Health & Wellness

22 New Year Resolutions
December 21

When I qualified as a Doctor at 25 years old, I thought I knew everything there was to know about health and medicine. By the age of 30, I realized my medical training was limited and I didn’t really know much about health and wellness. So I went on a journey of discovery to expand my horizons and studied acupuncture, Chinese medicine, Functional medicine, nutrition, yoga and Buddhism. By 50, I realized my life training was limited too as my daughter (a teenager at the time) was pointing out “how stupid” I was. And now that I am 56, I realize I have amassed a lot of knowledge but have so much more to learn.

As I get older and hopefully wiser with every year, certain insights become clearer. Here are some of them gleaned from the wisdom I have gained from 31 years of marriage, having a 23 yr old daughter, 31 years of practicing medicine and being a perpetual student of life.

  • More Real Food, Less ”Food-like Substances”
  • More Fruit and Vegetables, Less Sugar, Gluten and Dairy
  • More Organic, Less Chemicals
  • More Clean Products, Less Toxic Products
  • More Chewing, Less Eating
  • More Water, Less Alcohol
  • More Walking, Less Driving
  • More Exercising, Less Watching TV
  • More Music, Less Noise
  • More Recycling, Less Waste
  • More Outdoors, Less Indoors
  • More Sleep, Less Worry
  • More Slow, Less Hurry
  • More Smiles, Less Anger
  • More Love, Less Hatred
  • More Fun, Less Serious
  • More Letting Go, Less Holding On
  • More Being, Less Doing
  • More Presence, Less Absence
  • More Generosity, Less Greed
  • More Forgiving, Less Blaming
  • More Ubuntu, Less Me!


As Archbishop Desmond Tutu says:

“Ubuntu is about the essence of being human, it is part of the gift that Africa will give the world. It embraces hospitality, caring about others, being able to go the extra mile for the sake of others. We believe that a person is a person through another person, that my humanity is caught up, bound up, inextricably, with yours. When I dehumanize you, I inexorably dehumanize myself. The solitary human being is a contradiction in terms and therefore you seek to work for the common good because your humanity comes into its own in belonging”.

Let 2011 be the year of UBUNTU

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  • David Gomes

    The Boston Celtics embraced ubuntu a couple of years ago. So let this be the year of ubuntu. Go Celtics!

  • http://www.arlenerush.com Arush

    Yes we must cherish each other, all living beings.
    Everyday we need to reflect that everything we have is because of others.
    What we eat, wear, home, etc….. Each thread of this tapestry of life what makes all of humanity. One thread missing the fabric will not hold up.
    Frank, I know you since 1991 and happy to see your progress. I can't believe your daughter is 23 years old.
    I remember her at my studio playing with clay over 15 years ago!
    Happy New Year.

  • Kim

    Thank you for the inspiring thoughts that hopefully lead us all to positive action for ourselves and others. Through God, I live my life according to the rule of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. I believe if everyone would embrace this basic tenet, the world would be a much better place. Ubuntu appears to embrace the belief system of caring for others in the same manner. My wish for the New Year is for all people to take action and live their lives by “going that extra mile for the sake of others”. This not only affords one the opportunity to help others but it also allows one's self esteem to expand; if you can love (or give to) yourself then you are in a better place to give to others freely. I know I will strive harder to do and give more of myself in the upcoming year and I thank you for reminding us all to live our lives this same way. Frank, thank you for sharing your “Pearls of Wisdom” with us and for your unselfish devotion to others. I am blessed to know you and I wish you and your family many blessings in the New Year and always!

  • shirley

    I lived in so Africa for 4 yrs but never heard about this concept, As I age I find So Ca is too crowded & people superficial & materialistic. I think the concept is so true human beings have lost any human feelings for anyone but themselves. Everyone needs to get back to loving others & putting them before themselves. Love your neighbor as yourself. This society is a dog it dog existance where the dollar is
    king & people are just a means to an end. Maybe that's why our country is
    collapsing,

  • S Murrey

    Since '05 I've believed in a dream gift I was given… “We Are All Connected”.