Day in the Life:
Ashley Maltz,
M.D., MPH
Dr. Ashley Maltz was born and raised in Houston, TX, to immigrant parents who taught her the value of hard work, generosity and compassion for those who are less fortunate then her. She learned these lessons with hands-on work feeding the homeless, adopting endangered species and assisting her mother in charitable causes.
As she grew older, she transformed this passion for service in to a career that gets to the heart of others and truly helps them create a fulfilling, productive life. To do this, she chose to go to medical school with the intention to focus on healing and helping people discover the root causes of disease.
Today, she practices medicine at West Holistic Medicine in downtown Austin. She blends the best of Western medicine with a penchant for Eastern medicine and philosophy. To her, no rock goes unturned when seeking out the best and most effective treatments for patients. On initial intake with Dr. Maltz, she discusses everything in a person’s life from relationships to sleep patterns to spiritual needs. She loves uncovering hidden beliefs that hinder a person’s health and truly enjoys the use of natural medicines to facilitate healing.
After Dr. Maltz earned a Medical Degree and Master in Public Health from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, TX, she completed a combined Internal and Preventive Medicine Residency at UTMB. She then pursued and completed a 2-year Integrative Medicine Fellowship at Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Connecticut.
During her Fellowship, she underwent clinical training in Medical Acupuncture, trigger point injections, meditation, spirituality, clinical nutrition, mind-body therapies, botanicals and herbs, as well as an intensive 1000-hour online curriculum created by The University of Arizona Integrative Medicine Program founded by Dr. Andrew Weil. During this time, she also completed a 300-hour Medical Acupuncture course through the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate.
Dr. Maltz’s specific interests include helping her patients improve their health through lifestyle interventions including, but not limited to, eastern medical practices, nutrition, botanicals, mind-body techniques and decreasing environmental exposures.
She spent the last year of her four-year medical residency participating in health policy, cancer prevention and environmental health rotations and most recently spent two years living in Albuquerque, NM, working as an Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico’s School of Medicine.
Dr. Maltz is a member of the Texas Medical Association and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, for which she served on the Board of Directors from 2013 – 2015. She is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at Austin where she received her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Biology.
In her recreational time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, practicing yoga, meditation, dancing, hiking, cooking healthfully and exploring the world through travel and cultural exchange.
She is passionate about social justice, environmental restoration and creating healthful lifestyle change for patients and healthcare workers alike. She recently hosted an event at the Texas State Capital to bring awareness to the epidemic of medical student and physician suicide.
Most of all, she enjoys being a force for change in the world.
Location
Austin, TX
What’s your favorite vegetable?
Brussel Sprouts!
What’s your motto?
Do as much as you can to help others, but also help yourself.
What’s your favorite book?
Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran-Foer
What’s your favorite exercise?
Dance, walking, yoga – depending on my mood.
What’s your favorite way to center?
Yoga or walking in nature.
Ashley’s Daily Routine:
- 7AM — Wake Up, Eat Breakfast
- 730AM – Meditate, Yoga
- 830AM – Get Ready for Work
- 9AM – Work
- 12PM – Lunch
- 1PM – Work
- 4PM – Walk in Nature, Be Outside
- 6PM – Cook Dinner, Eat
- 7PM – Free Time
- 930/10PM – Bedtime
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
Various things – work, hunger, energy to get started on the day.
What is the most important part of your daily routine?
Daily self-care.
What is your favorite part about living a healthy lifestyle?
I am filled with energy and inspiration.
Whose “O”, or day plan, would you most love to see?
Oprah Winfrey.
Describe your sleep ritual. What time do you go to bed? Do you do anything special to prepare?
I generally feel sleepy early – around 8:30/9PM. This is when I know I need to stop and start getting ready for bed. I’m usually in bed by 10PM. I do a night time meditation, with the phone on do not disturb and with an EMF shield on top of it, to help me fall asleep. Sometimes, I diffuse essential oils in my bedroom to help lure me to sleep.
What’s your biggest wellness challenge? How do you address it?
I love sweets. I try not to buy them and when I do, I opt for the healthiest type – extremely dark chocolate.
What is your #1 wellness habit?
Going to bed early.
What is the best piece of health advice you’ve ever received?
Put your own oxygen mask on first… meaning, you must do self-care on an ongoing basis in order to help others.
Tell us about a time you were stuck in an unhealthy cycle and how you got out of it. What was the main inspiration for positive change?
In college, I was going through a very difficult time with crippling anxiety. A friend suggested I “take care of my body”. That piece of advice truly motivated me and I started exercising more regularly and eventually, it became a lifestyle. I also attended my first yoga class during that time and the breath work taught in that class completely changed my perspective. It was then I experienced the mind/body connection and truly became fascinated with it.
If you could give one piece of health advice to your future kids, what would it be and why?
Listen to your body as it holds all of the answers. Sleep when you’re tired, eat when you’re hungry, move daily and practice self-compassion.
Dr. Ashley Maltz is an Integrative & Lifestyle Medicine Physician and Member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. For more tips from Ashley, check out her websites Ashley Maltz, M.D. and West Holistic Medicine, and follow her on Facebook. To learn more about the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, check out their website here.
Owaves 101 is a blog series showcasing daily plans of Olympians, Ironman triathletes, inspiring yoga teachers, physicians, and clinical dietitians, among others. Join our international movement to revolutionize time for health and well-being. Download our Day Planner for Health in iTunes, and follow our social media channels: