Meditation and Mindfulness Can Literally Turn You Into a New Person

Long the province of, shall we say, “fringe” types, mindful meditation is now a well-regarded, mainstream practice that’s just as likely to attract buttoned-up business types as long-haired wannabe yogis. Studies show that people who regularly practice mindfulness enjoy several meditation benefits: healthier, more balanced lives, less stress, better performance on reasoning tests.

But that may only be the tip of the iceberg. What if mindful meditation could literally change the structure of your cells — or at least the genetic code that governs their activities? A new study suggests that this may be the case.

Longer Telomeres?

According to a just-released study published in Scientific American, mindful meditation may produce changes in telomeres, which are the “endcap” segments that adorn each of our chromosomes. Specifically, they slow telomeres’ shortening, a natural process that occurs over years or decades and has been linked to health problems like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Overall, longer telomeres are associated with longer lifespans. The study unambiguously showed that breast cancer survivors who practiced mindfulness had longer telomeres than peer groups who received other forms of counseling.

Other Genetic Benefits

Meanwhile, a 2013 study from the University of Wisconsin found even that mindfulness had even farther-reaching genetic benefits. Individuals who practiced intense mindfulness over the course of several hours were found to have lower levels of inflammation-inducing genes and higher levels of the gene-regulating “machinery” (proteins) responsible for limiting the negative effects of inflammation. This resulted in lower levels of damaging inflammation in mindful participants’ bodies, reducing long-term risks for related conditions like heart disease and some forms of cancer.

Mental and Emotional Benefits of Meditation

Of course, mindful meditation has a range of mental and emotional benefits as well. People who regularly practice mindfulness forge new neural connections at higher rates than their non-meditating peers, promoting problem-solving and reducing the incidence of emotional problems. Simply put, mindful meditation is a holistic approach to healthier, happier, smarter living.

More to Come

Can mindful meditation really change your body? The jury will be out until more studies have been completed, but the science looks promising so far. And given all the well-documented meditation benefits that we’re already sure about, it seems silly not to give it a try and see for yourself. What do you have to lose?

US-RN

At long last, my RN license was finally issued by the New Jersey Board of Nursing, it seemed like I waited forever for it. But I still thank God for however difficult and long the process might have been, in the end it's all gonna be worth it.

Now the other half of the challenge would be finding a job and practicing nursing for the first time here in the United States. Even though I've been an RN in the Philippines for almost 8 years, and even though Nursing is Universal, there are still differences which I have to overcome and adapt to.

I'm so excited to finally start my nursing career here, I just hope it's going to be soon! Have a nice day guys and happy blogging...

Need better balance in body, mind and spirit? Try Ayurvedic cooking

Ayurveda is one of the oldest systems for promoting health and well-being on the planet. Most closely associated with Indian food, Ayurvedic methods are easily adaptable to any cuisine. While the overall philosophy is both intricate and elegant, the dietary principles can be broken down into several very simple concepts.

Those who follow the first and most basic guideline of an Ayurvedic way of eating now have a trendy name: Locavore. Ayurveda has, for centuries, been based upon the idea that all of the foods you eat should be natural, containing no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, and that a healthy, balanced diet is made up of local foods purchased and prepared only when they are in season in your area. Eating natural foods from the area in which you live and work is believed to bring you into harmony with your environment. Because Ayurveda is a holistic discipline, meaning that it is designed to enhance every aspect of your life, this environmental balance is important.

Second, becoming familiar with the six tastes of Ayurveda—sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent—is essential to helping you understand and master the basics of planning and preparing meals according to Ayurvedic principles. These flavors are generally listed in the order in which Ayurveda tells us they are digested, so plan your meals accordingly. Start a meal with something light and sweet, such as a fruit salad drizzled with honey. Or combine sweet and sour with fruit and yogurt or hard cheese and lemon chutney. Use the pungency of chili peppers or ginger to balance and bring out the bitter flavor of leafy greens seasoned with the astringent kick of pomegranate. Eating the six flavors in the order in which they are most effectively digested helps promote gastric health and curb cravings to contribute to an overall sense of well-being.

Cooking methods are the third key to the Ayurvedic approach. Science tells us that cooking tomatoes releases the lycopene that your body cannot extract efficiently when they are eaten raw—a truth known to Ayurveda for 5,000 years. This is also why carrots are most often served raw, because cooking destroys their beta carotene.

 

Spices are the fourth building block in constructing healthy, balanced and delicious Ayurvedic meals. Turmeric, ginger, cumin and coriander are the bases of most Ayurvedic recipes. Turmeric is believed to aid digestion, as is ginger. Tamarind, honey, lemon and spicy chilies also bring flavor to Ayurvedic meals. A mixture of caraway seeds and fennel seeds is often put out in dishes to sweeten and freshen the breath after dining.

While a belief in vegetarianism is at the heart of the Ayurvedic way of eating, if you are not willing to give up meats, poultry and fish, you can apply the Ayurvedic way of thinking to how you incorporate them into your daily menus. Choose organic products made from animals that have been gently and freely raised and humanely dispatched. Use meats as flavoring rather than as the main part of each dish, and be especially sure to balance all six flavors in meals containing meat.

 

First time on ICE...

I was good at roller skating way back in high school, but there's a really big difference being on ice for the first time. Aside from feeling like your toes are frozen, it's very slippery I could almost feel my butt on the icy ground as soon as I let go of the railings. My butt did meet the chilly ground two times LOL, but it was such an exciting and exhilarating experience, especially if you're homebound for weeks with nothing to do but wait for your RN license to finally be issued.

 

A lot of thanks to my good friend, Joy Barrete (who never let go of the railings for more than a second hahaha), for making this experience a very unforgettable one. Next time, we'll skate like a PRO!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Madeline!

Kids grow up in a blink of an eye nowadays! One moment they're in your arms, the next they're climbing up whatever it is they can climb on! But I'm not complaining, coz they might grow up fast but we raised them as great kids. Kids who have deep family values which would guide them to become better individuals in the future.

 

Keep safe and healthy Madeline, Tita Bing is always right here for you! We love you so much!

Fingerprinting done, finally!

All I needed to have my RN license here in New Jersey is to be fingerprinted by Identogo to complete the Criminal History Background check. But that wasn't an easy task. Because of the USCIS error in my name, I couldn't get one decent and valid identification issued by a U.S. federal, state, or county to present to any Identogo facility.

 

But we went to DMV anyway and get an I.D. with my wrong name, and presented it to the Identogo clerk. I was so nervous she'd turn me away, but all she did was scan the barcode at the back of my DMV I.D. and fingerprinted me. My fingers were cold and shaking (didn't know if she noticed it), I'm afraid she'd stop anytime and tell me "Oh, your name in your ID doesn't match the one written in the Universal Fingerprinting Form". Fortunately, the whole ordeal went quickly, and I expelled the breath I was holding on as soon as I got out of the facility.

 

I just hope the FBI or the NJ State Police will look into USCIS system and find out it was just a mere typographical error. Until then, I'll just keep on praying that everything will finally fall in its right place.

USCIS Biometrics

Just finished my biometrics at USCIS Application Support Center, Philadelphia today. It was real quick, less than 10 minutes and we're on our way back home to New Jersey. I just hope that they will also process my replacement green card just as quick (fingers crossed). I heard that the wait time from biometrics to receiving the new green card is around 2 to 3 months.

 

Just so frustrating that they made an error in your card, but you will be the one to suffer the consequences of their incompetence. So damn waste of precious time.

Happy 2nd Birthday, my baby Judd!

2 years ago God has gifted me the reason to believe again that happiness isn't just a word or a state of emotion. It's a place where hearts meet and be bound forever with the love that could last a lifetime, and even way after forever.

 

Happy 2nd birthday my baby Judd Grey! Though distance may have separated us physically, our hearts will always be in that happy place waiting patiently until we can be together again.

I love and miss you so much baby!!!

Welcome 2015!

This blog needs some CPR, and since it's the New Year I think now is the best time to do just that.

May 2015 brings us prosperity and success in whatever endeavors we have. Let us list down all the New Year's resolutions we've been dying to do and give our very best to make them into reality. Plans and ideas are great, but making it an action verb is far greater.

Let us welcome 2015 by being pro-active and productive. God bless us all! Happy blogging and Happy New Year...