Tuesday 26 May 2015

The Positive Effects of Meditation in Human Health

Meditation is an infamous subject for discussion around the world. Almost all of us have heard about the positive effects of meditation in some extent. We get a lot of our impressions about meditation from newspapers, visual media like television programs and of course the internet. It’s hard to tell how much of this information is true and how much has been made up or exaggerated. In one of  our previously published article we've discussed the relationship between meditation and relaxation in detail. In addition to that, in this post we will discuss some positive effects of meditation on our health.


Meditation for Young Kids 



Meditation helps us to establish self-control and the fact that it can help us deal with stress and illness is undisputed. What would happen if meditation was included in school curriculum? Children are quick learners and if they are trained in basic meditation skills in the early stages of their life there would be incredible benefits evident within a few years! This was revealed by Will Stanton a famous writer and activist in his February 2015 article describing the reasons of bringing meditation in to school very nicely.

Kids are versatile and eager to learn but as they grow older it is harder to develop positive, healthy habits. By teaching children meditation means we will actually be giving them more tools to handle stress and unhappiness in their future.


Effect of Meditation in Human Brain 



The Harvard University recently discovered a new advantage of meditation on the brain, through analyzing MR images they have been able to ascertain that our brain’s grey matter can be rebuilt within just eight weeks through meditation, making it easier for us to learn things and memorise.

Fundamentally no specific technique necessarily leads to meditation, we just need to place ourselves in a quiet, comfortable position and begin to relax. This could be sitting cross legged, lying down or sitting at ease in a chair. While meditating we just need to let our thoughts, feelings and whatever emotions we are experiencing at the time flow through us. Don’t judge them, just let them come and go and be at peace.


Physical Effects 



Meditation has the power to go beyond treatments and can provide a visible effects on your body too. Those who regularly practice stress reduction techniques like meditation and yoga can physically change the cells of their body to effect diseases. People who go through regular mindful meditation can see telomere protein length differences within themselves.The impact of meditation in our body cell is huge according to an article published by Lisa Winter in IFL Science! website.It is suggested that our minds and bodies are effected by one another, but it actually depends on to make it work successfully.

Psychosocial interventions like mindfulness meditation will help you feel better mentally, but they can also influence key aspects of your biology. Thus Meditation can help us to find the meaning of our lives. And it is also important for us to let us live as a human rather than treating ourselves as a machine.

Image Creadit: pexels.com

Monday 11 May 2015

Should Soft Drinks Carry Tobacco Style Health Warnings?

The rise in the general public’s perception of health and well-being has grown to become a serious public talking point when it comes to the food we consume and the choice and options that food companies offer to us. Sugar has a huge impact on our bodies, and with more and more foods containing sugars, colourings and additives, it is a common concern in the society now that: should foods such as soft drinks carry tobacco style warning labels?

It is well known that sugar has bad effects on our health, as is shown with diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and the prevalence of obesity, so what are the food companies doing to help consumers make better choices? Many large food companies such as Coca Cola, Pepsi and McDonalds offer a variety of different, so called ‘healthier’ options on their menus and range of foods and beverages, but is that far enough?

High Quantities of Sugars Contained in Soft Drinks

 

 


Within the soft drinks industry, Coca Cola and Pepsi have continually tried to listen to the consumers and their demands. Diet Coke or Coke Light in some regions was introduced, offering a reduced sugar content that allowed many consumers to get the same great taste at a calorie-friendly level.


In recent years, Coke Zero was launched that contained no sugar at all, and instead used the chemical sweetener Aspartame which is a natural chemical that is 100 times sweeter than sugar but contains only a tenth of the calories. Whilst many people enjoyed this new sweet drink that contains no sugar, others have become worried by the potential side effects of aspartame on the body.

Addictive, Sweet and Unhealthy

 

 


Considered the most addictive substance on the planet, sugar has been given a bad rap for destroying many peoples’ lives. In the majority of cases, even careful calorie-counters who take care in watching out for damaging foods have seen sugar and sweeteners slipped into everyday foods such as pre-made spaghetti bolognaise and even bread.


During this year, Coca Cola has launched a new drink called Coke Life, which is said to use a natural sugar. Although contains a few calories it is much less fattening than regular sugar and is safer than aspartame.However,  more regulation needs to be done to improve the health of people who regularly drink soft drinks.In addition to that, health warnings should be displayed prominently, such as those on tobacco packets to allow people to make a more informed choice.


Attempts to Tackle the Obesity Fight

 

 

More needs to be done to tackle the fight against obesity and the surrounding complications and diseases that come from high sugar intake. While the food companies need to be pushed into action, the government is working on strategies such as health warnings to help consumers make a more informed choice at the checkouts.


 
Image Sources
imgur.com
globe-views.com
www.giglig.com