Monday, April 26, 2010

Philosophy - Savoring

How often do you stop and ask yourself "what is my state of being?" If you did, would you find yourself to be content? hurried? overwhelmed? The simple act of asking such a question of ourselves teaches us a great deal about the landscape of our lives, and it also gives us a powerful tool to change what we may not like.

In her book Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life, Winifred Gallagher explores the phenomenon of savoring. Savoring is "the mindful, intentional focus on positive feelings." Whether you're savoring the first bite of dinner or a rare moment of silence, the act of focusing on the event as a positive sensory experience will make the situation all the more enjoyable, and will imprint upon your mind a sense of satisfaction and calm. To enhance the experience, be mindful of the specific details of what you're savoring. If you're eating ice cream, think about the flavor and all the hard work that went into making it. If you're enjoying the sunshine feel its warmth and contemplate the long journey that light took to land on your cheeks.

Savoring can tell us a lot about our ability to channel positive thinking, but it also has powerful implications about our ability to facilitate our own healing. Phototherapy has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of psoriasis, a skin condition caused by cell proliferation and inflammation, however the process is uncomfortable and has a high dropout rate. The treatment consists of a patient standing naked in a large coffin-sized tanning booth while wearing only goggles and a pillowcase on his or her head. To explore the role of mindfulness in treatment, half of a group of psoriasis patients listened to an audio tape that asked them to focus on the phototherapy experience without judging it as good or bad: Could they feel the warmth on their skin? Could they hear the blowers? The other half of psoriasis patients endured the treatment without any instructions to be mindful. The results were incredible. Patients who listened to the mindful audiotape saw their psoriasis clear four times faster than patients who did not savor the UV treatment. These attentional effects have the potential to penetrate all the way down to inflammatory mediators and gene expression.

Getting ourselves into the habit of savoring can not only change our temporary state of mind, but can also challenge us to reshape the way we see the world, and the implications of such a major shift in perspective are endless.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Recipe - Broiled Salmon with Crispy Shallot

Thank goodness interview season is over! Don't get me wrong, I loved flying around the country seeing programs and meeting people, and who can complain about being wined and dined? But towards the end of "the trail" I was ready to sit back and enjoy the deluge of east coast snowstorms. This recipe has come to mind repeatedly since an especially delicious interview dinner. I wonder what it says about me that I fantasize about recipes...

Ingredients:
2 salmon filets
4 small shallots
Butter
Salt & Pepper
Rice pilaf
Asparagus


1. Turn on the broiler and let it preheat. Wrap a shallow pan in tinfoil and arrange the salmon fillets so they aren't too close to each other.



2. Season liberally with salt and pepper and top with generous slices of butter.


caveat - I put shallots under the slices of butter before broiling the salmon. Unfortunately the shallots burned and I had to take them off and replace them with fresh ones, hence the recipe change.


3. Place in the broiler for about 8 minutes. At this time arrange slices of shallot on top of each fillet, then place back under the broiler. You may either use fresh slices of shallot or sautee the shallot quickly in butter before arranging on the salmon.


4. Remove fillets when the fish is crispy and cooked through. Serve with pilaf and veggie of choice!