wellness

9 April, 2015  by

8 Things Emotionally Stable People Don’t Do

“I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions.  I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.”
―Oscar Wilde

  1. They don’t take other people’s behavior personally.

It’s easy to feel unloved and unwanted when people aren’t able to communicate and connect with you in the way you expect.  And it’s so hard not to internalize that disconnection as a reflection on your worth.  But the truth is, the way other people behave and function is not about you.  Most people are so caught up in their own problems, responsibilities and struggles, that the thought of asking you how you’re doing doesn’t even cross their mind.  They aren’t being mean or uncaring – they’re just busy and a bit self-centered at times.  And that’s OK.  It’s not evidence of some fundamental flaw on your part.  It doesn’t make you unlovable or unworthy.  It just means that some people aren’t very good at looking beyond their own egocentric bubble.  But the fact that you are – that despite the darkness you feel, you have the ability to share your love and light with others – is an incredible strength.

  1. They don’t get caught up in petty arguments and drama.

Being strong and emotionally stable doesn’t mean you have to stay and fight all the battles and petty arguments that come your way.  It means just the opposite – you don’t have to stay and respond to other people’s rude remarks and unnecessary hostility.  When you encounter someone with a bad attitude, don’t respond by throwing insults back at them.  Keep your dignity and don’t lower yourself to their level.  True strength is being bold enough to walk away from the nonsense with your head held high.

  1. They don’t just react (they respond mindfully).

A reaction is a hot, thoughtless, in-the-moment burst of emotion that’s usually driven by our ego (we’re more likely to react when we’re disconnected from our rational mind).  It might last just a split second before our intuition kicks in and offers some perspective, or it might take over to the point that we act on it.  When we feel angry or flustered after dealing with a situation or person, that’s a sign we’ve reacted rather than responded mindfully.   Responding mindfully will leave you feeling like you handled things with integrity and poise.

  1. They don’t get stuck thinking the world is ending.

Sometimes the darkest times can bring you to the brightest places, your most painful struggles can grant you the greatest growth, and the most heartbreaking losses of relationships can make room for the most wonderful people.  What seems like a curse at the moment can actually be a blessing in disguise, and what seems like the end of the road is actually just the realization that you are meant to travel a different path.  No matter how difficult things seem, there’s always hope.  And no matter how powerless you feel or how horrible things seem, you can’t give up.  You have to keep going.  Even when it’s scary, even when all your strength seems gone, you have to keep picking yourself back up and moving forward, because whatever you’re battling in the moment, it will pass, and you will make it through.  You’ve made it this far, and you’ve felt this way before.  Think about it.  Remember that time awhile back when you thought the world was ending?  It didn’t.  And it isn’t ending this time either.

  1. They don’t tie their present emotions to past negativity.

When we’re in the ‘here and now,’ it’s much easier to cope with emotions and see them as just that: emotions.  If we get caught up obsessing over the past, emotions and situations can take on new (and untrue) meanings as they become attached to stories.  For example, imagine you just got turned down for a new job.  Naturally you’re disappointed.  But if you’re not present with that emotion, and instead try to act like a tough girl or guy by burying it, the mind delves back into your past for all the other times you’ve felt that way.  Now you feel like a failure and you start to carry a feeling of unworthiness into every future job interview.  When we stay present, we’re empowered to start fresh every moment and we can see every situation with a sharpened perspective, which allows us to grow beyond the negative emotions (and outcomes) standing in our way.

  1. They don’t try to escape change.

Sometimes, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us feel to admit it, there are things in our lives that aren’t meant to stay.  Change may not be what we want, but it’s always exactly what’s happening.  The Earth does not stop spinning.  And sometimes saying goodbye is the hardest thing you will ever have to do.  Or, saying hello will make you more vulnerable and uneasy than you ever thought possible.  Some changes are almost too much to bear.  But most of the time, change is the only thing that will save your life and allow you to dream and grow and succeed and smile again.  Life changes every single moment, and so can you.

  1. They don’t try (or pretend) to be perfect.

Despite what others may tell you, you can disappoint people and still be good enough.  You can fail and still be smart, capable and talented.  You can let people down and still be worthwhile and deserving of love and admiration.  Everyone has disappointed someone they care about at some point.  Everyone messes up, lets people down, and makes mistakes.  Not because we’re all inadequate or inept, but because we’re all imperfect and human.  Expecting anything different is setting yourself up for confusion and disappointment.

  1. They don’t spew hate at themselves.

When you catch yourself drowning in self-hate, you must remind yourself that you were not born feeling this way.  That at some point in the past some person or experience sent you the message that something is wrong with you, and you internalized this lie and accepted it as your truth.  But that lie isn’t yours to carry, and those judgments aren’t about you.  And in the same way that you learned to think negatively of yourself, you can learn to think new, positive and self-loving thoughts.  You can learn to challenge those false beliefs, strip away their power, and reclaim your self-respect.  It won’t be easy, and it won’t transpire overnight.  But it is possible.  And it begins when you decide that there has to be a better way to live, and that you deserve to discover it.

Closing Thoughts

Looking after our emotional wellness helps us get the very most out of life.  When we feel emotionally stable, we feel more centered and connected to our intuition.  We become more productive, better at making decisions, more present, and more fulfilled.

So now that we’ve covered eight big “don’ts,” let’s close with a few rapid-fire “do’s” to improve your emotional stability and wellbeing in general…

Do… understand that the problem is not the problem – the problem is the incredible amount of over-thinking you’re doing with the problem.
Do… realize that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.  Just because it’s easy, doesn’t mean it’s worth your while.  Do what’s right in life, not what’s easy.
Do… know there’s a big difference between empty fatigue and gratifying exhaustion.  Life is too short.  Invest in the activities you deeply care about.
Do… admit when you are wrong, and then embrace the fact that you are wiser now than you were before.
Do… say “no” so your yeses have more oomph.
Do… be so busy loving the people who love you that you don’t have time to worry about the few people who don’t like you for no good reason.
Do… focus more on being interested than being interesting.
Do… express gratitude and think about how rich you are – your family and friends are priceless, your time is gold, and your health is true wealth.
Do… realize that if the grass looks greener on the other side, it’s time to stop staring… stop comparing… stop complaining… and start watering the grass you’re standing on.
Do… be old enough to appreciate your freedom, and young enough to enjoy it.
Do… see transitions in life as the perfect opportunity to let go of one situation and embrace something even better coming your way.
Authors: Marc and Angel / Successful Flow

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15 November, 2014  by

9 Significant Benefits of Green Tea

Humans have been drinking green tea for almost 5,000 years (as early as 2,737 BC) both as a beverage and a medicine. But do you know just how good green tea really is? As more research is done into the properties of green tea (which comes from the Camellia sinensis tea plant) the more we discover there are amazing benefits to drinking it.

Here is a list of all the health benefits of green tea supported by research and studies done in recent years.

Benefits of Green Tea

Ingredient Found in Green Tea Significantly Inhibits Breast Cancer Growth in Female Mice

Green tea is high in the antioxidant EGCG (epigallocatechin-3- gallate) which helps prevent the body’s cells from becoming damaged and prematurely aged. Studies have suggested that the combination of green tea and EGCG may also be beneficial by providing protection against certain types of cancers, including breast cancer. A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Mississippi researchers now finds that consuming EGCG significantly inhibits breast tumor growth in female mice. 

Green Tea Compounds Prevent Memory Loss from Lack of Oxygen (Sleep Apnea)

People with the disorder called sleep apnea literally stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes for a minute or longer. With the most serious form, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), this can happen hundreds of times during a single night and deprive the brain of oxygen, leading to possible brain damage that causes memory problems.

According to new research, natural substances in green tea appear to stave off these OSA-caused cognitive deficits. Using green tea instead of drugs prevents brain deficits due to hypoxia and could be an important aid to preserving the memories of millions of people suffering from sleep apnea. 

Green Tea Can Help Delay the Onset of Type 1 Diabetes

A powerful antioxidant in green tea may prevent or delay the onset of type 1 diabetes, Medical College of Georgia researchers say. Researchers were testing EGCG, green tea’s predominant antioxidant, in a laboratory mouse with type 1 diabetes and primary Sjogren’s syndrome, which damages moisture-producing glands, causing dry mouth and eyes. Both type 1 diabetes and Sjogren’s syndrome are autoimmune diseases, which cause the body to attack itself. Autoimmune disorders are the third most common group of diseases in the United States and affect about 8% of the population. The study supports earlier research showing EGCG’s impact on helping prevent autoimmune disease. 

Green Tea Slows Down Prostate Cancer Progression

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men in the United States, but a new study has found that drinking green tea can slow down the progression of prostate cancer. Participants in the study were given the equivalent of 12 cups of green tea a day for an average of 34 days. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was reduced by an average of almost 19%. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was reduced by 9.9%, and prostate specific antigen (PSA) was reduced by 10.4%. Some of the men showed numbers reduced by as much as one third. 

Green Tea May Help Prevent Oral Cancer

According to a study recently published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, people with precancerous oral lesions were able to slow the progression of those lesions by taking a potent green tea extract. What’s more, the extracts caused some of the participants’ lesions to disappear entirely.

Researchers had 41 leukoplakia participants take one of three dosages (four, if you count the placebo group) over the course of 12 weeks: 1000 mg of green tea extract, 750 mg of green tea extract, or 500 mg of green tea extract. They took their allotted amount three times per day. At the conclusion of those three months, the researchers took oral tissue samples from each of the participants for another 12 weeks to see if there was any lessening of the lesions. Of those taking the highest dose (i.e., 1000 mg), researchers saw a lessening or disappearing of the lesions in 60% of the participants. People taking 750 mg also experienced a significant lessening (again, approximately 60% of the participants). Of those people taking the lowest green tea extract dose (500 mg, 3x per day), just over 35% experienced lesion reduction. 

Green Tea Can Prevent and Help to Treat Brain Disorders

A study that reveals the powerful effect of the green tea component EGCG in preventing and treating serious brain disorders like Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s diseases. When combined with another isolated component, the elements therapeutically eliminate the protein amyloids which are thought to cause these brain diseases. Researchers from Boston Biomedical Research Institute (BBRI) and the University of Pennsylvania discovered that two chemical components, one found in green tea, were able to break up the amyloid plaques and restore normal cell function in samples similar to what would be found in patients with brain disorders. The combination was found to be effective at eradicating all kinds of amyloids. 

Green Tea May Strengthen Your Teeth

Researchers have found that drinking at least one cup of green tea a day increases the odds of keeping your teeth as you age. The researchers suspect that antimicrobial molecules called catechins present in green tea and in lesser amounts in oolong tea provide the benefit. But be careful if you like your tea with sugar: sweetener may negate the effect, the team found. Yasushi Koyama of the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine and colleagues looked at more than 25,000 Japanese men and women between age 40 and 64 in making the determination. They found that men who drank at least one cup of tea a day were 19 percent less likely to have fewer than 20 teeth (a full set including wisdom teeth is 32) than those who did not drink green tea. Tea-drinking women had 13 percent lower odds.

Green Tea Helps to Prevent Dementia

Scientists at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom have just discovered that when green tea is consumed, the digestive process in the gut creates powerful chemicals that work to protect the body against Alzheimer’s. Digested green tea chemicals prevented the Alzheimer’s disease-linked toxins from destroying normal cells and were seem affecting cancer cells, significantly slowing down their growth. 

Drinking Green Tea Lowers Fat Accumulation in the Body

Drinking between 5 and 8 cups of green tea each day was shown to lower body weight by an average of 5.6% and to decrease abdominal fat stores by 17.8% over a period of 8 weeks. Green tea consumption has long been associated with lowered risk of cancer, metabolic syndrome and heart disease.

A study was conducted by Polish researchers and used an animal model to determine weight loss and fat accumulation characteristics. The researchers also analyzed cardiovascular risk factors and atherogenesis over an 8 week period. The animals were fed a high fat diet and drank green tea made from either a 1.1% or 2% extract of the active phenolic compound. The results indicate that body weight and fat reduction are dose dependent with maximum results (5.6% lower body weight, 17.8% fat reduction) achieved with the 2% extract. Researchers found that the green tea concentration is important to achieve optimal weight lowering results.

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Author: Paul Lenda 

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18 October, 2014  by

Researchers Finally Show How Mindfulness and Your Thoughts Can Induce Specific Molecular Changes To Your Genes

With evidence growing that training the mind or inducing specific modes of consciousness can have beneficial health effects, scientists have sought to understand how these practices physically affect the body. A new study by researchers in Wisconsin, Spain, and France reports the first evidence of specific molecular changes in the body following a period of intensive mindfulness practice.

The study investigated the effects of a day of intensive mindfulness practice in a group of experienced meditators, compared to a group of untrained control subjects who engaged in quiet non-meditative activities. After eight hours of mindfulness practice, the meditators showed a range of genetic and molecular differences, including altered levels of gene-regulating machinery and reduced levels of pro-inflammatory genes, which in turn correlated with faster physical recovery from a stressful situation.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that shows rapid alterations in gene expression within subjects associated with mindfulness meditation practice,” says study author Richard J. Davidson, founder of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds and the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“Most interestingly, the changes were observed in genes that are the current targets of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs,” says Perla Kaliman, first author of the article and a researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona, Spain (IIBB-CSIC-IDIBAPS), where the molecular analyses were conducted.

Mindfulness-based trainings have shown beneficial effects on inflammatory disorders in prior clinical studies and are endorsed by the American Heart Association as a preventative intervention. The new results provide a possible biological mechanism for therapeutic effects.

Gene Activity Can Change According To Perception

According to Dr. Bruce Lipton, gene activity can change on a daily basis. If the perception in your mind is reflected in the chemistry of your body, and if your nervous system reads and interprets the environment and then controls the blood’s chemistry, then you can literally change the fate of your cells by altering your thoughts.

In fact, Dr. Lipton’s research illustrates that by changing your perception, your mind can alter the activity of your genes and create over thirty thousand variations of products from each gene. He gives more detail by saying that the gene programs are contained within the nucleus of the cell, and you can rewrite those genetic programs through changing your blood chemistry.

In the simplest terms, this means that we need to change the way we think if we are to heal cancer. “The function of the mind is to create coherence between our beliefs and the reality we experience,” Dr. Lipton said. “What that means is that your mind will adjust the body’s biology and behavior to fit with your beliefs. If you’ve been told you’ll die in six months and your mind believes it, you most likely will die in six months. That’s called the nocebo effect, the result of a negative thought, which is the opposite of the placebo effect, where healing is mediated by a positive thought.”

“It’s a complex situation,” said Dr. Lipton. People have been programmed to believe that they’re victims and that they have no control. We’re programmed from the start with our mother and father’s beliefs. So, for instance, when we got sick, we were told by our parents that we had to go to the doctor because the doctor is the authority concerning our health. We all got the message throughout childhood that doctors were the authority on health and that we were victims of bodily forces beyond our ability to control. The joke, however, is that people often get better while on the way to the doctor. That’s when the innate ability for self-healing kicks in, another example of the placebo effect.

Subconscious Beliefs Are Key

Too many positive thinkers know that thinking good thoughts–and reciting affirmations for hours on end–doesn’t always bring about the results that feel-good books promise.

Dr. Lipton didn’t argue this point, because positive thoughts come from the conscious mind, while contradictory negative thoughts are usually programmed in the more powerful subconscious mind.

“The major problem is that people are aware of their conscious beliefs and behaviors, but not of subconscious beliefs and behaviors. Most people don’t even acknowledge that their subconscious mind is at play, when the fact is that the subconscious mind is a million times more powerful than the conscious mind and that we operate 95 to 99 percent of our lives from subconscious programs.

“Your subconscious beliefs are working either for you or against you, but the truth is that you are not controlling your life, because your subconscious mind supersedes all conscious control. So when you are trying to heal from a conscious level–citing affirmations and telling yourself you’re healthy–there may be an invisible subconscious program that’s sabotaging you.”

The new science of epigenetics promises that every person on the planet has the opportunity to become who they really are, complete with unimaginable power and the ability to operate from, and go for, the highest possibilities, including healing our bodies and our culture and living in peace.

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Author: Michael Forrester / Wake up world

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29 September, 2014  by

Can’t Get the Hang of Meditation? Try This Instead

I’m sure you don’t need convincing that chronic stress is bad for your brain, and that if you are stressed out you need to relax. But that’s easier said than done!

One of the most widely heralded stress reduction techniques is mindfulness meditation. But many people find it difficult, if not impossible, to quiet their mind.

It’s not unusual for people to feel frustrated and disillusioned with their meditation practice. Then meditation becomes an additional source of stress!

There are some excellent reasons to pursue meditation, even when it seems to be the problem and not the answer. And there are other ways to achieve the same benefits if you can’t get the hang of traditional meditation.

Stress Destroys Brain Cells

When a situation you perceive as stressful occurs, it initiates a launch of biochemicals such as adrenalin and cortisol.

Too much stress over prolonged periods actually changes the structure and function of the brain. Cortisol kills brain cells in the hippocampus, the seat of the memory. It literally excites your brain cells to death.

Stress conversely causes the amygdala, your fear center, to grow, causing you to become more fearful and anxious.

Research suggests that chronic stress stimulates the growth of certain proteins that might even be the cause of Alzheimer’s.

Benefits of Meditation for Stress Reduction

There are many lifestyle changes you can make to reduce stress, but meditation keeps popping up as one of the best. Over 1,000 studies have been published showing the health benefits of this relaxation technique.

Meditation has become a mainstream relaxation technique which has been reported on favorably by prestigious medical institutions such as the Mayo Clinic, National Institutes of Health, and Harvard’s Women’s Health Watch.

It helps your brain by reducing stress, but meditation does a lot more too.

Meditation has been shown to improve learning and memory by increasing the communication between the right side and left side of the brain. It also puts your brain in a desirable brainwave state. Meditation enhances the brain’s ability to regenerate new brain cells and new neural connections. One of the most exciting findings is that mindfulness can even slow down the rate of cellular aging!

Problems with Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness is one of the most common types of meditation.

It involves sitting quietly while trying to keep your mind focused on the present. This can be done by concentrating on your breath or by repeating a mantra.

Some of the most common complaints about traditional meditation include feelings of impatience, frustration, boredom, and not getting the desired results. It understandably leaves many people questioning whether they are wasting their time. Imagine how hard meditation can be when trying to fit it into a sensory-bombarding, multitasking Western life!

Sound Meditation Can Help

The sound of waves at the beach, the crackle of an open fire, or listening to relaxing music causes your brainwaves to synchronize with that sound’s frequency and puts you in a relaxed state.

I’ve used sound technology in addition to traditional meditation for years. I find meditation to be hit or miss. Some days I feel like I’ve nailed it but many days I feel like my thoughts were a runaway train and I don’t know what, if anything, I got out of it.

The sounds soothe my mind and dissipate the constant urge to think. I find I don’t even “think about thinking.” I come out of each experience feeling like I’ve been on a mini-vacation. I never feel the frustration, impatience, or boredom I experience with meditation the old-fashioned way.

Everyone is different, so the only way you’ll know what either traditional meditation or sound meditation can do for you is to give them a try.

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Author: Deane Alban / Wake up World

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7 September, 2014  by

Chakras: What they do and How to heal them

1. Root Chakra – Represents our foundation and feeling of being grounded.

Location: Base of spine in tailbone area.

Emotional issues: Survival issues such as financial independence, money, and food that can present fatigue, disagreements with family members and disorientation. (Lack of grounding)

What to do?: Visualize a molten lava flow beneath you (intense red) Go to an open space barefoot and imagine a growing root from your feet to the center of the earth. Resolving issues with family (root) can help you heal this chakra.

2. Sacral Chakra – Our connection and ability to accept others and new experiences.

Location: Lower abdomen, about 2 inches below the navel and 2 inches in.

Emotional issues: Sense of abundance, well-being, pleasure and sexuality that can present sexual dysfunction, hormonal imbalance and lack of activity if the chakra is blocked.

What to do?: Any creative or sexual outlet has the potential to engage this chakra but only if the person is willing and align with his or her genuine self.

3. Solar Plexus Chakra – Our ability to be confident and in-control of our lives.

Location: Upper abdomen in the stomach area.

Emotional issues: Self-worth, self-confidence, self-esteem that can present digestive system upset, weakness in “core” muscles, low immunity and low self-esteem if the chakra is blocked.

What to do?: Reassessing personal choices and life directions, it is helpful to take time and space to nourish and to uncover and accept the real self.

4. Heart Chakra – Our ability to love.

Location: Center of chest just above heart.

Emotional issues: Love, joy, inner peace can present high or low blood pressure, cardiac symptoms, anger, numbness and fear of love if the chakra is blocked.

What to do?: Visualize a bright white light in the center of the chest and allow it to expand slowly to awaken this chakra and soothe feelings of hurt, write a journal or talk to a good and trusted friend too.

5. Throat Chakra – Our ability to communicate.

Location: Throat.

Emotional issues: Communication, self-expression of feelings, the truth can present hypothyroid, frustration and fear or inability to express oneself if the chakra is blocked.

What to do?: Sing, dance, write, speak and yell, express yourself, no fears, stand up for personal beliefs and support other people, ideologies and groups, but especially for yourself.

6. Third Eye Chakra – Our ability to focus on and see the big picture.

Location: Forehead between the eyes. (Also called the Brow Chakra)

Emotional issues: Intuition, imagination, wisdom, ability to think and make decisions can present headaches, lack of insight, feeling lost and lack of psychic intuitiveness if chakra is blocked.

What to do?: Visualize a third eye in the middle of the in the middle of the forehead, looking around with keen observation and insight. Overthinking congests the brow chakra.

7. Crown Chakra – The highest Chakra represents our ability to be fully connected spiritually.

Location: The very top of the head.

Emotional issues: Inner and outer beauty, our connection to spirituality, pure bliss can present headaches, brain fog, fear, disconnection, lack of trust/faith/ hope in chakra when blocked.

What to do?: This chakra represents the connection with the divine as well as the reality that all is energy, there is no form. Visualize a glowing white energy coming down and enveloping the top of the head, opening and healing the crown chakra. Talk (out loud or internally) to the higher self and ask for guidance, healing and wisdom.

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Source: Positive Med. 

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