By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Yoga boosts circulation, which can relieve fluid buildup that causes bloating. The paced, deep breathing also increases oxygen flow to tissues, decreasing discomfort induced by cramps.” – Suzanne Trupin PMS or Premenstrual Syndrome is an extremely common problem among women and almost 85% of women, between […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “mindfulness exercises delivered in face-to-face settings or remotely via the Internet seem to yield similar changes in symptoms. The remote delivery does not seem to lessen the efficacy of mindfulness interventions.”– Johanna Boettcher Mindfulness training has been shown through extensive research to be effective in improving […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “For some people with chronic pain, mindful meditation is an appealing pain management option because it has an unusual benefit; it is something that you personally control. Unlike pain medications or medical procedures, meditation is not done to you, it is something you can do for yourself.” – Stephanie Burke Low Back […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “People with anxiety have a problem dealing with distracting thoughts that have too much power. They can’t distinguish between a problem-solving thought and a nagging worry that has no benefit. If you have unproductive worries you can train yourself to experience those thoughts completely differently. “You might think […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Meditation, particular mindfulness techniques, can lead to improvements in pain intensity when compared to standard care for many chronic pain patients. It also may help improve pain-related disability, pain acceptance, feelings of control over the pain, depression, anxiety, and quality of life, immediately after treatment as well […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Meditation gives you the wherewithal to pause, observe how easily the mind can exaggerate the severity of a setback, and resist getting drawn back into the abyss.”— Richie Davidson We’re very emotional creatures. Without emotion, life is flat and uninteresting. Emotions provide the spice of life. We […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Toxic emotions disrupt the workplace, and mindfulness increases your awareness of these destructive patterns, helping you recognize them before they run rampant. It’s a way of reprogramming your mind to think in healthier, less stressful, ways.” – Drew Hanson Work is very important for our health […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Although teens frontal lobe activity is still developing well into their twenties, they do have frontal lobes. Mindfulness practices can help teens engage their frontal lobes, and slow down and weigh the outcome of their actions.” – Donna Torney Adolescence can be a difficult time, fraught […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “If you move into pure awareness in the midst of pain, even for the tiniest moment, your relationship with your pain is going to shift right in that very moment. It is impossible for it not to change because the gesture of holding it, even if not […]
By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “The idea behind mindfulness meditation is to observe the present moment by paying attention to the breath and body, as well as thoughts and emotions. People with challenges related to addiction tend to act out on addictive behaviors to avoid uncomfortable feelings and to bring pleasure. . […]