Making time for your health: 4 spine surgeons share tips on how to stay fit

Spine

Four spine surgeons share their health and fitness practices.

Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses.

 

Next week's question: What are some key trends in outpatient spine surgery?

 

Please send responses to Anuja Vaidya at avaidya@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, May 3, at 5 p.m. CST.

 

Question: How do you stay healthy?

 

Richard Kube, MD. Founder and CEO of Prairie Spine & Pain Institute (Peoria, Ill.): Like everything else important in life, you must make it a priority. There is a tendency to get busy and not make time for one's health. Doctors are notorious for this. I make an effort to exercise 60 to 90 minutes at the start of five or six days each week. It helps the metabolism and helps you start the day energized. I also make a habit of keeping fruits and vegetables around the office. I kind of graze on those items through the day. I also bring food in for lunches during the week. Eating no lunch or eating fast food are both horrible options best avoided. I'm far from perfect, but this certainly sets me up for much greater chances of success than failure.

 

Kern Singh, MD. Co-Director of Minimally Invasive Spine Institute at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (Chicago): I feel that having a healthy diet, a consistent exercise routine and downtime for me and my family have done wonders for my physical and mental health. I make it a point to eat balanced meals and run every other day. These two habits alone give me more energy on a daily basis. Also, even though I run a hectic clinic, I try to set aside time for relaxing with my family. This quality time helps me manage all the stress I accrue over the week.

 

Brian R. Gantwerker, MD. Founder of the Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: Sleep maintenance has become a bit of a running joke in our home, with an early-rising toddler. But getting to the gym two to three times per week, eating lower carb items and grabbing two to three cups of water between cases has helped. If I can take a short siesta during the day, that always helps me think and carry out my work better. My family is my mental health so not dawdling at the office on things that can be done the next day is now not procrastinating — its preservation.  


 
Plas T. James, MD. Spine Surgeon at Atlanta Spine Institute: I work out six days a week utilizing my home gym. I think it's important to have that. As a doctor, my hours are so erratic. I can work out in the mornings, afternoons or on the weekends. I can workout and watch television or listen to music in my own time span as opposed to having to leave my house. I also enjoy doing spin classes. Having an outside class can help you gauge how you're doing on your own personal training. It's important to stay physically fit and to eat healthy. It gives you more energy in the office and in surgery. They go hand-in-hand and help keep you young.

 

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