Mental Health Awareness & Mental Clarity
May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, a cause deserving recognition every month of the year. This topic is so significant and close to my heart that I have chosen to dedicate my life, both personally and professionally, to advancing its cause and development.
Alcohol Awareness; The Misconceptions, Common Identifiers & Risks
This post is dedicated exclusively to one of the most pervasive and widespread addictions: alcohol addiction. I'm writing this blog post to honor my loved ones who have been deeply affected by this disease - those who have survived and are now actively recovering, as well as those who are on the journey to find their way there. I firmly believe that there is hope for anyone living this struggle, as well as for their families and friends who stand by them during their darkest moments.
Self-Injury
This post aims to shed light on the prevalence of self-injury within our communities, and possibly even within our own homes. My goal is to educate you about what constitutes self-injury, its role in an individual's life, potential triggers for self-harm, and how to seek assistance.
Nutritional Therapy for High Cholesterol
As stated by the CDC, approximately 38% of individuals, or nearly 94 million U.S adults have high cholesterol, defined as total blood cholesterol over 200 mg/dL.
If we take a deeper look at exactly how cholesterol is made and behaves, it turns out that dietary cholesterol intake has little influence on blood cholesterol levels.
Generally, high cholesterol doesn’t cause any symptoms; therefore, the only way to truly know one’s numbers is to get a blood test called a lipid panel, which measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. According to conventional lab ranges, adults should aim to have total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL, LDL below 100 mg/dL, HDL 60 mg/dL and above, and triglycerides below 150 mg/dL.
Celebrate
We’re reminded that it’s time to celebrate. But with most of us living very busy lives, it’s sometimes difficult to remember to celebrate. Careers, school, relationships, health, finances, etc., demand our attention. Sometimes we forget to stop and enjoy, or we tell ourselves that we can celebrate after our work is done or after we fix a relationship or reduce a health concern or pay some bills or… a thousand other distractions.
Amino Acid Therapy: A Nutritional Approach To Mood Imbalances
When it comes to brain health and balanced moods, dietary amino acids are king. We typically hear of amino acids for their roles in energy metabolism, hormones, immune functioning, digestion, proteins, and building muscle. Amino acids are also involved in mood regulation by supporting our brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters. Ensuring adequate protein intake and proper absorption of amino acids can be the first steps in supporting your moods.
Gratitude
To foster greater happiness and well-being, it's essential to cultivate mindfulness and self-awareness to recognize when these mental processes are at play. By acknowledging and understanding our cravings, grasping, and comparisons, we can begin to let go of these harmful patterns and shift our focus toward gratitude, contentment, and inner peace. Practices like mindfulness meditation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and adopting a more positive and accepting mindset can be helpful in this process.
Achieving Balance
Balance is not just a state of equilibrium; it is a state of flourishing in all dimensions of life. In our quest for balance in our physical life, we must work on strengthening the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that our bodies use to stabilize our tall narrow frames and help us move smoothly and efficiently with grace and fluidity. Mental and spiritual practices serve as lighthouses, guiding us toward harmony. Embracing these insights and techniques ensures that even amidst life's storms, we remain centered and balanced, navigating our journey with grace and poise.
Positive Thinking
Life is an adventure and my adventure continues. Although change is sometimes uncomfortable. When the way forward diverges us from our path and takes us toward unknown horizons, fear appears. The Buddhists have a term for it. They call it Mara, the demon who terrorized Siddhartha during the night of his enlightenment.
The Journey to Mental Clarity.
In a world of increasing complexity and constant information bombardment, mental clarity emerges as a guiding star, illuminating the way forward. But like any tool, its use is most effective when combined with a discerning, mindful approach. As such, let us celebrate mental clarity as an empowering cognitive state, recognizing its potential benefits while exercising caution to circumvent its potential pitfalls. The pursuit of mental clarity, then, becomes a journey of continual learning and unlearning, refining our understandings and narratives in the light of new insights and information.
Self-exploration, a lifelong journey
Self-exploration is a lifelong journey that benefits everyone who undertakes it. Self-discovery allows individuals to deepen their understanding of themselves, leading to a more authentic, purposeful, and fulfilling life.
The Empowering Mind: Harnessing Wisdom for Achieving Our Goals
Empowering the mind is a lifelong journey that requires dedication, self-reflection, and a commitment to growth. Choosing a philosophy or methodology such as those outlined above can give us a clear framework or plan to help individuals tap into the vast potential of their minds and achieve this mental outcome they desire.
Mindfulness and Acceptance; Keys to Mental and Emotional Health
We must take proactive steps to ensure and maintain a positive outlook and a sense of mental and emotional well-being. These steps can be achieved by keeping our minds active and busy.
The Journey from Negative Self-Talk to Optimistic Anticipation: 5 Strategies to Help
And just as winter inevitably gives way to spring, so too can we move from negative self-talk to a more positive and optimistic mindset. One key principle of Buddhism that can help us on this journey is mindfulness. By paying close attention to our thoughts and feelings, we can become more aware of the negative self-talk that arises within us. We can start to observe it without judgment, recognizing that it is simply a passing mental phenomenon, rather than an accurate reflection of reality. Just like we observe the dark stillness of winter, we can also observe in ourselves any bleak gloominess of despair. And similarly, as we witness the lively rebirth of spring, we can also take note of any rejuvenating sprouts of optimism.
The Garden of My Mind
By accepting the impermanence of life, letting go of attachment to external circumstances and physical abilities, and practicing self-compassion, I am tending my garden. I will ultimately reap the benefits and find meaning, purpose, and happiness in the present moment, regardless of my age or circumstance. By embracing these “gardening implements'' I am able to perform my spring cleaning and clear all of the unwanted, overgrown flora from my mental garden. I will till the soil of my mental bed, I will nurture the more beneficial crops of optimism and positivity and ultimately enjoy the bountiful harvest from this garden of my mind!
Empathy and an Open Heart
We’ve been hearing for years that the way to combat gun violence is to reduce the number of guns in this country. In my opinion, this solution is overly simplistic and not very realistic. The gun availability debate has been batted around for many years in the legislative bodies of this country. But for various reasons, we as a country seem unwilling to give up the right to buy, own and carry firearms. And do we really think that making guns illegal would stop this carnage? No, I don’t think the solution will come from our lawmakers. I believe that before we can stop the violence we need to examine why so many young people, (predominantly men) feel compelled to carry out this violence.
Vegan Hot Chocolate
This vegan hot chocolate is the perfect way to stay warm through the fall and winter!
I Meet Myself Where I Am
John came to the yogic life later than most. But since arriving he has embraced it wholeheartedly. With inspirational guidance from friends and wife, John found his path and began his journey to awakening in 2016 after being diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition, leading him to some darker times. Since then, he has continued to transform his mind, body and spirit through the many practices of these ancient traditions. Continue reading and find out what John’s favorite meditation is for Self-Love.
