How to Feel Awesome in 4 Easy Steps: Exercise, Tai Chi, Meditation and Yoga

Do you ever feel stressed, anxious, depressed, or in pain? Do you ever wish you could feel happier, more confident, more energetic, and smarter? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this blog post is for you. In this blog post, I’m going to share with you how exercise, tai chi, meditation, and yoga can help you improve your mental health and well-being. These are four simple and fun ways to boost your mood, energy, and brain power in no time. And you don’t need to spend a fortune or a lot of time to do them. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it’s not. In fact, there is plenty of scientific evidence to back up these claims. And I’m going to show you how you can start practicing these mind-body techniques today. So keep reading and discover how to feel awesome with exercise, tai chi, meditation, and yoga.

Mental health is a vital aspect of our well-being, but it can be affected by various factors such as stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and chronic pain. Fortunately, there are some effective ways to improve our mental health and cope with these challenges. In this blog post, we will explore how exercise, tai chi, meditation, and yoga can help us achieve a better state of mind and body.

Exercise

Exercise is one of the most well-known and widely recommended ways to enhance our physical and mental health. It can help us:

Release endorphins, the natural chemicals that make us feel good and reduce pain
Improve our mood and self-esteem
Reduce stress and anxiety
Prevent or treat depression
Improve our sleep quality and energy levels
Boost our cognitive abilities and memory
Protect our brain from aging and neurodegenerative diseases

The best part is that exercise does not have to be strenuous or time-consuming to be beneficial. Even moderate activities such as walking, cycling, swimming, or dancing can have positive effects on our mental health. The key is to find something that we enjoy and do it regularly.

Tai Chi

Tai chi is a form of exercise that originated in China as a martial art. It involves slow and graceful movements that are coordinated with breathing and mental focus. Tai Chi can help us:

Relieve stress and anxiety by calming our mind and body
Improve our mood and mental well-being by enhancing our self-awareness and emotional regulation
Increase our flexibility, balance, and mobility by strengthening our muscles and joints
Boost our cognitive abilities by improving our attention, concentration, and memory
Manage chronic pain by reducing inflammation and improving blood circulation

Tai chi can be easily adapted for anyone, regardless of age or fitness level. It can be practiced indoors or outdoors, alone or with others. There are many styles and forms of tai chi to choose from, depending on our preferences and goals.

Meditation

Meditation is a practice that involves focusing our attention on a single object, such as our breath, a word, a sound, or a sensation. It can help us:

Relieve stress and anxiety by lowering our heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels
Improve our mood and mental health by increasing our happiness, gratitude, and compassion
Enhance our cognitive function by sharpening our attention, creativity, and problem-solving skills
Prevent or treat depression by reducing negative thoughts and emotions
Improve our sleep quality by relaxing our mind and body

Meditation can be done anywhere, anytime, and for any duration. It does not require any special equipment or training. All we need is a comfortable position, a quiet environment, and an open mind.

Yoga

Yoga is a discipline that combines physical poses, breathing techniques, and meditation. It can help us:

Relieve stress and anxiety by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation
Improve our mood and mental health by stimulating the production of serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin, which are neurotransmitters that regulate our emotions
Increase our flexibility, strength, and endurance by stretching and toning our muscles
Boost our cognitive abilities by improving our blood flow to the brain
Manage chronic pain by releasing tension and improving posture

Yoga can be practiced by anyone, regardless of age or fitness level. There are many types and styles of yoga to suit different needs and preferences. Some of the most popular ones include Hatha yoga, Vinyasa yoga, Bikram yoga, and Yin yoga.

Conclusion

Exercise, tai chi, meditation, and yoga are all powerful ways to improve our mental health and well-being. They can help us cope with stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and chronic pain. They can also enhance our mood, self-esteem, cognitive function, and sleep quality. By incorporating these practices into our daily routine, we can achieve a more balanced and harmonious state of mind and body.

Ray Barbier

Some Related Links to help you on Your Journey

May 12, 2023

Aloha: The Secret to Health, Happiness and Harmony in Hawaiian Healing

Discover the Secrets of Hawaiian Healing

Have you ever wondered how the Hawaiians manage to stay healthy and happy in their tropical paradise? The answer lies in their ancient healing tradition that has been handed down for centuries. In this blog post, you will learn some of the secrets of Hawaiian healing and how you can use them to improve your own well-being.

What is Hawaiian Healing?

Hawaiian healing is based on the principle that everything is connected and that we are all part of a bigger whole. The Hawaiians call this principle aloha, which means love, compassion, and harmony. Aloha is not just a word that they use to greet or say goodbye, but a way of living in balance with themselves, others, and nature.

Hawaiian healing also acknowledges that there are different levels of reality: the physical, the mental, the emotional, and the spiritual. Each level influences the others, so to heal one level, you need to heal all levels. The Hawaiians use various methods and techniques to address each level and restore harmony and health.

What are some Hawaiian Healing Methods?

One of the most famous Hawaiian healing methods is La‘au Lapa‘au, which means medicinal healing. This method involves using plants from around the island and in neighboring forests to treat various ailments and diseases. Most Hawaiian medicinal plants are foods that have additional curative properties. Healers view food as medicine, along with fresh, clean air and water.

Another Hawaiian healing method is Lomilomi, which means massage. This method involves using gentle strokes and stretches to relax and heal the body. Lomilomi also incorporates the use of warm stones and implements like a wooden spatula or a coconut shell to stimulate blood flow and release tension.

A third Hawaiian healing method is Ho’oponopono, which means to make right. This method involves using four simple phrases to clear and heal any negative emotions or thoughts that may be affecting your relationships with yourself or others. The four phrases are:

I am sorry
Please forgive me
Thank you
I love you

By repeating these phrases sincerely and with intention, you can release any resentment, guilt, anger, or fear that may be blocking your happiness and health.

How can you practice Hawaiian Healing?

You don’t need to travel to Hawaii to practice Hawaiian healing. You can start by applying some of the principles and methods in your own life. Here are some suggestions:

Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables that are native to Hawaii or your own region. Some examples are pineapple, papaya, coconut, taro, sweet potato, and ginger.
Massage yourself or a loved one with coconut oil or another natural oil. Use gentle strokes and focus on the areas that need attention.
Practice Ho’oponopono whenever you feel upset or hurt by someone or something. Say the four phrases in your mind or out loud until you feel a sense of peace and relief.
Cultivate aloha in your daily life. Be kind, compassionate, and respectful to yourself and others. Appreciate the beauty and abundance of nature. Express gratitude for all that you have.

Hawaiian healing is a powerful way to heal your body, mind, and spirit. By following some of these tips, you can experience more health, happiness, and harmony in your life.

Thanks for reading!

If you want to learn more about Hawaiian healing, you can visit some of these websites:

James Kawainui – Native Hawaiian Healer | Ancient Wisdom: This website belongs to James Kawainui, a native Hawaiian healer, mentor, and spiritual strategist who comes from a lineage of healers, mystics, and priests. He offers online courses, consultations, and retreats on various aspects of Hawaiian healing.
Traditional Hawaiian Healing – Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi: This website belongs to Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi, a non-profit organization that provides health and wellness services to Native Hawaiians on Hawaiʻi island. They offer community workshops, classes, training, and consultations on traditional Hawaiian healing methods such as la’au lapa’au (herbal medicine), lomilomi (massage), ho’oponopono (conflict resolution), and more.
Traditional Healing – Nā Puʻuwai: This website belongs to Nā Puʻuwai, a non-profit organization that serves the Native Hawaiian community on Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi. They support the Kūpuna Council, a group of traditional healing masters who protect and perpetuate the Native Hawaiian healing knowledge, history, values, beliefs, and spirituality.

I hope you find these websites helpful and informative.

Ray Barbier

April 28, 2023

The Amazing Benefits of Yoga and Meditation for Your Mind and Body

How Yoga and Meditation Can Transform Your Health and Well-Being
Are you looking for some simple and effective ways to improve your health and well-being? If so, you might want to consider adding yoga and meditation to your daily routine. These ancient practices have been shown to have many benefits for both your mind and body, according to various scientific studies.

In this blog post, we will share some of the findings from these studies and explain how yoga and meditation can help you live a happier and healthier life. You will also learn how to get started with these practices and find the best style for you.

Yoga and meditation can boost your brain power
One of the benefits of yoga and meditation is that they can enhance your cognitive abilities, such as memory, learning, reasoning, and decision-making. A Harvard Health article reports that yoga may counteract age-related declines in memory and other cognitive skills. Research also shows that yoga and meditation may improve executive functions, such as reaction time and accuracy on tests of mental acuity.

This means that by practicing yoga and meditation regularly, you can keep your brain sharp and prevent cognitive decline as you age. You can also improve your performance at work, school, or any other activity that requires mental focus and clarity.

Yoga and meditation can reduce stress and anxiety
Another benefit of yoga and meditation is that they can help you cope with stress and anxiety, which are common problems in today’s fast-paced world. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) has a clinical digest for health professionals that summarizes the scientific literature on yoga for health. The digest states that yoga may help with anxiety among children and adolescents.

Yoga and meditation can also help you relax and calm your mind by regulating your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and hormones. By doing so, you can lower your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that can cause inflammation, weight gain, insomnia, depression, and other health issues.

“Yoga is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, science of youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind and soul.” – Amit Ray

Yoga and meditation can strengthen your immune system
A third benefit of yoga and meditation is that they can boost your immune system and protect you from diseases. A study published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that yoga and meditation appear to have a positive effect on the central nervous system as well as the immune system. The study also found that yoga and meditation may improve the individuals’ overall sense of well-being.

Yoga and meditation can do this by increasing the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that promotes the survival and growth of nerve cells. BDNF is also involved in immune response, metabolic regulation, and resilience to stress. Additionally, yoga and meditation can modulate the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, which are involved in the functioning of the immune system.

How to get started with yoga and meditation
If you are interested in trying yoga and meditation for yourself, you might be wondering how to get started. The good news is that there are many resources available online or in your local community that can guide you through the basics of these practices.

You can find online videos, podcasts, apps, books, or courses that teach you how to do various yoga poses or meditations. You can also join a yoga studio or a meditation center where you can learn from experienced teachers and meet other like-minded people.

The most important thing is to find a style of yoga or meditation that suits your preferences, goals, and abilities. There are many types of yoga (such as Hatha, Vinyasa, Bikram, etc.) and meditation (such as mindfulness, mantra, transcendental, etc.) that you can choose from. You can also experiment with different durations, frequencies, times of day, or settings for your practice.

The bottom line is that yoga and meditation are powerful tools that can help you improve your health and well-being in many ways. By incorporating them into your daily routine, you can enjoy the benefits of these practices for years to come.

We hope you enjoyed this blog post and learned something new about yoga and meditation. If you did, please share it with your friends or leave us a comment below. We would love to hear from you!

Ray Barbier

March 30, 2023March 30, 2023

5 Health Benefits of Meditation: Why You Should Start Meditating Today

Meditation is a practice that has been around for thousands of years, and its popularity has been on the rise in recent times. While meditation was initially seen as a spiritual practice, it is now widely recognized for its numerous health benefits.

As someone who has been meditating for several years now, I can personally attest to the positive impact it has had on my overall health and well-being. In this blog post, I want to share with you some of the health benefits of meditation and why you should consider incorporating this practice into your daily routine.

Reduced Stress and Anxiety

One of the most well-known benefits of meditation is its ability to reduce stress and anxiety. Meditation helps you to focus on the present moment, letting go of any negative thoughts or worries about the future. It promotes a sense of calm and relaxation, which can help to lower your heart rate and blood pressure.

Improved Focus and Concentration

Meditation involves training your mind to focus on a particular object, such as your breath or a mantra. This practice can help to improve your concentration and focus, making it easier for you to stay on task and be more productive throughout the day.

Better Sleep

Meditation can also help to improve the quality of your sleep. It helps to calm your mind and reduce racing thoughts, making it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. Regular meditation can help to establish a healthy sleep routine, leading to better overall health and well-being.

Increased Self-Awareness

Meditation is a practice that involves being present and aware of your thoughts and feelings. It helps you to become more self-aware, which can lead to a better understanding of your own emotions and behaviors. This increased self-awareness can help you to make better decisions and improve your relationships with others.

Reduced Pain

Meditation has also been shown to help reduce chronic pain. By focusing your mind on something other than the pain, you can help to reduce the intensity of the pain and improve your overall quality of life.

In conclusion, meditation is a simple and effective way to improve your overall health and well-being. It can help to reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus and concentration, promote better sleep, increase self-awareness, and reduce chronic pain. Incorporating meditation into your daily routine doesn’t require a significant time commitment, and it can be done anywhere, making it a convenient practice to incorporate into your daily life. So why not give it a try? Your mind and body will thank you.

February 2, 2023

Dealing with low self-esteem

Here are some steps that may help to improve low self-esteem:

Challenge negative thoughts: Start by identifying negative self-talk and replace it with positive, more realistic affirmations.
Practice self-care: Engage in activities that bring you joy and help you feel good about yourself.
Set achievable goals: Accomplishing small tasks can boost confidence and help improve self-esteem.
Surround yourself with positive people: Seek out supportive friends and family members who will encourage and motivate you.
Seek professional help: A therapist can help you understand the root causes of low self-esteem and develop effective coping strategies.

Remember, improving self-esteem is a process and it may take time to see results, but with persistence and patience, it is possible to feel better about yourself.

Causes of low self-esteem

Low self-esteem can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

Childhood experiences: Traumatic or negative experiences during childhood can affect a person’s self-esteem.
Perfectionism: Holding oneself to unrealistic standards and constantly feeling like you fall short can lead to low self-esteem.
Social comparison: Constantly comparing oneself to others can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.
Mental health conditions: Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions can affect self-esteem.
Relationships: Negative relationships, such as abuse or bullying, can lower self-esteem.
Physical appearance: Society’s emphasis on physical appearance can lead to low self-esteem in people who feel they don’t meet certain standards.
Life events: Significant events, such as the loss of a loved one, divorce, or job loss, can lead to low self-esteem.

It’s important to understand that low self-esteem is a complex issue and there can be many different causes. A combination of factors may contribute to low self-esteem in an individual.

Meditation and Self Esteem

Meditation can be a helpful tool in improving self-esteem by:

Reducing stress and anxiety: By calming the mind, meditation can help reduce the negative impact of stress and anxiety on self-esteem.
Increasing self-awareness: Meditation can help increase self-awareness and help you identify negative thought patterns that may contribute to low self-esteem.
Boosting positive emotions: Regular meditation practice can help cultivate feelings of calm, peace, and joy, which can counteract negative emotions that may contribute to low self-esteem.
Improving self-compassion: Meditation can help increase self-compassion by promoting a kind and non-judgmental attitude towards oneself.
Enhancing focus and concentration: Meditation can improve cognitive abilities such as focus and concentration, leading to improved self-confidence and self-esteem.

It’s important to remember that meditation is just one tool that can help improve self-esteem, and it may take time and consistent practice to see results. It’s also important to seek out additional resources, such as therapy or support groups, if necessary.

Visualization and Self-esteem

Visualization is a technique that involves creating mental images to help achieve a desired outcome. It can be a helpful tool in improving self-esteem by:

Boosting confidence: Visualizing yourself successfully accomplishing a task can help increase self-confidence and improve self-esteem.
Changing negative thought patterns: Visualizing a positive outcome can help replace negative thoughts and beliefs with positive, empowering ones.
Building resilience: Visualizing yourself overcoming obstacles and challenges can help build resilience and improve self-esteem.
Improving self-image: Visualizing yourself as confident and capable can help improve your self-image and increase self-esteem.
Enhancing motivation: Visualizing your desired outcome can help increase motivation and drive to achieve your goals, which can help improve self-esteem.

Visualization is a tool that can be used in conjunction with other self-esteem-building techniques, such as positive affirmations, self-care, and goal setting. It’s important to remember that visualization is just one tool and consistent effort and practice may be needed to see results.

Diet and self-esteem

Diet can have an impact on self-esteem by affecting physical and mental health. Here are some ways diet can impact self-esteem:

Physical appearance: A well-balanced diet that provides essential nutrients can improve physical appearance, leading to increased self-esteem.
Energy levels: A balanced diet that provides sufficient nutrients can help improve energy levels, which can enhance feelings of well-being and boost self-esteem.
Mental health: Certain nutrients, such as Omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins, are important for brain health and can impact mental health, including self-esteem.
Body image: Negative body image can impact self-esteem, and an unhealthy relationship with food, such as disordered eating, can exacerbate these feelings.

It’s important to note that a healthy diet is just one aspect of overall physical and mental well-being, and it’s important to address any underlying issues contributing to low self-esteem through additional self-care practices and seeking professional help if needed.

Conclusion

In conclusion, low self-esteem can have a significant impact on one’s life and well-being. Improving self-esteem requires a holistic approach, including a combination of self-care practices, goal setting, and seeking support from others. Meditation, visualization, and diet can all play a role in improving self-esteem, but it’s important to remember that each individual’s experience and the journey is unique. If low self-esteem persists or interferes with daily life, it’s recommended to seek help from a mental health professional.

Here are some books that can be helpful for individuals looking to improve their self-esteem:

“The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem” by Nathaniel Branden
“Self-Esteem: A Proven Program of Cognitive Techniques for Assessing, Improving, and Maintaining Your Self-Esteem” by Matthew McKay, Patrick Fanning, and Kim Paleg
“Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” by Susan Jeffers
“Mind Over Mood” by Dennis Greenberger and Christine Padesky
“The Confidence Gap: A Guide to Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt” by Russ Harris

It’s important to remember that self-help books can be a useful tool, but they should not replace professional help for individuals experiencing persistent low self-esteem or other mental health issues. It’s always a good idea to consult a mental health professional for personalized advice and treatment.

January 11, 2023

Dovestar’s Ramblings 1/11/2023

Classical Music, something we all were exposed to in one way or another, has a very calming effect on one’s mind and body. I grew up listening to rock and roll and pop music as well, but as I grow older I have found myself listening to classical music more and more. The more I listen to classical music, the more I can see the complexity of the musical pieces and how it helps the mind destress along with how it seems to relax the body. I have noticed that it even has some effect on my heart rate and blood pressure to a small degree.

Music in general is therapeutic to both the mind and body, some research has been done on how music affects our body and our state of mind. One study suggested that different genres of music have different effects on longevity, classical music was one of the genres that seemed to increase one’s lifespan and rock seemed to have the opposite effect. How accurate such a study could be is somewhat questionable due to so many other factors that could skew the results. But it is nice to think that listening to music of any genre could increase one’s lifespan.

Other studies looked at how music affected one’s ability to heal. Here is an article on Harvard health

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/healing-through-music-201511058556

It gives some examples of how music can aid in healing and aid during operations and also links to some Music therapy programs.

Regardless of the possible health benefits, classical music is something everyone could enjoy if they were to give it a try. there is a lot of free downloadable classical music that is either public domain or creative commons on websites such as Jamendo and the Internet Archive. Some other genres I frequently listen to are the Jazz and Blues Genres and on occasions, I listen to Electronic music genres.

Just remember there is more out there than your usual musical genre preference and it is good to venture out from your comfort zone when it comes to music and art.

Be good to one another and live life with compassion in your heart and understanding in your mind.

Ray Barbier

November 14, 2022November 14, 2022

What is inflammation? Two immunologists explain how the body responds to everything from stings to vaccination and why it sometimes goes wrong

Insect bites or stings, like the one on this person’s hand, are a manifestation of inflammation. Suthep Wongkhad/EyeEm via Getty Images

Prakash Nagarkatti, University of South Carolina and Mitzi Nagarkatti, University of South Carolina

When your body fights off an infection, you develop a fever. If you have arthritis, your joints will hurt. If a bee stings your hand, your hand will swell up and become stiff. These are all manifestations of inflammation occurring in the body.

We are two immunologists who study how the immune system reacts during infections, vaccination and autoimmune diseases where the body starts attacking itself.

While inflammation is commonly associated with the pain of an injury or the many diseases it can cause, it is an important part of the normal immune response. The problems arise when this normally helpful function overreacts or overstays its welcome.

An image showing many small white cells swarming a larger sphere. — Inflammation is a process in which antibody-producing cells – like the large beige cell on the left of this image – rush to the site of an infection to attack an invader, such as the flu virus in yellow. Juan Gaertner/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

What is inflammation?

Generally speaking, the term inflammation refers to all activities of the immune system that occur where the body is trying to fight off potential or real infections, clear toxic molecules or recover from physical injury. There are five classic physical signs of acute inflammation: heat, pain, redness, swelling and loss of function. Low-grade inflammation might not even produce noticeable symptoms, but the underlying cellular process is the same.

Take a bee sting, for example. The immune system is like a military unit with a wide range of tools in its arsenal. After sensing the toxins, bacteria and physical damage from the sting, the immune system deploys various types of immune cells to the site of the sting. These include T cells, B cells, macrophages and neutrophils, among other cells.

The B cells produce antibodies. Those antibodies can kill any bacteria in the wound and neutralize toxins from the sting. Macrophages and neutrophils engulf bacteria and destroy them. T cells don’t produce antibodies, but kill any virus-infected cell to prevent viral spread.

Additionally, these immune cells produce hundreds of types of molecules called cytokines – otherwise known as mediators – that help fight threats and repair harm to the body. But just like in a military attack, inflammation comes with collateral damage.

The mediators that help kill bacteria also kill some healthy cells. Other similar mediating molecules cause blood vessels to leak, leading to accumulation of fluid and influx of more immune cells.

This collateral damage is the reason you develop swelling, redness and pain around a bee sting or after getting a flu shot. Once the immune system clears an infection or foreign invader – whether the toxin in a bee sting or a chemical from the environment – different parts of the inflammatory response take over and help repair the damaged tissue.

After a few days, your body will neutralize the poison from the sting, eliminate any bacteria that got inside and heal any tissue that was harmed.

A diagram of a man showing two airways, one open and the other more constricted. — Asthma is caused by inflammation that leads to swelling and a narrowing of airways in the lungs, as seen in the right cutaway in this image. BruceBlaus/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Inflammation as a cause of disease

Inflammation is a double-edged sword. It is critical for fighting infections and repairing damaged tissue, but when inflammation occurs for the wrong reasons or becomes chronic, the damage it causes can be harmful.

Allergies, for example, develop when the immune system mistakenly recognizes innocuous substances – like peanuts or pollen – as dangerous. The harm can be minor, like itchy skin, or dangerous if someone’s throat closes up.

Chronic inflammation damages tissues over time and can lead to many noninfectious clinical disorders, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, obesity, diabetes and some types of cancers.

The immune system can sometimes mistake one’s own organs and tissues for invaders, leading to inflammation throughout the body or in specific areas. This self-targeted inflammation is what causes the symptoms of autoimmune diseases such as lupus and arthritis.

Another cause of chronic inflammation that researchers like us are currently studying is defects in the mechanisms that curtail inflammation after the body clears an infection.

While inflammation mostly plays out at a cellular level in the body, it is far from a simple mechanism that happens in isolation. Stress, diet and nutrition, as well as genetic and environmental factors, have all been shown to regulate inflammation in some way.

There is still a lot to be learned about what leads to harmful forms of inflammation, but a healthy diet and avoiding stress can go a long way toward helping maintain the delicate balance between a strong immune response and harmful chronic inflammation.

Prakash Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina and Mitzi Nagarkatti, Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

May 26, 2022May 26, 2022

What is monkeypox? A microbiologist explains what’s known about this smallpox cousin

_{^{Monkeypox causes lesions that resemble pus-filled blisters, which eventually scab over. CDC/Getty Images}}

Rodney E. Rohde, Texas State University

On May 18, 2022, Massachusetts health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a single case of monkeypox in a patient who had recently traveled to Canada. Cases have also been reported in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Monkeypox isn’t a new disease. The first confirmed human case was in 1970, when the virus was isolated from a child suspected of having smallpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Monkeypox is unlikely to cause another pandemic, but with COVID-19 top of mind, fear of another major outbreak is understandable. Though rare and usually mild, monkeypox can still potentially cause severe illness. Health officials are concerned that more cases will arise with increased travel.

I’m a researcher who has worked in public health and medical laboratories for over three decades, especially in the realm of diseases with animal origins. What exactly is happening in the current outbreak, and what does history tell us about monkeypox?

A cousin of smallpox

Monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to a subset of the Poxviridae family of viruses called Orthopoxvirus. This subset includes the smallpox, vaccinia and cowpox viruses. While an animal reservoir for monkeypox virus is unknown, African rodents are suspected to play a part in transmission. The monkeypox virus has only been isolated twice from an animal in nature. Diagnostic testing for monkeypox is currently only available at Laboratory Response Network labs in the U.S. and globally.

The name “monkeypox” comes from the first documented cases of the illness in animals in 1958, when two outbreaks occurred in monkeys kept for research. However, the virus did not jump from monkeys to humans, nor are monkeys major carriers of the disease.

Electron microscope view of monkeypox, showing oval-shaped, mature virus particles and spherical, immature virions — Monkeypox belongs to the Poxviridae family of viruses, which includes smallpox. CDC/ Cynthia S. Goldsmith

Epidemiology

Since the first reported human case, monkeypox has been found in several other central and western African countries, with the majority of infections in the DRC. Cases outside of Africa have been linked to international travel or imported animals, including in the U.S. and elsewhere.

The first reported cases of monkeypox in the U.S. was in 2003, from an outbreak in Texas linked to a shipment of animals from Ghana. There were also travel-associated cases in November and July 2021 in Maryland.

Because monkeypox is closely related to smallpox, the smallpox vaccine can provide protection against infection from both viruses. Since smallpox was officially eradicated, however, routine smallpox vaccinations for the U.S. general population were stopped in 1972. Because of this, monkeypox has been appearing increasingly in unvaccinated people.

Person getting temperature tested at airport — Indonesia began screening travelers after a monkeypox case was reported in Singapore in May 2019. Jepayona Delita/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Transmission

The virus can be transmitted through contact with an infected person or animal or contaminated surfaces. Typically, the virus enters the body through broken skin, inhalation or the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose or mouth. Researchers believe that human-to-human transmission is mostly through inhalation of large respiratory droplets rather than direct contact with bodily fluids or indirect contact through clothes. Human-to-human transmission rates for monkeypox have been limited.

Health officials are worried the virus may currently be spreading undetected through community transmission, possibly through a new mechanism or route. Where and how infections are occurring are still under investigation.

Signs and symptoms

After the virus enters the body, it starts to replicate and spread through the body via the bloodstream. Symptoms usually don’t appear until one to two weeks after infection.

Monkeypox produces smallpox-like skin lesions, but symptoms are usually milder than those of smallpox. Flu-like symptoms are common initially, ranging from fever and headache to shortness of breath. One to 10 days later, a rash can appear on the extremities, head or torso that eventually turns into blisters filled with pus. Overall, symptoms usually last for two to four weeks, while skin lesions usually scab over in 14 to 21 days.

While monkeypox is rare and usually non-fatal, one version of the disease kills around 10% of infected people. The form of the virus currently circulating is thought to be milder, with a fatality rate of less than 1%.

Vaccines and treatments

Treatment for monkeypox is primarily focused on relieving symptoms. According to the CDC, no treatments are available to cure monkeypox infection. https://www.youtube.com/embed/yqUFy-t4MlQ?wmode=transparent&start=0 Because smallpox is closely related to monkeypox, the smallpox vaccine can protect against both diseases.

Evidence suggests that the smallpox vaccine can help prevent monkeypox infections and decrease the severity of the symptoms. One vaccine known as Imvamune or Imvanex is licensed in the U.S. to prevent monkeypox and smallpox.

Vaccination after exposure to the virus may also help decrease chances of severe illness. The CDC currently recommends smallpox vaccination only in people who have been or are likely to be exposed to monkeypox. Immunocompromised people are at high risk.

Rodney E. Rohde, Regents’ Professor of Clinical Laboratory Science, Texas State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

March 7, 2022

There is much more to mindfulness than the popular media hype

Have the benefits of meditation been overhyped in the West? FatCamera/E+ via Getty Images

Pierce Salguero, Penn State

Mindfulness is seemingly everywhere these days. A Google search I conducted in January 2022 for the term “mindfulness” resulted in almost 3 billion hits. The practice is now routinely offered in workplaces, schools, psychologists’ offices and hospitals all across the country.

Most of the public enthusiasm for mindfulness stems from the reputation it has for reducing stress. But scholars and researchers who work on mindfulness, and the Buddhist tradition itself, paint a more complex picture than does the popular media.

Medicalizing meditation

Mindfulness originated in the Buddhist practice of “anapana-sati,” a Sanskrit phrase that means “awareness of breath.” Buddhist historian Erik Braun has traced the origins of the contemporary popularity of meditation to colonial Burma – modern-day Myanmar – in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Meditation, which was practiced almost exclusively inside monasteries until then, was introduced to the general public in a simplified format that was easier to learn.

The gradual spread of meditation from that time to the present is a surprisingly complex story.

In the U.S., meditation first started to be practiced among diverse communities of spiritual seekers as early as the 19th century. It was adopted by professional psychotherapists in the early 20th century. By the 21st century, it had become a mass-marketing phenomenon promoted by celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra and Gwyneth Paltrow.

The process of translating the Buddhist practice of meditation across cultural divides transformed the practice in significant ways. Modern meditation often has different goals and priorities than traditional Buddhist meditation. It tends to focus on stress reduction, mental health or concrete benefits in daily life instead of spiritual development, liberation or enlightenment.

A pivotal moment in this transformation was the creation of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) protocol by Jon Kabat-Zinn, a professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, in 1979. The stress reduction program introduced a standardized way of teaching meditation to patients so that its health benefits could be more rigorously measured by scientists.

Research on this new kind of “medicalized” mindfulness began to gather steam in the past two decades. As of today there are over 21,000 research articles on mindfulness in the National Library of Medicine’s online database — two and a half times as many articles as have been published on yoga, tai chi and reiki combined.

Scientific evidence vs. mindfulness hype

Medical researchers themselves have had a far more measured opinion about the benefits of meditation than the popular press.

For example, a 2019 meta-analysis, which is a review of many individual scientific studies, pointed out that the evidence for the benefits of mindfulness and other meditation-based interventions has “significant limitations” and that the research has “methodological shortcomings.”

Based on their review of the scientific literature, the authors warned against falling prey to “mindfulness hype.” On the positive side, they found various forms of meditation to be more or less comparable to the conventional therapies currently used to treat depression, anxiety, chronic pain and substance use. On the other hand, they concluded that more evidence is needed before any strong claims can be made regarding treatment of conditions such as attention disorders, PTSD, dysregulated eating or serious mental illnesses.

More troubling, some researchers are even beginning to suggest that a certain percentage of patients may experience negative side effects from the practice of meditation, including increased anxiety, depression or, in extreme cases, even psychosis. While the causes of these side effects are not yet fully understood, it is evident that for some patients, therapeutic meditation is far from the panacea it is often made out to be.

Putting mindfulness back into context

As a historian of the relationship between Buddhism and medicine, I argue that mindfulness can be a beneficial practice for many people, but that we should understand the broader context in which it developed and has been practiced for centuries. Mindfulness is one small part of a diverse range of healing techniques and perspectives the Buddhist tradition has developed and maintained over many centuries.

Buddhist monks in orange robes praying — Mindfulness is one small part of the healing techniques forwarded by Buddhism. FredFroese/iStock / Getty Images Plus

In a recent book, I have traced the global history of the many ways that the religion has contributed to the development of medicine over the past 2,400 years or so. Buddhist tradition advocates countless contemplations, devotional practices, herbal remedies, dietary advice and ways of synchronizing the human body with the environment and the seasons, all of which are related to healing.

These ideas and practices are enormously influential around the world as well as in Buddhist communities in the U.S. Such interventions have been particularly visible during the COVID-19 pandemic – for example, through the medical charity of major international Buddhist organizations as well as through health advice given by high-profile monastics such as the Dalai Lama.

Buddhism has always had a lot to say about health. But perhaps the most significant of its many contributions is its teaching that our physical and mental well-being are intricately intertwined – not only with each other, but also with the health and vitality of all living beings.

Medicalized meditation is now a self-help commodity that generates over US$1 billion per year, leading some critics to label it “McMindfulness.” But placing mindfulness back into a Buddhist ethical context shows that it is not enough to simply meditate to reduce our own stress or to more effectively navigate the challenges of the modern world.

As I argue in my most recent book, Buddhist ethics asks us to look up from our meditation cushions and to look out beyond our individual selves. It asks us to appreciate how everything is interconnected and how our actions and choices influence our lives, our society and the environment. The emphasis, even while healing ourselves, is always on becoming agents of compassion, healing and well-being for the whole.

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Pierce Salguero, Associate Professor of Asian History & Religious Studies, Penn State

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

March 7, 2022

Can religion and faith combat eco-despair?

There’s a growing belief that teachings from religious faiths belong in the discussion around environmental protection. ImagineGolf/E+/Getty Images

Rita D. Sherma, Graduate Theological Union

Scientists regularly study the ongoing degradation of Earth’s environment and track the changes wrought by a warming planet. Economists warn that intensifying disasters are harming people’s quality of life. And policymakers focus on crafting rules to diminish the health and environmental effects of humanity’s growing footprint.

What is the role of philosophers and people of faith in this bigger discussion around the environment and sustainability? Rita D. Sherma is co-chair of a research initiative aimed at bringing the beliefs of religion, spirituality, and ethics to the study of sustainability. Here she explains the core ideas behind “green spirituality,” how religion and environmental protection are closely intertwined and the role faith can play in restoring hope amid the drumbeat of discouraging environmental news.

What is green spirituality?

Green spirituality is an orientation to the divine, or supreme reality, that is grounded in our experience of life on planet Earth. It respects the miracle of life on this planet and recognizes our relationship with it. Such a spirituality can have God or the divine as the focus, or it can be oriented toward the Earth and its ecosystems for those outside of organized religion. It encourages a contemplative and harmonious relationship with the Earth.

Green spirituality seeks to harness the spiritual traditions of the world to energize the effort to restore planetary ecosystems and stop future harm. https://www.youtube.com/embed/d42L4hVJmrA?wmode=transparent&start=0 The rights of nature movement wants to give sacred rivers the same legal protections as people.

Why do spiritual and religious teachings belong as part of the global conversation on the environment?

First, 80% of the world’s population practices an established religion or a spiritual tradition that offers community, support, and resources for resilience.

Second, as I have written in my new book on religion and sustainability, better technology will help human communities restore ecosystems. More and better data, such as computations to forecast disasters, will also be helpful. But both are inadequate in the face of human denial and recalcitrance.

In my book, I write: “Planetary survival is now predicated upon the alignment of our notions of both human and ecological rights with our highest principles. As such, ways of knowing that are embedded in religion, philosophy, spiritual ethics, moral traditions, and a culture that values the community and the commons – as an essential resource for the transformation necessary for environmental regeneration and renewal – are indispensable.” In other words, people on Earth need to tap into the ways of thinking from these faith traditions to address the environmental crises we face now.

Can faith and religion help counter rising eco-anxiety?

Catastrophic wildfires across the planet, extreme weather patterns that destroy homes and histories, degraded soil, toxic air, unsafe water, and the desecrated beauty of places we have loved are causing climate trauma and eco-anxiety. For those who are acutely aware of the cliff edge on which we stand as a species and as a planetary community, the despair evoked by the magnitude of the disaster is almost unbearable.

Religions, faiths, and spiritual practices can help in unique ways. In this space, people can find community, peaceful practices of meditation, prayer, embodied sacred actions that include rituals and liturgies, and a ‘long view’ informed by the tragedies and triumphs faced by spiritual ancestors. Faith can provide hope and resilience in the midst of crises.

How do different faith traditions treat respect for nature?

Religions may disagree on many things, but each contains philosophical or theological orientations that can be interpreted and applied in ways that protect the Earth.

Some traditions such as Hindu, Yogic, Indigenous and others see the self as a microcosm of macrocosm, or a part of the greater whole. And, a profound sacred immanence, or integral divine presence, is woven through their philosophies. For these spiritual traditions, religious practice integrates trees, flowers, sacred groves, sanctified terrains, rivers, mountains and elements of the entire ecosphere into liturgical and personal practice.

Christian ecotheology focuses on stewardship and the ethics of Earth justice. A well-known Muslim ecotheologian speaks of the Earth as a mosque in reference to a saying (hadith) of the prophet – which renders the entire Earth as sacrosanct. Jewish ecological thinkers have envisaged the idea of “Shomrei Adamah” (Keepers of the Earth), which connects humanity and the Earth through divine love.

Buddhism’s spiritual aim is the absolute awareness of interconnectedness and mutual causality. Ahimsa, or noninjury to living beings and the Earth, is the highest doctrinal principle in Hinduism and Buddhism, and it is intensely followed in Jainism.

How are organized religions putting environmental protection into practice?

Many initiatives and conversations are happening among religions, and among interreligious leadership and international bodies – most importantly, the United Nations initiatives.

Some important conversations include the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative, which brings the dedication, impact, and moral authority of different faiths to restore the world’s rainforests and help empower the Indigenous peoples who view themselves as their protectors. Greenfaith is a global, multireligious climate and environmental movement. I also serve on the advisory board of the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology, a pioneering international interreligious project at Yale University started by scholars Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim that ignited the academic field of religion and ecology as a global engaged force for the greening of religion.

How are environmental advocacy groups drawing in religion?

In 1985, the World Wildlife Fund established the U.K.-based Alliance of Religion and Conservation for developing partnerships with religious groups for collaborating on environmental protection. WWF’s Sacred Earth: Faiths for Conservation program collaborates with faith groups and religious communities who are committed to the view that the Earth is a sacred charge that demands the commitment of our care.

In November 2017, the U.N. “Environment Programme,” realizing the significance of religious communities as key actors, founded the Faith for Earth Initiative to engage with faith-based organizations as partners, at all levels, toward achieving the sustainable development goals and realizing the 2030 agenda. The initiative affirms that “Spiritual values drive individual behaviors for more than 80 percent of people.”

In fall 2020, the Parliament of the World’s Religions and the U.N. Environment Programme jointly published a book titled “Faith for Earth – A Call for Action,” which provides an overview of the diversity of religious principles and practices that support action for the protection of the Earth.

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Rita D. Sherma, Associate Professor of Dharma Studies, Graduate Theological Union

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.