Overview Our conscious brain interprets our internal bodily sensations. Since we are geared to survive, most of our time is spent in survival physiology. In this state, blood flow shifts away from our highest thinking brain, and we react more than we think. This scenario is the basis of most … Read More
I am excited about my recent insights that have emerged from writing my new book on RUTs. It will be released in June 2026. The title is Calm Your Body Heal Your Mind: Transcend Pain, Anxiety, Anger, and Repetitive Unwanted Thoughts. I have seen some remarkable turnarounds that I never would have … Read More
Overview Your survival reactions are meant to be deeply unpleasant, since they are protective danger signals. You have absolutely no control over them. Resisting strengthens them and fires up unwanted thoughts. As you train your brain to be less reactive to these unpleasant sensations, they will lessen. Creating “space” allows … Read More
Our medical and political system has failed. Employers have abused workers as long as there have been employers and workers. The intent of worker’s comp’s no-fault system was to both provide excellent medical care as well as improve worker safety. Although workplace safety has dramatically improved since the early 1900’s, … Read More
“The Journey of 1000 Moons” by Ernesto Sanchez If you count the moon cycles you will experience in your lifetime, by the time you reach 81 years of age, you will have experienced one thousand. As we live these years, how often do we stop and think about the presence of … Read More
Watching others suffer is a powerful way to alleviate one’s pain (schadenfreude). So is altruism – giving back with no expectations of a return. Why don’t we gravitate to Schadenfreude? Because your neocortex (thinking brain) has to come back online In 2019, Dr. Wang conducted extensive research, documenting that altruism … Read More
Holding your hand over a hot burner triggers an immediate threat response (anxiety) and prompts action to address that threat. This sequence is part of the protective pain response known as the nociceptive pain system. Numerous danger cues activate this response. As your nervous system memorizes dangerous situations, this system … Read More
Humanity Won’t Survive Without Engaging its Thinking Brain No Action in a Reaction The Human Survival Paradox Consider a time long ago when survival required outrunning predators or gathering enough food to last through the day. For our early ancestors, every rustle in the grass could signal a threat, and … Read More
Dr. Doug Garland writes this post with some contributions by me. He is an orthopedic surgeon who was one of my mentors during my second year of orthopedic residency. Although I trained in Honolulu, HI, one of my rotations was at Rancho Las Amigos in Downey, Southern California. It is … Read More
There was a front-page story in the NY Times about the shooting of the CEO of United Healthcare. The suspect came from privilege and had a bright future. Unfortunately, he suffered from chronic LBP and did not improve with a surgical fusion of his lower back for a purported spondylolisthesis. … Read More