by sally on October 16, 2009
Mindfulness Empowers You to Enjoy the Present, Be fully alive right now regardless of circumstances.
There are 2 aspects to mindfulness, one is the meditation, done while sitting for a period of time and focusing on the breathing. The other is being mindful all day and night regardless of what you are doing. It enables you to think out of the box, because you drop all your preconceptions that normally define your thoughts. In this state you can get creative ideas, but that is not the purpose of it. The purpose is to be relaxed in your everyday life, i.e. stress reduction.
Stress is known by medical professionals to play a giant part in illness and disease. In fact, disease is dis-ease, not being at ease. Mindfulness is being at ease, even if something challenging is taking place. You could be in a fender bender, stuck in traffic, taking a test…doesn’t matter. All these times it is quite possible to be mindful. This is done by stepping outside yourself. When you get a feeling of tension or anger or stress, being mindful of your own feelings and reactions, you notice that feeling. Then you decide that you would rather remain calm and release the intense negative feeling.
Being mindful you are able to respond to any event with composure. The key distinction here is that you still have REACTIONS, like anyone - fear, tension, worry…but you manage them differently when you’re mindful. You ACCEPT your reactions rather than judging or ignoring or justifying them. Mindfulness practitioners believe that you are not your feelings; you hold no blame for suddenly having a feeling. You simply acknowledge it, then it defuses - it is only by denying or feeling bad about the feeling that causes it to fester and escalate - clouding your thinking and ability to carry on with your day, doing your best at whatever you need to do.
The great thing about mindfulness is that it gives you the ability to respond with wisdom and remain calm, regardless of what happens.
by sally on September 11, 2009

I have visited several sites in the very broad
area of health tips, and can recommend the following 7 blogs as extremely comprehensive and beneficial. The inclusion of a blog in this top 7 was contingent upon the following factors:
Ease of Use
Legitimacy and sincerity of content
Interactive Capabilities
Having said that, take all advice under advisement; read over the material and then decide what is applicable to your unique circumstances. And before beginning any new programs or trying new products, cross check with other sources you trust. A good place to start would be to ask your own physician about something you read online, or to call a medical advice line if you have one through your health insurance plan.
Here are my top 7 Blogs for Healthy Living Tips
Health Boards
This is a message board/forum site on every health topic imaginable from the common cold to cancer. There is also an “Ask A Doctor ” feature. Very easy to use, and its free to join.
Thrive with Kaiser
Kaiser is a managed care hospital network, established in 1945. This site is entirely not for profit and features state of the art, hot off the press health care advice. Posts are written by medical professionals. I especially like their directory of farmers markets all over the US.
OurBodiesOurBlog.com (for women)
A non-profit begun in 1970 with the book “Our Bodies Ourselves, the focus is improving the health and treatment of women, and bringing equality to those women most in need.
EveryDayHealth.com
Features blogs by Md’s, health videos, and an A-Z drug guide. Advice is from professionals. They feature a directory to locate a doctor by entering your zip and specific health condition.
Healthscape.co.uk
Thought provoking information emphasizing diet and exercise, and sexual health. Top news stories from the UK on health and medical issues.
HelpGuide.org
A mental health site, they are ad free. The focus is on successful management of life challenges and personal empowerment
Omega Living (eOmega/org)
Focused on education for spiritual and physical wellness with a holistic approach. Their faculty members provide literature, and workshops you can attend in person, in various locations. Videos are great - they’ll cheer you up.