Situations such as an asthma attack or acute pain can create stress, anxiety, and muscle tension. These reactions make the situation worse.

The variations are numerous: some people focus on an external object, such as a candle. Others find that they can clear their minds easier by concentrating on their breathing. Some even silently repeat a word or a phrase.

One student of meditation has described it as inner astronomy. Through meditation you discover the stars, the moon and the sun . . . all within you. Most closely associated with advanced spiritual development, Eastern medicine has claimed that meditation can help a person improve his physical health as well.

For many years conventional Western medicine paid scant attention to meditation and even less to its “allegedly” benefits. But recently, studies have shown that meditation can indeed have immense health benefits. Meditation is an example of how the body and mind can work together in order to generate a state of well-being.

Meditation can be an effective complement to conventional medical treatment. By calming the mind, many individuals have experienced remarkable improvements in such health conditions as blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems, depression, anxiety, and stress. Many have even reported that chronic pain lessens when they meditate regularly and their problems with insomnia have decreased.

But more than that, studies have shown that even AIDS patients and those suffering with cancer benefit from practicing meditation. Some doctors have even noted that continued meditation may even help those addicted to drugs and alcohol.

The exact mechanisms by which meditation work are not fully known as of yet, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). Currently, the National Institutes of Health are sponsoring several studies to discover more in depth knowledge about the effects of meditation, how it works and for what health conditions it would be most beneficial.

Researchers do know that meditation produces changes in the body’s autonomic nervous system which then alters your body’s “fight or flight” response which dictates how you body responds to stress as well as how your organs, and muscles perform. One of the best aspects of meditation is that unlike harsh prescription medicines given for depression or for heart-related conditions, it is free of side effects.

Resource: Ultimate Guide to Meditation

ShareThis

If you want to start meditating, keep in mind that no matter the style, all forms have four common elements. The first is a distraction-free environment. Especially if you’re just starting a meditation habit, you’ll want to choose a location that is as free of noises and interruptions as possible. The quieter your environment is the better. As you develop your skills, you may be able to block out the noises and be able to meditate in public places, like waiting rooms, airport lobbies or other areas.

Remember that the mind and body are interdependent. Because the state of one affects the state of the other. Some suggest you employ the classic Eastern pose sitting upright, spine straight, legs crossed in order to maximize your benefits. The NCCAM, however, explains that meditation can be performed in just about any posture, including sitting, standing or lying down. The Center also explains that you can even meditate while walking.

In fact, there is an ancient form of meditation that is just now making a revival. It’s called labyrinth walking. The individual walks through a large circuitous route made of hedges or trees to the center of the structure. This physical walk symbolizes the spiritual journey into the inner self.

The third common element of all meditation is a focus of attention. Whether you choose to concentrate on your breath as you exhale and inhale or an external object is a matter of personal preference and effectiveness. You may even want to develop your own personal mantra to recite as you meditate. A mantra is a single word or even a phrase that you repeat as you focus your thoughts. Many people simply choose the ohm sound. Others prefer, depending on their religious affiliation love, Jesus, Lord or other words meaningful to them.

All meditation also requires that the practitioner has a nonjudgmental attitude. As you attempt to clear your mind of all thoughts, you need to be patient with yourself. Don’t immediately judge yourself as bad if you have problems, especially when you’re first starting out, clearing your mind.

Many mediators claim that the mind at first resists such clearing. They claim the ego section of the mind is the originator of these incessant thoughts. When you begin to quiet it, the ego believes it’s being pushed aside. So during your first several sessions, you may notice an increase in mindless chatter.

One of the hallmarks of meditation is that you clear your mind of all “clutter”, the self-chatter of thoughts that run through your mind sometimes at a rapid pace. When you find your mind wandering from your field of focus, very gently bring your thoughts back.

Meditation is best practiced twice a day in the morning upon rising and before going to sleep in the evening. In fact, Dr. Raj Kapoor, M.D., an internist in Pittsburgh, PA, and practitioner of meditation recommends that your morning habit is best practiced between the hours of 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. These hours, he says, are considered sacred in such cultures as India. He also recommends that you face the north or the east when performing your meditation.

There are many forms and variations of meditation, so if one particular form doesn’t work for you, try another. Look into some books on meditation to discover which type is best for you. If you feel better after meditating, you’re doing it correctly.

Resource: Ultimate Guide to Meditation

ShareThis

It’s no secret that we feel better when we get a good night’s sleep. Tossing and turning all night, or simply hitting the sack too late, can leave us feeling unenergetic and grouchy the following day. An adequate amount of restful sleep, on the other hand, makes us more alert and improves our mood.

But a good night’s sleep has a lot more benefits than that. It can improve our mental and physical health in several ways. Most people have heard of sleep apnea -– interrupted breathing during sleep, but there are over 70 known common sleep disorders. The most common are –

* Insomnia
* Circadian Rhythm disorder
* Restless Legs Syndrome
* Narcolepsy

If you have a chronic getting to sleep, get to a sleep clinic where a doctor can check your brain waves, muscle activity, breathing, and other things that happen with your body while you sleep.

Benefits of Sleep

* Getting enough sleep is good for your heart. Our hearts slow down when we’re sleeping, so it stands to reason that not getting the sleep we need makes our hearts work harder for longer than intended during the course of a day. Lack of sleep can also be linked to higher blood pressure and cholesterol, both of which are bad for the heart.

* Sleep helps us fight disease and infection. As we sleep, our bodies produce more of the hormones that aid the immune system, such as melatonin and cortisol. These hormones can help prevent cell damage that leads to cancer, and they help fight off germs that cause colds, the flu, and infections.

* Long-term memories are formed during sleep. So when we get a good night’s sleep, we are giving our brains time to store more information away for later reference. If you are suffering from forgetfulness, try getting a little more sleep. Chances are, it will help.

* Adequate amounts of sleep can help us maintain a healthy weight. Studies have shown that those who sleep less than 7 to 8 hours a night are more likely to be overweight. This is believed to be due in part to lower levels of leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite, and higher levels of ghrelin, a hormone that simulates hunger.

* Getting the sleep you need can help ward off depression. One of the contributing factors in depression is serotonin deficiency, which often occurs in those who do not get enough sleep.

* Sleep is the time when our bodies repair themselves. They create new cells to replace those that have been damaged during the waking hours. This is one of the keys to good health.

Getting a good night’s sleep can help us be more productive, happier and healthier. It gives our bodies a chance to produce hormones that we need and regenerate itself, and our brains a chance to file away the things we need to remember. Getting enough sleep each night is one of the most effortless, yet most important, things we can do to keep our bodies functioning as they should.

Resources: Natural Sleeping Aid

ShareThis

So this will have to pass for a post today–

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

ShareThis

Diet

Eat as much organic food as possible. Your diet should include beans, brown rice, oat bran, vegetables, fruits, and chicken or turkey.

Make detoxifying juices from apples, aloe vera, beet greens, asparagus, cabbage, carrot greens, celery, cucumbers, parsley, and turnips.

Make a vegetable broth from the following items: collards, Swiss chard, kale, mustard greens, cabbage, dandelion, Brussels sprouts, daikon radish, watercress, seaweed, shitake mushrooms, cilantro, Garlic, leeks, fennel, anise, ginger, and turmeric.

Squeeze one lemon into 12 ounces of hot water. Drink this first thing in the morning when you wake up.

Finally, to help draw out toxins, take a 20-minute bath daily with infusions of seaweed, wintergreen, eucalyptus, peppermint, fennel, cinnamon, and epsom salts.

Herbs

Most Americans do not like bitters because our tastebuds are accustomed to sweets and salty food. Nevertheless, bitters are great for the liver. You can take them in tinctures and teas, although many people find tea made from bitters distasteful.

Artichoke is a bitter (without the butter or mayonnaise). Artichoke is very regenerative and protective to the liver. It also reduces blood fat, stimulates bile elimination.

For a cold liver, try boldo. It’s good for bio release of toxins.

The herb barberry promotes bile flow and is helpful with jaundice and gall stones. Try a tincture of 15-20 drops three times a day or take a tea made of barberry.

Oregon grape (bitter) is good for slow liver function, slow protein digestion, and helps released stored iron in the liver. Usually a person with this problem will have sticky stools or the stool will float.

Yellowdock (bitter) stimulating and cleansing to the liver. Good for chronic constipation. Can also be helpful for acne, especially acne on the back and behind.

dandelion root (not the leaf) reduces heat and congestion in the liver and gallbladder.

Golden Seal (leaf) stimulates the production and secretion of bile.

blue flag increases bile flow in the liver and gallbladder. This is good for people who eat a lot of over processed junk food.

One last thing. If you have a sweet tooth and are trying to break that habit, eating bitters will take the craving away.

References:
Herbs for Detoxification

Detoxification - All you need to know to recharge, renew and rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit!

ShareThis