For all our technological advances in the last 100 years (and there have been so many) our society today seems to have lost control over some of the most fundamental areas of our life, namely, our own health. With nearly a quarter of all adults and one in seven children in England hitting the obesity mark, it seems ridiculous that such an advanced society can become so unhealthy when we have so much information and knowledge about ourselves and the world we live in. What went wrong?
Obesity has apparently trebled in the past 20 years and diet related disease has increased too along with alcohol misuse. Treating the effects of these things costs the governments health service billions of pounds every year (an estimated £6 billion on diet-related diseases, around £1.8 billion on dealing with the effects of lack of exercise and about £2.7 billion on alcohol related illness). The problem is such that we even have our own Health Secretary in the form of Andrew Lansley who is looking at ways of tackling this problem in our society today.
Lansley is a firm believer in looking at prevention rather than just dealing with the causes and proposes that public health should be more a matter of personal responsibility rather than government action. Rather than treating the problems on the NHS we should be looking at how it can be prevented in the first place? There are many ways this can be done, for example through educating our children, the future generation, at school and also looking at ways of re-educating adults about what they should be doing to lead a healthy lifestyle and how to combat the effects if obesity and health-related issues are already a problem for them.
I am a firm believer in the ‘Everything in moderation’ motto but at the same time I had a fairly decent education and I understand what constitutes a balanced diet and I don’t drink too much (well only occasionally!) and don’t smoke and I try to get plenty of exercise by walking as much as I can and also going jogging once a week. I like to feed my children plenty of fruit and vegetables but they also have their fair share of sweets, just as we enjoy the off pizza or takeaway on a Friday night after a busy week – it’s a treat and we all deserve treats.
This approach of a decent diet (energy in) and a decent amount of exercise (energy out) is how me and my family try to live our lives. I’m not sure really if we really got this basic knowledge from school, I did ‘food and nutrition’ at secondary school in the 80’s and it was more than just ‘cooking’ even then, I learnt about vitamins and what makes a balanced diet and the benefits of fruit and vegetables but I chose this subject as one of my GCSE options, what about the people who didn’t choose it? How do they get their knowledge?
We also learn an awful lot from our parents and families and the meals we eat together. The diet you bring your children up on is very important and a lot of habits are formed when children are small so if you only feed them chips and chicken dippers and beans then that becomes the norm for them. Adding a few vegetables and some fruit into the equation can make a massive difference.
Technology has given us the iPod and the iPhone and the Wii and 3D television which may have been a factor in making some of us into lazy obese people who don’t go out and get enough exercise because we can find out everything we want to know at the touch of a button and the World Wide Web has made everything so accessible that we have no need to make such an effort (we can order our weekly shopping and get it delivered at the click of a button and not even had to take one step to do it).
Technology has also been clever enough to realise that we have become less inclined to get out there and do some exercise (or we have become so busy that we simply think we don’t have time to do it). Technology has developed an answer for this too – toning shoes were invented to help busy people with busy lives get toned whilst they walk and society is clearly in need of this small but useful helping hand. The launch of fitness footwear, the FitFlop brand in particular, has been designed to help the wearer work and firm up their leg and bottom muscles by just walking in the shoes (or boots) – nothing too strenuous but maybe just enough of a temptation to get people out and about just that little bit more and who knows, maybe the FitFlop wearers will put the toning claims to the test and wear them to the supermarket. It’s definitely a start on a very long road.
By: Nigel Linton
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Read more on Unhealthy Society Needs to Change for the Better…
Filed under Health And Fitness by on Nov 18th, 2010. 
Pharmacological treatments have been sharing space with herbal remedies in treating common disorders and illnesses. The use of herbs as treatments for diseases dates back to Ancient civilization. All parts of the globe have something herbal to bring to the table in curing different diseases.
One of the most widely used methods of herbalism is Ayurveda. This is popularized by Indian locals. They believed in the role of Ayurvedic herbs in maintaining healthy body and improving vitality, energy and stamina. In addition to that, they can also help ward off several diseases.
But let us take a closer look at what herbal remedies can really do to the people of modern civilization:
1. Dietary supplements
They are used to augment missing nutrients in our body. It is no secret that you can find a plethora of vitamins and minerals from herbs. By simply including them in your daily diet, you can improve your over-all health condition. If you suffer from deficiency, you can turn to herbs to supplement missing nutrients.
2. Energy boosters
Herbs such as ginkgo biloba and ginseng act as energy stimulators. They help pump blood to the vital organs and maintain healthy energy and vitality. People even prefer using herbs than drinking energy drinks sold in the market. Most energy drinks only contain caffeine. Although caffeine helps keep us awake for a few hours, it depletes energy after the caffeine is removed from our blood stream. If you use herbs, you won’t experience a sudden drop of energy even after the effects of the herbs wear off.
3. Cure to diseases
Common and serious illnesses are treated using these remedies. Some people even use herbs as alternative treatment to cancer when they have already lost hope about the efficacy of their pharmacological and surgical treatments. However, this should be supervised or approved by professionals as herbs might interact adversely with pharmacological drugs.
4. Maintains balance and harmony in the body
These remedies help maintain balance in our systemic functions. Those suffering from hormonal imbalance, for instance, use herbal remedies to alleviate the symptoms of this problem. Some herbs have estrogen-mimetic properties that take the place of missing estrogens in the system. As a result, the body can function well even without the real estrogen in it.
5. Enhances immune functions
If you are looking for a way to enhance your immune functions, you can find a good botanical treatment for that. Chinese drug stores sell a plethora of natural remedies that can help enhance the functions of the immune system and ward off numerous viral and bacterial diseases.
By: Alan Cassidy
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Filed under Health And Fitness by on Nov 18th, 2010.
In the city of Brisbane there is a huge pedestrian only area called the Queen Street Mall. It has now become a non smoking area. It has now become a non smoking area. Smokers are finding it harder and harder to find a place to enjoy their habit
This loss of a major inner city area has come as another blow to smokers. On any day you could see the smokers gather in groups around the rubbish bins conversing with fellow tobacco users. This gathering seems perfectly normal to the smokers but to the non smoking observer it is quite bizarre.
The mall is an attractive place with lots of shopping, free entertainment and a great place for young people to meet. But the rubbish bins are just rubbish bins, they have no intrinsic attractiveness yet this is the meeting place for workers and shoppers who wish to enjoy a cigarette.
To the observer it’s as if the smokers have resigned themselves to being restricted to this space where others only come to deposit their empty lunch containers. The bins smell like giant ashtrays and the air is thick with smoke. Perhaps the smokers feel there is safety in numbers, avoiding the critical glances of the non smoking majority.
Now even that smoking refuge has been taken away from those needing to top up their nicotine. They are now doomed to walking down grubby lane ways where normally only delivery vehicles venture and where homeless people may gather at night.
As a smoker you know that society and rule makers are doing their best to drive you further and further away. Perhaps it’s time to quit for good!
By: Ian Newton
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Read more on Will You Quit Smoking Before You Are Driven Out Of Society?…
Filed under Health And Fitness by on Nov 18th, 2010.
Osteoporosis is commonly referred to as the silent disease because many people do not realize that they have it until they are either diagnosed with the condition by a doctor, or they suffer a bone fracture.
Read more on The Effect of Osteoporosis on an Aging Society…
Filed under Health And Fitness by on Nov 16th, 2010.
There is an overwhelming amount of research about food these days regarding what is good or not good for healthful living. It can be very confusing. It often takes the pleasure away from eating as one tries to remember all those numbers, weight, alkaline versus acidic, blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index etc. Parents often see these issues as their own issues and do not address the importance of food for their children. The latest studies reveal how many young people are over weight, obese or even suffering from diabetes. Others battle problems with anorexia or bulimia in an effort to keep up with modern trends in fashion and style. Conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have their own associated dietary problems.
Historically, people grew their own vegetables and raised their own animals; they traded with each other for things they needed. The foods were natural, unprocessed, and organic (and contained no sugar except for the occasional bit of honey or maple syrup). Our ancestors ate foods that grew in their native environment, and they ate seasonal foods. Many of our ancestors ate unpasteurized dairy products and fermented foods. They ate a significant portion of their food raw.
Of course with the inventions of radio and television and chemical preservatives, our entire system and style of eating changed. We are influenced by colourful, clever advertising both in stores and at restaurants. Very often our children are drawn to the colour and imagination of publicity artists who work for a
Read more on Creating Healthy Eating Habits in Today’s Society – What’s the Bottom Line?…
Filed under Health And Fitness by on Nov 15th, 2010.
Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological condition that has physiological consequences, and this illness is quite dangerous because it can eventually lead to death through starvation, so it is important that more people understand the facts about this less common disease and learn how to deal with it and how to help those suffering from it, because someone suffering from anorexia nervosa won’t admit it and he/she can’t cure him/herself of it, and can only do this with the help of others. Most of the anorexia patients are young women and teenage girls but there have been cases of both young and older men suffering from this illness too.
What exactly is Anorexia Nervosa and what causes it? Well, mainly, an anorexic person is a person that is obsessed with weight and although due to severe diets and nutritional restrictions that person has lost a lot of weight, he/she won’t admit it and will still think that he/she is too fat, therefore will still try to lose more weight through any method, even vomiting after a meal, which will lead to serious physical problems, weakness and dizziness in the beginning, followed by fainting and in the worst case death due to starvation.
The causes of anorexia nervosa are many and they are all nervous problems such as too much pressure and stress. It is believed that those who had some problems with over-protective parents in childhood might suffer from eating disorders when they reach maturity. Also, people who feel rejected by society and that they lost control over their lives will most likely develop eating problems. Anorexics consider that are too fat all the time and are obsessed with this matter, they talk about it all the time and follow all sorts of diets and do a lot of physical exercises in order to lose more weight. Although they are getting too thin they do not realize it and they still do anything they can to lose more weight. When asked to eat they will lie and say that they are not hungry.
So if you see that one of the people around you is getting too thin and keeps exercising and talking about loss of weight start suspecting something and watch him/her closely. There are a few more other signs you can detect. For example, an anorexic person will have the sensitivity to lower temperatures increased, also an increase in the amounts of body hair, and a constant self perception as a fat person. Among the things that anorexia nervosa may cause you can find osteoporosis,pathological fractures, hypothermia, amenorrhoea at women, constipation or muscle wasting. As said before the ultimate effect of this disease is death due to starvation.
If you find that many of the things above fit in the case of one of your friends, you’d better do something about it fast until complications appear. Treating someone who is suffering from anorexia nervosa is difficult because the patient will not admit that there is anything wrong wit him/her, and he or she needs the support of all the friends and family in order to change eating habits and realize something is wrong. Severe cases of anorexia must be treated in the hospital, and if the person still refuses to eat force must be used. Remember that anorexics will lie and cheat and never recognize their condition!
By: Groshan Fabiola
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Read more on Anorexia Nervosa – A Disease of the Modern Society – Signs and Treatment…
Filed under Health And Fitness by on Nov 13th, 2010.
Meditation has become extremely popular in western society in the recent years however; it has existed for thousands of years and has obviously passed the test of time in various other cultures. Meditation has in fact survived 4500 years of political upheaval and socioeconomic transition (Andreson, 2000). If meditation was not beneficial would it still be around and being practiced thousands of years later? Probably not.
The word meditation tends to cause confusion in many people due to it being unknown or regarded as somewhat metaphysical, new age, or associated with a special dogma or religion. Well as just discussed there is nothing new about meditation and I believe that the foundation for meditation in its purity is not confusing or complex. The very essence of meditation is simplicity, but as Ayaja states in his psychotherapy text, “simplicity is often the most complicated thing” (Ajaya, 1983, 126). I genuinely believe this statement to be accurate in especially western society’s way of life.
Life consists of simple principles, however human beings tend to complicate them within their minds rather than living and being from the soul. I know for my life, I choose to keep meditation and living as simple as possible. I think Stephen Levine says it best when he discussed meditation in his book, A Gradual Awakening, “meditation is for many a foreign concept, somehow distant and foreboding, seemingly impossible to participate in. But another word for meditation is simply awareness. Meditation is awareness” (Levine, 1989, 1). Now, this explanation is indeed workable and practical to an individual wanting to become involved in meditation.
Within this paper, I will offer a simple explanation of the process of meditation, its psychological, physiological, and spiritual benefits as well as a brief description of my personal experience.
There are several types of meditation, however Levine states that “differences in these techniques are basically due to the primary object which is concentrated on through the process” (Levine, 1989, 8). Thus, I will base this paper on mindfulness meditation (Vipassanna) which involves directly participating in each moment as it occurs with as much awareness and understanding as possible. In my opinion this is the simplest and most effective form of meditation and actually a very enlightened way to live your daily life. We live “now” right in this moment and that is what this type of meditation proposes. After all, as Goleman (1972a) states, “the goal of all meditation systems, whatever the ideological orientation or source…is to transform the waking state through the fruits of practice – to die to the life of the ego and be reborn to a new level of experience” (155).
As previously discussed, the focus of this paper will be mindfulness meditation rather than concentration meditation which is what usually comes to mind when the word meditation is mentioned. While concentration meditation focuses on the attention of a single object, mantra, or deity, mindfulness meditation includes a more dynamic inclusive field of observation. It is inclusive of the depth that surrounds us rather than shutting the world out, which is more practical for the average participant in western society (Tacon, 2003 ). It was also suggested by Kabat-Zinn (1994) that mindfulness may be beneficial to many people in western society who might be unwilling to adopt Buddhist traditions or vocabulary. Thus, mindfulness meditation is considerably more appropriate for our society than discussing the full range of meditation techniques from eastern traditions, due to its simplicity, practicality and perceived detachment from eastern philosophies and religions.
Rather than try to choose one definition to describe what mindfulness meditation is, I will present a variety of views from those familiar with this specific practice in order to get the point across more succinctly. First of all, mindfulness meditation is more specifically called “insight meditation” in Buddhist traditions, or vipassanna which is sanskrit and means “to see clearly.” Mindfulness meditation is a large part of Buddhism as well as Zen practice; however it can be successfully practiced detached from these traditions. As previously mentioned it is not necessary to be a practicing Buddhist to enjoy the fruits of mindfulness meditation (Levey & Levey, 1999). At this time I will present varied definitions or descriptions of what mindfulness meditation actually is.
Tacon (2003) describes mindfulness meditation as a “form of meditation that involves stimuli from the field of consciousness rather than the exclusion of stimuli, as in concentration meditation” (67).
Kabat-Zinn (1994) states that mindfulness meditation is “paying attention in a particular way; on purpose in the present moment and non-judgmentally.” (108).
Levey and Levey (1999) describe mindfulness meditation in the following way: “mindfulness liberates us from memories of past and fantasies of future by bringing reality of the present moment clearly into focus” (89). They also state that “mindfulness makes us more aware of life’s everyday miracles” (89).
Dunn, Hartigan, and Mikulas (1999) state that “mindfulness practice involves open receptivity and awareness to all stimuli, while evaluation, analysis or classification of those stimuli is suppressed” (p.148).
Ruth Baer states “mindfulness is the nonjudgmental observation of the ongoing streams of internal and external stimuli as they arise” (2003, p. 125).
Although each of these passages utilize different terminology to articulate what mindfulness meditation is; the overall consensus comes down to “being present in life.” In my personal opinion, this may well be the secret that all human beings have been searching for outside of themselves. Being present in the moment is very simple, yet profound. Most people will likely say, “There has got to be more to living than this.” Is there?
Mindfulness meditation focuses on all areas of our being. Levey and Levey (1999) present a variety of these areas in their book, Simple Meditation and Relaxation. These elements of the human being include being mindful or aware of your sense without judgement, being aware of your emotions with acceptance, maintaining awareness of your thinking and allowing thoughts to flow by, just noticing. Another two vital areas include being aware of your breathing as well as what is going on with your body (pp. 95-97). What it comes down to is being aware of what is going on for you in each moment. To further articulate this I will provide various excerpts from a mindfulness meditation by Stephen Levine (1989).
o “Find a comfortable place to sit, with back straight but not rigid…”
o “Keep your attention at one precise point and note the sensation that accompanies each breath…”
o “Sounds arise. Thought arise. Other sensations arise. All background, arising and passing away…”
o “Sensations arise in the body, Thoughts arise in the mind. They come and go like bubbles…”
o “Don’t get lost. If the mind pulls away, gently, with a soft non-judging, non-clinging awareness, return to the breath…”
o “Moment to moment awareness of whatever arises, whatever exists” (pp. 32-36).
My hope is that these excerpts further clarify mindfulness meditation to the reader. Levine is a master when it comes to simplicity in one’s life as well as having the capacity to make meditation practical and efficient. Next, I would like to discuss a variety of interventions using mindfulness followed by research demonstrating the psychological, physiological, and spiritual benefits. Mindfulness meditation is truly a holistic application and this will be shown through the research findings discussed in this article.
Interventions
As previously discussed meditation has been around for thousands of years, however has only recently been integrated into psychotherapy in western society. The American Psychological Association, around 1977, suggested that “meditation could facilitate the therapeutic process” (Taskforce on Meditation, 1977, p. 3). Unfortunately, about 20 years later it still hasn’t actually become mainstream. However, we must be fortunate that some progress is being made. At this time, I would like to discuss four current interventions that are using mindfulness meditation as part of the therapeutic process.
The first intervention is the integration of mindfulness meditation in the general psychotherapy process. La Torre (2001) discussed it as an effective component of psychotherapy and stated that as meditation brings awareness to feelings and discomforts in the therapeutic process, psychotherapy can provide discussion and exploration of these insights. She also expresses that the ability to practice meditation in and out of the therapeutic session fosters independence and self mastery on the client’s part. La Torre (2001) concludes by stating, “That in most cases the incorporation of meditation into the therapeutic process has enriched therapy and given clients a greater sense of control and awareness” (p. 104).
In a separate case study by Boorstein (1983), he describes his integration of mindfulness meditation and bibliotherapy and its effectiveness with a depressed, agitated, and paranoid client. Boorstein integrated various readings with a transpersonal theme as well as mindfulness meditation in and out of session. Boorstein claims that the outcome was significant and included increased self-esteem, psychological and spiritual growth and relief of presenting symptoms. Boorstein conducted follow ups and stated that the positive outcomes were maintained and the client continued to focus on personal and spiritual growth in his life.
A second popular intervention and the most frequently cited method of mindfulness meditation intervention is the program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn called Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This program was developed specifically for chronic pain and stress related disorders. It is an 8-10 week course for groups which utilizes a unique combination of discussions related to stress, coping, as well as homework assignments and an intense instruction and practice of mindfulness meditation. The ability for clients to practice inside and outside of session in real life situations is again a benefit of this modality (Baer, 2003).
Another intervention which is strongly associated with MBSR is Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). This intervention incorporates aspects of cognitive therapy that facilitate a detached or decentered view of ones thoughts including statements such as “Thoughts are not facts” and “I am not my thoughts” (Baer, 2003, p. 127). MBCT is designed to teach skills for previously depressed individuals to observe their thoughts and feelings non-judgmentally and to see them as simply mental events that come and go rather than as reality or aspects of themselves (Baer, 2003).
The final intervention that I will discuss that incorporates mindfulness meditation is a therapy termed Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). This specific therapy was designed to treat borderline personality disorder however it is currently being applied to a variety of different populations. DBT integrates mindfulness meditation training with cognitive behavioral skills in order to facilitate acceptance and change at the same time. Specific aspects of this intervention include emotional regulation, interpersonal skills, and distress tolerance skills (Baer, 2003). In my personal career I have had direct experience with this an addiction facility and found it to be quite effective. Residential clients embraced the mindfulness components in all aspects of their lives and appeared to truly benefit from practicing acceptance and non-judgment as part of their recovery. I genuinely hope that more interventions will become available and mindfulness meditation will eventually get the respect it deserves in the field of psychotherapy and life in general.
Mindfulness meditation is a holistic tool for growth and self awareness. It benefits the mind, body, and soul as a whole, however for this papers purpose I will separate the components into the benefits related to psychological, philosophical, and spiritual elements of the human being. These will be based on the literature pertaining to mindfulness meditation specifically and what has been discussed in a variety of research studies.
Physiological Benefits
The literature discusses an immense amount of physiological benefits derived from mindfulness meditation. To list and discuss all of them is beyond the scope of this paper; however I will discuss some of the main physical benefits shown throughout the empirical literature. First, the physiological changes that have been noticed when practicing meditation such as decreased heart rate, breathing and the lowering of blood pressure has been termed the “relaxation response” by Benson (1975). These changes can of course be extremely beneficial to those individuals needing to escape the daily stress and chaos of society. However, the physiological benefits of mindfulness meditation transcend the momentary changes during the act of meditation. In Perez-De-Albeniz’s (2000) 75 study Meta analysis he discussed a vast array of benefits that were found in his perusal of the available research. These included increase cardiac output, muscle relaxation, increased serotonin and melatonin levels, and significant improvement in chronic pain. In addition mindfulness meditation was found to be beneficial for psoriases, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and hypertension. This brief summary obviously demonstrates that mindfulness meditation can be effective for the body component of a human being. Lets explore the other two elements that make up human beings.
Psychological
Numerous psychological benefits of mindfulness meditation are mentioned throughout the empirical literature. Again, this is not an exhaustive review of the literature, but a brief articulation of outcomes reported regarding the practice of mindfulness meditation. La Toree (2003) explains the benefits of mindfulness meditation in terms of its emotional benefits concerning self growth. In her article she explains that overwhelming feelings are better able to be accepted as an individual is able to own these feelings and experience them with a greater sense of safety.
In Perez de Albeniz’s Meta Analysis of the literature the following were demonstrated throughout the empirical studies that were reviewed:
o Increased happiness
o Increased joy
o Increased positive thoughts
o Increase problem solving skills
o Enhanced acceptance
o Enhanced compassion
o Enhanced tolerance
o Increased relaxation
o Increased resilience
o Better control of feelings and personal responsibility
o Improvement in psychological well being
o Decreased anxiety
o Decreased substance abuse
Perez de Albeniz also discussed mindfulness meditation’s ability to help patients understand that there are no quick solutions in life which leads to development of patience in their personal growth journey. In addition, the promotion of a non-judgmental attitude as well as the ability to come to terms with what is rather than what could have been.
Finally I think it is important to mention a study by Shapiro, Schwartz, and Bonner (1998) in which MBSR was offered to medical and pre medical students. The application involved a 7-week intervention with a wait list control. The outcome of this study included reduced self-reports of overall psychological distress, including depression, reduced self-reports of state and trait anxiety and increased scores of empathy levels. Again, in the psychological domain it is obvious that mindfulness meditation has enormous benefits.
Spiritual
Spiritual benefits are also demonstrated in the practice and application of mindfulness meditation. In the Shapiro et al study (1998) it was also found that there were increased scores on the measures of spiritual experiences, which basically meant that following the mindfulness introduction, participants had a greater conviction of the existence of a higher power as well as an increase in the internalization of a personal intimate relationship to a higher power. In Perez de Albeniz (2000) it was noted that mindfulness meditation helps a patient or person to trust their inner nature and wisdom. Finally, Walsh (1983) expresses in his article that meditation is “available as a tool for those who wish to plumb the depths of their own being and explore the nature of mind, identity, and consciousness. It’s a tool that can be used from the beginning to the end of the spiritual quest” (45). Obviously, there are many other spiritual benefits of meditation, including the obvious, Nirvana; however I merely supplied the reader with a summary. Perhaps, it may motivate some to enter this journey of awareness and explore the many additional gems along the path.
Personal Experience
Henry Miller said “the aim of life is to live, and to live means to be awake, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.” This is what mindfulness meditation has brought to my life. By all means, do not think that I sit in meditation continuously and detach from the world. Mindfulness allows me to feel every moment of life within my entire being. It allows me to live life rather than just existing and the application of this practice throughout the past five years of my life has transformed who I am. I have tapped into my genuine being and united with the energy of the universe. Simply by cultivating awareness of the moment through mindfulness I have been able to transcend my ego and travel each day on the path of self-actualization. I have experienced the pure essence of mindfulness meditation. Each moment of my life allows continuous practice and application of this essential skill that genuinely gives life. Each human being on this earth has the innate ability to tap into the perfection and precision of mindfulness meditation. Go and experience the bliss that it offers.
Finally, throughout this paper I have discussed what mindfulness meditation is, provided a variety of description by the experts in this practice, and given the reader examples of the process of mindfulness meditation based on writings by Stephen Levine. It was concluded, that simply mindfulness meditation is being aware of life, which obviously can be practiced in any setting. Mindfulness mediation is extremely practical in the west and has been utilized in a variety of therapeutic interventions with much success. Additionally, it has been shown to have physiological, psychological, and spiritual benefits by the research thus far. In short, mindfulness mediation is a great tool for the whole person to utilize toward personal and spiritual growth. Mindfulness is genuinely living life in this very moment. Go truly live in the now and experience the true essence of life without the deluded impediments caused the thinking mind.
References
Ajaya, S. (1983). Psychotherapy East and West, Honesdale, Pa:The Himalayan International Institute.
Andreson, J. (2000). Meditation meets behavioral medicine. Journal of Conciousness Studies, 7(11-12), 17-73.
Baer, R. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: a conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 125-143.
Benson, R. (2003). The Relaxation Response, New York, NY: Morrow.
Dunn, B. R., Hartigan, J. A., & Mikulas, W. L.. (1999). Concentration and Mindfulness Meditations: Unique form of consciousness?. Applied psychophysiology and BioFeedback, 24(3), 147-165.
Goleman, D. (1972a). The Buddha on meditation and states of consciousness, Part I: A typology of meditation techniques. Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, 4(1), 1-44.
Kabat-Zinn, K. (1994).Wherever you go there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. New York: Hyperion
La Torre, M. A (2000). A holistic view of psychotherapy: Connecting mind, body, and spirit.. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 36(2), 67-68.
Levey, J & Levey, M. (1999). Simple meditation and Releaxation . Berkeley, CA: Conari Press.
Levine, S. (1989). A Gradual Awakening. New York, NY: Anchor Books.
Perez-De-Albeniz, A. (2000). Meditation, concepts, effects and uses in therapy. International Journal of Psychotherapy, 5(1), 49-58.
Tacon, T. M. (2003). Meditation as a complementary therapy in cancer. Family and Community Health, 26(1), 64-73.
Taskforce on Meditation. (1977). Position statement on meditation. American Journal of Psychiatry, 134, 720.
By: Richard Singer
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Filed under Health And Fitness by on Sep 14th, 2010.
General Substance Abuse and Its Effects on Society
Substance abuse is one of the most prevalent issues that the current generation is forced to face. It has been around for centuries and has afflicted millions of people around the world. It is mainly a health concern but over the past decades, it has escalated into one of the worst social ills.
Drug and alcohol addiction does not only affect the individual himself but everyone around him. Ultimately, the society is largely affected by his predisposition for substance use even when he’s just one person. It is a social ill because practically every country in the world is compelled to come up with legislation, policies and other ideas geared at addressing the problem.
Most experts agree that addiction has a ripple effect. It brings discord not only into the home but to the society as well.
Effects on the family
Parents who abuse drugs or alcohol tend to neglect their children leaving them to their own devices. Because they are preoccupied with their addictions, they fail to provide the proper guidance that children need especially during their growing years. Teenagers who grow up in homes where a respected adult or parent uses alcohol or drugs have a higher tendency for developing the addiction later on mainly because the household is more lenient in terms of substance use.
The community
According to statistics, drunk driving results to an injury every minute and one death every 32 minutes. In the United States, about 40% of traffic-related casualties are linked to alcohol use. Crime rates go up because of addiction related incidents. In 1992, over 25% of violent crimes and property crimes were attributed to drug and alcohol abuse. Three to four percent of social welfare cases in the country were caused by substance abuse. Income maintenance, cash assistance, foster care and other social welfare programs had to spend a lot on households affected by substance abuse.
Substance abuse impairs the individual’s productivity. It can affect his ability to maintain a full-time job. In cases where addicts are even able to maintain employment, the people around them are placed at risk.
Economics
Substance abuse causes the government to spend a lot of money that could otherwise be spent on education or other channels. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the US, the total economic cost of substance abuse has reached to a whopping $245 billion. This was spent on treatment and prevention costs, healthcare, losses on job productivity and crime and social welfare.
Health issues
Substance abuse can lead to the prevalence of more health issues. Crimes are just one thing but the spread of certain types of illnesses is another one of the many impacts of addiction. People who are addicted are apt to behave irresponsibly. This essentially translates to undertaking dangerous sexual activities and making wrong decisions that are otherwise prevented by sobriety. Irresponsible sexual activities can lead to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and AIDS.
Substance abuse, therefore, is a problem that has to be fully addressed. Its impact on the society is so massive that legislation is constantly being updated to ensure that this social ill finds sustainable resolution.
By: Chy King
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Filed under Health And Fitness by on Sep 6th, 2010.
Some statistics show that 1% of American women have anorexia nervosa, many people don’t have idea on how dangerous this disorder is. Thousands of teenagers die each year due to anorexia and eating disorders. Society plays an important role to help solve this growing problem and make adolescents aware of the dangers.
If we want to see the anorexia nervosa impact on society, its enough to see the death statistics and emotional problems that they have to understand how severe it is. There are groups of people especially online that support anorexia nervosa as a lifestyle and they give tips and advice to them to hide their problem from their family and keep a rigorous diet.
I think we need to change the way society values people, there are testimonies of teenagers that were very happy, but when they started dieting due to an emotional problem they had caused by a critique of their weight, their life became miserable. Adolescents want to be loved and accepted in society, so when people critiques their body or physical appearance, sometimes the frustration is so big, that they do anything to be accepted be liked.
The consequence is that adolescents start dieting and exercising with obsession, to the point that they starve themselves and hurt their body. They also see all the celebrities in tv as perfect and they want to be like them, very thin.
Anorexia is an emotional problem and cannot be solved just with medications, the person needs to understand that what she is doing is wrong and is damaging her self. She needs to feel loved and accepted by her family to recover from this disorder, she needs to change her self image.
Society is causing a negative impact on teenagers, they are acquiring the wrong values from the media and take celebrities as their role model of success. Parents have to make their child aware of this problem and its consequences.
By: Ray Andrew
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Filed under Health And Fitness by on Sep 5th, 2010.
Obesity is growing problem within our society and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any better over the coming years.
Although the world has woken up to the dangers of obesity still the majority of Western cultures appear to be getting bigger and bigger.
The obesity problem may lie with fast food becoming an accepted part of many people’s diets, it may lie with the growth in popularity of computer / console games that mean that children spend less time playing out but in reality it’s a mixture of many things.
One thing is for sure and that is that we need to do something soon for the sake of the health of our children and for our own health.
Society makes it too easy for us to say yes to temptation, advertising of junk food on television is an accepted part of life although guidelines are being brought in to limit the amount of advertising of these products that is aimed broadly at children, for example the offer of a burger and a toy from a fast food restaurant. Around one in four children are now believed to be obese in Great Britain and the figures for America are much worse. Governments can and must do more to kerb obesity.
There are many cultures which are traditionally more approving (to varying degrees) of obesity, including some African, Arabic, Indian, and Pacific Island cultures. But we should also start to consider childhood obesity a social problem, and take action now.
Obesity is on the rise in our society because not only is food abundant but the wrong type of food is abundant as well as this for many children physical activity is optional. But herein lies a problem, the fatter our kids get the less they want to exercise, it’s a vicious circle.
More and more research into child obesity, for example, links such things as the school run, with the current high levels of this disease. Something as simple walking to school with the kids can make a big difference to the health of a child. Just walking at 3 miles per hour for twenty minutes a day can burn up to 75 calories. Not that impressive really until you add that up over a period of time; 1500 calories a month or approximately 18,000 calories a year, now that makes a big difference to anyone. Obesity is mainly caused by taking in more calories than are used up in physical activity and daily life so by simply adding in a small dose of exercise can make a really big difference.
For the sake of a twenty minute walk a day you could help stave off such obesity related diseases as diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, heart failure, certain types of cancer such as prostate and colon, gallstones, gout, degenerative joint disease and sleep apnea.
A change of diet will also help, changing from a diet of processed food to a diet consisting of fresh produce such as of tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, fruit and vegetables as found in simple Italian cooking [http://www.nike-trainers.com/] will help to reduce the amount of saturated fat, salt and sugar in the body which all have a negative affect on health.
A few simple steps can really go a long way in improving the health of the world; it’s really up to the world whether or not they can be bothered to make the change for the better.
By: Harwood E Woodpecker
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Filed under Health And Fitness by on Sep 1st, 2010.