In 1981, Professor Ellen Langer of Harvard University and her colleagues recruited men and women of 70's and 80's, and packed them into 2 vans and drove them to a remote town of New Hampshire, and asked those recruited to live in an environment that was in the 50's. The recruits were asked to pretend that they were 30 years younger. Both groups were surrounded by an environment which included: mid-century mementos—1950s issues of Life magazine and the Saturday Evening Post, a black-and-white television, a vintage radio—and they discussed the events of the time: the launch of the first U.S. satellite, Castro’s victory ride into Havana, Nikita Khrushchev and the need for bomb shelters. There was entertainment (a screening of the 1959 film Anatomy of a Murder with Jimmy Stewart) and spirited discussions of such 1950s sports greats as Mickey Mantle and Floyd Patterson. One night, the men sat glued to the radio, listening as Royal Orbit won the 1959 Preakness.
A week later, both groups of men took a battery of cognitive and physical tests. After just one week in the new environment, there were dramatic positive changes across the board. Both groups were stronger and more flexible. Height, weight, gait, posture, hearing, vision—even their performance on intelligence tests had improved. Their joints were more flexible, their shoulders wider, their fingers not only more agile, but longer and less gnarled by arthritis. But the men who had acted as if they were actually back in 1959 showed significantly more improvement. Those who had impersonated younger men seemed to have bodies that actually were younger.
The results were published in Harvard Magazine, http://harvardmagazine.com/2010/09/the-mindfulness-chronicles.
The study demonstrates the importance of mind-body connection. The mind-set can even affect our perspectives of aging.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Spontaneous Healing
Is it possible for spontaneous healing to take place for a patient suffering a life-threatening disease such as terminal cancer, or heart disease? Dr. Deepak Chopra, a certified MD in both India and US, think it is possible as long as we practice 'silence witnessing' and 're-writing our scripts'.
Every moment, we are exchanging the chemical elements with the environment through breathing, drinking, eating, and all other 5-sense inputs. According to Deepak, our internal organs such as liver renew and replace itself every 3 months. The cancer cells, and the disease heart do exactly the same thing. The cancer cells of the patient now are not the same as those seen a year ago.
If the organs have chances of renewing themselves, why a sick organ will remain sick after the regularly renewable ? According to Deepak, this is because the organs renew itself according to the scripts our conscious have written onto. This script, according to Deepak, is called the cell memory. For spontaneous healing to take place, one must make a real effort to re-write the spontaneous. Positive thinking is not enough. Silent witness to achieve self-awareness through meditation is the key allowing us to re-write the script.
What is the self-awareness? A patient feels discomfort and went to see a doctor. After thorough examination, the doctor found nothing and telling the patient is fine. But actually, the patient is not fine. According to Deepak, self-awareness of discomfort will precede before the diagnosis tools reveal something wrong in the patient. Similarly, during the recovery phase, self-awareness of 'comfort' will precede the medical diagnosis.
Here is a clinical example of Deepak Chopra to illustrate this point.
A woman of stage-4 breast cancer went to the Chopra Center asking for help. The Center provides therapies through the practices to provide patient's care and pleasure through 5 senses including oil massage and aromatherapy. The purpose of these therapies is to enhance patient pleasure and love for life and to eliminate the fear of death.
Few months later at the Center, she was feeling very well. Then she called her oncologist, telling her oncologist that she has been heeled. The oncologist gave her a total body scan. Well, the cancer cells were still there. She relapsed and her cancer got worse immediately. This is how 'fear' can almost kill anyone, healthy or sick.
According to Deepak, this woman did have a happy ending on her story through very hard work on re-writing the script to achieve a spontaneous healing.
So, spontaneous healing is possible if we can enhance our self-awareness and love of the life through silence-witnessing, and through meditation.
Every moment, we are exchanging the chemical elements with the environment through breathing, drinking, eating, and all other 5-sense inputs. According to Deepak, our internal organs such as liver renew and replace itself every 3 months. The cancer cells, and the disease heart do exactly the same thing. The cancer cells of the patient now are not the same as those seen a year ago.
If the organs have chances of renewing themselves, why a sick organ will remain sick after the regularly renewable ? According to Deepak, this is because the organs renew itself according to the scripts our conscious have written onto. This script, according to Deepak, is called the cell memory. For spontaneous healing to take place, one must make a real effort to re-write the spontaneous. Positive thinking is not enough. Silent witness to achieve self-awareness through meditation is the key allowing us to re-write the script.
What is the self-awareness? A patient feels discomfort and went to see a doctor. After thorough examination, the doctor found nothing and telling the patient is fine. But actually, the patient is not fine. According to Deepak, self-awareness of discomfort will precede before the diagnosis tools reveal something wrong in the patient. Similarly, during the recovery phase, self-awareness of 'comfort' will precede the medical diagnosis.
Here is a clinical example of Deepak Chopra to illustrate this point.
A woman of stage-4 breast cancer went to the Chopra Center asking for help. The Center provides therapies through the practices to provide patient's care and pleasure through 5 senses including oil massage and aromatherapy. The purpose of these therapies is to enhance patient pleasure and love for life and to eliminate the fear of death.
Few months later at the Center, she was feeling very well. Then she called her oncologist, telling her oncologist that she has been heeled. The oncologist gave her a total body scan. Well, the cancer cells were still there. She relapsed and her cancer got worse immediately. This is how 'fear' can almost kill anyone, healthy or sick.
According to Deepak, this woman did have a happy ending on her story through very hard work on re-writing the script to achieve a spontaneous healing.
So, spontaneous healing is possible if we can enhance our self-awareness and love of the life through silence-witnessing, and through meditation.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Rewrite Our Destiny
Although genetics plays some role in our health, our life style plays a much larger role.
Jose Cortez is a Hispanic. When he was in the 20's, his mom died of type-2 diabetics. It seems that type-2 diabetics runs in his family. When he was 61, he did not feel well. An initial examination concluded that he had both type-2 diabetics and high blood pressure. His glucose reading was over 500 (should be under 125). His blood pressure was 166/99 (should be under 120/80). The doctor told Jose that he was a candidate for major heart attack at any moment.
Besides taking the medications that the doctor prescribed immediately, Jose began his life transformation journey. He stopped fried food and soda and replacing them with healthy alternatives. He started walking, then running; first up to 10K then latter a marathon. Six years latter, his blood sugars are between 115 and 130, his blood pressures is 130/65. Jose's story was published by AARP (American Association for Retired People), June/July, 2016.
In September, 2015, I went to a routine blood test and found out my fasting blood sugar was 111 (should be below 100), a pre-diabetic fasting sugar reading. I was surprised and very disappointed because I ate very carefully; I was actually a vegetarian. Although highly disappointed, I finally told myself that I did not do enough to control my insulin resistance issue. I reduced my banana rations from several banana a day to just one banana a day; my grape ration from a bunch of grapes to just 10 of them at a time; switch from ‘red delicious apple’ to low sugar ‘Glen-Smith’ apple. I replace most of the missing fruits to berries: blue berry, strawberry, etc. I add ‘aerobic exercise’ such as ‘Body Attack’, ‘Body Combat’, ‘cycling’ and ‘high intensity interval training’.
In December of the same year, I went back for blood sugar and lipid panel check. The fasting blood sugar dropped 10 points to 101; and HDL increased 15 points from 53 to 68. It is a personal triumph although I still have several battles to fight for: such as my blood pressure is in the range of 140/70; I am shooting for blood pressure below 120/70. I belong to a high risk group of getting gastrointestinal cancers as I have per-cancers in my stomach and in my esophagus. Few years ago, I was very upset about all those ‘bad’ things with me, now I feel ease at these messages my body is telling me. My body wants and can heal; just don’t let my mind to interfere. I also consider every day is actually a gift. All I need to do is to treasure this gift and to get the best out of every day.
My story and Jose's story tell us something very true. Although we cannot change our genes, we can take control of our life style to re-write our destiny.
Jose Cortez is a Hispanic. When he was in the 20's, his mom died of type-2 diabetics. It seems that type-2 diabetics runs in his family. When he was 61, he did not feel well. An initial examination concluded that he had both type-2 diabetics and high blood pressure. His glucose reading was over 500 (should be under 125). His blood pressure was 166/99 (should be under 120/80). The doctor told Jose that he was a candidate for major heart attack at any moment.
Besides taking the medications that the doctor prescribed immediately, Jose began his life transformation journey. He stopped fried food and soda and replacing them with healthy alternatives. He started walking, then running; first up to 10K then latter a marathon. Six years latter, his blood sugars are between 115 and 130, his blood pressures is 130/65. Jose's story was published by AARP (American Association for Retired People), June/July, 2016.
In September, 2015, I went to a routine blood test and found out my fasting blood sugar was 111 (should be below 100), a pre-diabetic fasting sugar reading. I was surprised and very disappointed because I ate very carefully; I was actually a vegetarian. Although highly disappointed, I finally told myself that I did not do enough to control my insulin resistance issue. I reduced my banana rations from several banana a day to just one banana a day; my grape ration from a bunch of grapes to just 10 of them at a time; switch from ‘red delicious apple’ to low sugar ‘Glen-Smith’ apple. I replace most of the missing fruits to berries: blue berry, strawberry, etc. I add ‘aerobic exercise’ such as ‘Body Attack’, ‘Body Combat’, ‘cycling’ and ‘high intensity interval training’.
In December of the same year, I went back for blood sugar and lipid panel check. The fasting blood sugar dropped 10 points to 101; and HDL increased 15 points from 53 to 68. It is a personal triumph although I still have several battles to fight for: such as my blood pressure is in the range of 140/70; I am shooting for blood pressure below 120/70. I belong to a high risk group of getting gastrointestinal cancers as I have per-cancers in my stomach and in my esophagus. Few years ago, I was very upset about all those ‘bad’ things with me, now I feel ease at these messages my body is telling me. My body wants and can heal; just don’t let my mind to interfere. I also consider every day is actually a gift. All I need to do is to treasure this gift and to get the best out of every day.
My story and Jose's story tell us something very true. Although we cannot change our genes, we can take control of our life style to re-write our destiny.
Friday, August 19, 2016
Silent Witnessing--How I recover the Rotators-Cuff Problems.
Six months ago, when my arm was so sore that I could not reach and hold a milk jar in the refrigerator. It was therefore to my overjoy when I noticed that I could do the shoulder hold in a folk dance session few days ago.
My first trip to the chiropractor was in May hoping he would teach me few techniques to minimize the pain. Instead, he made a diagnosis and concluded that I had a shoulder rotators-cuff problem; recommending a MRI and a surgery to resolve the issue.
I refused, then made an appointment to my general practice physician office. A physician assistant confirmed that I had a rotators-cuff, but recommended a physical therapy. She also prescribed a locally-applied anti-inflammatory ointment for me to apply on the shoulder, plus some ice therapy.
After the ice and few physical therapy, I feel the pain was about 30-40% improved but was still unable to do more demanding for the the shoulder suppose to do.
The biggest improvement came from my regular practice of few Yoga move, such as dower-dog, Plank, crocodile, and mountain-climber poses, the improvement is readily visible. This is how I see the rotators-cuff problems substantial improvement.
The problems are not completely gone; but I can do regular staff with my right shoulder. I share my healing experience with my readers so that they can learn few tips from my experience.
My first trip to the chiropractor was in May hoping he would teach me few techniques to minimize the pain. Instead, he made a diagnosis and concluded that I had a shoulder rotators-cuff problem; recommending a MRI and a surgery to resolve the issue.
I refused, then made an appointment to my general practice physician office. A physician assistant confirmed that I had a rotators-cuff, but recommended a physical therapy. She also prescribed a locally-applied anti-inflammatory ointment for me to apply on the shoulder, plus some ice therapy.
After the ice and few physical therapy, I feel the pain was about 30-40% improved but was still unable to do more demanding for the the shoulder suppose to do.
The biggest improvement came from my regular practice of few Yoga move, such as dower-dog, Plank, crocodile, and mountain-climber poses, the improvement is readily visible. This is how I see the rotators-cuff problems substantial improvement.
The problems are not completely gone; but I can do regular staff with my right shoulder. I share my healing experience with my readers so that they can learn few tips from my experience.
Sunday, August 14, 2016
How our mind affects our healing
The following story comes from Dr. Deepak Chopra who got medical practice license in both the U.S. and India.
About 10 month ago, a had a patient,let's call him Robert, came to my clinic asking for help. This is Robert's story:
I was working on the roof of my house where I found a wire, which I thought it was a wire came from nowhere. So that I tried to clear it away. But the wire was loading up with 10,000 volts of electricity. As soon as Robert touched the wire, the 10,000 V of electricity running through his body. The 10,000 V is the voltage that the prisons in the old days used to executed prisoners.
Robert was electrical executed instantly and he fell from the roof.
This is what the story starts. He was so lucky that you can say this is an example of perfect miracle. When he landed on the group that hit a certain spot of his body which generated an electric impulse to make his heart pumping again. He came back alive. But now his right side of the body, hand and foot were completely burnt.
The emergency ambulance took him to the hospital. The ER doctor wanted to amputated his hands and foot. He thought a moment, and saying 'No'. He said,
"My life was saved by God. If I ask Him again, He should be able to give me back my right foot and right hand."
That was the reason he visited Chopra Center for help. The Chopra Clinic helped Robert to visualize his right arm and foot before the incidence. Using this constructive conscious effort, surely enough, Robert's right arm and foot began to regenerate tissues and regained strength.
According to Deepak, to completely cure an illness, say cancer, one must re-write the so-called the 'cellular memory' of illness to fully recovered. A woman with breast cancer came to clinic to see him. When Dr. Chopra examine the cancer cell, he said that this is the new cancer cell because the old cancer cells were gone. Same with our human body. The cells of our body got replaced periodically.
But why the newly replaced cells are still sick? Because the 'memory' of the cell passes from one generation to the next generation. So, even with surgery, chemo treatment, unless the patient works hard to re-write the cellular memory, remission is not possible.
The conclusion: Our mind affects our health at every cellular level. Welcome your comments.
About 10 month ago, a had a patient,let's call him Robert, came to my clinic asking for help. This is Robert's story:
I was working on the roof of my house where I found a wire, which I thought it was a wire came from nowhere. So that I tried to clear it away. But the wire was loading up with 10,000 volts of electricity. As soon as Robert touched the wire, the 10,000 V of electricity running through his body. The 10,000 V is the voltage that the prisons in the old days used to executed prisoners.
Robert was electrical executed instantly and he fell from the roof.
This is what the story starts. He was so lucky that you can say this is an example of perfect miracle. When he landed on the group that hit a certain spot of his body which generated an electric impulse to make his heart pumping again. He came back alive. But now his right side of the body, hand and foot were completely burnt.
The emergency ambulance took him to the hospital. The ER doctor wanted to amputated his hands and foot. He thought a moment, and saying 'No'. He said,
"My life was saved by God. If I ask Him again, He should be able to give me back my right foot and right hand."
That was the reason he visited Chopra Center for help. The Chopra Clinic helped Robert to visualize his right arm and foot before the incidence. Using this constructive conscious effort, surely enough, Robert's right arm and foot began to regenerate tissues and regained strength.
According to Deepak, to completely cure an illness, say cancer, one must re-write the so-called the 'cellular memory' of illness to fully recovered. A woman with breast cancer came to clinic to see him. When Dr. Chopra examine the cancer cell, he said that this is the new cancer cell because the old cancer cells were gone. Same with our human body. The cells of our body got replaced periodically.
But why the newly replaced cells are still sick? Because the 'memory' of the cell passes from one generation to the next generation. So, even with surgery, chemo treatment, unless the patient works hard to re-write the cellular memory, remission is not possible.
The conclusion: Our mind affects our health at every cellular level. Welcome your comments.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
A coincidence or the result of the intention?
A week before BCCE (Biannual Conference for Chemistry Educators) at Greeley, CO.,my family had a family reunion at Grand Haven, Michigan. Victor, a chemistry teacher, told me that one of his friend, Ramona will be at the BCCE and presenting a paper on her work. Since the attendees reached 2000+ at the Conference, I told Victor that there was no way I would meet her friend. Even I saw her next to me, I would not recognize her as Romona.
The day before the Conference completed, I walked over from my dorm to the University Center to get collect relatively health snacks to be used as my food at the airplane. Half way to the UC, I forgot my key for the dorm, I walked back to the dorm, got the key then walk straight to the University Center.
I passed by a lady conferee, I greeted her by saying, "Hello". our next conversation was that I was from UW-Green Bay. She said that she was from Minnesota. Then, she looked into my eye and asked,
"Are you Victor"s dad?" she continued, " I am Romona"
I was completely shocked. Was this a completely coincidence, or the result of 'Power of Intention?' I will leave you to explain.
The day before the Conference completed, I walked over from my dorm to the University Center to get collect relatively health snacks to be used as my food at the airplane. Half way to the UC, I forgot my key for the dorm, I walked back to the dorm, got the key then walk straight to the University Center.
I passed by a lady conferee, I greeted her by saying, "Hello". our next conversation was that I was from UW-Green Bay. She said that she was from Minnesota. Then, she looked into my eye and asked,
"Are you Victor"s dad?" she continued, " I am Romona"
I was completely shocked. Was this a completely coincidence, or the result of 'Power of Intention?' I will leave you to explain.
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