'get your shine on' feat. Dr. Robert Gore
'get your shine on', a monthly highlight of community mentors, artists, creators, innovators, entrepreneurs, educators.... a peek into their lives, their wellness practices/rituals and how they 'get their shine on'.
name: Dr. Robert Gore
who is he? Robert Gore is a son, mentor, emergency medicine physician in Brooklyn NY, clinical assistant professor, executive director of KAVI (Kings Against Violence Initiative), board member of EMEDEX international, director of the Minority Medical Student Emergency Medicine Summer Fellowship, an Icon Mann of Change, and a boarder (snow and skate)…his most recent adventure took him to the summit of Mt. Annupur in Niseko Japan. He is a beautiful human who is dedicated to creating wellness in his local and global community by integrating health, wellness and education. He is planting seeds to build a lasting, sustainable legacy.
what is his wellness practice? Robert Gore broke down a thoughtful wellness practice that blended nourishing his mind, body and spirit. He recalled, at a young age, being inspired by Star Wars and Saturday afternoon martial arts flicks. Yoda’s wise presence sparked his desire to practice stillness and quieting his mind….”when I was young I thought if I am going to be like Yoda and save the world I need to do what he does” This would be his introduction to meditation. Mindfulness, meditation and deep breathing now play a key role in his wellness practice as a tool to decompress and not internalize all that he sees and experiences on a daily basis in the ER. He likes to put on his headphones and listen to Tibetan gong at the start and sometimes the end (if he doesn't fall asleep) of his day. He also takes time to read various spiritual texts. This practice even carries into his mentoring of the young people of KAVI, sharing tools to be more mindful, increase insight and resolve conflict to empower and transform.
Regular exercise that includes running, skateboarding, snow boarding, lifting weights or yoga (“even if I only have time for 4 sun salutations”) is also an important part of his wellness practice. “exercise brings me mental clarity and a greater ability to focus….at some point snowboarding even becomes a spiritual practice, a meditation, you have to stay present or it could lead to a bad fall"
Robert also knows that food plays an important role in staying well. "People ask how can you eat this way or not eat that and I tell them that I don’t have time to get sick and what I choose to eat makes me feel good, my body feel good”. He follows a gluten free vegan or vegetarian diet, avoiding processed foods/sugars. He blends up daily green smoothies with fresh fruit and a supplement like vega, e3live or green vibrance and hydrates with water throughout the day. He even recalled growing up in Brooklyn with his neighbor Queen Afua, an internationally renowned holistic wellness practitioner. He would visit her home, going to hang out with her son Super Nova and would be offered a green juice of some kind. At the time the taste did not appeal to him but the exposure planted a wellness seed that would be nurtured later.
More seeds were planted in college when he was able to access free 15 minute treatments in acupressure/acupuncture. He found that it was a great tool to use for stress reduction and noted that when he could afford to, he would continue this as part of his wellness maintenance. “now I try to receive body work such as massage, acupuncture or acupressure monthly.”
He will also go on mini technology fasts….”shut down, shut off and quiet the mind”
More recently he is practicing the art of delegation, realizing that “I don’t have to control and micro-manage everything” This too is a wellness practice.
He feels the work he does is spiritual work with “an exchange of energy taking place it’s important to be well, clear and focused.”
top 3 wellness products/rituals/tips:
*E3live… an organic blue-green algae containing over 65 vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids, non-GMO plant-based superfood, vegan and a rich source of chlorophyll. great energy booster!
*Be physically active…”whether you are walking, taking a dance class, boarding, running…even if you only have 5 minutes to do 3 sun salutations...or parking at the farthest end of the parking lot and getting a longer walk in…be active.”
*Find a wellness buddy…build interdependency…someone you can support and can support you to be well.
complete this sentence: I shine because…..I want to....it's a choice.
Check Dr. Robert Gore out on Instagram @sirema22 and www.kavibrooklyn.org
what's your wellness practice?
