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The way your brain is wired can either help you have happy, satisfying relationships or it can be a huge obstacle to healthy love.
So where does this wiring come from? Unfortunately, most of your brain’s wiring for relationships was determined unbelievably early in your brain’s development—before you were about two years old. (Your interactions as a baby have an enormous, lifelong influence on how your brain does relationships.)
The good news, though, is that you can rewire your brain for better relationships. You can change your old “relationship brain” neural pathways and develop new and improved ones using simple, 2,500-year-old mind-training techniques that are more precise than a neurosurgeon’s blade, and without all the mess. The ancient practice of mindfulness meditation, as it turns out, produces real, measurable changes in the brain in key places so that deeper connections, better love, and healthier relationships can really take hold.
In as little as 20 minutes a day.
Whaddaya think? Are your relationships worth 20 minutes a day?
Open Mind + Well-Wired Brain = New Frontiers
So how exactly do you change those structures and connections into supporters of happy relationships? Recent studies by leading neuroscientists and biobehaviorists—researchers from Harvard, UCLA, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, and Cambridge, to name a few—have shown that mindfulness practice promotes changes in your brain in areas and ways that promote healthier relationships with yourself and others.
The neurological changes seen in the brains of mindfulness meditators show up in how they feel, how they deal with their feelings, and how they do relationships. And it doesn’t take years of practice—many beneficial effects are seen in the earliest stages of practice, in as little as a few weeks of practicing 20 minutes a day.
Can’t do 20 minutes? That’s perfectly okay; start with two.
You don’t have to become a monk or a vegetarian or spend hours contemplating your navel. You don’t need to hum “Om” over and over, trying to get your brain to be still or empty.
What you do during mindfulness meditation is practice simply noticing your mind’s busyness (a.k.a. your thoughts and feelings) and not getting all tangled up in it. You don’t even have to sit while you do it (and you definitely don’t have to sit like a pretzel). You can do walking meditation, eating meditation, lying-down meditation, or even washing-dishes meditation. With practice, you can meditate anywhere, during just about any activity.
By using simple mindfulness meditation, you can rewire your brain’s relationship pathways—and change your life.
This book is about why and how to use mindfulness meditation as a simple, good-for-you approach to rewiring your brain for better, healthier, juicier romantic relationships.
The Seven “High-Voltage” Benefits
Consider this: developmental psychologists talk about essential characteristics that are seen in people with healthy, attuned childhood relationships—characteristics that bode incredibly well for these people’s ability to have healthy relationships in adulthood.
And then this: those same characteristics are seen in people who practice mindfulness—plus bonus characteristics.
To top it all off: the latest scientific research has increasingly been showing that these characteristics are associated with areas of the brain that change as a result of mindfulness.
As I’ve worked with my patients and consulted with other psychotherapists, I’ve found that the most helpful way to think about these characteristics is to group them into a list of seven acquirable skills. These are skills you can develop and grow within yourself, within your brain – and they seem to be the most powerful in creating and sustaining a healthy and happy relationship:
Management of your body’s reactions
Regulation of your response to fear
Emotional resilience
Response flexibility
Insight (self-knowing)
Empathy and attunement—within yourself and with others
Perspective shift from “me” to “we”
In the work I do with my patients, I’ve seen that the growth of these seven characteristics has such an important impact on interactions with others that I call them the “high-voltage” relationship benefits. I’ve been seeing the results confirmed through my psychology practice, in myself, and in the lives of my friends and colleagues. I want you to benefit as well.1. Marsha, what does mindfulness have to do with relationships? Aren’t relationships about interaction and isn’t meditation something you do by yourself?
You’ve got an excellent point! After all, most people don’t say, “I’m so lonely, so heartsick – I’m so eager to have a partner – I know! I’ll go sign up to learn meditation!” But here’s the synapse – the connection: Our brains are wired – or not – for healthy relationships. If, like so many people, yours is not, you can improve that wiring through the simple practice of mindfulness. Research from Harvard, UCLA, and so on have shown that changes happen in the brain when you practice mindfulness, in areas that have to do with better emotional resilience, healthier empathy, quicker recovery after an argument. I talk about those changes in terms of seven “high-‐voltage” relationship benefits.
2. You say that we can we “rewired for love.” Do you mean that literally? Will a “rewired” brain show up differently on an MRI?
Yes, there are actual changes in the connections and pathways in the brain. One of the ways that researchers look at this is, in fact, on what’s called a “functional MRI” (fMRI for short), in which they’re able to see the areas of the brain that are most active during certain tasks – like meditating; or in experienced meditators, they can look at how different parts of the brain react to, say, the sound of a crying baby. They can also measure the size of brain areas in people who meditate and compare them to non-‐meditators. Overall, the changes are seen in areas that are deeply involved in the seven high-‐ voltage benefits.
3. You prescribe mindfulness as the antidote to the Big Enemy. What is the Big Enemy in relationships?
The Big Enemy is autopilot. The mind is a wonderful thing. But when it goes on autopilot, we’re it’s captive. If you’ve ever heard words come out of your mouth that you knew were not from your heart, your deepest, best part of yourself; if you’ve ever been in an argument with your partner, where you knew that the worst of you was interacting with the worst of them – getting out of the habit of autopilot is for you. Mindfulness meditation rewires your brain so that your autopilot isn’t running – and ruining – your relationship.
4. Is your work about helping people find a new relationship or is it also about improving an existing one?
Many of the people I see in my psychotherapy practice are coming in on their own – some are single, but some are in a relationship and having a hard time – but their partners aren’t willing to come in to therapy. I also see couples who, despite their best efforts (sometimes already having tried couples’ counseling), are going round and round the same old problems. The practice of mindfulness changes the neural pathways that result from mindfulness practice – and better neural pathways are the path to better relationships. That’s true for those who are in a relationship, or those who want to be.
5. What exactly are the benefits of mindfulness meditation?.
Here’s the best way I’ve found to summarize the impact of mindfulness practice on relationships:
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a) Better management of your body’s reactions
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b) Regulation of your “fear” response
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c) Greater emotional resilience
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d) Increased response flexibility
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e) Improved insight or “self-‐knowing”
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f) Healthier empathy and attunement – to yourself and others
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g) A perspective shift from “me” to “we”
I’ve found that the growth of these seven acquirable skills – that’s important: we can acquire these! – has such potent impact on our relationships with others that I call them the seven “high-‐voltage” relationship benefits of mindfulness.
Marsha Lucas, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and neuropsychologist who has been practicing psychotherapy and studying the brain-‐behavior relationship for over twenty years. Prior to entering private practice, she was a neuropsychologist on the faculty at the Emory University School of Medicine.
She has a special interest in the practice of mindfulness, especially in how it stimulates the brain to develop new, more integrated circuits ~ which may be at the heart of well-‐being, including emotional balance and resilience, enhanced relationships and friendships, and greater empathy and connectedness.
Dr. Lucas currently practices in Washington, D.C. and also writes about love and relationships. In addition to being the Mindfulness and Relationships blogger for PsychologyToday.com, she has been interviewed and quoted extensively by media, most recently including Psychology Today, iVillage.com, Glamour (UK), AARP Magazine, Reader's Digest, WashingtonPost.com, Psychologies Magazine (UK), Providence Journal (Scripps), and The Hill (newspaper written for and about the U.S. Congress)
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www.RewireYourBrainForLove.comPosted by Holly White -The way your brain is wired can either help you have happy, satisfying relationships or it can be a huge obstacle to healthy love. So where does this wiring come from? Unfortunately, most of your brain’s wiring for relationships was determined unbelievably early in your brain’s develop... -
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Avoca is one of those fabulous success stores that just keeps getting better and better. Currently they have eight stores in Ireland and no doubt more expansions in the pipeline. One of the things that most caught my interest of late is that they have expanded into beauty products thus making it ever more a 'Lifestyle' than just a place to shop.
Speaking with Vanessa Pratt who handles the buying for the beauty departments she explained to me that Avoca had stocked it's own range of candles and soaps which sold well but that they really wanted to move more into products, it was just about finding the right ranges. She chose well- they currently stock the full ranges of Dr Hauschka and Voya. Voya is an amazing range and it's also Irish which is a wonderful little extra box to tick, although by no means ever the sole reason to purchase something.The Avoca candles and soap are still selling well to the consumer who wants simple, pretty girly useful items but now the more discearning skincare needs can also be met.
Voya products have only really been a spa product in my experience but I always loved them so and it's great that consumers can now see the full range. Personal favourites are the body lotion and the body wash. As for Dr. Hauschka i could and no doubt will write a whole other blog about how much I adore their whole brand and vibe but suffice to say it's a great addition to the store. In terms of staff training a job was created by someone who went round all the stores making sure all staff members knew what was being sold. They also partook in Dr. Hauschka and Voya specific training. What was surprising to staff and is surprising to those who don't make it their business to find out is that natural beauty is very loosely regulated and product claims are not tested however Voya is it's own watchdog and maintains standards of between 70-90% natural ingredients across the range.
Vanessa explains to me that the beauty addition to Avoca has brought with it a whole new clientelle to the store. They seem to be so open-minded about the future and she explains they have a strict 'Nothing is ever immediately said No to' policy so the ideas that flow will be chewed over and could well become reality as the brand continues to expand.
One thing I had to ask was just what is the Avoca secret?
We all want to know why this place is teaming and bustling despite the country being in the throes of a recession.
'Do the staff all have to read The Secret?' I asked not entirely joking.
Vanessa laughs at this and tells me that the staff are not put on any sort of a positivity course but that there is a strong belief and business ethos that positvity breeds positivity and that the stores are like colour therapy for the customer and that as soon as they cross the threshold their senses are bombarded with colour. "It's the quirkiness and prettyness that draws people in' She also tells me how they treat their staff extremely well and this then encourages staff to treat customers with utmost respect. Indeed some staff members have been with the company for over 25 years.
Considering it's such a great place I can completely understand why!www.Avoca.ie
Posted by Holly White -Avoca is one of those fabulous success stores that just keeps getting better and better. Currently they have eight stores in Ireland and no doubt more expansions in the pipeline. One of the things that most caught my interest of late is that they have expanded into beauty products thus makin... -
Kinesiology uses muscle testing to help identify why you feel the way you do (tired, stressed, suffer digestive problems, back pain), and then balance the body by fixing problems.Kinesiology can help with more than 80% of all the health problems that most people put up with, either because it isn’t bad enough to go to the doctor, or because they have sought help but received no relief.
Almost everyone you know suffers from some sort of discomfort as a result of stress. As many as 50% of people suffer from back ache at one time or another, almost everyone gets colds or the flu. Just feeling unwell, or a bit tired, seems almost to be the norm.
It need not be- Kinesiology can help you balance your body’s systems, and enjoy a level of health and well-being you may not have experienced since you were a child.
Our modern day health problems can find their cause from our lifestyle. The causes of our present distresses are mainly due to our busy lives, our eating habits and our mostly sedentary lifestyle.
Kinesiologists take a holistic approach – they treat the whole person – mind, body, bio-chemistry and energy – not just parts. This highlights the unique position of Kinesiologists, who specialise in dealing with the whole person.
The mental, chemical, physical, energetic and environmental are examined, and dealt with simultaneously at each session. Clients who attend ASK practitioners are invited to develop and accept more personal responsibility for their own health, rather than being only passively “treated”.
Kinesiologists use the response of muscles when gently tested to find imbalances which blocks optimum function. If ignored, these imbalances may cause unwanted compensations, and ultimately deterioration in health and well-being. Kinesiologist do not treat disease or medical conditions.
Kinesiology is the only method of approaching the body that is completely receptor driven.
This means that the practitioner relies completely on feedback from the receptors in the client’s body. Muscle testing enables investigation without intrusion. Access to the “bio-computers”, which run bodily functions, gives insight into the underlying causes and the solutions to many health problems.
Any imbalances the Kinesiologist can detect are usually put right straightaway using a combination of therapeutic reflex massage, nutritional supplements, and many powerful techniques to relieve mental/emotional stresses. Clients usually experience a significant improvement in most common health problems on the first visit.
Used in a preventive manner, imbalances can be detected before becoming major problems.
- Digestive upsets (food intolerances, irritable bowel).
- Difficulties with reading and writing.
- Dispelling fears and phobias.
- Back, joint and neck pain.
- Takes the guess work out of healthcare.
Muscle testing is used to identify priority imbalances and to locate subclinical imbalances before pathological conditions occur which restores natural balance of the body facilitates natural healing.
If you are concerned about a health problem you should always consult your doctor to rule out a more serious health condition. Once ruled out a visit to your local Kinesiologist is recommended.
Website: http://www.rosaleendurkin.com
E-mail:clinic@rosaleendurkin.com
Mobile: 00 353 87-2195931
See their Lucky Me profile here
Hear Rosaleen talk on Spin 103.8 all about Kinesiology below:
Posted by luckyme -Kinesiology uses muscle testing to help identify why you feel the way you do (tired, stressed, suffer digestive problems, back pain), and then balance the body by fixing problems. Kinesiology can help with more than 80% of all the health problems that most people put up with, either becau... -
I was asked to come to the the Cliff Town House this morning for the launch of a new skincare range. I arrived and must admit I was immediately impressed with what was here to be discussed.
Human + Kind is a results driven, beautifully packaged and completely natural range. All the boxes in my mind were being ticked off as I listened to Rene Van Willigen's distinctly Dutch accent. I then grilled Jeroen Proos the other founder, also Dutch. And so I assumed that here was another foreign range of products coming to our shores, however upon looking closer at the tube of anti ageing cream I was massaging into the back of my hand I noticed the words 'Made in Ireland'. It turns out that Rene and Jeroen met with an esteemed Irish cosmetic scientist John O'Sulivan and all are based here and the range is headquartered in Rochestown Co. Cork.
This immediately excited me and I became a tad over enthusiastic which was probably a bit much for 10 am in the morning but the reality is that I think this is such a great development and I love the idea of using Irish products
But... I must admit whilst I love the idea of all things natural and also Irish, living in the 'real' world as I and most of us do I have to be honest and say that I am extremely results driven when it comes to my skincare. I grilled them upon the true effectiveness of their soon to be released cleanser's power to dissolve the thick mascara I love lacquering on on a Saturday night. They assured me this had been considered and that the range wasn't just for the 'dash of lipgloss and I am good to go types'. Some natural ranges don't seem to have this territory covered and it's annoying and impractical but I feel that Human and Kind genuinely does. At the moment the range is small consisting of just four key items but the plans are already in motion for it to expand, although it wants to hold on to the idea of pairing down skincare to a few essential products that deliver, rather than a litany of bottles and jars that most people don't have time to use anyway, so don't be expecting multiple serums and tinctures.
Also- upon asking that niggling question about preservatives, many organic creams either expire quite quickly after opening or must contain a chemical preservative, I was assured that the product life is three years as a result of a natural preservative.
In case you weren't aware how bad a lot of the stuff that's in our grooming products that we casually use and how important natural alternatives are this is a cute, yet scary little video that gets the message across.As for Human and Kind I am excited to see how the range performs and also delighted that this style of product is attracting the business interest of such dynamic people. I'm also really looking forward to using the products over the next few months.
Products are available in selected health stores to include Nourish on Wicklow Street but plans for outlet expansion are fully underway.
For more info check out http://www.humanandkind.com/skin-shop/
At the moment on the site you can buy 2 products for €45 including postage.Posted by luckyme -I was asked to come to the the Cliff Town House this morning for the launch of a new skincare range. I arrived and must admit I was immediately impressed with what was here to be discussed. Human + Kind is a results driven, beautifully packaged and completely natural range. A... -
By Brad Lamm
If you’ve ever tried to quit smoking or witnessed someone close to you going through it, you know the signs of withdrawal – shaking, crankiness, ups and downs of mania and fatigue. When someone is in the early stages of getting clean of nicotine, the sight or smell of other people smoking can trigger a visceral reaction. Years after I quit smoking, I still vacillate between being offended by the smoke and wanting to grab their cigarette for myself. Old habits die hard (and roll around in their coffin every once in a while just to keep you on your toes).
I know firsthand that quitting is tough dusty work, but I’m here to tell you this: no one has EVER died from resisting a craving! For people stuck in their own personal food fight, the feeling is the same. You see your trigger food and feel your response to it. See or smell, consider or crave - and you’ll have a physical and emotional response. What’s confusing around changing what we eat is that we’ve all got to eat; there’s no going entirely cold turkey on the food front.
Each of us has an animal intelligence that compels us to survive, makes us drink more water when we’re dehydrated, or eat more protein because we’re iron deficient. It’s difficult to figure out when you should pay attention to these signals once you’ve started to binge on food and are overeating for emotional – not physical – reasons.
If this is hitting home for you, I want to ask you right now to not get sad, but to get a little bit mad. Take a moment to design a pair of imaginary boxing gloves. Maybe yours are pink and shiny, or covered with tiger-print fake fur. Leather with spikes? Camouflage print with a button you press to shoot out flames? All good. The point is: get mad enough about the way you’ve been treating yourself with food that you’re ready to fight! Put your boxing gloves on because I am giving you permission to start a FOOD FIGHT!
As I've said: “Addiction is a disease of cravings, obsession and lies.”
First Opponent: Cravings
Your first battle is going to be the toughest: figuring out the difference between hunger – the actual need to eat and nourish your body – and cravings, that addiction response you have, that feeling that you “need to feed.” A major clue is that foods with high levels of sugar, such as chocolate, are more frequently craved than foods with lower sugar glucose, such as broccoli because – FYI – sugar is addictive. Eating sugary foods or nutritionally vacant foods made of refined flour (white bread, crackers, donuts, the majority of non-home baked goods) actually floods you with an initial speedy rush that quickly nosedives, leaving you depleted and craving another fix.
Think back to 150 years ago; most people consumed small amounts of sugar found naturally in fruit. Today it can be challenging to avoid processed foods. They dominate supermarket shelves and advertising, so you want them and buy them. They’re engineered to hook you and deliver a sugar overload that literally crashes your system.
Kicking sugar and other addictive foods to the curb has a physiological and a psychological component. This is going to sound a little odd, perhaps, but many of us rely on food for emotional intimacy. Think about it, don’t you sometimes eat over feelings? We turn to food for comfort when words and people fail us, or we feel like we fail ourselves. Think through what you are doing to your body by rewarding yourself with food that is bad for you. Is this relationship with food sabotaging your life and your future? Are you a mom? A sister? A daughter? Ask yourself how your relationship with food has influenced your relationship with others, and their own relationships to food and love-affirming foods.
Imagine a giant 50-pound bag of white sugar (or if you’re more of a carb addict, make that a bag of white flour). You’ve got the gloves on, so put your fists up and give me 10 punches right out in front of you as hard as you can. You’ve got to ID your opponent to knock him out.
Cravings: Pow-pow-pow x 10!
Second Opponent: Obsession
Here’s a cold, hard fact: Most attempts to change the way you eat fail because we can’t get past that crucial moment when we take the first bite of the food we are literally emotionally glued to. We all have our excuses as to why we should let ourselves have “just a little.”
I call them “justification levers” we pull when we want to give in and give up. It’s a birthday party or a holiday, the bad food was a gift or something someone made special for you (it will take time to get the word out, but loved ones will get you other presents!). Maybe it’s something other people bring into your home or workplace, and you feel like you don’t have time to grab anything else.
All are lame excuses when you think about it in a detached unemotional way. Take a deep breath and ask yourself this: Will you take action to live lighter and better – or not?
Here’s some practical advice because I know it can be tough. When you find yourself obsessing about food that is not self-loving, begin a task that will take at least 15 minutes to complete. Call your best friend. Take a bath. Do a load of laundry, or my favorite - take a stroll. Distract yourself for even a little bit and wait it out. It’s just a feeling you are having and you can walk through it.
As much as possible, don’t have any of your trigger food around you. Put out the word to friends and family that you’ve taken the Just 10 challenge to change what you weigh. Don’t bring any of these trigger foods to your home or to your job. Out of sight, out of mind. Extinction. Let the chocolates go the way of the dodo bird!
In a moment of weakness, you’ve always got your boxing gloves handy. Obessions: Pow-pow-pow x 10! Line up those trigger foods in your mind like opponents. Fists up! Now pop those unhealthy sugary sweets and empty carbs as hard as you can with your custom boxing gloves – right off the edge, into the abyss.
POW-POW-POW-POW x 10!
Brad Lamm is a board-registered interventionist, and the founder and president of Intervention Specialists. He is a regular contributing expert on The Doctor Oz Show and hosts a weekly radio show on Hay House Radio. Lamm travels worldwide, working, lecturing, and giving seminars on obesity, eating disorders, change, addiction and intervention. His book Just 10lbs: Easy Steps to Weighing What You Want (Finally) is published by Hay House.
Link to Hay House website: http://www.hayhouse.co.uk/books/1848504632/just-10-lbs
Link to Brad’s website http://bradlamm.com/
Visit the LuckyMe.ie Amazon bookstore
Posted by luckyme -By Brad Lamm If you’ve ever tried to quit smoking or witnessed someone close to you going through it, you know the signs of withdrawal – shaking, crankiness, ups and downs of mania and fatigue. When someone is in the early stages of getting clean of nicotine, the sight o... -
As a doctor if TCM I have certain aces up my sleeve when it comes to predicting how busy the clinics will get.
I check every day with the changing weather and wind knowing full well the implications of not dressing to protect against the elements. We think nothing of why we wear light long sleeve shirts and a hat in summer to protect from too much sun damage. An umbrella is essential to most people come autumn as much as scarves, gloves, woolly socks and hats. All of this goes to protecting the skin from outside chill but very little consideration is given to the internal more important environment of the chest, stomach, immune system and intestines.The Chinese would change their diet as acutely as their dress code based on obvious weather changes. Little attention seems to be given to the needs of the chest as in the caution needed to protect its fragile balance with foods that keep it moist, warm and working well.
The chest is very important. How many of us have been continuously ill with repeated chest issues and medications that can’t fix the problem?
Qi and blood move together to create harmony therefore increasing warm circulation. So breathing properly keeps your hands and feet warm. Did you know that excessive sighing is a sure sign of anxiety and that also damages the lungs? But there's more to this, wearing a surgical mask in aircraft can reduce you being infected by colds flus and airborne bugs by 70%. The air you breathe in can be polluted so protect your air intake. You wouldn't eat food if someone sneezed on it but you breathe in around people who sneeze not considering it has an effective range of 8 ft to infect other respiratory tracts.The other great protector of the human is the kidney. It provides the external "ready brek" type glow around the body to fight off many invaders brought on by weather changes. Fearfulness does huge damage to the kidneys as does exposure to coldness. Warming the kidneys can be achieved by warm clothes well tucked around the waist and avoiding cold foods. Eat lamb as it makes the body warm up very quickly, cook using lots of spices, curries, chilies, garlic and cinnamon.
A few of the symptoms of kidney deficiency are as follows, you might recognise them- short term memory loss, confusion, hearing loss, brittle hair, low back pain, low sex drive, feeling cold all the time and an inability to sleep easily. All types of beans are good food for the kidneys.
Your skin and muscles always benefit from your spleen being looked after. The dampness in the air causes this to be upset as well as dampness in your food. Stodgy food with too much wheat daily will cause what we refer to as excess phlegm in the body. This causes weight gain, easy bruising, bloating, poor definition, repeated infections. These are all spleen associated problems.
There is another culprit that causes huge upset to the person and that is the Irish wind. Yes, the breeze and nasty cold draughts. Never eat in a draughty place. Close windows on windy nights and cover up in bed making sure there is never a draft at the back of your neck as you go to sleep. Wear pyjamas- they have a purpose you know. Pyjamas stabilize body temperature. Wind invades the liver and causes insomnia, anger outbursts, lethargy, stomach and digestive problems, itchy skin and other nasties.
Dealing with all of these things I am writing about are daily occurrences in the clinics and to defend yourself against and prohibit them will give you much happier health from within. This is why only half the office gets sick in winter. The healthy half takes precautions to not expose their immune system to unnecessary challenges, they are not super human but they have better reserves through conservation and prevention
Why can some of us can tolerate bad weather better?
It is down to your inner constitution.
Suffice to say you should eat with the same knowledge and preparation as you dress for the seasons. We still have bugs out there from 100 years ago that still can and could make you very ill if you ignored precaution. Dressing to protect from the elements and restoring energy through good diet and plenty of lovely moments of stillness amid the madness as well as not stressing will serve you well. Over the temple of Olympus in Greece where the gods lived there are two chiseled statements, 'Gothic Thi' and 'Megan Aden' These two brilliant statements mean 'Know Thyself' and 'Moderation in Everything' Wonderful advice for a long and healthy life. Keep warm, well fed and well this January.
See the Murnaghan Clinic Website
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Posted by luckyme -As a doctor if TCM I have certain aces up my sleeve when it comes to predicting how busy the clinics will get. I check every day with the changing weather and wind knowing full well the implications of not dressing to protect against the elements. We think nothing of why we wear light long sleev... -
There are some products that although natural and well-made lack the luxe factor. Hauschka does not fall into this bracket. I am going to be honest here and say I love a little bit of luxury every day and these Dr. Hauschka body lotions not only work beautiful and smell divine they also look very cool on your bathroom shelf. I was ridiculously excited when I got a delivery of the new lotions to trial and review last week and here are my findings. I think body lotions are one of those things that once you get into using them every day you become a little hooked and this is exactly what happened to me a few years back. As I learned more and more about skincare I learned that the skin is the largest excretory organ on the body and thus putting a cheap filled with chemical cream all over it was not exactly the right thing to do. In fact ingredients like lanolin which are really widespread are apparently really, really bad for congesting your skin. I have used oils as they were cheaper but had one too many white t-shirts ruined 10 minutes before I left the house for me to contemplate using them again. The search for the right body lotion will always be ongoing, but I have to say I am really happy with these.
The reason I was given them to trial is that Dr.Hauschka Skin Care has created three new gorgeous additions to enhance the existing Dr.Hauschka Body Moisturisers Range: Lemon Lemongrass Body Moisturiser (€24.00), Lavender Sandalwood Body Moisturiser (€23.95) and Almond Body Moisturiser (€24.00).The new additions now lie beside the Rose (€24.95) and Quince (€23.95) lotions. Without wanting to sound too much like an add I have to say they all smell lovely and if you were to really splash out on more than one you could ideally use the Lemongrass in the morning to wake you up after a shower and then use the Rose, Lavender or the Almond in the evening before you go to sleep forming a body lotion wardrobe as such.
As you may well know Dr.Hauschka Skin Care products are free from synthetic chemical fragrances, colours and preservatives. They contain fine vegetable oils, essences from plants grown biodynamically or organically or harvested in the wild and natural essential oils. Regular in-house controls of the raw materials ensures consistent and optimum quality and the brand is really, really interesting when you get into the levels of thought and study behind it.
Aromatherapy is something I would love to study properly but the one thing I will say about it is that there seems to be a high level of intuition that goes with it. Whenever I have a treatment they seem to simply ask me to smell a few oils and say which one is my favourite. They've never turned around and said 'you have it totally wrong'. The practitioner has just given me a slightly knowing look and proceeded to use the one I said I like thus I think there is an intuitive element whereby we just simply know what is right for us then and there. If you were to take out the book and actually study what the ingredients are and their healing properties I would bet 9 times out of 10 you would be spot on. With these I would just follow your instincts and go with what smells right.
When I am looking for creams and perfumes I always want something that's going to feel very clean on, like I am doing my skin loads of good and lavishing it in attention and pampering it. All of these in the Hauschka range have that lovely clean, fresh zingy quality that really sets them apart from a lot of other ranges. You smell lovely and also they sink in pretty quick which is always important when your slapping it on before pulling on black tights at half 7 in the morning.
There is also the sophistication that I associate with the brand. I remember years ago it only being available in Blue Eiru on South William Street. Madonna mentioned that she loved the Rose Day Cream in a Vogue and suddenly it was the coolest range. I also think it is a pioneering range in pushing natural products to sophisticated high end desirability.
Display any of these proudly in your bathroom- and enjoy!
x x
Posted by luckyme -There are some products that although natural and well-made lack the luxe factor. Hauschka does not fall into this bracket. I am going to be honest here and say I love a little bit of luxury every day and these Dr. Hauschka body lotions not only work beautiful and smell divine they also look very co... -
There are an abundance of methods available today to help people empower themselves.
Most people who try hypnosis for the first time will say “it’s my last option” and finish a session saying “I wish it had been my first option!”
Hypnotherapy is one of the many empowering therapeutic journeys you can go on, which is safe and ethical and involves all the stages necessary to treat the whole physical, emotional, mental and spiritual person, in turn restoring and bringing balance of harmony back into you.
There are times in our lives when something emotional happens and it becomes so uncomfortable, that we do our best to bury it, hoping it will go away. Sometimes it does and other times it comes back to haunt us with a vengeance especially when something similar happens again!
Hypnotherapy is a gift to the “back of the mind” as it clears away the emotional stuck feelings leaving you feeling lighter and more at peace within your self along with being filled with positive thoughts and feelings.
Medical information has indicated that 76% - 85% of our illness can be created by the mind and are referred to as psychosomatic illnesses which can be addressed through the use of Hypnotherapy which is now gaining more and more credibility.
In Volume 7-1 of Psychotherapy, the Psychotherapy Journal of the American Psychiatric Association, Alfred A. Barrios reported a 93% recovery after 6 sessions, which is approx. 1 to 2 months.10 things you didn’t know about how Hypnotherapy can help you.
1. It is the one time YOU are 100% fully in control in helping yourself.
2. It can help you release stress, worry, upset, past hurts, to learn to manage stress and to cope with everyday situations and challenges that come our way.
3. It can help you to feel more positive, motivated and upbeat.
4. It’s like having a “mental massage” of the mind, enabling you to become more relaxed and calm and to take control of, and deal well with, stressful situations that may arise in your life.
5. Hypnotherapy can help you become more relaxed, focused, confident and self assured.
6. It’s great for addressing and releasing anxious thoughts and panicky feelings.
7. It’s one of the best ways to address and unpeel the layers of negative programming and releasing traumas no matter how old they are.
8. It facilitates moving mountains of emotion without you having to re-live or dig up all the details of the past!
9. Its suitable for increasing your sports performance, work performance, public speaking and more…
10. Did you know that 15 minutes of hypnosis is equal to 2 to 3 hours of regular sleep!
If you would like to experience a taste of what hypnosis feels like you can download a FREE 10 minute relaxation recording- click here It’s deceptively simple and surprisingly effective.
Hypnotherapy over the last 10 years is becoming more and more popular and is holistic, natural, pleasant, drug free and inexpensive. After all we have at our disposal all the resources within us in order to resolve our issues. All we need is guidance to promote and bring about self-empowerment.
Some other interesting Facts and Tips about hypnosis!
- you can hear and remember everything we say … you don’t go UNDER!!
- you can speak to us at any stage or when asked to
- you are not asleep you are always conscious!
- you are in complete control and aware, 100% at all times!
- you comply only with suggestions that fit your morals and value systems
- hypnosis is an art, science and practice enabling you to access your subconscious mind.
- contrary to popular beliefs, anyone can be hypnotized – unless you don’t want to be!
- We use the word sleep. That does not mean you go to sleep.
- Hypnosis is just a very deep relaxation of the nervous system.
People can be persuaded or forced to do things that conflict with their normal values through lies and deceit, but you do not need to be hypnotised for that!
If you want help in resolving and moving on free from your problems, and feel empowered then please call Aisling Killoran or Ray Manning at Accomplish Change Clinic
View their Lucky Me profile here
Posted by luckyme -There are an abundance of methods available today to help people empower themselves. Most people who try hypnosis for the first time will say “it’s my last option” and finish a session saying “I wish it had been my first option!” Hypnotherapy... -
One of the coolest and also quirkiest places for massage in Dublin 2 has to be the Harvest Moon Centre on Baggot Street.
I've been going there for years and given lots of people vouchers for here and they have gone on to become quite devoted fans of the place. The treatments are awesome and good value too.
The owner Peter Kane gives us the lowdown on why massage is an essential part of being well.Massage is an ancient healing art, not just a technical procedure.
We live in challenging times these days, with lots of responsibilities and worries. Finding a balance between our needs and the expectations of others can be difficult. These responsibilities and worries tend to collect around the shoulders ('the weight of the world on our shoulders') causing tightness, knots and pain. In time, this state of stress and mild confusion can lead to many health issues like digestive and circulatory conditions.
The health benefits of Massage cannot be overlooked. Many studies prove that stress is a contributing factor in many diseases and chronic conditions. Massage is a highly effective ways of lowering stress levels, boosting the immune system and inducing an overall feeling of well-being.
A deeply relaxing massage can raise a person’s awareness of their relationship with themselves on many levels, including physically and emotionally. It helps us to understand our body, our 'self', improving our sense of connection to ourselves, to each other and to the world we live in. In other words, it increases self-esteem and fulfills our basic human need for touch, communication and sharing. Massage also eliminates toxins from the blood stream and stimulates the organs to facilitate their speedy exit from the body.
When we have regular massage we become more aware of where we hold our tension which, in turn, makes us less inclined to allow it to build up. We stretch more, improve our posture, diet, and working habits. Because we become more in tune with what our body is saying to us, we are more likely to take care of ourselves, to eat better and to have healthier lifestyles, increasing our sense of responsibility towards ourselves and our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
Massage is kind of like a hug, it takes two to make it great. But unlike a hug, massage requires one person to be active and attentive, stimulating and balancing energy centres and reminding us of the life force that pervades our being, and the other to just be present and let go. The therapist actively helps you discover where your tension is. You let go and open yourself to releasing the stress, consciously relaxing until no more effort is required.
Most of us often feel like we need to control almost everything in our lives but imagine if the subconscious mind took a day off and we had to consciously take control of all the decisions required to maintain our bodies for a day. I’m pretty happy with the job my body’s doing - I’m sure it would do even better if I got out of its way more often!
Massage therapy is an effective way to activate the body's natural desire to be balanced. The opening strokes of a holistic massage are often long, slow strokes. Just what's needed to trigger the parasympathetic system.
Our bodies have an inbuilt instinctive reaction to situations which challenge our survival or wellbeing. It is known as “fight or flight” response. Our nervous system becomes highly activated and hormones such as adrenaline prepare us to respond to an emergency. Muscles tense for action, heart rate and blood pressure increase, breathing becomes rapid and shallow and digestion and other maintenance functions are put on hold. Unfortunately fighting or running is rarely a useful response to modern difficulties like moving house, relationship upheavals, relentless bills and job insecurity. Today's stresses are often somewhat ambiguous and ongoing, for example money worries or interpersonal conflicts. This means your body and mind do not receive a clear signal that it is safe to stop, relax and recuperate.
You may find that as your stress goes on without much relief, you become less and less able to unwind. Muscle tension can develop into problems such as chronic headaches or shoulder and back pain which are themselves stressful. Worry and physical tension can interfere with sleep, leaving you exhausted with little energy or mental focus to make the most of your day. You may even find your normal coping strategies add stress as you struggle to find time for exercise or social engagements. As the level of stress hormones in your bloodstream increases you may find yourself constantly agitated, reacting not only to actual events, but to anticipated events and memories.
In a stress emergency, massage provides immediate relief with soothing sensations in a safe relaxing environment and refocuses your attention away from your worries and tensions. Studies show that massage triggers the relaxation response, taking your body off alert and setting in motion the biological process needed to restore your resources and reverse the physical responses of "fight-or-flight." With massage, calming touch sends your nervous system the signal that it is okay to take a break, allowing your body and mind to relax unwind and heal.
When you are overtaxed and running on empty, massage can help you recharge and restore your energy and creativity and bring you back to the present moment where contentment is always present.
Visit their Lucky Me profile page here
Posted by luckyme -One of the coolest and also quirkiest places for massage in Dublin 2 has to be the Harvest Moon Centre on Baggot Street. I've been going there for years and given lots of people vouchers for here and they have gone on to become quite devoted fans of the place. The treatments are awesome ... -
Faye Dinsmore is both a Trinity Student and an IMG International model.Brains and Beauty are obviously her's and here she shared her thoughts on health and wellness.How did you first become interested in wellness?
I grew up with an incredibly healthy and balanced lifestyle without even realising it. For instance my mother never cooked a 'ready meal' in her life. I grew up on a farm so we had a lot of our own vegetables, our own meat, chickens for eggs, that sort of thing, anything else from the local shop. There is such a huge emphasis on 'organic' 'natural' 'free-range' foods these days, as if they are a kind of luxury when I grew up not knowing anything else, but the problem is they are expensive to buy. Not to stray away from the question on wellness, but at the end of the day everybody knows if you eat crap you end up feeling like crap.
How did you get interested in natural beauty products? Why are they important to you?I have pretty sensitive skin and sometimes working on a shoot wearing heavy make-up all day everyday can leave my skin really gross by the time I take it all off. I met a few make-up artists who used only natural products and I really noticed a difference in how my skin looked after a day of wearing natural products compared to the less chemical-free ones.
What is your daily beauty routine?It's pretty basic really!
I'm a big fan of MDFormulations cleanser, then I use 100% Argan Oil as moisturiser. To take make-up off I use Bioderma Creline H20. This is officially the best make-up remover in the world, ever. It will take off anything is so gently on your skin. You can only get it in France though.
What natural products do you love?My Argan Oil moisturiser!
It's incredible that it's an oil but leaves absolutely no oily residue on your skin. I have a friend who gets it for me in Morocco. Argan oil has become pretty popular recently and it's in lots of beauty products but this is the only 100% I know of.
Is organic important?Yes it's important and in an ideal world all our food would be organic.
Do you follow any specific diets? What's your eating like?I don't follow any diet but there is one thing I love, that's my green smoothie! It's a version of Kimberly Snyder's Glowing Green Smoothie.
I have it for breakfast whenever I can, it just gives you so much energy. Apart from that I generally eat whatever I want, I do avoid too much bread though. I would never buy anything that you just put in the microwave then eat it. The idea of that is just so weird to me!
Do you exercise regularly?Up until recently when I was just modelling and that was my only focus I used to do Bikram yoga almost everyday. When you work as an international model your body is your tool you have to look after it incredibly strictly. It's bullshit that models are naturally super-skinny. You either work your ass off at the gym or you eat nothing.
Now that I'm mostly a student again just cycling to and from college is enough for me! Plus I need to pack on some pounds for winter, like a polar bear, to keep out the cold.
Do you make any home beauty remedys?Sometimes when my hair was in bits, because fashion hairstylists are the most ruthless people you will ever meet, I'd mix up olive oil and egg as a overnight treatment. However I should say it takes forever to wash out though.
What's the most important thing about beauty your learned from your mother?I have learnt that you can be in your mid-60s and if you have never drank or smoked you can have beautiful skin. Unfortunately so far I have been doing both!
What perfume do you use?I just ran out of JPG La Femme, not sure what I'll go for next...maybe Marc Jacobs "Daisy” because it is such a pretty bottle.
Are there any alternative treatments you regularly get?I had my feet eaten by fish once. My feet are not the prettiest, a combination of ill fitting shoes on shoots and shows and I like to be barefoot as much as possible. The therapist actually said I needed the extra hungry fish to do my feet!
Do you have any favorite nail salons/hairdressers or spas at home or abroad?I love love love having MD Facials with Lorna at Queen Beauty Emporium on Aungier St. I've been going there for years and would sometimes fly back for a weekend from London or Paris just to go see her.
What's next for you?Going home for Christmas!
Then maybe to the Alps snowboarding in the new year before I start back at college. After my end of year exams at the end of April, I think I'm going to go to Everest Basecamp on this charity trip my sister is organising.
You can check out Faye's great site at http://blog.fayedinsmore.com/
and join the masses and "like' her on Facebook here http://www.facebook.com/FayeDinsmoreFanPage
Posted by luckyme -Faye Dinsmore is both a Trinity Student and an IMG International model. Brains and Beauty are obviously her's and here she shared her thoughts on health and wellness. How did you first become interested in wellness? I grew up with an incredibly healthy and balanced...