Gaia: Integral Health - Psyche

Health Is a State of Mind

http://integral-options.gaia.com — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 18:19:24 GMT

I always try to impress upon my clients the value of being mindful of what they do in terms of eating and exercise -- and their beliefs around these topics. Awareness is an important part of making any kind of changes in our life.

The New York Times posted an article today that suggests that simply thinking of ourselves as healthier can have a dramatic impact on our health. This probably would not work with desk-bound people, but the study is interesting (even though they don't really understand what mindfulness means).

Mindful Exercise
By CHRISTOPHER SHEA
Published: December 9, 2007

Simply by telling 44 hotel maids that what they did each day involved some serious exercise, the Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer and Alia J. Crum, a student, were apparently able to lower the women’s blood pressure, shave pounds off their bodies and improve their body-fat and “waist to hip” ratios. Self-awareness, it seems, was the women’s elliptical trainer.

Multimedia

At the start of the study, Langer and Crum quizzed 84 maids at seven carefully matched hotels about how much exercise they got. Fully a third of the women said they got no exercise at all, while two-thirds said they did not work out regularly. Langer and Crum took several measures of the women’s basic fitness levels, which indicated that they, indeed, had the poor health of basically sedentary people. Then just over half the women were told an unfamiliar truth: cleaning 15 rooms daily — pushing recalcitrant vacuum cleaners, scrubbing tubs, pulling sheets — constitutes more than enough activity to meet the surgeon general’s recommendation of a half-hour of physical activity daily. The researchers even provided specifics: 15 minutes of scrubbing burns 60 calories, 15 minutes of vacuuming burns 50. The basic message and the details were then posted in the maids’ lounges in the hotels where the 44 women worked, to serve as reminders, while a control group was left in the dark.
A month later, Langer and Crum checked back with the women to find, as they reported in the February issue of Psychological Science, remarkable results. The average study-group maid had lost 2 pounds, while her systolic blood pressure had dropped by 10 points; by all measures the 44 women “were significantly healthier.” Yet there were no reported changes in behavior, only in mind-set, with the vast majority of the women now considering themselves regular exercisers. Langer sees the study as a lesson in the importance of mindfulness, long a subject of her research, and which need not involve Buddhism or meditation, she stresses. “It’s about noticing new things; it’s about engagement,” she says.
But for the study’s white-collar readers, a corollary to its results might be dispiriting: Made freshly aware — mindful — of just how sedentary their work lives are in contrast to a housekeeper’s, might they not suffer a corresponding decline in health?

Re: Mental hurdles

http://alucinare.gaia.com — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 02:30:30 GMT

All the idea's suggested thus far are really great though I would like to offer a suggestion that has yet to be mentioned: self-examination.

Have you asked yourself why you want to exercise? What is it, specifically, that you want from exercising? It could be to just "get fit" but does something that general help you to focus on one particular exercise or while you are exercising or to get up to exercise?

Also, how about asking yourself what it is about exercising that you have an aversion to? and why do you associate "defeated" with being exhausted and being sore.

What i would suggest is create a kind of mind map for "defeated" and "exercise" then write down all the words that come to mind when you think of those two words or even sensations that develop which are associated with exercising. Also mind map for "dragging" and "exercise" may help.

Anyway these may help to shed some light on the associations attached to exercising.

Re: Mental hurdles

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:56:34 GMT

Your question reminds me of the question "why meditate"? The first step is believing that it will help you. After that coms the doing part and I agree with another poster that trying different things until you find an activity that fits. For instance; I am a senior, don't particularly like water, however, I have arthritis and because I strongly believe in execise I'm attending a water class for arthritis. At first it was a chore, now I enjoy. Changing a belief system is like learning to play the violin. Lots of practice, and lots of scratchy sounds in the beginning. Good luck. Peggy

Re: Aiding emotional healing with nutrition and vice versa

http://evad.gaia.com — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 08:28:49 GMT

Frankly, I don't have enough knowledge yet about nutrition (still studying) to be able to tell which foods to take for which condition. I can look up the information (based on what I already know) if someone asks me, but I still have a lot to learn in this field. Since nutrition is such a vast subject, I specialize in detox and weight loss (although I cannot and would not ignore specific body conditions that people I work with could have). However, instead of offering a detox program based only on nutrition and physical exercise, I use EFT to do away with anxiety and any cravings that might emerge. It works :)
Right now I have 3 overweight friends whom I help with this program, we have just started, and I'll keep you informed about our results. As for the diet, the common feature is what they cannot eat/drink for 3 weeks: meat (fish included), dairy, refined food e.g. white flour, sugar, coffee, black tea, alcohol. What they do eat is personalized according to the country/region they live in, the season, even their preferences are taken into account. Basically it is based on fresh fruit and vegs, nuts, whole grains. My detox program is doable and by the end of the 3rd week people learn to make the right food choices. EFT helps them to keep on track, and also with their emotional problems that might have lead to overeating or food addictions.

Re: Aiding emotional healing with nutrition and vice versa

http://integral-options.gaia.com — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 02:51:39 GMT

Hi Eva,

I'm familiar with how various macronutrients -- such as carbs increasing serotinin levels or proteins (including specific amino acids) impacting other brain chemicals -- can alter brain chemistry, so I'm curious how you use nutrition in healing. What would a sample list of recommended foods look like?

Are there different recommendations for different problems?

I guess I'm curious as to what, specifically, you do. I think that there is a lot to learn in the interaction of nutrition and emotional health, I'm just not sure what questions to ask.

Peace,
Bill

Re: Aiding emotional healing with nutrition and vice versa

http://trudi.gaia.com — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 14:49:12 GMT

I'll be interested to read about this Eva. I've done some nutritional cleansing in the past but haven't quite figured out how to incorporate it into my recovery from emotional eating and disordered eating.

Best of luck!

Aiding emotional healing with nutrition and vice versa

http://evad.gaia.com — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 09:54:03 GMT

Bill asked me to start a thread here on this subject. I'm still working on a project that involves a 3-week detox program based on the right nutrition and EFT. I've just started my test group with a couple of friends from different parts of the world. I'll tell you about my experience later, but I'd be glad to hear yours if you have done something similar.

Re: Making "Me Time" Is Crucial to Health

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 12:15:26 GMT

I intended my post "Three kinds of time" as an annecdote to this post. Instead it was posted as a "pod" I'm new and still figuring out the functional aspects of the site. Anyhow, I enjoy the reading. Peggy

Three kinds of Time

Sun, 31 Dec 2006 16:55:04 GMT

There is an often used formula about the use of time that goes something like this: Time for Intimacy (others who are important in our lives). Diffused Time - time spent at work, play, varying interests. Time for Self. In almost all cases the time for self is neglected. Especially in intimate relationships we tend to give our time more to spouses, mates, children and friends that we do to self. Being Buddhist I have become a believer, after many years of doing the above, that without time for self, in whatever way that works for you, I(we) have very little of worth to give to others without first knowledge of self - which equates to time spent on and for self. Peggy

Re: Making "Me Time" & Healing Art

http://joybringer.gaia.com — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 06:31:37 GMT

"Me Time" is really crucial to our health. So is Healing Art.

This amazing image and sacred geometry healing art piece is offered free from copyright by share-purification.com thanks to Camille.

I have only added the quote to it. Feel free to share WWW (widely, wisely & wonderfully).

To our health, healing and welness,
Darina :)

Re: Integrative Processing

http://creativequesting.gaia.com — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 03:26:09 GMT

I do agree that adults need to take it a step further, and I think there can be a lot of fine lines in taking it a step further

I don't think screaming one's head off at someone else is a responsible or productive way to deal with upset -- and I think the fine line is in: 1) not suppressing anger instead, and 2) not thinking that means never getting angry with someone else -- as for #1, there are great ways to get anger out of the body so as to not suppress it (my favorite way is to draw angry pictures) -- as for #2, there are ways to bring anger into a relationship (if needed) without having it be raging, blaming, and dumping

I'm enjoying this exchange and would also love it if others would jump in -- any other thoughts about this, fellow podmates?

Re: Integrative Processing

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 21:04:12 GMT

...Yes me too!

I agree, when a person is under the impression that an enlightened individual doesn't feel "negative" emotion, they're going to create a spiritual practice that works as a suppressant. It's no different then popping antidepressants to get rid of depression. The only thing being accomplished is a bigger problem tomorrow. It's very harmful!

I like what you wrote about a child's instantaneous outpour of emotion as a natural way to process and release their upset, and as adults we need to do the same. I agree with this, but only in the relative sense. I feel adults need to take it a step further by exercising responsible choice in processing their inner experience. Kids are more likely to place blame on an exterior person or event as being the cause of their upset, where we as adults need to grow enough to own the experience rather then pass the buck somewhere else. Screaming your head off when upset arises is just going to create a chain reaction in activating the "pain-body" in other unconscious people around you.

Do you agree with this?

If anyone one has any questions or different takes on what they've read I'm open to hear them. Beliefs mold our experience so when we start getting to the bottom of them, we start understanding our experience.

Re: Integrative Processing

http://creativequesting.gaia.com — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 02:28:02 GMT

hey Seth,

thanks for the clarification -- I can definitely get behind the kind of "unconditional happiness" you're talking about :)

one of the reasons I ask about this is because so many "spiritual" people do have the misconception that if you're "enlightened," you don't have any "negative" emotions anymore -- so they push away the "negative" emotions in what I consider a misguided attempt to be more "enlightened" -- I think this is quite harmful -- here's a quote I love about that:

"I have always believed that each of us is responsible for doing her own emotional homework, that the process of facing down our ghosts is our small, attainable contribution to a kinetic process that holds the potential for healing the world. And why not? After all, the opposite is true: History has proven that people who are unwilling to catch and release their individual sadnesses, disappointments, and hidden motivations have compensated by wreaking havoc on the world. Good and evil lie within each of us, and every day we choose which potential to fill."

—Deborah Daw Heffernan

I'm also interested in this topic because I believe emotions are the natural and healthy tool we have for processing, learning, and growing -- if you watch a young child who falls down on a playground, there's generally an instantaneous outpouring of emotion, and then once the upset has been processed and released, all is well again -- if only we adults could do the same! (I'm working on it...)

Re: Integrative Processing

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 02:12:35 GMT

Hey Kira,

Yes, I see how misleading the term ‘unconditional happiness' can be. I believe your question hits at one the biggest misconceptions of what it is to be enlightened. I know I've fallen under the belief that an enlightened person is free from the negative experiences of life, and in away she is by changing the nature of her experience, or transmuting as you put it. The term ‘unconditional happiness' is a non-dual state/stage, and by that I mean it's not a positive experience as the word happiness might imply. In that state/stage you would be rising above (transcending) the dualistic world in which we live while still being active in it. It's like living in two worlds at the same time. I don't know how the enlightened masters maintain it. They're either born bright with little repressed Karma or they're trained from a very young age to process it.

In other words, yes you still have "negative" emotions to contend with in the present once the repressed stuff is gone, and I also believe you're more sensitive to the experience once you're cleared out. It's only if you posses the ability to transmute the "negative" that allows you to be free of it.

I'm 100 percent behind your belief the way I interpret what you wrote. I've suppressed feelings in the past thinking it was the other way around, and majority of spiritual seekers fall under the same misconception.

Excellent question by the way, and I would like to hear any additional thoughts.

Re: Integrative Processing

http://creativequesting.gaia.com — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 23:51:24 GMT

hi Seth,

I'm interested to know whether you see this as a way to specifically release repressed emotions so that a person can be more current with his/her emotional reality, or whether you see this as a way of releasing all negative emotions (past and present) so nothing is left except for "unconditional happiness" -- as a former psychotherapist, I believe we all can benefit from releasing repressed emotions and as a result living more in present time -- but I think it's folly to believe we can eradicate all the so-called "negative" emotions (unless we're one of the few truly enlightened ones, in which case I'd argue that they're not eradicating -- they're transmuting) -- I see a lot of people trying to do that by repressing current "negative" emotions and just creating a new backlog of unprocessed "stuff"

I'd be interested in your thoughts on this, as well as those of other pod members

Integrative Processing

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 23:18:57 GMT

Here's a run down of John Ruskan's integrative processing technique that serves in releasing negative feelings and awakening unconditional happiness. The premise of his book ‘emotional clearing' is that no real growth into higher consciousness can occur unless working with the emotions becomes a central part of our inner work. I've personally found much growth in working with John's integrative process, and will be returning my focus to it so I can reach it at a deeper level.

Feel free to open discussion on any points listed so we can explore its meaning and impact with the group.

               THE STEPS OF INTEGRATIVE PROCESSING

I. Awareness                                                                II. Acceptance

- Focus on the present                                                - Accept Yourself

- Do Not Seek Understanding                                   - Accept Your Feelings

- Maintain Inner Awareness                                       - Accept the External

- Identify Your Feelings                                               - Be Nonreactive

- Identify the Dualistic Pattern                                    - Identify Self-Rejection

- Own Your Experience                                               - Activate Your Heart Center

- Affirm that You are Processing

III. Direct Experience                                                  IV. Transformation

- Process the Feeling                                                  - Activate the witness Ceter

- Use Breath and Bodywork                                       - Bring in Healing Energy

- Integrate Feelings Behind the Addiction               - Allow Psychic Energies to Balance

- Process Feelings During Meditation                     - Open Yourself to Transformation

- Bring Up Unresolved Issues from the past          - Trust

- Accept Resistance                                                     - Understandand Psychic Cleansing

- Bring Your Feelings to a Crisis                               - Recognize the Hindrances

- Observe Your Toleration Point                                - Take Part in Group Work

Re: Inner Workout: Turn Back Time

http://Monifaye.gaia.com — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 23:49:28 GMT

If you could change something in your past that has affected your weight and health, what would it be?

I would not have smoked when I was sixteen. At the time I was running track and field and I developed exercised induced asthma shortly after that. My favorite meal was hot dogs, mac n' cheese, doritos, and a cane of coke. Eventually I passed out form malnutrition. I stopped smoking for a while and in my early 20's I began smoking again, experimented with drugs and "dated" a lot. Most of my sense of self came from the men that I dated.

What are you doing right now that you could change that would make your future easier?

Well I have come along way since then! I have not smoked in 7 years, I practice yoga and I ran my first 10k last summer. I am training for a half marathon in a few months. I am in a loving monogamous relationship and I attempt to meditate daily, well once per week really, I could not more. No fast food, soda or coffee. I am confident in myself as an independent woman. I by organic and I prepare most of my own food. So far so go, I need to continue on this path and not stray far, but I still love SUGAR!

Re: Inner Workout: Turn Back Time

http://integral-options.gaia.com — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 22:38:53 GMT

Hi Trudi,

When I was living in Seattle and had decided to quit drinking (and stuff) following the end of a relationship, I joined co-ed soccer league just to get my body moving again. Because I had played in college, I was one of the better players in our league. Most of the people on the team I eneded up on had never played, they just wanted to try. Most of them were in bad physical shape, including a woman who had just had her second child and started playing simply to lose the weight.

None of that stuff mattered. We had fun, became friends, and actually won some games eventually.

It's never as easy as Nike would have up believe (Just Do It!). How could you work with that voice that says you aren't good enough to play sports? How can you separate from it so that it is just "a voice" and not your voice?

Peace,
Bill

Re: Inner Workout: Turn Back Time

http://trudi.gaia.com — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 19:36:24 GMT

If you could change something in your past that has affected your weight and health, what would it be?

- I would not have quit soccer. Talk about going way back but when I was 7, I was the only girl in my hometown to play soccer and I loved it. I loved being active and physical and that was part of the beginning of the end for me. I have some athletic ability - I'm one of those people who is pretty competent at sports with a little practice, but not a star athlete. And that's ok! But the thing is this: I was mocked for playing soccer. I was poked fun of as I got older for getting chubby and still wanting to play on school teams. My parents actively and enthusiastically DISCOURAGED my participation in sports. It didn't matter if it was badminton or soccer or volleyball or ice skating - I was not allowed to join teams, take lessons or participate in anything on a regular basis.

And I still carry the belief that I'm not allowed to participate. Now I say in my head "you're too fat to do this. If you were thinner, you could try out".

I would love to play on the women's soccer league. LOVE IT.
But I've never tried.

What are you doing right now that you could change that would make your future easier?
I'm not sure I know how to answer this. Right now, I am doing nothing. So I guess I could change EVERYTHING and any of it would make my future easier. The most important thing is to learn that I am good enough to play sports. That I am good enough to learn to run. That I am good enough to just be. Here is an area I still struggle with these limiting beliefs.

Making "Me Time" Is Crucial to Health

http://integral-options.gaia.com — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 21:49:55 GMT

We generally don't think about making time for ourselves as an essential part of health, but it is. One of my clients has been very devoted the last few couple of months to helping her daughter cope with the birth of her first child. In doing so, she has given up her own life. She has gained weight due to poor diet and lack of cardio training (weights aren't enough). And she has begun to see that her lack of boundaries in making time for herself is costing her.

Many women, in particular, have this issue. It comes down to an inability to set a boundary that allows personal time away from family, work, and friends. Men also have this issue, but it tends to revolve around work more than it does around family. If you want to learn more about boundaries, check out Kira's Healthy Boundaries Pod.

Here is the CNN article that prompted this post:

Why is me time such a big deal?
By Emily Yoffe
Health.com

A piece of essential wisdom about our lives is broadcast every time a plane takes off. No, it's not about your tray table. It's this: If the oxygen mask drops and you're traveling with small kids, put yours on first -- before you help them.
Too many women, single or married, childless or mothers, are endlessly fulfilling every obligation except the one to themselves. For your mental, physical, and psychological well-being, you sometimes just need to stop. Then you need to do something you want to do. You need to take some Me Time.
Like many things, Me Time is all the more wanted the rarer it gets. In their recent book, What Women Really Want, pollsters Celinda Lake and Kellyanne Conway discovered that women across all strata of society feel overwhelmed with the insatiable demands on them. When they asked what women wanted more of in their lives, the two most popular answers were "peace" and "time." They were talking about a sense of serenity and control over their lives. The women polled also said they would like more sleep, and that they battle the "guilt that creeps in whenever they take a break."
There aren't that many breaks, though. The Families and Work Institute (FWI) found that working mothers spend both more time at the job and more time with their kids than their counterparts did 25 years ago. Where are they finding that extra time? "It's coming from time for themselves," says Ellen Galinsky, FWI president.
Marianne Legato, a cardiologist, Health Advisory Board member, and author of Why Men Never Remember and Women Never Forget, can tell you why: "If you never have any time except reactive time -- things you must do for others -- you don't have a sense of control. You are interrupted all the time. Your brain has trouble resting even during sleep. Such chronic exhaustion increases the release of stress hormones, and your blood sugar rises." If this is your normal state, then the physical consequences increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and memory problems. If that's not enough to scare you into taking some time for yourself, consider this: The hormonal effects of always being on edge help deposit fat right around your waist.
There are more than physical benefits to getting off this treadmill. Taking a break will actually make you discharge your responsibilities better. Galinsky's surveys show that people who are happiest at work are those who take time for themselves. "If you shift your focus, you go back to the other areas of life with more energy," she says. "You're less stressed, more satisfied with life in general."
So what is Me Time? First, it can't be something you hate doing but feel you have to do. Take going to the gym, for instance: "Exercise is a really important tool for my sanity," says Alice D. Domar, PhD, a psychologist and author of Self-Nurture and Health's Ask Ali column. "But a lot of women use it as punishment for eating, or see it as an obligation." If that's you, then exercise doesn't count as Me Time.
For some women, it is a serving of quiet. Kim Renteria, a Houston glass artist, is a widow with three grown children. Every 5 weeks or so, she unplugs her phone. It's not that she doesn't enjoy her friends and family, but she knows she needs 48 hours of solitude for renewal. For many women, other women are the key to Me Time. Studies have shown that having a strong network of friends enhances people's satisfaction with life and even their health.
What is nourishing for one person can be a burden to someone else. If a book group doesn't appeal to you, maybe an art class does. Some women find that volunteer work provides a soul-enriching sense of accomplishment. But if you're someone who says yes to the constant requests for help then wonders what you were thinking, maybe what you need at this point in your life is to do less, period.
Maybe sometimes all you need is permission to do what you need to do to keep yourself sane. To breathe, and be happy. Think of this as your permission slip.
Emily Yoffe is a freelance writer in Washington D.C.