afraid people will judge you.
And they will.
But you’re already doing it to yourself.
When you choose not to go out and do what you love because you fear what might happen, you are judging yourself to be weak.
And you’re not.
You can handle whatever happens.
You can manage the pain. You can face the disappointment.
You are strong.
I asked one of my friends what she would do in a hypothetical world where she could never lose the weight.
If she had to accept her current body. As it is today. No possibility of changing it. Would she give up on skiing forever?
She said no.
She’d go out there and ski anyway. Face those fears. Head on.
Well, life is short.
You might not lose the weight.
You might not save enough money to quit your day job.
You might not meet the man of your dreams.
You might not be able to have kids.
Stop waiting.
Accept your reality. Today.
It’s here.
It can’t stop you from starting your dreams.
Unless you choose to let it.
Life’s too short. You are too valuable. You dreams are too powerful.
So tell your fears to kiss your ass.
Go out and cross the starting line, regardless of what you weigh.
Don’t worry about the finish until you get there.
Just start.