Download - Christine Faust HW420 unit 5 mid term
Mental Fitness: Finding PeaceChristine Faust HW420-02
September 7, 2013
Introduction• What is mental fitness• Benefits of mental fitness• Part 1: Clinical Studies• Part 2: Exercises a person can incorporate• Summary• References
What is mental fitness?
• Mental fitness is training the mind to influence the body
• Development of our Inner life and consciousness
• A sense of calm, balance and inner peace• Evolution of our psychospiritual life
The Benefits of Mental Fitness
• Develop the minds healing capabilities• Transformation of ordinary health into
precious health• Heightened state of pure awareness• Enhanced resistance to mental distress and
physical disease• Peace
The Stages of Mental Fitness• Reactive Mind- reacting to life as we know it• Witnessing Mind- watching habits, thoughts and
actions to see what is positive• Calm Mindfulness Abiding Mind- living with good
intentions• Unity Consciousness- feeling connected to all things,
a spiritual consciousness (Dacher, 2006)
Part One: Clinical Research
Elmer and Alyce Green• In the early 1970’s discovered that mental
imagery could effect physiological functions in the body.
• From this study, they found that people could control their blood pressure, pulse, muscular tension as well as skin temperature (Dacher, 2006).
Candace Pert
• She discovered neuropeptides that are proteins that circulate through the body carrying messages from one part of the body to another.
• The mind and body are completely connected.
Dr. Peter Schnall• He studied business professionals that had stressful
jobs. These people suffered from job strain. Too much work and not enough time to do it in.
• Some people dealt with the situation by summoning inner strength, others became depressed and defeated.
Richard Davidson• He studied brain activity, blood flow and
metabolic activity in relation to negative and positive emotions.
• Right prefrontal cortex responded to negative emotions.
• Left prefrontal cortex responded to positive emotions.
Part Two: Exercises for you
MeditationMeditation has been practiced for thousands of years, it is most commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction. Meditation is considered to be a type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation produces a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind. During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process results in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.
Benefits of meditation include:• a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional
well-being and your overall health.
Meditation and Emotional Well-BeingWhen you meditate, you clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress. The emotional benefits of meditation • Gaining a new perspective on stressful
situations• Building skills to manage your stress• Increasing self-awareness• Focusing on the present• Reducing negative emotions
Meditation and IllnessAccording to the Mayo Clinic, meditation may help the following issues:• Allergies• Anxiety disorders• Asthma• Binge eating• Cancer• Depression• Fatigue• Heart disease• High blood pressure• Pain• Sleep problems• Substance abuse
YogaYoga is a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, that includes breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.Yoga has been shown to reduce lactic acid which
causes stiffness and tensionIncreases the bodies range of motion in the jointsBetter postureProduces increased body awareness
Summary
• Mental fitness is the development of our inner life and consciousness.
• One of the benefits of mental fitness is the enhanced resistance to mental distress and physical disease.
• Exercises such as meditation and yoga have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety.
• Mental fitness is being aware of the mind/body connection.
References• Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to
human flourishing. (1 ed., pp. 20-23). Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc. DOI: www.basichealthpub.com
• WebMD, (2012). The health benefits of yoga. http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/the-health-benefits-of-yoga
• Mayo Clinic, (2011). Meditation: A simple fast way to reduce stress. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070