Kaiser Permanente thrive » Mind Body Spirit

Groove with us on Pandora

admin10kavesian — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:33:17 +0000

Taking time out of your day for a little jam session can do wonders for your mind, body, and spirit. That's why we've created two custom stations on Pandora — the free Internet radio service that you can personalize based on your favorite artists or songs.

If you're looking for a boost to your workout or just a rocking soundtrack to keep you going all day, tune in to Kaiser Permanente Fitness Radio.

Stressing at work? Kids driving you nuts? Ease your tension with the chill sounds of our soothing Kaiser Permanente Relaxation Radio.

Whether you've got brain drain or boogie fever, the right music can be the perfect prescription. So what are you waiting for? Plug in those headphones, turn those speakers up, and enjoy your daily dose.

Featured podcast: “A Meditation to Help You with Chemotherapy”

admin11kcesarz — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 13:53:05 +0000

With this hypnotic and relaxing guided imagery podcast, Belleruth Naparstek can help you cope with the stresses of going through chemotherapy.

Using "cleansing imagery," the "Meditation to Help You with Chemotherapy" podcast is designed to help your body’s own natural healing power do its work.

The net effect is to cast a more positive light on your treatment, lift your spirit, and help reduce some of the side effects of chemotherapy. Check out our coping with chemotherapy podcast.

Listen to or download other health-related podcasts at our Healthy Living To Go audio library.

Exercise your mind with our brain teaser widget

admin11kcesarz — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:11:09 +0000

Thrive better with a sharpened mind! Strengthen your intellect with spatial puzzles, vocabulary challenges, and number sequences.

Moody teen or something more serious?

admin11kcesarz — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:24:15 +0000

Depression is only for adults, right? Wrong. Teens, even young children, can suffer from depression and need treatment to improve. In fact, as many as 3 in 100 young children and 9 in 100 teens have serious depression, according to Michael J. Sexton, MD.

Do you suspect your child, or a child you may know, is suffering from depression? It's critical to know more about depression and to learn how to recognize the signs.

A child may be depressed if he or she shows any of the following signs:

• is grumpy, sad, or bored most of the time
• does not take pleasure in things he or she used to enjoy
• loses or gains weight
• sleeps too much or too little
• feels hopeless, worthless, or guilty
• has trouble concentrating, thinking, or making decisions
• thinks about death or suicide a lot

Kids need love and support to learn just about everything in life. Most parents already have a pretty good idea how to teach their kids how to dress, do chores around the house, or throw a curveball. But it's equally important to teach them how to handle their emotions. The benefits are obvious, and most likely you'll grow closer to them.

If you are worried about a child who may be depressed, learn more about the symptoms in children and what you can do to help.

Being “mindful”: What is it and how can it help you be healthier?

admin11kcesarz — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:19:02 +0000

A commitment to living for the moment can have a big impact on your health. In meditation circles this practice is called mindfulness.

Mindfulness is an attitude toward living that involves simply keeping your attention in the present moment, without judging it as happy or sad, good or bad. It encourages living each moment—even painful ones—as fully as possible. It is a way of calmly and consciously observing and accepting whatever is happening, moment to moment.

Being more aware of your present experiences helps you remove the emotion from your thoughts and helps you slow things down and focus, which in turn is good for your health. In mind, in body, and in spirit—which is exactly what you need to truly thrive.

Learn how to be mindful.

A recipe for relaxing

admin10kavesian — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:54:21 +0000

You don't have to be a doctor to understand how stress impacts your health and well-being—or how it gets in the way of getting things done, whether at the office or home.

Slowing your heart rate, easing your breathing, lowering your blood pressure and body metabolism, and relaxing muscle groups will lower your stress. Follow each of the five steps listed below whenever you're stressed out, and you will be able to relax and get on with life's daily challenges:

Determine exactly what's bothering you.
Place your head down on a desk or table and close your eyes for 5 minutes. Then shake your hands and arms for 10 seconds.
While aware of what's stressing you out, repeat to yourself "alert mind, calm body" for six seconds. Smile inwardly—don't wear a fearful or angry expression. Inhale slowly while counting to three, then exhale.
Sit comfortably and concentrate on a single object or activity like breathing steadily, focusing on each breath you inhale and exhale, for five minutes. Acknowledge but don't analyze any thoughts that interrupt your focus on breathing.
Relax your muscles by tensing up each muscle group for five seconds and concentrating on what this feels like. Breathe deeply and exhale while releasing all tension in each muscle group.

If you're really stressed out, these few minutes could be the best investment in your day and will make the kind of difference you need to keep up with the tasks ahead.

Critically important information: How to cope with criticism

admin10kavesian — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:01:04 +0000

Nobody likes to be criticized. But it’s healthy to know how to handle it with grace. And if it’s reasonable, you could become a better person by accepting it. There are several ways to do it.

Learn how to cope with criticism.

How to make a simple request: Be specific

admin10kavesian — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:59:43 +0000

The first step in effective communication is making a request. If you want something done, just ask. Many people don’t do this, and as a result, they don’t get what they want. Or worse, they get into an argument. The key is to be clear.

Learn how to make requests.

Don’t keep it bottled up

admin10kavesian — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:05:35 +0000

Keeping thoughts and feelings bottled up can lead to a range of physical and emotional problems. Avoid this by learning to assert yourself. We have some great tips and exercises on how to make your point firmly, effectively, and courteously. Learn how to express:

Observations — Discuss your perceptions of the situation objectively.
Thoughts — Share your opinions or interpretations of the other person’s observations.
Feelings — Offer your emotional reaction to the situation instead of blaming the other person for your feelings.
Wants — Request clear and specific action from the other person.

Six steps to help you cut down on conflict

admin10kavesian — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:03:22 +0000

If you’re not careful, poor communication can turn minor arguments into full-blown — and unhealthy — clashes. We’ve identified simple but powerful communication techniques you can use to help prevent normal disagreements from escalating into anything worse:

Express your viewpoints directly without accusing and confronting the other person.
Don’t just look at what’s being discussed, but also at what is going on between you and the other person.
Ask for time to consider the other person’s viewpoint before you respond.
Summarize the other person’s concerns to be sure you understand.
Try arguing the other person’s position as thoroughly and thoughtfully as possible.
Seek a workable compromise.