Improve Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms with Qigong By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Through Tai Chi, I get a sense of accomplishment and well being, knowing that I can still function relatively well and, in some cases better, than a person with no physical limitations. It has given me an acute awareness of my […]
Change the Brain for Healthy Aging with Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “With recent neuroscientific findings, meditation as a practice has been shown to literally rewire brain circuits that boost both mind and body health. These benefits of meditation have surfaced alongside the revelation that the brain can be deeply transformed […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Yoga has been shown to reverse the aging process by the positive impact the practice has upon the body. It gives elasticity to your muscles, tones tendons and ligaments, reduces fat and slows weight gain, calms your heart rate, and eases your mind promoting a bodily as […]
Healthy Aging – Improve the Brain and Memory with Tai Chi By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Another great benefit of Tai Chi is that it’s accessible to people of all ages and fitness abilities. It’s the focus on the subtle movements that exercise the brain and boost cognitive abilities. First, it’s learning […]
“Accumulating scientific evidence that meditation has brain-altering capabilities might ultimately allow for an effective translation from research to practice, not only in the framework of healthy aging but also pathological aging.” – Eileen Luders The nervous system is a dynamic entity that changes in response to the experiences of the individuals and the […]
Aging the Brain Healthily with Mindfulness “He who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition, youth and age are equally a burden.” – Plato (427-346 B.C.) If we are lucky enough to survive long enough we’ll all […]
Qi gong is one modality of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believed to be at least 4,000 years-old. Written records referring to Qi and its effects are thought to be as old as 3,300 years (Shang dynasty oracle bones, Zhou dynasty inscriptions). Qigong has been practiced for thousands of years with purported benefits for health […]
“Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” – Edward Stanley Stress takes a toll on the physiology. This is particularly so in aging. Stress accelerates cellular aging, amplifying the breakdown of cells that occurs with age. It can accelerate sensory losses […]
“Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.” – Thomas Dekker As the quote implies sleep is important to our health and wellbeing. We are able to deal effectively with occasional sleep loss, but when the loss is chronic over a period of time, the sleep loss can markedly impair our […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Tai Chi Chuan, the great ultimate, strengthens the weak, raises the sick, invigorates the debilitated, and encourages the timid.” –Cheng Man-ch’ing The aging process involves a systematic progressive decline in every system in the body, the brain included. The elderly frequently have problems with attention, thinking, and […]