mental health

Mental health and psychology are essential in life extension and leading a healthy and happy life.

The Mantra of Making
Funny how a random conversation with a fellow knitter turned into a comparison of the unexpected similarities between the mechanics of knitting in the round and how to use prayer beads.
By Kara Gott Warner9 years ago in Longevity
Get Out of Bed
Ideally, the only reason why a healthy person should take to their bed is because what he or she has in mind cannot comfortably be undertaken by standing up. Bed is a superb place to sleep and have sex. What bed is bad for is rest and recuperation. Even though bed is still commonly prescribed for a cold, flu, or other minor ailments, hospitals continue to use a bed as the standard convalescing piece of equipment. There is reason to regard it as a positive hindrance to a speedy recovery.
By David McCleary9 years ago in Longevity
How Meditation Can Change Your Life, According to Science
Most people’s vision of mediation is a guru seated lotus style on a peaceful mountaintop, but there’s way more to it than that. Scientists and doctors are starting to catch on that mindfulness can be a powerful tool for healing. Even if you’re not a big fan of “woo” type stuff like massage or essential oils, you can’t deny actual medical studies that say that meditation changes the structure of your brain (1). It’s also a proven thing that there’s a connection between the brain and body, and that changes to our brain chemistry affect how our bodies work. With that, it’s really not a stretch to think that meditation can heal your body.
By AC Glover9 years ago in Longevity
How the Wisdom of Confucius Can Help You Be Less of a Jerk
I’m sure you’re a pretty nice person. I like to think that I am too. But sometimes I let myself justify getting pretty snippy with the customer service rep - like it’s her fault that Comcast is stupid. Other times I find myself muttering under my breath when my kids eat graham crackers in my unmade bed, or I let a friend’s Facebook post piss me off for the rest of the day. Nobody’s perfect, but if you feel your inner Hulk bursting out in a rage every time the wind doesn’t blow your way, it might be time to try walking a more peaceful path. Let the Great Sage (aka Confucius) help you get there. He’s famous for little snippets of wisdom that can sound like they came out of a fortune cookie - until you look deeper. Sometimes a simple phrase can help you see things differently and make keeping your cool a little easier. Feel free to scrawl any of these on a post-it note or make them the background on your lock screen. If they really change your life, they might even make it onto a canvas you can look at every night as you fall asleep. Hopefully, you’ll be sleeping more peacefully when you’re treating others in a way that makes you both feel great.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Longevity
Depression
“I ate too much. I’m depressed.”“Damn, he didn’t answer my text. Now I’m depressed.”“The store already closed, I’m depressed!”
By Alexa Curtis9 years ago in Longevity
Five Free Things You Can Do To Be Healthier and Happier Now
When I say “free” I am assuming that you have a source of clean drinking water and the internet. If you don’t have those things (at least the water), your potential for health and happiness are probably pretty limited (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs comes to mind). But if you DO have those things, and you’re feeling miserable and lonely and dehydrated and achy, it’s worth taking a few simple steps to care for yourself. The term “self-care” is bandied about a lot on the internet these days, and sometimes suggestions for achieving it are unrealistic. Not everyone can afford a massage; not everyone can see a therapist. Those things can be wonderfully helpful for different people, but you’ve got to start where you are. Here are my top five favorite free, stay-at-home things to do when you're down.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Longevity
Ways to Meditate While Running
What would you say if I told you meditation doesn’t have to involve lotus position, sitting on a cushion, or even being quiet—that there are actually ways to meditate while running?
By Alicia Springer9 years ago in Longevity
What is Hatha Yoga?
While exercise fads sweep the country yearly, encouraging intelligent people to do the strangest things, there is one exercise system that has maintained an enthusiastic following for over 6,000 years: hatha yoga. This system employs techniques western physiotherapists are still just exploring: the stimulation of internal organs, nerves, and muscles through a number of unique postures combined with deep rhythmic breathing. The exercises evolved from the yogic belief that no man is healthy unless his heart, lungs, liver, nerves, eyes, glands, hearing and so forth are functioning correctly. A man with well developed muscles is not necessarily healthy — he can easily succumb to a kidney or nerve ailment. Consequently, the ancient yoga postures were devised to stimulate individual organ and nerve groups. A healthy mind relies on a healthy body.
By Izzy Erlich9 years ago in Longevity
24 Hours in a Buddhist Monastery
The revered Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh once said, “You don’t have to make any effort during walking meditation, because it is enjoyable. You are there, body and mind together. You are fully alive, fully present in the here and the now. With every step, you touch the wonders of life that are in you and around you. When you walk like that, every step brings healing. Every step brings peace and joy, because every step is a miracle.” Sounds pretty good, right?
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Longevity
What is a Slip of The Mind?
I am always confusing my children’s names. There are three of them. At first I thought I was suffering from early dementia. Literally I would have to say all three names before I got it right. Their names had slipped my mind. Mostly when they were relentlessly asking me the same thing over and over again until they got their way.
By Wendy Weedler9 years ago in Longevity
The Most Gorgeous California Yoga Retreats
Breathe. Stretch. Unwind. Whether you're hoping to become a certified yoga instructor at an intensive two-week program or just relax on a weekend getaway, a yoga retreat is probably the perfect thing - and sunny California is the perfect place. You can camp out in tents and sleeping bags or revel in a luxurious room complete with an organic mattress and breakfast in your room. And when you're not in warrior pose, you can fuel yourself with healthy, fresh (usually vegetarian) meals that will help you feel amazing. At many locations, daily hour-long massages are also included - ohhhhhh yeah. If that's not enough to put you into a complete state of bliss, you can wander over to the hot tub or hot springs and soak away your remaining woes. What are you waiting for? Grab your mat and book your retreat right away - most are filled up a year in advance.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Longevity
Why Tai Chi? The Best Reasons to Begin
Imagine yourself standing on on the bank of a calmly flowing river, your mind clear, your body moving with grace and purpose through the space around you. Feel more relaxed already? If you’ve never tried the ancient practice of tai chi, maybe it’s time to begin. Some call it “meditation in motion”, while the Harvard Women’s Health Watch calls it “medication in motion,” but whatever your spiritual and physical state, chances are the low-impact, slow motion exercises of tai chi can improve them. It’s not just for your grandma, either; many young people enjoy the way that tai chi helps them slow down their frantic pace long enough to be mindful of the beauty around them. Here are some of the best reasons to try this ancient practice and find greater peace each day.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Longevity