Simple Everyday Practices To Boost Your Brain

Posted on by alexesguerra

In today’s fast-paced world, you may find yourself running from one task to the other. There is just so much to do and so little time to do it in. As such, it is easy to become overwhelmed and distracted by the constant bombardment of information and demands on your time. This can lead to fatigue, lack of focus, and even mood swings.

Fret not, though! There are many simple practices you can instill in your everyday life that will help you navigate the complexities of the modern world. These practices might seem trivial, but they add up over time to improve your brain health and your overall well-being. Let’s take a look at some of them below.

1) Start Your Day with Exercise

In the past decade or so, most people have become aware of the incredible positive impacts of exercising. It is not only a boon for your physical health but also your mental and emotional health. When you get some physical movement first thing in the morning, it can help wake up your brain and provide an energy boost. Even something as simple as jogging can help release feel-good hormones and improve your mood and focus.

2) Eat A Healthy Breakfast

Probably everybody’s parents taught them the value of a healthy breakfast. It not only fuels your brain for the entire day but also improves your mood. Foods like whole grains, fruits, and nuts provide important vitamins and minerals that can improve memory and focus. So, make sure you eat the right breakfast no matter how busy your schedule is.

3) Take Regular Breaks

We, humans, are biological beings. Even though we sometimes think of ourselves as machines, the truth doesn’t change. As such, we need breaks from time to time to recharge physically and mentally. So, it’s a good idea to take short breaks throughout the day. This can help improve focus and reduce stress. You could try taking a five-minute break every hour to stretch, meditate, or take a short walk.

4) Stay Hydrated

Water is an essential ingredient of good mental health that a lot of people underestimate. Did you know that even mild dehydration can cause headaches and lead to fatigue? This is why it is important to drink plenty of water throughout the day. It can help keep your brain hydrated and improve cognitive function.

5) Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is one of the best spiritual practices you can incorporate into your daily life. Like meditation and yoga, it can reduce stress and improve your focus. It can also help keep your attention in the present moment, which can improve your productivity and happiness. You can try practicing mindfulness for a few minutes daily and slowly increase the duration.

6) Challenge Your Brain

Like any other muscle in your body, your brain becomes stronger when you put it through challenges. This is why engaging in mentally stimulating activities is a great way to enhance your cognitive functions. To that end, you could spend some time every day solving puzzles or learning a new skill. This can help improve memory and focus.

These are just some of the daily practices you can instill in your life to change your brain for the better. In his book, “Change Your Brain Every Day: Simple Daily Practices to Strengthen Your Mind, Memory, Moods, Focus, Energy, Habits, and Relationships,” Dr. Daniel G. Amen talks about many more effective daily habits that can help you master your mind, boost your memory, and make you feel happier, healthier, and more connected to those you love.

15 Natural Remedies For Migraine Headaches

Posted on by alexesguerra

15 Natural Remedies For Migraine Headaches

Anyone who has ever suffered a migraine headache knows how terrible it can be. The pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound you experience during a migraine can make even simple tasks seem herculean. On top of it, sometimes, these types of headaches can last for two to three days, which can drastically decrease one’s quality of life.

Fortunately, there are many powerful and effective migraine drugs available on the market. And doctors readily prescribe them to anyone suffering from this condition. However, as millions of people around the globe have discovered, these drugs come with side effects. In some cases, the side effects are so severe, that people have to stop treatment altogether.

So, what should you do if you’re suffering from migraine headaches and are looking for safer ways of treatment? Well, that’s where natural remedies come in.

1) Butterbur

This might sound like a delicious beverage but it is actually a herb that grows throughout Europe. It has also been used for centuries to treat migraine headaches. In fact, even scientists have recommended using this herb to reduce the severity and frequency of migraines. If you do choose to use Butterbur, make sure you get a high-quality supplement that does not have some of the harmful chemicals present in the raw plant.

2) Ginger

Ginger has been a staple of traditional medicine for thousands of years. Its anti-inflammatory properties are quite popular and it is the go-to natural remedy for a lot of people in eastern countries. Its healing properties also make it the perfect choice for treating migraine headaches. What’s great about ginger is that it can be consumed in a variety of ways. You could make tea out of it, consume it in powder form, or even take ginger supplements.

3) Feverfew

Feverfew is a flowering herb that looks like a daisy. It has been used for centuries to treat migraine headaches, stomach aches, insect bites, and even fertility problems. It is said that feverfew reduces inflammation in the body and prevents the constriction of blood vessels in the brain. This is what provides relief from migraine headaches. However, scientists are still studying its effects and are yet to come to a conclusion on its effectiveness.

4) Essential Oils

Essential oils are one of the most popular forms of alternative treatment in today’s world. People from all walks of life have made them a part of their daily lives for a plethora of reasons. Essential oils have been found effective against stress, anxiety, chronic pain, headaches, sleep deprivation, nausea, and so on. So, you can definitely use them to treat your migraine headaches. Oils such as lavender and peppermint are quite effective at reducing the symptoms of migraines.

5) Yoga and Meditation

Yoga and meditation are both ancient spiritual practices that are still popular today. If you make these practices a part of your daily life, you can greatly reduce the frequency and severity of your migraine headaches. These practices work by reducing stress and tension throughout your body and can also help improve sleep, thereby keeping you in a more relaxed state.

These are just some of the natural remedies that can help you treat migraine headaches. There are many more you can turn to, depending on your preference and other health factors. Dr. Jay Cohen’s “15 Natural Remedies for Migraine Headaches” is a great book you can check out to learn more about these remedies.

5 Ways to Heal Yourself Spiritually

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5 Ways to Heal Yourself Spiritually

Wise people often say that this world leaves no one untouched. Right from the moment you are born to the moment you die, you go through countless experiences in life. Some of these are good, some of these are neutral, and some of these are heart-breaking.

Naturally, we all get hurt and experience a lot of pain in our journeys. And we try to heal from all of this in a myriad of ways. One of these ways that most people are beginning to turn to these days is spiritual healing. This type of healing happens when you experience something greater than yourself and understand what life is all about. As such, it paves the way for greater peace, happiness, and fulfillment in our lives.

But how do you heal yourself spiritually? Well, there are many ways you can do so. Below, we are going to look at five of the most popular ones.

1) Meditation

Meditation is one of the most ancient spiritual practices in the world. It also happens to be one of the most powerful ones. When you meditate regularly, you naturally learn to connect with your inner self. This gives you great insights into your thoughts, emotions, values, and feelings. It also helps you understand what is bothering you and why. You’re able to get to the root of things and address them once and for all. Meditation also trains you to anchor your attention in the present moment. Suffice it to say, this practice is a great way to heal yourself spiritually.

2) Tarot Reading

Tarot reading is another spiritual tool that can help you gain insights into your thoughts and emotions. It can also help you better understand the situation you are in right now and ways you can get out of it. Not only that, tarot reading can make a murky future a lot clearer and provide a sense of direction in your life. It can even help you understand who you are as an individual. This helps you release any negative energy or past trauma that may be holding you back.

3) Gratitude

A lot of spiritual practitioners will tell you that the best way to live is with an attitude of gratitude. This is because gratitude is a great way to shift your attention from what you don’t have to what you have. This might seem like a trivial thing but it is one of the best ways to live a happier and more content life. It takes away the immense pressure you might feel in the modern world with all of its complexities. And it naturally gives you a more positive outlook on life and helps you enjoy the little things that life has to offer.

4) Yoga

Yoga is perhaps as old as meditation. And contrary to what many may believe, it is not only about physical movement. In the spiritual world, yoga means union. It is the profound experience of feeling a sense of oneness with something greater than yourself. When you experience this oneness, you are bound to move away from all the pain in your life and into a state of bliss and happiness.

5) Service

Spiritual gurus often say that human beings are at their best in a state of giving. There is immense wisdom in these words if you think about it. When you serve others selflessly, you feel a warm and fuzzy sensation in your heart. That is because it helps you connect with other people on a higher level. This connection transcends the physical and ventures into the realm of the spiritual. It gives you a taste of what the true nature of reality is. It also helps you realize that you are not alone in this journey. There are countless other beings all playing out their story. This brings in a sense of comfort and peace.

If you want to learn more about these spiritual practices and more, be sure to check out our website. It has tons of resources to help you along your spiritual journey and find healing.

Reiki – How This Energy Healing System Can Help You

Posted on by alexesguerra

Reiki is a holistic system for balancing, healing, and harmonizing all aspects of the person-body, mind, emotions, and spirit-encouraging deep relaxation and the release of stress and tension, and promoting awareness and spiritual growth. 

In the past decade or so, spiritual practices and healing techniques have gone mainstream. If you think about it, that’s not surprising at all. As people constantly look for natural ways to deal with the increasing pressures and complexities of modern-day lives, they inevitably find their way to the spiritual world.

Take, for instance, Reiki healing. This ancient energy healing system dates back thousands of years. Its knowledge was eventually lost to time, only to be rediscovered in Japan in the late 19th century. Since then, it has spread across the globe, changing millions of lives for the better.

Reiki And Its Benefits

Reiki is based on the idea that there is a fundamental life force energy that permeates the entire universe. In fact, it is said to be the force that animates all living beings. The ancients figured out that this energy can be channeled to promote healing and balance in the body. Not only that but it can also be used to make progress on one’s spiritual path. This knowledge was passed down through the generations and today, millions of people reap its benefits.

Reiki practitioners use a variety of techniques to channel this energy, including hand positions, visualization, and meditation. The recipient of the treatment remains fully clothed and typically lies down or sits comfortably during the session. In order to understand how Reiki can help you, it’s important to learn about its benefits.

1) It Brings Balance And Harmony

Reiki healing can bring the different dimensions of your being into balance and make them work in harmony. Essentially, this means that your body, mind, emotions, and life force energy achieve a certain alignment, which helps you live a happier and more balanced life. This particular benefit shows up in almost all aspects of your life such as health, career, relationships, well-being, and so on.

2) It Helps You Relax

This is one of the first things people experience during or after a Reiki healing session. Since Reiki removes energy blockages and knots from the body, your fundamental life force energy is able to flow undeterred. When that happens, you experience a deep state of relaxation. In fact, this can also help a person deal with mental health issues like stress, anxiety, depression, etc.

3) It Complements Your Immune System

Reiki complements your immune system by getting rid of the toxins that might be stuck in your physical or energy body. This is why some people cough or even cry during Reiki healing sessions. Also, Reiki allows your body to let go and releases it from being in a fight or flight mode all the time. This promotes faster healing and strengthening of the immune system.

4) It Hastens Your Body’s Natural Healing Ability

One of the most important features of life force energy is that it knows the fastest and best way to heal any ailment in your body and mind. However, this process is often hampered due to blockages, negative energies, and some types of disorders. Reiki can remove these blockages and allow your life force energy to function at its best. This supercharges your healing ability and you’re able to get rid of your ailments much more quickly.

5) It Promotes Deeper Sleep

In today’s world, where every other person seems to be sleep-deprived, this benefit is really relevant. Reiki can bring a sense of ease into your system by releasing suppressed emotions and thoughts. It also allows your various systems to relax and let go of stale energy. This helps you feel a lot lighter and deep sleep becomes a natural byproduct.

If you would like to learn more about the various spiritual practices and techniques that you can potentially benefit from, make sure to check out our website. You will find tons of resources to enhance your knowledge of all things spiritual and make progress on your path.

With all the stories and events around, maybe it’s time to listen “When God Whispers”

Posted on by alexesguerra

When God Whispers Your Name, based on best-selling author – MAX LUCADO

Just a day after a series of mass shootings again all over cable news. Just as it was a time for celebration for Lunar New Year, the air waves opens up again on this tragic chaos not to mention with all the politics that goes with it.

So on a time like last night, I pulled one of my favorite authors books, “When God Whispers” by Max Lucado and open the book marker I had left. Page 2 on his acknowledgement says, ” And so may I introduce you into this book? It’s a book of hope. A book whose sole aim is to encourage.”

It continuous in saying am anxious, bad news outpaces the good. Problems outnumbers solutions. And we are concerned. He ends by saying that God knows my name. Many chapters auditioned for this book, but not all were selected. So as we read Max’s books and interpret them as laymen, religious or even poet’s, he creates that inspiration that we need through his writings.

In this book we discover the path towards hope and God’s care in everyday life stories and examples. Listen closely as we read the pages, what God may whisper that may erase doubts, pain, sorrow, despair and even fear. Yet the author do reference some of the Old and New Testament so we can connect better in understanding the numerous ways God is there for us. Max Lucado is a pastor, speaker, and bestselling author who, in his own words. Max has a way of writing it is a mixture of lesson and life all at once for us the readers.

Chapter 23, The God Who Fights For You starts, “Here is a big question. What is God doing when you are in a bind? When the lifeboat springs a leak? When the rip cord snaps? When the last penny is gone before the last bill is paid? When the last hope left on the last train? What is God doing? I know what we are doing. Nibbling on nails like corn on the cob.

In the Heights: Finding Home

Posted on by alexesguerra

The eagerly awaited follow-up to the #1 New York Times bestseller Hamilton: The Revolution, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s new book gives readers an extraordinary inside look at In the Heights, his breakout Broadway debut, written with Quiara Alegría Hudes, soon to be a Hollywood blockbuster.

In 2008, In the Heights, a new musical from up-and-coming young artists, electrified Broadway. The show’s vibrant mix of Latin music and hip-hop captured life in Washington Heights, the Latino neighborhood in upper Manhattan. It won four Tony Awards and became an international hit, delighting audiences around the world. For the film version, director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) brought the story home, filming its spectacular dance numbers on location in Washington Heights. That’s where Usnavi, Nina, and their neighbors chase their dreams and ask a universal question: Where do I belong?
 
In the Heights: Finding Home reunites Miranda with Jeremy McCarter, co-author of Hamilton: The Revolution, and Quiara Alegría Hudes, the Pulitzer Prize–winning librettist of the Broadway musical and screenwriter of the film. They do more than trace the making of an unlikely Broadway smash and a major motion picture: They give readers an intimate look at the decades-long creative life of In the Heights.
 
Like Hamilton: The Revolution, the book offers untold stories, perceptive essays, and the lyrics to Miranda’s songs—complete with his funny, heartfelt annotations. It also features newly commissioned portraits and never-before-seen photos from backstage, the movie set, and productions around the world.
 
This is the story of characters who search for a home—and the artists who created one.

On June 15, there will be a Zoom Virtual event with the authors organized by publisher, Random House. This virtual event will take place on Tuesday, June 15 from 8:00-9:00 pm. ET and will be hosted by Random House on Zoom. ADLE International one of the independent bookstores organizers has bundled this event with “one book, one ticket” model which includes a copy of in “The Heights”, ISBN – 9780593229590 on sale: June 15, 2021.

Ticket Cost: US$40.00 includes online zoom event and hardcover book. Fees, Taxes and Book shipping are additional. ADLE International one of the independent bookstores organizers has bundled this event with “one book, one ticket” model which includes a copy of in “The Heights”, ISBN – 9780593229590 on sale: June 15, 2021. On June 13 , approx. 48 hours before June 15, you can click on the Webinar page and click on the link to join the Cloud HD Video Meeting link with the ID and passcode for you to join.

For tickets you can go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/x/in-the-heights-virtual-book-launch-tickets-152925894467

The Hoax, Lies, Realities and RAGE

Posted on by alexesguerra

Bob Woodward’s new book, Rage, is an unprecedented and intimate tour de force of new reporting on the Trump presidency facing a global pandemic, economic disaster and racial unrest.

RAGE
Rage

Woodward, the #1 international bestselling author of Fear: Trump in the White House, has uncovered the precise moment the president was warned that the Covid-19 epidemic would be the biggest national security threat to his presidency. In dramatic detail, Woodward takes readers into the Oval Office as Trump’s head pops up when he is told in January 2020 that the pandemic could reach the scale of the 1918 Spanish Flu that killed 675,000 Americans.

In 17 on-the-record interviews with Woodward over seven volatile months—an utterly vivid window into Trump’s mind—the president provides a self-portrait that is part denial and part combative interchange mixed with surprising moments of doubt as he glimpses the perils in the presidency and what he calls the “dynamite behind every door.”

At key decision points, Rage shows how Trump’s responses to the crises of 2020 were rooted in the instincts, habits and style he developed during his first three years as president.

Revisiting the earliest days of the Trump presidency, Rage reveals how Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats struggled to keep the country safe as the president dismantled any semblance of collegial national security decision making.

Rage draws from hundreds of hours of interviews with firsthand witnesses as well as participants’ notes, emails, diaries, calendars and confidential documents.

Woodward obtained 25 never-seen personal letters exchanged between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who describes the bond between the two leaders as out of a “fantasy film.”

Trump insists to Woodward he will triumph over Covid-19 and the economic calamity. “Don’t worry about it, Bob. Okay?” Trump told the author in July. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll get to do another book. You’ll find I was right.”

Review

“Woodward has established himself as the best reporter of our time. He may be the best reporter of all time.” —Bob Schieffer, CBS News (2004)

In listing the all-time 100 best nonfiction books, Time magazine called All the President’s Men, the 1974 book by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, “Perhaps the most influential piece of journalism in history.”

“He has an extraordinary ability to get otherwise responsible adults to spill [their] guts to him . . . his ability to get people to talk about stuff they shouldn’t be talking about is just extraordinary and may be unique.” —Robert Gates, former director of the CIA and Secretary of Defense (2014)

“[Fear] is a remarkable feat of reporting. . . . There’s nothing comparable in American journalism, except maybe Woodward’s The Final Days (1976), co-written with Carl Bernstein, about the downfall of Richard Nixon.” —George Packer, The New Yorker (2018)

About the Author

Bob Woodward is an associate editor at The Washington Post where he has worked for 49 years and reported on every American president from Nixon to Trump. He has shared in two Pulitzer Prizes, first for the Post’s coverage of the Watergate scandal with Carl Bernstein, and second 20 years later as the lead Post reporter for coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Woodward recalled how much of the most important Post reporting on Watergate was published in September and October 1972. Nixon promptly went out and got re-elected, claiming victory in 49 of the 50 states.

As for how America will fare on and after Nov. 3, Woodward knows it will be less clear-cut.

Having allowed Trump to defame and disqualify himself, Woodward concludes that he is the wrong man for the job of president; I’d add that someone so thoughtless, so unfeeling and so orange-tinted hardly qualifies for membership of the human race. And come to think of it, my opening premise is an insult to the brave, fond, ever-faithful canine species.

At War with Covid-19 – Saluting the Health Care Soldiers

Posted on by alexesguerra
Deadliest Enemy
Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs
In today’s world, it’s easier than ever to move people, animals, and materials around the planet, but the same advances that make modern infrastructure so efficient have made epidemics and even pandemics nearly inevitable. And as outbreaks of COVID-19, Ebola, MERS, and Zika have demonstrated, we are woefully underprepared to deal with the fallout. So what can — and must — we do in order to protect ourselves from mankind’s deadliest enemy?
As COVID-19 sweeps across the globe, doctors and other healthcare workers are witnessing limited availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly appropriate masks, and being confronted by difficult situations that pit their desire to remain safe against their duty to help patients.
In this book, A world-leading epidemiologist shares his stories from the front lines of our war on infectious diseases and explains how to prepare for epidemics that can challenge world order.
It is very disheartening reading this book and living with today;s reality on Covid-19, that part of the stemming problem now is we can protect the healthcare soldiers in the front line.
With the shortage of appropriate masks, healthcare workers have had to come up some work-arounds, including buying their own masks (when they can find them) from hardware stores. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on strategies to optimize the supply of facemasks even includes a recommendation to consider using scarves or bandanas as a last resort. “However, homemade masks are not considered PPE, since their capability to protect healthcare personnel is unknown,” the CDC states. “Caution should be exercised when considering this option. Homemade masks should ideally be used in combination with a face shield that covers the entire front (that extends to the chin or below) and sides of the face.”
We salute our soldiers in the front lines.
The sacrifice healthcare workers are being asked to make during this chaotic and dangerous time, often in the absence of appropriate protective gear. Safety for those on the front lines of the pandemic translates into benefits for society at large.
May God Bless these soldiers and their families.

The War Before The War

Posted on by mickailmatts

How often do we hear it said that history repeats itself? And yet, we continue to make the same mistakes over and over. Or we allow our past mistakes to still effect our presence. Slavery, segregation, unequal rights, all have a negative impact on our society today. So. How did we get here?

The War Before The War, written by Andrew Delblanco follows the narrative of America’s biggest smear in history; slavery and the continued fight to keep slave states. With two parallel viewpoints to consider this epidemic throughout US history, the author delves into both the moral compromises and injustices made by our nation in a country that was divided in its belief of slavery and the direct outcome of slavery in America (i.e. the Compromise of 1850, FSA, etc.).

The Compromise of 1850 was apart of a package of five bills passed by Congress in 1850 that attempted to defuse tension between slave states and free states regarding certain territories acquired during the Mexican-American War. During this settlement with the territories, the Fugitive Slave Law was created. This law created a way for slave owners to gain back their escaped slaves. It required the return of slaves to their owners, even if they made it to a free state or territory at the dime of the federal government.

Delblanco takes this all a step further than timeline events, as the book looks beyond just the contradictions within the US Constitution and state laws. It examines the struggles of those trying to be freed and those who tried to aid them. This descriptive and captivating insight into what led to the Civil War is not just a great read for history buffs, but also a great read for every American to delve into the history of our country, how we faced this great injustice, and how it still effects us today.

The War Before the War focuses on the effect the Fugitive Slave Clause in the US Constitution had on American politics, economics, and culture from the Revolutionary War to the end of the Civil War. This book was an eye opening experience since it illuminated how complex the issue of slavery was for the fledgling nation. Instead of the oversimplified idea that some people thought slavery was good and others thought it was bad, the author discusses a wide range of point of views held by people all across America. Some abolitionist were not fighting to defend the African-American population but to support job opportunities for white men.