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Posts for category: Lifestyle

By Dr. Roger Moore
September 28, 2015
Category: Lifestyle

 

My father once said to me, “You can make that standing on your head.” He said this to me during a phone call to him while I was in medical school. I had never heard him say such a strange saying.

You see, I was a marketing major until I decided, after my fourth knee surgery, that being a doctor and helping others was what I wanted to do. This required a mad scramble to get all the required courses out of the way and obtain a biology degree in my final two years of college. I managed to do so through shear grit and hours of studying to no end, but medical school was another story entirely.

Having changed my major so late, I was certainly not ahead of anyone in medical school in the classes we took. The first year was so over­whelming that I questioned if I could make it or not.

Many nights I would call home and tell my parents I just did not know if I could make it. Looking back, they must have had quite a bit of understanding as I re­peated the same story to them over and over like a broken record.

It was just too much and I was not sure if I could make it. My father would end our conversations each time with, “Roger, you can make that stand­ing on your head.”

Somehow his assurances and confidence helped me hang in there one day at a time. Somehow I did make it and was fortunate to graduate near the top of my class. And sure enough I made it just like he said, but without having ever stood on my head.

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By Dr. Roger Moore
September 08, 2015
Category: Lifestyle

One day I entered the room for surgery and asked the patient how he was doing. The friendly response I got was, “I am sanguine.” Now I had no idea what this meant. Before I could get out the ‘Huh?’ I was thinking, my patient’s wife said, “Oh he’s at it again. It is his word of the day.”

This kind gentleman had dealt with the challenges of being an organ transplant recipient. At too young an age he had an organ fail in his body and he could not live without dialysis. He was fortunate to receive a transplant that gave him a new lease on life.

He tried to find ways to keep himself busy and optimistic. He decided to learn a word a day to expand his mind. He also put time into bowling. He actually became very good at both. So good at bowling he competed in the “Transplant games,” a competition for those who have had an organ transplant.

He told me how he had set a goal to win a medal and accomplished this goal twice. He said he was driven to get one more medal. Why? Well the medals had a purpose. They were a gift he gave away. The first was for the mother, then second for the father and the future medal was meant for the brother of the person whose organs kept him alive today. He was doing this for them.

Sanguine, he explained, meant hopeful. Although I may forget the meaning, I will never forget the acts of kindness he shared. He reminded me that each of us owe a debt of gratitude to those who have helped us along our journey to where we are today. It is through others we find our true self. 

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By Dr. Roger Moore
August 18, 2015
Category: Lifestyle

Working with other people can be challenging.  Every one of us has some situation where getting along with someone better would make our own life easier. Some ways to work with people who you feel have done something wrong or made a mistake can be:

1. Talk about your own mistakes before talking about theirs. One of my children brought home a bad grade once. It was easy enough to share the pitfalls I have had in school first. This can take some of the sting out for their own blunder. As for my kids, they are smarter than dad any­way.

2. Let the other person know they are capable of better. In my high school days I remember having a coach pull me aside and tell me he expected a certain level from me. Interestingly, this has stuck with me and to this day. Even as an adult I think about his comments and try to perform at a higher level.

3. Talk about mistakes indirectly. When we had work done on our home years ago my wife did a nice job of showing the contractor what he had done that was different than we agreed upon. She did this eloquently by reviewing the mistake in an indirect way. He did well at taking direction and we also got the changes we needed or had planned in the first place.

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By Lorraine Taylor and Dr. Roger Moore
March 10, 2015
Category: Lifestyle

Looking better with more sleep?

The amount of sleep one gets can have an impact on their appearance.   As unfortunate as it may seem the little things like restless nights and trouble falling asleep can affect how the world sees you.   Getting more sleep can thus help not only make you feel better, but also appear more ready to handle the challenges the world has to offer.

Some items we can often detect in others who are sleep deprived can include dark circles under the eyes, bags under the eyes, more pale skin, slower communication, and a generalized lack of energy.   On the other hand a rested person will appear hydrated, have a better appearance and display more vibrancy and confidence.   So it is important to get proper rest on a daily basis.   Some tips to make sure you are optimizing your sleep include:

  1. Set a schedule.   Our bodies adapt well to consistency in our schedules and this is important for sleeping.  When we go to bed at the same time our biologic clock will start preparing for rest at the expected time.

  2. Take time to unwind before bed.  When we make an effort to get away from distractions of the day before bed time we can be more relaxed when it is time to sleep.   Eliminating stressful discussions, electronics and television thirty minutes before bed can help us fall to sleep quicker.

  3. Try relaxation techniques.  Simple relaxation techniques can help.   Consider steps like closing the eyes and concentrating on our breathing while we take five slow deep breaths and mentally tell ourselves we are relaxed can be calming.   Other techniques may be tried as well.

  4. Exercise routinely.  Though exercise too soon before bed and impede sleep due to the endorphins released, exercising can help us rest better.  Typically 20 minutes of exercise if permitted by our doctor several times a week no closer than 1 hour before bed can improve sleep.

These are a few of the simple steps we can take to improve our sleep quality and lead to a more healthy lifestyle.   Quality sleep can be a key to feeling our best and also looking our best.   Helping your body reach its potential on a daily basis often requires proper sleep.   Find ways to sleep your best to you look your best. 

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