The following is a script from "Mindfulness" which aired on Dec. 14, 2014. Anderson Cooper is the correspondent. Denise Schrier Cetta, producer. Matthew Danowski , editor.
Our lives are filled with distractions -- email, Twitter, texting we're constantly connected to technology, rarely alone with just our thoughts. Which is probably why there's a growing movement in America to train people to get around the stresses of daily life. It's a practice called "mindfulness" and it basically means being aware of your thoughts, physical sensations, and surroundings. Tonight, we'll introduce you to the man who's largely responsible for mindfulness gaining traction. His name is Jon Kabat-Zinn and he thinks mindfulness is the answer for people who are so overwhelmed by life, they feel they aren't really living at all. Jon Kabat-Zinn: There are a lot of different ways to talk about mindfulness, but what it really means is awareness. Anderson Cooper: Is it being present? Jon Kabat-Zinn: It is being present. That's exactly what it is. Jon Kabat-Zinn CBS News Anderson Cooper: I don't feel I'm very present in each moment. I feel like every moment I'm either thinking about something that's coming down the road, or something that's been in the past. Jon Kabat-Zinn: So ultimately all this preparing is for what? For the next moment, like the last moment, like, and then we're dead (laugh) so in a certain way... "There are a lot of different ways to talk about mindfulness, but what it really means is awareness." Anderson Cooper: Oh God, this is depressing. Jon Kabat-Zinn: Are we going to experience while we're still alive? We're only alive now. Jon Kabat-Zinn, is an MIT-trained scientist who's been practicing mindfulness for 47 years. Back in 1979, he started teaching mindfulness through meditation to people suffering from chronic pain and illness. That program is now used in more than 700 hospitals worldwide. Anderson Cooper: So how can you be mindful in your daily life? Jon Kabat-Zinn: When your alarm goes off and you jump out of bed, what is the nature of the mind in that moment? Are you already like, "oh my God," your calendar pops into your mind and you're driven already, or can you take a moment and just lie in bed and just feel your body breathing. And remember, "oh yeah, brand new day and I'm still alive." So, I get out of bed with awareness, brush my teeth with awareness. When you're in the shower next time check and see if you're in the shower. Anderson Cooper: What do you mean check and see if you're in the shower? Jon Kabat-Zinn: Well, you may not be. You may be in your first meeting at work. You may have 50 people in the shower with you. Kabat-Zinn says mindfulness takes practice...a lot of people start with a training class to learn how to meditate. He agreed to teach us at a weekend retreat on a remote mountaintop in northern California. When we arrived we were told there would be no television to watch, no Internet, not even an alarm clock. Anderson Cooper CBS News [Congressman Ryan: So I'm checking in.] The retreat was full of professionals - neuroscientists, business leaders, Silicon Valley executives. Before we began we all had to surrender our last ties to the outside world. Jon Kabat-Zinn: Put your devices in the basket. I'm contributing my MacBook Air and my iPhone. Happily. I wasn't exactly happy to give up my phone. I usually check emails several times an hour. [Kabat-Zinn ringing a bell.] Jon Kabat-Zinn: So let's take a few minutes and just settle into an erect and dignified posture. The retreat lasted three days and most of that time was spent just sitting there, silently meditating - with occasional guidance from Kabat-Zinn. Jon Kabat-Zinn: There's no place to go. There's nothing to do. We're just asking you to sit and know that you are sitting. Knowing that you're sitting may sound simple...turns out...it's not. The mind constantly wanders. Jon Kabat-Zinn: The mind has a life of its own. It goes here and there. To not get lost in thought, Kabat-Zinn recommended focusing on the sensation of breathing in and out. Jon Kabat-Zinn: Can we actually ride with full awareness on the waves of the breath -- at the belly, at the nostrils and the chest. And then simply rest here in awareness. "Resting in awareness" is one of those phrases used a lot by people who practice mindfulness. But when I tried to do it, it wasn't restful and I worried I wasn't doing it right. I kept thinking about work. Anderson Cooper: I miss my cell phone. I'm having withdrawal, I must say. Kabat-Zinn, who has written 10 books on mindfulness and led nearly a hundred retreats, describes meditation as a mental workout. Jon Kabat-Zinn: The mind wanders away from the breath and then you gently and nonjudgmentally just bring it back. Anderson Cooper: So it's okay that the mind drifts away but you just bring it back. Jon Kabat-Zinn: It's the nature of the mind to drift away. The mind is like the Pacific Ocean, it waves. And mindfulness has been shown to drop underneath the waves. If you drop underneath the agitation in the mind, into your breath deep enough calmness, gentle undulations. After hours of meditating in 30-minute sessions it does get easier. Those waves of thought Kabat-Zinn described - they're still there but you get less distracted by them. At breakfast, we spent time relearning some of the very basic things in life - including how to eat food. Eating a meal in complete silence is a little awkward, but without conversation as a distraction...you taste more and eat less. This is something called "walking meditation." The goal is to learn to be aware of each and every movement and feeling. I know it seems ridiculous, but it does change the way you experience walking. Walking meditation CBS News Jon Kabat-Zinn: The Zen people from Ancient China, "When you're walking, just walk." It turns out to be the hardest thing. Anderson Cooper: That's an ancient saying? Jon Kabat-Zinn: When you're walking, just walk. When you're eating, just eat. Not in front of the TV, not with the newspaper. It turns out, that's huge. Congressman Tim Ryan, an Ohio Democrat, says mindfulness might look a lot like nothing, but he really believes it can change America for the better. He attended his first meditation retreat in 2008, just days after winning a grueling reelection campaign. "When you're walking, just walk. When you're eating, just eat. Not in front of the TV, not with the newspaper. It turns out, that's huge." But being mindful at a retreat is one thing, we wondered if, back in Washington, Congressman Ryan ever worries about how all this looks... Tim Ryan: Well, you know, I can see myself in high school going, "Whoa. Stay away from those guys." (laugh) Anderson Cooper: So, how do you use it here on Capitol Hill? Tim Ryan: I'm on the budget committee, for example. There's a lot of conflict. And people say things that get you ramped up. I find myself, as my body clenches up when somebody says something that I know is wrong or I-- I wanna catch them in a lie or whatever, that just, "Calm down. When it's your turn, you make your point." [Ryan in Congress Tim Ryan: Hey man.] You don't hear the words "calm" and "Congress" together very often, but Ryan is trying to change that. He hosts weekly meditation sessions open to members and staff of both parties. [Mindfulness leader: Now shifting the attention to take in the entire body.] Anderson Cooper: Have you gotten any Republican Congressmen in to meditate with you yet? Tim Ryan: No. [laugh] We're working on it. He's written a book about mindfulness and obtained a million dollars of federal funding to teach it to school children in his Ohio district. [Tim Ryan with kids in classroom Girl: I feel like we are calm right now. Tim Ryan: Yes you are.] Tim Ryan: I've seen it transform classrooms. I've seen it heal veterans. I've seen what it does to individuals who have really high chronic levels of stress and how it has helped their body heal itself. I wouldn't be willing to stick my neck out this far if I didn't think this is "The Thing" that can really help shift the country. Anderson Cooper: To some Power Yoga people though this may sound like kind of New Age gobbledygook? Jon Kabat-Zinn: Yeah, there's so many different compelling studies that are showing that this not New Age gobbledygook, this is potentially transformative of our health and well-being psychologically as well as physically. It can be useful for anxiety, depression, stress reduction. There have been a number of studies that show mindfulness can lead to those benefits, as well as improvements in memory and attention. And, at the University of Massachusetts, Judson Brewer, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, uses mindfulness to treat addiction. Judson Brewer: This is just the next generation of exercise. We've got the physical, you know, exercise components down. And now it's about working out how can we actually train our minds. Dr. Brewer is trying to understand how mindfulness can alter the functioning of the brain. He uses a cap lined with 128 electrodes. Anderson Cooper CBS News Judson Brewer: We going to start filling each of these 128 wells with conduction gel. The electrodes are able to pick up signals from the posterior cingulate, part of a brain network linked to memory and emotion. Judson Brewer: This is all just picking up electrical signal from the top of your head. Since attending the mindfulness retreat, I'd been meditating daily and was curious to see if it had an impact on my brain. Judson Brewer: We're going to have you start with thinking of something that was very anxiety provoking for you. Anderson Cooper: OK. When I thought about something stressful, the cells in my brain's posterior cingulate immediately started firing -- shown by the red lines that went off the chart on the computer screen. Judson Brewer: Just drop into meditation. Anderson Cooper: OK. When I let go of those stressful thoughts, and re-focused on my breath...within seconds the brain cells that had been firing quieted down -- shown by the blue lines on the computer. Anderson Cooper: That's really fascinating to see it like that. Dr. Brewer believes everyone can train their brains to reach that blue, mindfulness zone, but he says, all the technology we're surrounded by makes it difficult. Judson Brewer: If you look at people out on the street, if you look at people at restaurants, nobody's having conversations anymore. They're sitting at dinner looking at their phone, because their brain is so addicted to it. Anderson Cooper: You really think there's something in the brain that's addicted to that? Judson Brewer: Well, it's the same reward pathways as addiction, absolutely. Anderson Cooper: I'm on mobile devices all day long. I feel like I could go through an entire day and not be present. Judson Brewer: And what's that like? Anderson Cooper: It's exhausting. Judson Brewer: So all of this is leading to a societal exhaustion. The irony is, many of the people responsible for creating the gadgets that distract us are themselves practicing mindfulness. More than 2,000 people from companies like Google, Facebook and Instagram showed up earlier this year in San Francisco for a mindfulness conference called Wisdom 2.0. [Announcer: Please welcome our guests.] Karen May is a Google vice president, and that's Chade-Meng Tan a former engineer whose become kind of a mindfulness guru. And as could only happen at a place like Google, his actual title is "Jolly Good Fellow." Chade-Meng Tan: Which nobody can deny. Anderson Cooper: So, what does a Jolly Good Fellow do? Chade-Meng Tan: My job description is to enlighten minds, open hearts and create world peace. Anderson Cooper: That's your job description? Chade-Meng Tan: That's my job description. Anderson Cooper: I've heard that at some meetings at Google you actually start out with moments of silence. Karen May: We do. Anderson Cooper: How long do sit there quietly for? Karen May: It's literally a minute or two of noticing your breathing, calming yourself down, being present. And then you're able to go into the meeting, the business at hand, with a little bit more focus. Anderson Cooper: Does it make people more productive? Chade-Meng Tan: Yes, it does. When the mind is un-agitated, when the mind is calm, that mind is most conducive to creative problem solving. Anderson Cooper: --to innovate? Chade-Meng Tan: Correct. And one of the powers of mindfulness is the ability to get to that frame of mind on demand. So along with their free health clubs and other company perks...Google now offers their 52,000 employees free lessons in mindfulness. Chade-Meng Tan: In the middle of stress, when everything is falling apart. You can take one breath. Anderson Cooper: I can imagine some people rolling their eyes and saying, "Oh, come on, of course, like, you know, at Google, you guys have tons of money, there's massage therapists walking around and all sorts of nice things for employees, but it just doesn't seem practical." Karen May: The advantage of this is it actually doesn't cost anything and it doesn't take much time. Anderson Cooper: And you believe it really works? Karen May: I absolutely believe it works. After nearly four decades of teaching mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zinn is happy to see it hitting the mainstream. But if you're starting to think mindfulness is something you should start practicing, he says you may be missing the point. Jon Kabat-Zinn: It's not a big should. It's not like, "Oh I gotta, now one more thing that I have to put in my life. Now I have to be mindful." Anderson Cooper: And if it becomes that one more thing they gotta do after they take the yoga class? Jon Kabat-Zinn: They shouldn't do it. Just don't do it. Don't do it. It's not a doing at all, in fact, it's a being. And being doesn't take any time. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mindfulness-anderson-cooper-60-minutes/
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Nintendo Switch will be sold without preorders at Best Buy and Target on launch day - BGR
If you weren't one of the fortunate few to get your Nintendo Switch preorder in at a big box store before they all sold out, you're going to have a chance to rectify that mistake this weekend. GameStop revealed last week that it would have a limited supply of Switch consoles available for walk-in customers at its midnight launch events on March 3rd, and now Best Buy and Target have announced that they will do the same. Don't Miss: AT&T just overhauled its unlimited plans after only 10 days: Everything you need to know In an email from a Best Buy spokesman on Monday, BGR was informed that customers who didn't preorder a Switch will be able to buy one on a first-come, first-served basis on launch day. There will be a ticket system in place for customers waiting in line, and Best Buy will only pass out as many tickets as there are consoles. Over 600 Best Buy stores across the country will open at 12:01 a.m. local time to sell the Switch. You can check to see which Best Buy stores in your area are participating in the midnight launch event at this website. If your store isn't hosting a midnight event, the Switch will be available as soon as the store opens on Friday. If you'd rather not fight a crowd at midnight on a week night, you can try Target instead. A promotional flier shared on Reddit this weekend notes that limited quantities https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1194755117244397&id=883889591664286 of the Nintendo Switch will be available on Friday, March 3rd when the retailer opens at 8 a.m. No word on midnight launches, so this might be your best bet if you'd rather take the morning off of work or school to go wait in line for one. Nintendo has said repeatedly that it is prepared to replenish stock frequently in the coming weeks and months, but if you want one on launch day, didn't place a preorder and don't want to pay over the odds on eBay or the like, you're almost certainly going to have to wait in line on Thursday night or Friday morning. The Nintendo Switch launches on March 3rd for $299.99. Read our preview impressions. Tags: Best Buy, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, target http://bgr.com/2017/02/27/nintendo-switch-release-date-best-buy-target-preorders/ Yoga, for years together, has been practiced as the way of life, be it hot yoga or regular yoga. But these days, regular yoga seems to have taken a back seat and in its place hot yoga is in vogue. One the forms of hot yoga is Bikram yoga. It was initiated by Bikram Choudhury, the basis of which were the traditional techniques of regular yoga. The popularity of this form of hot yoga began in the early 1970s. This form of yoga includes 26 yoga postures and 2 breathing exercises. It is ideally practiced in 105 degrees Fahrenheit with 40% humidity, and considered as the most effective form of hot yoga. The popularity of this hot yoga grew to the extent that celebrities like Lady Gaga, Venus and Serena Williams, Elton Brand and so on were also reported of practicing Bikram yoga. What follows next is a detailed discussion about the disfavors and benefits of this yoga.
Pros Flexibility Since, Bikram yoga is practiced in 105 degrees Fahrenheit, it usually heats up the body, and a warm body increases flexibility. According to Bikram Choudhury, a flexible body can be molded in any way you want. Moreover, the 26 postures of this form of yoga strengthens the spine, stretches muscles and improves posture, thus increasing flexibility. Improves Blood Circulation and Releases Toxins Bikram yoga works on two dynamics, one is called the extension and the other is called compression. While performing various asanas, the practitioner compresses various parts of the body, temporarily cutting off blood circulation. This activity causes the heart to pump more blood to make up for the shortage. Once you are out of the yoga posture, new oxygenated blood is restored in parts of the body that were compressed during the process. The influx of fresh blood is known to improve blood circulation and release various infections, bacteria and toxins from the body. Tones Your Body The heated studios and the effective 26 asanas no doubt would help you reduce weight, but the best thing about this activity is it tones your muscles and various parts of the body. This eliminates the sagging effect and also helps in dispersing the stored fat, to get you out of the vicious circle of fats, therefore has a great body toning effect. Induces Deeper and Peaceful Sleep The two breathing exercises included in the series of other exercises, induces better sleep than normal. The breathing activity helps you break from the hectic lifestyle and helps you concentrate on the breathing process which in turn, relaxes your mind, releases stress, and allows you to relax for a deeper and more peaceful sleep. Improves Entire Health Bikram yoga not only helps relieve stress or strengthen joints and muscles, but also improves digestion and metabolism, which ultimately boosts the immune system. Therefore, it helps promote https://filmlar.com/video/1e2pDKZHNaI an overall feeling of peace and well-being. Cons Dehydration The heat and humidity of Bikram yoga will make you sweat, plus the physical strain your body is put through for the whole 90 minutes, will drain all the water out of your body. If you do not restore the lost water, you might put yourself at risk for dehydration. Hence, keep a bottle close by and keep sipping little water to replenish the water levels in the water. Cardiovascular Risks While practicing the Bikram yoga poses, you usually have to hold the yoga poses for about 30 seconds or so. This is when you push your body too hard or may also have to overexert your body, which would lead to heatstroke, dizziness, nausea, fainting and other side effects. Quick Weight Loss Although the amount of calories burnt per session vary from person to person, on an average it ranges between 600 to 1300 depending upon the intensity of the workout. Losing weight in a steady fashion is healthy and sustainable. Losing weight too fast is unhealthy, which would lead to severe weakness and also a quick weight gain the moment you lose touch with Bikram yoga. Controversy There are many medical practitioners who consider Bikram yoga unsafe while many others swear by it. Moreover, there is also a different school of thought, which says Bikram yoga does not incorporate the spiritual aspect of yoga and is more of a workout than practicing mind-body oneness. Other Problems Bikram yoga can get monotonous with only 26 asanas. Moreover, there are a few postures that require extreme bending, squatting and stretching which might result in torn muscles or other pains and injuries. Fortunately, the above cons can be eliminated easily by following correct instructions and by pushing yourself only to a point, where you are comfortable, in that particular asana. Also before practicing Bikram yoga make sure you are tolerant to the heated studio and always look for a certified instructor. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/bikram-yoga-pros-and-cons.html Why the Skin Creates Calluses Everyone gets calluses. But what are they? What is their point? And how do they form? In this episode of DermTV, Dr. Schultz answers all of these questions. Running time: 131 seconds Understanding the Effects of Breathing in Therapeutic Hypnosis Robert J. Escandon, clinical hypnotherapist at the Banyan Holistic, teaches you how to understand the effects of breathing in therapeutic hypnosis. Running time: 118 seconds Clearing Ear Infections This health video focus' on the different ways that are available to clear ear infections. Running time: 94 seconds How to Get Rid of Belly Fat Dr. Ann Kulze, talks about her top strategies for burning belly fat and keeping bikram yoga weight loss it off. 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Running time: 599 seconds What Is Inflammation In this health video you will learn what inflammation in the body is. Running time: 99 seconds The Link Between Hysterectomies and Incontinence Problems Dr. Alinsod explains if women experience more incontinence problems if they have had a hysterectomy. Running time: 73 seconds http://www.articlecity.com/videos/health/Learn-about-Brain-Training-Bikram-Yoga-and-Boxing-284056679.php He's just been made fun of by another student, an altercation that turned to pushing and name-calling. But rather than detention or the principal's office, his teacher sent him here, to Robert W. Coleman Elementary School's meditation room.
"I did some deep breathing, had a little snack, and I got myself together," the boy recalled. "Then I apologized to my class." He's one of many children who simmer down in what this West Baltimore elementary calls its "Mindful Moment Room," a warm, brightly lit space strewn with purple floor pillows, yoga mats and the scents of essential oils. Kids here stretch, do yoga and practice deep breathing. More important, staff say, they build an ability to be mindful and calm. And in the face of so much adversity, some of these children are coming out ahead. "When I get mad at something or somebody, I just take some deep breaths, keep doing my work and tune everyone out," said Dacari Crawford, 9. "It gives you good confidence when you need to do something important." Stressed and struggling Almost a quarter of Baltimore residents are living below the poverty line, according to US census data. And at Coleman -- just blocks from where people took to the streets after the death of Freddie Gray last year -- more than 80% of students qualify for free or reduced lunches. "Some of our children are homeless. Some of them come to school from situations where they don't have lights at home, or food. They see crime occur in their neighborhoods," Principal Carlillian Thompson said. "So we're trying really hard here to make this a place where children feel safe and where their needs are met." Staffers employed with the Holistic Life Foundation, the nonprofit behind Coleman's Mindful Moment Room, say they occasionally work with students whose parents are incarcerated. Sometimes, students are living between boarded-up row houses -- of which, in Baltimore, there are many. "I've had a kid come in and look at me straight in the face with no emotions and say, 'my grandfather got shot yesterday,'' foundation co-founder Andres Gonzalez said. "So you can imagine what these kids have to face." 'An oasis of calm' Students who are disruptive in class are sent to the Mindful Moment Room by their teachers. There, foundation staff members encourage them to talk about what led to their dismissal from class, and then they sit down for some breathing exercises. They're instructed to close their eyes and inhale and exhale deeply. A fifth-grade boy has just been sent in for being rowdy during his math lesson. Foundation staff member Michelle Lee instructs him to shut his eyes and take several slow, deep breaths. "Do you feel calmer?" Lee asks after a few minutes. "Yes," the boy responds, nodding. He then goes back to class. The next day, he returns for more breathing exercises. "We have a few frequent fliers here," Lee said. Fewer referrals, zero suspensions Although a meditation room is no miracle cure for students' strife, those at the school say it's done wonders for their learning environment and productivity. "When the kids come down here, they're all rowdy and goofing around," said Dacari, a third-grader who has been using the Mindful Moment Room since it was established in the school three years ago. "When they leave the room, they're peaceful and quiet and ready to do their work." Before the Mindful Moment Room, students who got into trouble were sent to detention or to the principal's office. But since making the meditation room available, Thompson said, she rarely sees children for disciplinary issues anymore. "It's made a huge impact," she says. And for what it's worth, Thompson says she's had zero suspensions since the room's creation. The year before that, there were four suspensions. Mindfulness, far and wide The school's emphasis on mindfulness goes beyond a meditation room. All children at Coleman start and end their school day with a 15-minute guided meditation over the intercom. They also have the chance to practice yoga during and after school. Taking notice of Coleman's success, Patterson High School in East Baltimore created its own Mindful Moment Room, where students do yoga or simply decompress after a school day. Gonzalez says he and the other co-founders want to take their program far and wide. They plan to open Mindful Moment Rooms in other schools in the coming years. And they'd like to eventually take their program nationwide. Can it really help? Researchers have documented the beneficial effects of meditation on the brain of adults, says Tamar Mendelson, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who specializes in mental health. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2014 suggests that mindfulness meditation can help ease psychological stressors such as anxiety, depression and pain. The research on children, however, is still in the early stages, Mendelson said. "We aren't in a place yet where we can say that we know this works," she said. However, from her time working with the foundation and studying the Mindful Moment Rooms in Baltimore, she says, she's seen the impact of meditation on children firsthand. "These kids who are dealing with high-stress situations a lot of the time are coming into school on high alert. Their body's alarm system is switched way on, so they may be primed for fight or flight and not able to sit calmly and pay attention," Mendelson explained. But giving these kids the chance to breathe deeply, to focus their attention on themselves rather than what's going on externally, can be an effective way to combat the stress, improve attention and usher in calm, she adds. "When we sit with pain or discomfort rather than act on it, we learn that feelings and sensations come and go. We don't necessarily need to act on them all. We have a chance to pause and make a thoughtful choice about how to respond." http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/04/health/meditation-in-schools-baltimore/index.html Adolescents assigned to a mindfulness meditation program appeared to have improvements in memory in a recent study.
"These results are consistent with a growing body of research in adults that has found mindfulness meditation to be a helpful tool for enhancing working memory capacity," said Kristen E. Jastrowski Mano of the psychology department at the University of Cincinnati, who coauthored the new study. The researchers randomly divided 198 public middle school students into three groups: mindfulness meditation, hatha yoga or a waitlist. Most students were female, ages 12 to 15, and from low-income households that qualified for reduced-cost lunch. Before the study began and after it ended, the students completed computer-based memory assessments and reported their stress and anxiety levels via questionnaires. The meditation and yoga groups met for 45 minutes twice a week, for four weeks. In addition, students logged their home practice in journals that were collected each week. Two trained mindfulness instructors led the meditation group in breathing techniques, formal meditation and discussion using written scripts with instructions on sitting posture, breathing and wandering thoughts. Students were encouraged to take CDs with meditation audio recordings and use them for 15 to 30 minutes daily at home. The yoga sessions were structured similarly, with trained instructors focusing on breathing, yoga poses and discussion. The kids in this group were also encouraged to practice at home daily using a DVD with yoga lessons. Memory scores increased in the mindfulness meditation group by the end of the study, while they did not change in the yoga or waitlist groups, the authors reported in the Journal of Adolescent Health. Perceived stress and anxiety decreased in all three groups over time. "Working memory is often bikram yoga workout conceptualized as being a 'mental workbench' that allows a person to keep information in mind long enough for reasoning and comprehension to occur," Jastrowski Mano told Reuters Health by email. "It is involved in helping the brain shift information from short-term memory to long-term memory." Working memory is involved in many aspects of learning, like reasoning ability, mathematical problem solving, and reading comprehension, she said. "Theoretical and experimental research suggests that mindfulness meditation is associated with changes in neural pathways and may be particularly effective in promoting executive functioning," Jastrowski Mano said. "The practice of meditation - which requires sustained attention while simultaneously redirecting attention back to the current experience - is closely related to the function of working memory." Some of the benefit of the meditation sessions may come from the relationships the teens build with the instructors, said Gina Biegel, a private practice psychotherapist in San Francisco who was not part of the new study. "These youth are not getting a lot of attention from chaotic home environments," Biegel told Reuters Health by email. "People in the mindfulness community are compassionate and respectful and create a relationship they don't get elsewhere." Present moment awareness and focus exercises can be helpful too, as teens are often multitasking with homework, mobile devices, music and friends, she said. Teens may want to consider mindfulness meditation for more than just the potential benefit of improving working memory capacity, Jastrowski Mano said, as there is growing evidence that youth experience many different physical and psychological benefits. "But more research is definitely needed to figure out which adolescents benefit the most from mindfulness meditation, and in what ways," she said, and she and her coauthors are cautious about making broad recommendations to schools. "That said, many schools are very enthusiastic about and open to integrating mindfulness practices into their schools, so it is certainly something worth considering," she said. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/11/18/mindfulness-meditation-may-improve-memory-for-teens.html Trump exchange with black journalist sparks outrage | WTHITV.com
Many African-Americans are expressing outrage over a testy exchange between President Donald Trump and a veteran black journalist, with many considering the incident to be the latest indication of his inability to relate to them. Already skeptical of Trump, many blacks said they were exasperated by the fact that, during his news conference on Thursday, the new president asked April Ryan, longtime White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, to help broker a meeting for him with black lawmakers. "Will you meet with the Congressional Black Caucus?" Ryan asked. Trump responded: "I would. You want to set up the meeting? Are they friends of yours?" The exchange set off a firestorm on social media as many black people balked at Trump's suggestion of an assumed relationship between Ryan and CBC members because they are of the same race. Susan Rice, U.N. ambassador under the Obama administration, tweeted an article about the incident and called Trump's remarks "notably offensive." "I'm also really pleased he didn't ask her to sweep and mop in the room where the press conference was being held," Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, a former CBC chairman, quipped during an MSNBC interview on Friday. Adding to the ire: It was the second time in less than 30 days -- and during Black History Month -- that Trump said something that came across as indifferent toward black people. The president was ridiculed Feb. 1 for praising abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who died in 1895, as someone "who's done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more." After Thursday's news conference, the CBC tweeted a copy of a letter, dated Jan. 19 and addressed to Trump, requesting a meeting. The caucus said although it got no response to that letter, Trump did reach out Thursday and that plans for a meeting are now in the works. The White House declined to comment on Friday about Trump's exchange with Ryan. Trump used the moment to pander to his supporters, said Lehigh University professor James Peterson, and the irony is that the point of Ryan's question -- Trump's plan for urban communities -- got lost. "His histrionics ... obscured what was a very significant question in the first place," Peterson said. Trump's comments came while the White House was in the midst of making overtures to black constituencies. The same day that Trump sparred with reporters, Vice President Mike Pence joined with South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott, one of three blacks in the Senate, for a White House "listening session" with black small business owners and community leaders. And the president is also expected to issue an executive order soon on support for historically black colleges and universities. Although Trump has said his policies will benefit African-Americans, and predicted during his campaign that he would win the black vote, his support from black voters in November was about 8 percent. Just before his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump tangled on Twitter with civil rights icon and Democratic Rep. John Lewis of Georgia. Civil rights groups, and several blacks in Congress, were particularly opposed to Trump's nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions, whom they view as holding racist views, as attorney general. Sessions was confirmed. Within days of taking office, Trump threatened on Twitter to "send in the feds" to deal with gun violence in Chicago -- a nod to his "law and order" stance to fixing the country's "inner cities" that chafed some blacks during the campaign. Thursday's flap also put Ryan in the political spotlight for the second time in a week, as reports surfaced of her heated confrontation with Trump aide Omarosa Manigault in the White House press office. In conflicting accounts, Ryan accused Manigault of physical and verbal intimidation, including a warning that the White House kept "dossiers" on black journalists -- something the White House denied. Ryan also said her friendship with Manigault became estranged after Manigault accused her of an improper relationship with Democrat Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Manigault denied the accusations. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to email (Opens in new window)Click to share http://www.swsongwriters.com/health/features-in-core-power-yoga-along-with-workouts.html on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)MoreClick to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Advertisement http://wthitv.com/ap/trump-exchange-with-black-journalist-sparks-outrage/ Nota del editor: Dana Santas es la creadora de Radius Yoga Conditioning, un estilo de yoga diseñado para ayudar a que los atletas se muevan, respiren y se enfoquen mejor. Ella es la entrenadora de yoga de los Atlanta Braves, los Philadelphia Phillies, los Tampa Bay Rays, los Tampa Bay Lightning, los Orlando Magic y docenas de profesionales de la Liga Nacional de Fútbol Americano, la Liga Nacional de Hockey, la Asociación Nacional de Baloncesto y las Grandes Ligas de Béisbol.
(CNN)- La "fuerza de trabajo sedentaria" es una lamentable pero precisa descripción de los millones de personas cuyo trabajo las mantienen atadas a un escritorio. No hay mucho más en el área corporativa de Estados Unidos que sea tan desgastante mental y corporalmente como estar atrapado todo el día en un cubículo. Aun cuando no seas un empleado de oficina, si tu carrera te exige que estés largos períodos de tiempo sentado en un escritorio, puede ser que conozcas síntomas tales como confusión mental, ansiedad, mala postura, dolor de espalda y aletargamiento de la parte inferior del cuerpo. Afortunadamente, ahora más empresas no solamente reconocen los peligros de salud que conlleva el hecho de estar mucho tiempo sentado sino también el impacto negativo que esto tiene sobre la productividad y la moral. Como resultado, estas empresas se están dando cuenta de los beneficios que trae el yoga en el lugar de trabajo. Para cosechar los beneficios del yoga en la oficina, no necesitas sacrificar tu hora de almuerzo para asistir a una clase, pararte de cabeza en la sala de descanso o recitar "OM" en voz alta en tu escritorio. Puedes integrar fácilmente el yoga en tu día de trabajo de maneras sutiles que te traerán grandes beneficios... sin tener que enloquecer a tus compañeros de trabajo y sin que necesites la flexibilidad de un pretzel. Aquí tienes cinco técnicas que casi cualquiera puede hacer en su escritorio: 1. Entrena tu cerebro y tu respiración para que trabajen por ti Los estudios han demostrado que la práctica consciente de la meditación, el solo enfocarte en algo en el momento presente, como tu respiración, tiene un impacto positivo sobre las partes de tu cerebro asociadas al monitoreo de la atención y la memoria de trabajo. Un estudio de la Universidad de Washington, incluso mostró un incremento en la habilidad para realizar diversas tareas al mismo tiempo. Si combinas la respiración diafragmática con la meditación incluso puedes mitigar tu respuesta frente al estrés, disminuir la presión sanguínea, el ritmo cardíaco y la producción de cortisol (hormona del estrés). Es común que erróneamente se perciba la meditación como una práctica larga y complicada dentro de un ambiente tranquilo. Se puede practicar en medio de una oficina ocupada en tan solo dos minutos y todavía así, obtener un profundo impacto. Meditación con respiraciones cortas Disminuye la presión arterial, la frecuencia cardíaca y la producción de la hormona del estrés; mejora la concentración, la memoria y la capacidad para realizar diversas tareas al mismo tiempo. Siéntate cómodamente colocando ambos pies sobre el piso. Establece una buena postura al exhalar mientras dejas caer tu caja torácica delantera y bajas tus omóplatos en la espalda. Descansa tus manos sobre la parte de arriba de tus piernas con tus palmas hacia arriba. Cierra tus ojos. Relaja tu mandíbula y descansa tus labios con una leve sonrisa. De manera consciente, toma el control de tu respiración, enfatizando tus primeras exhalaciones, como suspiros de alivio. Deja a un lado las distracciones y enfoca toda tu atención en expandir tus costillas inferiores al inhalar y contraerlas al exhalar. Trata de respirar larga y profundamente al siguiente ritmo: al conteo de 5 inhala y al conteo de 7 exhala. Una vez que hayas establecido un ritmo cómodo de respiración, cuenta tus respiraciones de atrás hacia adelante, desde 10 hasta 1. Abre tus ojos y presta atención al profundo cambio de perspectiva que has experimentado. 2. Levántate y dale un descanso a tu cuerpo Para combatir los efectos adversos que tiene sobre tu salud el haber estado sentado durante demasiado tiempo, la mayoría de los profesionales de la salud recomiendan que te levantes cada 20 o 30 minutos al menos durante dos minutos. Coloca un temporizador en tu computadora para que te avise. Cuando estás de pie, es una buena idea estirar los músculos sobre los que has estado sentado practicando la apertura de caderas. Apertura de cadera en forma de la figura cuatro Abre la articulación de la cadera y estira profundamente los músculos de los glúteos. Apóyate agarrándote de tu silla o escritorio, coloca tu peso sobre tu pierna izquierda. Coloca tu pie derecho sobre tu muslo izquierdo por encima de la rodilla en una posición de figura de cuatro. Exhala a medida en que te sientas, tan profundamente como te sea posible sin sentir incomodidad. Debes mantener esta posición durante cinco largas y profundas respiraciones. Repite del otro lado. 3. Ocúpate de los músculos que usas para sentarte y que se ven afectados por la gravedad Cuando nos sentamos de manera inactiva, la gravedad te pasa factura al comprimir los músculos laterales de la cintura, inhibir los músculos profundos abdominales y alimentar la tensión de los flexores de la cadera. No es de sorprenderse que el estar tanto tiempo sentados nos haga sentir tan rígidos. Los astutos jinetes del escritorio pueden hacer uso de una opción sentada "activa" en lugar de su posición regular en su silla de oficina, al utilizar una pelota de estabilidad o una silla diseñada de manera ergonómica para sentarse de manera activa. Todo el mundo puede darle atención a los músculos en su cuerpo que se ven afectados por la gravedad simplemente al hacer estiramientos de yoga de pie, como la posición del guerrero uno. El guerrero uno con liberación de los flexores de la cadera Libera los flexores de la cadera hiperactivos y alarga los músculos laterales de la cintura comprimidos mientras que activa los músculos profundos abdominales para mantener el equilibrio. Coloca tu mano izquierda ligeramente sobre la parte superior de tu silla o escritorio, coloca tu pie derecho un paso hacia atrás como haciendo una estocada corta. Deja caer la parte trasera de tu talón y apunta los dedos de tus pies ligeramente hacia afuera. Dobla tu rodilla delantera para alinearla por encima de tu tobillo, al mismo tiempo que mantienes recta tu pierna trasera. Inhala mientras que subes tu brazo derecho hacia arriba y sobre tu cabeza. Exhala mientras te doblas hacia la izquierda. Conserva tu núcleo activado para mantener el equilibrio y evita arquear la espalda baja. Presiona la parte frontal de la cadera derecha hacia adelante yoga workout for men para liberar tus flexores de la cadera derecha. Conserva esta posición durante tres respiraciones profundas y prolongadas. Repite del otro lado. 4. Revitaliza las piernas cansadas y aumenta la circulación Las venas varicosas y los tobillos hinchados no son ajenos para los empleados de oficina. Mantenerte sentado o de pie durante períodos prolongados puede reprimir la circulación y provocar edemas y arañas vasculares. Esa es la razón por la que es importante que reposiciones activamente tus piernas debajo y alrededor de tu asiento mientras que te encuentras sentado, pero también es importante que te levantes y estires las piernas para mejorar el flujo sanguíneo. Estiramiento de los músculos isquiotibiales de pie Estira los músculos isquiotibiales y de la pantorrilla; aumenta la circulación sanguínea de las piernas. Mientras que te sostienes del respaldo de tu silla o tu mesa para mantener el equilibrio, coloca tu pie izquierdo en el asiento de tu silla. Si es necesario, reduce la altura de tu silla hasta colocarla a un nivel seguro y cómodo. Conserva tus caderas en escuadra y los dedos de tu pie izquierdo en flexión dorsal (apuntando hacia arriba). Exhala mientras flexionas desde las caderas, en lugar de arquear la espalda, para doblarte hacia delante, en dirección de tu pierna. Conserva esta posición durante tres respiraciones profundas y prolongadas. Repite del otro lado. 5. Gira para deshacerte de la tensión y mejorar tu postura No para todos los movimientos de yoga te debes levantar de tu silla. Es esencial que practiques para estar consciente de tu postura cuando estás sentado y evites inclinarte en tu escritorio hasta desplomarte y quedar en una posición que te deje adolorido. La manera más simple y eficaz para corregir tu postura encorvada es activar los músculos subutilizados en tu espalda media que se ven inhibidos por los músculos hiperactivos en tu espalda superior, tu pecho y tu cuello que son los que te ayuda a estirarte hacia adelante. Tú puedes hacer esto cuando estás sentado con un sencillo giro para alcanzar tu espalda que simultáneamente libera la tensión de la parte superior del cuerpo mientras que fortalece y activa los músculos de la espalda media que apoyan una buena postura. Giro con alcance hacia atrás mientras estás sentado Aumenta la movilidad de la espalda media y libera los músculos recargados de la espalda superior y el cuello; estimula la adecuada colocación del omóplato para una mejor postura. En la posición que estás cuando te encuentras sentado en tu escritorio, inhala mientras estiras tu brazo derecho hacia adelante a la altura del hombro con tu palma hacia arriba. Exhala mientras estiras el brazo de regreso hacia el lado derecho, girando internamente tu caja torácica inferior izquierda para facilitar el giro. Activa los músculos justo debajo de tu omóplato derecho para tirar de él hacia abajo, hacia la cintura y ligeramente hacia la columna. Conserva esta posición durante tres respiraciones profundas y prolongadas. Repite del otro lado. Si el respaldo de tu silla es más alto que el nivel de tu hombro, necesitarás sesgar la parte inferior de tu cuerpo para que tus rodillas apunten en la dirección opuesta a la que estás girando para darte suficiente espacio para que alcances hasta detrás de ti. Nota de advertencia para cualquiera que tenga una silla con ruedas en la oficina: antes de hacer posturas que requieren que te apoyes en tu silla, debes bloquear las ruedas o, en su lugar, apoyarte en el escritorio o en la pared. http://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2015/05/29/yoga-para-la-oficina-5-maneras-de-enfocarte-y-reducir-el-estres/ As a hardgainer, you should understand that your genetic capacity for muscle growth is not quite on the same level as those lucky, genetically gifted mesomorphs, who can put on muscle just by thinking about bench pressing! Okay maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but not too far from the truth.
You're going to have to train smarter, be more disciplined, and have the perseverance to overcome the genetic shortcoming of the ectomorph body type you've been endowed with. If I'm losing you with all the ecto- meso- "morph" terminology, then this article should bring yoga you up to speed. Somatotypes and Body Type Classification There are three basic somatotypes, or body types as proposed by Dr. William H. Sheldon back in the 1930's that are used to classify individuals based on their physical traits and characteristics. It is not a perfect classification system, because even though some people fit these descriptions exactly, others will be a mixture of two or more somatotypes (i.e. an ecto-mesomorph.) Never-the-less, it is a great starting point for determining your genetic traits, your capacity for building muscle, and designing a program that maximizes your body's potential. Here are the three somatotypes: o Ectomorphic: characterized by long and thin muscles/limbs and low fat storage; usually referred to as slim. o Mesomorphic: characterized by large bones, solid torso, low fat levels, wide shoulders with a narrow waist. o Endomorphic: characterized by increased fat storage, a wide waist and a large bone structure. The True Hardgainer Most people that are considered to be true hardgainers fall into the ectomorphic category. Since this website is dedicated to helping ectomorphs realize their full genetic potential, we will be focusing our attention on this body type specifically. As an ectomorph, your metabolism is in overdrive, meaning you are rather lean, and thin and experience difficulty in gaining weight of any kind (muscle or fat.) You most likely lack significant physical strength and this is obvious because you are also lacking in muscle mass. The extreme ectomorph has a fragile and delicate physique, with a lighter skeletal structure, small wrists and joints. The ectomorph may be slightly taller than the average person, and thus has longer limbs, which are not advantageous to moving heavy weights. Recovery ability of the body is also more prolonged than mesomorphs and endomorphs. Common Physical Traits of the Ectomorph: o Thin o Flat Chest o Delicate Build o Tall o Lightly Muscled o Stoop Shouldered o Young looking o Narrow Bones Common Personality Traits of the Ectomorph: o Self-conscious o Preference for privacy o Introverted o Socially Anxious o Mentally Intense o Emotionally Restrained As you may have guessed or probably know from experience, all of these characteristics are not favorable in your quest to pack on muscle mass, size, and strength. After considering this, you may wonder if being an ectomorph really has any benefits. Are you doomed to being scrawny for the rest of your life? You may also wonder whether you should even bother trying to lift weights to begin with. Maybe you should just stick to endurance sports? To quickly answer these questions I say Yes, No, Yes, and NO! Just because you do not have the genetic propensity to become a massive pro-bodybuilder does not mean you cannot pack on slabs of lean muscle mass to your body. You can, although it will require more work, focus, and desire. In fact, lots of ectomorphs have gone on to make incredible transformations adding 20, 30, 50, even 100+ pounds to their smaller sized frames in a matter of months rather than years. This all depends on your intelligence as a lifter, your desire and passion to make this type of transformation, and your ability to master the principles of gaining mass. In short, even as an ectomorph, you can create a classic, muscular physique. Not only that, but there are even some unique benefits to being an ectomorph that you may not have considered. Let's take a look at these now. The Benefits of Being an Ectomorph Besides all of the seeming draw-backs of being a skinny ectomorph tying to pack on some quality muscle, we do have a couple of advantages over the other body types. 1. Less looks like more: Because of the ectomorph's smaller skeletal structure a little muscle goes a long way. If through hard work and discipline one is able to add some decent muscle to their lighter frame it will tend to look better, more defined, and create the illusion that the individual is bigger than he really is. 2. Melting the Fat Away: The ectomorph has a super fast metabolism making fat burning particularly easy. If too much fat is added in a bulking phase, it is fairly easy to slightly lower your caloric intake and burn it off quickly or to simply increase your cardio. Although this is an advantage for the ectormorphs, it is also a double-edge sword, as one must be careful not to burn off any of your hard earned muscle while doing so. 3. Enjoying your Food: Because of the ectomorph's rapid metabolism, one must eat tons of high quality food to grow and maintain their muscle gains. If you love food then this is a plus. Although sometimes if may feel like a chore having to pack so many calories away, at least you are not feeling deprived. Plus, it gives us the ability to cheat a little on our diet without destroying our progress. 4. Deadlifting: Even though longer limbs make it harder to move weight in a lot of the exercises, including bench pressing, and squats; The advantage goes to the ectomorph in deadlifting (one of the best mass building exercises), where long arms give us the mechanical advantage to move some serious weight. 5. Aging like Fine Wine: As we get older our metabolism begins to slow down and fat storage tends to increase. For most people that sucks, but for the gym going skinny guy this means the ability to add more muscle to their frame and the shift into a more mesomorphic metabolic range. A lot time skinny guys can't see any positive benefits of their body type, and that can lead to a depressed state of mind. A depressed state of mind will be of no help to you and will actually keep you trapped in the very state you are mentally resisting. What you resist persists. Of course you'd prefer to have more muscle, who wouldn't, but in order to realize this goal you must first accept yourself for the way you are, where you are, and who you are. Only after you can accept yourself and your body in this way, can you objectively step back and then map out a plan to get where you want to be in life and actually follow it to completion. Acceptance of reality and a deeper understanding of it as it truly is... is the first step to changing your experience of it. Knowing your body types advantages and disadvantages is a vital key to unlocking the door to muscle growth and positive change. It is important to remember that you cannot achieve muscle hypertrophy (aka growth) by working against your body. The Awakened Warrior realizes this and works with his body and his genetics in an effort to overcome his weaknesses and turn them into strengths. To Your Success in Training and in Life, Brandon Cook http://www.articlebiz.com/article/299874-1-the-benefits-of-being-an-ectomorph/ |
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