Happy Holidays, all! Amazing how quickly this year has flown by. And next year is likely to be even more of a time warp. Speaking of next year, did I mention that The Village Doctor turns TWENTY YEARS OLD this coming April. “Wow”, indeed.
Keep an eye on this space for celebratory event details, not to mention some fun riffs on our logo calling out “twenty years”, or “2004 – 2024”. Have any great ideas? Send them my way.
Until then, I wish you all health, happiness, and healthy and happy calories during this Holiday season. And lots of love from your friends and family. And us here at TVD.
Eric
Eric Weiss, MD, December 9, 2023
HOTEL SAFETY WHILE TRAVELING WITH LITTLE ONES
Here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for keeping your baby safe in and around your hotel room.
- Don’t relax safe sleep habits. Resist the temptation to put your baby in bed with you; use a portable crib or packable playard instead. Many hotels and vacation rentals have them available upon request; ask when you are booking. Just make sure they meet current safety standards and are in good repair, with no broken or missing parts, loose hardware, or padding other than the manufacturer’s original mattress.
UNDERSTANDING CROHN’S DISEASE AND COLITIS: SYMPTOMS, TREATMENTS, AND MANAGEMENT
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) encompasses a group of chronic gastrointestinal disorders, notably Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These conditions, collectively known as IBD, can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life due to their unpredictable nature and the range of symptoms they present.
SAUNAS: MAJOR HEALTH BENEFITS, WHERE AND HOW TO USE
Increasingly people in the United States are increasingly following the Scandinavian tradition of using saunas, as they have many health benefits including for improving pain associated with musculoskeletal diseases (Nurmikko and Hietaharju, 1992), and improve mood (Janssen 2016). Saunas can also improve longevity by improvement in cardiovascular function (T. Laukkanen 2018; Lee 2018), stroke prevention (Kunutsor 2018, Laukkanen and Kunutsor 2019), optimization of neurocognitive disease such as Alzheimer’s (Laukkanen 2017), and reduced risk of respiratory diseases (Kunutsor, 2017). This article will discuss some of these benefits in depth, how to optimize your sauna use, and some local and home sauna options.
It takes a Village. Or several!
You may recall that back in 2016 I joined Pastor Ama and a team of Woodside enthusiasts to form The Village Hub launch committee. Over the next few years The Village Hub grew into a place where the Woodside community could gather to enjoy a cup of coffee, a yoga class, evening concerts, and so much more, in an inclusive and non-denominational setting. Even The Village Doctor held health information sessions (thank you, Dr. Jackie Phillips!) Now, nearly 8 years later, I had the pleasure of participating in a lovely celebration of Pastor Ama Zenya as she transitions from her role to a still-to-be-defined new adventure. Woodside Mayor Chris Shaw was there to honor Pastor Ama with a medal from the Town of Woodside to acknowledge her very many accomplishments with the Woodside Village Church and The Village Hub. Pastor Ama, I am honored to call you a friend and our community is all the better for your service.
Did you also know that there is a center for Jewish life in Portola Valley called The Village Chabad? I did not until Rabbi Mayer Brook stopped by the office to invite me and #TeamTVD to his Grand Chanukah Festival in Portola Valley. It will be Sunday Dec 10th starting at 3pm at the Portola Valley Town Center soccer fields. Rabbi Brook made it clear that this is a community-wide invitation, so come on down and “light up the town”!
It has been a delight writing this newsletter for all of you this year, and all of us at TVD appreciate your readership. If there are topics you’d like discussed, or if you have something you’d like to share with our community here in our “The Village Square”, please reach out to me directly.
Until then, very Happy Holidays to you and your family.
The TVD Newsletter is a labor of love. If you enjoy reading this, please share widely! Was this forwarded to you by a friend? Please subscribe here.
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Yours, in health,
Eric and the TVD MD team…
