What you do for exercise and how you incorporate it into your week?

I like to go for walks, run, do yoga and HIIT as time permits; I make a point to look for pockets of time to be active, as I almost never have a solid 30-60 minutes to exercise, unless I wake up super early or manage to attend a yoga class. I tell myself “Every bit counts!” to stay motivated.

How do your eating habits contribute to your wellness?

My nutrition is predominantly whole food plant based (have not given up cheese on the pizza for family pizza night just yet!) and find that it helps me with energy and recovery from exercise. Also, I have a strong family history of diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease, so for me, nutrition is key for minimizing my risk.

Do you engage in any contemplation practices, and if so, what/how/when?

I meditate almost daily, either Transcendental Meditation or a guided meditation from the Calm app. I also will journal at times, especially when trying to figure out a challenge or make important decisions

Any healthy sleep habits?

For me, being really consistent with bedtime and wake up time makes a BIG difference in energy, mood and concentration, so I prioritize the wind down time in the evenings and try not to sleep in on the weekends.

What do you do for fun?

Playing with the kids, reading, going to the beach, spend time outdoors.

Anything else would you like to share with your colleagues?

Taking care of ourselves is not a luxury, it is a necessity. We cannot show up for others in the way we want if we do not tend to our own needs.

What you do for exercise and how you incorporate it into your week? I bike to work when it is not too cold or wet. Pre-pandemic it allowed me to avoid the traffic on the Dumbarton bridge. I also borrow some of the PCPH free weights that are stashed in the 4th floor Hoover office cubbies. I bought a standing desk in case you were wondering why I'm always moving in the back of zoom meetings. 

How do your eating habits contribute to your wellness? I will plead the fifth on this one... 

Do you engage in any contemplation practices, and if so, what/how/when? I never really did prior to last year when I started using the headspace app last March. This has helped a lot during this time. I try to write out gratitudes when things are overwhelming. 

Any healthy sleep habits?

My kids politely encourage me to not sleep in. If I have trouble getting to sleep or going back to sleep, I throw on the PCPH funded noise cancelling headphones and fire up the headspace app. I try to keep the phone off and away from bed. However, this did backfire one night when I was on call (sorry again Dr. Singh). 

What do you do for fun?

I like spending time with my wife, 2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 turtles. New pandemic hobbies include online chess, gardening, indoor plants (let me know if you want to swap cuttings), and teaching my son to how to golf. 

Anything else would you like to share with your colleagues? It has been a really tough year for many of us. I've learned to have self compassion as inevitably the pandemic has made it made it difficult for us to have the same pre-pandemic wellness habits (Dr. Jee taught me that). I'm hoping for a good reset soon!

What you do for exercise and how you incorporate it into your week?

I bike 8 miles to work 1-2 times per week.  

For a month I have been restarting the couch to 5 K app.  I am on week 3. I did week for 2 weeks.  I do it 2 times per week.  

I love doing a Kickboxing/cardio work out on Wednesdays. I rarely miss this.  It helps to be in a class and have people who are waiting for me and the coach of course is motivating!

How do your eating habits contribute to your wellness? 

I eat too much, but I became a pescatarian a couple of years ago and it suits me.  It helps when I am not tired.  I eat to give me a little more zip.  I don't do any caffeine so sugar and chocolate substitute for that!  Less healthy....

Do you engage in any contemplation practices, and if so, what/how/when?

 I like to use the CALM app.  I have taken several mediation classes.  My favorite is mindfullness based self-compassion.  Bob Horowitz teaches a great class at El Camino Hospital near my home that I would highly recommend. I do not have a regular practice. I use the approach with my patients and myself.  I meditate in the morning if I feel stressed or at night when I would like help falling asleep. 

Any healthy sleep habits?

To sleep better I avoid caffeine.  I love relaxing and reading before I sleep.  Screens keep me awake.  

What do you do for fun?

For fun I hang with my family, knit, hike and am preparing to to a sprint triathlon.  My goal is just to complete it.  I did a family triathlon last year in Oakland.  I did the swimming leg, my husband the biking and one of my sons ran.  This year I hope to do all 3! The hardest for me will be the running. 

What you do for exercise and how you incorporate it into your week?

I try to exercise 4-5 times per week.  We have an elliptical in our garage so that is my easiest one to accomplish, but I also enjoy yoga and walking my miniature schnauzer.  I’ll work out with the kids if that is the only chance that I get and they think it is fun to do yoga or Zumba videos with mommy!  I most recently experimented with exercising morewhen I felt stressed and short on time by going to yoga classes by the office, and really did see the benefit that giving myself that time actually helped me be more productive and feel better in the process. This was a concept I took from my experience in the SPACE program- that providers need radical self-care to do all the things that we do!

How do your eating habits contribute to your wellness? 

I definitely notice that eating well impacts my productivity at work and how I feel overall.  I try to eat mostly salads for lunch (Laura Vaughan got me into Urban Remedy, which is really nutritious and easy) and to remind myself to drink water.

Do you engage in any contemplation practices, and if so, what/how/when?

I use Calm and do the daily meditation about twice a week.  My favorite focus lately has been on self-compassion, which I think I really need to work on.  I took advantage of the physician health coaching program and my coach introduced me to Kristin Neff’s work, which I’ve found to be very helpful.  It’s a work in progress!

Any healthy sleep habits?

I recently found Bob Ross sleep stories on Calm and it is strangely soothing!  

What do you do for fun?

My most fun wellness practice is creative writing - I mostly write about patient experiences and it helps me to process difficult situations and find more joy in my practice.  

What you do for exercise and how you incorporate it into your week?

I have to run at least 4 times a week or I get really stressed out and cranky. I love it because if you have a half hour, you can put on your shoes and go out the front door and run for a half hour. I do home workout videos for stretching or strength training a few times a week, walk my dog, ride horses and think about signing up for yoga. Plus biking to work

How do your eating habits contribute to your wellness? 

Well, coffee is supposed to be good for you so that’s good! I like veggies. I like to cook so I make a lot of my own food. Dark chocolate is also good for you. Really. And I drink a lot of water. Used to be addicted to diet coke, now am addicted to sparkling water. Could be worse.

Do you engage in any contemplation practices, and if so, what/how/when?

I try to be mindful on my bike ride to work and appreciate the weather, the trees, etc. I’m not very good at it. I last only for 30 seconds or so and then I start planning my day. Running is my contemplation. Left, right, left, right. Listen to music, run the trails, get fresh air. That’s my meditation. Petting my dog (golden retriever and the best dog ever) also helps center me.

Any healthy sleep habits?

I am the world’s worst insomniac. Have twice woken myself up with my own breathing. Have slept through the night once since my daughter was born….12 years ago. I do try to keep regular bedtime hours, no screen before bedtime, warm tea, etc. But really you shouldn’t look to me for an example! It’s like my switch got turned to “on” when I had kids, and I haven’t been able to turn it off.

What do you do for fun?

Reading! I love books. I’m trying to not buy stuff, but books are an exception. I’m supporting the authors and bookstores, you know? J I like to garden, even though I’m absolutely terrible at it. I can’t even grow zucchini. I do have a passionflower vine that is taking over our block, so I like to look at that and congratulate myself. Plus it’s fun to putter around in the yard a bit, water something, find new bugs, etc. I also like really bad B-movies (like “attack of the 5-headed shark!”, being outside in any way, riding horses, and cooking. And doing silly stuff with my kids. Once we drew pirate faces on a bunch of Brussels sprouts and hid them around the house for my husband to find. Like in his shoes.   Hee hee.

Each month a faculty member is asked to share their Wellness Habits and  Dr. Megan Mahoney has graciously agreed to inaugurate this effort!

What you do for exercise and how you incorporate it into your week?

I try to follow what I recommend to my patients: 150 minutes of exercise a week. Typically, I go to a 70 minute vinyasa yoga class at 7am on Mondays – a great way to start the work week! The yoga studio is only a short 4-minute walk away from my house and the instructor is my favorite in the City. I hit the gym on the weekends to complete the remaining 80 minutes of exercise.

How do your eating habits contribute to your wellness? 

My husband worked as a chef at restaurants, including Greens in SF and Stars in Palo Alto, known for “California cuisine”. Consequently, our house is full of foods low in saturated fats and high in fresh vegetables and fruits with lean meats and seafood from the California coast. As a family we enjoy going to local farmers markets and cooking and eating together with family and friends. I am at my best when my diet mainly consists of so-called slow food.

Do you engage in any contemplation practices, and if so, what/how/when?

I meditate every morning for at least 5 minutes, mostly metta or lovingkindess meditation, wishing the best for PCPH colleagues, family, friends, and all of humanity. Incorporating a mindfulness practice has been transformative for me, and has made me a better physician, colleague, parent, partner and leader.

Any healthy sleep habits?

Sleep is the foundation of our emotional health and I prioritize sleeping 7-9 hours a night. I have noticed that alcohol affects my sleep and avoid alcohol during the work week.

What do you do for fun?

My family and I enjoy hiking, camping, biking, traveling, dancing, making films, cooking and eating together with family and friends. Recently my 8 year-old daughter has become quite accomplished in “staring contests”, a game in which two people maintain eye contact for as long as possible and the loser being the one who is the first to laugh or look away. She flares her nostrils and contorts her lips, all with a straight face, which has proven to be a highly effective formula that makes me laugh every time. You can even do it on facetime!

Anything else you would like to share?

I once asked a busy social worker at Hoover how she can be so calm and peaceful despite the workload, and she replied that she leads a “minimalist lifestyle”. That really resonated with me (and if those who have been to my vacuous home, you know why). Decluttering our lives helps us declutter the mind, body and soul, brings a sense of wellbeing,  and supports a sustainable planet!