Hopis have two types of medicine men, neither the particularly metaphysical type often associated with Native America. One is more of an herbalist, prescribing various teas and concoctions for what ails you. I was once given bear root for a sore throat, and it had a local anesthetic effect. The man who gave it to me said it would impress the Hopi grandmas if I carried some around with me...
The other type is called a bonesetter. You can guess what they do. The Hopi have been living on the tops of three mesas in northeastern Arizona for oh, a millenium or so. They are bound to have learned a thing or two about putting bones back in place. More than once, I saw a patient that had been to the bonesetter, who did what they could and sent them up to the pahana (white guy) hospital.
Primal/paleo medicine is about getting back to common sense. So when the latest victim of zombie attack in Utah State's annual "humans vs. zombies" student campus game came in to the clinic...common sense dictated my next move. The zombies had chased him over a flower bed and into a dislocated elbow, his humerus now several cm impacted away from his olecranon. Common sense said feel around for a fracture, check his pulses, and turn down the lights in the room. Talk to him soft, soft, with no urgency or panic and ask him to relax, feel his muscles soften, feel the edges of the bones that want so much to go back to their rightful anatomical position. Oh, they want to. They just have to be coaxed. And with a quick squeeze of my hand and a gasp from him, he had an elbow again. And didn't go to the ER to have the same thing done for a grand or so.
And when I have the privilege of doing these things for people, I feel the ancient connection to those medicine men, doing their best to bring some comfort.
Now THAT's paleo.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Friday, March 23, 2012
Common Sense from The Cave
Paleo Fx kicked off March 14 in Austin with an inspirational intro from Dr. Jack Kruse, who detailed his path to becoming a source for optimized life for patients and physicians alike. Thus began a 3 day immersion into the practical applications of the "paleo" lifestyle, from detailed lipid chemistry -- Chris Kresser is a very smart guy--to nutrition for the family--rollergirl skates into the cave--to fostering change--shrinking your head, paleo style.
So what's the deal? as perhaps best asked here, back in the day. (you need to see this, for stress management).
To paraphrase the evolutionary psychiatrist, Eat real food. Get 8-9 hours of quality sleep nightly. Exercise regularly. Manage your stress (perhaps through changing your priorities, meditation, life coaching, simplifying, or getting professional help with all of that). That dang deal right there is 80% of "this paleo gig," as Robb Wolf, paleo guru would say. If you're interested, best starters are Robb Wolf, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, and Mark Sisson. This is "common sense medicine," and it's my hope you'll hear more about that in the years to come. Salud!
So what's the deal? as perhaps best asked here, back in the day. (you need to see this, for stress management).
To paraphrase the evolutionary psychiatrist, Eat real food. Get 8-9 hours of quality sleep nightly. Exercise regularly. Manage your stress (perhaps through changing your priorities, meditation, life coaching, simplifying, or getting professional help with all of that). That dang deal right there is 80% of "this paleo gig," as Robb Wolf, paleo guru would say. If you're interested, best starters are Robb Wolf, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, and Mark Sisson. This is "common sense medicine," and it's my hope you'll hear more about that in the years to come. Salud!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Dubcave and the hipster police...
Jacob's face lit up, the Christmas lasers reflecting off his teeth as the bass rattled our rib cages...
TOY, out of LA, was digging into their penultimate groove as we made our way towards the front of the venue, Star Wars cantina meets acid lounge. I am NOT making this up...I am in the Purple Haze glow there, grinning back at Jake, but those are not the droids I was looking for.
We had walked into one spot and saw 3 bands--Smashing Pumpkins meets Junior High Poetry Slam (that may have been their actual name), then a folky/Jewel-esque combo called State (no link found). Then we entered the hipster zone and the space time continuum changed completely.
Jake and I had met Emily Deans--the Evolutionary Psychiatrist--at Paleofx, and she grew up in Austin its own self. The three of us once again ate at Ruby's BBQ--so good you had to have it twice!--and ventured into the fray of SXSW. After our stint on Tattooine, we headed for Shiner's Saloon, where Emily's pal Jenny was rocking the french horn (yes, I said ROCKING the FRENCH HORN) for LesRAV , whose lead singer was sort of a Throwing Muses meets Bjork at age 22. Check it out in links below. Pretty good stuff, for we avant garde hipster types.
Jacob had trouble getting into the skinny jeans, but my beard made up for it as we met up with Eric (who indeed had the beard down pat) and finished off our evening at a place called the Cloak Room right by the Texas statehouse, dangerously beautiful in its scary tyrannical capital punishment pink marble glory.
More on Paleo Fx conference (& BBQ highlights) tomorrow.I can tell you music loud enough to vibrate your internal organs is bound to be good for you... and that to be a REAL hipster, you gotta have a digital watch circa 1983. Ebay, anyone?
The Links: Emily, the Evolutionary Psychiatrist
TOY
LesRAV (hip chamber pop)
galactical places to go, 2012
THAT's what I'm talking about...
TOY, out of LA, was digging into their penultimate groove as we made our way towards the front of the venue, Star Wars cantina meets acid lounge. I am NOT making this up...I am in the Purple Haze glow there, grinning back at Jake, but those are not the droids I was looking for.
Jake and I had met Emily Deans--the Evolutionary Psychiatrist--at Paleofx, and she grew up in Austin its own self. The three of us once again ate at Ruby's BBQ--so good you had to have it twice!--and ventured into the fray of SXSW. After our stint on Tattooine, we headed for Shiner's Saloon, where Emily's pal Jenny was rocking the french horn (yes, I said ROCKING the FRENCH HORN) for LesRAV , whose lead singer was sort of a Throwing Muses meets Bjork at age 22. Check it out in links below. Pretty good stuff, for we avant garde hipster types.
Jacob had trouble getting into the skinny jeans, but my beard made up for it as we met up with Eric (who indeed had the beard down pat) and finished off our evening at a place called the Cloak Room right by the Texas statehouse, dangerously beautiful in its scary tyrannical capital punishment pink marble glory.More on Paleo Fx conference (& BBQ highlights) tomorrow.I can tell you music loud enough to vibrate your internal organs is bound to be good for you... and that to be a REAL hipster, you gotta have a digital watch circa 1983. Ebay, anyone?
The Links: Emily, the Evolutionary Psychiatrist
TOY
LesRAV (hip chamber pop)
galactical places to go, 2012
THAT's what I'm talking about...
Thursday, March 15, 2012
mariachi with kilts
the best band you've never heard of led off the show at the Easy Tiger, a plum outdoor venue right on Waller Creek, a stream tamed by concrete in downtown austin.
The Scottish Music Industry Association's showcase featured the cream of the Scottish crop (would that be oats?) in rock/pop/DJs right now, and Woodenbox kicked the "arses" of the other lads and lassies that followed. It was like The Clash was born in the Mississippi Delta, went to Chicago, found some horns, and headed south to Tijuana. I am not making this up.
Paleo conference--more tomorrow. Turns out gluten is bad for you...shhhhhh...
And SXSW? Well, I met an artist, a couple of musicians, and someone whose card reads "Director of Interactive Marketing." And there was a twentysomething staggering about loudly quoting Gwendolyn Brooks--"We Sing Sin/ We Thin Gin," and I stopped him--"You're a writer," I said. "Ain't nobody else would know that poem." "Yeah, man!" "What are you writing?" "Rock and roll songs," he laughed.
THOUSANDS of people on the street at midnight. The men, however, do not look well kept. As if liquor and weed might wear on one after awhile, even at twentysomething. They are, however, keeping Austin weird.
Tonight? A movie, I think--I will have to sleep sometime, though.
"Hey!" I said to my new writer pal. "Go write novels. That's what we need. Novelists."
"Thanks brother!" he shouted as I made my way back up Congress Street in poorly chosen footwear.
Indeed.
The links: Scottish Music and Woodenbox
"We Real Cool"
The Scottish Music Industry Association's showcase featured the cream of the Scottish crop (would that be oats?) in rock/pop/DJs right now, and Woodenbox kicked the "arses" of the other lads and lassies that followed. It was like The Clash was born in the Mississippi Delta, went to Chicago, found some horns, and headed south to Tijuana. I am not making this up.
And SXSW? Well, I met an artist, a couple of musicians, and someone whose card reads "Director of Interactive Marketing." And there was a twentysomething staggering about loudly quoting Gwendolyn Brooks--"We Sing Sin/ We Thin Gin," and I stopped him--"You're a writer," I said. "Ain't nobody else would know that poem." "Yeah, man!" "What are you writing?" "Rock and roll songs," he laughed.
THOUSANDS of people on the street at midnight. The men, however, do not look well kept. As if liquor and weed might wear on one after awhile, even at twentysomething. They are, however, keeping Austin weird.
Tonight? A movie, I think--I will have to sleep sometime, though.
"Hey!" I said to my new writer pal. "Go write novels. That's what we need. Novelists."
"Thanks brother!" he shouted as I made my way back up Congress Street in poorly chosen footwear.
Indeed.
The links: Scottish Music and Woodenbox
"We Real Cool"
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
south by southwest by caveman...
"This is only a test...were this an actual blog, you'd be getting more out of it"
From gate B12-
I took the 400 dollar voucher, the 1st class upgrade, and
the 18 bucks in food coupons and ran to the dee-lux digs of the comfort inn airport. Not to disparage the establishment, but you get what you pay for. I aint sayin', just sayin', you know what I'm sayin'? The highlight of the place was the free toothbrush/toothpaste. My dopp kit is already IN Texas...
The Caveman conference - - urrrrgghh, Grok click here -- seemed like a great way to go until I found that hotel rooms were 300 DOLLARS A NIGHT. Turns out, it is also the week of South by Southwest, one of the biggest music/technology/arts festivals in the US.
Just the music schedule is intimidating- see? --
Last time I was in 1st class, it was only because I was terribly ill, and noticed a flight attendant took pity on me. Today, I already noted that I had a bit of my own 'tude just because there was a little delay getting we first classers on the plane...interesting what even the "backdoor" to privilege does to us, hm? Do those with BS "higher status" come to expect special treatment? Moreover, do they get it? There are better snacks in 1st class--
Fortunately, I won't be in that echelon often, anyhow! More later--1) Staying with Gammy, Deb's mom, saving me that 300 DOLLARS A NIGHT! Yes! 2) Hopeful foreshadowing of a fun night--"If it's not Scottish it's CRAP!"
JB
From gate B12-
I took the 400 dollar voucher, the 1st class upgrade, and
the 18 bucks in food coupons and ran to the dee-lux digs of the comfort inn airport. Not to disparage the establishment, but you get what you pay for. I aint sayin', just sayin', you know what I'm sayin'? The highlight of the place was the free toothbrush/toothpaste. My dopp kit is already IN Texas...
The Caveman conference - - urrrrgghh, Grok click here -- seemed like a great way to go until I found that hotel rooms were 300 DOLLARS A NIGHT. Turns out, it is also the week of South by Southwest, one of the biggest music/technology/arts festivals in the US.
Just the music schedule is intimidating- see? --
Last time I was in 1st class, it was only because I was terribly ill, and noticed a flight attendant took pity on me. Today, I already noted that I had a bit of my own 'tude just because there was a little delay getting we first classers on the plane...interesting what even the "backdoor" to privilege does to us, hm? Do those with BS "higher status" come to expect special treatment? Moreover, do they get it? There are better snacks in 1st class--
Fortunately, I won't be in that echelon often, anyhow! More later--1) Staying with Gammy, Deb's mom, saving me that 300 DOLLARS A NIGHT! Yes! 2) Hopeful foreshadowing of a fun night--"If it's not Scottish it's CRAP!"
JB
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