Can Meditation Heal Brain and Body?

It has long been known the mind can be a powerful healer. Mindful meditation practice can reward us with numerous health benefits. According to some research regular meditation can:

• alleviate stress
• improve thinking and memory
• lower your risk for serious health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease

Seniors who regularly meditate may benefit in multiple ways. Meditation requires no high-impact physical activity and has no side effects or risk of injury. You can practice almost anywhere alone or with others.

Although science is still not clear how meditation influences the brain, Harvard scientists recently found meditation increases areas of the brain linked to learning and memory. Other research tells us regular meditation sessions can help us with decision making, planning, abstract thinking and controlling our emotions. Four other possible health benefits of regular meditation are:

1. Reduces anxiety and depression
2. Helps us to make smarter decisions
3. Helps to cut down on migraine headaches
4. Helps us cope with changes in our health

How long should you meditate to reap results? Scientists say 15 to 30 minutes consistency is key to reaping health benefits. It is like physical exercise. You cannot exercise one day per week and expect to reap health benefits. Neither can you meditate only upon occasion and reap health results. 

How do you meditate?

• sit quietly in a chair or comfortably on the floor, free of distractions, close  your eyes and focus on your breathing counting each breath up to 10 and then back to one and repeating the pattern.
• focus your mind upon recorded meditative sounds 
• focus your mind upon repeating short positive phrases, words, or virtues 
• gaze burning candle
• regular prayers is also considered a form of meditation that rewards us with health benefits

I just recently purchased an electric stove with a fake log burning. I find it relaxing to focus upon the flame somewhat like focusing upon a candle burning. 

You can learn how to meditate in structured environments such as yoga studios and community centers. You can also learn meditative skills online. Regardless of which path you choose, learning how to quiet your mind and focus your thoughts even for brief moments per day can provide long lasting benefits. Remember: Regular meditation reaps the greatest rewards toward healing the brain and body. (source: UCLA Health, "Healthy Years" newsletter, Helping older adults lead happier, healthier lives.)

Eat well each day and to help increase your level of nutrition try using Life's Abundance Nutritional Supplement Bundles. These bundles come in chocolate and vanilla flavors. I am featuring the vanilla flavor here. Once on the Life's Abundance site you can also look at the Chocolate bundle if you prefer chocolate.

Life's Abundance Vanilla Nutritional Supplements Bundle

Open yourself up to a whole new way of embracing health! Our Nutrition Supplement Bundles offer amazing convenience, cost savings and a means to kickstart your wellness regimen.
This pack showcases all six of our incredible health-promoting products. Each carefully formulated supplement features ingredients selected for efficacy, potency ... even great flavor! Clean living has never been simpler.
Renew your commitment to a healthier, happier tomorrow by making health a habit with our full line-up of nutritional supplements today!

• Vanilla Flavor Plant Protein
• Minerals & Antioxidants, Cherry or Tropical Fruit Flavor
• Greens Blend
• Probiotic
• Multivitamin
• Fish Oil Capsules

meet Keri Glassman and Life's Abundance line of supplements

As a registered dietitian, healthy cooking expert and published

author Keri Glassman is the founder and president of

Keri Glassman, Nutritious Life.

Life's Abundance is an excellent way to connect with other pet lovers and health enthusiasts as well as to make extra income while you connect. If you like to share health and pet information, Life's Abundance Home Business Opportunity is an excellent choice to connect to other like-minded people online and offline.

Join the Life's Abundance Team and start helping pets and humans live longer, healthier lives. Are you in your senior years and a pet professional or a pet owner? Help yourself to another retirement years nest egg with a Life's Abundance residual income source.

Use our products. 

If you become impressed with our products, just wait until you hear about our income opportunity. You might be surprised to learn that you can earn a substantial income from selling our health-promoting products for pets and humans. There's never been a more exciting time to sign-up as a Life's Abundance Field Representative. With new product releases on the horizon, you will find more ways to reach new customers and net serious wages. It is an opportunity that will keep you engage with other people in a "helping" kind of way.

 No products to stock or ship out. Life's Abundance takes care of the entire purchase transaction along with shipping. Life's Abundance customers enjoy fast shipping within 2 business days of ordering.

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THIS IS A MOST EXCITING TIME TO BUILD A NETWORK MARKETING BUSINESS

DISCLAIMER: THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. ALL HEALTH CONCERNS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY A QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.  THE ARTICLE CONTENT IS OFFERED AS A RESOURCE FOR HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES.

Improve Your Balance and Protect Yourself Against Falls

What is the most frequent cause of injury among older adults? It is falling.

One way to help improve your chances of NOT FALLING is to improve your balance. Common causes that causes falling in older adults include:

• dizziness from cardiovascular and psychiatric medications
• impaired vision from eye diseases like glaucoma
• joint stiffness
• neuromuscular conditions like Parkinson's Disease

The top reason is simply "aging," and losing muscle strength.

As we age we all lose muscle mass even in the large muscle groups that help with balance such as the legs and core. When we have less muscle we get tired more easily and it becomes harder to move around in general and maintain good balance as well as coordination.

Ways to better balance include:

• Dance Therapy: Studies show dancing reduces falls by improving levels of balance and overall functionality. One particular therapy called "Healthy-Steps" has been used in several balance related studies. "Healthy-Steps" uses a combination of low-impact dance steps set to music
• Tai Chi: This is an ancient form of martial arts. Tai Chi is ideal for people who cannot do aerobic or high resistance exercises.
• Medicine Ball Tosses: Catching and tossing a weighted medicine ball can improve balance.
• Pilates: This is a series of controlled movements to improve core strength, posture and balance. The floor exercises focus on muscles in the lower and upper back, hips, buttock, and inner thighs to create a solid foundation for walking and moving.
• Heel Raises: Stand with one or both hands on a countertop or other sturdy object for balance and go up on tiptoes for a few seconds and then lower your heels. Repeat 10 to 20 times. This is a resistance and balance exercise that strengthens muscles and nerve in the core and legs. These are particularly easy to incorporate into a daily routine as you can do them as you brush your teeth (if you don't need to hold onto something while doing them) morning and evening.
• Plank Exercises: The Plank exercise strengthens core muscles which help to keep you in balance. Practice holding the plank exercise up to 60 seconds. 

Source: UCLA Health Newsletter "Healthy Years" Helping older adults lead happier, healthier lives.

Maintain a healthy diet daily and raise your nutrition a few notches easily using Life's Abundance Nutritional Bundle Supplements:

Life's Abundance Vanilla Nutritional Bundle Supplements

This bundle comes in chocolate and vanilla. Vanilla is my favorite so I am featuring the Vanilla Bundle.

Open yourself up to a whole new way of embracing health! Our Nutrition Supplement Bundles offer amazing convenience, cost savings and a means to kickstart your wellness regimen.

This pack showcases all six of our incredible health-promoting products. Each carefully formulated supplement features ingredients selected for efficacy, potency ... even great flavor! Clean living has never been simpler.

Renew your commitment to a healthier, happier tomorrow by making health a habit with our full line-up of nutritional supplements today!

• Vanilla Flavor Plant Protein
• Minerals & Antioxidants, Cherry or Tropical Fruit Flavor
• Greens Blend
• Probiotic
• Multivitamin
• Fish Oil Capsules

meet Keri Glassman and Life's Abundance line of supplements

As a registered dietitian, healthy cooking expert and published

author Keri Glassman is the founder and president of

Keri Glassman, Nutritious Life.

Life's Abundance is an excellent way to connect with other pet lovers and health enthusiasts as well as to make extra income while you connect. If you like to share health and pet information, Life's Abundance Home Business Opportunity is an excellent choice to connect to other like-minded people online and offline.

Join the Life's Abundance Team and start helping pets and humans live longer, healthier lives. Are you in your senior years and a pet professional or a pet owner? Help yourself to another retirement years nest egg with a Life's Abundance residual income source.

Use our products. 

If you become impressed with our products, just wait until you hear about our income opportunity. You might be surprised to learn that you can earn a substantial income from selling our health-promoting products for pets and humans. There's never been a more exciting time to sign-up as a Life's Abundance Field Representative. With new product releases on the horizon, you will find more ways to reach new customers and net serious wages. It is an opportunity that will keep you engage with other people in a "helping" kind of way.

 No products to stock or ship out. Life's Abundance takes care of the entire purchase transaction along with shipping. Life's Abundance customers enjoy fast shipping within 2 business days of ordering.

LET'S GET STARTED

THIS IS A MOST EXCITING TIME TO BUILD A NETWORK MARKETING BUSINESS

DISCLAIMER: THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. ALL HEALTH CONCERNS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY A QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.  THE ARTICLE CONTENT IS OFFERED AS A RESOURCE FOR HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES.

Bouts of Loneliness and Isolation in Older Adults

Older adults are more vulnerable to bouts of loneliness and isolation although everyone goes through these times occasionally. What are some of the reasons older people are more affected?

• decline in mobility
• general lack of interest in building and continuing friendships

Ongoing research reveals prolonged loneliness and isolation can have serious effects on your health. It can:

• increase bouts of depression and sadness
• disrupts sleep
• elevate blood pressure
• raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol 
• increase your chances of early death by 14 percent

Loneliness is put into the same risk category as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and affects people twice as much as being obese.

Seniors may have to work harder at keeping friendships and social relationships alive, but if done successfully, the senior population can benefit greatly from these interactions.

Everyone can be vulnerable to loneliness.

• someone surrounded by many people may still feel alone at times. I remember viewing videos of Elvis Presley who was adored by millions and more often than not was in the company of 100's of people most of the time, say even among it all he still felt "alone" at times.
• people in happy marriages can feel loneliness
• people who enjoy a small circle of close friends can feel loneliness

It is easy for anyone to suddenly slip into social isolation:

• spouses pass away
• conflict with friends can develop
• family and children might move away

Anyone who is dependent upon one or two people for their human connections are at a higher risk for loneliness and isolation.

How can the older person cope with loneliness and isolation?

• Have intimate connections which come from and affirms who you are. This would be a person or people who supports your value as a person and is someone with whom you can share good times as well as bad times.
• Have relational connections which comes from having face to face contacts that are mutually rewarding. This fosters a sense of safety.
• Have collective connections which comes from feeling you are a part of a group with similar interests. Think of belonging to a social club or sports team and even participating in church groups gives you the collective connection human beings need to cope with loneliness and isolation.

It is not always easy to develop all three of the above types of relationships for everyone, especially the senior population of people, and it is not totally necessary to have all three in your life to help you cope. Honestly, taking part in the Y activities helps me in this regard. 

Not ready for human connections as outlined here? Dates with nature can also help people cope with loneliness and isolation. Studies show us that every day interactions with green and blue places such as trees and water helps to motivate seniors to be more socially active by promoting feelings of renewal and restoration.

Shortly before my Aunt Margaret passed, back in the previous summer, I went for a daily walk around local Lake Iola where there is beauty of flowers, trees and water. This is one of my favorite spots to hang out, to walk and even to meditate or talk with the Lord. The nursing home had taken a bus down to the lake and there on the picnic tables sat my Aunt Margaret. She and all the senior people on that trip looked much more renewed than when I visited them in the nursing home.

Another way to avoid loneliness and isolation is to get a job or even volunteer your time somewhere in  your community. Many studies tell us people age 65 and older who continue to work have higher mental health scores than those who retire and stop working.

Staying connected to other people in an active work environment is what keeps you socially involved and connected. It also provides a sense of purpose in your life after retirement. (source: UCLA Health: Healthy Years Newsletter, Helping older adults lead happier, healthier lives)

I also see a lot of senior people hanging out at the local Waffle House, just connecting with each other and the cooks, waiters and waitresses, sipping on coffee and eating a quick, hot meal. There are many, many ways people in their senior years can stay connected to other people and avoid or cope with loneliness and isolation. 

Research continues to reveal to us that owning a pet such as a cat or a dog has many life enhancing advantages.

Life's Abundance is an excellent way to connect with other pet lovers and even make extra income while you connect. If you like to share health information, Life's Abundance is also an excellent choice to connect to other like-minded people online and offline.

Join the Life's Abundance Team and start helping pets and humans live longer, healthier lives. Are you in your senior years and a pet professional or a pet owner?

Use our products. 

If you become impressed with our products, just wait until you hear about our income opportunity. You might be surprised to learn that you can earn a substantial income from selling our health-promoting products for pets and humans. There's never been a more exciting time to sign-up as a Life's Abundance Field Representative. With new product releases on the horizon, you will find more ways to reach new customers and net serious wages. It is an opportunity that will keep you engage with other people in a "helping" kind of way.

 No products to stock or ship out. Life's Abundance takes care of the entire purchase transaction along with shipping. Life's Abundance customers enjoy fast shipping within 2 business days of ordering.

LET'S GET STARTED

THIS IS A MOST EXCITING TIME TO BUILD A NETWORK MARKETING BUSINESS

DISCLAIMER: THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. ALL HEALTH CONCERNS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY A QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.  THE ARTICLE CONTENT IS OFFERED AS A RESOURCE FOR HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES.

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