How Meditation Improves
Your Health?

With rising levels of stress in everyday life, meditation is being promoted as an excellent cure for stress and the many health problems that it brings on. But can meditation actually improve health – this is one question that many people ask these days. The truth is, meditating regularly can actually boost human health in many ways. Read on and find out how this is possible.

It can improve brain health

Latest research from University of Maryland School of Medicine, as stated by Dr. Kevin Chen, has shown that regular meditation can boost the health of the brain and also allow it to maintain good health for a longer duration. This can help prevent neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

It can reduce high blood pressure

Studies have shown that high blood pressure is often caused by a rise in stress levels. As regular practice of meditation brings down stress levels, it also helps in bringing down the level of high blood pressure. People who suffer from hypertension due to a stressful lifestyle often find relief with meditation techniques in their everyday life.

It can boost the immune system

Former NBC correspondent Bhava Ram has stated that meditation helps transport the body from the fight or flight response related to the parasympathetic nervous system which is dominant in a very busy and stressed mind frame and leads it to a rest and restore situation. This type of calm state can boost the immune system, make the digestive system work better, make the mind more relaxed and actually change the chemical reactions going on within the body.

It can boost confidence levels

Licensed holistic health practitioner Rev Ameka Ali has revealed that regular practice of meditation can boost the level of confidence in grown-ups as well as kids. It teaches kids to stay calm, builds their self confidence and develops their concentration. It can also develop their inner strengths; assist them in gaining control over self and beat stress in daily life.

It can improve the memory

Regular meditation is also able to boost memory capabilities in adult men and women as well as in kids. New research has shown that such techniques can change the workings of the brain and make it more active. This can help improve concentration and retention power of the brain, and practitioners can remember even small details after just practicing meditation for a few months.

Why Affirmations Work?

Do positive affirmations work? The population is divided regarding this question. While affirmations work for some people, they hardly yield any results for others. The way that affirmations work is repeating a positive statement, usually something that one wants to come true, over and over again in order to actualize it. For instance, repeating the sentence “I am getting better each and every day” will help one to believe it and draw power from it. These affirmations work in a subtle manner, which is unfathomable to most people.

These provide strength

These affirmations actually provide the mind with strength. Many studies have revealed that the subconscious mind guides the majority of our actions, behavior and destiny of an individual. For example, the subconscious fear of the dark actually makes many humans fear low-lit places – even when there are no dangers present in those spots. Similarly, training the mind to think positive thoughts can have an impact on the psyche and boost self-confidence immensely.

These remove frustrations

Imperfections are part of every human being, and very few people are happy about themselves and the state that they are in. Some consider themselves too short, too tall, too thin or too fat to be attractive just as others feel that their wealth, social skills and personality are not enough to make them appealing to others. Positive affirmations can remove frustrations for the time being and teach people to accept their flaws and embrace them. By removing frustrations, they can actually find ways to change themselves positively and address those imperfections.

These guide you

When you utter things like “I am getting thinner with each week” or “I will be more calm and composed in the days to come” you actually remind yourself about your wishes. As an intelligent and responsible person, you know that none but you can make a positive change in yourself – and you need to work on that end. Repeating it and hearing it, you are more likely to actually hit the gym or remember to meditate or drink more water.

These give you a sense of purpose

In any situation, your outcome can be either good or bad. When you are making a positive affirmation, you understand that the outcome often rests on your abilities and dedication to change. You get the motivation and sense of purpose that is the first step to making any real change in yourself. Affirmations guide you and prevent you from forgetting your personal goals and objectives.

Are You Playing Favorites
with Your Children?

In many families, parents can be found to favor one child more than another – much to the chagrin and anger of the other child or children. This is not just out of love, but the fact that the temperament and personality of one kid can be more in tandem with that of his or her parents. However, the problem can get compounded when parents focus more on troubled kids rather than children who are well-adjusted. The following questions will help you to understand whether you are playing favorites with your kids.

Are you spending more time with one kid?

If you are, you might be neglecting the other one. Parents are expected to love all their children equally. But they are humans at the end of the day and their preferences, as in case of many others things, tend to show even in the way they love their kids. Troubled kids need more attention, but focusing too much on them can make healthier ones feel neglected. Over time, even well-behaved kids can begin to behave badly, suffer from depression, throw tantrums to draw attention and show defiant behavior.

Is your kid ignoring or hurting his/her sibling?

Find out whether your generally well-behaved kid is showing resentful behavior to his/her sibling, and is ignoring or hurting him in any way. Not getting enough attention from mom and dad, and finding a sibling getting the same can sow the seeds of jealousy, anger, bitterness, anguish and extreme hatred. Even if you find your healthier kid trying to hurt the troubled one is seemingly innocuous ways, you need to be on your guard. The simple push, scratch or attempt to trip or making humiliating remarks towards the sibling can be signs of sibling rivalry and jealousy setting in.

Is your kid reacting in odd ways?

If your well-behaved kid is not hurting his sibling but is complaining too much and reacting strangely these days, the problems might already have started. Ask him directly whether he has any issues with you. Do not have a confrontational or scolding tone, as it can make him withdraw into a shell and refuse to open up about the actual problems. Instead, smile and ask him whether there is something wrong on your part that is annoying him. He may not open up at first, but supportive behavior from your end will eventually make him reveal his hurt emotions

FOOD AFFECTS YOUR MOOD

Have you ever thought that the food that you are eating is affecting your mood? You probably know that after satisfying a food craving, your mood can alter. But did you know that you can support depression with the foods you are eating? Yes, there is a dramatic connection between your emotions and food.

How? Food affects your body’s metabolism, neurotransmitters and hormones. These are the things that are responsible for our emotions, energy, and concentration. Since the carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins that we consume impacts all 3, food affects our mood..
So, next time when you eat, be careful. The food you are eating may be the reason for your depression!

Different foods for Different Moods

Every food has their effect on your mood. Let’s find out what foods to eat to get good moods:

• Food for being relaxed and calm
  Almonds, pumpkin seeds, and leafy vegetables are best to make you relaxed. This is because they are rich in magnesium which is a calming mineral that is depleted while you are stressed. They are also good aid in sleeping which would elevate your mood.
• Be happy with these foods
  Asparagus, peas, egg yolks, beans, spinach, sunflower seeds, fish, meat, and poultry are rich in Vitamin B6, B12 and folate. Homocysteine is an amino acid which is responsible for depression and it is controlled by Vitamin B. Thus, by consuming these you can say good bye to depression. Vitamin B also helps in reducing anxiety so when you feel anxious next time, eat legumes, eggs, or nuts.
• Food to increase your energy
  One cause of low energy is anemia which is caused by deficiency of Vitamin B12 and iron. Thus by boosting the intake of protein and iron along with Vitamin B12, you can boost your energy too. Eat food made up of spinach, seafood, bell peppers, mussels, oysters, and liver. You’ll find that your energy increases.
• Be focused and alert with these food
  Your alertness is boosted by the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine. So, if you consume bananas, avocados, poultry, or beans you would get tyrosine which helps build those transmitters. They also have Zinc that increases alertness.
• Food to avoid anxiety and depression
  Anxiety and depression can be avoided or at least reduced within a good intake of vitamin C. Drinking chamomile tea with lemon is great aid for those who are feeling blue..

How to Shake a Bad Thought

Bad thoughts can make your life miserable. You may have a negative thought and this thought may be irritating, it would ruin your normal thinking. When negative thoughts prosper in your mind, you find that you focus mainly on them. Until and unless you try to overcome them, they would stay there along with you! So, if you are having bad thoughts then try one of these tools:

Talk it Out

The more you think about something and the more engrossed you become with the thought,the more similar thoughts join it, be they positive or negative! So, when you find that negative thoughts are engulfing you, it’s time to share them with friends or your bathroom mirror. While you talk it out, you will hear how negative it is and gain extra motivation to change your thoughts. Note: only talk it out with positive people! If you call your Eeyore friends you’ll get even more stuck.

Change those Negatives
into Positive Thoughts

Once you understand it is negative, you should try to eliminate it from your mind and change it to positive. How? Notice if you are focused on what went wrong instead of how to fix it. Start thinking about solutions you can see, even if they aren’t perfect. You will find that you are utilizing your energy to build positive thoughts and not to nurture the negative ones.

Be Creative

When things are becoming negative and you can’t seem to interrupt the thoughts, you can distract yourself to ditch them! Either think about something creative or go be creative. Creativity makes your mind busy with creation, which is positive. You’ll find it very difficult to think bad thoughts while bringing something new to life! If you cannot think of anything else, just pick up a pen and paper and write a letter to someone you love. The good words and feelings you have for them will make you feel better. That is because love and fear cannot occupy the same space. Hence the biblical quote, “perfect love casts out fear”. It very much does!

Take a walk

It is said that thoughts develop in your mind. Although this is true but they’re also the result of and sensitive to the environment you are living in. If you are leading your life in a stressful environment, bad thoughts can become your life partner. So, try to change the environment and watch what happens. If you cannot change your environment, at least take a walk for few minutes in some peaceful and serene place. Changing your physical state helps shift your psychological state to.

Thoughts, good and bad grow when they have space and invitation. So, when you are feeling something bad, ask yourself how you invited that thought in. If you are diligent with this for 30 days you’ll learn to caulk some leaks before they cause a flood. Use these simple but powerful tools to feel better and drive away those bad thoughts.