Author: Dominick Flarey

Want to Relieve Stress? Try These Tips!

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

7 Effective and Soothing Ways To Relieve Stress

Stress is a normal part of our daily lives. Waking up early, getting ready for the office and the daily hustle bustle can get really stressing at times. This is why we should find a way to break free from stress from time to time.

Here are 7 effective and soothing ways to get rid of the stress that you are feeling:

Take a mini vacation.

No, you do not have to go to the other end of the world just to relieve stress. Also, you do not have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars just to get the relaxation that you most want. Doing that would just make you even more stressed afterwards. Your mini vacation can be as simple as a weekend getaway or an overnight stay at the resort. Being away from your stressors or just having a change of scenery will surely relax and calm your mind.

Take a break.

Do not expect that you can easily get rid of stress if you will keep on doing the things you usually do. Keep yourself relaxed in the middle of the day by taking a break. Pause for a while. A 15 minute break every three hours can certainly do wonders for you. When you do this, you will have the energy to finish all your to-do tasks for the day a lot more efficiently and in a more relaxed manner.

Sing!

If you have pent up emotions that are already making you go crazy, sing it out! One of the most common stressors that we have in life is these emotions. Letting it go through singing is one good way to positively release all your emotion, stress and worries. You do not have to be a good singer to do this. It’s the act that of releasing your emotions that you are after, not the sound of your voice.

Have a massage.

This has been proven time and time again, massage is a wonderful way to say goodbye to stress. Having a massage will surely bring relaxation not only on your body but on your heart and mind too. Stress manifests itself in our body in tensed and stiff shoulder muscles, headaches, muscles aches and the like. Massage is the greatest solution to these problems.

Take a walk.

Walking is the most relaxing thing you can ever do. The good thing about it? You do not have to spend money to do this! Walk with the purpose of just walking. Enjoy the sights. Take a look around you and calmness would surely dawn on you. Since walking is one form of exercise, your body would also release some happy hormones that would make you feel more relaxed throughout the whole day.

Do something you love doing.

With so many activities that we have to finish on a daily basis, we sometimes forget to allocate some time to do the things that we love doing. Do you love to dance? How about draw? Listen to music? Then do it! You will be amazed at how much energy you will have afterwards.

Do yoga.

Meditation and balancing will surely get your mind off the things that stress you. When you focus on what the instructor wants you to do, you will be able to rest your mind from worrying even for a while. Plus, this is considered an exercise too. This is why you can get to be physically fit and relaxed at the same time.

Keep in mind that you do not have to shell out huge amounts of money just to have the relaxation you need, Truth is, there are very simple things that you can do to say goodbye to the stress that you are feeling.

About The Author:

Ron is the online representative of Happy Head Massage. He believes that having a body massage once a week can greatly ease the stress our body receives.

Complete guide of – How Many Calories Should I Eat Daily

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Complete guide of – How Many Calories Should I Eat Daily

People now a days are searching out for ways that will help them lead a better and a healthier life. This includes people of all ages. Right from school going kids to elderly people, fitness is an important factor that everyone needs to think about. Exercising the way others do and following a diet that has helped others, is what most of the people think they should be doing. This has been the most common myth that many people tend to follow and also advice others to do so. Each individual is made up with a unique body structure. Although they may look the same, the internal metabolism of each individual is different. There are no two individuals; even twins that can be considered to have the same metabolism. It is thus important that each of you know what is best for your body and the things that can get you maximum benefits.

What are the things that you need to focus on? Are you looking for a weight loss plan, a muscle strengthening plan or simply a fitness regime? What are the best exercises that will help you reach your goal? What kind of a diet do you need to follow? Most importantly, how many calories do you need to consume and how much should you burn? All these are factors that cannot be simply predicted or assumed according to your wish. You will have to look into different other things that will help you calculate the above mentioned factors and thus will help select the most suitable method to stay fit or even lose weight.

The Harris-Benedict equation that was created for women can help considerately to calculate the amount of calories a woman can consume. Before you know the equation, the basic things that you would have to know are the age, height and weight. These are the most common things that every woman knows about herself. You simply need to add these numbers in the equation mention below:

BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 * weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 * height in inches ) + ( 4.7 * age in years )

BMR stands for basal metabolic rate. This equation helps you to calculate the number of calories that you would need to consume per day. You would be wondering about how to go about calculating the BMR. Let us see an example for the same. Suppose you are a lady whose age is 50 years and the height and weight is 5’ 7” and 160lbs respectively, according to the Harris-Benedict equation, the standard amount of calories that can be consumed in a day are found to be 1441.

Maintaining ones weight:

Let us now take a look at the calculations for women who would want to maintain their weight. It is a matter of fact that an average person usually burns out more calories than the above mentioned number. Thus, one should consider the amount of work done in a day or the number of calories that one tends to burn to conclude with the final number of calories that can be consumed. There are a number of activities that one would be performing in a day. We need to calculate the activity factor of each activity that we take up in a day.

Let us consider activities in which we include minimal movements, such as watching television, reading or simply listening music. The activity factor here would be about 1.4. The activity factor of an entire day spent in office work with approximately 1 hour of moderate exercises or an activity can be said to be 1.5. Similarly, the activity factor of more activity and an active lifestyle will be about 1.6. Finally the most active people who are athletes or are involved in military activities will have an activity factor of 1.9.

The total number of calories that need to be consumed in a day in order to maintain the energy and weight is calculated by multiplying the activity factor with the BMR obtained above. Let us consider the activity factor to be 1.6 and the BMR 1441. The amount of necessary calorie intake could be stated as 2305. You can consume about 2305 calories in a day if you tend to be active throughout the day at the age of 50 years and your height and weight as mentioned in the example considered above.

Calorie Count for Weight Loss:

There are many people who prefer losing weight by adapting to methods that will help burn calories. You need to make sure that the calorie burning methods that you use help in burning fat and not muscles. If you are on a weight loss regime, all that you have to do is consume fewer amounts of calories.

While one is focusing on weight loss, it is important to focus on many other factors that contribute to the entire regime and thus you can calculate the calories taken in and the amount that needs to be burnt.

Factors that your calorie intake depends on:

Type of Exercises: The amount of calorie being used up depends a lot upon the type of exercise that you do. If you have included vigorous forms of workouts or aerobics that help burn more calories as compared to mere walking or yoga, it means that you would have to consume a few more calories than the others.

Diet you follow: A high protein diet usually takes time to digest and thus burns a lot of calories during this process. Proteins not only help you burn calories in the process of digestion, but also help in enhancing ones metabolism and provide enough strength to work out more vigorously.

Individual Metabolism: Every individual has different levels of metabolism. The intensity in which one can perform an activity can be determined by the level of metabolism. There are many health supplements that claim to enhance weight loss, actually follow the principle of increasing the metabolism levels. Some of these are Raspberry Ketones, Dendrobium and green coffee beans.

Although all these above mentioned methods and factors may help you calculate an amount of calories that you can consume in a day, you cannot rely on any particular factor or method. The BMR calculated using the Harris-Benedict equation mentioned above can also be considered to be just an estimate amount of calories that one can consume.

The best practice is to consume food and drinks as supplements and green tea that give us more energy without adding to the calorie content in the body. This will help us workout more vigorously that will increase the amount of fat being burnt and thus enhance weight loss.

 

Author: James Hundson is a certified personal trainer. He  earned the reputation as an expert in the field of weight loss, health and fitness. James helped many peoples to achieve their personal goals through private consultations and training, as well as public speaking and numerous publications.

Also if you would like to learn more about our certification in Health Care Life Coaching, then please review the program and see if it matches your educational and professional needs.

Forensic Nursing C.S.I. meets E.R

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Looking for some great forensic nursing information?    Then perhaps you should check out our friends over at Bestmasterofscienceinnursing.com.    They recently created an infograph about forensic nursing science and C. S. I. (crime scene investigation).

For full information please visit this link

forensic nursing
Forensic nursing combines police work with the medical field.

For more information on becoming certified in forensic nursing and taking online courses in forensic nursing please visit our main site.

Christian Unity and Communion: Christian Counseling Training Program

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Unity and Communion: Christian Counseling Training Program

Christian Unity and Communion is a difficult subject to breach because of multiple theological divisions and the multiple social reactions to unity.  Some groups wish and desire that one Church emerge and others seem to relish the disunity via their hate filled speech against other denominations.

Is it possible?  Does it matter?

First the later question.  Christ calls for all to be one.  St Paul further reprimanded Christians for those who decided to follow him or other apostles, but reminded them that Christians are called to follow Christ!   Division is unnatural to Christianity because Christ is the natural head of the Church.  So yes, Christian unity does matter!  

It is an insult to the sacramental nature of Baptism which unites all in one Baptism and one Christ.   Through Baptism one becomes a member of Christ’s Church and an integral part of the Mystical Body of Christ.  This sacrament is so unifying, that even in petty divisions, all Christians are unified in a supernatural way that is beyond denominations and physical borders.

Yet an outward manifestation of this unity ceases to exist.  There are a multitude of divisions between Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox.  Some of these divisions involve petty man-made customs, while others involve serious theological differences.   Christ, however, is pure truth.   He is not a division of truth and demands his children to come together under his name.   So the issue of reunification does matter and it is critical.

In the latter half of the 20th Century, Ecumenism took central role in mainstream Christian denominations.   A search for mutual teaching and oneness in Christ motivated many to bring church leaders to dialogue. 

In this dialogue, the Second Vatican Council of the Catholic Church looked at its relation to other religions but most importantly its relation to the East and Protestantism.   Common core beliefs were acknowledged and the beauty of the various traditions within those two groups were analyzed.

In response, main stream Protestant groups began to look at the ties with the Western Church and Eastern Churches began new dialogue with the West.  This reached a pinnacle when the Pope and Patriarch of Constantinople mutually lifted the excommunications against each other that had lasted since 1054.

Also at the grass root levels of Protestantism, many non-denominational churches arose throughout America seeking unification with other Protestant groups.   These groups also welcomed Catholics and Orthodox but, despite this, these grass root churches seem to be more Protestant orientated in unification since many reject or hold in extreme bias against many Catholic and Orthodox teachings.

So, the desire to reunify does matter and it is a driving element in all three branches of Christianity.  Yet, is desire enough?

Is It Possible?

The first question if it is possible is the most troubling.  While Christian theology does teach that the sacrament of Baptism makes one a member of Christ’s Church, there still exists formal and physical divisions of Christ’s Church.   So, one can say theologically, in the most primitive sense, yes reunification is possible because spiritually the church is one via Baptism but things become more complicated when groups deny certain core elements of Christianity or create other ideas, yet still claim to be a follower of Christ.

What is orthodox? And how much of a core teaching must all adhere to in order to be unified with another branch?  Most Christians would contend that the first order of unification involves the teachings of Scripture regarding the divinity of Christ and his Resurrection.   Second, most Christians would adhere to the teachings of the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea  in 325 which laid foundation for the famous Nicene Creed.  This creed lays the foundation for the apostolic faith, the Incarnation, Redemption and future of the church.  

The teachings of Scripture and the Creed are cornerstones of what is it is to be “Christian”.   This leads one to very interesting reactions within two different groups.  The first group is a very liberal group that seeks reunification at all costs.   This group believes in core values that define one as Christian and lists a pillar of truths that all Christians can agree with.   They believe that if these core beliefs are officially accepted by different Christian denominations, then a sense of union can exist.  

They, however, dismiss other “truths” as not core essential to the brand of Christianity but only to the local church and its own tradition.  Such liberal theologians as Rahner, and a younger Avery Dulles, all promoted a unified Church based on certain pillars of mutual acceptance but also room for disagreement on minor dogmas that reflect the particular denomination.   An example would be Marian doctrines found in the Catholic Church.  In a reunification, these dogmas would not be listed as necessary or uniquely Christian and an assent of belief would not be required for union between Catholics and Protestants.

The second group mentioned is a very conservative group.   Within this group there are extremists but also realists.  The extremist conservative group represent the very worst of our Christian faith.  This group  within Catholicism and Orthodoxy is very pharisaical and live by a codified law.   In many cases, they spark division based off of man-made traditions or speculative theology.  They are unmoved by human compassion but judge others by the law only.  Within this mindset, they see others that outside the Church as damned to Hell.

 Extremists conservative Protestants also exist that are governed by their own self and literal interpretations of Scripture.  Many of these Protestants have become prey to cultish groups that openly engage in spiritual warfare against Catholicism.   Some even go father, as in the case of the Westboro Church that condemns gays and lesbians to Hell.  

Within this second group; also exists a more moderate response to Ecumenism that is more conservative but also realistic.   This group acknowledges the reality of differences and the reality of common core beliefs, but refuses to demean ‘’lesser dogmas”.  In their mind, all truth is truth, even the smallest dogma found in Christianity is essential to its teachings.  The problem is which  dogma is true and which is not?  Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox will all disagree on the Immaculate Conception of Mary.   How important is this to Catholics?   Most Protestants believe that the Lord’s Supper is symbolic, but in a unified Church may be forced to accept the true presence.  Would Protestant groups accept this?   There are multiple theological ideals that define Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants beyond sacred Scripture and Nicaea.  In many cases, most conservative Christians disagree not out of pride, as the extremist conservatives, but out of genuine belief.  So how can there be true physical union?

I find myself in the moderate conservative camp.   Yes we share common beliefs that make us uniquely Christian but we also disagree on fundamental ideals that would require us to sacrifice what we perceive as truth.  If one knowingly sacrifices what they perceive as truth, whether true or not, then they turn on their conscience and who they are.  True ecumenism does not seek to compromise, like the liberal stance, but seeks true union through dialogue and theological discussion. 

Sometimes, false ideals or notions that once seemed to be a difference can be ironed out between two parties  if the discussion is done with reverence and prayer.   If a common ideal cannot be reached genuinely, then Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox groups must show mutual respect and hold to their truths.  Yet in doing so, acknowledging the common pillar of truth which is Christ.   The belief in Christ and our common Baptism is an initial step towards reunification.  While it is not physically manifested where we worship on Sunday, it is spiritually manifested when we share Christ to the world through works of mercy and love and when we respect each other’s differences.

This stance differs from the liberal stance in that it denies subjectivism.   The fullness of Christ’s teaching and faith is found in one Church, not many.  One Christian cannot say the Eucharist is a symbol while the other views it is the Body and Blood of Christ.  There is a truth and that truth we may never know, but these ideas cannot be swept under the rug as not important.  We must hold to our apostolic beliefs and unless exposed to the illumination of the Holy Spirit, we must hold firm to our traditions that have been handed down to us.  The liberals, in their zeal for communion, deny true identity and teach a dangerous subjectivism that erodes the truth of the apostolic faith for the convenience of communion.

The moderate conservative stance differs from the extremist conservative in that it does not believe God’s grace is exclusive to a particular group or that man-made laws and speculative theological formulas should cause division.  This does not mean we should not believe that our Church is the source of grace, it merely states that we  believe the mystery of salvation can be applied in non-conventional ways that do not stem from our particular bell tower.

This differs from the strict and unmoving beliefs of pre-Vatican II Catholics and many Eastern Orthodox.   The issue here is not that both parties have a true belief in their apostolic succession but the that they condemn each other to Hell.   They dismiss the common Baptism and wish to hoard the sacraments for themselves.  They seek to continue division between East and West over a prideful ideals of speculative or man-made theologies.    An ideal of Return Ecumenism exists between the two parties, where they expect the other group to come back to them.   The sad reality between Orthodox and Catholic is that a physical reunion is possible, yet this mentality prevents it from happening!

Not so is the case with Protestantism since the theological chasm is so wide, yet various letters of hate among Protestant groups that Rome is the whore of Babylon is not only non-sense but is also vile towards any true spiritual reunification of one’s common Baptism.

When Will Reunion Happen For All Christians On A Physical Level?

While we can say we are unified in one Baptism of Christ, a physical reunion for all Christians is not realistically possible under human hands.   Only the Holy Spirit can enlighten all Christians to one truth and one physical fold.  While some groups within Protestantism can find common ground or Catholics and Orthodox can one day physically unify, one must admit that for all three branches to agree would be a divine event.  For this reason, true reunion will come when Christ returns.  In the meantime,  we must embrace our common love of Christ and share it with each other via action not theological speeches.

Let us pray for union, be kind to our fellow Christians, seek the truth of the Holy Spirit and always remain humble in the graces that Christ has given us!

If you would like to learn more about AIHCP’s  Christian Counseling Training Program, then please review the program.  Certified Christian Counselors must be well trained in proper Ecumenism and sensitive to the needs of other Christians.   Christian Counselors have a unique way to spread the spiritual union of our faith with other Christians by sharing their wisdom and aide to spiritual children of any denomination that are in need of help and prayers.

This is why our program is called Christian, not Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox, but Christian!

If you would like to also learn how to become a Christian Counselor, then please review the program.

Mark Moran, MA

Certified Christian Counseling Program Presents: “A More Open Dialogue With the World?”

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Certified Christian Counseling Program: A More Open Dialogue With the World?

Christianity, as it enters this century, has been hit hard by a variety of “isms” within our culture.   From secularism and materialism to humanism and atheism, the cultural revolution of the 1960s has taken strong root.   From these outward assaults on Christian values, Christians are attempting how to revitalize the Church and answer the call of the new generation without compromising itself.

Is Christianity a static religion or is it adaptive to change?  I think a middle ground solution to the question represents Christianity better.    Christianity is laid with the truth of Christ which can never change, but it is also a vibrant faith that has universally preached Christ to the nations.  This presents a true catholicity of the faith as Christ is worshipped in every tongue and celebrated through various traditions.

Yet, cultural change, the type of change initially pursued in the Enlightenment is an impossible compromise.  Terms such as “static”, “old fashioned”, “narrow-minded” and “outdated” are all common terms given to Christians and Christian Counselors. by secularist.s   Counselors may deal with a variety of modern issues that can never be compromised or accepted by true Christians.  In these sessions, the Certified Christian Counselor must represent the objective code of ethics against the subjective ideals of modern society.   Classical Christian philosophy and moral theology must become the stabilizing ingredient amongst moral chaos.

How can Christianity, if it is closed to such modern ideals, be truly open to dialogue in the modern world?  How can Christianity present a moral plan for the modern generation?   I believe within the Catholic tradition, Vatican II presented a clear response to the modern world.  Particularly in Guadem et Spes, the church fathers taught that Christians must proclaim the Gospel and no longer hide in the dark.   The previous conciliar church was very closed in its traditions and legalisms, but the council and document pushed for a more open dialogue with the world and to bring Christ to the market place.  This is why the nature of the council was pastoral and not dogmatic.  Instead of spewing anathemas  against the world, the church leaders wanted to engage the world.

This mindset was to not judge, but teach with love.  As Christian Counselors, is this not the biggest challenge sometimes?  To openly condemn actions against the faith can sometimes alienate the person from the healing power of Christ.  When we take Christ to the market place, we must not sacrifice truth, but pastorally we must not judge.  Instead we should seek to heal.

Pope Francis embodies this philosophy perfectly in his famous line, “who am I to judge”?   The Pope is not suggesting, as liberals hope, that truth is no longer truth or right is no longer right, but instead emphasizing on the mercy of Christ and the pastoral ministry of healing.

The Catholic Church was one of its biggest obstacles to its own self prior to Vatican II.  A legalist system of outdated fast regulations, sacramental prohibitions, and scrupulous morality based on an extreme element of punishment instead of love existed within its ranks.  This theology alienated many from the Church.  If Catholic, who can remember the strict observance of no food or drink before reception of the Eucharist?  Who remembers, if one committed a mortal sin, that their soul was now completely dead and unworthy of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament?  While these ideas seem extreme, they were hardly extreme if one considers the early penalties of the early Church!

After Vatican II, liberals hoped to interpret the change of dialogue with the world as an open buffet for subjectivism.  It wished to take away the shackles of Thomistic, ecclesiological and sacramental theology and replace it with a more democratic ecclesiology and open mindedness to new ideologies of the world.  Where once strict observance existed, they now seeked to go to the opposite extreme before the council.

However, it was soon apparent, that the Catholic Church’s new dialogue with the modern world was far from as liberal as they wished.   Paul VI in Human Vitae, and the long tenure of John Paul II showed that a more moderate road was chosen.   While old and outdated traditions and regulations were removed, the Church would still remain orthodox to moral objectivism.  It would dialogue with the world in a more pastoral way, but it would not sacrifice or compromise morality.

Protestantism, also, reflected this.  While Protestantism is not as dogmatic as Catholicism and does not have the large councils and declarations, the Protestant Churches still realized the importance of modern dialogue with the world.  The Protestant denominations stood strong against the sexual revolution and its subjective morality.   Throughout America, a variety of grassroot Churches emerged that emphasized the importance of rebirth in Christ.   The old “puritan” condemnation of the sinner, has been replaced with ” love the sinner, hate the sin”.  Large and small non-denominational churches opened across the United States as individuals revoked past sinful lives with the open and easy mercy of Christ.

This pastoral response to the secular and atheistic world preaches a dialogue of love that remains true to Christ’s teachings, but removes us as judge and executioner.  Christ alone knows and understands each person ever created.  He alone will judge.  Did he not tell the Pharisees and elders who were about to stone Mary, that those without sin can cast the first stone?

So how can Christian Counselors apply this to modern day ethical situations that challenge the orthodoxy of Christian teaching?  Let us look at a few cases.

First, there is the issue of homosexuality.   A new dialogue is needed with the homosexual community.  The Church can no longer condemn them and cast them away from the light of Christ’s mercy and healing.  New dialogue requires new ways of thinking and approaching the issue.   Sole condemnation of the sin is not the Christian way.  Condemnation was a school of thought of a previous generation that over-emphasized the sin and punishment.  Yet, in the same breath, we also have a school of thought that over-emphasizes the love and mercy of Christ and totally ignores the sin.   These two extremes cause serious issues in dialogue.  One attempts to judge, the other ignores and alters the identity of the faith.    One can see this type of extremism from such individuals in the Westboro Baptist Church and other liberal communities who marry homosexuals.  Both extremes are equally dangerous.

In such dialogue, the Catholic Church has made huge strides in finally admitting that homosexuality is not a choice.   The official Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that homosexuality is not a sin in itself but when only acted upon.   The temptation, the feeling, the thoughts are all temptations.  The Catechism encourages homosexuals to continually pray, fast and receive the Eucharist for spiritual graces.

There is a common teaching in Protestant circles as well.  Without compromising the sinful nature of such acts, the Protestant Churches also call for a pastoral response; a response that does not reject or hate but instead one that seeks to heal.   It is clear that the days of condemning people to Hell is no longer a proper dialogue for Christians to have with the world over moral issues like this, but instead, to present a more Christ-like approach.

One last issue addressed here, of yet many to even mention, is the culture of death.   The Catholic and Protestant Churches continue to support the rights of the unborn.  This is a non-comprisable position but it does not mean Christian Counselors cannot engage the society of death, or those confused, in a more Christ-like manner.

In approaching the society of death, Christians must set good example.   As a young girl makes her way to an abortion clinic, should she be condemned, spat upon and jeered at?  How about instead trying to understand the young girl’s situation and trying to pray for her.   Or how about preaching love and understanding instead of hate in an attempt to convince her to choose life?

The same is true with the elderly who consider euthanasia.  Instead sitting at a philosophical pulpit, why not attempt to understand the person’s grief?  Why not pastorally care for them not merely physically but also spiritually and emotionally.  The spiritual depression of terminal illness is beyond any of our comprehension unless we experience it.  The pain that accompanies it as well can overwhelm a person.  Yet, do we visit the sick as Christ commanded?  Do we attempt to care for the soul as well?  Or are we more concerned only about the philosophy of  a person who wishes to die or not die yet do nothing physically and let them decay in solitude?

In conclusion, the new dialogue to the world is not about changing the essence of Christian doctrine, it is about re-emerging from a defensive condemnation state and actually living like Christ.   By example we convert, not through anathemas.  We live in a pluralistic society and cannot like in the days of Christendom expect complete conformation of individuals to one creed.  We must be respectful, yet firm.  Ultimately, there is nothing in the Christian dogma that needs changed, it is just how we portray ourselves to the world and that is something we should all reflect on.

If you are interested in learning how to become a Christian Counselor, then please review the program.  Thank you for visiting our blog and if you have any questions, please let us know!

Mark Moran, MA

Why Learning How To Meditate Changes Everything

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

The article “Why Learning How to Meditate Changes Everything”, by Greg Murphy states

“Meditation and I first met each other almost four years ago during a period in my life when the challenges on the path before me were great — the launching of a startup, the healing of a broken heart and acclimating to a city where I at first knew no one.”

American Institute Health Care Professionals’ insight:

Learning How to Meditate

An excellent and timely article. Learning how to meditate is an important issue for many people. Although you won’t find any of the “how to” of meditation, the author does share the personal benefits received. His listed benefits are very similar to those you may find when doing a search on the benefits of meditation. Over the past few years I feel that we are seeing a real increase in consumer awareness of meditation practice and of the benefits on physical and mental health. We are also witnessing how meditation affects the spiritual self in a very powerful way.  More and more outcomes are emerging regarding meditation practice and it is most interesting. If you are a health care professional and you are interested in become a meditation instructor, you may want to click here for program information.  #meditation #meditationinstructor

See on www.huffingtonpost.com

Health Care Life Coaching: How exercise can reduce your risk of heart attack

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Health Care Life Coaching: How exercise can reduce your risk of heart attack

In today’s world where most people follow an inactive lifestyle and spend most of the hours of a day either in front of a computer or television, heart diseases have become a regular affair. While it is true that heart diseases might cause death eventually in some cases, there are also a number of ways following which you can prevent the fatal outcome. Of course, there are some unavoidable factors like age, sex, family history etc, which might cause heart diseases. But it doesn’t mean that you have to accept the disease without doing anything. In fact, you can definitely reduce your risk of being affected by heart diseases and for doing that, all you need to do is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. To begin with, you have to start doing a number of cardiovascular exercises. Also, have some supplements for weight loss or any type of fat burner regularly since obesity is one of the major causes of heart diseases.

You might wonder how exactly doing exercises will help you keep heart diseases at bay. The answer lies in what many fitness experts say. According to them, regular workouts that include both aerobic as well as cardiovascular exercises have a number of benefits for your health. If you are not sure about how they help reduce your risk of being affected by heart diseases, here are some pointers that will offer a clear idea:  

  • Aerobics or cardiovascular exercises – They involve muscle activities that work large muscles of your body. You can take your pick from a wide variety of exercises such as jogging, walking, swimming, boxing, running, bicycling, jumping rope, skating, skiing, rowing etc. These exercises strengthen your lungs and heart, in addition to improving your ability to use oxygen. They are considered to be the best form of exercise for your heart. Over time, aerobic exercises help improve your breathing system as well as blood pressure. This ensures that your heart doesn’t have to work hard while exercising. While doing these exercises, it is also important to make little changes to your drinking habits. For instance, if you drink too much of coffee throughout the day, it might have an adverse impact on your heart. As an alternative, you can try green tea. Several studies have shown that green tea extract has catechins, which cause weight loss, without causing any harm to your heart.
  • Strengthening exercises – Supersets, plyometrics and circuit training are popular strength training exercises. They help tone your muscles. Such workouts involve repeated muscle contractions and increase your metabolism rate, apart from improving your overall strength. If you are also aiming to lose weight, you can add a fat burner like synephrine to your daily diet. This stimulates the beta -3 receptors that influence fat loss to a great extent. Moreover, it also boosts your energy, without increasing your heart rate or blood pressure.
  • Follow a proper exercise routine –Irrespective of whatever exercise you are doing, make sure that it has three different phases – warm up, conditioning phase and cool-down. Warm up allows your body to get adjusted for doing exercises. This gradually increases your heart rate, breathing and body temperature and thus ensures that your muscles and heart is not stressed out. In the conditioning phase, you get the benefits of your workouts and the calories get burned. Cool down is the last phase of your exercise and it helps you slowly recover from the previous phase. Just like it is important to follow these three phases whenever you are exercising, it is also important to include the ideal food supplements in order to achieve the desired results. For instance, you can include the best creatine supplement in your diet that has creatine powder as an essential ingredient. Creatine powder increases your strength and muscle mass, which in turn improves the health of your heart.

So, use these tips to stay healthy as well as reduce your risk of a heart attack and other heart diseases.

James Hundson

 

 If you are interested in Health Care Life Coaching, then please review our site.

 

AIHCP

 

How to manage your diabetes naturally with these simple remedies and tips

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Diabetes is one of the leading diseases that people across the world suffer from. But it is not that you can’t manage it. In fact, most of the cases are preventable and you can also control the blood sugar level by following some healthy lifestyle changes. You might think that controlling and managing diabetes is all about living in deprivation and excluding all your favorite food from your diet but it’s not so.

 Whether you are aiming for weight loss, or just want to manage your diabetes, it is not essentially true that you have to give up sweets entirely or have to live on typical ‘health food’ for the rest of your life. Here are some simple tips that will help you manage diabetes while enjoying your favorite food, and even lose weight in a healthy manner by including some effective fat burners in your daily routine:

·         Drink enough water – Drinking more water than what you usually drink is important while you are suffering from diabetes. This is because high blood sugar level makes your body draw a lot of water in order to flush excessive glucose in your blood. This is precisely the reason why you feel excessive thirst and an urge for frequent urination while suffering from diabetes. Also, consider drinking a cup of green tea every morning. Green tea contains catechins, which are known to offer significant weight loss results.

·         Eat organic food and whole grains – Stick to natural, home-made food as much as possible and try to avoid processed food with lots of chemicals. Include food items like green leafy vegetables, which are full of nutrients, to your daily diet. You can steam or cook these vegetables as this helps you to break down the insoluble fiber and absorb the essential nutrients easily, apart from activating the healing power of these vegetables.

·         Adding protein and reducing carbohydrates don’t always work – Even though there is a common belief among people that having extra protein and cutting down on carbohydrates helps in preventing diabetes, it is not actually the case. Studies have proven that eating excessive protein causes insulin resistance. Reducing carbohydrates, too, won’t help you much. What you need to consider is the type of carbohydrates and the serving size that you are taking in. You can also consider adding dendrobium to your diet as this helps in weight loss significantly, which in turn would help you to manage diabetes effectively.

·         Don’t stress yourself too much and take proper rest – If you subject yourself to a lot of stress, your body will generate too much of cortisol, which in turn would cause you to gain weight. Too much of stress is not good for those with diabetes. Make sure you go to bed early and have at least 10 hours of sleep every night. Also, try to reduce the daily stress levels as it overworks the adrenal glands of your body. This excretes more sugar in your blood.

·         Choose your fat intake carefully – While suffering from diabetes, fats can be either helpful or harmful for your health, depending upon how carefully you are choosing them. Since people suffering from diabetes are vulnerable to a number of heart diseases, it is all the more important to choose fats wisely. Saturated fats like eggs, red meat and whole milk dairy products and trans fats are extremely unhealthy for your health. Make sure you are not having these types of fats. Instead, try including unsaturated fats that come from fish or plant. Also, try to have canola oil, olive oil, avocados and nuts. Focus on Omega-3 fatty acids that support the health of your heart and brain and also fight inflammation. Since being overweight is often associated with diabetes, you can consider including raspberry ketone to your diet in case you are worried about your excessive weight. Raspberry ketone boosts the process of weight loss and also helps you to manage diabetes easily.

Follow these tips to manage diabetes well and live a life where you don’t have to give up on your favorite foods or worry endlessly about your health

By James Hudson

If you also would like to learn more about Health Care Certifications, certified Holistic Nursing, or certified Life Coaching, then please review our programs.

 

Sources of Modern Day Stress: Stress Management Training Program

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Sources of Modern Day Stress:  Stress Management Training Program

Sources of modern day stress are everywhere.  What was once a non issue for other generations has become major issues for people of the Twenty-First Century.  While modern conveniences make the world smaller and information at the tips of our fingers, one can find stress lurking in every corner.

One of the biggest modern inventions is the internet.  The revolution of the internet changed everything, especially the exchange of information.   But how much is too much?  Many people become absorbed in their phone as they search for information or converse with others. Stories that never would have surfaced now surface and flood individuals with information overload.  These smaller stories can be a source of frustration.

Another offshoot invention from the internet is Social Media.  Social media has a played a large role.  No longer is the issue just general information but a display of personal information that stems from Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, Youtube and Pinterest to name merely a few.  People we barely know are unloading their stress on the net on all these social platforms.   We can turn our heads or become caught up in the drama.   Stories that one would never hear now have the ability to irk a person.  Someone’s opinion on this or that becomes center stage.  Of course, on the net, not all opinions are written nicely and this can be a cause of stress to others.  How silly does it seem to see a fellow worker come to work irritated because of a comment on Twitter or Facebook?  Yet that is the reality of Social Media.  Everyone now has a voice and sometimes that voice can be very annoying and stress inducing.

What of cell phones in general? It would appear they have become an evolved appendage.  How many people today cannot exist without the cell phone at their side.  How ever did the archaic peoples of the late Twentieth Century exist without the comfort of on the second updates of what this actress or actor did or tweeted about?   A frenzy of stress can result if one simply misplaces their cell phone or forgets it at home.  The person feels naked and out of place.

With new technologies also comes new stresses.  New innovation comes with new bugs that need sorted out.  New technologies also create new ways of thinking.  Businesses never once thought that page ranking on Search Engines would ever be an issue, now it is center stage and a huge stress upon businesses.  We are attached to these things and cannot escape it.  But what about the freedom and peace that comes from being “unplugged”?

It is a good thing to unplug ourselves from modern sources of stress once in awhile.  It is important to release ourselves from the necessity of immediate information.  I think it is important as cell phones, tablets, search engines, and innovation in general become more advanced, that we all take a step back and relax.  We need to remember our roots.  We need to recall the importance of personal interaction, a simple hello, and real world conversation with our customers.  We also need to de-stress ourselves with things that the modern technology cannot give us; A good work out, shooting some hoops, or taking a long walk with someone we care about.  While stress is everywhere, sometimes getting away from the modern technology is a good way to escape stress.

I once joked that if technology today existed hundreds of years ago, there would be less saints.  No saint ever had to deal with a lagging internet page, the loss of internet during work hours, forgetting to save your last report,  or a crashed server.  In fact, go back twenty years and no one had to deal with these stresses.  Yet, the stress is definitely worth the reward–or is it?

Some people may find the stress worth it.  It is true the internet, the transfer of information and the ability to share and advertize on the net is a blessing, but I think we need to put everything in perspective and not allow ourselves to become overwhelmed or maybe like so many science fiction programs allude will come true–we will become technology ourselves!

Stress Management Training Program

If you are interested in learning more the American Institute of Health Care Professional’s Stress Management Training Program, then please review.  The program itself consists of core courses that help prepare qualified professionals to become certified as a Stress Management Consultant.  After completion of the core courses in Stress Management Training, one can apply for certification.

Certification lasts for three years and is renewable.  Those wishing to become recertified in the Stress Management Training Program will need to accumulate over five hundred hours of clinical work within the field and fifty hours of academic continuing education courses.  These courses can be taken online with the Institute or at local workshops.

Qualified professionals  include those in the Psychological field.  Degrees in counseling, psychology, nursing, health care professions, and ministry are all accepted.  Licensed professionals in the medical fields, as well as social fields are also accepted.   Certified professionals with sufficient academic background are also accepted.  Such examples would include certified yoga instructors, or certified meditation instructors.

A Stress Management Consultant Certification is an excellent way to amplify or add to an already existed career.  It can give you the necessary training and knowledge to help others with stress and also allow you to share you skills at a professional level.  Stress Management can be utilized as a home base business or can be utilized in counseling.  Other opportunities include working with firms who wish to promote stress management skills to their employees.  The examples for this are endless.

If you feel our program can help you professionally and academically, then please look into the courses and Stress Management Training Program.  If the program matches these needs, then you could be utilized this new found skill set in your profession.

In the meantime, thank you for interest in Stress Management and please feel free to review rest of the blog.  If you have any questions, please let us know and we will get back to you.

AIHCP

Christian Ecumenism and One Church? Program for Christian Counseling Training Thoughts

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Christian Ecumenism and One Church? Program for Christian Counseling Training Thoughts

This May, the Patriarch of Constantinople and Rome meet in remembrance of the historic meeting of Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagorus.  Mutual excommunications were lifted and a fresh breath of air entered into the lungs of the Church.   I say Church because in reality the apostolic tradition of East and West is one Church.  Despite the schism, the “two churches” share the identical apostolic tradition of faith.  While the faith is expressed differently, the two profess the same core beliefs.  They share the same sacramental system and core dogmatic beliefs.

There is great hope in this coming meeting in Jerusalem.  Both sides realize the error of the schism and understand that the fullness of Christ’s Church can only be accomplished via reunion.   Yet, grassroot prejudice, historical hate, and anti-Christian feelings on both sides create barriers.  Perhaps these barriers are greater than any dogmatic barrier?

From the Orthodox side, Andrew Estocin writes about this coming meeting in his article, What Orthodox Christians Can Learn from Pope Francis  .  The article is an excellent stepping stone for Orthodox to become re-acquainted with the West and its historical ties to the Patriarch of Rome.

He writes:

The world will be watching from May 24-25, 2014 as Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Pope Francis welcome each other in Jerusalem to observe the anniversary of the historic encounter between Pope Paul VI and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras and the subsequent lifting of mutual anathemas. The main focus of the many scholars and reporters who will cover this event will be the elusive question of “Old Rome and New Rome” that is the question of unity between Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians. However, hidden amidst all this media coverage will be a unique opportunity for Orthodox Christians to follow the example of Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras of blessed memory and to meet the Pope of Rome again as if for the first time.

To read the entire article, please click here

Yet, Estocin fails in the very end to convey the hope that is needed.  After listing the many qualities of the Roman Pontiff and how Orthodox can learn from him, he then falls back into old habits, as he refers to the Orthodox Church as the church and how true ecumenism can never reject truth.  What truth regarding reunion is being rejected?

Is it the Filioque?   A Trinitarian Riddle at best?  Does the Holy Spirit proceed from the Father and the Son or just the Father?  Does it matter?  Is it dogma?  Does it affect  one’s salvation?  Or maybe he is referring to the issue of divorce?  Both Orthodox and Catholic believe in the permanent nature of marriage, but the Orthodox permit divorce due to infidelity.   This as well is scriptural based but is it really that big of an issue?  Each Church, before the schism, handled its own internal affairs of its members, so why would it matter if West followed on procedure and East follows its own procedure?   Maybe he is referring to the differences of Rite?  But is this not the catholic nature of the Church?  Many cultures and expressions but one truth?   The East already exists within the Catholic Church through the Eastern Rites and there is no issue.   So again, I ask what is the issue of reunification at the doctrinal issue?  The author of this article does not say.

Maybe the issues are more Ecclesiological?  Yet again, the role of the Roman Patriarch in the ancient Church as a first among equals was never debated.  In fact, theologians do not have issues with this ancient arrangement.  The sticking points become more apparent with the natural evolutions of the two traditions.  The Pope as the primary Patriarch in the West become more centralized while the Eastern Patriarchs remained more autonomous.   The dogma of Infallibility only emphasized a more greater centralization in the West at Vatican I.

Can the East accept a more centralized system.  The answer is no and they do not need to.  They must remember that the Pope is also the Patriarch of Rome and how he runs his church is a tradition within itself.  It does not reflect upon the administration of the universal Church but only the Western church.  As the successor of Peter, and first among equals, he does carry a special charism that is not repugnant to Eastern thought.   He has the special charism of Infallibility not to bully other Patriarchs but only in time of great need to unify the Church.  Usually clarity of issue was resolved via council in which the East historically partook in and would also today play a large role in a unified Church.

Infallibility is not even an issue since it has only been used twice!  Once for its official proclamation and the second regarding the Assumption of Mary, which the Orthodox believe and celebrate as well under the name, the Dormition.

Yes, if the two traditions can get by the non existent issues, then capturing the grass roots of people will be the final hurdle.  Something that has thwarted several other reunification efforts before.

What About Reunification in the West?

Since we are on the topic of reunification, what about issues in the West?  This is a greater problem because the two traditions labeled as Catholicism and Protestantism stand apart on a variety of doctrinal issues.  Since Protestantism is so diverse, each case needs to be looked at individually.

The Anglican Church which initially retained its apostolic roots was a Schismatic church under Henry XIII.   He remained a Catholic in thought, but refused to bow to the Papacy over an annulment issue over his marriage with Anne of Spain.   Under Elizabeth and Cromwell, the Church of England became Protestant.  However, it retained bishops.  In recent history, many Anglican ministers and bishops have become Catholic because of the issue regarding the ordination of women.   As long as the ordination of women exists in the Anglican Church, there will be no reunification with Rome, but there may be a handful of “Oxford’ type converts that may reunify with Rome.  Yet, while many will reunite with Rome, it will cause more division within the Anglican Church in England and its American counterpart, the Episcopalian Church.

Lutherans where the first to be labeled Protestant because they protested at the Diet of Worms.  Led by Luther, they sought to reform the Church and revitalize Scripture.  They renounced the priesthood, the papacy, the sacraments, except Baptism and the Lords Supper.   Luther, however, rejected the idea that the sacrament of the Eucharist was truly the Body and Blood of Christ but merely Christ’s spirit was present within the bread and wine.  Hence Luther’s doctrine of Consubstantiation came into conflict with the Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation.  Other issues regarded salvation via faith or works.

In recent years, gaps in theology have greatly diminished between the Western Church and Lutheranism.   Many find the word game of salvation by faith or works to be obsolete.  Both traditions have affirmed that salvation is through faith in Christ and any good works are done through the grace of the Holy Spirit.   Both traditions realize that works are important but are merely reflections or fruits of faith.  True faith produces works.  Both traditions reject, the Pelagian ideal that man can earn his own salvation.

Since Vatican II, the Catholic Mass and the Lutheran Service is very close in practice.  Lutheran ministers wear a collar as do Catholic priests.  If issues regarding the Papacy, Sacraments and Scripture can be ironed out, then a possible reunification could happen.  This was not even a thought prior Vatican II in the 1960s!

The Calvinist rooted Churches of the Reformation era pose a larger challenge.  Calvinist rooted communities have a greater dogmatic divide with the Western Church.  There is a greater misgiving to venerate the saints, a stronger resistance to a priesthood and a greater push for “sola scriptura”.  Other dividing points regards the Eucharist.  The Eucharist in these circles is regarded as only a symbol.  Which is an even greater divide than what Lutherans propose in contrast to Catholic teaching.

American Protestantism has also created Christian communities that are even at a greater distance from Rome.  Clothed with ideals of democracy, these early communities found anything Roman to be foreign to the ideal of American life.   In fact, the early Nativist parties found the threat of the Papist to be a grave concern for American life.  The 19th Century in America is plagued with bias and prejudice towards the Catholic immigrant.  It is a great stain on the American dream of religious freedom.  Yet this is the environment and history that has led to division and false claims regarding the Catholic Church and the American Protestant.

At the grassroot levels, there are many Protestant Churches that are not only doctrinally at odds with Rome, but also personally.   The Baptist Church is a Church known for its great love of Christ and scriptural observance.  It is a supportive community and one that is proud to take Christ to the market place, yet the differences between Baptist and Catholic may never be reconciled in our age.  Some of this is due to misrepresentation, while some is also due to mutual prejudice.

Like the Baptist and other American Churches, the Non-Denominational Churches are among the most hostile towards Catholic doctrine.  I say hostile not to show contempt but portray the truth.  From a point of doctrine, there are disagreements regarding Scripture, the Papacy, the Sacraments, and Mary.

Again part is due to misunderstanding.  I am not condoning one movement over the other, but it is important to note that many Non-Denominational Christians were either brought up Catholic in the Post Vatican II Church and lost their faith, or were never Catholic and taught false ideas about the Catholic Church.  Among such false ideals that prevent unification is the fabrication that Catholics worship Mary and the saints, or that the Pope is the anti-Christ.   This type of vehement slander will never permit re-unification.

However, the Non-Denominational movement while sometimes misled regarding Catholic doctrine is still nonetheless a vibrant community within itself.  If one does not hold to the ideal of a hierarchy, the sacraments, or veneration of the saints, then this is a Christian community that lives and breathes off Scripture and the Holy Spirit.  Christ, as all Christians believe, is the center of their worship.   If anything, the Non-Denominational Movement has brought attention to the mainstream denominations the importance of spiritual vigor and the need of scripture in everyday life.

With so many issues, I cannot within the realm of reason, see reunification with most of Protestantism and the Catholic Church.   Christ wills all his Christian children to find union and share the faith, but one cannot practice a false ecumenism that tears at the roots of one’s belief.

Yes, Christ should be enough but how can a community celebrate Christ together, if they differ on the meaning of the Lord’s Supper, veneration of Mary, and the need or lack of need of the sacraments.

In this imperfect world, I think we can only hope for an imperfect visible union.   We can share the common core beliefs of the Apostle’s Creed and share in the life of Christ at mutual prayer services.  We can work together in the service of the poor.

Most importantly, despite impartial union, we do share in one Baptism which is Christ.  This Baptism makes us all members of the Mystical Body of Christ.  In this way, albeit not perfect union, we still are part of the same Church in which Christ is the head.

So, I do believe we must hold firm to our particular beliefs and not sacrifice them.  Unlike the Orthodox and Catholic Church which can reunify, the West and Protestantism must find a common union in Christ which will have to be the glue that holds together an imperfect union but a union nonetheless via Baptism.

If you are interested in learning more about Christian Counseling or would like to take courses in Christian Counseling, then please review the program.   The program is for Catholics, Orthodox and Protestant alike.  It is Christian and focuses on core beliefs that all Christians can share.

The purpose of the Christian Counseling Program is not to pursue one denomination over the other but to share the common tradition of Christ and to take Christ to those in need.

If you have any questions regarding our Program for Christian Counseling Training, then please let us know.

AIHCP