“Yoga’s ability to touch us on every level of our being—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual—makes it a powerful and effective means for trauma victims to reinhabit their bodies safely, calm their minds, experience emotions directly, and begin to feel a sense of strength and control.” – van der Kolk Trauma comes in many forms, from […]
Metabolic Syndrome is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It generally results from overweight and abdominal obesity and includes high blood pressure, insulin resistance and elevation of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides. It is an important risk factor as it increases the risk of developing type-2 diabetes five-fold and heart attack or stroke three-fold. […]
Improve Asthma Symptoms with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Asthma is treatable and well can be controlled.” —Cathy Freeman Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs that involves a persistent inflammation of the airways. When the inflammation worsens, it makes it more difficult for air to move in and out […]
Improve Brain Function in the Elderly with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Most people think that aging is irreversible and we know that there are mechanisms even in the human machinery that allow for the reversal of aging, through correction of diet, through anti-oxidants, through removal of toxins from the body, […]
Mindfulness Improves the Psychological Well-Being of Lung Cancer Patients By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “You can be a victim of cancer, or a survivor of cancer. It’s a mindset.” — Dave Pelzer Receiving a diagnosis of cancer has a huge impact on most people. Feelings of depression, anxiety, and fear are […]
Improve Immune function with a Meditation Retreat By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “meditative practice enhanced immune function without activating inflammatory signals. This suggests that meditation, as a behavioral intervention, may be an effective component in treating diseases characterized by increased inflammatory responsiveness with a weakened immune system.” – Vijayendran Chandran The immune […]
Mindfulness is Associated with Improved Academic Performance By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. Mindfulness can help all students (struggling or not) be more productive; it can help reduce depression, low moods, low self esteem, and anxiety; it increases well-being, self-compassion, compassion towards others and increases emotional resilience. A powerful tool!” – Rebecca Enderby […]
Improve Physiological Relaxation in Breast Cancer Patients with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “mindfulness-based meditation can help ease the stress, anxiety, fear, and depression that often come along with a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.” – Breastcancer.org Mindfulness training has been shown to help with general cancer recovery. Mindfulness practices have been […]
Improve College Student Psychological Well-Being with Mindfulness and Relaxation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “mindfulness helps focus by tuning out distractions, improving memory, decision-making and attention skills. . . It is not a panacea; it is not for everyone. However, it is very worth trying. It may be the next evolution in […]
Mindfulness Levels are Associated with Different Leisure Activities By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “we see an increasing amount of people in all sectors of life exploring ways to become more grounded through yoga, diet, and mindfulness. This yearning is making its way into our homes as many of us have searched for […]