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Deep breathing more effective than medication
Posted on Mon, 22 Feb 10

Deep breathing more effective than medication

For centuries breathing exercises have been used in traditional medicine practices such as yoga and meditation for health. Now deep breathing has FDA approval as a treatment for stress relief and lowering blood pressure because it may be more effective than diet, exercise and medications.

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Dog owners enjoy a better life
Posted on Sun, 14 Feb 10

Dog owners enjoy a better life

As any dog owner knows, a dog is not only a friend but can help support new friendships through increased social interaction, such as talking to people when going for a walk together. Social support whether from a dog or human is important for health and wellbeing. As an example of just how important this effect may be a remarkable report found that patients with heart disease who owned a dog had a greater than 600% reduction in risk of dying (1).

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Practical tips for mindfulness meditation
Posted on Mon, 1 Feb 10

Practical tips for mindfulness meditation

Stress is a leading cause of ill health and poor quality of life causing symptoms as diverse as mood changes and insomnia to heart disease and obesity (1). The regular practice of mindfulness meditation is intended to increase physical and mental relaxation, reduce stress, improve emotional stability and enhance concentration (2).

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Stress leaves footprints on your brain
Posted on Thu, 8 Oct 09

Stress leaves footprints on your brain

While many people feel they must maintain their stressful lives it is important to consider the long-term effects of chronic stress, one of the most important of which is arguably the gradual destruction of our brain. The wear and tear of chronic stress over time is known to insidiously destroy vital brain structures and impair our cognitive function (1). This brain melt down may eventually lead to the development of depression and dementia including Alzheimers disease later in life (2).

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Practical tips for breathing to reduce stress
Posted on Thu, 8 Oct 09

Practical tips for breathing to reduce stress

Shallow breathing may lead to tension and fatigue. Breathing with your diaphragm tends to reduce stress and improve energy. Abdominal breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing, is a powerful way to decrease stress by activating relaxation centres in the brain. The abdominal expansion causes negative pressure to pull blood into the chest, improving the venous flow of blood back to the heart.

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Reconnect with your tribe
Posted on Wed, 7 Oct 09

Reconnect with your tribe

It has been proposed that we are currently experiencing such high rates of stress related disorders including anxiety, insomnia, drug abuse and depression because as a society we have become disconnected socially. In our not to distant past we generally lived in close-knit groups with strong social support, a shared world view and a clear sense of purpose and belonging (1). In the modern world regaining this social connectedness has important implications for our health and wellness.

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