Dr. Lisa Belisle

Sidewalks and Schoolyard Gardens: Making it Easier for People to Be Good

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published March 1, 2007, Community Leader

Last summer, our neighborhood became a more enjoyable place to live. Already quite satisfying, our little corner of the world was further enriched by the August construction of a simple stretch of sidewalk. This paved walkway completed a 3.29 mile runnable/walkable/skippable/jumpable/mosey-able loop through the center of Yarmouth. It made it possible for all nearby schoolchildren (including two of my own) to get to our public schools safely on foot. It connected us with the rest of town.

Love and the Human Heart

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published February 1, 2007, Community Leader

My daughter Sophie was a Valentine’s Day baby. Born six years ago this month, she believes that every heart-themed item ever created was specially designed in celebration of her birthday. I have not yet attempted to disabuse her of this notion: Sophie truly is the child of my heart. Her siblings, Campbell and Abigail are no less so. My children remind me daily of how integral love is to keeping each of us alive.

Health, and the Still, Small Voice

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published January 2007, Community Leader

January is a month for making and renewing promises to ourselves. We have crossed into a new year. We are enjoying the energy of an ever-increasing number of daylight hours. We can utilize this energy, and honor this time of beginnings, by committing to a satisfying life path—committing to ourselves.

Exercise: Body Play that Benefits the Soul

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published December 2006, Community Leader

A patient came to see me for the first time recently. He arrived on foot—literally—having run from his home several miles away. As it happens, this individual runs a fair amount. I do too. I told him as much, and he responded, “Yes, I’ve seen you out there. That is one of the reasons I chose you as a doctor.” Runners understand one another. We love this crazy pastime that forces us out in the wind and the rain, collecting blisters and calluses. We love feeling the strength and speed of our bodies. We love letting our bodies play. We can’t comprehend why others wouldn’t want to experience this connectedness with their physical selves.

Good Food and Gratitude

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published November 2, 2006, Community Leader

Humans and their food: a complicated subject. We eat for sustenance. We eat for comfort. We eat as a means to share with others. Because there are so many reasons to eat (and in this country, so much food to consume), we often have difficulty regulating our intake. This, of course, has lead to an epidemic of obesity and related diseases in the United States. Fortunately, we do have power over this problem. We can seek to eat mindfully, and well. As we prepare to give thanks for our bounty this November, let us decide to begin a more joyful and rewarding relationship with our food.

Breast Cancer Hits Home

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published October 5, 2006, Community Leader

Mem knew she had breast cancer well before her doctors did. She noticed the changes in her breast tissue a year before she was given an actual diagnosis. She was 43 years old.

Mem is one of a growing number of individuals with this disease. Forty-five years ago, the incidence of breast cancer in women was 1 in 20. It is 1 in 7 today. This has been attributed to a constellation of factors, from improved cancer detection to worsening lifestyle and environmental hazards. (See www.cancer.org.) Regardless of the reason for the increase, breast cancer continues to be fatal. It kills more than 40,000 Americans each year.

Prostate Health and Happiness

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published September 7, 2006, Community Leader

Ah, the prostate. If I had a dime for every time a patient told me how much he detested the prostate (i.e. rectal) exam, I’d be rich doctor indeed. Nobody likes a prostate exam. Yet having regular exams, and caring for the prostate in general, is an essential part of male wellness. Located at the base of the penis, this gland produces the fluid that carries sperm out of the body. Given its small size (it is usually compared to a walnut); it can cause a surprising number of problems. These range from merely annoying to possibly life-threatening.

Backing Our Breastfeeding Babies

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH 
Originally published in Community Leader, August 3, 2006

Today babies (and others) around the globe are rejoicing: August 1–7 is World Breastfeeding Week. As a physician, and parent of three breastfed children, I am happy to endorse the practice of giving our offspring human milk. One of my greatest pleasures as a new mother was breastfeeding my son. I have fond memories of sitting quietly in the living room recliner, catching up on reading as my dark-haired infant eventually nursed himself into blissful oblivion. 

Safe Fun in the Sun

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH 
Originally published July 6, 2006, Community Leader 

The sun is a wonderful thing. It gives us food, provides us with light, and helps our bodies to function. We need the sun. What we don’t need is excessive sun exposure, and the skin-damaging consequences. Our best bet is to strike a balance, as we enjoy the sun during Maine’s beautiful, yet all-too-brief, summer season. 

Healing Medicine

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published June 29, 2006, Community Leader

We have reached a low point in medicine. Patients are frustrated with the healthcare bureaucracy, doctors feel overworked and undervalued, and everyone is concerned about the cost of offering decent services. One of my physician colleagues describes our current situation as being in “the valley of medicine.” I like this analogy because it offers a degree of optimism: as with any low point, the only way out is up.