By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “As those of us with good vision can imagine, the loss of something that helps the function of our body and mind can cause a lot of stress, depression, anxiety and sleep deprivation. Well, guess what has been proven to help those who can see with the similar […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Yoga’s emphasis on strength-building, balance and alignment can help people with osteoporosis avoid injury. Low-impact weight-bearing yoga poses stimulate bone growth to build stronger bones. Standing poses can build strength in your hips, an area commonly affected by osteoporosis. Light back-bending back extension poses decompress the vertebrae […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “A common factor in the healing effect of yoga for all of these issues is its ability to develop increased awareness of the body and its inner sensations- called “interoception”–which is central to emotion awareness and emotion regulation and to self-regulation in general.” – Frank Schwoeri Therapists […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “I am 63 years old. Ten years ago I was diagnosed with emphysema. Emphysema is a progressive disease that increasingly damages the lung structure and impairs the lung function. However, I am pleased to say that my lung function has essentially remained unchanged from the day I was […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Is yoga the key to dental health? It may not fight cavities, but the ancient great exercise regimen can improve a person’s oral health in a number of other important areas. Most of the oral health benefits of yoga come from stress relief. Eliminating stress has benefits for […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “The ancient practice of yoga nidra, also known as yogic sleep, is a meditative practice that results in conscious deep sleep. Current research suggests that yoga nidra can help relieve menstrual problems, diabetes symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).” – Elaine Gavalas Menstrual disorders are associated […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “I am a registered nurse in an emergency department. Nowhere is Buddhism more helpful to me than at work. We see a large number of patients, often accompanied by their family members. Emotional turmoil is the norm. This, along with the unavoidable hustle and bustle of the department, makes for a frenzied atmosphere. […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “once children are in a more calm state, they can remember or be more mindful of actions, thoughts, and words from the heart — a more helpful behavior as opposed to self-centeredness.” – Kelly Wood Yoga practice has been shown to have a large number of beneficial […]
Practice Yoga in the Morning to Optimize Emotional Well-Being By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Practice when your body is most limber. Some people find their bodies are stiff in the morning, making practice more difficult. Night practice, however may limit the kinds of postures you do as some are too stimulating and […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Students all around the world now stretch in downward dog in a more mindful classroom, one that sheds away the hectic bell schedule frenzy that behavior psychologists say leads to anxiety.” – Mark W. Guay We, as adults, often have and idealized concept of childhood, remembering all […]