Where the Rubber Hits the Road – Personal Responsibility

Personal Responsibility

We are here…right here where the rubber hits the road.

When the action really begins, is when you begin the job, when you really get serious.

So the question I have is, how serious are you folks about doing anything? Likes and smiley faces are nice, but really don’t make us healthier, more fit or more connected.

None of us really have “extra” time but rather “make” time for what we prioritize in our lives. True is true, either we walk the talk, or we talk the walk.

Talk is cheap, time is priceless.

If every person in American spent 5 minutes (or more) every day by exercising, more people could better manage their weight and suffer less from related illnesses.

If every person in American spent 5 minutes (or more) every day calming their mind by practicing deep breathing exercises, more people would be less stressed and suffer less from related illnesses.

If every person in American spent every day becoming more conscious of their nutrition habits, more people would be able to maintain their health through the choices they make while eating and drinking, and suffer less from related illnesses.

If everyone could assume personal responsibility for their own health, our nation would not have to spend as much time, effort, energy and money trying to keep people healthy.

These concepts seem easy enough, but in reality, most people lack the desire or self-discipline to take the effort and do what it takes to stay healthy, prevent illness or cure their own ailments. Self-discipline is one of five steps known to help achieve better mental and physical wellness.

1) Respect – This is where values begin. You must understand and have respect for yourself (self-respect) before you can demonstrate it to others. Taking the steps to take care of your physical and mental well-being effects you first and then those closest to you second.

2) Discipline – Developing control of one’s own desires, commitments, and ultimately your own actions, leads to self-discipline. Control of physical exercises can lead to management of thought and emotion.

3) Self-Esteem – As you review your achievements of respect and discipline, your sense of worth is elevated and appreciated.

4) Confidence – Understanding and accepting your weak areas as well as your stronger aspects removes insecurity. When you feel that you are physically well and mentally sharp, confidence can fill your personality. You can accomplish whatever goal you set out to achieve.

5) Determination to Achieve Goals – The positive sum of the previous aspects leads to one’s determination. Good judgment and focused effort toward positive goals result in true personal success.

Qigong, Tai Chi and Yoga all are methods to achieve these traits.

It doesn’t matter so much that you do these exercises, as much as it matters that you do some type of exercise. Walk, jog, swim or whatever – just get going and do something. 5 minutes here and there can quickly turn into 15 or 30 minutes at one time or over the course of a day. Once you are moving or mentally engaged, it is much easier to stay motivated and try a few more exercises for a few more minutes.

Be well, become healthier, be wise.

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I write often about topics that affect our health and well-being. Additionally, I teach and offer lecture about qigong, tai chi, baguazhang, and yoga.

For more info, contact Jim Moltzan at info@mindandbodyexercises.com, 407-234-0119 or through my site at http://www.mindandbodyexercises.com

Music & Sound Can Affect Health

Mantras when practiced with transcendental meditation are repeated in our inner dialogue, but can be practiced with or without background music or sounds. I have some information that a few musically inclined qigong friends and I wrote about in a book we co-authored a few years ago. Whether it is singing bowls, drumming, chanting, or other musical instruments and sounds, it is basically the same concepts.

Masaru Emoto, in his book The Hidden Messages in Water, showed that music has a direct effect on water. By playing a certain piece of music, and then looking at water molecules under a high-powered microscope, he saw that when soothing music was played, the water organized itself with symmetry and beautiful designs. When turbid music was played, such as heavy metal, the water looked putrid and disorganized. The human body is 60 to 80 percent water. Music, whether positive or negative, has a profound effect on us. It can focus us, or it can distract us, it can make us happy or sad, bringing out a wide range of emotions.

Children exposed to music develop better listening skills. They do better in subjects such as math, language, and reading. Music also helps the brain’s plasticity and capacity to change and grow.

Studies have shown that when people have listened to music labeled “happy”, their creativity went up, and when your favorite song comes on unexpectedly, you get a small boost of dopamine. Numerous studies have also shown music can help with anxiety, depression, insomnia, ADHD, PTSD, and schizophrenia.

Music is uniquely human. Animals, with the occasional exception of some birds, can’t process music or feel rhythm in the same way that humans can. Studies have shown that when an animal is dancing to music, they are imitating the owner and not moving to the beat. Historically, music has played an important role in every culture.

Nearly 40,000 years ago, early humans used carved bones with animal skins over tree stumps to make basic instruments. Bone flutes have also been discovered and dated back to 40,000 to 80,000 years ago. Even the early Torah was set to music so people could remember it before they would write it down. People have always used music to remember things.

I have learned also that for thousands of years, chanting as a form of music has been used as a vehicle to create a deeper spiritual connection. The sound of OM, is said to be the universal sound that contains all other sounds. A study revealed that chanting the word OM triggered the area of the brain that is associated with calmness and a sense of inner peace. The syllable OM was found to trigger that more than any other syllable.

Om Mani Padme Hum
It has been said over the centuries that all of the teachings of the Buddha are contained in the simple mantra of Om Mani Padme Hum. This can be roughly translated as “The jewel of the lotus.” Below is a hidden 5 element meaning of the mantra, from the album “The 5 Elements of Om Mani Padme Hum”

Om: Wood element: rising, spring time, sprouting upwards. The color is green.

Ma: Fire element: rising and dispersing. Picture flames flickering and dancing. The color is red.

Ni: Earth element: centered and sweet. It does not rise or fall much, always returning to the center. The colors are yellow and gold.

Pad: Qi: sometimes referred to as the 6th energy. Similar to fire, this energy dances both upward and downward. The color is purple.

Me: Metal element: splitting and falling. The season is autumn, and there is grief in the metal element. The colors are white and silver.

Hum: Water element: flowing, building up and dispersing. The season is winter. The colors are blue and black.

Reference:

Leone M., Campbell J., Moltzan J., (2019), Journey Around the Sun

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I write often about topics that affect our health and well-being. Additionally, I teach and offer lecture about qigong, tai chi, baguazhang, and yoga. For more info, contact Jim Moltzan at info@mindandbodyexercises.com, 407-234-0119 or through my site at http://www.mindandbodyexercises.com

Good Health and Well-being Doesn’t Just Happen

Good health and well-being doesn’t just happen. Rather being mindful of your lifestyle choices of diet, exercise/activity and attitudes towards your life in general. These are the key factors in our culture today that have led the US to an epidemic of overweight and obese people. This has led to even bigger crises that can be easily seen over the last 2 years.

The age-adjusted prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults was 42.4% in 2017–2018. The prevalence was 40.0% among younger adults aged 20–39, 44.8% among middle-aged adults aged 40–59, and 42.8% among older adults aged 60 and over. There were no significant differences in prevalence by age group. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db360-h.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db360-h.pdf

From the Mayo Clinic:

Obesity represents a risk factor for higher severity and worse prognosis in patients with COVID-19 infection. Likewise, obesity-induced adipose tissue inflammation and its effects on the immune system play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 infection. Moreover, it also results in metabolic dysfunction, which may lead to dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, CVD, MetS/T2DM, and HTN. Older age also represents a risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19 infection. Clearly, prevention of obesity in the first place and especially its progression to more severe forms is desperately needed throughout the health care system and society. These efforts are also needed to help improve prognosis in the next pandemic, as well as for primary and secondary prevention of CVD and diabetes mellitus. In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians should recognize that the obese, and more so the more severely obese, are at higher risk for clinical deterioration with COVID-19. As such, these patients need to be carefully monitored and treated more aggressively to reduce morbidity and mortality.

https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/…/S0025…/fulltext

Be well, Become healthy, be wise.

Be more active, eat healthier, sleep better, stress less – these are the key components to maintaining a strong immune system.

I am currently offering lectures and classes for group, small group & private instruction in Wekiva, Longwood and Winter Park.

Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo

Jim Moltzan

407-234-0119

www.MindAndBodyExercises.com

Tobacco, Cigarettes & Vaping Use – Yes, this still is deadly!

It boggles my mind that the FDA recently authorized e-cigarettes for US consumption, as they see vaping products as a benefit to adult smokers. The US vape market was valued at $6.09 billion in 2020. It is predicted to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 27.3% from 2021 to 2028. I often see the Wall Street Journal (I am a subscriber) report on the health concerns regarding vaping, and then sell full page advertisements to tobacco companies who have scientists give their expert comments on the benefits of vape products over smoking tobacco. “Follow the science” right, but whose science are they paying to promote?

It is a known fact, that there are many carcinogens that are added to tobacco products to make them even more deadly. When some of these ingredients are burned, they form even more deadly chemicals. find it disgusting that government organizations (FDA) even allow these products to be available. Here is a list of some of the harmful added chemicals and their common usage:

Acetone—found in nail polish remover
Acetic acid—an ingredient in hair dye
Ammonia—a common household cleaner
Arsenic—used in rat poison
Benzene—found in rubber cement and gasoline
Butane—used in lighter fluid
Cadmium—active component in battery acid
Carbon monoxide—released in car exhaust fumes
Formaldehyde—embalming fluid
Hexamine—found in barbecue lighter fluid
Lead—used in batteries
Naphthalene—an ingredient in mothballs
Methanol—a main component in rocket fuel
Nicotine—used as an insecticide
Tar—material for paving roads
Toluene—used to manufacture paint

I find it quite difficult to have trust in any part of our government that claims to be concerned about the health and well-being of its people when they let this industry thrive and profit.

Some could debate that smoking is a personal choice that only affects the user, but scientific data has proven for decades that second-hand smoke affects the health of others in the direct vicinity of tobacco smokers. This is not the same as someone who abuses alcohol or chooses to eat poorly and affect only themselves regardless of who they are standing next to.

When Doctors, and Even Santa, Endorsed Tobacco - The New York Times

The tobacco industry is probably the only industry which the FDA willfully allows (but not approves of) to operate in spite of the scientific studies that prove the harmful effects to humans. So, while the FDA is basically in place to protect the American population against substances that endanger the health and wellbeing of humans, they continue to pander to this deadly industry. I think that the tobacco industry has been allowed to operate and profit enormously from their efforts to keep people addicted to their products. NPR even reported that tobacco companies conspired (yes, a real conspiracy theory) to add more nicotine to their products to keep users addicted to their usage.

I feel strongly that the general population should not pay for healthcare costs associated with 1^st hand smokers, as this lifestyle choice offers no positive health results but rather leads to a slow and predictable path of disease and illness from its habitual use. a close family member smoked daily up until he was about 65, and only stopped once his health failed so terribly that his doctors at the hospital would not let him leave without 1^st performing surgery for a long shopping list of ailments. He acquired from smoking tobacco, spots on his lungs, emphysema, arterial sclerosis, and almost totally blocked carotid arteries. His addiction affected my whole family, almost setting our house on fire numerous times having fallen asleep while smoking. He went on to live 10 more years however, with a continuous downward quality of life due to the effects of his lifelong addiction to tobacco.

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/health_effects/index.htmLinks to an external site.

The Facts on the FDA’s New Tobacco Rule | FDALinks to an external site.

PolitiFact | No, the FDA hasn’t approved cigarettes, or any tobacco productLinks to an external site.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/11/27/566014966/in-ads-tobacco-companies-admit-they-made-cigarettes-more-addictive

https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/smoking-facts/whats-in-a-cigarette

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/12/1045408023/fda-e-cigarettesLinks to an external site.

https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/us-e-cigarette-vape-marketLinks to an external site.

https://www.medicaldaily.com/what-cigarette-chemicals-and-ingredient-list-confirm-how-dangerous-smoking-really-279718

Qigong, tai chi, baguazhang, and yoga are not the only methods that can be used within this formula but have proven the test of time as methods to cultivate harmony of the mind, body and spirit. These exercise practices offer a wide spectrum of physical wellness benefits, stress relief as well as means of self-awareness. Not all teachers nor students practice these for the same goals. For more info, contact Jim Moltzan at info@mindandbodyexercises.com, 407-234-0119 or through my site at http://www.mindandbodyexercises.com

Humans Have Become Disconnected From Nature

Humans having gradually been losing their connection with nature. It did not happen overnight, but maybe most apparently over the last century. Many now believe that synthetic is better than organic as a rule, rather than the exception. The most scientifically, industrialized, modernized aware specie on the earth – while being the unhealthiest specie as a whole. And here we are.

My understanding is that if we do not learn to exist in harmony within nature, we will eventually be consumed by nature. As humans, we are part of nature so we cannot separate ourselves from nature and really the universe, without suffering some type of consequence. Cause and effect, yin and yang – it is all the same; everything is interconnected on many levels.

I feel there has been a big disconnect over the last 100 years in that with the advancement of Western allopathic medicine and its many benefits, we have been taught that many of nature’s cures and remedies are quackery or limited in their benefits to our modern society. How far have we been distracted to believe that pills and pharmaceuticals are the only way to treat illness and disease? Many people can, and do manage stress, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, headaches, allergies and maybe an endless list of other ailments that can be improved through proper diet of chemical-free foods and herbs, consistent exercise (natural movement) and management of thoughts and emotions (an understanding of where humans fit into nature). Nature is indeed medicine, as food tends to be either medicine or poison, especially becoming more evident as we age.

Many parents have helped to encourage generations of children who prefer sitting in front of the TV, computer or smartphone screens in place of physical outdoor nature related activities. Children playing and exploring in nature, has become mostly a thing of the past as these same children have grown to be adults with no connection to the nature and wildlife existing in their own backyards.

Look at some of the bigger US cities that have been covered in concrete and metal. Much of the grass and trees have been removed to make way for buildings and development. Some cities like Chicago, New York City, Boston, Miami and others have relatively small parks to help those in need of some “green space” to have an access point to some plant life. Some buildings have gardens or plant life on their roofs, but really these are not grounded to the actual earth below. Other cities like Atlanta and Dallas have made great strides in increasing their public parks and green spaces.

Another example, however more controversial is the overall health of the human race today. Food producers have been able to provide more food to more people although there are still many starving nations. With advancements in chemicals used to make food look better, last longer and seem tastier, we now ingest these same chemicals which have been proven to cause many other health issues. Americans often have access to many food options, but seem to favor cheaper processed foods over the more expensive organic or supposedly chemical-free foods. Then when people develop illnesses from the poor quality food, they turn to more chemicals through pharmaceuticals to fix the ailments caused by the chemicals in the food. More chemicals in the human body makes the individual more dependent upon modern chemistry rather than using nature’s gift of fruits, vegetables and herbs that have been known to improve many ailments.

I feel more connected to nature because I choose to be and can make plans and adjustments to be in nature. However, I know that I can be more in nature and that is where the struggle can exist for me. For me, nature is not just a place in the woods or in the mountains. Nor is it a place in a movie, book or a picture although these modes can put my thoughts of a place in nature in my mind. So where I don’t always have the trees, streams and wildlife right in front of me, I do carry the awareness without them to realize that I do have my connection to nature (and the universe) regardless of if I am in the forest or in a concrete building. This awareness is what gets me out of the building to begin with. We exist within nature as much as nature exists within us. Yin and yang in all things. I try to connect daily with nature if not through actually physically being within the woods, mountains or oceans but through my meditations and awareness of nature.

I think that if someone opens up their mind to understand that we are all interconnected with nature, the universe and each other, nature will present itself in ways and experiences that most people would consider to be far outside of what most to believe as “normal”. I am also a professional photographer, who has had many occasions where I sat and waited for a particular image to develop in my mind and then sometimes minutes later in reality. I have waited for the sky to clear and then present beautiful rainbows. I was at a cemetery once searching for my relatives gravesite, when a sun shower started exactly when I looked down to see the tombstone I was looking for. I was hiking with my wife in Zion, and while we seeked cover on the trail from harsh rain, a boulder came crashing down on the trail where we had been standing moments earlier. I think that if you try to make these types of experiences happen, they probably will not. However, if you can enter into a perspective that all and everything is interconnected on various levels, things will present themselves to us for whatever reason, lesson or thing is to be gained from such events.

Be well!

References:

Robbins, J., Pearce, F., Fleming, P., & Katz, C. (2020, January 9). Ecopsychology: How immersion in nature benefits your health. Yale E360. https://e360.yale.edu/features/ecopsychology-how-immersion-in-nature-benefits-your-healthLinks to an external site.

Scull, J. (2017, April 30). The separation from more-than-human nature. ICE. https://www.ecopsychology.org/the-separation-from-more-than-human-nature/Links to an external site.

https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/multimedia/infographics/getmoving.htmlLinks to an external site.

https://www.geotab.com/urban-footprint/Links to an external site.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/01/17/509520895/food-as-medicine-it-s-not-just-a-fringe-idea-anymoreLinks to an external site.