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. I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercisesMind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo
Jim Moltzan
407-234-0119
www.MindAndBodyExercises.comwww.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan
Bright light can be a triggering factor for migraine headaches in some individuals. The underlying physiological mechanisms are not fully understood, but several theories have been proposed to explain this relationship.
One theory suggests that the visual cortex, the part of the brain responsible for processing visual information, becomes hyperexcitable during a migraine attack. Bright light, particularly certain wavelengths such as blue light, can stimulate the visual cortex and lead to an overstimulation of the neurons, triggering a migraine episode.
Another theory focuses on the role of the trigeminal nerve, a major cranial nerve involved in migraine pathology. It is believed that exposure to bright light can cause the trigeminal nerve to release certain neuropeptides, such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which are known to be involved in migraine pain signaling. The release of these substances may trigger inflammation and dilation of blood vessels in the brain, leading to a migraine headache.
Additionally, people with migraines often have heightened sensitivity to light, a condition known as photophobia. This sensitivity can cause discomfort and pain when exposed to bright light, making it a potential trigger for migraine attacks.
It is important to note that not all individuals with migraines are sensitive to bright light, and triggers can vary widely among individuals. Migraine triggers can also include other factors such as stress, certain foods, hormonal changes, lack of sleep, and environmental factors. Therefore, the relationship between bright light and migraines can be complex and may vary from person to person.
If you experience migraines triggered by bright light, it can be helpful to manage your environment by wearing sunglasses, using tinted lenses, or reducing exposure to bright screens or lights when possible. Consulting with a healthcare professional or a headache specialist can also provide personalized advice and treatment options for managing migraines.
Personally, I have managed headaches for many years varying from migraines, stress-related and triggered from allergies to food and environment. I am not a medical doctor nor claim to be. However, I have found that with the physical and mental practices of qigong/yoga, tai chi, martial arts, meditation and other mind & body practices, I can not only prevent debilitating headaches, but be more self-aware so as not to contribute to the triggering of such ailments. Acupressure has also brought me much benefit for myself as well as my clients as well (see my graphic below).
References:
Bluebird, O. &., & Bluebird, O. &. (2021, May 5). Discovering your migraine triggers with Migraine Buddy – Migraine Buddy. Migraine Buddy – Track Your Headache and Migraine – Find your Triggers and Relief – -Take Control. https://migrainebuddy.com/discovering-your-migraine-triggers-with-migraine-buddy/
Light sensitivity at EVERY stage of a migraine attack. (n.d.). TheraSpecs. https://www.theraspecs.com/blog/light-sensitivity-migraine-attack-stages/
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. I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises
Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo
Jim Moltzan
407-234-0119
Humans are like a lump of coal (or carbon), where if put under enough pressure, we may transform into a diamond. I understand that it takes many years, perhaps millions of years for this transformation to happen. As humans we have only about 70-80’s years on average to make our transformation come about, so best to start as soon as possible. I speak of this diamond metaphorically, in regards to each of us being on our own journey to find purpose and meaning in our lives. The diamond is what emerges from the dark and dirty coal, as we strive to find the inner genius, beauty, perfection and acceptance within our selves.
We all have our own unique set of circumstances with relative trials and tribulations. How we manage these issues are key to our health and happiness. Managing our thoughts, emotions and actions can often be attained from managing our physical body through exercise and deliberate wellness and fitness methods. Qigong (yoga), tai chi, meditation and other methods can offer lifelong benefits to the mind, body and spirit. These practices are paths to become your diamond from the rough of the world.
The process of transforming coal into a diamond takes an incredibly long time—millions to billions of years. Both coal and diamonds are made up of carbon, but the key difference lies in their formation and the conditions under which they are created.
Coal forms from plant material that accumulates in swampy environments over millions of years. Through the process of burial and geological transformation, the organic material undergoes compaction and chemical changes, resulting in the formation of coal. This process typically takes millions of years.
On the other hand, diamonds are formed deep within the Earth’s mantle, where high pressure and temperature conditions exist. These conditions cause carbon atoms to arrange in a crystal lattice structure, forming diamonds. This process occurs at depths of around 150 to 200 kilometers (93 to 124 miles) and requires immense pressure and temperatures of approximately 1,000 to 1,300 degrees Celsius (1,832 to 2,372 degrees Fahrenheit). The time required for diamond formation can range from hundreds of millions to billions of years.
Therefore, the transformation of coal into a diamond is an extremely slow and geologically long process, occurring over millions to billions of years under specific conditions deep within the Earth.
Life is a challenge. Nothing worth achieving comes for free. Gifts and rewards are most valuable when earned. Change your coal into diamonds.
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. I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises
Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo
Jim Moltzan
407-234-0119
www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan
Depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, suicide, and many other mental ailments are all serious health concerns. And also buzzwords for politicians and media attention that many feel are talked about, but never addressed. If you follow the news and mainstream media you might be led to believe that pharmaceuticals are the only treatment for mental health issues. There seems to be very little discussion regarding use of exercise (recess and PE for kids) and management of stress through breathing techniques. Both of these methods are readily available for free and span socioeconomic factors as well. Most people don’t need much space to walk, run, swim or practice calisthenics exercises. Breathing techniques are easily taught and practiced once someone is educated. A national healthcare system based on lifestyle habits of proper diet and regular exercise would be less expensive that the $4.3 trillion dollars that was spent on “sickcare” in 2021. “Selfcare” teaches people to be responsible for their own health and doesn’t help to bring profits to pharma corps, hospital chains and other facets of the healthcare industrial complex. So what should we do? Become educated to what your health is truly about…and it should not be to make other people wealthy from you not being healthy, well and fit.
The autonomic nervous systems, specifically the sympathetic (SNS, fight or flight) and parasympathetic (PNS, rest and digest) nervous systems play an integral role with the human immune system. The interaction between these two mechanisms is how the human mind and body reacts to everyday stress and sometimes traumatic stressful events.
Emotional states directly influence respiration rate which affect organ function and consequently the immune system’s ability to fight off disease and illness. When our breathing patterns change so does our blood chemistry. Our emotions reveal themselves in various breathing patterns. Emotions of anger, fear, and anxiety result in quick, shallow breaths. Grief causes us to breathe spasmodically. Boredom leads to shallow breathing, while sadness and depression produces shallow and inconsistent breathing.
Stress can be defined as an individual’s consciousness and body’s response to tension or pressure in regard to specific events or changes in one’s environment. Increased breathing rate is necessary when experiencing truly stressful situations, like being chased by an animal, running from a fire or similar life-threatening situations. However, continued breathing at this pace for an extended period of time puts accumulative stress on all of the body’s systems. It is also worth stating that not all stress is considered bad in that good things can arise from experiencing stress and coping with it (Tripathy 2018).This is actually how one can strengthen their own immune system by learning how to manage their own stresses.
Stress has become known as one of the main factors contributing to the top causes of human death. Heart disease, cancer, unintentional accidents, respiratory ailments, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide are the most common causes that all share a strong connection to stress. Deliberate management of the SNS by regulating respiration rate and volume has been proven through medical research to lower stress (Hartz-Seeley 2014).
The average person breathes 12-18 breaths per minute (BPM) during regular activity of standing, sitting & walking, consequently engaging the sympathetic nervous system. Constant duration in the SNS dumps neurotransmitters of cortisol and norepinephrine into the blood stream putting the vital organs in a state of constant high alert and stress which weakens the immune system. Health and fitness experts suggest that 6 BPM is optimal for the lungs to properly oxygenate the whole body, balance the blood chemistry and also remove toxins. The lungs are responsible for removing 70% of the body’s waste by-products through exhalation. Deeper breathing is a key component to having a long and healthy life. Through focused and deliberate breathing methods, many positive mental and physical benefits can be achieved. This is more easily accomplished through mindful breathing patterns from exercises such as meditation, qigong, tai chi and yoga (Russo et al, 2017).
I have been successful in the past decades, in managing my own stress along with accompanying headaches, anxiety, digestive issues, blood pressure levels and other ailments. When and if I begin to feel ill, fatigued or even flu-like symptoms, my course of action is to practice some tai chi and yoga, followed by a healthy meal and a good night’s rest. Based upon all of this information and my own experiences, I definitely think that our immune system is greatly affected by our nutrition, exercise/activities, thought patterns and lifestyle choices.
References:
HARTZ-SEELEY, D. (2014, March 21). Chronic stress is linked to the six leading causes of death. Miami Herald. https://www.miamiherald.com/living/article1961770.html
Tripathy, M. (2018). Recognizing & Handling the Underlying Causes of Stress at Workplace: An Approach through Soft Skills. International Journal of Management, Accounting & Economics, 5(7), 619–632. https://search-ebscohost-com.northernvermont.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=buh&AN=131442513&site=eds-live
Russo, M. A., Santarelli, D. M., & O’Rourke, D. (2017). The physiological effects of slow breathing in the healthy human. Breathe (Sheffield, England), 13(4), 298–309. https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.009817
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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. I also have hundreds of FREE education video classes, lectures and seminars available on my YouTube channel at:
https://www.youtube.com/c/MindandBodyExercises
Mind and Body Exercises on Google: https://posts.gle/aD47Qo
Jim Moltzan
407-234-0119
www.Amazon.com/author/jimmoltzan
It is way past the time to take off the blinders and see US healthcare for what it is – SICKCARE
There has been a slow, albeit deliberate evolution of America becoming a cult(ure) of pharmacology as our main healthcare system. Long ago are the days where Americans strived to be well, fit and overall healthy regardless of occasionally becoming sick or ill. Today it is widely acceptable for the majority of people to not really worry about being sick until it happens. And then a trip to the doctor for a prescription is usually the answer instead of making dietary or lifestyle adjustments. With these observations in mind, let’s contemplate the following:
Would you take your car to a mechanic who cannot fix your vehicle?
Trust a dentist who has rotten teeth?
Hire a lawyer with legal problems themselves?
Exercise with a trainer who is not in great shape?
Listen to a healthcare provider who is obviously unhealthy?
Don’t confuse the message. This is not about one particular health issue such as obesity, stress, depression, etc. It is about the mindset that in the US we seem to think that it is fine to not be responsible for being out of shape, sickly, or stressed because we can always rely upon a doctor for pharmaceuticals, surgery and other invasive procedures to fix our lifestyle choices. For immediate physical trauma, I would seek and except help from anyone willing to offer. Other chronic issues, not so much. Many healthcare workers enter the workforce with the intent to help others. Ironically, due to the stress and lifestyle spawned from their professions, many find themselves in the same vicious circle of poor health choices they advise others to avoid. Health care professionals can serve a higher calling or sense of purpose if they were actually striving to be a good example of health and wellness instead of just collecting a paycheck. An inspiration or warning to others, we can all choice what we have to offer regardless of our career path. Physician heal thyself.
The correlation we are observing between healthcare providers in the US and their seemingly poor physical and mental health can be attributed to several factors. It is important to note that while this correlation exists, it does not necessarily apply to every healthcare provider, as individual experiences can vary.
Addressing these issues requires systemic changes within the healthcare industry, such as improving working conditions, promoting a culture of self-care and mental health support, and providing resources for healthcare providers to manage stress and prevent burnout. Organizations can play a crucial role in implementing policies that prioritize the well-being of their employees, including access to mental health services and support programs.
Additionally, healthcare providers themselves should be encouraged to prioritize self-care, seek support when needed, and engage in activities that promote their physical and mental well-being. Taking breaks, seeking therapy or counseling, engaging in regular exercise, maintaining social connections, and practicing stress management techniques can all contribute to better overall health.
Read and research some of my referenced links below if you care to delve further into this topic.
References:
One Year On: Unhealthy Weight Gains, Increased Drinking Reported By Americans Coping With Pandemic Stress. (n.d.). NEWS-Line for Mental Health Professionals. https://www.news-line.com/SY_news30737_One-Year-On:-Unhealthy-Weight-Gains,-Increased-Drinking-Reported-By-Americans-Coping-With-Pandemic-Stress
Can Overweight Docs Really Give Credible Weight Loss Advice? (2021, July 7). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20210707/overweight-doctors-credible-weight-loss-advice (ARTICLE NO LONGER AVAILABLE)
Reilly, J. M. (2007, March 1). Are Obese Physicians Effective at Providing Healthy Lifestyle Counseling? AAFP. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2007/0301/p738.html
American Medical Association. (2021, November 5). What doctors wish patients knew about physician burnout. https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-physician-burnout
Battling the bulge — why nurses are prone to obesity. (2017, September 13). Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/ab4559ee-371f-11e7-99bd-13beb0903fa3
Shute, N. (2013, June 5). NPR Cookie Consent and Choices. NPR. https://choice.npr.org/index.html?origin=https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/06/05/188920874/fat-doctors-make-fat-patients-feel-better-and-worse
Cody, S. (2014, February 25). Where have all the healthy health care workers gone? Rep Man. https://www.repmanblog.com/repman/2014/02/where-have-all-the-healthy-health-care-workers-gone.html
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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
United Martial Arts Association 