I always got flu during seasons change. People says that the environment condition cause our body got sick easily.
Everytime I got flu, I took some medicine and getting better afterwards. But this season, I try another approach. I try to suggest myself that my body has the ability to fight it. I keep telling myself that I don't get sick, and my body can fight it.
I even keep my usual habit such drinking cold and iced water (which is of course prohibited when you got flu), but not too much.
Strange thing happens, I didnt get worse. I even get better, even though I keep riding motorcycle with no jacket ocasionally.
So, I believe that in certain conditions, especially when we have a strong self suggestion, our body defense system will work and follow our mind.
Do you agree?
Self Suggestion Power
Meditation Can Slow Down AIDS Effect
Doing meditation routinely can slow down AIDS. You can feel the effect only in weeks.
According to David Creswell, a researcher from University of California Los Angeles, the more you meditate, the positive effect will become stronger.
This can happen because routine meditation will increase CD4 T cells. This cell play role in strengthen human immunity. Creswell’s research shows this effect.
The research involves 67 AIDS sufferer. 48 of them asked to meditate for 8 weeks, 1-2 hours each day. After 2 months, those who meditate more often, have more of CD4 T cells. This effect even better if they consume AIDS medicine.
You must remember that meditation can only slow down AIDS, but not cure it.
Visualization
Visualization within meditation involves holding one–pointed attention on some form of selected imagery. This serves three purposes:
- To Increase skills in one-pointed concentration. For example, holding the image of a candle flame in your ‘mind’s eye’, then progressing to more complex images as your abilities improve.
- To facilitate specific movements or ‘openings’ of energy within the body, as commonly practiced in Daoist meditations, where pathways of ‘life force’ are influenced. Also, in raja yoga, to activate or ‘open’ one of the chakras, or energy centres.
- To focus our attention on the qualities to which we aspire, as embodied in the visual image of being or deity who possesses these qualities, or in a mandala that evokes these attributes.
Healing Power of Hobbies
Hobbies like Gardening, stamp collecting, even playing cards keep us healthy – in both body and mind.
Some one with serious hobby may had 3000 Barbie dolls. Her passion may seem odd, but experts agree: being an enthusiastic hobbyist is good for you.
Hobbies reduce stress, syas Alice Domar, director of the Mind/Body Centre for Women’s Health at Harvard Medical School. They distract you from everyday worries: if you’re focused on the pottery you’re making, you can’t fret about work, says Domar.
And knitting, or anything requiring repetitive motion, elicits the relaxation response, a feeling of overall serenity, marked by lowered blood pressure.
Hobbies provide a calming sense of control, says Domar, and research suggest this strengthens immunity. You may have a little say at work, but when you’re woodworking, you’re in charge.
You get the credit – and satisfaction – of a job well done.
We know that physical activity extends life, but less active pursuits are healthy as well. A Swedish study, showed people who regularly engaged in hobbies such as sewing and gardening were less likely to suffer mental decline. Similar research in The New England Journal of Medicine found that those who pursued mind-boosting activities – such as crossword puzzles – lowered their risk of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. “Any hobby that challenges the brain should have a positive effect on dementia risk,” says lead Author Joe Verghese, a neurologist.
Many hobbies are social. From dealing cards at bridge to swapping tips with other collectors, engaging with like-minded souls boost immunity. A Japanese study af almost 12,000 people found that men who engaged in hobbies or community activities were less likely to die of stroke or circulatory disorders than those who didn’t.
So keep fishing or collecting dolls. Other may think you’re obsessed – you know otherwise.
Don’t get hooked
Women may be more prone to addiction to some drugs than men. Dr. Jill Becker from the University of Michigan has found that rats injected with cocaine and oestrogen showed 20-50 per cent more “sensitisation” than those given cocaine alone. This suggests that, in particular, young women experiencing major hormonal changes (as well as older women on HRT) should be careful what they’re exposed to.
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Scientist studying the body’s response to stress have long focused on the “fight or flight” model – that animals sensing danger release hormones that speed things up or either fight foes or flee, fast.
But this view is incomplete, says Shelley Taylor, a University of California, Los Angeles, psychology professor. Her theory: Women have potent stress-fighting system based partly on oxytocin, the “cuddling hormone”.
Known for being produced in women during childbirth and lactation and in both sexes during orgasm, oxytocin has also been shown to boost bonding in rats, sheep and prairie voles. And one study found that giving male and female rats daily shots of it cut blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol while promoting wound healing and possibly, weight gain.
Though women’s blood may not hold more oxytocin than men’s, it does have more oestrogen, which increases the available oxytocin’s effectiveness. To Taylor and others, this shows that women naturally cope with stress not just by fighting or fleeing, but by finding comfort in friends too.
Most intriguing is how, by acting as a cause and a product of animal bonding, oxytocin may feed a kind of self-perpetuating loop of stress reduction.
So, when stress hits, call a friend. If you don’t have one, make one. If all else fails, cuddle up to a prairie vole.
Lose Weight Naturally
Lose weight naturally means that rather than counting every calorie or scratching entire food groups from your diet, make healthful eating — along with fitness and stress reduction — a part of your daily lifestyle.
By thinking of weight loss not as a primary goal but rather as a by-product of making important health choices, you are on your way to addressing the underlying causes of weight gain — not merely the symptoms.
This approach can benefit you for long term result then other lose weight methods. How can you lose your weight naturally? Here are some key habits that you can do:
Healthful diet
Remember this: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
These 3 points form the basis of a healthful diet:
1. Eat food. "If it’s something your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize," says Mark Hyman, M.D., author of UltraMetabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss (Scribner, 2006), "you probably shouldn't eat it." Choose whole fresh foods rather than processed food products. In other words, don't just avoid processed and refined white bread, but also limit enriched whole wheat bread, which is loaded with processed nutrients and preservatives. Fresh whole grain bread straight from the bakery would be better, while a dish of cooked wheat berries would be even more nutritious. The greater amount of food you eat that is whole and unmodified (rather than being a food product), the more healthful (and — believe it or not — satisfying) your diet will be.
2. Not too much. There's no getting around that one of the most healthful and effective techniques for weight loss is moderate calorie restriction. Since weight loss boils down to consuming fewer calories than you burn, portion control is a non-negotiable element. To safely lose weight, shoot for a deficit of 250 to 500 calories per day — anything greater could leave you very hungry and more vulnerable to impulsive indulgences with bad-for-you food.
Tip: Restricting the number of calories is one of the most difficult requirements to weight loss. Try substituting quality for quantity. You may find that by choosing organic whole foods, you'll need less to feel satiated.
3. Mostly plants. Vegetables should make up the largest portion of your diet, as the antioxidants in fresh produce have a powerful effect against the free radicals in our bodies. Also, since vegetables (especially leafy ones) are low in carbohydrates, eating a plant-based diet translates into fewer calories overall. Remember, variety not only adds spice but longevity, too. As omnivores, we require a certain amount of complexity in our diet in order to stay healthy. Include as many different colors and varieties of fruits and vegetables in your diet as you can.
Proper hydration Don't underestimate the importance of drinking water for weight loss. Sufficient water intake is crucial for you to achieve optimal digestion, absorption, circulation and waste excretion.
Depending on how much produce you eat, the climate you live in and how much you exercise, you should be drinking an average of 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. Remember that fruit juice, tea, coffee and sodas don't count as water.
We often misinterpret thirst as hunger — which throws off our natural appetite cues. By staying properly hydrated throughout the day, you will deter false hunger pangs and be able to more easily discern your true hunger levels. Another bonus? Staying hydrated fights fatigue, giving you more energy to stick with your exercise plan.
Tip: Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go so that you have no excuse for getting parched.
Natural supplements
While your focus should be on getting nutrition from whole foods rather than relying on supplements, ensuring basic nutritional support through a few well-chosen supplements is a reasonable backup. Begin with a high-quality multivitamin and mineral combination, and choose a brand that doesn’t contain fillers, binders, coloring agents, gluten or lactose.
For natural compounds that may speed up weight loss, consider calcium, chromium and green tea supplements. While it is unclear how effective these supplements may be in enhancing weight loss, they have few known risks and some potential benefits. Nonetheless, it is not standard medical practice to recommend them.
Calcium (400 to 500 milligrams daily) may play a role in weight control by regulating energy metabolism. Chromium (400 micrograms daily) appears to improve insulin function and blood sugar control — which may make weight control easier. The caffeine and antioxidant catechins in green tea can help enhance calorie burning by increasing thermogenesis (the production of heat in cells). You can either drink several cups a day or take it in capsule form (anywhere from 250 to 500 milligrams daily)
Tip: Taking your vitamins and supplements (either with a meal or just before) may reduce stomach upset.
Stress reduction
Stress and weight gain are closely related. Stress can cause your adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol into your bloodstream, which in turn can cause the body to conserve fat.
Chronic stress throws your metabolism out of whack and can lead to weight gain regardless of calorie intake. Cortisol (the stress hormone) makes your body less sensitive to other hormones — most notably to leptin, the hormone that tells your brain when you are full.
There are other factors at work (i.e., the fact that people turn to food to comfort themselves in times of stress).
Relaxation, experts say, is the best defense against stress. "When someone learns how to consciously acknowledge the presence of stress, he can then make a deliberate choice in how he'll react to it," says Steven Gurgevich, Ph.D., author of The Self-Hypnosis Diet: Use the Power of Your Mind to Make Any Diet Work for You (Sounds True, 2007). "Instead of 'emotional eating,' they can take a brisk walk, do something productive or use an active or passive relaxation technique."
Tip: Meditation, yoga, prayer, baths, music, tai chi, hypnosis and breathing exercises all may induce the relaxation response.
Fitness
For people who are more than moderately overweight, exercise can be daunting (at best) and even physically excruciating due to the pressure your weight puts on your joints. But you have to start somewhere: Wendy McClure, a fitness consultant and trainer listed by Men's Journal as one of America’s 100 Best Trainers, says very heavy people should not jump into an exercise boot camp. "I often suggest beginning with classes in a pool, because they can move freely in the water for a long period of time without joint problems," she says. Walking is another excellent way to launch an exercise program. Walking as little as 15 minutes a day could significantly improve your health. The more out of shape you are, the more fitness gains you will experience early on. Use a pedometer — available for as little as $10 — and slowly build up to 10,000 steps a day (about 4 to 5 miles). Studies show that this level of activity can reduce blood pressure, significantly increase calorie burn and improve cardio fitness (again, particularly in people who are less fit to begin with).No matter your baseline fitness level, choose activities you enjoy (ice skating, rock climbing, square dancing), and do them with people you like. Many studies show that people are more likely to stick with an exercise program if they have an activity buddy —the commitment drives people to show up even on days when their motivation is low. Also, don't be a fair-weather friend to exercise. "A consistent routine of exercising each day... shows the best and most successful results," McClure says. It is healthier — and safer — to exercise for 20 to 30 minutes a day on most days than to procrastinate all week and try to punish yourself for 2 hours on a Saturday.
Success with a natural weight-loss approach doesn't equal quick results. By introducing long-term and lasting changes instead of drastic, unsustainable ones, you may lose weight more slowly — perhaps only a pound a week. Still, the more gradual the loss is, the more likely that the pounds will be gone for good.
Go lose your weight naturally and have a healthier life.
The ruler and hourglass body shape
The ruler body
This is another body shape that is common in men. Women with ruler bodies are often reffered as having boyish figures with few curves, and seem tobe naturally thin without even trying – just like celebrities Keira Khightly and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Their figures are squarish because the width of their bust, waist and hips vary slightly.
Rulers seem to be eating all the time without getting any fatter.
Although it might sound like a good problem to have, ruler-shaped bodies often wish they could put on some weight and have a fuller figure rather than looking thin.
Such a figure does have its benefits, such as missing out the myriad health problems associated with too much body fat, but it is believed that such a body has a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.
The hourglass figure
This body shape applies only to females. Hollywood legends such as Marilyn Monroe were regarded as having the perfect hourglass figure, but now it’s back in fashion – with Scarlett Johansson and Catherine Zeta Jones.
Women with an hourglass figure have soulders and hips of a similar width and a smaller waist, giving them classic female curves without looking too skinny.
The trouble is that hourglass shaped women often find they put on weight quite easily, while finding is difficult to build muscle.
That means maintaining those curves will require a healthy, low fat diet and regular cardiovascular exercise.
Now that you know what body shape you are and realize that it is genetically determined, let this be the basic for making sure that you are eating right and exercising right for your body shape.
You can also find more about eating right during your pregnancy to make you understand the do's and don'ts if you are pregnant.
What Is My Body Shape - The pear and apple
We have already known the types of body shapes and you probably identify which body shape that you have. Now, how will we deal with them.
The pear-shaped body
Men or women woth pear shaped figures are usually bottom heavy. They appear to have a narrow upper body compared to their wider lower body.
And if you need some celebrity idol with a pear-shaped figure, look no further than Jennifer Lopez.
Research has shown that people with this body shape show less risk of developing heart conditions. This could be because hip-fat contains a natural anti-inflammatory element called adiponectin, which prevents arteries from swelling up and becoming blocked.
Storing fat around the hips also has far fewer health risks than storing fat around the waist, although as with all body shapes, it’s important to work hard and eat balanced meal to maintain a healthy weight.
The apple-shaped body
Many men are considered to be apple-shaped – their bodies have a silhouette that resembles an upside down triangle. This is definitely a common body-type for men, but not for women.
Women with an apple-shaped figure will have afuller bust and waist, but smaller bum, and will tend to accumulate weight around their stomach rather than around their hips.
Keep that waistline in check to reduce risk of heart disease or diabetes. A healthy diet and active lifestyle are essential, as is an active lifestyle. Toning and strengthening the upper body will benefit “apples” greatly.
Next: The ruler and hourglass body shapes.
What Is My Body Shape - Shape Really Does Matter
What is my body shape? The answer is that there are 4 human body shapes. Can you imagine, if everyone had the same body shape, the world would be a boring place. Thankfully, everybody has a different body type and shape. Just as our facial features are inherited genetically, our body shapes are, too. That’s why you often hear people say,”I’ve inherited my mother’s waist and hips” or “I’ve got my dad’s shoulders and height”.
It is obvious that our body shapes affect our lives in a number of different ways. Our body shapes often determine what and how much we eat and exercise, what we wear and how we feel about ourselves.
Men and women often are commonly described as having pear, apple or ruler shaped bodies. These terms are used to describe the areas where the body has a tendency of storing fat.
For example, pears tend to store fat below their waist, usually on their hips and thoghs, whole apples store fat above their waists, around the mid section.
The fourth body shape that only women have is the hourglass figure.
While it is almost impossible to alter your body shape completely, there are things you can do to look after your body – and look your best no matter what body shape you have.
Now you have known the answer about your body shape. We’ll see about how to deal with each of those body shape in my next post.
Break away from skipping breakfast
You may curious why are people skipping breakfast. In fact, body-conscious teens may believe cutting out breakfast will help them lose weight, but the opposite appears to be the case, say researchers at the University of Minnesota, United States.
In a five year study of more than 2,000 youngsters, those who skipped breakfast weighed om average 2.3 kg more than those who ate first thing in the day, the BBC reported. And this was so even though the breakfast eaters consumed more calories in the course of the day.
But the study in the journal Pediatrics found that those who ate breakfast – and then ate more during the day – were likely to be mote active.
The research adds weight to evidence that people who eat breakfast – whatever their age – are leaner than those who do not.
“It may seem counter-intuitive,” said Mark Pereira, who led the research. “But while they ate more calories, they did more to burn those off, and that may be because those who ate breakfast did not feel so lethargic.
“While it’s best to go for a healthy option, a wholegrain cereal for instance, the evidence does seem to suggest that eating anything is better than eating nothing at all.”
Around 25 percent of the group in the study regularly missed breakfast, and the problem was particularly pronounced among young women.
“They skip breakfast because they worry about weight gain – and it’s ironic that the ones who aren’t worried and eat in the mornings are the ones who keep their weight down,” said Pereira.
Tam Fry, chairman of the Child Growth Foundation at the National Obesity Forum, said the findings of the study showed just how important it was to relay a clear and consistent message to young people.
“If you eat well first thing, you’ll feel brighter, you’ll have more get up and go and you’ll expend more energy. Eating regular meal is vital, and a proper breakfast is very important.”
Skipping breakfast does not help you lose weight!
Wholegrain cereal is best. But anything is better than no breakfast. You are likely to be more active and burn off more calories during the day if you do eat breakfast because you won’t feel lethargic. Those who eat breakfast are more likely to keep their weight down.
So, don’t do skipping breakfast to lose your weight.
Ways to Hide Hair Loss after Pregnancy
Most women suffer from gradual or sudden hair loss after pregnancy and also during pregnancy. This is mainly due to “raging hormones”.
Hair loss after pregnancy can be noticed in different times - after parturition or after nursing stopped. Most of the women get startled after seeing clumps of hair coming out while showering or during combing. It is widely noticed that most of the women experience hair loss after pregnancy especially around six months after childbirth.
Hair loss after pregnancy is mainly due to the fact that women’s body is nourishing the new born rather than feeding the hair because the infant and the mother are the important persons not the hair.
There are other reasonso for hair loss after childbirth. The hormones, which are causing normal hair loss are completely lost during pregnancy. Hence normal shedding of hair is not noticed while pregnant. Once the baby comes out of the womb, the women’s body returns to normal and the hair, which have not fallen during pregnancy start to shed in conspicuous bundles. The hair loss after pregnancy is mostly noticed in the areas around the ears, close to the hairline, and near the temples.
There are so many hair styles available from different hairdressers for the lactating mothers. One of the wonderful options for coiffing hair to perfection regardless of current hair situation is using super volumizing tonic by these mothers to correct hair falling. This hair growth product is free from alcohol, and is also natural and is readily available at drugstores.
Another idea to correct hair loss after pregnancy is to go for a better cut or new hair style.Most of the new moms don’t have enough time to go for different hair care designs in order to hide the hair loss after pregnancy. So ask your hubby to baby-sit while the new mom may find little time to look after their hair to camouflage the hair-lessened areas.
If you find enough time to look after your hair despite your new baby, the hair loss after pregnancy can be taken care by having woven with lowlights around your face to improve your skin and face by masking the hair falling.
Finally, you can choose hair accessories such as ponytail with hanging pearls. These hair accessories can be used as useful hair-helpers to mask hair loss.
Even headbands are the perfect fit in areas of hair loss especially near the temple or over the ears and around the hairline. A beautiful twist or bun can be easily created in seconds using claw or condor clip by the busy new moms..
By adopting these ways, the temporary hair loss after pregnancy can easily be handled for attending any evening event with their new born. Happy weekend with no fear of hair loss after pregnancy!
How to Stop Emotional Eating
Knowing what is Emotional Eating is one thing, and now a few suggestions on how to stop emotional eating.
Though strong emotions can trigger cravings for food, you can take steps to control those cravings, try these suggestions:
- Learn to recognize true hunger. Is your hunger physical or emotional? If you ate just a few hours ago and don’t have a rumbling stomach, you are probably not really hungry. Give the craving a few minutes to pass.
- Know your triggers. For the next several days, write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you are feeling when you eat and how hungry you are. Over time, you may see patterns emerge that reveal negative eating patterns and triggers to avoid.
- Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.
- Don’t keep unhealthy foods around. Avoid having an abundance of high-calorie comfort foods in the house. If you feel hungry or blue, postpone the shopping trip for a few hours so that these feelings don’t influence your decisions at the store.
- Snack healthy. If you feel the urge to eat between meals, choose a low-fat, low-calorie food such as fresh fruit, vegetables with fat-free dip or unbuttered popcorn. Or test low-fat, lower calorie versions of your favorite foods to see if they satisfy your craving.
- Eat a balanced diet. If you are not getting enough calories to meet your energy needs, you may be more likely to give in to emotional eating. Try to eat at fairly regular tomes and don’t skip breakfast. Include foods from the basic groups in your meals. Emphasizes whole grains, vegetables and fruits, as well as low fat dairy products and lean protein sources. When you fill up in the basics, you are more likely to feel fuller, longer.
- Exercise regularly and get adequate rest. Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it is fit and well rested.
If you give in to emotional eating, forgive yourself and start fresh the next day. Try to learn from the experience, and make a plan fr how you can prevent it in the future. Focus on the positive changes you are making in your eating habits and give yourself credit for making changes that ensure better health.
Emotional Eating
Emotional eating can really destroy your weight-loss efforts, so you need to understand it and know how to stop emotional eating.
Sometimes the strongest longings for food happen when you are at your weakest point emotionally. Many people turn to food for comfort – consciously or unconsciously – when they are facing a difficult problem or looking to keep themselves occupied. But emotional eating – eating as a way to suppress or soothe negative emotions, such as stress, anger, anxiety, boredom, sadness and loneliness – can sabotage your weight-loss efforts.
Often, emotional eating leads to eating too much food, especially high-calorie, sweet, salty and fatty foods. The good news is that if you are prone to emotional eating, you can take steps to regain control of your eating habits and get back on track with your weight-loss goals.
Major life events – such as unemployment, health problems and divorce – and daily life hassles – such as a stressful work commute, bad weather and changes in your normal routine – can trigger emotions that lead to overeating.
But why do negative emotions lead to overeating? Some foods may have seemingly addictive qualities. For example, when you eat enticing foods, such as chocolate, your body releases trace amount of mood – and satisfaction – elevating hormones. That “reward” may reinforce for specific feelings. Related to this is the simple fact that the pleasure of eating offsets negative emotions. Food can also be a distraction. If you are worried about an upcoming event or rethinking an earlier conflict, eating comfort foods may distract you. But the distraction is only temporary. While you are eating, your thoughts focus on the pleasant taste of your comfort food. Unfortunately, when you done overeating, your attention returns to your worries, and you may now bear the additional burden of guilt about overeating.
Next post, we will discuss a couple tips and suggestion to help stop emotional eating.
Propecia Hair Loss- a Proven Therapy
For men hair loss is a sensitive issue. Medical science clearly points out the cause of hair loss. Even though we read in many magazines that the main cause for hair loss is from both hormones and genetics, male pattern hair loss is noticed among 95 percent of all individuals suffering from hair loss. The main role in the male pattern hair loss is played by DHT. The DHT can be controlled by using Propecia. Hair loss cannot be seen after using Propecia.
When your body holds more DHT, the hair follicles become finer and thinner until the hair is permanently falling. DHT is the main hormone used extensively in the early stages of the human population. DHT completely shrivels the hair follicle until it no longer produces noticeable hair.
An evident cause of hair loss is an excess of DHT. The reasons for hair loss are still obscure. But research shows the that men suffering from male pattern hair loss have higher level of DHT particularly in the scalps. In the normal cycle, the hair passes out three phases- Expansion, falling off, and new expansion. The presence of DHT quickens the falling out phase and shortens the expansion phase. This results in hair thinning on the scalp.
In general DHT binds with the genetically vulnerable follicle receptor which is in the hair on the scalp. Propecia prevents the conversion of testosterone into DHT thereby preventing hair loss. Propecia (Finasteride) was called Proscar in early days. This was extensively used to control hair loss.
Propecia prevents hair loss by blocking the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase, which in turn reduces the DHT level in the scalp.
However, Propecia has not been found to restore re-growth in frontal areas. Propecia produces massive results when it has been conjugated with Rogaine especially for hair re-growth in the crown area of the scalp. The frontal hairline area can be restored with hair only by transplant surgery. In addition to this hair loss prevention with Propceia is limited to older men. Better results can be achieved if you have been suffering from baldness for less than 5 years.Most physicians prescribe Propecia, hair loss halting rather than re-growth and then go for transplantation for the lost hair.
You should remember to take Propecia every day at least 3 to 6 months for getting positive results. Once you stop taking Propecia, the hair loss continues.
Propecia was used to treat prostates in early days. Propecia should not be taken by pregnant women since it may lead to neonatal anomalies. This product should be used continuously for three months to prevent hair loss. But this may have a side effect of lack of sex drive and impotency.
Yoga Meditation Techniques 4
Withdrawal of the senses (pratyahara)
The fifth limb, pratyahara, involves the detachment of the mind from the sensory organs, in other words, shutting out the external world from our senses. To put it another way, it means the ability to wean one;s thoughts from the endless fleeting sensations upon which they feed.
Pratyahara literally means ‘gathering towards’ or ‘gathering in’. It is therefore the reigning in and integration of our scattered thoughts. We actually do this frequently without realizing it, as a means to stat subconsciously with our object of interest at any given time. For example, while we are fully absorbed in reading a book, we are not conscious of peripheral sounds such as the clock ticking. But when we stop reading the book and remain silent, it is then that we notice the ticking of the clock. Any form of intense concentration has the same effect. Lying in a sense deprivation tank would give you an experience of sense withdrawal. But what the yogi seeks through mastery of pratyahara in the conscious ability to sustain this withdrawal of the senses. There are many techniques to achieve this, but the methods of mindful one-pointed focus such as anapana result in the mastery of concentration (dharana).
Pratyahara is most clearly symbolized by the yoni mudra, whereby the mouth, nose and eyes are closed with the fingers, and the ears are blocked with the fingers, and the ears are blocked with the thumbs. This serves to insulate the senses from distraction, thereby freeing the attention to dwell in the internal or mystic sounds called nadas, in particular, the sounds generated by the heart, known an anahata sounds.
Yoga Meditation 3 - Attentiveness to higher consciousness( ishvara pranidhana )
This involves letting go of your ego’s grip and placing trust in the validity of your spiritual practice. It is an invitation to stop clinging, and therefore to trust that all will work out better for you if you follow the path of mindfulness rather that the blind slavery of the ego and senses. For the more religiously inclined, this could mean ‘giving oneself ‘or ‘surrendering’ to the Divine. For others, it can mean
unconditionally trusting a guru or at least some higher principle.
These first two limbs (the yamas and niyamas) lay down guidance for the moral standards and conduct expected of the sincere seeker. They are not meant to delay practice of meditation until one has developed a flawless morality, but offer a checklist to measure your higher personal growth and development. In other words, the list is not strictly hierarchical. It does not mean that you must first master the abstinences and observances before practicing the postures and then the breathing; all before specifically working on the mind. Instead, you should take note of the abstinences and observances and press on with your practice of meditation (and yoga asanas if you practice hatha yoga).
Whats is being said here is that the practice of meditation is much easier if you have your ethics and morals under control, because that majes for less distraction and guilt in life. But the practice of meditaion will of itself cause you to reflect and be more aware of your conduct and interaction with others. As a result, your ethical and moral standards and practices will naturally be modified if you meditate regularly.
Limbs three and four are the postures (asanas) and the breath controls (pranayama) that belong to the practice of mastering the body, known as hatha yoga. This subject is covered within innumerable books. Since we are focusing on the methods of meditation, we will move on to limbs five to eight on the next post.
Yoga Meditation – 2
The five observances (niyamas)
The five observances in Yoga Meditation are: purity, contentment, austerity, study, and attentiveness to higher principles.
1. Purity (saucha)
This includes specific methods to purge the body of poisons and to maintain hygiene. It includes advice about eating pure and appropriate foods. It is based on the idea that to purify the body helps to purify the mind.
2. Contentment (santosha)
This reminds us that meditation, whether or not practiced as an integral part of yoga, is accompanied by serenity of mind and greater harmony within ourselves and with our surroundings. Contentment is both a result of meditation and a psychological state that will help prevent us from being distracted during our meditation.
3. Austerity (tapas)
This term has often been mistaken to mean excessive asceticism or even deliberate self-inflicted mortification. It really refers to the application of sufficient self-discipline to achieve your goal, which in this context is samadhi. It is equivalent too the Buddhist ‘middle way’, which encourages the avoidance of extreme laziness on the one hand and extreme overexertion on the other.
4. Study (svadhyaya)
This has two aspects. One aspect is self-enquiry, leading to such questions as “who am I?” or “what am I?” to be addressed repeatedly until the ego is finally stripped away, leaving one’s essential being exposed. The other aspect includes the mindful study of appropriate written material, which in the context of traditional Indian yoga would include classic texts such as the Upanishads. Buddhist yogis would study the Buddhist Sutras and Tantras, and yogis within other traditions would study the appropriate texts related to that tradition.
Next Post: The last observances "Attentiveness to higher consciousness".
Yoga Meditation – 1
The Eight Limbs of Yoga
Yoga meditation has an ultimate goal to reach self–realization which in Sanskrit is called Samadhi. There are 8 disciplines that one should understand before able to reach it. What are they?
In the literature of yoga meditation, the most systematic and useful book that describes the raja yoga path is the yoga sutras, written by Patanjali between 200 and 300 BCE. The second section of this classic book (as commented upon by many modern books on yoga) describes the disciplines designed to lead one progressively to Samadhi. These disciplines are known as the eight limbs or angas of yoga. Their aim is to ‘purify’ the mind progressively so that the route to Samadhi is smooth. Patanjali did not originally conceive these eight limbs; that happened much earlier in antiquity, but he was the first and most important codifier. The eight limbs (ashtanga) of yoga are:
- Abstinences ( yamas )
- Observances ( niyamas )
- Postures ( asanas )
- Breath controls ( pranayana )
- Withdrawal of the senses (pratyahara )
- Concentration (dharana )
- Contemplation or meditation (dhyana)
- Absorption or self- realization ( Samadhi )
Now we will take a look each of those limbs of yoga meditation in deep. We begin with the first one yamas.
The five abstinences ( yamas )
These involve abstinence form killing and violence, false hood, theft, damaging sexual behaviour and greed.
1. Non-violence (ahimsa)
This means extending compassion to all sentient creatures.
2. Truth fullness (satya)
This means not only abstaining from telling lies, but being sincere in all dealings with others. In other words, avoiding deceit at any level.
3. Non-stealing (asteya)
This includes abstinence from theft on all levels. It demands mindfulness of all your daily activities, to ensure that nothing is acquired, either materially or non-materially, by means other than through the strict observance of fairness and honesty.
4. Chastity and continence (brahmacharya)
In narrow sense, this means abstinence from the sexual act, so that the powerful sexual energy can be transmuted into the impetus for ultimately gaining enlightenment. This level of abstinence only really applies within a monastic situation. In ordinary life, it should be interpreted as restraint from a wasteful overindulgence in sexual activity, rather than a general judgement about the morals of sex.
5. Non-possessiveness (aparigrapha)
This can be translated as ‘non-hoarding’, but does not imply one should have no possessions. It means that we should not be enslaver by our possessions, or that their presence or the desire for them should not dominate our mind.
Next: The Five Observances (niyamas) of Yoga Meditation.
Yoga Meditation - The Basic II
As you progress through your yoga meditation practice, you’ll find that there are various yoga paths available.
The main yoga paths are classically listed as:
- Raja yoga: union by mental control, focusing on meditation and concentration
- Karma yoga: union by action, eliminating the ego and attachments through selfless service
- Bhakti yoga: union by devotion, through conversion of the emotions into devotion centered on the divine
- Jnana yoga: union by knowledge, using the intellect to break bondage to the material world.
Of the above, bhakti yoga is most readily considered synonymous with religion, while both raja and jnana yoga are considered the most ‘scientific’.
To the above list we can also add the following:
- Hatha yoga: an aspect of raja yoga, which works with the energies of the body and mind through exercises, postures and breathing methods
- Mantra (japa) toga: union by sound, repeating special words, sentences and incantations to take the meditator to the essence and source of thought (this can be incorporated into raja and bhakto yoga).
- Laya (latent) yoga: a combination of most other yoga paths, with an emphasis on kundalini yoga, which is the systematic raising of energy upwards through the chakras as a rapid route to enlightenment.
Most people who practice yoga meditation incorporate many of the above paths at some level. Hence, in practice, the distinctions implied by the labeling are not so rigid. The purpose of this section within this book is to extrapolate some meditation principles from yoga. In practice, this means considering the methods employed within raja yoga, including mantra yoga.
Now you have known the main paths of yoga meditation so you can choose which one is appropriate for you.
Next post: The eight limbs of yoga.
Yoga Meditation Basic - I
Yoga meditation is a very popular method of meditation and this post will give you a clear perspective of yoga meditation.
Many people in the western world have traditionally associated meditation with yoga, which is the context within which many people practice it. The word yoga means “union” or “identification”, and comes from the same root as the verb “to yoke”. In very general terms, the word yoga can be applied to any systematic method geared towards attaining union” or “oneness” with true reality. It is particularly associated with the spiritual practice rooted in eastern philosophies. Thus, much of what has been discussed in my meditation post so far can be replaced within the practice of yoga.
However, the popular concept of yoga meditation is the practice of hatha yoga to gain control of the body, leading to raja yoga, to gain mastery of the mind. These aspects of yoga meditation are just two of a numbers of paths to union, or enlightenment, which ate practiced within the traditional philosophical frameworks of the Indian subcontinent. Most of these philosophies were developed by full-time meditators and sages known as “Rishis”. There are six categories of Indian philosophy (seven if you include Buddhism which is no longer practiced so much in India itself, but more so in adjoining countries). Yogic theory, as practiced today, stems mainly from two of six philosophies: the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and Vedanta which is based on ancient texts known as the Upanishads. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras give detailed instructions for hatha and raja yoga, whilst Vedanta offers the philosophical backbone of jnana yoga, which is the yoga meditation of using the intellect to enquire and contemplate. Yoga meditation can also be connected to Buddhism, especially yoga tantra, which forms and aspect of the Tibetan Vahrayana Buddhist practice. However, much of what has been discovered and within yoga meditation has been imported into other traditions, albeit often with some changes in terminology.
Yoga meditation is a science of personal development. As stated earlier, it is incorporated into many eastern religion, but is equally valid within any world religion, or divorced from religion altogether. To quote a famous Indian yogi called Ramakrishna: “Through yoga a Hindu becomes a better Hindu, a Christian a better Christian, a Moslem a better Moslem, and a Jew a better Jew.” The Hindu religion in particular borrows heavily from the classical Indian philosophies, therefore the iconography associated with the popular concept of yoga is common to Hinduism, especially in view of the fact that most Indian yoga gurus tend to be Hindus. As result, the other sacred works of the Hindu, such as the Bhagavad Gita, have had a great influence on the shaping of yoga meditation.
You may either be attracted or put off by an association of religion with your preferred meditation practice. As such, you can choose to take the whole package, religion and all, or you can cut through the cultural and religious accoutrements and extract the philosophical and practical essence of yoga to enrich your meditation practice.
Next we are going to talk about yoga paths in yoga meditation.
Devotion Meditation
Devotion Meditation is an interesting method of meditation that requires a devotion faith.
Devotion in the context of spiritual practice tends to imply imply some from of belief and surrender to a higher immortal being, such as a god. That is, a being who inherently possesses all the attributes to which the devotee spires, and more. This view suggests that devotion is synonymous with religion. However, devotion can a also apply to nontheistic icons such as a Buddha , who has, within the same mortal limitations as you or I, attained ‘realization’ through spiritual practice. Thus, such an icon is selected to remind the devotee of his or her potential for reaching the same goal.
Devotion, therefore, usually has a ‘being’ as the object of devotion. But devotion can also be directed towards a more abstract focus, such as the ’ideal’ of compassion or universal love. This sort of devotional practice could be called a ’humanistic’ approach. However, most people find it easier to visualize an entity upon which their ideals can be projected.
Like all meditation method, devotion meditation requires and develops one-pointed concentration. Fundamentally, it uses the selected deity, icon or ideal as the focus, rather than something more neutral, such as flame the breath. How the focus is applied depends on one’s preferences and mental characteristics . some people like to use words that represent deities or ideals, hence we have devotional mantras. others like to focus on images of deities, or patterns representing perfected spiritual qualities ( mandalas), physical gestures, such as prostration, can also be used.
Devotion is not truly meditative if it is blind devotion. Blind devotion is an abdication of personal responsibility, often based on fear or some other insecurity. Rather than expand awareness, blind devotion can dull your mind into the narrow vision of the zealot. In other words, devotion is better used as a tool rather than as a prop.
Devotion requires a degree of faith. This is not quite the same as belief, because it is not based on irrefutable opinions or certainties. Here, faith refers to the optimism that will sustain us in our meditation practice. Whenever our actions have tangible result for example, when we feel calmer and happier within our practice, then our faith in that practice is reinforced. Faith is therefore open to constant re-evaluation in the light of our own experiences.
Initial faith may coexist with doubt, as we evaluate our meditation in terms of ‘success’ or ’failure’. With time, we begin to recognize that the ’ups’ and ‘downs’ of our devotion meditation efforts are the natural order of things.
Sculpting Abs with Winsor Pilates Videos
Sculpting Abs with Winsor Pilates Video? Does it worth your money?
Have you ever seen a Winsor Pilates video or just the television commercial about Calcium Plus? With the catchy jingle “Stand straight, Stand out”? Well, great! That’s actually a concrete presentation of Winsor Pilates.
Winsor Pilates having created a booming impact on most of the fitness junkies, continue to show their amazing trend in Pilates exercises. In fact, many Winsor Pilates videos are on the market nowadays for those who are interested to experience the same great feeling with those other Winsor Pilates junkies. Anyways, Winsor Pilates videos can be applicable to everybody, young or elderly, whether physically fit or out of shape.
As I have said, many Winsor Pilates videos are on the market today, and most of those Winsor Pilates videos have their specific focus. For example, one of the Winsor Pilates videos that really challenge most of the amateurs and those who have taken Pilates classes is the Winsor Pilates video on Sculpting Abs with Winsor Pilates. This particular Winsor Pilates video is designed and conceptualized to provide a guide to those who wanted to sculpt their abs (you know, to shape and tone abs). In fact, most of the Winsor Pilates videos’ fanatics consider this certain Winsor Pilates video as a very time-efficient Winsor Pilates video. So I guess it really does work.
The Winsor Pilates video is generally designed with the instructions of Mari Winsor, one of the acclaimed Pilates instructors who developed the new, unique trend to Pilates exercises, which is the Winsor Pilates. The Winsor Pilates video on Sculpting Abs with Winsor Pilates is actually conducted by Mari Winsor itself, who doesn’t waste a minute or a motion in instructing the Winsor Pilates video viewers. With the guidance of Mari Winsor, this Winsor Pilates video is definitely purposeful, well-taught and very body-targeted. Well, not impossible because Winsor Pilates video on sculpting abs uses archetypal core conditioning workouts that are specially chosen to tone every abdominal muscle. One of the best example movements shown in the Winsor Pilates video on abs sculpting is the Pilates “twists” that is said to work on your obliques.
To better challenge the readers of this article, several supporting information is provided. The Winsor Pilates video on sculpting abs has exercises that should be applicable to every beginner or intermediate if they exercise a bit or are hyper, but not a regular exerciser. Since that particular Winsor Pilates video is for sculpting abs, so it is therefore understandable that the toning emphasis is on the abdominals. The pleasure of Winsor Pilates video on abs sculpting does not yet end here because this specific Winsor Pilates video has complex and basic exercise. So the Pilates junkies can select complex if they love rococo combinations with lots of variations, or they can choose the basic if they like simple and easy-to-follow brawny routines. Lastly, the viewers of the Winsor Pilates video on sculpting abs can choose a particular level of impact either low impact to lessen stress on their knees and back, or higher impact if they are searching for moves that include jumps, skips or hops. So I further challenge everyone to better watch out before you begin sculpting your abs!
You might also interested to read Daisy Fuentes pilates winsor success story.
Pregnancy Winsor Pilates: A Dove-Like Exercise for Moms
With all the does and doesn’t and the negative thoughts surrounding exercising during pregnancy, many of you will probably question if Winsor Pilates is right for pregnant women or not. Well, the answer is yes! In fact, most women nowadays catered to pregnancy Winsor Pilates.
It is natural to think that most of you will be amazed to know that there are pregnancy Winsor Pilates nowadays and to consider that Winsor Pilates is one of the most suitable exercises during pregnancy. But what’s more to think, pregnancy Winsor Pilates is widely applied for today’s generation to strengthen the core of the body where the abdominal muscles work in communion with the small of the back and the pelvic floor.
It is important to note that pregnancy Winsor Pilates exercises will strengthen and tone the pregnant women’s postural muscle that are used to carry the baby. Aside from that, pregnancy Winsor Pilates will also help during pregnancy delivery and get the mother back in shape after the birth. It is even amazing to know that pregnancy Winsor Pilates will help to make your labor easier and recover your figure. But this is not at all impossible because with pregnancy Winsor Pilates, by strengthening the back and developing posture, the burden of carrying the baby will be made easier with less risk of injury. The exercises involved in pregnancy Winsor Pilates are usually a non-sweat, cozy workout that you can do even if you are one or 31 weeks pregnant. Great! The pregnancy Winsor Pilates can also be very functional to your baby because pregnancy Winsor Pilates is a dove-like exercise that will revitalize extra oxygen and nutrients to circulate to your unborn child and with pregnancy Winsor Pilates the breathing techniques learned can help to a smoother delivery.
Furthermore, with the emergence of pregnancy Winsor Pilates, many pregnancy-specific routines were provided to help those pregnant women not to lose control with their bodies and to easily gain back their best posture. Most of those pregnant Winsor Pilates are offered for both early and late pregnancy with basic learning to post-birth exercises. The pregnancy Winsor Pilates are provided for all soon-to-be moms, whether you are an interested amateur or have taken Pilates classes.
The mystery of pregnancy Winsor Pilates continues to rise by using it as a way to take time for yourself, away from your stressful life, and in the end help you relax. So if you don’t want to lose power of your body just because you are pregnant, pregnancy Winsor Pilates is there for you.
Affirmations a Handy Tool
Affirmations can be used to persuade your subconscious
to accept some personal quality to which you aspire,
enabling that quality to become a reality. This is
achieved by repeating some concise affirming words
that embody your aspiration. For example, if you want
to be clearer in speech because even mildly stressful
situations cause you to stammer to little, you might
repeat an affirmation such as: "My throat and chest
are relaxed; my speech is clear and precise."
Such affirmation work better if they are repeated
three times, three times per day at regular times. For
example, you could say to yourself: " my throat and
chest are relaxed…" three times to waking, three times
after lunch and then three times before you go to bed.
In this way, the affirmation is repeated nine times
per day. You can choose whether to say it aloud, say
it in your head, or write it down. Occasionally
writing your affirmations down, then burning then,
with the clear intention that the affirmation is
released into the 'ether' or the 'void', can work
well. Must of us believe that we need to give in order
to receive. Therefore, in order to manifest the full
fruit of you aspiration through affirmation, it is
good to offer something back to return. Consequently,
if you add "… I give that I shall receive" or "I give
so that this is so" after each affirmation, it will
remind you to do useful and generous things more often
than you would otherwise have done. It is amazing what
a difference this makes, and the spin- off is that you
become a more generous and thoughtful person.
In the context of spiritual practice, affirmations are
useful for reminding yourself of your spiritual
aspirations, which are to manifest the highest virtues
within yourself. For example, you might say to
yourself "I shed my ignorance and emerge into the
light" or "I speak only the truth." Remember to add "I
give so that is so".
The concept of affirmations is incredibly simple, yet
amazingly effective. In many spiritual disciplines the
reciting of mantras is practiced partly because they
are making subtle affirmations to the subconscious (
see mantras on pages 106-i29). For example, in the
Vedantic yoga tradition, the word 'Siva' ( pronounced
sheeva) is considered the allegorical embodiment with
positive the qualities necessary for the destruction
of negative traits, to make way for their replacement
with positive traits.
To the Hindu, the same word is the name of lord Siva,
a deity who embodies the same qualities. So repetition
of the Sanskrit mantra " OM Namah sivaya" invokes an
affirmation for the destruction of negativity within
oneself.
Affirmation can also therefore be a tool for
reiterating your connection with deities or other
aspirants whom you trust will support you in your
spiritual quest. In that role they become a type of
player. A good example of this is when Buddhist say" I
take refuge in the Buddha, the dharma and the Sangha."
With these words they are affirming their connection
with, and their aspiration to be like, the Buddha, to
understand and live to the Buddhist teachings( the
dharma), and to affirm their support for the work and
aspirations of the custodians of those teaching( the
sangha).
Aspirations are also an affective way of reminding
yourself why you are on your chosen spiritual path.
For example, you might be drawn to the Mahayana
Buddhist concept of donating the ' merits' of your
practice as a catalyst for helping others to become
enlightened, or at least to become as free from
suffering as possible. On that path you would
frequently say to yourself some thing like: " The
purpose of my life is to free all living brings from
all their problems and causes of their problems…..,"
to which you could also add"….. and to bring all
beings peace and happiness."
Wisdom
Wisdom is really the insight gained through your life experience. It is not the knowledge, but the experiential understanding. In other words, you can be clever without being wise, and you can be wise without being an academic genius.
Meditation simply causes you to be more awake within life, so that more of your life is actually noticed by you. Therefore, it makes sense that meditation will lead to greater wisdom. Wisdom arises out of awakening. Total wisdom is the removal of all shadows, of all darkness. That is why it is called 'enlightenment'.
Enlightenment is a process characterized by a gradual expansion of consciousness, although this process is by no means smooth and regular. One can get to a level of awareness and then slip back and lose some of it. Diligent meditation practice is required to regain the momentum but, ultimately, consolidated progress will be made. However, the final step between not quite being fully enlightened and being fully enlightened may or may not be characterized by a sudden' dawning'. We all occasionally experience these mental transitions on a small scale, hence the expression " it suddenly dawned on me. Imagine the whole answer to creation just ' dawning' on you ! however, until the big dawning comes, if and when it will, do not underestimate the value of the gradual expansion of wisdom to be gained by your daily meditation practice. It is well worth the effort.
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5 Tips for Natural Skin Care
To have a good skin is everyone's dream. Here are some tips about skin care naturally. Easy Tips.
Tip 1: Give Yourself a Dry Brush Exfoliation
A dry brush exfoliation can be done in the morning before you shower. It eliminates dead skin cells and allows the skin to detox (skin is the largest organ of elimination). Dry brush exfoliation also improves lymph and blood circulation and decreases puffiness. An added benefit is that the gentle pressure is calming to the nervous system. To give yourself a dry brush exfoliation, you'll need a soft, natural bristle brush.
* How to Give Yourself a Dry Brush Exfoliation
Tip 2: Rev Up Your Digestion
In alternative medicine, good skin is a reflection of a good digestive system. People with skin disorders such as acne, rosacea, and psoriasis often suffer from constipation, imbalanced "good" vs. "bad" bacteria, leaky gut, and other digestive conditions. The two most common sluggish digestion culprits are:
* Culprit #1: Not Enough Water Water bathes cells and eliminates waste products, preventing constipation. 5 Ways to Boost Your Water Intake
* Culprit #2: Not Enough Fiber Most people lack fiber in their diets - the average person eats only 12 g of fiber a day. In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences Food and Nutrition Board established recommended fiber intakes. For men aged 19-50 years, 38 g fiber is recommended, and for men over 50, 31 g fiber is recommended. For women aged 19 to 50 years, 25 g fiber is recommended, and for women over 50, 21 g fiber is recommended.
Some suggestions:
1. Add Whole Grains - Choose whole grain products over refined. Have brown rice instead of white or make your own 50:50 combination.
2. An Apple a Day - Have an apple, skin on, as a snack.
3. Eat Cauliflower - Try this delicious Roasted Cauliflower recipe!
4. High-fiber snacks - Snack on nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, such as dates, figs, and prunes.
5. Try a "Prune Power" Smoothie - Prunes are a great source of fiber. Start your day with this tasty Prune Power smoothie.
6. Eat Beans and Legumes - Open a can of your favorite beans or legumes. Rinse them well and add them to your meal.
7. Ground Flaxseeds - For any easy fiber boost, sprinkle ground flaxseeds (available at health food stores) on rice, salads, oatmeal, or any other meal. Store flaxseeds in the fridge.
Tip 3: Invigorate Sluggish Circulation
Do you sit at your desk for hours, only getting up to go to the bathroom? One of the best things you can do for your skin, stress level, and overall health is to get moving! Inactivity may affect skin and promote bloating and puffiness, acne, cellulite, and loss of muscle tone. You'll learn more about exercise in Step 9 of the Wellness Makeover. Here are some quick suggestions:
* Take a quick break to go outside and walk around the block.
* Book a massage therapy appointment.
* Close your door and stretch.
* Go to the gym.
* Start each morning by stretching.
* Get a skipping rope.
Tip #4: Avoid Excess Sugar
Most people do not realize this but excess sugar is considered one of the main causes of premature aging. The more sugar we eat, the more sugar we have entering our bloodstream. Over time, this can result in a process known as glycation, which is when a glucose (sugar) molecule damages a protein molecule by sticking to it. The new molecules formed are called advanced glycation end-products, or AGEs. AGEs damage collagen in skin, cartilage, and ligaments and promote a loss of elasticity. Wrinkles form and skin begins to sag.
* Try This - It may seem impossible to reduce your sugar intake, but it can be done! A gradual approach works best. In the next week, choose one thing you're going to do to decrease the amount of sugar you consume. For example, start by cutting the amount of sugar in your daily coffee or tea by half. Every week, find another way you can decrease your sugar intake. Pretty soon, you'll be surprised at how far you've come!
Tip #5: Eat Some Good Fats
Essential fatty acids are simply fats your body cannot live without. They are needed to make cell membranes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Essential fats are thought to keep your heart healthy, fight inflammation, and possibly prevent cancer. They are also particularly important to people with inflammatory conditions such as eczema and acne, and also for people with dry skin. People with essential fat deficiency sometimes notice bumps on the backs of their arms. Here are my suggestions on getting more essential fats:
* Flaxseed and walnut oil - Use flaxeed oil or walnut oil with balsamic vinegar as a salad dressing. Be sure to keep these oils refrigerated. They should not be heated or used for cooking.
* Cold water fish - Sardines are a good source of essential fats. Salmon is another good source, however these salmon accumulate toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (otherwise known as PCBs) in their body fat during the 95 percent of their lives they spend at sea.
* Supplements - Consider fish oil supplements.
Information on Green Tea Diet
For centuries now, the benefits of green tea diets have been the subject of countless writings and scientific investigations.
More than four thousand years ago, green tea diet has become a staple beverage for most Asians because of its countless health and medicinal benefits. It is said that the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was the first one to have discovered green tea diet. Emperor Shen Nung was reported to have been boiling water when some leaves of a nearby plant fell into his pot. The leaves actually came from Camellia sinensis, the herb from which green tea diet is extracted.
Having a green tea diet is associated with several health benefits. One of the benefits of having a green tea diet is providing a potential cure for cancer. According to some studies, certain substances in green tea diet can destroy cancel cells without harming any neighboring healthy tissues. This substance in green tea diets is called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).
The results of the study on the cancer benefit of green tea diets were astounding and it led to further more researches that investigate other aspects of green tea diet. In a study conducted by American and Swiss scientists in the University of Geneva, it has been found that the EGCG found in green tea diets can increase the 24-hour energy expenditure of the body. They concluded that this is due to the ability of antioxidants present in green tea diet to stimulate thermogenesis, otherwise known as fat metabolism. According to their findings, people who were on a green tea diet exhibited a significant four percent increase in their normal metabolic rates. This led the scientists to conclude that green tea diet has a major contributing factor in weight loss.
Another study conducted in China was designed to investigate further on green tea diet’s weight loss benefit. They decided that since green tea diet can significantly increase fat metabolism, then green tea diet probably would help lowering down cholesterol levels as well. Their hypothesis was proven when they introduced green tea diet on 240 people with mild to extremely high cholesterol levels. After only twelve weeks, they observed that those on a green tea diet dropped sixteen percent in their cholesterol levels.
Based on the above study, it can also be hypothesized that green tea diet can cure obesity. Green tea diet’s catechin polyphenols can delay the reaction of gastric and pancreatic lipases in the body. These enzymes are the ones responsible for storing calories into fats in the body. By delaying these enzymes, green tea diets can therefore lessen fat concentration and prevent obesity in people.
A truly remarkable beverage, green tea diet is used to improve the body’s health in many ways. Further studies were made on the benefits of green tea diets. The latest ones were able to prove that green tea diet can effectively protect the skin from damage due to ultraviolet light radiation. Green tea diet is also widely recognized as a substance that can protect against many different cancers such as stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, cancer of the colon, oral cancer, prostate cancer, and breast and cervical cancers.
Selflessness
The more one meditates and the more one is more mindful in daily life, the greater the sense of “connectedness” to all other things. The experience of self becomes inclusive of all things rather then exclusive. What is self anyway? Ponder that question; it is a good analytical contemplation.
A useful way of developing the sense of selflessness further is to consider whom you love and respect, and gradually widen the net. Probably you love yourself. If you think you do not, contemplate that notion and you should find that what you really mean is you dislike certain traits about yourself. at heart you want to change those traits. Why? Because you love yourself; if not, why would you brother wanting to change?
Next, consider who else you love and respect. Probably they will be your parents or children and other close friends. You dislike your parents? No! it just hurts to know that you do not get on with them, or they have favored someone else rather than you. If you did not love them, their indifference to you would brother you so much.
When you look closely, you will see that you categorize people into three groups: those you love and/or respect (in varying degrees), those you dislike and/or do not respect (in varying degrees), and those to whom you are completely indifference. In a way, people in the latter group are the ones who exacerbate your isolation, because at least you have some connection with and acknowledgement of the people in the other groups, whether in a positive or negative way.
Actually, another other contemplation exercise is to consider why you dislike certain people. Most people find that they dislike certain people mainly because they have the same irritating traits they see within themselves. In other words, they cannot bear to be reminded of themselves. Once again, the long-term solution is acceptance. Once accepted, things usually seem to improve. Try it and see.
So, widen your net to include those people you quite like. Add in those you dislike and reflect on the certainty that they are somebody’s son or daughter .
They could just a easily have been your son or daughter if time and space had worked out differently. Lastly, include all those to whom you are indifferent. That is more difficult, because you do not have such a strong point of reference about them on which to latch your mind. This is a classic technique and it works well. It gets easier the more you do it. You could call it a love and compassion meditation.
Now you know another kind of meditation love and compassion. As I’ve written formerly, you should know the other two meditation, analytical meditataion and stabilizing meditation.
Life is mostly unsatisfactory
What appears to motivate many people to embark upon meditation is the realization that life is basically unsatisfactory. Again, we know this at an intellectual level, because even if life is great now, we know that sooner or latter we will die, and we really do not want to go through that. If our some reason we do want to die, then it must be because life is very unsatisfactory at present. So, because we want to be happy, we want to be free from the causes of discontent. By observing and contemplating discontent, we see that dissatisfaction is an integral component of our lives, and the amount of suffering in the world is incalculable. For example, just by considering the wildlife in your garden, it becomes clear that all creatures are basically trying to kill each other or trying to avoid being killed, with a little eating and reproducing going on in between. We might[ or might not] be in a less acutely blind or desperate situation, but still we find that almost everything we do is based on some underlying element of fear: fear of not being accepted, fear of being ‘left on the shelf ’, fear of losing out, and so on. And what does fear imply? It implies that we suspect the cause of our own suffering is nearby, so we want to side-step out of its way.
We can be happy and contented for very long periods of time, but in a way, that can add to our problem. Being too comfortable makes us complacent. Why strive for anything, if it is all there at hand? That is fine if it will always be there, but we need to realize that the good times will not last forever. They may not even last into the next second, because the future is completely unpredictable. We have three choices:
· We can become completely paranoid about our situation and life in general, worrying about suffering all the time, and feel guilty about any form of pleasure and happiness that might creep into our miserable existence.
· We can turn a blind eye to all sufferings and levels of discontent while things are going well, and deal with any pain when it ’unexpectedly’ arises.
· We can do what it takes to truly understand the nature and inevitability of suffering, so that we can deal with it with equanimity.
On the surface, this whole concept seems a bit gloomy. We re going to die”; “ death is probably painful”; “ life itself is full of anguish; if not now, sooner or later it will be”. The point is, life does contain suffering. Pain and disappointment do not hurt less just because you did not see them coming. worrying about their presence and inevitability also does not help. Quite the contrary. So what can we do? We can learn to understand and accept them, and meditating on the nature of suffering is a good way forward.
Meditation does not aim to reject or anaesthetize pain, or help us escape form life. Rather, it gives us a deeper understanding so that we can accept life with grace. Certain sufferings are inevitable for all of us: grief, illness, death, separation, rejection and so on. other sufferings arise out of our narrow vision of life: our lack of wider understanding, which give rice to fear, anger, envy and other emotional states. Mindfulness of suffering is not about dwelling upon discontent, but a means to help us understand that both avoiding and grasping create suffering for us. Meditation can therefore can help us to learn about the nature of suffering and the means to reduce its impact on ourselves through the development of balance, understanding and compassion.
As an analytical contemplation on suffering, just remind yourself that everything is cyclic. Therefore, if you are suffering a painful low, it has to be balanced by euphoric high, and vice-versa. Part of problem is the contrast between a high and the low. Meditation will encourage us to dwell more in the mid-point between those extremes, which, on balance, is much more ’satisfactory’.
The ultimate goal of meditation Practice in eastern philosophical tradition is to get out of the cycle of suffering and euphoria altogether; to reach a state of ‘liberation’ from it all.
Whether or not you achieve that ideal in this life, the practice of meditation clearly leads to a deeper sense of content. You need to do it regularly to experience what this means. Also, observe those who are really doing it wholeheartedly and extensively. They generally exhibit more sustained joy and contentment than the average person.
Impermanence that Mindfulness Can Bring
Impermanence in Mindfulness Meditation is a very interesting topic. First, we have to remember that nothing lasts forever, and all things are subject to change. Even a mountain will eventually erode away. This is impermanence, of which we all have an innate appreciation and understanding. Indeed, we have solid experience of it when we have lost something or are disappointed in some way. However , when things are going well, we tend to forget about the impermanent nature of things.
Our natural tendency is to strive of order, permanence and certainty. Thus, until we gain a proper understanding of impermanence, we will tend to fill that we are victims of the unpredictability of life. So rather than expending our energies trying to control everything, an understanding of impermanence teaches us to be responsive to all things, but to hold on to nothing.
Through the practice of mindfulness, and a truly deep and profound understanding of it is considered a major step towards a significant expansion of consciousness. Therefore, the contemplation of impermanence is a widely practiced analytical meditation, specially within the Buddhist traditions.
One may be tempted to thing of stabilizing and analytical meditation as hierarchical levels of practice, with analytical contemplation ultimately offering a deeper potential for true understanding. Intellectual understanding is no more or less true than experiential understanding. Both are, in a way. Two sides of the same coin. both practices give ’insight’ in different ways. For example, an immediate experiential insight into impermanence can be achieved through the stabilizing practice of drawing the mind to various sensations that arise within your body during meditation. An obvious sensation is the postural, knee and foot pain that may result from sitting still. The interesting thing is that these pains not only arise but also subside if they are observed rather than fought.
A method of insight [vipassana] meditation that has spread out of burma from the Theravada Buddhist tradition emphasizes the mindfulness if bodily sensation as a core practice. The method involves a period of anapana initially to stabilize the mind, followed buy the resting of one’s mind upon any sensation that arises in the body. One technique to facilitate this process is to scan the body from head feet in a specific sequence (a sport of ‘active’ stabilizing meditation), which tends to highlight sensations of varying intensities lasting varying lengths of time always subside or move. Or sensations, whether pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, are given equal attention. In the beginning, only the more gross sensations such a pain and temperature might be perceived, but as mindfulness increases, we become mindful of our relationship, attitudes and reactions to those sensation. As the practice develops, an enhanced appreciation of the nature of change and the inherent non-solidity within the body is gained. With experience, meditators can skip or minimize the scanning stage and simply allow their consciousness to be drown to sensations wherever they arise.
This sound simple, and it is, but as usual, it is not easy. Our mind, if not ‘encouraged’, much prefers to daydream and fantasize. For most people, especially if they live Busy lives, it takes several days for them to build up to this type of meditation. Therefore, it is best done within a retreat environment of ten days or so.
