Meditation Practice Alters Brain Networks in the Elderly By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “A growing body of research supports the immediate benefits of meditation, such as reduced stress and anxiety levels, lower blood pressure, and enhanced happiness. Studies on mindfulness interventions show these effects are common in as few as eight weeks. […]
Improve Exercise Capacity in Heart Disease with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Why bother to do a mindfulness practice in addition to regular workouts?” You know that exercise can clear your head and turn around a bad mood. But when you add mindfulness in to the mix, you add rocket fuel […]
Improve Caregiving for Family Members with Mental Illness with On-Line Mindfulness Training By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “When specifically used with family caregivers, MBSR improves overall mental health, reduces stress and decreases depression. “ – Jane Hamilton There is a tremendous demand for caregiving in the US. It is estimated that over […]
Mindful Fatherhood By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Mindful Fathering is the act of consciously checking into your life as a father. It’s about staying present in your life as a father, observing the dreary, ugly, and painful parts of fathering with acceptance and non-judgement, and honoring those parts with our full attention, […]
Improve Social Anxiety Disorder with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “regular and consistent mindfulness meditation will help to strengthen your ability to overcome the initial problems that you experience. If you are suffering with the symptoms of social anxiety disorder (SAD), regular practice will eventually improve your self-concept and ability to handle […]
Improve Mental and Physical Health in Women with Breast Cancer with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “What I’ve come to understand as a newly inaugurated breast cancer survivor is this: allowing a greater good to open up through me is more beneficial than expecting life to meet my personal demands. It […]
Mindfulness is Associated with Improved Athletic Psychology in Elite Athletes By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Meditation is becoming popular for many reasons, especially related to health. Athletes are also taking up the practice more and more because research has shown that meditation can be used as a tool to manage pain, decrease anxiety and […]
Improve Psychological and Emotional Well-Being in the Elderly with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “While we might expect our bodies and brains to follow a shared trajectory of development and degeneration over time, by actively practicing strategies such as meditation, we might actually preserve and protect our physical body and brain […]
Reduce Weight and Cardiovascular Disease Risk with Mindfulness By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “since stress is often at the root of overeating, mindfulness seems to make us eat better meals, which means it’s likely possible to lose weight without dieting.” – Mandy Oaklander Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer, claiming […]
Mindfulness Training is Effective when Learned over the Internet. By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “online mindfulness/stress management programs can be as effective as real-world programs, delivered at a fraction of the cost. . . . online programs could make mindfulness more accessible to underserved populations—as long as they have a computer and […]