mental health

Mental health and psychology are essential in life extension and leading a healthy and happy life.

Choosing A Personal Trainer
I was never a hugely active person up until about 6 years ago, in the sense that I wasn’t really aware of how to eat properly and I had never set foot in a gym. I ran cross country while I was at school and I was pretty good at it, but that was about as far as my fitness went. I think I took part in one PE lesson in my entire time at secondary school because of my fear of a) being hit with balls b) looking stupid c) being the last picked for a team and d) getting changed in front of the other girls.
By Samantha Bentley9 years ago in Longevity
How to Avoid Stress During the Holidays
One minute you are at the beach enjoying the sun and the next, the temperature starts to drop, the leaves change colors and, suddenly, you are receiving Christmas catalogues in the mail. And you have yet to eat Thanksgiving dinner. Your head starts to spin as you think about everything you have to do in the next few weeks. Shopping, cooking, lists, shopping, more cooking, inviting family, having to spend time with family... it can be a little overwhelming.
By Banji Ganchrow9 years ago in Longevity
How to Deal with Post-Election Blues
On 8 November 2016, Americans voted for who they wanted as the President of their United States of America. The months of campaign trails were over. The media coverage was at a peak. Each placard had been nailed in the front garden lawns, driven over, and re-erected again. A tonne of merchandising was bought, both domestic made and that whole ‘Made in China’ Trump controversy. Citizens donning their discreet and subliminal red or blue clothing voted in their local polling stations, voting from their heart above all else.
By Word9 years ago in Longevity
Mental Health Insights
Conventional wisdom has it that no matter how hard your work day is, you're supposed to turn into a sociable family member when you get home and "communicate" with your spouse. But a New York University study indicates that complete withdrawal may be a healthy and effective way to cool out after a tough day.
By Stephanie Gladwell9 years ago in Longevity
The Mantra of Making
Funny how a random conversation with a fellow knitter turned into a comparison of the unexpected similarities between the mechanics of knitting in the round and how to use prayer beads.
By Kara Gott Warner9 years ago in Longevity
Get Out of Bed
Ideally, the only reason why a healthy person should take to their bed is because what he or she has in mind cannot comfortably be undertaken by standing up. Bed is a superb place to sleep and have sex. What bed is bad for is rest and recuperation. Even though bed is still commonly prescribed for a cold, flu, or other minor ailments, hospitals continue to use a bed as the standard convalescing piece of equipment. There is reason to regard it as a positive hindrance to a speedy recovery.
By David McCleary9 years ago in Longevity
How Meditation Can Change Your Life, According to Science
Most people’s vision of mediation is a guru seated lotus style on a peaceful mountaintop, but there’s way more to it than that. Scientists and doctors are starting to catch on that mindfulness can be a powerful tool for healing. Even if you’re not a big fan of “woo” type stuff like massage or essential oils, you can’t deny actual medical studies that say that meditation changes the structure of your brain (1). It’s also a proven thing that there’s a connection between the brain and body, and that changes to our brain chemistry affect how our bodies work. With that, it’s really not a stretch to think that meditation can heal your body.
By AC Glover9 years ago in Longevity
How the Wisdom of Confucius Can Help You Be Less of a Jerk
I’m sure you’re a pretty nice person. I like to think that I am too. But sometimes I let myself justify getting pretty snippy with the customer service rep - like it’s her fault that Comcast is stupid. Other times I find myself muttering under my breath when my kids eat graham crackers in my unmade bed, or I let a friend’s Facebook post piss me off for the rest of the day. Nobody’s perfect, but if you feel your inner Hulk bursting out in a rage every time the wind doesn’t blow your way, it might be time to try walking a more peaceful path. Let the Great Sage (aka Confucius) help you get there. He’s famous for little snippets of wisdom that can sound like they came out of a fortune cookie - until you look deeper. Sometimes a simple phrase can help you see things differently and make keeping your cool a little easier. Feel free to scrawl any of these on a post-it note or make them the background on your lock screen. If they really change your life, they might even make it onto a canvas you can look at every night as you fall asleep. Hopefully, you’ll be sleeping more peacefully when you’re treating others in a way that makes you both feel great.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Longevity
Depression
“I ate too much. I’m depressed.”“Damn, he didn’t answer my text. Now I’m depressed.”“The store already closed, I’m depressed!”
By Alexa Curtis9 years ago in Longevity
Five Free Things You Can Do To Be Healthier and Happier Now
When I say “free” I am assuming that you have a source of clean drinking water and the internet. If you don’t have those things (at least the water), your potential for health and happiness are probably pretty limited (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs comes to mind). But if you DO have those things, and you’re feeling miserable and lonely and dehydrated and achy, it’s worth taking a few simple steps to care for yourself. The term “self-care” is bandied about a lot on the internet these days, and sometimes suggestions for achieving it are unrealistic. Not everyone can afford a massage; not everyone can see a therapist. Those things can be wonderfully helpful for different people, but you’ve got to start where you are. Here are my top five favorite free, stay-at-home things to do when you're down.
By Sarah Quinn9 years ago in Longevity
Ways to Meditate While Running
What would you say if I told you meditation doesn’t have to involve lotus position, sitting on a cushion, or even being quiet—that there are actually ways to meditate while running?
By Alicia Springer9 years ago in Longevity
What is Hatha Yoga?
While exercise fads sweep the country yearly, encouraging intelligent people to do the strangest things, there is one exercise system that has maintained an enthusiastic following for over 6,000 years: hatha yoga. This system employs techniques western physiotherapists are still just exploring: the stimulation of internal organs, nerves, and muscles through a number of unique postures combined with deep rhythmic breathing. The exercises evolved from the yogic belief that no man is healthy unless his heart, lungs, liver, nerves, eyes, glands, hearing and so forth are functioning correctly. A man with well developed muscles is not necessarily healthy — he can easily succumb to a kidney or nerve ailment. Consequently, the ancient yoga postures were devised to stimulate individual organ and nerve groups. A healthy mind relies on a healthy body.
By Izzy Erlich9 years ago in Longevity