Dr. Lisa's Bountiful Life

In the Know

We can't know what we don't know.

Or, at least, often this is true.

Sometimes we know exactly what we don't know--we just don't realize the extent of it.

It is in beginning to learn what we don't know that we come to understand how much more there is to know.

If we are smart, we will surround ourselves with people who know what we don't know.

Some of these individuals will know that we don't know what they know.

Some of them won't. Know, that is.

It is the ones who know what we don't know--and know that we don't know it--that can be the most helpful.

If these individuals are our "bunker buddies," they can be trusted to offer important insights, sort through difficulties and support us in our knowledge-gathering.

I have, since 1996, been a medical doctor. Since 2007 I have practiced acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

In these areas, though I will always be learning, my skills are increasingly well-honed. I am somewhat "in the know."

In other areas I continue to gain skills. I am a relative multi-media newbie, for example, having just launched the "Dr. Lisa Radio Hour & Podcast" in September.

This has been a wild ride. We have gathered countless interesting guests, dedicated sponsors and loyal listeners over the past 13 episodes.

And I have come to realize what I didn't know, with the help of a highly competent group of friends and colleagues.

They have joined me in building a healing community, via blog, website and podcast. They have proven to be bunker buddies, beyond a doubt.

There are many things I still do not know; many things I may not ever know.

Gratitude?

This, I know.

 

Antigua

2011

~~~~~

Dr. Lisa's Bountiful Blog is read weekly on the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour. Show summaries are available on the Dr. Lisa website. Download podcasts of the show through iTunes and let us know what you think!

Schedule an office consult with Dr. Lisa at 847 9393.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tree-Strong

During difficult times, we are often told we must "be strong." We are advised to "tough it out."

Except the "stronger" and "tougher" we are (in the conventional sense of the word), the more rigid we have the tendency to become.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the tree is often given as a symbol of strength. Wood is the 'element' associated with the liver, an organ which is able to keep our blood clean and circulating despite the foreign substances we might introduce into the body.

Not unlike trees in nature, which keep the air of the earth's body clean and circulating.

Trees withstand tremendous natural forces. They remain strong--and even continue growing--no matter what weather patterns are introduced: rain, sun, drought.

And, especially, wind.

It is the wind that may ultimately prove a tree's undoing. Those who live in hurricane-susceptible locales know this to be true.

The more rigid the tree, the more likely it is to be toppled in a gale.

The strength of a tree lies in its flexibility. Likewise, the strength of a person.

This Sunday on the Dr. Lisa Radio Hour, we offer our "Courage" show, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is upon us next week.

As we reflected on the meaning of courage (especially in a cancer scenario), we came to realize that what we were really describing was resilience: the ability to bounce-back, no matter the circumstances.

Which is, truly, strength. Tree strength.

Courage is merely the choice to continue standing in the face of hurricane-force winds.

It is the ability to keep things (life, family, job responsibilities) circulating, despite the difficulties inherent.

Which is what each of our Dr. Lisa Radio Hour guests this week have done.

A brave, resilient group this is.

Flexible & fearless.

The very definition of strength.

  

Tree House

K'Port, June 2011

This, I Believe

Strange times, these.

A decade ago this September, we saw the Twin Towers fall.

We felt our faith shaken, deeply.

We knew fear.

Since that time, we have seen financial devastation in our country, widespread. We have seen jobs lost; houses gone into foreclosure. Divorce rates rising. Families struggling.

Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Mother Nature, unleashed.

Many things once thought secure, now not.

Hard it is to know what we might believe in.

Hard it is, but more important than ever. Hard it is, but in some ways easy indeed.

Now we may believe in our relationships with others.

Now we may believe in love and compassion.

Now we may believe in the healing power of connections.

I believe that we are living in a time of great abundance--we need only know where to look. In 2008, I mustered the help of countless individuals, and Islandport Press, to publish Our Daily Tread, a book which has thus far raised more than $20,000 for the children of Safe Passage.

In 2010, I asked my community to come forward and "Kick Up Your Healin'."  Through art donations, musical performances, and a good old-fashioned bake sale, we raised more than $6000 for the National Foundation for Cancer Research, in honor of our friend, Kent Pierce.

Where scarcity seemed more likely, much wealth was found.

Now I am staking my life and my livelihood on my belief that we can continue to find abundance where scarcity seems more likely, and in doing so we can transform medicine. With simple things, such as nutritious food, clean air, 'body play,' mindfulness and--most importantly--good relationships with others, we can heal ourselves, and our fellow humans.

I believe this so strongly that I have, since 2000, dedicated myself to practicing medicine in way consistent with my views.  Since 1996, I have been writing about my beliefs for print and online publications, both local and national. Since 2009, I have been appearing weekly on WPME TV/WLOB radio, spreading the "Dr. Lisa" message with the help of co-hosts Ray Richardson & Ted Talbot.

Today, I am taking a bigger leap, and (once again) I am again asking people to join me in my quest.

I am asking companies and individuals to financially support an hourlong Dr. Lisa radio show, beginning September 18 on WLOB 95.5 FM. This show will be available to streaming audiences around the world.

Our show--our message--is being championed by some very dedicated and successful people, including our friends at Maine magazine and our longtime supporter, Tom Shepard.

Others are beginning to line up.

Ultimately I know I will be joined by many who want to support this notion: that healing, as a larger community, is possible. That we can transform medicine.

That abundance is here, now.

That, through our connections with others, we may know love instead of fear.

This, I believe.

and again

2011

Do you believe in the transformative nature of abundance? Join Dr. Lisa in her quest.

Call 207 847 9393 or email lisa@drlisabelisle.org for more information about Dr. Lisa radio sponsorship.

Don't delay! We have work to do...

Both Hands

If you wish to embrace the bounty of the Universe, your arms best be open wide.

Which means both hands must be free.

In other words, let go.

Don't cling, even with one hand...

even with one pinkie...

to that which you believe may offer you a finger-hold of security.

Because it won't. 

All you will be doing is limiting your ability to embrace bounty. And the Universe is, truly, bountiful.

I have spent the past several years exploring the nature of bounty.  I have experienced the bounty of food.  I have experienced the bounty of the world in which I live.

I have experienced the bounty of love and relationships.

Through this bounty, I have known healing.  And about this bounty, I have written.

Thus this blog remains the "Bountiful Blog," and a version of this same "Bountiful Blog" will be featured shortly on the Spirituality & Health website.

I have had to let go, with all of my fingers, to a life that was no longer mine, to fully experience the bounty.

But I have been rewarded, many times over. A new blog connection. An expanded radio presence this fall. A recently redesigned office space. Fiercely loyal patients, colleagues, friends and family.

I merely needed to open my arms to the abundance.

I shared the open arms idea with a new friend I met last night at dinner. It was an idea I had heard from a patient of mine several months ago--when I was still clinging to a vestige of my former life.

Shortly after the conversation with my patient, I let go.  And have felt myself catapulting downward into the abyss of an unknown existence. Wracked, at times, with fear I have been.

But simultaneously experienced the sweet updraft of hope. Buoyancy, I have known.

Arms wide open, I have embraced the light streaming from above.

Fear. Hope. Desperation. Buoyancy.

Love.

Life, lived.

I am here to tell you this:

Let go, my friends. Open your arms.

Today.

light, streaming

Falmouth Town Landing, 2010

Are you living life with arms open? Leave a comment below, or send an email to lisa@drlisabelisle.com.Your feedback is most welcome and appreciated.

Ready to let go? We can help. Give our office a call to set up a consult: 207 847 9393.

 

 

 

Big Girl Pants & the Stress Scale

This week on our Dr. Lisa WLOB radio segment we discussed the Holmes & Rahe Stress Scale.  This scale (also called the Social Readjustment Rating Scale), gives a number value to stressful events that occur in our lives.  The more stressful the event, the greater the number.  "Death of a Spouse" receives the highest number (100) of "life change units."  Divorce gets 73; job loss 47.

Adding together the number of stressful events in a year enables us to see how at risk we are for illness.

As mentioned here on the blog, I've had a few stressful life events recently.  I know that my risk is above average for illness.

Given this knowledge, I've made an ongoing effort to stay balanced.  I try to meditate, write, eat well and run.  Most importantly, I try to incorporate Qigong into my routine on a regular basis.  The latter has proven especially useful for maintaining a sense of personal normalcy (whatever "normal" means).

All of these things have proven necessary because, despite what stressors I might be experiencing, I have to keep on living.  I have to keep showing up. 

I have to keep showing up for my children, my family, my friends and my patients.

I have to keep being a doctor; keep making a living.

Regardless of how I might be feeling each morning, I need to be able to put on my big girl pants and act like an adult.

This isn't always easy.  In fact, far from it.  My friends and family, with whom I have frequent email/text/phone exchanges will attest to this.  Some days are pretty good; others not so much.

But life is life.  The sun rises and we get up.  We care for our families.  We go to work. We return home. Care for our families.  Go to sleep.  Start again the next day.

And in the midst of this, we try to pay attention to the beauty that is--still--everywhere, no matter what our personal situations may look like.  We savor important moments whenever possible.

It would be great if we were able to stop the play on the field and take a time out when we needed to rebalance; re-equilibrate. 

But life is not a game.  It moves along, with or without us.

And if life is going to move along, I guess I chose to move with it, even in the face of an ever increasing quantity of personal "life change units."

I chose to keep showing up, wearing my big girl pants.

Spring Turbulence, Royal River

March 2011

 

 

Valentine-Inspired Black Beans & Rice

Wondering what to serve your Valentine next week?  How about a lovely heart-pleasing, red-accented black beans and rice dish...

As we discuss in the Dragon's Way Qigong-based wellness class offered through our office, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the heart is the keeper of the spirit (called Shen, in TCM).  It also rules mental activities, and is responsible for consciousness and memory. The primary emotion associated with the heart is joy, the "element" of the heart is fire, and (as one might imagine) the color correlated with the heart is red.

The following Valentine-Inspired Black Beans & Rice recipe is not only joyfully festive and red, but it has a hint of fire from the cherry bomb pepper. It is also VERY healthy, and cost-effective to boot. It combines black beans and rice as featured in this morning's segment with Ray Richardson & Ted Talbot on WLOB radio/WPME TV, with cocktail tomatoes (locally grown by Backyard Farms in Madison) from last week's WLOB 'basket o' fun.

Valentine-Inspired Black Beans & Rice

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 bunch of scallions (about 8)
• 1 cherry bomb pepper (can substitute a mild jalapeno), seeded and chopped
• 1 sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (we like Basmati)
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 1/4 tsp ground sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• optional: 2 red radishes, halved and sliced into half-moons

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Chop scallions coarsely, setting green parts aside. Add garlic and white part of scallions to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.

Add peppers to skillet.  Sprinkle with salt and cumin. Cook until just tender (5-10 minutes).

Add beans, rice and vegetable stock.  Cook until warmed through, and stock has been absorbed into the mixture.  Fold in tomatoes. Heat thoroughly.

Stir in lime juice. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Optional: garnish with radishes and/or uncooked, chopped green scallions.

Enjoy warm or cold.

Sweet Salad Turnips with Fresh Basil

This delicious side dish combines the summery taste of fresh basil with a readily available winter root crop.

It was created using delicate white salad turnips from Fishbowl Farm in Bowdoinham, along with other ingredients from our recent WLOB 'Basket o' Fun.'

In Maine, basil is grown year-round at Olivia's Garden in New Gloucester.

 Sweet Salad Turnips with Fresh Basil

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 10 medium salad turnips (2 cups when sliced)
• 2 TBSP chopped fresh basil
• 1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 tsp ground sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil skillet in a medium lidded skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and shallot. Cook until translucent, above 5 minutes.

Wash turnips and remove roots & greens.  Cut in each in half vertically, then slice into thin "half moons."   Add to skillet with basil.  Sprinkle with salt. Cover with skillet lid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender (about 10 minutes).

Add tomato to turnip mixture.  Cook until heated through (2-5 minutes).

Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Baby Chard & Mushroom Saute

Mushrooms are a phenomenal fungus.  As we've written about before (see our Mucking About with Mushrooms post), they are replete with amazing health benefits.  Mushrooms have been an important element of the Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years.  They are especially good at boosting the immune system, which is a welcome trait this time of year.

The following recipe combines white button mushrooms with locally grown baby chard and garlic from last week's WLOB 'basket o' fun.' It provides a simple, flavorful way to bring a phenomenal fungus to your table.

Baby Chard & Mushroom Saute

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 1/2 lb button mushrooms
• 4 cups baby chard (or regular chard, stems removed & coursely chopped)
• 1/4 tsp ground sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil skillet in a medium lidded skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and shallot. Cook until translucent, above 5 minutes.

Gentle wipe mushrooms clean of dirt.  Remove stems.  Slice caps thinly.  Add to skillet.  Sprinkle with half the salt. Cover with skillet lid. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender (5-10 minutes).

Wash chard well.  Pat dry.  Add to mushrooms.  Sprinkle with remaining salt. Cover with lid and allow to "steam" in the skillet until bright green (2-5 minutes).

Remove lid and cook until chard is wilted. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

El Rayo-Inspired Winter Squash Soup

We've featured winter squash many times in our WLOB "Basket o' Fun" on Tuesday mornings.  Winter squash varieties such as Butternut, Buttercup and Delicata are available during the coldest months, and keep (almost) forever. This sweet golden-orange vegetable is high in fiber, and full of vitamins, such as A, B and C. 

Winter squash is also a good source of folic acid (also known as Vitamin B9), the heart-healthy, birth defect preventive, anti-cancer nutrient featured on last Tuesday's Dr. Lisa segment with Ray Richardson & Ted Talbot on WLOB.

The "South of the Border Winter Squash Soup" recipe found below was inspired by a weekend visit to El Rayo Taqueria in Portland.  We love El Rayo for its use of fresh produce and its innovative take on Mexican food. Their soup was the perfect follow-up to a chilly (albeit beautiful) weekend walk.

Winter squash in a Mexican-style winter soup will warm the cockles of even the coldest heart.

South of the Border Winter Squash Soup

~2 tablespoon olive oil
~3 cups winter squash, cut into 1 inch cubes (we used Butternut)
~1 medium yellow onion, chopped
~3 garlic cloves, minced
~2 medium carrots, chopped
~2 stalks of celery, chopped
~2 sweet peppers, chopped (we used 1 green and 1 orange)
~1 mild jalapeno, seeds & ribs removed, minced
~4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
~1 tablespoon chili powder
~1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
~1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
~1 tablespoon maple syrup
~juice from 1/2 lime
~1 can black beans, rinsed
~1 cup cooked corn kernels (we used frozen)
~dash cayenne
~freshly ground pepper and sea salt, to taste

optional:
~2 tablespoons cilantro
~2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a dash of salt.  Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  Put in a blender or food processor with 1 cup vegetable stock.  Process until smooth.

Pour remaining olive oil in a heavy-bottomed stock pot or large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until tender.

Add carrots, celery and peppers. Stir in chili powder, dry mustard, cumin and a dash of salt. Saute 5-8 minutes.

Add stock, beans, corn and pureed squash to pot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook until vegetables are tender and beans & corn heated through (approximately 10 minutes).

Add maple syrup and lime juice, followed by salt and pepper, to taste.

Garnish with cilantro and/or pumpkin seeds, if desired.

Enjoy!

Celeriac, Vindicated: Curried Apple & Celeriac Salad

It looks like a shrunken head, and it is admittedly a bit hard to work with, but celeriac (also known as celery root) adds an interesting flavor to winter dishes. 

This recipe was inspired by a recent visit to Bar Lola on Munjoy Hill in Portland.  Bar Lola's salad used a more traditional version of aioli, which involves the use of eggs.  Our adaptation (created by my talented self-taught-chef-of-a-husband husband) is egg-free.

After much trial and error with celeriac (as mentioned as part of last Tuesday's Dr. Lisa visit on WLOB), we've decided that this is a vegetable worth working with.  The key when using raw celeriac is to cut the root into very small pieces, like the "matchsticks" pictured below.

This fresh, tangy salad adds a brightness to any winter table.

Curried Apple & Celeriac Salad

Makes 3 cups

Dressing

~1/4 cup high quality extra virgin olive oil
~2-3 cloves garlic (depending on taste)
~1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
~1 teaspoon high quality curry powder
~3-4 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Salad

~2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
~1 medium head of celariac of red cabbage, peeled and cut into matchsticks
~1 large Fuji apple (preferably organic), cut into matchsticks, unpeeled

~juice from 1/2 lemon

Place dressing ingredients in a small food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Add lemon juice to apple pieces immediately after chopping, to keep from turning brown.  Combine apples, carrots and celeriac.

Fold dressing into salad ingredients.

Arrange on a beautiful platter or individual plates.

Enjoy!