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Monthly Archive for: 'March, 2023'
The Power of Meditation

The Power of Meditation

Meditation is an ancient practice, anchored in world religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Practicing meditation trains your mind to focus on your awareness in the moment. It allows you to observe and release your thoughts to quiet the mind. Regular practice of mediation has benefits for both your mental and physical health. Studies have shown that a consistent practice of meditation for 8 weeks may reduce anxiety, stress and depression. Research suggests that mediation has been linked to improvements for those that suffer from chronic disease and inflammation. Meditation can also lower the stress hormone cortisol, helping decrease belly fat. 

I begin my mornings with a daily meditation practice. I find a sense of calm and strength within my practice. It sets me up for a day of mindfulness, kindness and gratitude before navigating the many moving parts of my day. Having a daily meditation practice grounds me to stay balanced throughout my day. I encourage you to try one of the following ways to meditate to find your calm. Three basic methods of mediation are focusing on your breath, observing your thoughts, and body scanning.

Focusing on breath is a Buddhist tradition that allows you to turn your attention away from any one particular thought. Taking deep inhales, followed by long exhales taps in to your para sympathetic nervous system and brings a sense of calm. I enjoy repeating a mantra or positive affirmation as I breathe in and out. A favorite of mine is “I am happy. I am healthy. I am safe. I live a life with ease.”

Observing thoughts is when you notice a thought, label it, and let it pass without reacting to it. Many people assume meditation means clearing the mind completely, but having thoughts arise is natural and following this technique allows you to distance yourself from these thoughts while breathing in and out. For example, if a deadline is on your mind, rather than worrying about what you need to do to complete this deadline, acknowledge the deadline then release the thought without reacting to it.

Body scanning is a method of shifting your focus from the thoughts in your mind to your body. Place your focus on one specific area of your body, and then you gradually scan through the different parts of your body. Breathe deeply into areas of your body to release tension where you feel holding or tightness. You may start with scanning at the crown of your head, then work your way down to your face, neck, shoulders, arms, fingers, core, legs, and toes. Body scanning is a great modality to use before bed when laying down. 

A BASIC MEDITATION  PRACTICE

Find a quiet space to sit comfortably in a cross-legged position. This can be on the floor on a pillow, blanket or block, sitting up against a wall, or sitting in a chair with your feet resting flat on the floor. Position your hands in either a mudra (sacred hand gesture), resting your hands on your knees with palms up or down,  or place hands in your lap. Close your eyes, or look down at the tip of your nose, focus on your breath without trying to change it. Notice the sensation of air moving in and out of your nostrils and mouth. When your mind starts to wander, notice your thoughts and then release them, come back to your breath. Start with a 5 minute daily meditation practice and over time increase your minutes. 

If you are looking for additional ways to achieve a Zen state through mediation but are having trouble with your own practice there are many guided meditations available. I personally like to follow the guided meditations via Peloton. There are many meditation apps available offering free and paid options such as headspace, calm, insight timer, and breathwrk. These apps can also be useful for those that would like to mediate on their commute to and from work. Please know you can reach out to me with any questions for more support with your meditation practice. Namaste. 

 

Vitamin D and it’s importance for your overall health

Vitamin D and it’s importance for your overall health

The optimal source of Vitamin D is from the sun, also coined the “sunshine vitamin”. The amount you receive from the sun depends on the time of day, season, latitude and your skin pigmentation. For example, during the winter months depending on where you live, your vitamin D production may be reduced or absent. This also applies for those of us that apply sunscreen regularly to prevent cancer, sunscreen may also decrease the production of vitamin D. If you do not get enough vitamin D from sunlight or dietary sources, you may need to to include a vitamin D supplement. Speak to your primary care physician about taking a simple blood test to check your vitamin D level. Your PCP may also guide you on the dosage of a vitamin D supplement you should take. Vitamin D is considered safe when taken in the appropriate doses, however taking too much of this supplement can be harmful. This is because it’s a fat soluble vitamin vs a water soluble vitamin, meaning D does not dissolve in water and is stored in your fat tissue. When shopping for a supplement choose D3 with K2, the presence of K2 helps to ensure the calcium transported by the vitamin D is absorbed by it’s bones where needed.

Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating mood and decreases risk of depression. For those of us who suffer from mood changes or depression, you may benefit from a light therapy lamp that produces UVB exposure. Studies have shown exposure to lamps that produce UVB radiation are an excellent source for producing vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D is a micronutrient your body needs for building and maintaining healthy bones, an insufficient amount is connected with osteoporosis. This is because your body can only absorb calcium when vitamin D is present. Vitamin D also helps to facilitate normal function of the immune system. When I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis, I had low levels of vitamin D. Over the years to improve my vitamin D levels I aim to get outside daily in the sunshine for at least 30-60 minutes and take a daily vitamin D supplement. Recently, I have been incorporating more fatty fish in my diet to achieve higher D levels. It is important to pair healthy fats such as ghee, coconut oil, nuts with your food source for best absorption of vitamin D.

Symptoms of low vitamin D may present as tiredness, depression, aches & pains, muscle pain or weakness, and stress fractures. A combination of sunlight exposure, proper dietary sources and a vitamin D supplement should get your body on track to achieve a level of vitamin D in the acceptable range, 40-60 ng/ml. Reach out to your PCP if you are not sure of your vitamin D level, put on your list to get that checked out at your earliest convenience. Get outside and enjoy that beautiful sunshine!

Reach out to Alison for support with your health journey!