Emotional Health and Well-Being

From Our Mailbag:

Hi Dr. Ben,

I've been following your blog for many years and have found so much comfort in similar experiences that we've had with family and friends. I'm writing with hope that you can tell me your opinion on an issue that has been gnawing away at me since I was a teenager.

I have an older brother who I'll call Sam. I'm too exhausted to dance around this so I will simply say that he's the worst person I know. He's a real creep. Allow me to explain why. Read more

Originally Posted in October of 2019

Soon after graduating from school, I moved to the arctic of Alaska to run my first chiropractic clinic. I was 24 years old and grateful for the opportunity to be of service to the First Nations community there and the chance to pay back my student loans and create a small nest egg for the future.

My work days were long and it was mostly a lonely existence - back then, even a phone call home to Canada was $2 a minute, so most of my down time was spent reading, writing, and making plans for the future. Read more

On a program that I recently viewed, a highly likeable character explained that she wore a watch designed for those who are blind because she appreciates the constant reminder of the value in thinking about what life is like in another person's shoes.

Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person, and in my book, is one of the most important virtues we can adopt into our beings.

To empathize requires that we put down the lens with which we view and process the world, and attempt to truly feel what another person is going through. Read more

Updated on October 19, 2020

Approximately 11 million people in the United States and Canada use some form of sleep aid on a regular basis, with alcohol and antihistamines being two popular choices.

Contrary to popular belief, having a nightcap - 5 ounces of wine, 1-2 ounces of a distilled spirit like tequila, vodka, or whiskey, or 8-12 ounces of beer - does not improve sleep quality. In fact, having a nightcap actually takes away from the amount of restful sleep we experience. Read more