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Achieving Spiritual Health

November 6, 2011 By 2 Comments

By Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD -

Spiritual health is generally an overlooked aspect of healing. However, it is actually the ultimate goal of holistic medicine, and leads to a heightened awareness of the Divine Spirit referred to by all religions. It doesn’t matter what name you give it. What matters is that you come to know and attune yourself to its guidance in all areas of your daily life. Doing so will reduce your feelings of fear, and provide you with a greater capacity for loving yourself and others unconditionally. It will also help you reconnect to your special talents and gifts so that you can use them to fulfill your life’s purpose.”

Being consciously aware of the role Spirit plays in your life, being spiritually healthy also means being intimately connected to your spouse, partner, family, friends, and community, resulting in social health, as well. Spiritual and social health are interconnected, since it is through our committed relationships that we find the greatest opportunities for spiritual growth and for learning how to receive and impart unconditional love.

The observance of spiritual and religious traditions, working with spiritual counselors and support groups are common methods of creating spiritual and social health, as are the opportunities afforded us through our friendships, marriage, intimate relationships, and parenting. A variety of self-care approaches, including prayer, meditation, gratitude, and spending time within nature, can further deepen your awareness of yourself as a spiritual, socially-connected being, and are increasingly being recommended by conventional and holistic physicians alike.

The four most important rituals to create spiritual health is: Prayer, Meditation, Gratitude, Spending time in nature, including near fire and water.

Prayer: Prayer is the most common form of spiritual practice performed by most Americans, and the majority of people who pray report a greater sense of well-being than those who don’t. Harvard researcher and mind/body medicine expert Herbert Benson, M.D., author of The Relaxation Response, has found that regular prayer or the repetition of spiritual phrases such as “Shalom,” or “Hail Mary,” triggers relaxation and reduces stress.

There are many effective ways to pray, both for yourself and for others. Many people find great benefit using the prayers from their religious upbringing. Others make prayer a time of personal conversation with God, stating their need or concern and asking for divine intervention. Others find taking a walk in a place of natural beauty to be a form of prayerful worship.

Simply taking the time to acknowledge all you have to be grateful for and giving thanks for that which you desire. Giving thanks for that which you desire is more effective than asking for what you desire, God knows what you need before you need it and has already sent it to you–therefore giving thanks acknowledges what you haven’t seen yet. Choose the form of prayer that feels most comfortable for you, and then establish a regular routine of repeating your prayers daily.

Meditation: Meditation has been scientifically researched and proven to have physiological benefits for decades. Besides its physical benefits, which include stress-relief, improved immune and cardiovascular function, relaxation, and decreased pain, the regular practice of meditation can lead to new insights about life issues (often resulting in the healing of past emotional trauma), heightened creativity, inspiration, greater compassion for others, and a greater connection to one’s own inner guidance.

There are a wide variety of meditative techniques to choose from and, as with prayer, choosing the one that you are most comfortable with will provide the greatest benefit.

Meditation can be performed while sitting, lying down, or while walking or jogging. Some people also prefer singing or chanting a word or phrase that has spiritual significance to them. What all meditative techniques have in common is conscious breathing (see above) and a focus on what is transpiring in each present moment, until the mind becomes empty of thoughts, judgments, and past and future concerns.

A simple way to meditate is to sit comfortably erect with your eyes closed, while paying attention to your breathing. Observe yourself inhaling and exhaling, allowing whatever thoughts you have to pass by. In the beginning of your practice, you will find your mind wandering. Each time this occurs, gently refocus on your breath. To improve your concentration, you can also silently repeat a word, or mantra, such as love, peace, or Jesus.

Eventually, you will experience longer periods of silence between each thought, although it may take months before this occurs. Be patient and don’t force matters. Sit for 10 to 20 minutes once or twice a day, but if you find yourself too distracted or pressed for time, end your session, instead of sitting restlessly. With commitment and consist practice, the benefits of meditation will become apparent to you, and you’ll realize your efforts are well worth it.

Gratitude: Dr. Robert Anderson describes gratitude as the Great Attitude. “Gratitude produces feelings of joy and self-acceptance, and is an attitude that anyone can choose to have, just as we can choose to see the glass half full or half empty” Dr. Anderson says. “Being grateful for what you have, instead of worrying about what you lack, enables you to let go of negative thoughts and attitudes more easily. This can be difficult at times, especially if you are feeling a great deal of fear or anger, but if you make the effort to release these painful emotions and choose to be grateful, instead, positive benefits can be achieved.”

One method of cultivating feelings of gratitude is keeping a gratitude journal, as outlined above. A variation of this technique is to close your eyes before bed and mentally review your day, taking an inventory of all the things that you experienced for which you feel grateful, silently giving thanks for them. “By making gratitude a regular part of your daily experience, you set the stage for living more deeply connected to spirit, Dr. Anderson says, In the process, your life will be transformed into an increasingly joyous adventure.”

Spending time in nature: The most visible manifestation of spirit is nature, where we most fully encounter and interact with life’s primal energies in the forms of earth, water, fire, and air.

Taking a walk in a park or hiking through the woods are easy and practical ways of reconnecting with nature and the earth, as are gardening, bike riding in the country, and camping and boating trips. By making it a habit to spend regular amounts of time outdoors within a natural setting, you enable yourself to better appreciate the rhythms of life, including your own.

We need to recognize that cities and other industrialized areas can prevent us from living a life of balance. Spending time in nature helps restore that balance, while also deepening our connection with Spirit.

Spending time near the water can also be a spiritually healthy experience, due to water’s higher concentration of negative ions, which can contribute to feelings of well-being. Swimming in the ocean, lakes, or rivers is a great way to benefit from this life-enhancing energy. Soaking in a mineral hot spring can provide therapeutic benefits for a variety of ailments, as well.

Exposure to fire around a campground or before a fireplace can also have health benefits, according to Leonard Orr, who has found that fire cleanses the bio-energy field of negative energies, and can be a powerful aid in curing physical disease. Orr recommends spending a few hours each day before fire for people who want to experience such benefits. Fire is also an important component of the vision quests undertaken by Native Americans to connect with the Great Spirit and discover their life purpose.

Of all nature’s elements, perhaps the closest expression of Spirit is the air. Clean, fresh air is essential to health on all levels, and practicing conscious breathing as outlined above is a potent self-care method for restoring energy and making you more aware of the power of Spirit as it flows through you.

Regular exposure to each of these four elements can help you become more conscious of how Spirit’s loving intelligence sustains the world, while more deeply recognizing your place within it.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer specializes in: Mind, Body, Spirit healing for Individuals, Special Issues and Professional Coaching. As an inspirational leader, Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life’s challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. http://www.gen-assist.com

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By Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD

Spiritual health is generally an overlooked aspect of healing. However, it is actually the ultimate goal of holistic medicine, and leads to a heightened awareness of the Divine Spirit referred to by all religions. It doesn’t matter what name you give it. What matters is that you come to know and attune yourself to its guidance in all areas of your daily life. Doing so will reduce your feelings of fear, and provide you with a greater capacity for loving yourself and others unconditionally. It will also help you reconnect to your special talents and gifts so that you can use them to fulfill your life’s purpose.”

Being consciously aware of the role Spirit plays in your life, being spiritually healthy also means being intimately connected to your spouse, partner, family, friends, and community, resulting in social health, as well. Spiritual and social health are interconnected, since it is through our committed relationships that we find the greatest opportunities for spiritual growth and for learning how to receive and impart unconditional love.

The observance of spiritual and religious traditions, working with spiritual counselors and support groups are common methods of creating spiritual and social health, as are the opportunities afforded us through our friendships, marriage, intimate relationships, and parenting. A variety of self-care approaches, including prayer, meditation, gratitude, and spending time within nature, can further deepen your awareness of yourself as a spiritual, socially-connected being, and are increasingly being recommended by conventional and holistic physicians alike.

The four most important rituals to create spiritual health is: Prayer, Meditation, Gratitude, Spending time in nature, including near fire and water.

Prayer: Prayer is the most common form of spiritual practice performed by most Americans, and the majority of people who pray report a greater sense of well-being than those who don’t. Harvard researcher and mind/body medicine expert Herbert Benson, M.D., author of The Relaxation Response, has found that regular prayer or the repetition of spiritual phrases such as “Shalom,” or “Hail Mary,” triggers relaxation and reduces stress.

There are many effective ways to pray, both for yourself and for others. Many people find great benefit using the prayers from their religious upbringing. Others make prayer a time of personal conversation with God, stating their need or concern and asking for divine intervention. Others find taking a walk in a place of natural beauty to be a form of prayerful worship.

Simply taking the time to acknowledge all you have to be grateful for and giving thanks for that which you desire. Giving thanks for that which you desire is more effective than asking for what you desire, God knows what you need before you need it and has already sent it to you–therefore giving thanks acknowledges what you haven’t seen yet. Choose the form of prayer that feels most comfortable for you, and then establish a regular routine of repeating your prayers daily.

Meditation: Meditation has been scientifically researched and proven to have physiological benefits for decades. Besides its physical benefits, which include stress-relief, improved immune and cardiovascular function, relaxation, and decreased pain, the regular practice of meditation can lead to new insights about life issues (often resulting in the healing of past emotional trauma), heightened creativity, inspiration, greater compassion for others, and a greater connection to one’s own inner guidance.

There are a wide variety of meditative techniques to choose from and, as with prayer, choosing the one that you are most comfortable with will provide the greatest benefit.

Meditation can be performed while sitting, lying down, or while walking or jogging. Some people also prefer singing or chanting a word or phrase that has spiritual significance to them. What all meditative techniques have in common is conscious breathing (see above) and a focus on what is transpiring in each present moment, until the mind becomes empty of thoughts, judgments, and past and future concerns.

A simple way to meditate is to sit comfortably erect with your eyes closed, while paying attention to your breathing. Observe yourself inhaling and exhaling, allowing whatever thoughts you have to pass by. In the beginning of your practice, you will find your mind wandering. Each time this occurs, gently refocus on your breath. To improve your concentration, you can also silently repeat a word, or mantra, such as love, peace, or Jesus.

Eventually, you will experience longer periods of silence between each thought, although it may take months before this occurs. Be patient and don’t force matters. Sit for 10 to 20 minutes once or twice a day, but if you find yourself too distracted or pressed for time, end your session, instead of sitting restlessly. With commitment and consist practice, the benefits of meditation will become apparent to you, and you’ll realize your efforts are well worth it.

Gratitude: Dr. Robert Anderson describes gratitude as the Great Attitude. “Gratitude produces feelings of joy and self-acceptance, and is an attitude that anyone can choose to have, just as we can choose to see the glass half full or half empty” Dr. Anderson says. “Being grateful for what you have, instead of worrying about what you lack, enables you to let go of negative thoughts and attitudes more easily. This can be difficult at times, especially if you are feeling a great deal of fear or anger, but if you make the effort to release these painful emotions and choose to be grateful, instead, positive benefits can be achieved.”

One method of cultivating feelings of gratitude is keeping a gratitude journal, as outlined above. A variation of this technique is to close your eyes before bed and mentally review your day, taking an inventory of all the things that you experienced for which you feel grateful, silently giving thanks for them. “By making gratitude a regular part of your daily experience, you set the stage for living more deeply connected to spirit, Dr. Anderson says, In the process, your life will be transformed into an increasingly joyous adventure.”

Spending time in nature: The most visible manifestation of spirit is nature, where we most fully encounter and interact with life’s primal energies in the forms of earth, water, fire, and air.

Taking a walk in a park or hiking through the woods are easy and practical ways of reconnecting with nature and the earth, as are gardening, bike riding in the country, and camping and boating trips. By making it a habit to spend regular amounts of time outdoors within a natural setting, you enable yourself to better appreciate the rhythms of life, including your own.

We need to recognize that cities and other industrialized areas can prevent us from living a life of balance. Spending time in nature helps restore that balance, while also deepening our connection with Spirit.

Spending time near the water can also be a spiritually healthy experience, due to water’s higher concentration of negative ions, which can contribute to feelings of well-being. Swimming in the ocean, lakes, or rivers is a great way to benefit from this life-enhancing energy. Soaking in a mineral hot spring can provide therapeutic benefits for a variety of ailments, as well.

Exposure to fire around a campground or before a fireplace can also have health benefits, according to Leonard Orr, who has found that fire cleanses the bio-energy field of negative energies, and can be a powerful aid in curing physical disease. Orr recommends spending a few hours each day before fire for people who want to experience such benefits. Fire is also an important component of the vision quests undertaken by Native Americans to connect with the Great Spirit and discover their life purpose.

Of all nature’s elements, perhaps the closest expression of Spirit is the air. Clean, fresh air is essential to health on all levels, and practicing conscious breathing as outlined above is a potent self-care method for restoring energy and making you more aware of the power of Spirit as it flows through you.

Regular exposure to each of these four elements can help you become more conscious of how Spirit’s loving intelligence sustains the world, while more deeply recognizing your place within it.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer specializes in: Mind, Body, Spirit healing for Individuals, Special Issues and Professional Coaching. As an inspirational leader, Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life’s challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. http://www.gen-assist.com

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The Real Definition of Good Health

August 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment

sunflowerBy Mario G Carini -

In 1948, the World Health Organization defined good health as; “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

This definition of health holds as true today as it did back in 1948. Though the WHO may have modified their definition since then, the state of health for many today is dismal. Diseases such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease are increasing rapidly throughout the world and no one appears to have a clue as to how to cure disease other than treat it through drugs and surgery.

Ask anyone on the street and you are likely to get the answer that health for them means the absence of pain and illness. Many say they are healthy even though they take a pharmacy of drugs and medications to feel that way.

As the years have slipped by more people have adopted the Western style diet, a diet of highly refined foods loaded with sodium, sugar, fat and chemical additives. Highly stressed lifestyles combined with bad habits such as smoking and the pollutants in the food, air and water insure that the quality of life is severely compromised. There’s little good in living longer if those extra years are filled with pain an disease.

Today’s diseases are the result of poor lifestyle choices. Aside from the fact that most diets are high in fat, most of the produce on supermarket shelves is severely depleted of the essential vitamins and minerals that were abundant in the diet of those who lived a hundred years ago. Today’s food is mass produced and comes from farms whose soils have been sterilized and robbed of minerals. Food is made to look good and have a long shelf life, but not produced to promote health.

Today’s medical establishment projects the idea that sickness is a part of life and inevitable. The older you get, the sicker you will be and the more you’ll require medical intervention. But the truth is that a healthy body doesn’t get sick. A body with a strong immune system has many checks and balances that insure that good health is maintained. Even today you’ll find centenarians that don’t require crutches to get around or languish in a nursery home waiting for the bliss of death to take them. Health is not all due to hereditary factors.

Those centenarians have no special health genes to help them live so long. What they do have is what’s lacking in the lives of the majority of people today. Those healthy old folks are active. They eat fresh fruits and vegetables, foods high in fiber and low in simple carbohydrates. They get fresh air and don’t smoke or drink to excess. You’ll likely find them living in their own homes and getting about without walkers and canes.

Maintaining good health has to start with the belief that it is possible to become healthy and stay that way by implementing good lifestyle choices. Unfortunately, few people have the incentive to make those changes. A stressed and hurried lifestyle doesn’t allow many to stop and take an inventory of themselves and the goals for future well-being.

With all that we’ve discovered about the functioning of the body and its ability to heal itself, there is no excuse why anyone should continue to live an an unhealthy lifestyle that shortens the quality of life. The real definition of good health is by making a complete change of lifestyle through eating a good diet, exercising regularly, living relatively stress free, getting enough sleep and throwing out the cigarettes and drugs. Doing so would reduce the epidemics of today’s modern diseases and restore the balance and enjoyment that life should be.

The author is a freelance writer who writes mostly in subjects dealing with health, business and self-improvement. He is studying ad copywriting to provide a service to business in their efforts to make a profit from their blogs, websites, and ezines. He currently has a number of articles published on Helium:
http://www.helium.com/users/210594 You can also buy articles for use in your website or ezine here:
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The Components of Personal Resilience

August 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

cactusBy Graham Yemm -

There is a growing amount of research and publicity about the power of personal resilience when managing pressure and avoiding stress. Despite this, many organizations still want to focus on stress management or well-being programs. Although these are better than nothing maybe they, and their personnel, would benefit more from putting the attention onto developing people’s personal resilience. (There is a strong argument for also addressing organizational influence at the same time.)

Resilience has many definitions from the “ability to bounce back” to “The ability to withstand adverse events and stressful situations without falling apart, by actively and positively coping with stress” (Stein and Book) Whatever your preference for definitions, you can probably identify certain times and situations where you feel more capable and resilient. Maybe you can use these to learn from and expand the range of situations where you can respond more resiliently?

We have identified 6 components which we believe are fundamental to personal resilience. Each of these can be developed and thought of as a work in progress which you keep improving. Not only will strengthening them help to increase your personal resilience they will help you in many other aspects of your life.

Sense of purpose

Probably the core component of the six. It is the foundation for the all of the others. Not everyone is clear about their purpose and it is frequently something that you can define as you move through life. The stronger your sense of purpose the better equipped you are to handle challenges and setbacks and to recover from them. If you are not clear, it can lead to feelings of frustration or aimlessness. Being able to identify this can help you to feel you are having a more meaningful life. Do you understand the purpose in all the activities you engage in or do you experience a frustrating sense of why you are there?

For many people their sense of purpose is around one of the following, or a combination:

people – interests or hobbies – religion or spirituality – personal achievement or ambition

Positive realism

This component is something of a balancing act, between being able to think positively about situations and events whilst being realistic about what can be achieved. (It is not about some naive false optimism!) It involves being able to generate positive thoughts and feelings about situations. If you slip towards the other side, ask what do you gain by taking that more negative view of things? Practice seeing the glass half full, look at the positive and you will start to feel different. At the same time, a healthy dose of realism is good. It reduces the chance of having unreasonable expectations and subsequent disappointment. Keep things in perspective and it will help you to achieve these aims. Whether thinking about what might happen, or reflecting on things from the past, think positively and with the realistic perspective. Focusing on what is in front of you now can support this approach.

Relationships

People matter to us. Supporting and caring relationships are essential. Your interpersonal communication and skills can be an important element of your ability to be resilient and how well you can handle difficult situations or times. Having people around who you can reach out to when you need support or help is a real asset. (Provided you are open to doing so and do not think it is a weakness to seek support.) It is also powerful to be able to offer help and support to others when they need it. Developing your interpersonal skills to be able to adapt to a wide variety of people and interactions can help reduce the possible pressures created in difficult relationships.

Determination yet open-minded and flexible

How good are you at seeing things through? When faced with challenges do you deal with them by having a “can do” approach, being proactive and taking action? This component considers how well you finish tasks and things which you have started. Are you able to keep going in the face of adversity rather than giving up? Your ability to persevere when confronted with difficulty will help your resilience. An important part of this is your ability to be adaptable and open-minded. Rather than being closed minded in your determination, resilience is helped if you can be flexible in your approach to things. It prevents any tendency to keep repeating the same behaviors to similar situations and expecting different results! A willingness to explore options and alternatives will always provide you with a greater range of choices to deal with situations.

Self-Awareness

This refers to your knowledge of your inner self and how you think, feel and react. What are the patterns you have in the way we think about, or respond to, different situations and challenges? Can you identify the positive, more helpful ones – and those which might be less positive? Resilient people are able to identify the causes of their success and any failures and learn from them. They will accept responsibility for their actions and reactions. They recognize what challenges or situations are beyond their control and that the part which is in their control is how they think and react. Assess your own habits about your thoughts, do you live in the present and future, or keep going back to the past?

Self-management -self-reliance

This component is somewhat more pragmatic as it considers how well you know, and use your strengths and skills and recognise your limitations. Both at work and home, do you manage your time and only take on what you can handle realistically? Over-commitment is a major source of pressure for many. Aim to get your work-life balance at the right level for you and those around you. Take responsibility for yourself and your actions. As you build your own reliance you can become stronger at doing this. Looking after yourself is also important. Your health, lifestyle and even amount or relaxation and sleep will help towards your resilience.

For organizations, you can really benefit from helping your people to introduce some initiatives to help them increase their personal resilience. We know that stress costs your business, both directly and indirectly. Why wait until it becomes a problem? Support your people by working on prevention and start offering some personal resilience training or help.

Individuals can use various ways to assess themselves. Discussion with friends or colleagues, self-assessment, coaching or taking some sort of profile or questionnaire. (You could try our Personal Resilience Index!) Identify where you feel you could improve and where you feel you are strong. Think about your preferences or choices for how you could develop in the areas you want and take some action. Ultimately, it will help you with your quality of life and potentially help in all areas.

Graham Yemm is a partner in Managing Pressure and has 20 years of experience of working with organisations and individuals, internationally and in the UK, to help them manage time more effectively and to deal with pressure and stress. He can be reached through info@managingpressure.com or +44 1483 480656.

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Gratitude – The Secret Ingredient in Healing and Health

July 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Thank you CardBy Sukie Baxter -

Gratitude and appreciation are crucial ingredients in maintaining a balanced life. It’s true what they say – energy flows where attention goes. In the path to healing – whether you’re trying to lose weight, improve athletic performance, or become pain-free – focusing on what is working gives you the energy you need to make it all the way to your finish line.

Making note of the positive elements in your daily life creates resources for your healing. Like a good friend, you can turn to these resources whenever you’re feeling out of balance. Having strong resources also reduces the need to rely on a healer or therapist for a crutch, thus empowering you on your own healing path.

Here are 3 powerful secrets for integrating gratitude and appreciation into your life in such a way that you become extremely well resourced and supported:

1. All throughout your day, consciously notice what movements make your body feel great. Do you like stretching your arms over your head, or does walking relieve the tension in your low back? Maybe it feels amazing to walk barefoot on soft, luxurious carpet, or a certain yoga pose uplifts your mood.

Knowing what movements, exercises, and sensations improve your mood and physical well being reduces the need to rely on a healer or therapist for a crutch. When your back pain flares up, you already know how to nip it in the bud, or what to do to help untangle the knots in your neck post airline flight. You truly become the expert in your own body.

2. Make a list of all the people you spend time with in your day to day life – include family, friends, and coworkers, even those that you only speak to via phone.

Take a green pen and a red pen and sit somewhere quietly with your list. Going over the names, make a green + sign next to the names of those people who always uplift you and support you. These people are the ones whose company always leaves you feeling more cheerful at the end of a visit than when you arrived.

Using the red pen, make a – sign next to the names of people who drag you down. This may include those who are highly critical, constantly complaining, always telling you why you can’t do something, etc.

Now you should have a clear outline of the relationships that build you up and those that tear you down. Of course, this isn’t black and white, and you probably don’t want to cut all the negative people out of your life cold turkey. Instead, I suggest shifting your mindset.

When you are around your green + people, notice and appreciate how supportive they are and how their energy empowers you to move forward. When you are around the negative red – people, focus on being grateful for the lessons that they teach you about how you do not want to live your life. This will keep you in gratitude no matter who the company is!

3. Forgive. It is very difficult to be in a positive state of mind about yourself, your life, and the people around you when you are burdened with grudges, hate, fear, and dislike.

Holding onto the wrongdoings of others is a surefire way to drag yourself down into negativity and dis-ease. Even more harmful is refusing to forgive yourself for the wrongs you’ve perpetrated against yourself.

I recommend releasing grudges daily. If you start this practice, you’ll be shocked at how many tiny, insignificant things you tend to hold onto – a rude bank teller, getting cut off in traffic, a snippy word from your spouse, your teenager’s hormones making her grumpy, etc.

Reading the following Forgiveness Prayer aloud to yourself daily is a fabulous way to let go:

If I have harmed anyone in any way,

either knowingly or unknowingly

through my own confusions,

I ask forgiveness.

If anyone has harmed me in any way,

either knowingly or unknowingly

through their own confusions,

I forgive them.

And if there is a situation I am not yet ready to forgive,

I forgive myself for that.

For all the ways that I harm myself,

negate, doubt, belittle myself, judge or be unkind

to myself through my own confusions,

I forgive myself for that.

- Buddhist Prayer

Sukie Baxter is a Seattle Rolfer who helps clients overcome muscle pain, stress, and anxiety through holistic, integrative bodywork. To learn how to rejuvenate your body and soul using natural health strategies that get real results, register for weekly wellness articles on her website.

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The Health Benefits of Meditation

May 20, 2010 By 2 Comments

Businessman sitting in lotus positionBy Michelle Spencer -

Just to be more relaxed each day is enormously valuable for our health. Meditation takes us one step further. Hundreds of.medical surveys support the contention that meditation is good for health. These are the most common findings.

Meditation releases muscular tension. This automatically relieves pain, increases mobility and lets the body relax.

The breath, the body fluids and the nerve impulses can flow more freely.

Meditation lowers high blood pressure. The release in muscular tension makes the body more pliable. The heart doesn’t have to pump as hard to force the blood through the veins and arteries. When stressed, our blood becomes thick with cholesterol This thins out when we relax.

Meditation stimulates the immune system and the production of white blood cells. The immune system winds down when the body is stressed. The healing process works best when the body is relaxed or sleeping.

Meditation speeds recovery rates after illness or surgery. Meditation opens constricted air passages. It is particularly good for asthmatics or hayfever sufferers.

Meditation increases blood circulation to the digestive tract, the skin and the brain. When we are stressed, our digestive system shuts down. The blood supply is redirected into the big muscles for the “fight-or-flight” reflex. Meditation reverses this, and the digestive system can function efficiently again.

The flow of blood to the skin and the extremities can be directly experienced as a pleasant tingling when you relax. Improved circulation means the entire body is better fed with nutrients and waste products removed more efficiently.

Meditation dramatically affects hormonal activity. This is a complex finding that still needs interpretation. Obviously, the stress hormones diminish during meditation. However it also appears that a mediator’s pattern of hormonal secretions is generally typical of someone five or ten years younger than themselves. This suggests that the physical stresses of age do not weigh so heavily on a meditator. Meditators are like people who are very fit.

There are many reasons why people learn how to meditate, but the health benefits of meditation are probably higher up most people lists than anything else. Find out how meditation can impact your life today.

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Is Your Job Making You Sick?

May 1, 2010 By 1 Comment

sickBy Margaret Norton

The American Psychological Association reported in 2007 that work was the leading cause of stress for Americans. Three-quarters of those surveyed felt their stress was significant, an increase of 59% from 2006.

Having spent most of my adult life in corporate America, I am very aware of how jobs are breeding grounds for tension. Today we have so many things that are supposed to make our lives easier but it seems we are more over worked. Workers trying to balance work and family feel they are pulled in two directions and can not give their best to either.

Those of my generation grew up with strong work ethics. But I sometimes wonder if we didn’t pay a price for our long hours at work. Working hard and working long hours should be a choice. Just because I want to do it, doesn’t mean my team members want to do it. Often we are made to feel guilty for leaving after putting in a good full eight hours.

Vacation requests and time off is denied because it is not convenient for our jobs.

It is my belief that our life is more important than our jobs. A well rested, relaxed employee is a better employee. When we take care of ourselves we have more to give to our companies. The needs of family should come before the needs of work. Many workers are now part of the sandwich generation. Those still raising a family while also caring for an elderly parent. If there is a problem at home it does affect your work. What is really alarming is that employees have been fired for taking time off to handle family issues.

As a life coach I work with individuals in transition. This involves a lot of soul searching on their part. The answer to a stressful job situation is not always finding another job. The key is in discovering what it is that you really want to do. It is true that if you love your work it will not seem like work at all. Sometimes we stay in bad jobs or bad relationships just because we do not want to make a change. Why would someone stay in an unhappy, stressful situation when there are other options?

As you discover what it is you really want to do also examine your priorities. Do you want to work 60 hours a week or would you rather have more time to spend with your family? Sometimes we get stuck in jobs just to pay our bills. In an effort to keep up appearances and to acquire more stuff, we often accumulate so much debt that we are forced to stay on a job we do not like.

We spend a good portion of our waking hours at work. Studies show that many Americans do not like their jobs, which is obviously one of the reasons they are stressed. I ask again why would you stay somewhere that you did not like? Life is to be enjoyed not tolerated.

Prior to becoming a Life Coach, I worked for 14 years as a contractor in the mortgage business. I had no benefits, never knew how long my jobs would last and the industry was sometimes unstable. I accepted this because I loved the work I did. There were perks such as working in many interesting cities and having time off to spend with family. Most days I awoke up excited about going to work.

My husband, on the other hand, has worked as an automobile mechanic for 19 years with a union automobile dealership. He has hated every day of his job for 19 years. Yet he decided to stay because of the benefits, union retirement, and his child support payments. He probably hits the snooze button four or five time every morning because he hates the thought of having to get up and go to work.

If the stress of your job is making you sick, now might be the time to evaluate why you are doing that job. Is it what you really want to do or are you just settling? Review your priorities. Maybe it is time to fit your job around your life. We are living longer than ever and having to wait longer to draw social security, if it is still there. We need to do a better job of taking care of the one body we have. Stress leads to many illnesses which can reduce our life expectancy and quality of life. If jobs are the major cause of our stress, it is time for us to take a major look at our jobs.

Margaret is a personal life coach, writer, speaker, and Internet Radio Host.

As the owner of Life Transitions I specialize in helping others deal with the many changes of life. Most situations which requires change can be an opportunity to start over again.

I am passionate about women’s issues and especially enjoy helping them develop their full potential. Life gives us many chances to start over again, like a cat with nine lives.

For more information see my Web Site http://www.margaretnortonlifecoach.com

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Health Benefits of Singing

April 20, 2010 By 1 Comment

musicBy Noah Mark Rodolfo

As a human being, we love and enjoy music in general. Everyone has a different taste of music. Singing for example can be enjoyed by any individual without any hindrances. Did you know that there is a different effects for every kind of music? Every song defines emotions and the way the singer delivers can be so powerful that the listener can feel it within himself even without understanding the words.

Singing is a silent healer were mostly are not aware of. An enjoyable hobby can be your alternative healthy craze. Study shows that singing provides therapeutic benefits to every singer giving them relief to some illnesses. Below are some of the health benefits of singing.

1.Good for mental therapy – Singing contributes greatly on diseases which affects brain’s mental capacity. Known for its great contribution for Alzheimer’s disease. The lyrics of a song remains in the memory which helps patients to use singing as a medium for communication.

2.Boost Immune System – It is proven that performers and singers have more higher levels of immunoglobulin A and cortisol, a substance responsible for body immunity. Other benefits includes lung capacity improvement, high energy, relieve asthma and proper posture.

3.Stress reliever – While singing, one show deep feelings and emotions which creates an amazing release on stress levels. Singing relaxes our mental state thus making us feel better.

4.Another form of exercise – Medical practitioners believed that singing can be included as another kind of aerobic exercise. This can be supported because frequent singing can be a way of therapy for people who has psychological conditions.

5.Builds confidence – This is the most important benefit you will get from singing. Music as a whole can give you improve your level of confidence. Mainly decrease anxiety and encourages social interaction.

Singing is fun and enjoyable. Make singing a habit to bolster your self-image, improve over all body health and long lasting good relationship with others.

About the author

Noah Mark Rodolfo is an alternative natural healthcare practitioner and is committed to bring the best health and wellness information online. Get the most updated news about health, diseases, weight loss and proper nutrition on his website at http://www.healthtalkbuzz.com.

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All About Resilience

April 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

wheelchairBy Julia Barnard

How resilient do you think you are? How easily do you bounce back when bad things happen? Do you think you would manage if disability or serious illness were to come your way, or do you think you would buckle under the misery and give up on life? People sometimes say ‘I don’t know what I would do if’. But people do manage, somehow life goes on and for some their life is more satisfying and meaningful than it was previously. You are probably more resilient than you think you are.

I feel confident of your resilience when I reflect on the children I once worked with. They all had physical disabilities, and many of them faced some amazingly complex issues. Yet 99% of these children showed incredible resilience, they got on with their day to day life working hard in school, making friends, enjoying life. In fact, their resilience was taken for granted — the ones that stood out were those who struggled to cope. It seems to me, that resilience is not a rare trait, but something we are all capable of.

Being resilient means being able to cope under stress or pressure or when difficulties come your way. These problems can vary in their enormity: being in a serious accident, facing a natural disaster, not getting a promotion, or even just missing the bus. In life, bad things happen. However, I think knowing you will bounce back means you have already won half the battle. Of course, you may believe you are not the resilient type so what follows are tips to help your strengthen your resilience and to recognise this capability within you.

How do you manage when difficulties come your way? Recall things in your past and what you did to overcome them. Could you have done things differently, so you recovered sooner? Note times when you’ve bounced back in the past. Build on these experiences to help you persevere on your next challenge.

Make sure you know how to recognise and manage your stress. When you feel stress hitting you, two of the easiest ways to help you feel better are exercise and deep breathing. If you are the efficient type, try yoga as this combines the two.

Have the courage to get support. Being able to turn to others for help is also a sign of resilience. Get support from friends, family and community. Today community is world-wide thanks to the internet.

When problems come your way, rather than getting overwhelmed with emotion, take on a problem solving approach. Seek out realistic and attainable solutions that can be quickly implemented.

Recognise how much control you have over how you think and feel and how this impacts on your subsequent behaviour. Be careful how you define yourself. Don’t label yourself a victim. It reduces the amount of control you feel you have. You do not have to be a casualty of your circumstances and earlier life events do not have to derail you. Studies have shown examples of children growing up in difficult circumstances — extreme poverty, parents with mental illness or alcoholism – yet they continued to thrive and do well in school.

Learn an optimistic way of thinking. Know that although things may be tough now, at some point things will be better. Recognise that bad things in life will happen but start now to learn that you will get through it. Be ready for the challenge rather than expect to be defeated. See change as an opportunity, rather than something to fight against.

Copyright Julia Barnard 2010

Julia Barnard is a counsellor and author living in Adelaide, Australia. You can discover more ways to be happy through her book: Promoting Happiness, a workbook to help you appreciate and get the most out of your life.

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Depression’s Secret Weapon

April 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment

happyfacebigBy Wendy Love -

Can you imagine that there is something you have been doing all of your life that you could do right now, if you wanted to, and it would give you a much needed break from depression? What is it? Laughing! That’s right – laughter is depression’s secret weapon.

You may as well get started benefiting from this wonderful free weapon. Go ahead and laugh! If you need a little assistance, maybe you should look up some old America’s Funniest Home Videos on the internet. I dare you not to laugh when you see some of them.

Bill Cosby said: “Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.” Do you agree with Bill Cosby?

Comedians are not the only ones who understand the power of laughter. What about Patch Adams? Many of you probably saw the movie of the same name. There is much more to this doctor besides his clowning around with patients. He is a believer in healing the body using non-traditional methods, laughter being just one.

Another man who has made it his passion to discover how the body can overcome the odds of serious illness is Norman Cousins. This writer, when faced with a debilitating illness, decided to challenge that illness with laughter. He writes an account of it in his book, “Anatomy of an Illness”. His success story is worth investigating.

But maybe if you are reading this and you are one of the many who suffer from depression, you are wondering if laughing isn’t a little pointless. I mean what difference is it really going to make in the long run?

“Laughter is the Best Medicine” claims that laughter relaxes the whole body, boosts the immune system, triggers the release of endorphins, and protects the heart.

Wow, and all of that is free! And with no nasty side effects! We cannot afford to put this tool, LAUGHTER, anywhere but at the TOP of our list of depression getaways.

Don’t you love the way children laugh? They hold nothing back. They are so free! ‘FREE’ is not a word we associate with depression, but if you decide to add laughter to your medicine chest, then for a moment or two, you can be as free as a child.

What about you? Are you ready to add laughter to your list of depression getaways? Are you willing to take the laughter challenge? What have you got to lose? For more information about depression’s secret weapon visit Depression Getaway.

There are so many strategies you can try for getting away from depression for a moment, an hour, or even longer. Don’t give up, I’m praying for you.

Wendy Love

Wendy Love

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Checklist For Living a Healthy Life

April 9, 2010 By 3 Comments

check boxBy Mateo Martins Platinum Quality Author -

I will be the first to admit that finding out what steps to follow in order change your lifestyle and become healthy can be a quite confusing and perplexing task. It is not that the tasks aren’t relatively simple; it is just that there is so much conflicting information on the internet that you really can’t know which advice to follow and what methods are the best ones.

I have recognized that a lot of people deal with this problem and in many cases it stops them form starting to live a healthy lifestyle. In this article we will go through the checklist of transforming your lifestyle to a healthier one. Here is the checklist:

I have made sure that I will greatly limit the amount of junk food I eat from this day and forward.

I have understood what negative effect fast burning carbs can have on my body and I will avoid these types of carbohydrates, especially later on in the day so I can keep steady insulin levels and not get sugar cravings.

I have committed myself to stop smoking cigarettes as this is pure poison and the worst thing I can do to my body when it comes to becoming healthy.

I will drastically reduce the amount of alcohol I drink or I will go as far as stopping completely.

I will lower the amount of unhealthy fats I eat during any given day and will make sure most of the fat I eat are essential and healthy fats.

I will start working out, this doesn’t necessarily mean going to the gym every day, it just means that I will keep active and either do some dancing or other types of activities throughout my day.

I will start eating high amounts of fiber each single day and I will also make sure I drink enough water.

I am dedicated to eating more protein as protein is the number one prerequisite for building muscle and additional muscle will boost my metabolism.

Last but not least I am committed and understand that this is a complete lifestyle change and not just something I will do for a couple of months and then stop as soon as I get the results I was looking for.

By following this check list you can be absolutely sure that you will immediately become healthier and transform your lifestyle completely.

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