The benefits of Yoga

By: Lucía Vázquez

(iMujer Otra Medicina)

Yoga is not a sport. It involves much more than physical exercise: also a mental and spiritual wellbeing. Practicing yoga allows us to be healthier in every way, avoiding many problems and diseases from the first moment we took a class.

After a class

After your first yoga class you will improve your brain function: Just 20 minutes can increase your cognitive ability, concentration and memory. Decreases stress in the body, which also generates a smaller building proteins responsible for inflammation. And last but not least, a Norwegian study says yoga can alter gene expression in immune cells, allowing us to be more protected against diseases.

After a few months

After a few months of practicing yoga regularly, we note that our blood pressure is lower, especially if you suffer from moderate hypertension. The difference is also seen with other sports such as walking.

Research has found that, after practicing yoga for 15 weeks, it significantly improves lung capacity allowing to reach the maximum amount of air in the lungs after inhalation.

Yoga may also be good for your sexual health: increases arousal, desire, orgasm and sexual satisfaction. In women, yoga helps us to rediscover our sexuality.

Reduces chronic neck pain and back with just a month of practice.

 After a few years

If you have spent years practicing yoga, the body changes are large and very beneficial: you will reach old age with strong bones, as it prevents the loss of bone density. Not only avoids losing bone minerals, but we gain more by practicing yoga for at least two years. Besides, it helps us along life when we need to lose weight and stay in appropriate levels of body mass, regardless of how old we are. And yoga is part of a healthy life, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, keeping the heart healthy by lowering cholesterol, blood pressure and controlling blood sugar levels.

Allergies: an inmmunological tantrum

By: Dr. Gabriel Óscar Bertona
"The Symptom and its Function", December 2011

What are allergies?

Specialists refer there are several reasons that favor the increase of allergic diseases in our time, first the urbanization and environmental pollution, changes in pollination (global warming), the largest number of cesareans and colonization ( by normal bacterial flora) conditioning the inmune response, the absence or reduced breastfeeding (ideally exclusively until 6 months to one and a half year) Also affecting the amount of antibodies, and / or early weaning (the passage of food based on milk solids) before 6 months, increasing the passage of allergens (substances that cause an exaggerated response of the immune system).

All this should make us think about our society and what we build every day, and the importance of consciousness from conception and at every stage of the first year of life, which is so important for the maturation of the immune system.

Like all diseases, allergy reflects an aspect of personality, an attitude towards life, where we do not recognize, we deny ourselves, and get sick because of that, we restricte our freedom and creative expression in life. Reflects different degrees of intolerance, scandal, immunological and psychological tantrums, irritability, perfectionism, pride, denial of one's mistakes, and, as in other cases, the higher is the intensity of the resistance to change, the higher is the symptom intensity.

What heals allergies?

If the problem is things I perceive as terrible, that enervate me, I can not stand, unthinkable, me or others, and over time I become intolerant and arrogant then, the kit against allergies must contain acceptance, openness, toleration, respect to diversity, noting the contributions of all to unity, humility, compassion, soften, permission to err , warn mistakes as sacred evolutionary possibilities, stop competing or perceiving myself as superior from the others, stop pretending "to change" the world and instead take care of improving myself, get out of the solitude of " my truth " and open up to the diversity of particular truths, etc.

Let's not resign ourselves to be "allergic", as this can be fraught with stigma and grave. Allergy is an attitude and, as everything in life, is susceptible to change and a process of transformation as profound as we encourage and commit with ourselves.

Enviromental awarness

By: Tania Kleinfeld

(Creaciones Orgánicas)

Our planet is a living organism and we are part of it. If we pollute, we pollute ourselves. If we take care of it, we take care of ourselves. If it's cycle changes, we change with it ... We need to stop thinking and acting like a if it was an object from which only material goods are extracted, we must learn to feel as he feels, and thus recognize the life and consciousness that inhabits it.

As simple as it may seem, considering the planet as a living being, has profound consequences for us, it could transform habits of thought and behavior deeply rooted and, therefore, a new relationship between man and the environment, that, it should be emphasized, are not two separate beings, is one.

Currently, it is common for individuals to be unfamiliar with environmental problems and not be clear of how to participate in their community to help protect the environment. To change this reality, it's necessry to create environmental awareness through education, training and capacity in environmental values. Environmental education is fundamental for the evolution of mankind. Only through it, citizens will take responsibility for their contribution to the processes of environmental degradation and make a clear commitment to the protection and conscious forms, conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.

This should be a change from the root, not only from the surface. Do not just read about it, nor plan and dream that someday we will live in harmony with the environment. It's time to act, and for actting we must raise awareness. Education strengthens the independence and autonomy of people and allows making informed and responsible decisions. The goal of environmental culture is to improve relations between man and nature and men together. It aims to make people aware of the global environment and have the knowledge, attitudes, motivations and desires to work individually and collectively in the search for solutions to current problems, to reorient their values ​​and to the forceful transformation of reality.

Creaciones Orgánicas is a service to the community, which informs and educates through videos, images, and texts that provide a clearer picture of what is going on in the environmental world view.

Essential oils

By: Ecoosfera
(www.ecoosfera.com)

There is so much to know about essential oils, which could improve the quality of life for anyone if well used and know what each one is for.

Essential oils have been in the world for centuries, but today have become more relevant than ever. Many therapists have realized that they can be used to heal and help the body's physical and emotional well-being. What happens is that these oils not only smell great but indeed heal on a cellular level. Essential oils are volatile liquids distilled from plants and parts like seeds, flowers, fruits, stems, roots and leaves. A batch of pure essential oil can take hundreds of kilos of flowers and leaves. Their applications range go from minor ailments, such as a cut, to major diseases such as cancer.

It is important to consult a therapist when you want to use the properties of aromatherapy. Like any medicine, the oils have their particular purpose and it has harmful effects if is not managed responsibly.

Here are some common oils and their uses:

Lavender: is a soothing oil that helps in panic attacks, calm the nervous system and is used to relieve minor skin burns. Its common use is sprinkled on the pillow or sheets or applied to the neck, chest or temples to help reassure the person before sleeping.

Peppermint: Just by being inhaled, awakens the senses and can increase oxygen levels in the blood. A drop of peppermint is equivalent to 28 cups of herbal tea. Helps in concentration and, when combined with rosemary, which helps memory retention,  makes a wonderful combination to work. Peppermint can also soothe a sore stomach and fever.

Lemon: It is used as an alternative treatment to remove warts and corns. It is a powerful bactericide and treats minor cuts and wounds, you can brighten dull skin and helps with the immune system.

Incense: was used since biblical times and was the king of all oils. This oil will help other oils to work at a deeper level to provide more healing. Incense has been studied for its ability to kill cancer cell, helps fight skin inflammation and hives, and leads to better focus and clarity.

(Read the whole article)

Sound Healing

                                                                                               Foto: AMMAYOGA
By: Manu Poder del Sonido
(www.prathida.com)

We live immersed in a world of sound and vibrations.

The sound, through the centuries, has become music throughout the land, with the understanding and knowledge of healing with sound in Oriental, nomadic and indigenous West cultures.

Whoever knows the mystery of sound, may know the mystery of the universe and have access to the music of the spheres. (Hazrat Inayat Khan)

Healing is posible to every human being, is in each of us. There's vibration in everything around us.The sound will affect us for good or evil according to the law of resonance: where the strongest vibration will make the weakest one vibrate until both are in the same frequency.

Depression, sadness and disease are low vibrating and inconsistent frequencies. Joy, love and health are high vibrating and steady frequencies.

Man's nature is to look for where he belongs. Until you find that place, you will not be in the peace that you yearn for. The way that man can find his own place is by intonating his instrument (himself) to the key of the chord to which it belongs. (Hazrat Inayat Khan)

It is necessary to make a study of ourselves to find who we really are, beyond our education, family or socioeconomic status.

Sound is a very helpful tool, because once we've calmed the incessant activity of the mind, which does not allow us to hear the voice of our being, the right hemisphere begins to function with greater emphasis, which helps important subconscious information to be manifested in a conscious way on the left hemisphere, causing both hemispheres work at the same time to heal past situations (both emotional, mental and sentimental ),entering the spiritual realm.

Shamanic traditions, Buddhist chants, Mongols, etc. what they do is going straight to the right brain through repetitive sounds and songs that don't have an articulated common language, to access the deeper layers of the subconscious.

This is just one of the many areas in which sound can help us heal.

Foods that you should avoid at night

By: Lucía Vázquez

Eating at night, especially if it is close to bedtime, produces a stomach ache that can last until the next day because digestion does not occur as it should. Also, people who want to lose weight have more difficulty because everything they eat at that hour is reserved and is not converted into energy.

What foods to avoid before bedtime:

Junk food

Not only make you feel heavy, but also overload your stomach to digest. Avoid chips, pizzas, cookies, cakes.

Sugar and carbohydrates

Carbohydrates make the blood glucose level rises abruptly, causing us problems in the dream.

Red meat

Red meat is very hard to digest due to the big amount of protein it contains, therefore, eating before bed is not the best idea if you want to have a nice sleep. Also, be careful with the amounts of other meats, not only red, because they end up producing the same effect.

Spicy food

Are hard to digest. Besides, chemicals in spicy food stimulate senses and don't let you sleep and rest well.

Sweet cereals

Cereals are very healthy, but when it comes to night, the ideal is to eat more natural and with no added sugar cereal, reserving these for another meal, preferably breakfast.

Caffeine

Many people know why: it is used caffeine to stay awake at night, for example, when we study. However, caffeine is not just in tea or coffee, but also in other foods such as dark chocolate or colas.

Needless to say, beyond the foods we should avoid at night, perhaps the most important recommendation of all is not to consume large amounts of food at dinner. It is advisable to make several meals a day (five or six) of small amounts of food, at the end of the day the lower intake.

Source: www.vivirsalud.imujer.com

Vitamin supplements "Are a waste of money"

By: Roberto Mendez

This is what experts are saying today about supplements, after the publication of up to 3 articles on this subject in the Annals of Internal Medicine magazine :

"Enough is enough: Stop spending money on supplements of vitamins and minerals"

These authors have concluded that these supplements do not work for literally anything, not to prevent chronic diseases or to avoid death prematurely, they can even be harmful if you already have an adequate nutrition. Therefore that of  "at least you know it will not hurt you" you can forget it now. For these experts use is not justified, and, not only that, it is advisable to avoid them.

"This message is especially true in the general population, they consume these supplements without clear evidence of micronutrient deficiency, and come to represent the majority of users and consumers of such supplements in the United States and other countries "

One of the co-authors of these studies, Dr. Edgar Miller, professor of medicine and epidemiology at the Ecole Public Health Johns Hopkins Bloomberg, in Baltimore, further states that the most convenient (and of common sense, in my opinion) is that people "spend money on healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, low fat dairy products " and do exercise, of course.

To give you an idea, in the U.S. alone, the "waste" in these substances becomes about 28 billion dollars annually. A bit silly when studies say they are worthless and may even harm us.

(Read the whole article *spanish)

Source: www.medciencia.com

Listening to music is good for the heart

Hang Drum Music

"Now a study has found that in fact music can strengthen the heart - and improve the recovery of patients suffering from heart disease.

Cardiologists said the findings suggested that all people could boost the health of their hearts simply by listening to their favourite tunes.
Patients with cardiac disease were divided into three groups. Some were enrolled in exercise classes for three weeks.
Others were put in the same classes, but also told to listen to music of their choice at any point for 30 minutes every day. A third group only listened to music, and did not take cardio-vascular exercise, which is usually prescribed to those with heart disease.
At the end of the trial, the patients who had listened to music as well as exercising had boosted crucial measures of heart function significantly, and improved their exercise capacity by 39 per cent.
The group which only took aerobic exercise improved their capacity by 29 per cent. Even those who took no exercise and only listened to their favourite music for half an hour a day improved their exercise function by 19 per cent, the study of 74 patients found."

An article by Laura Donnelly. 

(Read more)

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Concerns and obsessions

-My psychologist told me I have obsessive symptoms...

-Are you sure?

-I don't know, now I'm doubting...

By Angélica Figueroa Saldaña

The cingulate gyrus is the area of the brain that allows us to change our focus, moving from one idea to another, see the options we have in life, contain the feelings of physical and emotional safety, plus cognitive flexibility, which is the ability of the person to " let go ", adapt to changes easily, to handle problems successfully and do things in different ways, more creative and renewed.

Therefore, when this area of ​​the brain is affected, we tend to worry more, clinging to past ideas, getting stuck in thoughts and behaviors (obsessions), we tend to discuss more, we have eating disorders, anger and driving violence and, in some cases, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

In order to maintain the mind calmed, it's important to be aware of our obsessive thoughts and respond to them differently.

Some recommendations that  Dr. Daniel G. Amen gives ( Change your brain change your life ) are:

Whenever you get stuck, distract yourself and return to the problem later (Sing your favorite songs, listen to music that produces positive feelings, go out and take a walk, focus on a word and do not let it into your head any other thoughts)

Write the problem and possible solutions (1. Write the concern, 2. Make a list of what you can do to solve it, 3.Make a list of what you can not do to solve it)

When you feel blocked , get advice from others.

Food interventions (Eating foods that increase serotonin levels, such as pasta, potatoes, bread, chicken, turkey, salmon, beef, peanut butter, eggs, peas and milk, which are rich in tryptophan)

Exercise (helps calming the concerns and increases cognitive flexibility)