Improving Mental Health Through Mindfulness Exercise

A video of a lecture given by Dr. Stuart Eisendrath, director of the UCSF Depression Center on "Staying in the Now: Maintaining Mental Health Through Mindfulness - Mindfulness Exercise."

The lecture is presented by the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine from February 2010 for UCTV for educational use only.




In this video lecture Dr. Stuart Eisendrath leads a mindfulness exercise as a technique for maintaining mental health.

The Meaning of Namasté

I found two different meanings of Namasté, a greeting, a blessing and a way of bidding others good by and good health.

The first is a shorter version:

I honor that place in you where the universe resides
And when I am in that place in me
and you are in that place in you
We are one.

The second, a bit longer version:

I honor the place in you
in which the entire universe dwells.
I honor the place in you
which is of live,
of truth, of light
and of peace.
When you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me,
we are one.

Namasté.
Go in health. Go in Peace. Go in Love.

Image: Modified Microsoft Clipart.

The Power of Sharing Namaste

The Hindu American Foundation brings you its first three minute short film as a reminder of the power of the Hindu greeting, Namaste ("The Divine within me bows to the Divine within you").

Namaste

Mindfulness, Stress Reduction and Healing with John Kabat-Zinn

Another Google TechTalk from Jon Kabot-Zinn this one on "Mindfulness, Stress Reduction and Healing" from March 8, 2007



In this talk Jon describes the revolution in medicine that has occurred over the past 30 years that has integrated the mind back into the body and developed a remarkable range of practices for integrating one's experience, reducing stress, healing the body, coping more effectively with emotions such as anxiety, anger, and depression, and cultivating greater well-being and happiness.

His work has been instrumental in bringing Buddhist meditative practices, as he likes to say, "without the Buddhism" to full acceptance within the mainstream of medicine, psychology, and health care, and has shown them to be effective in people suffering from a wide range of medical conditions.

Source: Kabot-Zinn J. 2007. Mindfulness with Jon Kabat-Zinn. Google Talks.

Open Heart Meditation

An Open Heart Meditation that was published on the Oprah.com website in June as part of the article, "Listen Up! Why Being in Your Heart is Better Than In Your Head."

This opening heart meditation comes from Ed and Deb Shapiro, authors of Be The Change, How Meditation Can Transform You and the World.

You may want to record the meditation so you can listen to the words and not focus on reading them.

Opening Heart Meditation

Settle your body in an upright and seated posture.
Bring your focus to the natural flow of your breath as it enters and leaves your body.
Just watch your breath as your mind settles.

Now bring your attention to the heart space in the center of your chest.
And just breathe in and out of this space.


With each in-breathe feel your heart gently opening and softening; with each out-breathe release any tension or resistance.

Silently repeat, "My heart is opening and softening."
You may experience great joy or even sadness.
Let the feelings come and go, while you just keep breathing into your heart space.

Stay here as long as you wish.
When you are ready, take a deep breath and let it go.
Gently open your eyes and take the peace of your heart with you through your day.


May you feel more peaceful after finishing this meditation.

Read more of the Listen Up! Why Being in Your Heart is Better Than In Your Head article at the Oprah.com website.

Source: Shapiro E. 2010. Listen Up! Why Being in Your Heart is Better Than In Your Head. Oprah.com

Image: Mary R. Vogt. Garden Fence. Morgue File Free Photo.

Quote for the Week - Living a Health Life

These wise words of advice on living a healthy life come from Roman encyclopedist, A. Cornelius Celsus:

Live in rooms full of light.
Avoid heavy food.
Be moderate in
the drinking of wine.
Take massage, baths,
exercise, and gymnastics.
Fight insomnia with
gentle rocking or
the sound of running water.
Change surroundings
and take long journeys.
Strictly avoid frightening ideas.
Indulge in
cheerful conversation
and amusements.
Listen to music.

A. Cornelius Celsus

25 BC-50 AD

Image: Gracey. Yellow Tulips. Morgue File Free Photo.

Autogenic Relaxation Exercise

An Autogenic Relaxation Exercise adapted from patient handout materials from the Ohio State University Medical Center, a designated National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center.

This Autogenic Relaxation Exercise is a beneficial way to help start the relaxation process.

Follow the directions below:

Repeat each of these phases 3 times, with a 15 second pause after each phase:

My arms and legs are heavy and warm.
My heartbeat is calm and regular.
My body breathes freely and easily.
My abdomen is warm.
My forehead is cool.
My mind is quiet and still.
I am at peace.

You can go on to customize your own version of the Autogenic Relaxation Exercise by writing out your own series of phrases, ones that resonate best with you. By generating your own phrases, you can create an exercise designed to work specifically for you.

Source: Autogenic Relaxation Exercise. Ohio State University Medical Center, a designated National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Image: bjearwicke. Toes in the Grass. Royalty Free Use.

Adenosine May be Missing Link to Explain Acupuncture Pain Relief

A new advanced online article published May 20, 2010 in the Nature Neuroscience journal is shedding some light on how acupuncture may work to relieve pain.

The article "Adenosine A1 receptors mediate local anti-nociceptive effects of acupuncture" written by researchers at the Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y.;  Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland have demonstrated that the neurotransmitter Adenosine may be the missing link in explaining how acupuncture needles relieve pain. Adenosine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, a neuromodulator with anti-nociceptive (pain) properties.

The Findings

Using a variety of different studies in mice, these researchers found that adenosine was released during acupuncture in mice and that its anti-nociceptive actions required adenosine A1 receptor expression. In one study direct injection of an adenosine A1 receptor agonist replicated the analgesic effect of acupuncture. In another, inhibition of enzymes involved in adenosine degradation potentiated the acupuncture-elicited increase in adenosine, as well as its anti-nociceptive (pain relieving) effect.

Their findings indicate that adenosine is the neurotransmitter responsible for the effects of acupuncture. Furthermore they discovered that interfering with adenosine metabolism (through inhibition of enzymes or other mechanisms) may help to prolong the clinical benefit of acupuncture.


Sources:

Nanna Goldman, Michael Chen, Takumi Fujita, Qiwu Xu, Weiguo Peng, Wei Liu, Tina K Jensen, Yong Pei, Fushun Wang, Xiaoning Han, Jiang-Fan Chen, Jurgen Schnermann, Takahiro Takano, Lane Bekar, Kim Tieu & Maiken Nedergaard. (2010) Adenosine A1 receptors mediate local anti-nociceptive effects of acupuncture. Nature Neuroscience. doi:10.1038/nn.2562. Published online 30 May 2010.

Emily Shon. May 31, 2010. Acupuncture Releases Natural Painkiller. Discovery News.

Karen Hopkin. May 30, 2010. Mechanism Points To Acupuncture Pain Relief. Scientific American Podcast Transcript.

Image: Thunderchild. Acupuncture Model. Creative Commons.