A gathering for patients, practitioners, friends, and the community.
Welcome to our SPEAK Health! series. Every first Thursday of the month, join us from 7-9pm at the clinic for a night of conversation, education, and edification. We choose a topic and book to match each month, rotating through three main categories (herbs, mind, body). You don't need to have read the book to join! If you are interested in presenting with us, please send an email to Dr. Acesta with your ideas. Most events are free and all are welcome.
January 3rd: THE ART OF HEARBAL FORMULATION
Current Read: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on “a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise” (Elizabeth Gilbert).
Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings―asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass―offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.
As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on “a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise” (Elizabeth Gilbert).
Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, and as a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings―asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass―offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices. In reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.
December (body) - Diet & Autoimmunity; The Plant Paradox by Steven Gundry
January (herb) - The Art of Formulation; Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
February (mind) - Self Motivation & Empowerment; Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
March (body) - Sustainable Diets for our Community
April (herb) - Spring Tonics
May (mind) - Art Therapy and the Expressive Mind
June (body) - TBD
July (herb) - TBD
August (mind) - TBD
September (body) - TBD
October (herb) - TBD
November (mind) - TBD
December (body) - TBD
Past Book Club Reading List:
Psychology:
Falling Upwards, Richard Rohr
Enjoy Every Sandwich, Lee Lipsenthal
The Anatomy of Hope, Jerome Groopman
Creative Visualization by Shakti Gwain
Guilt is the Teacher, Love is the Lesson, by Joan Borezsenko
What We May Be by Pierro Ferruci
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
Crazy Wisdom by Chogyan Trungpa
Wherever You Go, There You Are by John Kabat-Zinn
The Miracle of Mindfulness by Nhat Janh
Present Moment Wonderful Moment: Mindfulness Verses for Daily Living by Siegel
Peace is Every Step by Nhat Hanh
The Places that Scare You by Pema Chodron
A Path With Heart by Jack Kornfield
The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield
Coming to Our Senses by John Kabat-Zinn
Real Happiness: the power of meditation, 28 day program by Salzberg
Radical Acceptance by Brach
Mindfulness in Plain English, Bhante Henepola Gunaratanal
Food and Diet:
The Plant Paradox by Steven Gundry
Five to Thrive by Lise N. Alschuler
Whole by T. Colin Campbell
Food Rules, Michael Pollan
Guide to Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil
Disease Proof by Dr. David Katz
Breathing by Dr. Andrew Weil (anything by Dr. Andrew Weil…)
The Leptin Diet by Byron J. Richards
Cookbooks:
The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen
Minding My Mitochondria by Terry Wahls
The Cancer Fighting Cookbook by Rebecca Katz
Nourishing Meals by Alissa Segersten
The Whole Life Nutrition cookbook by Alissa Segersten
Oh She Glows, Angela Liddon
Veganomicon and Salad Sumari by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Green Smoothies from SimplyRealHealth.com
Dropping Acid: the reflux diet cookbook by Jamie Koufman
Exercise:
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Running with the Mind of Meditation by Sakyong Mipham
Women’s Health:
Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book
Women’s Body, Women’s Wisdom by Christiane Northrup
Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Weschler
Chronic Pain and Physical Medicine:
Unlearn Your Pain by Dr. Schubiner
Mind Over Back Pain, Healing Back Pain, The Mindbody Prescription, and The Divided Mind; by Dr. Sarno
Back in Control: A spine surgeon’s roadmap out of chronic pain, by David Hanscom, MD
A Guide to Better Movement, Todd Hargrove
The Body Has a Mind of It’s Own; Sandra Blakeslee, Matthew Blakeslee]
Novels:
Where’d You Go Bernadette? Maria Semple
Maya’s Notebook, Isabelle Allende
The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
A Journey in Ladakh; Encounters with Buddhism; Andrew Harvey
Let Me Be Your Star; Rachel Shukert
The Body Has a Mind of It’s Own; Sandra Blakeslee, Matthew Blakeslee
Psychology:
Falling Upwards, Richard Rohr
Enjoy Every Sandwich, Lee Lipsenthal
The Anatomy of Hope, Jerome Groopman
Creative Visualization by Shakti Gwain
Guilt is the Teacher, Love is the Lesson, by Joan Borezsenko
What We May Be by Pierro Ferruci
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
Crazy Wisdom by Chogyan Trungpa
Wherever You Go, There You Are by John Kabat-Zinn
The Miracle of Mindfulness by Nhat Janh
Present Moment Wonderful Moment: Mindfulness Verses for Daily Living by Siegel
Peace is Every Step by Nhat Hanh
The Places that Scare You by Pema Chodron
A Path With Heart by Jack Kornfield
The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield
Coming to Our Senses by John Kabat-Zinn
Real Happiness: the power of meditation, 28 day program by Salzberg
Radical Acceptance by Brach
Mindfulness in Plain English, Bhante Henepola Gunaratanal
Food and Diet:
The Plant Paradox by Steven Gundry
Five to Thrive by Lise N. Alschuler
Whole by T. Colin Campbell
Food Rules, Michael Pollan
Guide to Optimum Health by Dr. Andrew Weil
Disease Proof by Dr. David Katz
Breathing by Dr. Andrew Weil (anything by Dr. Andrew Weil…)
The Leptin Diet by Byron J. Richards
Cookbooks:
The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen
Minding My Mitochondria by Terry Wahls
The Cancer Fighting Cookbook by Rebecca Katz
Nourishing Meals by Alissa Segersten
The Whole Life Nutrition cookbook by Alissa Segersten
Oh She Glows, Angela Liddon
Veganomicon and Salad Sumari by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Green Smoothies from SimplyRealHealth.com
Dropping Acid: the reflux diet cookbook by Jamie Koufman
Exercise:
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Running with the Mind of Meditation by Sakyong Mipham
Women’s Health:
Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book
Women’s Body, Women’s Wisdom by Christiane Northrup
Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Weschler
Chronic Pain and Physical Medicine:
Unlearn Your Pain by Dr. Schubiner
Mind Over Back Pain, Healing Back Pain, The Mindbody Prescription, and The Divided Mind; by Dr. Sarno
Back in Control: A spine surgeon’s roadmap out of chronic pain, by David Hanscom, MD
A Guide to Better Movement, Todd Hargrove
The Body Has a Mind of It’s Own; Sandra Blakeslee, Matthew Blakeslee]
Novels:
Where’d You Go Bernadette? Maria Semple
Maya’s Notebook, Isabelle Allende
The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
A Journey in Ladakh; Encounters with Buddhism; Andrew Harvey
Let Me Be Your Star; Rachel Shukert
The Body Has a Mind of It’s Own; Sandra Blakeslee, Matthew Blakeslee
