March 17, 2022

How To Reduce Stress And Subsequent Weight Gain?

Author By - Asmita Bhattacharjee Categories Depression exhaustion fitness health meditation mental health professional help psychotherapy therapy

The terms ‘stress’ and ‘anxiety’ are related to feelings of fear and dread. These emotions can be felt by individuals at several instances at different points in their lives. However, in certain cases, the fear or nervousness seems to persist. This leads to all the evils associated with stress and weight gain. Cortisol or the stress hormone is released during instances of intense fear when the body prepares itself to either face the situation and fight it or to find ways of escaping that situation. The cortisol leads to several changes in our body such as an increased level of insulin, slowing down the process of digestion, reducing the rate of metabolism, etc. Cortisol weight gain is the result of a series of occurrences inside our body. In this article, we’re going to talk about ways to reduce stress and weight gain. 

  •  Practicing Meditation 

 Meditation is an excellent way of soothing our mind and rejuvenating our body. Meditation is a method that can go a long way in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Following a proper routine and meditating every day can control the levels of cortisol secretion in our body and make us panic less during a crisis. Individuals have to make a conscious effort to stay calm through practice. 

  • Following A Healthy Diet 

Having well-cooked, healthy food is extremely important for dealing with stress and weight gain. The evil of binge eating can be controlled only by consuming healthy meals at definite intervals. The key is to keep consuming small portions at regular time durations without having a long gap between two meals. Having very long gaps can lead to overeating. 

  • Working Out  

Exercising cannot be done away with when it comes to cortisol weight gain. Working out acts as a catalyst in the process of weight loss and has to be incorporated along with a healthy diet. Spot reduction exercises need to be done regularly to reduce belly fat. The desired results can be achieved only through consistency. 

  • Cutting Down On Caffeine

Coffee lovers are going to find this quite difficult to follow but it has to be done if stress levels need to be kept in check. Caffeine hampers the sleep schedule and that is an absolute no-no during such instances. Coffee can be replaced by other healthy drinks such as green tea, lemonade, etc. 

  • Spending Quality Time With Loved Ones

Stress and anxiety can be curbed by getting the support of loved ones. What one needs the most during stressful times is the assurance of a loved one. Being around the people who make one happy can contribute a great deal towards their mental and physical well-being. Stress and weight gain go hand in hand and need to be dealt with, together. It’s true that these can often destroy healthy lifestyles but at the same time, it’s totally possible to come out of these issues with proper discipline. 

February 8, 2022

Chakra Meditation: 7 Chakras Of The Body

Author By - Carol Penn Categories chakra meditation fitness health meditation mental health
Chakra Meditation

The term ‘chakra’ refers to ‘wheel’ in Sanskrit and is a part of an energy system inside our bodies. There are a total of seven points in this system and each point is known as a chakra. Chakra meditation has its origin in ancient Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas. The chakras have been said to be shaped like lotuses and are connected with distinct chakra sounds. Namely, the seven important chakras are as follows. 

  • Muladhara (Root chakra)

This chakra is situated at the base of our spine and it helps to maintain inner peace and stability.

  • Svadhisthana (Sacral Chakra)

With an energetic function of regulating our desires and emotions, this one is located in our pelvis. 

  • Manipura (Solar plexus chakra)

Situated in our belly button, it provides us with the confidence we require to process things and let go of those that do not serve us a purpose.

  • Anahata (Heart chakra)

This one focusus on unconditional love and is located at the middle of our chest.

  •  Vishuddha (Throat chakra)

This chakra at the base of your throat is going to help you express yourself in the most authentic way.

  • Ajna (Third eye chakra)

Knowing ourselves is extremely important. You should strive to know yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually as well. This is exactly what this chakra located in the middle of your forehead helps in doing. 

  • Sahasrara (Crown chakra)

This point is at the top of our head and guides us in becoming a better version of ourselves by developing a connection with all and functioning in an enlightened manner. 

The objective of chakra meditation is to enhance your emotional awareness and to maintain mental balance. Your chakras need to open up and be in line with one another. If all your chakras are not aligned and in sync with one another, there might be some negative physical and emotional symptoms such as excessive sadness, fear, discomfort, headaches, digestive issues, etc. There are three distinct ways to go about chakra meditation. You can begin meditation on energy, meditation on chakra colors or meditation on a specific chakra.  

What Is Root Chakra Meditation?

Root chakra meditation is an example of meditation on an individual chakra for improving the emotional or physical areas that are associated with that particular point. When you opt for root chakra meditation, your focus would be to acquire chakra elements such as stability, security, and basic needs in general. You could also be targeting emotional requirements such as responsibility, and interconnection as well as basic needs such food, shelter, water, and safety. Whichever point you decide to focus on, your ultimate goal would be to ensure that your chakras are open, thereby allowing the free flow of energy throughout your body. This would lead to a strong and stable connection between your body and mind. 

January 19, 2022

The Most Effective Energy-Healing Techniques

Author By - Asmita Bhattacharjee Categories crystal healing energy healing methods health meditation pranic healing quantum healing reiki

Energy healing is an age-old method of natural healing that harmonizes physical, mental and emotional well-being aiming towards holistic personal health. Simplistically speaking, energy healing is most accurately an umbrella term, consisting of all those traditional techniques and processes that different communities have adapted through the years, for intimate and intricate cleansing and upholding and sustaining mental peace. 

Here are a few most effective energy-healing techniques:

  • Reiki

Reiki is a Japanese, pseudoscientific healing technique that has been in practice for quite some time now, parallelly along with conventional medicinal practices. The term “Reiki” can be broken down into “rei” meaning God’s wisdom and “ki or qi” meaning energy or universal life force. Reiki is considered an alternative form of medicine that makes use of hands, palms and finger patterns to stimulate the pressure points and transmit the energy of the universe into the human body, to initiate the processes of physical and mental well-being, including heart health.This “universal energy” although not having any scientific significance, has been proven beneficial to a number of followers and practitioners worldwide.

  •  Pranic Healing

Pranic Healing is an ancient technique which involves no tactile communication. It is a technique that encompasses transferring the healing powers of nature into the human body to cure illnesses as well as promote balance and harmony between the various spheres of life, including family, work, etcetera. Pranic Healing bridges the gap between holistic health and spirituality, aiding psychic and spiritual development with an esoteric approach. 

  • Crystal Healing

Crystal healing includes the use of precious stones and crystals to heal the self. It aims at cleansing and purifying the mind, body and soul, expelling toxins and negative energy. It calms and soothes the body with its characteristic patterns and motives that are exclusive to this technique and aid better metabolism. 

  • Quantum Healing

Quantum Healing is a healing technique that encompasses energy therapy, recreational therapy as well as music therapy. Quantum Healing helps to strengthen the immune system to keep illnesses at bay. It also stimulates the different energy points of the body for a better balance between the mind and body,which propels better thinking abilities and critical skills.

December 18, 2021

Techniques Of Zen Meditation

Author By - Debbie Gobin Categories fitness health meditation mental health therapy zen meditation
Meditation

Zen meditation is a branch of mediation that is associated with spirituality. In this form of meditation, one needs to be in sync with the authentic nature of his mind. It involves decoding the true powers of your mind. The purpose of this form of meditation is to clear the mind of evils such as anxiety and depression by providing you with the actual perspective of how the human mind functions. Zen meditation has originated from the Tang Dynasty of China that existed during the 7th century. It is a Buddhist practice but with time, it spread to several parts of Asia such Japan and Korea. “A special teaching transmission outside the teachings; not established upon words and letters; directly pointing to the human heartmind; seeing nature and becoming a Buddha” are the words of Bodhidharma, a Buddhist master while he described Zen meditation. It does not simply involve the reduction of stress and anxiety, but it is connected to the deeper questions of life that often have no solid answers. These questions are explored to find out the nature of the mind. Some techniques of Zen meditation are mentioned below. 

  • Silent Awareness 

A very important aspect of Zen mediation is to just let the mind be. This is called “shikantaza” in Japanese that refers to “just sitting”. In this practice, you would have to allow your mind to simply be a passage wherein thoughts flow in and out, instead of reacting to them. You would have to let the thoughts pass without any sort of judgements, either positive or negative. You would simply have to refrain from any sort of feeling. Your goal would be to be free of all judgements and practicing meditation. This is important if you want to know how clear your mind can truly be and how freely can it function. 

  • Observing The Breath 

You would be expected to sit on a cushion, chair or mat while you are performing this meditation. You would have to hold the Seiza pose, Burmese or half-lotus before channelizing all your energy on one particular aspect of the meditation process, namely, breathing. You would have to focus all your attention on your breathing and the completion of inhalation and exhalation with your belly playing an important role. The more accurate your effort is, the faster would you notice desirable results. The motive of this is to make your mind feel more alert and attentive, thus regulating your emotions better. 

December 14, 2021

3 Yoga Asanas For Beginners

Author By - Asmita Bhattacharjee Categories fitness health meditation power yoga restorative yoga yoga yoga asanas yoga poses
Tree Pose Or Vrkshasana

If you have just begun yoga, you would soon notice its benefits such as muscle balance, flexibility, etc, as well as the reduction of stress and anxiety. While there are several exercises and postures to begin with while you are starting out, in this article, we are going to talk about some common and popular exercises for beginners that are recommended by experts for a holistic development of your mind and body. Read along to know more!

  • Cat-Cow Asana

If you have issues with your lower back, chest or shoulders, the cat-cow asana is going to be extremely beneficial for you. It helps awaken the spine and get rid of back and shoulder ache. All you have to do is sit on your knees and hands, with the fingers rested wide apart. Your weight should be distributed evenly between your both hands. Next, take a deep breath and push your back upwards while bringing your chin towards your chest. You would be able to feel the stretch right from your neck muscles to the end of your spine. Complete the posture by exhaling and lowering your back gently to form the shape of a scoop. Your head should be tilted upwards before releasing it back. With regular practice, you are going to notice a considerable difference in the flexibility of your spine. 

  • Vrksasana or Tree Pose 

This is one of the most effective postures of yoga. Start by standing straight with your hands on your sides. Next, move your hands upwards and join them above your head to form the prayer position. Keep one leg stable and tilt the other leg upwards to rest your feet on the inner thigh of the fixed leg. Hold the position for about 30 seconds before repeating the same with your other leg. This is a great stretching exercise for your whole body. It would help stabilize your body and maintain body balance. 

  • Sukhasana

This is one of the easiest yet beneficial asanas for relieving your stress and refreshing you both physically and mentally. You would simply have to sit straight with your legs crossed. Place your hands on your knees, palms facing upwards. Next, close your eyes and do deep breathing. This is a very essential part of meditative yoga as well. You can start by holding the asana for a duration as short as 10 minutes. With time, you should extend the duration of the meditation for better results. This would have a positive impact on your body and mind as a whole.

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