You know the old trope about having a devil sitting on one shoulder trying to lead you astray, while an angel sits on the other shoulder trying to nudge you to the path of righteousness? …

Can I have a blue-zone life without losing my (non)religion? — In five small communities across the globe, people live longer than they do elsewhere. They are healthier and happier and live to old ages without succumbing to the chronic diseases that plague the rest of us. One of them — Ikaria, Greece — was once dubbed “the island where people…

We have become the enemy — One of the awful things about cancer is that it transforms your formerly peaceful relationship with your body to one of suspicion and fear. Yes, I am afraid of my own body — the very body that has carried me around all these years. My body has been sick or…

Is that what you want to be known for? — I read a lot of articles about cancer, here on Medium and elsewhere. The quality of some of these pieces has degenerated since the introduction of free AI tools like ChatGPT. …

In the wake of cancer, I am prepared to do any and everything to maintain or improve my health, as long as it is recommended/provided by a qualified specialist and has an evidence base to back it up. And that is how I come to be a person who goes…

And find the wisdom you seek — Remember that TV show Northern Exposure? Here’s a scene that stuck with me. Leonard, the Alaska Native healer and shaman, is in town and seeing some of Joel (the town doctor’s) patients. Joel is shocked to discover that patients tell Leonard what’s bothering them and Leonard responds with a story…

And how do I get from here to there? — They tell me that survivorship is the hardest part, and I can kind of see how that would be. When you receive a cancer diagnosis, all of space-time seems to grind to a halt and your attention becomes riveted solely on the project of treating that disease. You are suddenly…

In which an American inappropriately ties an ancient Indian medical system to a British fantasy series. — In an ongoing effort to stay healthy by any means, I’ve been studying up on Eastern systems of thought about health and the operations of the human body. I have to tell you, some of it is pretty hard to wrap my 21st century American mind around. Ayurveda, for example…

This should be self-evident? — Hello, 2023! Since year you-know-what was the worst year of my life, I am so happy to find myself here at the start of a new one. And since we are all turning over new leaves at this time, I will tell you my one and only goal for 2023: …