MEDITATION - Anit-Aging Medication

A Natural Healer

March 19, 2012

Let's hope you're reading this in the middle of the day so that you've had many good things happen to you already, and that after read this you have time to readjust to a happier mood by night time. The rather blunt fact is that every day we are getting older and from a physiological perspective, that means our bodies are deteriorating every single minute; especially if we are over the age of 30 (which many of us are). There's no stopping this process and there's no denying it . . . In the vernacular of today's world: "It is what it is!"
So why keep reading, especially with such a doomsday intro? Well, there is a light at the end of this tunnel and one that is easy to achieve at no cost to you other than a little bit of time on your part.
I'm talking about MEDITATION. Meditation originated from the Sanskrit time and means "becoming" or "being." That's right, we've all heard the endless jokes about "being one with yourself," but there really is some truth and value to that statement. Of course, our image is of some scantily glad, skinny, frizzy long-haired, man from India sitting crossed-legged and chanting mantras. Well, ok, there is some truth to that image, but for different reasons than you might suspect.
Let's explore the healing nature of meditation.
As we age, our bodies visually become older (no need to remind us all of the physical signs of aging as we see them everyday in the mirror). Yet, what we don't readily acknowledge is the unseen, internal signs of aging – "cardiac, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, and brain functions are also declining as you become older. The primary reason we deteriorate as we age is due to the degeneration of the endocrine system." Examples of this can be detected through the reduction in the growth hormone HGH (very important in retaining our energy and youthful immunity; the decline of the pineal gland "which produces the sleep hormone melatonin," and the decline of DHEA, which "helps protect the body from stress." The hypothalamus, which helps to balance our system, also becomes far less effective in its work causing many of the functions of the endocrine system to function improperly. It clearly becomes a vicious circle of decline for our body's functions, or more commonly known as "the aging process."
"Meditation is the true anti-aging medicine because it activates our body's own natural anti-aging healing force. Medical meditation directly rejuvenates the hypothalamus, the pituitary, the pineal, and other endocrine glands. Medical meditation is the single most effective counter measure against stress."
Below are just a few of the benefits from meditation:

• Reduction of anxiety
• Reduction of chronic pain
• Lowered levels of cortisone
• Increase cognitive function
• Reduction of substance abuse
• Lowered blood pressure
• Improvements in post traumatic stress syndrome
• Reduction in the use of medical care and hospitalizations

Many of us are aware that our mind exists in different states of consciousness: wake state, sleep state, and dream state. Those who are true believers in the healing powers of meditation also believe there is a fourth mind state: healing state. This is a state where the anti-aging effects of meditation begin and where your life can develop a healthier and happier existence. Some of you must be saying to yourself, Jeffrey clearly has too much time on his hands, or, Jeffrey is becoming a bit of a freaky recluse . . . well, maybe, yet with time comes the availability to read and study and what better to study than becoming a happier person before we leave this world.
I think meditation is a safe and personally rewarding compliment to our western medicine. This is not the place to be going into a lengthy step-by-step rendition of the latest meditation process, but more a forum to let you know that although you can't completely stop the aging process, you can lead a healthier and happier life And believe it or not, it doesn't require a drastic lifestyle change on your part – just 15-30 minutes per day of some quiet time where you allow yourself to re-balance your system, where you can re-boot your personal/internal computer, and where life's worries gain perspective. Relax. Try it. Meditate about it.
(Source: Meditation As Anti-aging Medicine; Turn Back The Clock Naturally by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D.)

.... Jeffrey Johnson

Eat Yourself Smart!

Brain Boosting Foods

 

My subscription to Eating Well is up for renewal and it crossed my mind, “Is this worth the money and do I really use it?” I went back to a few old copies to reread them and see if I did indeed truly use any of those delicious looking (and sounding) recipes. Well, fortunately for me, I did find that I have used many of the ideas from that magazine, especially those that relate to brain and heart healthy eating. As a result, today’s Weekly Message topic: Brain Boosting Foods (and for the record, if any of you think you don’t need these types of foods, think again).

We all know that eating the right foods can be good for your heart health (i.e., reduced high blood pressure, lowering of bad cholesterol, etc.), yet you may not think about food for your brain. That’s right, certain foods can actually aid in the positive functioning of our brain, or, in short, develop brain power. Many of the foods that are good for your heart are also good for your brain, yet some of the foods on the list below may come as a total surprise.

Read on and incorporate into your life style … it will do your body and your brain a lot of good. As always, if there is any question as to whether you can eat certain foods, check with your physician and consume foods of any type in moderation.

Brain Healthy foods (from a CNN Health article, 10 Foods To Help Boost Your Brain Power, by Karen Anzel, Sept. 8, 2011):

• Blackberries: These delightful little berries allow our brain cells to talk to each other by offering up antioxidants which reduce inflammation.
• Coffee: A Finnish study revealed that folks who sipped 3-5 cups of coffee per day, and who were in their 40’s and 50’s, “reduced their odds of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 65 percent.”
• Apples: Apples contain quercetin, “an antioxidant plant chemical that keeps your mental juices flowing by protecting your brain cells.” Quercetin fight off free radicals which can damage the outer lining of your neurons and “eventually leading to cognitive decline.”
• Chocolate: You have all probably heard that dark chocolate can help with maintaining good blood pressure, well, as little as one third of one ounce of chocolate can help with increasing blood flow to the brain, essential to a healthy brain.
• Cinnamon: Research has found that two compounds in cinnamon can counteract certain proteins (tau protein) that may have much to do with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Spinach: Dark, leafy greens are wonderful for all sorts of heart healthy reasons, yet they can also help prevent dementia through the ingestion of vitamin E and Vitamin K, both found in abundance in spinach.
• Extra virgin olive oil (as Rachael Ray would say, “EVOO!”): ADDL’s are proteins that attach to brain cells and make them unable to communicate with each other, those causing brain function to deteriorate (i.e., dementia). EVOO contains olecanthal which disables ADDL’s.
• Salmon: My favorite fish, rich in omega-3 fats which are good for your heart, but also vitamin D. Both components help to fight off cognitive disease.
• Curry: Mmmmmm. One of the main spices in curry is curcumin, found to fight brain inflammation associated with Alzheimer’s, but it also works at lowering cholesterol.
• Concord grape juice: Red wine lovers have know for years that a moderate amount of red wine consumed regularly is good for your heart, well it seems those same grapes offer your brain some needed help in the form of improved “spatial memory and verbal learning skills.”

Of course there are many more foods that we could add to this list, however, if you were to slide these few foods into your diet on a regular basis you would be improving your chances of living a healthier life – what do you have to lose?