Ellen Vora, MD, Author at Ellen Vora, MD

Safetyism

by Ellen Vora, MD on Jul 23, 2020 / Share

I’ve been thinking a lot about the ways we shield our children from risk, sometimes at the expense of their development and wellbeing. A little calculated risk here and there (in a controlled setting) allows kids to develop coordination and confidence. It’s critical to their development. When we rescue them from every risky situation, they miss the chance to develop resourcefulness and a sense of self-efficacy. We can only shield our children so long, and then the world steps in, with very real risk. Perhaps it’s best to let them have a little experience of calculated risk here and there throughout childhood. This way, when they take on the world as adults, rather than crumpling at the first obstacle, they tap into a deep reservoir of knowing, in the words of Glennon Doyle, “we can do hard things.”

Switch Up Your Date Nights

by Ellen Vora, MD on Jul 21, 2020 / Share

I know date night is barely a thing these days, but if you do have a way of taking a night off with your person, I would suggest doing something out of the ordinary. Dinner at a restaurant is…fine…but it’s also expensive, boozey, standard, and slightly challenging under the current conditions. How about a hike? Or making your own silent disco in a park? In our case, we recently got a sitter and took a night off to go eat a picnic dinner in a park while listening to live music and then went to an outdoor natural hot springs spa–all for less than a typical restaurant meal. When we put our relationships into a new context, it breaks us out of the usual conversation topics and patterns. This is healing for a relationship (especially coming out of months of quarantine). I also find it stretches time–I’ll never remember a random date night at a restaurant, but this sublime experience will get filed under peak life experiences in my brain.

Nature Playground

by Ellen Vora, MD on Jul 21, 2020 / Share

I worry about the children these days. In ways that are beyond measure and comprehension, their development depends on the tactile feedback of climbing on rocks, skidding down steep gravel paths, and rolling in grass. I don’t dispute the reasons for staying home, but I think it’s also important to find a safe and responsible way to let the children roam free in the great outdoors. Let me know if you’ve found a way for your kids to play in mother nature’s playground. ⁠

“I know we’ve come a long way⁠
We’re changing day to day⁠
But tell me, where do the children play?”⁠
-Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam⁠

Nature is the Medicine

by Ellen Vora, MD on Jul 21, 2020 / Share

Nature is the medicine. After 4.5 months of continuous city living, barely leaving my neighborhood let alone the island of Manhattan, I was in deep need of nature. I felt it on the level of my cells. So we masked up and flew to Colorado. Our first stop was the quirky Manitou Springs, where the epic Pikes Peak (or Tava) seems to have created an underground reservoir of mineral springs that bubble up through the ground and nourish the people and the land. For hours a day I simply plugged my body physically into the earth. I stood barefoot in the dirt, I planted my feet in the stream and let the ice cold waters wash over me, I scrambled up red rock formations and planted myself down, letting my bare legs have an exchange with the warm rockbed. The sun kissed my skin, my lungs released their layer of NYC soot and took in this fresh mountain air, my eyes saw green, and my nervous system downshifted several levels. Nature is the medicine, and I’m immensely grateful to be bathing in it after so long.

Anti-Racism is Action

by Ellen Vora, MD on Jun 10, 2020 / Share

As founder of the Amplify Melanated Voices movement Jessica Wilson points out, “today is not the end, it’s just the beginning!” I don’t know when we’ll ever “arrive,” but I do know 2020 is different. The earth is quaking, the trauma embedded deep in the body of our country is pouring forth, & we are shifting. ⁠

I stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. If we’re talking about mental health & wellness in this community, we’re talking about racism. I hope you’ll stay for the conversation, even if (especially if) it makes you uncomfortable. I’ll work to keep this conversation centered around empathy, respect, nuance, & deep listening. ⁠

I also hope you’ll join me in committing to the lifelong work of anti-racism (and raising actively anti-racist children). Like so many, I’ve had the perverse privilege of *only now* recognizing the ways I’ve been complicit. This is a call to action to show up humbly & do the work continuously & across multiple dimensions. Anti-racism is action. Here are some of the things I’m doing as an example of ways to take action: ⁠
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1. Listening⁠
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2. Protesting⁠
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3. Donating: National Bail Out, Brooklyn Bail Fund, Black Visions Collective, Feeding The Valley, Ashe Birthing Services⁠
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4. Reading: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Me And White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad, White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo ⁠
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5. Confronting: having the uncomfortable conversations about racism with others; having the uncomfortable conversations with MYSELF⁠
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6. Watching: The Hate You Give, Dear White People, 13th ⁠
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7. Once I finally get the podcast off the ground, regularly featuring BIPOC as a critical perspective in the conversation about mental health & wellness⁠
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8. Supporting Black-owned businesses: Sol Cacao, Partake Foods, The Honey Pot Company⁠
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9. Learning from/amplifying melanated voices in mental health: Dr. Jennifer Mullan, The Nap Ministry, The Conscious Kid, Ashley Johns, Minaa B., Dr. Ann-Louise T. Lockhart
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10. VOTING⁠
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What are some of the actions you’re taking? Let me know so that as a community we can keep ourselves moving forward.

Screens Play an Underappreciated Role in Immunity

by Ellen Vora, MD on May 29, 2020 / Share

Our addiction to screens in the evening directly impacts our immune health. Melatonin turns on our immune system and helps us deal with viruses, infections, and nascent cancers. When we see screens (and other artificial light) after sunset, it suppresses melatonin release. And no, a melatonin supplement is not quite like the real thing. The best way to keep your immune system strong is to get sunshine during the day (so your body can make vitamin D), and avoid screens in the evening (so you can secrete melatonin). Keep the terrain of your body vibrant, and then you don’t have to worry quite so much about exposure.⁠

Possible Root Causes of Anxiety

by Ellen Vora, MD on May 29, 2020 / Share

Joint post with my friend Cory Rodriguez on the possible root causes of anxiety!⁠

What if there was more to anxiety than most people are told?⁠

We’re taught that anxiety is a genetic chemical imbalance, and if we have it, we’ll always have it. This may be true for some but is not always the case.⁠

In fact, so much anxiety is a direct result of how we live and the things we eat and drink. Some of these things are completely under our control.⁠

Anxiety can be reversible and can be managed!⁠

Even if your anxiety was said to be genetic, it still comes down to how you manage it on a daily basis.⁠

This obviously will be different for every person, but let’s dive into some of these potential reasons…⁠

1. Blood sugar – if you get hangry or anxious, you’re probably on a blood sugar roller coaster. Keep your blood sugar stable by eating plenty of protein and healthy fats, and avoiding sugar and refined carbs.⁠

2. Caffeine – caffeine is not an inherently bad substance, but some of us are sensitive to it, and it put our nervous system in a stress response.⁠

3. Sleep deprivation – there is no better medicine for anxiety than good sleep. Go to bed early and get the phone out of the bedroom.⁠

4. Chronic stress – set boundaries, say no, reframe, and generally opt out of the busy trap and trying to eek out as much productivity as possible. Do less and savor your time.⁠

5. Hormones & thyroid – irregular periods and thyroid dysfunction can both masquerade as anxiety disorders. Get checked and get things back in balance.⁠

6. Gut dysfunction – when your gut is inflamed, it sends a message straight to your brain that things are not okay.⁠

7. Chronic inflammation – an inflamed brain is an anxious brain. Eat an anti-inflammatory based diet.⁠
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8. Food sensitivities – a common cause of gut dysfunction and chronic inflammation.⁠

9. Micronutrient deficiencies – common issues, like B12 deficiency, can lead to anxiety.⁠

GABA, Melatonin, & Vitamin D are the Endangered Species of Modern Life

by Ellen Vora, MD on May 29, 2020 / Share

GABA – neurotransmitter that allows us to feel calm rather than anxious, panicked & unable to sleep – GABA functioning is compromised by alcohol, chronic stress, poor nutrition, & chronic benzo use, and when we’re missing certain beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. ⁠

Melatonin – supports immunity and restful sleep – suppressed with light exposure after sunset (think: screens)⁠

Vitamin D – hormone necessary for immune function, mental health, hormone balance, bone density, healthy weight, decreased risk of autoimmune disease & cancer, and basically everything else – we make it when the sun hits our skin, which doesn’t happen all that often in modern/indoor/quarantined/sunblocked life. ⁠

Is Temperature Affecting Your Sleep

by Ellen Vora, MD on May 18, 2020 / Share

Originally published in mindbodygreen

On the proverbial Savannah of evolution, the temperature drops at night. That temp drop is one of several contextual factors that cue us to feel sleepy.

The optimal temperature for sleep is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. I find that anything in the mid to high 60’s works well.

In the spring and fall, my favorite way to keep the bedroom cool at night is to open a window. Added benefits: fresh air, lower electric bill, and better for the planet.

How to Respond to Criticism

by Ellen Vora, MD on May 6, 2020 / Share

The world needs each and every one of us telling our truth. The criticism makes it so uncomfortable (believe me, I KNOW), but that’s not a reason to stop. Drown out any of the noise that’s not coming from a place of love, check in with yourself and get back in alignment with your intention, balance humility with conviction, get out there and sing your truth like the world depends on it. In some small and actually enormous ways, it does.