Mental Fitness: Finding PeaceChristine Faust HW420-02

September 7, 2013

Introduction• What is mental fitness• Benefits of mental fitness• Part 1: Clinical Studies• Part 2: Exercises a person can incorporate• Summary• References

What is mental fitness?

• Mental fitness is training the mind to influence the body

• Development of our Inner life and consciousness

• A sense of calm, balance and inner peace• Evolution of our psychospiritual life

The Benefits of Mental Fitness

• Develop the minds healing capabilities• Transformation of ordinary health into

precious health• Heightened state of pure awareness• Enhanced resistance to mental distress and

physical disease• Peace

The Stages of Mental Fitness• Reactive Mind- reacting to life as we know it• Witnessing Mind- watching habits, thoughts and

actions to see what is positive• Calm Mindfulness Abiding Mind- living with good

intentions• Unity Consciousness- feeling connected to all things,

a spiritual consciousness (Dacher, 2006)

Part One: Clinical Research

Elmer and Alyce Green• In the early 1970’s discovered that mental

imagery could effect physiological functions in the body.

• From this study, they found that people could control their blood pressure, pulse, muscular tension as well as skin temperature (Dacher, 2006).

Candace Pert

• She discovered neuropeptides that are proteins that circulate through the body carrying messages from one part of the body to another.

• The mind and body are completely connected.

Dr. Peter Schnall• He studied business professionals that had stressful

jobs. These people suffered from job strain. Too much work and not enough time to do it in.

• Some people dealt with the situation by summoning inner strength, others became depressed and defeated.

Richard Davidson• He studied brain activity, blood flow and

metabolic activity in relation to negative and positive emotions.

• Right prefrontal cortex responded to negative emotions.

• Left prefrontal cortex responded to positive emotions.

Part Two: Exercises for you

MeditationMeditation has been practiced for thousands of years, it is most commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction. Meditation is considered to be a type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation produces a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind. During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process results in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.

Benefits of meditation include:• a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional

well-being and your overall health.

Meditation and Emotional Well-BeingWhen you meditate, you clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress. The emotional benefits of meditation • Gaining a new perspective on stressful

situations• Building skills to manage your stress• Increasing self-awareness• Focusing on the present• Reducing negative emotions

Meditation and IllnessAccording to the Mayo Clinic, meditation may help the following issues:• Allergies• Anxiety disorders• Asthma• Binge eating• Cancer• Depression• Fatigue• Heart disease• High blood pressure• Pain• Sleep problems• Substance abuse

YogaYoga is a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, that includes breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.Yoga has been shown to reduce lactic acid which

causes stiffness and tensionIncreases the bodies range of motion in the jointsBetter postureProduces increased body awareness

Summary

• Mental fitness is the development of our inner life and consciousness.

• One of the benefits of mental fitness is the enhanced resistance to mental distress and physical disease.

• Exercises such as meditation and yoga have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety.

• Mental fitness is being aware of the mind/body connection.

References• Dacher, E. S. (2006). Integral health: The path to

human flourishing. (1 ed., pp. 20-23). Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications, Inc. DOI: www.basichealthpub.com

• WebMD, (2012). The health benefits of yoga. http://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/the-health-benefits-of-yoga

• Mayo Clinic, (2011). Meditation: A simple fast way to reduce stress. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meditation/HQ01070