Our Bukharian Jewish Women’s Book Club is flourishing! With
new members joining regularly, we’ve built more than just a book club — we’ve created a community
that fosters learning, personal growth, and a deep appreciation of our
heritage.
Each month, we select books that offer diverse perspectives,
covering Jewish history, traditions, and self-improvement. Beyond reading, we
host projects where members share their expertise. Recently, Irina Sirota,
Irina Aronov, and Elana Yuabov led a Financial Education Workshop, helping
members improve financial literacy. Elana also runs a weekly Jewish learning
series on Zoom, delving into Torah studies, Jewish holidays, and traditions.
On January 28th, I had the honor of presenting How Not to Age
by Dr. Michael Greger, a book based on over 13,000 scientific studies. Having
followed Dr. Greger’s work for over a decade, I was excited to share key
insights on longevity and healthy aging.
The book explores 11 pathways of aging, including oxidation,
autophagy, glycation, and inflammation. Dr. Greger’s recommendations include a
whole-food, plant-based diet, at least 30 minutes of daily exercise, and
protein intake of 0.8–1 mg/kg/day. He also suggests an eating window of 6–2
hours, ideally earlier in the day, to maximize health benefits. At least 8
hours of sleep per night is crucial for overall well-being. Dr. Greger
highlights the importance of spending time in nature and nutrient-dense foods
like nuts, berries, beans, and legumes for a healthy gut microbiome.
About 30 women attended the presentation, engaging in a
vibrant discussion on how to incorporate these habits into our lives. The
conversation was inspiring, empowering, and left us all motivated to prioritize
our well-being.
For 27 years, I’ve worked as a Physician Assistant in various
medical fields, with a focus on otolaryngology and psychiatry. Over time, I’ve
seen a troubling rise in chronic diseases, even among younger people, many of
whom rely on multiple medications. This inspired me to explore alternative
approaches to health.
I have since become a functional medicine practitioner,
specializing in women’s health and perimenopause. Functional medicine takes a
holistic approach, treating the whole person rather than just symptoms. Through
detailed health histories, physical exams, extensive lab work, and even DNA
analysis, it helps identify the root causes of illness. This empowers
individuals to make personalized changes to their diet, lifestyle, and
supplement regimen — an approach often more effective than relying solely on
medication.
If you’re interested in learning more, I invite you to visit
my website personalizedholistichealing.com or join my free online community at
portal.personalizedholistichealing.com. There, I share new research, recipes,
and weekly videos to support your health journey.
I am so proud to be part of this incredible Bukharian Jewish
Women’s Book Club — a community of intelligent, inspiring, and supportive women.
My dream is for all of us to live long, healthy, and fulfilling lives. I look
forward to more enriching book club meetings, educational events, and cultural
discussions. I will also be happy to share my knowledge and expertise on
functional medicine, healthy diet and lifestyle with the readers of the
“Ladies’ World” magazine in the near future.
Let’s keep learning, growing, and sharing together!
Elena Leevy, PA-C
