Teens go through a variety of changes. Physically, emotionally and socially, changes affect teens. It is of no surprise then, that many teens suffer from depression or anxiety due to the many stresses that fall upon them. Parents need to be alert and aware of their teen’s moods and problems. Good parenting demands inspection of one’s teen and to ask them questions about their day. When these things are neglected, issues such as anxiety or depression can emerge unchecked.
Is your teen depressed? Please also review AIHCP’s Child and Adolescent Grief Counseling Certification
The article, “Teens, anxiety, and depression: How worried should parents be?” from Boston’s Children Hospital takes a closer look at how parents can notice depression or anxiety in their teen. The article states,
“Having a strong connection with an adult helps protect teens against anxiety and depression. This relationship could be with a parent, but it might not be. Depression and anxiety come with an enormous amount of shame and self-blame. Teens who feel this way may push their parents away. If so, parents can help their child cultivate a connection with a trusted adult, such as a coach, school counselor, or the parent of a friend.”
Please also review AIHCP’s Child and Adolescent Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in Child Grief Counseling.
Discipleship and mentoring future disciples is an important part of Christianity. We see this in the Paul-Timothy relationship and how Paul taught Timothy and educated him in the faith. Christian mentors can help others become better disciples. The relationship is very much vocational and only certain individuals are called to help form Christians.
If you are a pastor, priest, minister or someone helping youth in Christian formation, then consider becoming a spiritual advisor or mentor to them. Help them form their faith and guide them through scripture. AIHCP offers a four year Christian Counseling Program for qualified professionals. The program is online and independent study. If interested please review and see if it meets your academic and professional goals.
Mind body and soul is a key element in health. When working out and exercising, we usually just think about the physical benefits but there are multiple benefits, especially if we incorporate meditation into working out. Meditation can enhance a work out and make it more focused as well. Taking time to mediate before a workout can help one be more focused and fresh. It can make the body more relaxed and loose to be able to perform the exercise with less chance of injury. For those who wish to utilize meditation after a workout, one can utilize it as an excellent way to cool down the body and allow the body to recover and reap the benefits of the workout itself.
Meditation can be utilized in coordination with exercise. Please also review AIHCP’s Meditation Instructor Program
The article, “How Meditating Can Transform Your Workout, According To Experts” by Jay Polish looks at how meditation can help with exercising. The article takes an indepth look at how meditation in coordination with exercise can help one achieve a superior workout. Whether right before, during or even after, Polish, remarks that meditation can help one meet their goals at a higher level. He states,
“Right before and even during your workout, you can use other meditation techniques like visualization to focus on bodily sensations. How will the kettlebell feel in my fingers? What will my feet feel like hitting the pavement up that last hill toward the end of my run? What will the weights clanking all around the gym sound like? What will the air smell like as I’m finally reaching my finish line? Imagining all of that isn’t quite the “clear your mind of all thoughts and emotions” type of meditating, but it is a powerful type of mindfulness that can get you in the zone. ”
“How Meditating Can Transform Your Workout, According To Experts”. Jay Polish. September 30th, 2021. Bustle.
Meditation can hence play a key role in exercise and should be used in coordination with it. Meditation Instructors, Life Coaches and Physical Trainers can help one find a plan to better incorporate meditation into one’s routine.
Understanding Meditation’s Role with Exercise
Meditation and exercise when combined create a synergistic effect that has been widely studied and documented. This is due to the physiological mechanisms that occur when the two are practiced simultaneously, which can be attributed to the increased levels of dopamine and serotonin released during both activities. The effect of this heightened level of neurotransmitters is an alteration in cognitive state, which leads to improved emotional regulation, stress reduction, enhanced focus and concentration, as well as an overall increase in physical and psychological wellbeing. The integration of both activities contributes to an increase in self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, and optimal physical functioning. Furthermore, these activities are associated with improved physiological outcomes, such as reduced stress levels, enhanced immune system functioning, and improved sleep patterns.
Meditation before exercise is a practice that may be beneficial in enhancing the efficacy of both physical and mental exertion. This technique has been well-documented to optimize pre-exercise preparation by cultivating psychological states associated with concentration, focus, and relaxation. These psychological states can lead to improved performance, as well as decreased levels of perceived exertion during exercise.
Meditation Instructors can teach a variety of meditations to match with exercise to maximize each workout prior or afterwards
For those who prefer to meditate after exercise can also receive multiple benefits. Meditation after exercise can be seen as an effective strategy to optimize the physiological and psychological benefits of exercise. This practice has been empirically demonstrated to positively influence cardiovascular activity, reduce stress, and improve mood. The integration of meditation within a post-exercise regimen facilitates the development of a mindful awareness which further enhances physiological homeostasis and encourages positive affective states.
Types of Meditation to Pair with Exercise
The pairing of these two activities can be seen as an example of a synergistic relationship, in which the combination produces an effect greater than either activity would have done on its own. There are various types of meditation that can be incorporated with exercise, such as mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, and loving-kindness meditation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, meditation with exercise is an effective way to improve mental and physical health. It helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while improving focus, concentration, and resilience. The combination of meditation and exercise has also been found to increase cardiovascular health, reduce inflammation, aid in weight management, and improve overall quality of life. With regular practice, this practice can help individuals increase their wellbeing and live healthier lives.
Meditation Instructors can also help one formulate the best meditation plans to incorporate with one’s exercise plans to achieve optimal success both physically and mentally. Whether before or after, or even both, meditation can help one achieve better results and better state of mind with exercise. Many studies have shown that this combination can produce these positive results.
Please also review AIHCP’s Meditation Instructor Program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification. AIHCP also offers programs in Healthcare Life Coaching as well as Stress Management Consulting. All of these programs are aimed a more holistic approach to health that targets physical, mental and spiritual health. Again, please review the programs and see if they match your academic and professional goals.
Additional Resources
“How to Meditate through Exercise”. Laurie Cameron. May 16th, 2018. Mindful. Access here
“Changing Your Mind About Fitness: The Benefits of Meditation on Exercise”. Cathleen Kronemer. March 1st, 2019. National Federation of Trainers. Access here
“An Exercise-Meditation Smackdown”. Wendy Suzuki Ph.D. June 1st, 2013. Psychology Today. Access here
“Try Mixing Exercise and Meditation”. Paula Felps. December 15th, 2016. LiveHappy. Access here
“Comparative effects of meditation and exercise on physical and psychosocial health outcomes: a review of randomized controlled trials”. Meghan K Edwards and Paul D Loprinzi . 2018 Mar;130(2):222-228. doi: 10.1080/00325481.2018.1409049.Epub 2017 Nov 27. National Library of Medicine. Access here
A serious threat to any religion is fanaticism. One likes to think his or her faith is safe from it, but the reality is many utilize faith and religion for other motives of propaganda. In the meantime, they radicalize the base of believers to push forth very unreligious ideals.
To many non religious this is one of the most unattractive elements of religion. While it may be a bad quality of misused faith, it definitely does not dismiss faith and religion on the whole. Instead it shows the dangers of corruption of anything, not just faith. When extremist views enter into any philosophy, politics, religion or ideals, then the chance of corruption exists. Hence it is important especially in faith to protect it from radicalism. Radicalism itself is much a sin against faith than non belief itself.
Religious piety and love of Christ is different than religious fanaticism.
In this short blog, we will look how radicalization and fanaticism can in particular harm the Christian faith and the individual believer.
The first element of fanaticism is pride. Pride in one’s faith at the expense of charity and humility. Christians have pride in Christ. They boast Christ. However, when Christians boast Christ in spite of personal humility and unworthiness, then Satan easily twists faith into pride and corrupts it. Like the Pharisees of old, pride corrupts them and blinds them to the need of others and places themselves on a pedestal above others.
Fanaticism in addition to corrupting faith with pride, creates division instead of unity. It no longer places others as those in need of the Gospel but those in contradiction to the Gospel. It dehumanizes those who are not of the same faith. It creates a City on the Hill that sees itself as better and deserving of special graces. It looks to condemn others instead of forgive others and creates a “us” vs “them”
Fanaticism over emphasizes certain dogmas and places them over other ideals. Due to this poor interpretation, it collects a cult of believers within a certain faith that become schismatics. Hence fanaticism is also a cult within a religious cloak. It distorts dogma, over-emphasizes certain points, and refuses to discuss compromise on interpretation.
Religious radicalism also militarizes believers. It places within the heart of believers a do or die feeling of impending doom. This is how it galvanizes believers to the point of looking beyond one’s neighbor and only seeing the dogma. In this, they are willing to die for concepts at the expense of other people.
Ironically, our faith does call for certain things similar to radicalized faith. It does call for a certainty. It does condemn religious indifferentism. It does preach a radical ideal of spreading the Gospel and putting Christ in our all aspects of our life but these ideals are properly weighed with reason, obedience and most importantly charity.
We are called to love Christ at the highest level. We are called to be religiously zealous in our life. But when that love is distorted by dogmatism, hate, division and pride, then the fruit becomes corrupt. So being openly religious is not fanaticism in itself. We are called to be active Christians, but retaining the term Christian is the key. Pride, war in the name of religion, fear, division, and condemnation of others is not what Christianity is.
Christ Himself was religious but He was no fanatic. He was fanatic about the faith, but His actions were not fanatic in thought and deed. Instead, He insisted upon love and mercy and humility. These ideals call for practical action to love one’s neighbor. He yet balanced this love of neighbor also with strong faith. He did not deviate from the truth but promoted it.
Being a religious person hence is very different than being a religious fanatic. Fanatics may share some elements of a religious person, but they are distorted by pride, hate, judgement, dogmatism, disobedience and division. While a religious person strongly holds to their beliefs, a fanatic takes it a step farther, and finds superiority in faith and any lack of conformity a threat.
So in our faith, we need to define what extreme is? Can our love of Christ ever be too extreme? Certainly not. We are called to love God with our whole heart, our whole mind and our whole self, but in that love, that very extreme love, we are also called to love our neighbor. Extreme love of neighbor entails remaining strong to the truth, but it also entails love and communication when we disagree.
This is the true nature of ecumenism. Ecumenism is how we spread the Gospel in a Christ like way not a fanatic way. Ecumenism is about dialogue and discussion of faith. It is about seeing the beauty of God in all faiths, but also clearly defining differences but in a loving way. It does not condemn others but it looks to define what the faith teaches and why. False ecumenism looks to indifferentism and is equally a sin against faith as fanaticism. The fanatic will condemn and create division while the false ecumenist will create a false unity and deny the faith ultimately for the sake of fake communion.
One can be true to the faith without being a radical. Please also review AIHCP’s Christian Counseling Certification
Hence again is the balance of a true religious person. One who is steadfast but not ready to bargain away the faith for false unity, but neither one who will judge and condemn others in the name of God for personal pride and promotion of a creed over others.
Christ did not force conversion nor did He water down the truth. While religions in the past have committed horrible atrocities, if we follow the model of Christ, then we can truly be fanatic about our faith without being radical.
Please also review AIHCP’s Christian Counseling Certification Program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Christian Counselor.
Stress is part of life but how we incorporate stress into our life and handle it is key to success as well as good health. Stress Management is the ability to understand stress and cope with it in healthy ways.
Stress in the modern world is especially dangerous because it incites the fight or flight response in our body. Hence our body responds to minor stressors as if they are major threats. It is important to identify minor stress and not harm by limiting this response.
AIHCP offers a four year certification in Stress Management Consulting. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals. If interested, please review the program and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. Stress Managers play key roles in helping others reduce stress with personal sessions as well with corporate entities looking to reduce stress for their employees.
Meditation has multiple benefits. For many it is religious and deeply spiritual. For many it is also secular and helps them maintain a healthier life style. Eastern meditation has many breathing techniques that when stripped of religious connotations is able to help one reduce stress and live a healthier and more peaceful life. Many today in the business world look for meditation to help find focus and insight.
AIHCP offers a four year certification as a Meditation Instructor. The Meditation Instructor Certification is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals. Meditation Instructors can offer their services privately or at a corporate level. If you are interested in AIHCP’s Meditation Instructor Certification, then please review the program and see if it matches your academic and professional goals.
Please review the video below on AIHCP’s Meditation Instructor Program
Anger is a benign emotion that is truly neutral. It is important because it allows others to know boundaries but also is a reaction to something that is wrong or socially evil. Anger though if misused can become toxic not only to social bonds but also health. It is important to regulate anger and not allow it to turn to rage or be misused for selfish reasons. Anger needs to be weighed with justice.
Those who are unable to do so, live dangerous lives that lead to jail, fines and abusive relationships.
AIHCP offers a four year certification in Anger Management Consulting. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals. Those interested can review the program and see if it matches their academic and professional goals. Anger Management Consultants can play key roles in offering counseling as well as leading group sessions for courts.
Fatigue can play a major role in grief. Many individuals are more tired because the body needs time to heal emotionally and mentally. Grief can also keep you up, intrude upon your dreams, and emotionally wear you down overall. Sleep is natural, but when it becomes too excessive, or a way to avoid the issues, or in the other extreme, unattainable, then issues need addressed
Fatigue and grief go side by side. Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it meets your goals
What’s Your Grief’s article, “Does Grief Make You Tired?” by Eleanor Haley takes a closer look at how grief and fatigue inter relate and what to look out for. She states,
“A common question about grief that we often hear asked is: Does grief make you tired? The simple answer is, yes, it’s perfectly normal to feel exhausted after experiencing significant loss. Grief and loss can cause mind-body mayhem, which comes as a surprise to those who thought grief would be a purely emotional experience”
The article goes on to list numerous ways sleep or lack of sleep can be detrimental as well when grieving.
Please also review AIHCP’s Grief Counseling Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification in grief counseling.
It is common with ADHD to sometimes over diagnose in some cases. It is so common to see an unruly child and to automatically and comically assume the child has ADHD. The misuse of the word to label unruly children is a stigma to individuals who really have the disorder. In some cases, it is also clinically over diagnosed.
ADHD in many cases is over diagnosed. Please also review AIHCP’s ADHD Consultant Certification
The article, “What We Know About ADHD Overdiagnosis” from Healthline takes a closer look at ADHD diagnosis and if there are issues with over diagnosis. The article states,
“Researchers found that those close to the child may have unconscious beliefs or biases about how ADHD “looks.” This can lead to imbalanced diagnosis rates in males compared with females. This may explain why more male children receive an ADHD diagnosis than female children. The researchers also reported that clinicians tended to assess children or teens based strictly on numerical age, instead of how old they are when compared with their peers. This means that a child on the younger side of their grade in school, for example, might be diagnosed with ADHD, while their peers who behave similarly might not because they’re slightly older.”
Over diagnosis can be a big issue and put children who do not need labeled or on unnecessary medication through unnecessary care. It is important to understand ADHD and hold to stricter diagnosis standards.
Please also review AIHCP’s ADHD Consulting Certification and see if it matches your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as an ADHD Consultant.
The process of losing weight is always about more than one single aspect. Losing weight involves a multiple angle approach that incorporates dieting and exercise. If one is not applied, then the other loses much of its ability to lose weight.
Do exercise bikes help lose weight? Please also review AIHCP’s Healthcare Life Coach Certification
Exercise bikes as a tool to lose weight are quite common. They are seen in all gyms and numerous individuals utilize them at home. They have less impact on joints and are usually utilized by those who have leg issues with running.
The article, “Are exercise bikes good for weight loss?” by Maddy Biddulph looks closer at the part bikes play in losing weight. She states,
“So, are exercise bikes good for weight loss? “If you can commit to a regular plan, increasing your intensity and resistance as you get fitter and stronger, they are great for fat loss,” says Kate. They are suitable for all fitness abilities, and you can do a workout in the comfort of your own home, regardless of the weather.”
To read the article on exercise bikes, please click here
Please also review AIHCP’s Healthcare Life Coach Certification and see if it meets your academic and professional goals. The program is online and independent study and open to qualified professionals seeking a four year certification as a Life Coach
