Category Live Well | resveralife

March 9, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Use Muscle, Don't Lose It

We’ve all seen it. The celebrity weight transformations. A celebrity gets a role and that calls for an actor with a muscular physique and all of a sudden they’ve transformed into the “Incredible Hulk,” seemingly overnight, adding masses of muscle to their formerly moderate frames, only to slim down just as quickly to normal or even emaciated proportions depending on their next role. Of course they will openly discuss how they “bulked up” or “slimmed down” with tales of excessive carb, consumption and exhausting workouts or stories of food deprivation worthy of a homeless orphan.

However, while we are used to the seemingly impossible becoming commonplace in Hollywood, we hope for a more stable body weight for ourselves. When we build muscle, we generally hope to maintain it, but we need to use it to make sure we don’t lose it.

The Bad News
If you don’t start exercising now, your muscles will shrink by the time your are seventy. Two recent studies found that the atrophy of muscles previously though to be a normal part of aging is not inevitable.

One study used MRI snapshots to compare muscle mass in the mid thighs of athletes aged 40 to 81. Images revealed not much difference between the younger and older athletes and found very little decrease in mid thing muscles with age. In contrast, in healthy but sedentary 70 year old, the results were very different, showing a significant decrease in muscle mass.

Another study looked at the “motor units” of the leg muscles. Motor units are the basic units of the muscles, each of which is connected to a single neuron. It is believed the part of the general weakening that occurs with age is attributed to the atrophy of the motor units. The study revealed a close similarity in the number of motor units of 60 and 20 year old runners. However, this did not apply to the arm muscles, with older runners and non runners alike experiencing similar decline in the motor units of the arms.

Woman with prominent biceps

The Good News
The loss of muscle mass, also known as sarcopenia, can be managed with exercise. Exercise stimulates the release of hormones crucial to healthy muscle mass, such as the growth hormone, crucial to the mechano growth factor. Exercise can also prevent the loss of essential bone and muscle associated with aging.

Although aerobic exercise is great for the cardiovascular system and effective in keeping down fat levels, it is only mildly helpful in maintaining the lean body mass you already have. When it comes to the preserving and increasing lean mass, resistance training is the way to go. The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises strength training, such as using weights, machines, bands, and other devices to promote mobility, improve fitness, and increase bone density.

The Big Four For Muscle Building
Because your body is made primarily of “push and pull” muscles, it is important to focus on exercises that focus on those movements. The squat is a great whole body “push” exercise and should be coupled with a whole body “push-pull” like the deadlift, which incorporates core and lower body muscles. For the upper body, the bench press and barbell row are the two main lifts to incorporate into your strength training routine. Doing these will let you minimize finishing exercises for the abs and calves.

How are you using your muscles? Let us know! You’re looking great!

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February 27, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Improve Your Health With A Nice Office Plant

If you have seen “Little Shop Of Horrors” you may not be so enthusiastic about the idea of owning a plant. After all, the idea of a human blood- sucking Venus Flytrap with a mind of its own is not exactly the most encouraging image for the novice horticulturist. However, if you are not yet scarred for life by the image of your small table plant coming to life and crooning, “Feed me Seymour” in a funky baritone, you may not be completely adverse to the idea of becoming a parent to a beautiful bouncing office plant. And, if so, you may be among the fortunate individuals that can reap the health benefits of having such a plant on your office desk. Here are some of the reasons you should make your workplace a little greener.

Plants Improve Air Quality
Studies have shown plants can play an important role in improving indoor air quality. In 1973, environmental scientists found the swamp plants could actually eliminate Agent Orange from water samples and volatile organic compounds from the air. Additional research suggests that people recover from illnesses faster when surrounded by greenery.Plants Reduce Stress

Plants Reduce Stress
A State University Study at Surrey University in the UK confirmed beliefs that office plants can reduce stress. Participants in the study were asked to take a difficult exam. Half the participants did so in a plant-filled room, while the other half did not. Measurements taken afterward proved that the presence of plants eased stress for participants and that subjects recovered more quickly from stress in a plant-filled environment.

Woman holding plant

Plants Increase Productivity
With the reduction of stress comes the increase of productivity, research has found. A study published in the “Journal of Environmental Horticulture asked a group of workers to perform a simple task on a computer in a room filled with plants, while another group was asked to perform the same task in a plant- less room. Results showed a 12% increase in productivity in the workers who accomplished the task in the presence of plants. These workers also reported feeling 10% more attentive after completing the task than those tested without the horticulture.

Plants Make A Room More Comfortable
Although a thirty to sixty percent humidity is the range recommended for human health and comfort, many offices come up short of these numbers, especially during the winter and summer. Low humidity can lead to conditions increasing fatigue and respiratory discomfort. Findings by Washington Star University show that humidity rises significantly when plants are added to the environment, with one study demonstrating plants’ abilities to bring a room to the ideal range of comfort.

Plants Make You More Aware of the Environment
There’s nothing like a plant on your desk to keep you thinking about your eco-consciousness. Tending to a plant every day is a great reminder of how important it is to care about the earth. Let the shrubbery turn your thoughts to how you can add a few more eco-conscious habits to your workday, such as reducing paper and employing reusable products.

How has a plant added to your earth friendliness? Let us know why you keep a plant in your office for your mental and physical health.

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February 25, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Adult Bath Time Is Good For Stress

“The boss! The baby! The dog! That does it! Calgon! Take me away!” You may remember the classic 1970’s Calgon commercials. A woman comes home, the image of her angry cigar -smoking boss still fresh in her mind, her crying child and barking dog, still taunting her memory. It all melds into a spinning wheel of confusion; the woman throws up her hands in frustration.The scene changes. The same woman in a bath filled with Calgon bath bubbles. The soothing voiceover encouraging her to lose herself in luxury. The stress formerly seen in the woman’s face replaced by a blissful expression. She has found her escape.

For years, bath times have been viewed as a source of stress relief. The warm water, the soothing scent, all calling up a sense of comfort and intense relaxation. Are you more than ready to make your bath time into a tranquil escape from insanity? Here’s all you need to know about perfecting your adult bathing experience.

Set the Mood
You know lighting is a very important part of atmosphere. Ditch those regular wall lights and get experimental. Try some old fashioned candles or tea lights which you can strategically place all around your bathroom; just keep them away from the towels!

Crank Some Tunes
Music is a crucial element when it comes to relaxation, just make sure it’s something you like. You can get sassy with Beyonce or Adele, or go more traditional with some classical movement. If heavy metal is more your thing, just make sure you don’t rock all the water out of your bath!

Snacks
You can’t relax if your hungry and you sure don’t want to leave the bath to search through your kitchen, so make sure to have some of your favorite snacks on hand, just make sure your chips don’t end up floating next to your rubber ducky!

Temperature
The optimal temperature is an absolute must if you want to achieve bath time nirvana. 33.3 degrees celsius is the recommended water temperature; it should not exceed 38.3, which will be too hot and may leave you feeling drowsy.

Woman with red wine in bath

Red Wine
Red, red wine, it makes you feel so fine. Not only might you want to sip while you soak, but you may want to actually mix the wine with the bath water. It will not only smell great, but it will treat your skin to some beneficial antioxidant action.

Don’t Dehydrate
Just because you’re soaking in water, it doesn’t mean you are safe from dehydration. You might be surprised at the amount of perspiration a body can produce in a hot bath. Have a cool glass of water on hand and it may be useful to keep a flannel and jug of water close by so you can make yourself a cold compress if you start to feel sweaty.

Face Mask
While you’re pampering, why not apply a face mask? It will nourish and cleanse the skin on your face while the bath does the same to the skin on your body.

Self Massage
While your muscles are relaxing, you might as well address the problem spots. You can use a water proof ball resting it against a solid surface, while exerting pressure on it evenly. The water will help to control the degree of intensity you apply.

Bath Oils
The type of bath oils you chose may effect the type of benefits your bath can give. Lavender oil is known to encourage sleep and sandalwood oil can help relieve anxiety. Just add about ten drops when the bath is half full to allow even distribution and a sufficient amount of scent.

Support Your Head
The last thing you want is a stiff neck when you’re trying to relax. Fold up a couple of towel for a makeshift pillow.

How do you like your bathing experience? Do you have some anti-stress tips for us? We’d love to know!

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February 23, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

The Relationship Between Age and Weight

“Boy, he (she) got fat!” Definitely not the nicest thing to think about another person, but most probably a thought that has occurred to us at one time or another. Whether it was the girlfriend you used to sip wine coolers and eat endless amounts of Funyuns with, or the formerly gaunt singer of the eighties heavy metal band that you used to rock out to, age and weight seem to have a funny way of catching up to us at the same time. As if one of the two isn’t bad enough.

However, one just needs to look at aging supermodels, like Heidi Klum and Christie Brinkley to know that age and weight do not have to come as a package deal. Let’s take a closer look at the age/weight relationship and see if the two can be mutually exclusive.

Studies
As you age, the composition of your body changes. Metabolism and hormonal levels alter, impacting the degree and speed of fat accumulation. Generally, the greatest body weight is found in males and females in the 50-59 age group, and declines gradually after you hit 60. In the mid-seventies weight tends to increase again, followed by a small drop off.

A study of runners, ages 18-50 found that in the below 30 age group, most runners were moderately overweight, nearly 30% of the 45 to 49 age group exceeded their recommended weight.

Men Vs. Women
It seems that in the battle of the sexes, weight gain in regard to age is not exempt. Although the male sex is more likely to be overweight, women are more prone to obesity. Problem spots also differ. Whereas women tend to add on pounds on the hips and thighs before menopause, whereas the midsection is the more commonly problematic for men.

Women exercising

Weight Charts
According to most weight charts, the recommended weight for a woman of 5’6″ is between 117 and 143 pounds. A male of 5’11 has a recommended weight of 155 to 189 pounds. However, weight charts are usually broken down by height and gender without consideration for age, a factor you might want to consider in the evaluation of your weight and your weight loss goals.

Weight Loss Strategies
Although there is a correlation between age and weight gain, the good news is, it is believed that regular workouts can prevent the added pounds that can result from aging. However, it may get a little tougher. As you age, your body loses muscle, which means that you tend to burn fewer calories, which means you may want to increase your activity level. For example, you may want to extend a 30-minute workout to 40 minutes over time. Also, keep in mind that weight training plays a key role in muscle development and is directly related to the number of calories burned, and should be a key consideration in designing your workout routine.

Your diet is another important thing to consider as you age. The junk food and sugar that you metabolized so easily in your younger years will become more problematic as your metabolism slows. Keep your intake of calories at a moderate level and try to include vegetables, fruits, yogurt, and fish in your diet.

How do you keep active as you age? You’re looking especially young!

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February 18, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Kickstart Your Heart With These Cardio Staples

There is such a variety of exercise tapes available today, it is sometimes difficult to determine which ones are meant to be taken seriously. Since Joanna Rohrback created a sensation with her much spoofed “Prancercise” video, the health conscious public has been confused by an assortment of bizarre aerobic tapes ranging from the “Dixie Carter Country Hiphop Workout” to the “Japanese Poodle Workout” to the “Exorcise” video. With all this insanity, it is sometimes hard to define what is meant by cardiovascular exercise.

Cardiovascular exercises are so called because they improve the function of the heart, build muscle mass, and enhance consumption and transportation of oxygen. They also strengthen bones, increase joint support and improve cholesterol. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a weekly exercise routine consisting of 2 and a half hours of moderate cardiovascular activity or 75 minutes of more vigorous cardio per week. Here are some tried and true examples of cardiovascular staples to help kickstart your health.

In the Gym
The elliptical trainer, which features footpads that require a pedaling motion to operate. is one of the most comprehensive pieces of gym equipment for cardiovascular activity. This, along with the stairclimber and the treadmill, provide their users with opportunities to build endurance and lung capacity while toning the lower body and burning fat.
If instructed gym classes are more your speed, spinning, exercise dancing, and water aerobics are all challenging options. Looking for something more traditional? Step aerobics are an age old way to work the lower body, while jumping rope provides for full body workout, sharpening coordination and boosting lateral movement.

Couple running

Walking and Running
You can burn 180 calories by speed walking at moderate intensity for 30 minutes, while running can double that number. Although body weight can affect the number of calories burned while running, speed has little to do with cardiovascular benefits. Therefore, you can enjoy perks of lower blood pressure, decreased risk of heart attack, and increased lung capacity while still working at a relatively low intensity. However, more vigorous activity has the added benefits of greater calorie melts and metabolism boosts which can last for days after working out.

Sports
If you enjoy competitive sports, racquetball is considered the most heart healthy sport and can burn more than 400 calories in the course of a vigorous 30 minute game. Rowing, skiing and climbing follow hot on its heels, turning in similar figures. Swimming weighs in at a whopping 500 calorie burn in thirty minutes and is known to stimulate circulation, increase endurance and flexibility, and provide stress relief, while strengthening the heart.

Indoor and Outdoor Activities
Biking can be done outdoors or from the comfort of your home and can burn up to 500 calories in a period of 30 minutes. A hilly terrain can increase resistance outdoors for an even greater calorie burn and an increased test of stamina, while stationary bikes include manual intensity adjustments. Equipment free cardio options include unweighted squad, jumping jacks, lunges and squat jumps.

How do you like to kickstart your workout? Let us know how you get your 2 1/2 hours in. We love to hear it!

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February 14, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Add These Bodyweight Exercises To Your Routine

If you are a stunt enthusiast, you may have seen 25- year- old Scott Walker execute a handstand complete with leg extension on the edge of a 40 -foot high -rise in Shanghai without the use of a harness of safety gear. Likewise for the unnamed, but in no way less impressive YouTube star who demonstrated his skills by supporting his body weight with one hand on the edge of a Hong Kong skyscraper or perhaps you viewed the daring young man who showed off his penchant for body curls from a pole located 65 stories above the ground.

Body weight exercises are often celebrated for their ability to be done almost anywhere without the use of equipment. However, some take the interpretation of anywhere more literally than others. If you are one of the many who prefer your workout a little more down to earth, here are some exercises you can add to your routine without the risk of vertigo.

Bridge
Start in a sit -up position with hands behind the ears. Place palms downward with fingers pointed toward the legs. Push with the back and arm muscles until the body forms a lowercase ‘n’ shape with the spine convex and the limbs straight. You can increase the difficulty by entering the exercise from a standing position and gradually bending backward into the bridge.

4-Count Bodybuilder
Count 1: Drop to a squat from a standing position. Place hands on the floor. Count 2: Thrust legs back into push up position. Count 3: Return legs to squat position. Count 4: Return to standing position.

Woman doing seated dip

Seated Dip
Begin with feet on the floor, legs outstretched and hands placed on a level surface between waist and knee height. Straighten arms with shoulders above the hands and then lower the body until the arms are bent at a 90 -degree angle. Raise body into starting position.

L-sit
Sit in L- position, with the upper body perpendicular to the ground and the legs out straight and parallel to the ground. Place the hands beside the gluteus. Then use the arms and hands to push the entire body, legs included, upwards off the ground with the legs remaining parallel, creating isometric tension.

Lunge
Stand on a flat surface. Step forward with one leg and bend down until the knee is bent at a 90-degree angle. Bend the back knee so that it almost touches the ground. Return to the starting position by pushing back with front leg and stepping back to bring both feet together.

Rocking Chair
Begin in fully extended plank or push up position. Push body forward six to ten inches, keeping arms straight and then returning to the starting position.

Woman doing lunges outdoors

Shove Offs
Stand in front of an elevated surface with a ledge sturdy enough to bear your weight. Tilt your body forward with your hands and arms extended, holding your back and legs straight. Allow your body to continue to fall forward until you catch your weight on the elevated surface with your palms down and arms bent. Extend arms to push body into upright position.

Dive bomber
Place feet on ground a few inches apart, holding legs straight. Bend over at the waist, placing hands on the ground a few feet in front of the toes so that body forms an inverted ‘v.’ Swing chest and shoulders down in an arc so the chest almost touches the ground. The shoulders and head should be curved in as high an arc as possible, fully arching back, keeping head face forward with pelvis a few inches off the ground. Reverse the motion with shoulders and chest moving through the hands until the body is back at its starting point with arms in line with the back.

What body weight exercises do you do in unusual, or not so unusual places? Let us know how you stay in such great shape. We want to know!

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February 7, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Exercise Keeps Couples Together

When you think of things you want to do with your new partner, sweating like a pig in the gym is probably not on the top of your list. In fact, you probably would prefer to have your partner believe that you don’t work out at all, and that you’re just genetically flawless. After all, most of us would prefer to spare our potential love interests the less than attractive image of an ungraceful attempt to straighten our legs over our heads.

However, if the two of you are thinking of taking things to the next level with, eventually, you will have to reveal the fact that you do not possess a metabolism that allows you to eat like a horse while looking like a supermodel, and neither does your partner. In fact, you might even find yourselves adding exercise to your list of bonding activities. Here are some reasons you might want to include your significant other in your workout routine.

You’ll increase Your Happiness As A Couple
Studies show that couple who join in participation of physical activity, report greater satisfaction in their relationship. (Aron, Norman, Aron, and Heyman, 2000.) After all, exercise has positive effects, why not share them? According to a 2004 study, the physiological arousal of the activity, rather than the challenge, is conducive to attraction. Date night at the gym, anyone?

Improve Your Workouts
It is a long-held psychological belief that the mere presence of another person can affect your ability to accomplish an activity. A 1983 Bond and Titus study, shows that another person’s company can improve speed and energy output. However, if you are grappling with a new activity, you may want to leave your partner home, as they may hinder your ability to deal with more challenging tasks.

Couple running outdoors

Make Your Partner Fall For You
Exercise brings on the same symptoms as physiological arousal- accelerated pulse, shortness of breath, sweaty hands. It’s little wonder people tend to mistake physical arousal for romantic attraction. (Duton and Aron, 1974) Let’s call this a happy mistake, shall we?

Make It Easier To Achieve Fitness Goals
When your partner cares about your fitness, it makes it easier for you to care about yours. A 2013 study of couples showed that husbands who care about staying in shape are more likely to engage in physical activity when their wives offer supportive comments. (Skoyen, Blank, Corkery, and Butler.) Although joint participation in physical activity offers perfect context for such support, studies caution against heavy reliance on a partner when it comes to achieving personal fitness goals. According to Fitzsimons and Finkel, “outsourcing” mental effort needed to maintain fitness goal can decrease your own.

Strengthen Your Emotional Bond
Working out together can help you to coordinate with one another. You may notice you’re matching running paces or lifting weights in rhythm. This leads to “nonverbal mimicry.” (Stel and Vonk, 2010) Nonverbal mimicry helps partners become more attuned emotionally with one another and report feelings of ‘”bonding” with each other. Good for both of you individually and communally!

Tell us how you and your partner bond over workouts! We love to be inspired!

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February 4, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

Identifying The Root Causes of Pruritis

Generalized itching, also known as pruritus, can be maddening, perplexing, and even downright depressing. If you are suffering from annoying itchiness, here is some information on pruritus and its causes.

What is Pruritis?
Pruritus can be defined as profuse itchiness of the skin and is a relatively common disorder affecting 20-25% of the population at one time in their lives. The condition can be, but is usually not, accompanied by a rash and the itching can range from a minor itch to a very severe itch, capable of disrupting quality of life. “Acute pruritis” is the term used for pruritus lasting six weeks or less; while “chronic pruritus” is used to refer to cases which exceed a six-week duration. For the majority of cases, there is no identifiable cause. If the condition is chronic and no cause is found, the condition is termed “Idiopathic Chronic Pruritis.”

What are the Causes?
Itching can be caused by many things including allergic manifestation, a side effect of medication, an infection, a skin disorder, or a psychological disorder. It can also be caused by a systemic disease such as, a kidney problem, thyroid disease, a neurologic disease, a blood disorder, liver disease, or connective tissue disorder and malignancy; it can also be caused by pregnancy.

How Is Pruritis Diagnosed?
A board certified allergist should be able to ask the correct questions to discover the cause of pruritis. A detailed family history should be taken from the patient and a thorough physical examination should follow. The next steps may include laboratory tests such as urinalysis, X-rays, skin biopsies , patch tests, and stool samples.

How Is Pruritis Treated?
If a systemic disease is determined to be the root cause, the itching usually subsides after the disease is treated. If there is no identifiable cause, there are a number of treatment alternatives. Medications can be given to lessen or relieve itching. Oral medications are primarily used, but topical creams can also be successful. Medications are usually administered for one to two weeks, but more severe cases may require years of treatment. UV light therapy has also been used, although degrees of success vary.

If you suffer from generalized itching, it is recommend that you seek professional help in finding the cause. Even if no cause is found, you may be given something to reduce or completely relieve your itching. If you have struggled with pruritis, feel free to contact us and share your experience.

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February 2, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

What It Takes To Drop Two Dress Sizes

You just got an invite to your high school reunion. Great, right? You’ve stayed chummy with all your old friends through social media; now you’ll get some time to catch up face to face. There’s only one problem. The picture on your Facebook page is about two years old and you’ve gone up about two dress sizes since you took it. What are you going to do? You can’t possibly show up looking like you spent the last ten years channel surfing with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s! You need to drop two dress sizes and you need to start now! What can you do?
Well, Khloe Kardashian did it, Jennifer Hudson did it, and Oprah Winfrey did it, several times! Here’s what you need to do to drop two dress sizes in a few weeks time.

Eating
Leading naturopath Max Tomlinson says, “You need to be clever with your diet to see optimum results, especially within a relatively short time frame. Crash dieting or starvation will only lead to weight gain down the line,” These are some of the suggestions Max recommends:

Eat Regularly
If you skip meals, your body will store the food you eat rather than burning it as a source of energy. Regular eating will kick start your metabolism and help you lose weight. Breakfast is the most important meal for raising metabolic rate and ensuring that the body uses food effectively for the remainder of the day.

Control Portions
Try to reduce food intake by 45 percent. Try to consume 1,000 calories per day to lose weight without slowing metabolism.

What to Eat
Avoid empty calories and make sure to eat food that is nutrient rich. Plan a menu consisting of foods such as organic fish, eggs, poultry, lean meat, brown rice, quinoa and oats. Satisfy the RDA with two servings of fruit and three of vegetables, sticking to leafy greens and avoiding peas and sugar rich roots vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes.

What Not to Eat
Steer clear of junk food and saturated fats. Restrict dairy intake, or cut it out completely, and replace it with goat milk and soy cheese. Limit treats like cakes and chips and don’t drink too many fluids. Many people up their liquid intake when they diet, but water can be taxing on your kidneys causing poor digestion and bloating.

Training
Tomlinson says, “When you diet without exercise, at least half of your weight comes for lean body mass. (muscle and non-fat tissue.) This slows your metabolism, setting you up for weight regain as soon as you increase your food intake.” Here’s one of the exercises Tomlinson suggests for his celebrity clientele.

Pile Squats
Stand with your feet a hip-width apart with your feet turned out holding dumbbells in each hand with your palms facing inward. Put your weight on your heals and squat, curling arms to your shoulders and keeping your elbows tucked in. Hold squat, and push your arms up, locking your elbows. Lower arms and come out of squat. Repeat 20-30 times.

Let us know your tips for keeping slim and, if you ever dropped a dress size or two, we’d love to hear how you did it! Let us know!

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January 31, 2017 by Victoria Santalesa

What To Expect From A Transcendental Meditation Course

In the 1960’s an endorsement by the Beatles was priceless. Anything the Fab Four did was sure to be imitated by thousands of young adults around the country, becoming an overnight sensation. In the 1990’s the same could be said of Oprah Winfrey. The daytime talk show host was said to have the “Midas Touch” when something earned her approval, taking the virtually unknown into superstar status. So, what happens to something that gets the thumbs up from both Oprah and the Beatles?

When the Beatles first sat down with the Maharishi in India in the 1960’s, Western attitudes about Indian spirituality would be forever changed. Since then, celebrities and common folk alike have been seeking the comfort of transcendental meditation. If you are pondering taking up a transcendental meditation course, here is a little of what you can expect.

What is Transcendental Meditation?
The transcendental Meditation technique, or ™ is a form of mantra meditation devised by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It involves using a mantra and should be practice 15 to 20 minutes a day. and is one of the most commonly practiced and researched meditation techniques rooted in Hinduism and considered a religious practice toward self development

Practice
The Maharishi believed “bubbles of thought are produced in a stream one after another” and transcendental meditation involved experiencing “a proper thought until its subtlest state is experienced and transcended. Practices include “unstressing” and teachers will instruct students to ignore random thoughts and “attend” to a mantra.

Mantra
Transcendental meditation consists of repeating a mantra while sitting with closed eyes and without assuming a yoga position. The mantra is known as a vehicle which frees the attention of the individual, allowing him or her to travel to a less active state of mental function.

Course Description
The technique is taught in a seven- step- course in a six -day period. It is taught in private or group instruction by a certified teacher. It begins with a one hour introductory lecture which discusses social relationships, health, and the promotion of inner and outer peace. The next part consists of a 45 minute preparatory lecture discussing the transcendental practice and its origins. During the third step, a private interview takes place in which the student and teacher get acquainted and questions can be asked and answered.

The next day, the student begin his first of three 90 to 120 minute teaching sessions. It occurs in a group setting and provides information about correct meditational practice for the individual student based on personal experience. On the third day, the focus is on development of higher stages of human consciousness, outlining the potential of mental growth. Meditators new to the program attend follow up classes to make sure they are practicing properly and to provide a chance for one on one contact with the teacher.

Is transcendental meditation for you? Let us know what you think? Could Oprah and the Beatles have it wrong?

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