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Mindfulness is Not Just a Buzzword

Like green goddess juice and Bikram yoga, mindfulness is trending right now. This approach to deliberate living in the now is popular for good reason. Studies show that being mindful not only reduces stress and boosts the immune system, this state of awareness helps to regulate emotions, as well as reduce chronic pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances and ruminating, a leading cause in depression.

Studies also show that mindfulness lowers levels of anxiety and improves memory, learning, rational thinking, empathy and compassion, all while increasing peace and meaning in one’s life. These findings are significant especially when researchers from Carnegie Mellon University recently found that people’s self-reported stress levels have increased as much as 30% in the last three decades as we become more connected to the outer world—phones, email, and social media—and less connected to ourselves.

What is mindfulness exactly? Jon Kabat-Zinn, professor of Medicine emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and developer of mindful-based stress reduction (MBSR) defines mindfulness as “the awareness that arises by paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”

Daniel Siegel, clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute has a similar definition. He describes mindfulness as a “quality of receptivity that is different from every day awareness.” It is intentional, living in the now, being aware, and awakening to experience and can be used as a catalyst for any kind of change, whether it be personal, career oriented, financial or even spiritual.

When we are mindful, for example, we observe our thoughts, feelings, processes, and experiences from a distance without making judgments. We notice our feelings without being swept away by them. We ride the waves of energy and information flow by simply being aware of patterns rather that freaking out over them. In other words, we respond instead of react. This mindful response, in turn, leads to better life-affirming choices around health, family, and career. Not surprisingly, when we are not mindful—when we let life happen to us automatically—we make poorer choices when it comes to health, family, and career.

There are several ways one can practice being mindful in their everyday lives. Here are a few suggestions:

Breathe: Servan Schreiber, in his book Anticancer, called breath the “gateway to the inner self. (2009, p. 164). Like digestion and our heartbeats, breathing is the only completely autonomous bodily function free of the conscious mind. Yet studies show that when we consciously regulate our breathing—breathe in, one, two, three, breathe out, one, two three, four, five—we are more connected to our bodies and our minds.

Meditation: Mediation is the practice of turning your attention to a single point of reference. It can involve focusing on the breath, on bodily sensations, or on a word or phrase known as a mantra. As you turn your attention away from distracting thoughts and focus on the present moment, not only are you impacting your mental, emotional, and physical well-being, you are changing your brain.

If you think you do not have time to meditate, think again. In 2012, Moore, Gruber, Derose and Malinowski found that as little as ten minutes a day for 16 weeks significantly improved neural functioning, self-regulation, and focused attention. If you think you are too busy to mediate, then as an ancient proverb suggests, you should sit for an hour.

Yoga: Yoga is a whole-body experience that goes back over five thousand years in India. This ancient practice integrates the breath with stretching exercises, postures, and meditation which in turn creates harmony between the mind and body. Studies show that yogic practices enhance muscular strength and body flexibility, promote and improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, improve sleep patterns, and enhance overall well-being and quality of life. Some individuals even discover far reaching results such as an internal stillness and greater awareness of a spiritual side of themselves.

Visualization: Visualization is the act of directing your thoughts on a positive image in your mind with the goal of improving your emotional, physical, mental and/or financial well-being. In fact, this technique has been shown to improve performance of any kind. For example, athletes are using visualization to imagine the actual physical motions—dancing, figure skating, making that defensive tackle or swooshing a three pointer—before performing them, which in turn helps to improve their game.

For more information on mindfulness, check out John Kabat-Zinn’s book Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment—and Your Life.

https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Beginners-Reclaiming-Present-Moment/dp/1622036670

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Happiness is a Conjunction!

“Happiness is completely and utterly intertwined with other people,” writes Eric Weiner, world traveler and author of The Geography of Bliss. After traveling the globe and interviewing both ordinary people and hundreds of “happiness experts”, Weiner found that our relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and even the local coffee barista, add to our overall happiness and well being.  In fact, Weiner writes, “Happiness is not a noun or verb. It’s a conjunction. Connective tissue.”

In addition, when we are feeling connected to one another, not only are we happier, we are better able to fight off illnesses such as the flu and, yes, cancer.

Research confirms this link in a 2006 study of over 3,000 nurses. The findings: Women with breast cancer who could name at least ten friends had a four times better chance of surviving cancer than women who could not. Interestingly, you did not need to live next door to these friends. It was not about geographical proximity. Studies show that a longer life span was a result of an overall feeling of connectedness to others, whether they lived half-way around the world or in the same city.

What about Facebook? A 2016 study found that when students update their Facebook status—like, post, share, or comment—they reported lower levels of loneliness. Researchers believe that the drop in reported loneliness is linked to feeling more socially connected. According to researcher Moira Burke, however, participants who only lurked reported an increase in feeling lonely, isolated, and depressed. And other studies have shown that Facebook can cause one to feel left out, thus the expression FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).

Another study of 736 men in Sweden came up with similar findings to the nurse’s study, but on the flip side. Lack of social support was found to predict all causes of mortality. In fact, mortality had little to do with the etiology of the disease and had much more to do with lack of social ties. The study also found that lack of social support had the same risk factor of smoking. Other studies have confirmed these findings showing that strong social connections increase longevity by 50%, help us recover from disease faster, and improves overall physical and psychological health.

Steve Coleshows, Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences in the UCLA School of Medicine found that genes impacted by social connection also code for immune function and inflammation. Simply stated, social connection strengthens our immune system. Again, the reverse is also true. Loneliness can weaken it. After controlling for baseline health status, researchers found that risk of death increased for individuals with a low quantity, and sometimes low quality, of social relationships.

“Social isolation is the public health risk of our time,” says psychologist Susan Pinker. Unfortunately, Pinker explains, only “a third of the population says they have two or fewer people to lean on. It is a biological imperative to know that we belong. Building and sustaining a village is a matter of life and death.”

Not only do relationships and a feeling of connectedness help extend our lives, but studies show people who feel connected have higher self-esteem, and are more empathetic, trusting, and cooperative compared to less connected people. Sometimes this is a self-fulfilling prophesy, however. Less connected people tend to isolate themselves, leading to further isolation. More socially connected people reach out; thus a positive feedback loop occurs, and these people find themselves with more opportunity for social engagement.

Below are some tips taken from Mental Health America to help you create a plan to make, keep, and strengthen connections in your life:

  • Make a short list of friends and family members who are supportive and positive. Also include a list of people you feel the need to stay in touch with regularly such as parents, a close friend or adult child who lives far away, or an aging relative who lives alone.
  • Make a commitment to yourself to call, email or get together with them on a schedule that’s reasonable for you. Try to reach out to make at least one emotional connection a day, but plan realistically. In cases of long distance, consider using web-based ways of keeping in touch, like Skype or Facebook.
  • Share what’s on your mind honestly and openly. Talk about your concerns in a straight-forward way, but try to keep it constructive. Try to be direct about what you need – for example a sympathetic ear, help solving a problem, a fresh perspective, new ideas or a good laugh. Don’t hesitate to ask for the kind of help you’d like. Ask what other people think about your situation, and show them you value their opinion.
  • When you talk, also listen. Ask about someone else’s day, or follow up on the topic of a previous conversation. Showing sincere interest in another person’s life builds relationships and listening to other people’s concerns can often shed a new light on your own challenges. Offer help or advice if asked – listen and respond.
  • Make social plans. Create opportunities to strengthen your relationships with fun things that both you and your friend or relative will enjoy. Looking forward to special activities boosts our spirits, gives us energy and makes us more productive.

You may find that among people you hardly know, one or more can become trusted friends you can rely on—and support—in good times and bad. Even if you feel that you’re so busy you don’t have time to keep up with family and friends you already have, it doesn’t take much time to make new friends. If you’re shy and hesitant about meeting new people, just a few questions can get a conversation going. Think about neighbors you pass regularly, co-workers, people in your exercise class, a cousin you’ve lost touch with, or those who volunteer in the same organizations you do. If you don’t already have people you can talk with regularly about what’s on your mind, it’s worth the effort to build connections for your emotional health. If you find yourself anxious or timid about social interaction, you may want to consider talking to a therapist or counselor to build your confidence in social situations. (taken from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/stay-connected)

For more on social connection and living longer check out the following TED Talk.

https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_pinker_the_secret_to_living_longer_may_be_your_social_life?utm_campaign=social&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_content=talk&utm_term=science#t-207911

 

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We are Designed to Move Our Bodies

Today’s sedentary lifestyle is wreaking havoc on our health. According to James A. Levine, a pioneering spirit paving the way for research on the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle, any extended sitting, such as sitting at one’s desk or behind the wheel of one’s car, can be harmful to our health including increasing the risk of cancers.

Our bodies are designed to move. Certain parts of our body such as the lymphatic system, for example, cannot function properly without physical movement. Our lymphatic system is made up of over 600 vessels and nodes intricately woven together in a complicated but exquisite network and is responsible for detoxifying our bodies by transporting fluids, allocating proteins, and removing cellular debris and foreign material. Because the lymphatic system does not have an in-house pump (the heart) like the circulatory system, these vessels require muscle contraction for it to move and do its job properly. Thus, when we move, the lymph system moves. When we don’t move, the lymph system can become stagnant and cells will literally fester in their own waste.

We can avoid this from happening by simply moving our bodies. Studies show that aerobic activities such as jumping rope or bouncing on a trampoline is extremely beneficial to getting the lymph system moving as well as fostering blood flow throughout our bodies delivering much needed nutrients to all our vital organs.

Not only will exercise of all types help the body fight cancer and other diseases, exercise slows down the release of stress hormones, boosts the immune system, and helps maintain a healthy body weight. The American Cancer Society (2011) recommends thirty to sixty minutes of exercise five days per week. Not only will you be healthier, feel happier and have more energy, but you will be more focused and productive both at work and at home.

This is because physical exercise improves neural functioning, self-regulation and focused attention. How? When we move our bodies, oxygen is pumped into our brains giving us more energy as well as a feeling of euphoria. This is partly due to the endorphin lift we get from exercising. Endorphins act as analgesics or pain killer. They also have a sedative effect relaxing us after a busy day (why I call exercise my happy pill). These feel good chemicals are released in the brain no matter what your choice of activity—golf, aerobics, or dancing—and they all contribute to a healthier, happier you.

Like everything, however, when it comes to exercise, balance is key. Too much exercise can actually result in an increase of stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline), and in turn decrease white blood cell activity which is responsible for fighting disease. What is too much?  Exercise that is intensive and long term. Rigorous exercise can have negative effects on the body. It can also result in feeling overwhelmed and increase the risk of quitting. When in question, if you are experiencing injuries, exhaustion and depression, you may be working out too much.

And how will you know if you are exercising enough? It is recommended that to get the most bang from your physical activity of choice, break a sweat, but don’t drown in it. Moderation is essential! Studies on exercise and breast cancer, for example, show that simply walking two to five hours each week at a normal speed helps prevent relapse.

So get out of your chairs and move. Walk around the office or walk around the block, but move your body throughout the day!