Mind-Body Therapies

from FF January 2022

A Father’s Perspective

BY LISA S.T. DOSS

The mind has a significant impact on the body. Negative emotions, such as after a heated argument with a good friend or driving through traffic and arriving late to an appointment, lead to some form of stress, whether it’s troubled sleep or a headache. Unfortunately, we are a society that doesn’t have time to be sick; instead, the will of the mind pushes forward, disregarding the status of health, hoping it simply goes away. Continued stress leads to a dismantling of strength, and soon the immune system crumples, indicating minor to severe symptoms. Only then do we prioritize the desire for wellness through tablet or pill medications, and sometimes delving into mind-body therapies. These begin with the act of closing the eyes, drawing in a deep breath and slowly exhaling. In seconds, the worries of the exterior world begin to abate, dissolving into nothingness, and what remains with you is a feeling of inner peace. Awareness of our behavioral, psychological, social, expressive, and spiritual approaches is not new. The last three centuries have provided the best medicine to the mind, body, and spirit: thinking positively and drawing strength from the inside out. Therefore, the next time your reach for an aspirin, consider starting a new habit—actively engaging in a mindbody intervention!

Mind and Brain

In every record of documented disorders, the common goal of the healers of ancient times was to restore the body to a state of wholeness. Herbal remedies focused on treating the mind as well as the body. Until three centuries ago, the brain was viewed as a machine, complete with independent parts, and separate from the mind. The brain was the hardware, allowing the cognitive abilities to fully experience mental states, such as thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and attitudes. Interactions between the mind and body can affect the brain, peripheral nervous, and immune systems. All the body organs share an interconnected chemical language of health and healing. Rather than emphasizing drug therapies, mindbody therapies confirm the medical and mental benefits of meditation, mindfulness training, yoga, and other spiritual practices.

Therapy that Sings to You!

Acknowledging the pains of the body and anxious, changing mental states requires a plan of action. A need to soothe, pamper, relax, and, most importantly, stop moving! What intervention helps you the most? Is it painting, performing 10-minutes of yoga stretches and poses, or praying?

• CREATIVE THERAPY: We delve into creative arts to lift the soul and escape to another world. Some people may pick up a paintbrush, a guitar, use their voice, or clear a room to engage in expressive dance. Research shows rhythmic auditory stimulation decreases anxiety, depression, or feelings of loneliness, and benefits health and wellbeing!

• PRAYER: It is said, “Faith can move mountains.” As a form of meditation, prayer can result in positive psychological and biological changes, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, and boosting the immune response and serotonin levels, improving mood.

• TAI CHI: Strolling through a park meadow, you might discover a group of people moving through a series of slow, graceful movements that mirrors the mobility of animals.

The mind-body exercise combines mediation, balance, focused breathing, and low-impact physical activity. Practiced by all ages, Tai Chi aims to relieve pain and stiffness, stress, and reach a sense of wellness.

• WALK AND TALK THERAPY: Isn’t the act of walking, accompanied by a friend, a confidant, also a form of therapy? Yes! Relieving the pressure of the daily routine, walking aids us to relax the joints, breathe in the air, and allows us to speak openly about worries, problems, or release stress, just by smiling and laughing!

• YOGA: Did you know 95% of

Americans incorporate yoga into their exercise practices, and 35% view it as a personal religious activity? It dates back to ancient

Buddhism, when people sought to connect with their spirit and discover their inner self. Yoga is a therapy that uses meditation, visual imaging, and breathing exercises.

Only you know the therapy that sings to your heart, lifts your worries, and erases the tension!

iHeart

Stay Warm and Un-Bored this January with Creative Activities for Indoors

BY SUSAN BB SCHABACKER

Trying to avoid the cold and in-hibernation mode this winter? Here are some creative ideas to ignite you like a candle and keep you ignited like the fire you stay cozy by.

• Have a cook-athon and/or bake-athon with a panel of judges to taste test, critique, and vote on the winner(s).

Don’t be too critical and consider offering prizes for 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rdplace winners. Afterward, everyone enjoys the treats.

• Practice the art of repurposing your wardrobe. Scout out some items from your closet or drawers and get creative. Turn a scarf into a top, turn leggings into sleeves, and crop and embellish an old tee.

• Set up an easel next to a window and paint what you see outside.

• Catch some pics and model with a friend in a photoshoot, complete with DIY makeup, hair, and wardrobe styling.

• Mix up some spice combinations, such as a garden herb mix with rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley, and dill, or try a Southwestern mix with cayenne for kick, cumin, paprika, and chili. Or how about a winter masala mulling spices mix, with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, star anise, and ginger?

• Get fermenting and protect your immune system with probiotics you ferment yourself. Sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and kombucha will make you feel better from the inside out.

• Be your own bartender and serve cocktails or virgin mocktails to all ages in the household.

• Think outside the box at mealtime and try a role reversal, having breakfast for dinner and a dinner-like meal for breakfast.

• Toast marshmallows over candles and make s’mores, as you tell stories, both true and fictional. Have someone record the audio or write down the stories to document candlelight memory-making.

• Enjoy some art therapy with friends and family, then feature everyone’s artwork in a home gallery. You can sell, trade, or give your art away, so everyone benefits.

• Learn the art of paper folding (Japanese origami) and napkin folding.

• Read books or e-books aloud as you camp out in the living room under a canopy of blankets propped up over chairs.

•Have a food or pillow fight, but remember it might get plenty messy, so be prepared to get the clean-up crew to work afterwards.

• “Dougie in your snuggie,” rocking it out in a PJ (pajama) party, blasting your fav winter playlist.

• Indulge in a movie marathon—it’s your own film festival—or just enjoy a meal with a movie or TV show. • Create a vision board, whether magazine cut-outs glued to paper, or poster board, or a virtual board, such as on Pinterest. Represent your life mission, vision, values, goals, and dreams.

• Of all the things on this list, perhaps one of the most important is figuratively putting the puzzle pieces of your life together. They may not fit together perfectly at first, but keep trying and aim high, but not for perfection. The start of this new year is an ideal time to reconfigure the direction of your life by doing a reassess, however simple or complicated. You’re not in life alone, so consort with and console each other. Be each other’s life coaches and offer honest feedback and advice.

And, sometimes it helps to have an accountability partner to help stay on track.

• Other ways to stay warm ‘n cozy? Take a hot bath, heat up the kitchen with something yummy baking in the oven, wear a onesie or long Johns, wrap yourself in a bathrobe, and break out the blankets.

Staying indoors this winter, in bear-like hibernation mode, doesn’t have to get monotonous and boring. If you get through this list and are still searching for ideas, you can always just Google what else to do. Remember—the world is your oyster with boredom a nonissue, so celebrate the start of 2022 with creative ideas that inspire you to enjoy the rest of the cold days indoors.