Ed and Deb Shapiro: More Benefits Of Meditation: Boost Your Self Esteem

Ed and Deb Shapiro: More Benefits Of Meditation: Boost Your Self Esteem

We may all have had times we've been put down, undermined, when our belief in ourselves is shaken, questioned or threatened, or when we feel we're simply not good enough. Such self-doubt can lead to hopelessness, inferiority, even depression. A lack of self-esteem is demeaning and just not an easy feeling.

The Dalai Lama met with a group of Western psychotherapists, and he asked them what was the most common issue that their patients came to see them about. They were unified in their response: a lack of self-esteem. Apparently the Dalai Lama found this quite hard to believe, as self-esteem is not a known problem in Tibet. We talked to one of his translators, now living with his wife and child in London. Tashi told us that children growing up in Tibet would be welcomed and loved by the whole village, which he found very different to the way children are raised in our more nuclear-oriented family culture.

We watched as an eager young television reporter from CNN asked the Dalai Lama what was the first thing he thought of when he awoke in the morning. We thought that the world's most famous meditator would say something deeply profound or insightful, something along the lines of vowing to save the world from its own ignorance. Instead, the Dalai Lama simply replied, "Shaping motivation." He said that we all, including himself, have to be vigilant so that our intentions are focused in the right direction, and how shaping his motivation on a daily basis reminds him to extend loving kindness and compassion to all others. Such motivation takes us beyond ourselves so that we are not limited by a lack of confidence or self-esteem.

There are two very specific ways that meditation can help us to transform a lack of self-esteem into inner confidence, self-acceptance and self-belief.

Firstly, it enables us to meet, greet, and make friends with ourselves. We get to know who we are and to accept and embrace ourselves just as we are. We soon find that our doubts, insecurities or fears are really only superficial as we begin to connect with a deeper place of trust, dignity and self-worth.

Secondly, as we bring acceptance and loving kindness to all aspects of ourselves, we may surprisingly uncover a deeper belief that we do not deserve to be happy, that we do not believe we are good enough -- a sort of unconscious built-in self-destruction clause. But we can invite kindness into that self-negation and lack of self-esteem until such uncertainty dissolves into love.

Meditation awakens us to the interconnection between every one of us, that we are not alone here. Rather, we are each a part of this wondrous planet together, and the more we extend ourselves with kindness the less we will be focused on our own limitations. Discovering our inter-connection takes us from a place of self-centeredness to other-centeredness. The Dalai Lama says kindness is his religion. You can read more in our book, Be The Change, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World.

Loving Self Meditation

Find a comfortable and upright place to sit. Take a few deep breaths and watch the flow of your breath as it enters and leaves.

Bring your focus to your heart, and as you breathe in feel as if your heart is opening and softening; as you breathe out, release any tension or resistance.

Now bring into your heart either an image of yourself or repeat your name and hold yourself in your heart, tenderly and gently. Silently repeat, "May I be freed from self-doubt, may I be happy, may all things go well for me."

Keep breathing into your heart, holding yourself with love, and repeating the words. This will generate a deep loving kindness and appreciation for yourself.

When you are ready, take a deep breath and let it go. Then go about your day with a caring heart and a smile on your lips.

Does your self-esteem need a boost? Do comment below. You can receive notice of our blogs every Thursday by checking Become a Fan at the top.

Your Body Speaks Your Mind A four-week webinar (online course) with Ed and Deb Shapiro, to learn how repressed, denied, or ignored thoughts and feelings are linked to specific body parts and illness. Starts Sept. 12, but you can join in and download classes anytime

Meditation: The Best Friend You Will Ever Have A four-week webinar (online course) with Ed and Deb Shapiro on discovering the greatest friend you could have: meditation. You can join in and download classes anytime. A free introduction on Sept. 20 and a four-week webinar starting Sept. 27.

See our award-winning book: BE THE CHANGE, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World, forewords by the Dalai Lama and Robert Thurman, with contributors Jack Kornfield, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Byron Katie and many others.

Deb is the author of the award-winning YOUR BODY SPEAKS YOUR MIND, Decoding the Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Messages That Underlie Illness.

Our three meditation CDs: Metta -- Loving kindness and Forgiveness; Samadhi -- Breath Awareness and Insight; and Yoga Nidra -- Inner Conscious Relaxation, are available at: www.EdandDebShapiro.com.

For more by Ed and Deb Shapiro, click here.

For more on meditation, click here.

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

20 Ways To Help Reduce Cancer Risk

20 Ways To Help Reduce Cancer Risk

Each year, 300 of every 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with some form of cancer, according to the latest statistics.

And with the disease affecting so many families, it's no wonder that so many of us are interested in doing whatever we can to avoid a diagnosis.

So when Whole Living teamed up to create an all-digital issue of their magazine, focusing entirely on ways to promote cancer-free living, we wanted to help get the word out. Read on for the first 20 tips and then click over to read the rest on their dedicated site. Each click will raise money for cancer research, so you can protect those around you at the same time as you're learning how to protect yourself.

• Cheer The Blues

  In terms of antioxidant power, fresh blueberries are stars, with high concentrations of anthocyanins, which may curb cancer cell proliferation.

• Put On The Kettle

  White and green tea contain EGCG, a plant chemical and antioxidant that may protect cell health.

• Add Some Zing

  Ginger may reduce the risk of colon cancer by quelling inflammation in the digestive tract.

• Have A Salad -- In A Glass

  Kale contains isothiocyanates, which help purge the body of carcinogens, and apples appear to have anticancer effects on the colon.

• Get Strolling

  A brisk, daily 30-minute walk can improve sleep and energy and potentially reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer.

• Enjoy Downward Dog

  Yoga may relieve stress and strengthen the immune system.

• Take A Family Health Snapshot

  Sit down with your oldest relatives and ask about your family health history. This can be helpful in determining which diseases to be screened for and how often.

• Decide How To Be Nudged

  The <a href="http://nationalbreastcancer.org/edp/" target="_hplink">National Breast Cancer Foundation's early detection plan</a> is one of many that lets you choose how to receive your mammogram reminders; options include e-mail, text and calendar updates.

• Acknowledge Emotions

  Cancer can affect mental health as well as physical health. When you meet with your oncologist, be sure to bring up any mood issues.

• Don't Wait To Exhale

  Breathe out. Now in. A daily five-minute session of slow, measured breathing can help counter the negative effects that stress has on physical and emotional health.

• Focus On Fiber

  Oats are a good source of fiber, which, in addition to helping the body eliminate toxins, can ward off hunger by keeping blood sugar levels steady and making the body feel fuller longer.

• Embrace Coffee

  Regular consumption is associated with a lower risk of basal cell skin cancer.

• Go Organic

  Blueberries are one of the most heavily sprayed fruits, so it's best to choose pesticide-free whenever possible.

• Tart It Up

  Blackberries, cranberries and cherries are rich in the antioxidant compounds anthocyanins, which may slow the growth of certain cancers.

• Tuck Into Green

  Broccoli is a source of compounds called indoles, which have inhibited cancer growth in lab studies.

• Have A Hot Plate

  Red pepper flakes contain capsaicin, which can damage cancer cells by attacking their energy source without hurting healthy cells nearby.

• Roll Out The Red

  Tomatoes contain lycopene, which may reduce the risk of lung and stomach cancers.

• Preheat The Oven

  Our bodies get more cancer-fighting lycopene from cooked tomatoes than from raw ones.

• Grab Some Good Eggs

  In addition to boasting proteins and essential lipids, eggs contain antioxidant properties that may help prevent cancer.

• Try Turmeric

  The golden-hued Indian spice gets its color from a pigment called curcumin, which is also an antioxidant that fights inflammation.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Dr. Michael J. Breus: This Is Your Immune System On Sleep Deprivation

Dr. Michael J. Breus: This Is Your Immune System On Sleep Deprivation

You've probably heard about how significant a role stress is believed to play in the development of illness and disease. The immune system, the body's defense system against infection and disease, is weakened and undermined by the physical effects of stress. The result is an increased risk for all types of illness. If you've ever come down with a cold or the flu after a particularly stressful period -- think exam-time or a family crisis -- then you've experienced this firsthand. The long-term effects of stress on the immune system include a heightened risk of serious disease.

Here's some sobering and important news: New research indicates that lack of sleep can be as damaging to the immune system as stress.

An international team of scientists from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom examined the immune response of 15 healthy men under conditions of highly regulated sleep and also under conditions of severe sleep deprivation. What they discovered was a significant disruption to the normal functioning of immune system white blood cells when the men were deprived of sleep. This cellular response to sleep deprivation "directly mirrored the body's stress response," according to a member of the research team and the study's lead author.

The 15 adult men, all of whom were under the age of 30 and in good health, were put on a highly-regimented sleep schedule for one full week. This included a nightly eight hours of sleep, and early-in-the-day exposure to sunlight -- 15 minutes of outdoor light exposure within 90 minutes of waking. During the last three days of the week, the men consumed no caffeine or alcohol, and they were prohibited from using any medication. This schedule helped to diminish any sleep deprivation that existed among the men and also to strengthen and regulate their circadian clocks.

After this sleeping week was completed, researchers measured and analyzed the numbers and functioning levels of the men's white blood cells. (White blood cells are one of the major cell types of the immune system.) The men were then subjected to a period of extreme sleep deprivation, staying awake for 29 straight hours without any sleep. Researchers again measured white blood cell activity after this period of prolonged sleep deprivation. They found that white blood cell counts rose significantly after sleep deprivation, particularly a type of white blood cell called granulocytes, one of the most common and important cells in the immune system. This spike in white cell count from sleep deprivation essentially mimicked the physical response the body undergoes during episodes of stress, when white cell counts surge in a "fight-or-flight" type of stress response.

There's a substantial body of evidence that stress weakens the immune system and makes us vulnerable to infection and disease -- everything from a sniffly nose or a cough and cold to serious and chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. This relationship between psychological distress and physical illness is at the heart of the mind-body relationship that has received so much attention -- deservedly so -- in recent decades.

We've also known for some time of a relationship between sleep and a healthy immune system, and the damage that a lack of sleep can have. Previous research has established links between sleep deprivation and immune function:

• There's a significant body of research to show that immune function is tied closely to the body's 24-hour circadian clock. When sleep is deprived, this cycle is weakened and disrupted, and the immune system suffers.
• Many studies -- including the current one -- use exposure to extreme sleep deprivation to identify and analyze sleep-related disruptions to the immune system. But this research showed that even mild sleep deprivation was associated with deterioration in immune function.
• The impact of even a few nights of disrupted sleep on immune function can linger even after sleep levels have improved. This study found disruptions to immune function after just two nights of full sleep deprivation, or four nights of partial sleep deprivation. Researchers continued to monitor immune function during a sleep recovery period. They found that while some cells involved in immune activity returned to their normal levels after several nights of recovery sleep, other immune system cells did not.

This new study, by linking the physical response of sleep deprivation to that of stress, brings additional clarity and also urgency to our understanding of just how dangerous sleep deprivation can be to our body's most basic defense system.

We continue to hear a lot about how important it is to manage stress in order to live a healthy life. Turns out, it is every bit as important to manage sleep.

Sweet Dreams,
Michael J. Breus, PhD
The Sleep Doctor™
www.thesleepdoctor.com

The Sleep Doctor's Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep

Everything you do, you do better with a good night's sleep™
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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com