Blog — HealthHippieMD

Dark Horse: Purpose, Fulfillment, Success (and Ikigai)

I love learning. I am a big fan of Shane Parrish's blog, [Farnum Street][1], and his podcast, The Knowledge Project. I was recently listening to the podcast episode, [The "T.R.I.C.K." to Raising Successful People][2] with journalist, educator, and Silicon Valley influencer, Esther Wojcicki. Wojcicki knows a little bit about raising successful kids. She raised three daughters who have each become famously successful as the CEO of YouTube, the Founder and CEO of 23andMe, and a top medical researcher. The premise of the podcast was how to raise kind and fulfilled children. The podcast touched on education and family dynamics. It was fascinating. One of the books Wojcicki mentioned was [Dark Horse, by Todd Rose][3]. Rose leads the [Dark Horse Project at Harvard][4]. The Dark Horse Project is a long-term study of how women and men achieve success by harnessing their individuality.

Book, Learning, FulfillmentJeffrey TaekmanApril 18, 2020PERMA, Wellness, Achievement, Positive Psychology, Robinson, Jobs, Boyd, Ikagai, Success, Fulfillment, EducationComment

Starting a Meditation Practice

The global COVID-19 pandemic is causing a crisis in mental and physical health. One way to buffer yourself from the virus is to pay attention to sleep, nutrition, and stress management. Few interventions have more of an effect on stress management than Meditation. I pointed out some of these benefits, in my entry: Meditation, the facts.. As COVID-19 tears across the country, I find myself recommending meditation practice over and over again. Beginning the practice of Meditation will be the topic of today’s entry.

Mind-Body, LearningJeffrey TaekmanApril 11, 2020Meditation, Mindfulness, Muse, Headspace, Anxiety, Covid-19, DepressionComment

Good Science, Bad Science, Pseudoscience: How to Tell the Difference

An essential skill for evaluation of wellness claims is critical reading. The Farnum Street article, nicely summarizes the things you should be aware of when reading scientific information.

Learning, Science, MicrobiomeJeffrey TaekmanJanuary 29, 2020Science, ManuscriptComment

What I'm Reading: Altered Traits-science reveals how meditation changes your mind, brain, and body

I've been a practitioner of meditation for more than a decade. I wish I had started sooner. I'm often asked about the evidence behind the practice of meditation. Davidson and Goleman, two meditation experts, wrote Altered Traits.

Mind-Body, Book, LearningJeffrey TaekmanJanuary 15, 2020Mindfulness, Meditation, Goleman, Davidson, Anxiety, Depression, PTSDComment

What I'm Watching: Unnatural Selection-Netflix

Unnatural Selection is a 2019 TV documentary series that presents an overview of genetic engineering focusing primarily on the DNA-editing technology of CRISPR. The documentary is from the perspective of scientists, corporations and biohackers working from their home.

Learning, ScienceJeffrey TaekmanNovember 5, 2019CRISPR, DNA, Biohacking, Genetic Engineering, WiredComment

The Benefits of Calorie Restriction for Longevity - Michael Greger's Nutrition Facts

The health benefits of caloric restriction are proving to be wide-ranging. Caloric restriction may play a role in the management of cancer, rebooting the immune system, and a whole host of ailments, including obesity and autoimmune disease.