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Scientifically Proven Ways to Slow Cognitive Decline

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Strategies for Slowing Cognitive Decline

Who doesn’t want to have a sharp enough memory to remember his marriage anniversary even in old age? Everyone does. 

Similarly, no one wants to turn on the stove, get distracted by a doorbell, totally forget about the stove, and remember everything when she smells burning oil 20 minutes later. These subjective symptoms are related to cognitive decline or impairment. 

Memory is part and parcel of human life, but with increasing age, you start forgetting things easing, you face difficulty remembering your tasks, etc. This article will guide you to slow down cognitive decline with increasing age! 

Let’s get straight into it. 

What is a cognitive decline? 

Cognitive decline manifests as increased frequency of confusion, loss of memory, and difficulty remembering. In this state, cognition is impaired, leading to neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. 

Cognitive decline is associated with loss of other cognitive abilities, for example, loss of visual perception and language. It slows down the process of thinking, learning, and practicing skills. It is a normal aging phenomenon, but sometimes, it occurs earlier due to brain damage, neurodegenerative disorders, weakness, and trauma. 

With increasing age, the function of neurons declines, and transmission of nerve impulses also slows down, leading to cognitive decline.  [Read more…]

How to Change the Expression of Our Genes

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How to Change the Expression of Our Genes

The concept of changing the expression of genes sounds unreal, but when we look at how technology is evolving, and the world is growing, even genes modification seems possible. Gene modification is quite an interesting field because of its practical applications. And the process of gene modification entirely depends upon the expression of our genes which is altered by genetics and epigenetics. 

Genetics is not changeable, but epigenetics depends upon our behaviors and environment. The expression of the genes is dependent upon epigenetics, which encodes information into the genes to make the protein. 

Here is how genetics and epigenetics are interlinked to change the behavioral pattern of an individual.  [Read more…]

Blood Pressure Guide for Health and Wellness Coaches

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Blood Pressure Guide for Health and Wellness Coaches

The only clear fact (according to the WHO-ISH) known about blood pressure is that 120/80 mmHg is optimal and 130/85 mmHg is classed as normal, and anything significantly above or below this value is not. However, besides this fact, there is no clear evidence on what might be causing the blood pressure to rise or fall below the normal value.

There are many causes for increased blood pressure like heart diseases, obesity, too much intake of alcohol, lack of physical activity, and so on. But, being a fitness and wellness coach, it is entirely your responsibility to analyze the root cause of the abnormal blood pressure and how you can coach clients in blood pressure maintenance.

In this guide, you will understand blood pressure-related concepts and issues deeply, so you can provide people with the right fitness or diet plan needed to overcome the problem. [Read more…]

How to Set Up a Simple Home Office to Start Your Work-From-Home Coaching Business 

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How to Set Up a Simple Home Office to Start Your Work-From-Home Coaching Business 

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Dive into this guide to making your home-based coaching business fun and financial success.  As you read through the considerations for your home office, remember that you can work from home as a coach in many ways; in-person, online, in groups, travel to client’s homes/offices, helping corporations, making content (videos, podcasts, courses) and any combination of these.

First, you will want to consider the needs of your new home office. [Read more…]

The Science Behind Our Mind-Body Connection 

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The Science Behind the Mind-Body Connection 

The mind-body connection is the crux of human existence. It is an important connection for how we perform different functions. Our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and feelings can negatively and positively affect our biological functioning. In other words, our minds greatly contribute to how our body feels. Not only this, our diet, physical activities, and postures can also impact our mental state. This is what we call the complex interrelationship between our minds and bodies.

Did you ever wonder why your heartbeat changes pace when you are excited or fearful? Or your stomach tightens up when you are anxious? Or why do tears begin to fall from your eyes when you are sad? Well, this all is the mind-body connection- both our chemistry and biology impact our emotions, thoughts, moods, and beliefs.

While the connection of the cerebral cortex to the adrenal medulla maintains the mind-body connection in stressful and depressive conditions, many hormones like cortisol, melatonin, serotonin, and others play an important role. [Read more…]

Holistic Health Practices that Work Well with Traditional Medicine

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holistic-health-practices-that-combine-with-traditional-medicine

Holistic Health Practices that Work Well with Traditional Medicine

Holistic practices such as massage, meditation, and acupuncture are getting immense attention because they help the body recover faster when combined with traditional medicine. Another reason for their wide usage these days is that they accompany the most negligible side effects.

Although modern medicine is a blessing for today’s world, they also have various side effects. Therefore holistic health practices are gaining traction as global health challenges become complex. But it is important to know what holistic health is and how it works with traditional medicine.

What is Holistic Health?

Holistic health refers to an approach to life in which multiple aspects of wellness are considered. In holistic health practice, an individual recognizes his body, mind, social, mental, spiritual, and intellectual wellness. A person has to take an active role in his health decisions and healing processes through adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Holistic health practices have their roots in ancient tradition. The prime motive of holistic health practices is ancients’ use to cure their diseases and remain healthy. Holistic health approaches are divided into the following categories:

  • Mind-Body Interventions: Includes relaxation classes using behavioral and psychological techniques.
  • Manipulative and body-based Therapies: It Utilizes movement of the physical body and practices like massage therapy and chiropractic
  • Biologically Based- Therapies: it includes biological and plant-based treatment using herbal medicines.
  • Alternative Medical Systems: Traditional Chinese Medicine is an excellent example of an alternative medical system developed from the western biomedical approach.
  • Energy Therapies: These therapies involve some form of healing treatment using ultrasonic, thermal, or subtle energy. Practices include Reiki or healing touch. 

[Read more…]

Improving Your Sleep Hygiene This Year

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how-to-improve-sleep-hygiene

Improving Your Sleep Hygiene This Year

Do you struggle to have a good sleep when you go to bed at the end of the day? Do you keep staring at the ceiling fan while waiting for sleep to come and provide you an escape from the hustles of life? 

If you are looking for something to improve your sleep, “Sleep Hygiene” would be the perfect solution. Sleep hygiene might solve all your sleep-related issues without making you fall into the trap of side effects. 

Negative effects do not accompany sleep hygiene like they do while taking sleeping pills. So, the best option to deal with sleep-related problems is to follow sleep hygiene.

What is Sleep Hygiene?

Whatever accounts for providing good sleep comes under sleep hygiene. Not only does having a clean bedroom with soothing fragrance get counted in sleep hygiene, but the behavioral adaptations you do throughout the day are also important in sleep hygiene. 

Sleep hygiene also involves taking a healthy diet, having an uninterrupted and stable sleep schedule, getting into physical activities, and getting yourself into pre-bed fruitful habits like reading your favorite book.

Sleep hygiene helps you get back to the normal track of your sleep cycle by helping you feel good physically and mentally.  [Read more…]

Why is the Amygdala Important?

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Why is the Amygdala Important?

Despite its small size, the amygdala plays an important role in many basic functions. The amygdala may also play a role in social skills because of its role in learning, memory, and emotion. A few studies have shown that people with larger amygdalae tended to have larger and more active social circles. Some other studies have implicated the amygdala in aggressive behavior, alcoholism, binge drinking, and sexual orientation.

What is the Amygdala Hijack

In his 1995 book “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ,” psychologist Daniel Goleman named this emotional overreaction to stress “amygdala hijack.” The amygdala hijack occurs when your amygdala responds to stress and disables your frontal lobes. That activates the fight-or-flight response and disables rational, reasoned responses. In other words, the amygdala “hijacks” control of your brain and your responses.

The symptoms of an amygdala hijack are caused by the body’s chemical response to stress. When you experience stress, your brain releases two kinds of stress hormones: cortisol and adrenaline. Both of these hormones, which are released by the adrenal glands, prepare your body to fight or to flee.

Together, these stress hormones do a number of things to your body in response to stress. They:

  • increase blood flow to muscles, so you have more strength and speed to fight or flee
  • expand your airways so you can take in and use more oxygen
  • increase blood sugar to provide you immediate energy
  • dilate pupils to improve your vision for faster responses

When these hormones are released, you may experience:

  • rapid heartbeat
  • sweaty palms
  • clammy skin
  • goosebumps on the surface of your skin

An amygdala hijack may lead to inappropriate or irrational behavior. After an amygdala hijack, you may experience other symptoms like embarrassment and regret. [Read more…]

How Stress Affects Your Brain

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How Stress Affects Your Brain

Have you ever gotten goosebumps and your heart started sinking in before going to the stage to give a speech in front of many people?

Have you found yourself blank and stuck at a word right at the exam night?

Have you felt a sudden onset of pain in your chest getting an interview call from the office?

Have you got a severe headache after getting into a fight with the person you love the most?

Have you ever been in the denial phase after the demise of your loved one that you start forgetting everything that has happened lately?

Is your answer ‘yes?’

The words you are reading right now are for you.

[Read more…]

Time Management Mastery for Coaches and Trainers

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Time Management Mastery for Coaches and Trainers

time-management-for-trainers-and-coaches

Time management DOES NOT exist. Does that fly in the face of what you’ve always been told? Likely so…

So what “does exist?”

ANSWER: Life Management

When you have life management, time works in your favor. Here are some simple examples:

When you wake up and are INSTANTLY PRODUCTIVE doing your morning rituals such as meditation, gratitude work, prayer, exercise, breathwork, etc (as opposed to meandering or complaining), you are managing your life, and time works in your favor. It’s life management. [Read more…]

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