They are all intuitive in some respects. It’s not groundbreaking to say that exercising is good for you, and so too is eating healthy. You cannot take a secular approach to health either. A strong prayer life is important to your overall health. But rarely are the three—nutrition, exercise and faith—combined.

Nutrition: Finding What Works for Your Body

From the outset of my diagnosis, my doctors insisted food had nothing to do with Crohn’s. At the time it sounded crazy. How could food play zero role in how your gastrointestinal tract feels or functions? I followed a moderately healthy diet for years, occasionally dabbling in foods I knew were bad for me. But never was I instructed on what to eat, how to eat, or what foods may cause symptoms.

When it comes to nutrition, it is important to understand that we are all different. Nuance plays a heavy role. One person’s good food may be another person’s poison. What worked for me may not work for you. There are multiple diets that have produced relief for those with IBD, including the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, The Maker’s Diet, and the Low FODMAP diet. I found the latter to be especially beneficial. The key was fine-tuning my diet and finally identifying those food groups that triggered symptoms.

In the course of healing yourself, it may be necessary to follow a certain diet for weeks or months to finally clear symptoms. Often, the feeling that comes with being symptom-free is so overwhelming and euphoric that you rarely miss those unhealthy foods you used to crave.

Fitness: Building Strength and Confidence

If my diagnosis had one benefit, it served as the ultimate wake-up call to start exercising. As a child, I was flabby and completely out of shape. I exercised some but did not move nearly as much as young boys should. As a 12-year-old lying in a hospital bed in my absolute frailest state, I resolved to somehow build a better body for myself.

My exercise regimen began with walking outdoors, which soon led to running. I started a rigorous series of calisthenics to build muscle, and soon I was performing thousands of push-ups and abdominal exercises every week. As I grew older, I began lifting weights. Exercise has remained a consistent part of my daily life.

A diagnosis with Crohn’s, or any other autoimmune disease, can wreck your body and create immense insecurity. I found that improving my physical condition was the greatest way to build confidence, and it also improved my symptoms in the process. Again, fitness remains intuitive.

Faith: The Missing Component

For years, I always felt that my exercise routine and eating habits were enough to keep me healthy, but something was missing. I grew up in the church, but faith played almost no role in my previous efforts to overcome Crohn’s. What was missing, it seemed, was divine intervention. I began asking God for better health. This, combined with an intense belief that I could be healthy, placed the final mental gear into place.

As I went deeper into the Word, faith became another intuitive aspect of health. If man was created in the image of God, a sick and weak person would reflect poorly on Him. Yes, there are examples that none of us can explain, but in general, I don’t believe that a merciful God would impose a debilitating health condition on anyone, including Crohn’s.

Praying alone will not solve your health problems; you still have to put yourself to work. Your job is to follow sound nutritional guidelines and a consistent fitness regimen.

Related » What Does It Really Mean to Have Faith?

The Path Forward

After more than a decade of trying conventional doctors and protocols, I finally learned from personal experience how vital these three factors are. I’m confident that they can work for you too. I have not even scratched the surface in this short writing, but my upcoming book Drug-Free Crohn’s dives deep into the triad of healing. If you are suffering from autoimmune disease, it is my great hope and prayer that you will start applying these three basic principles to healing protocols. And by doing so, you can begin to live a more fulfilling life.

The post How I Healed Crohn’s Disease Naturally: The Triad of Nutrition, Fitness and Faith appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

My Battle with Health Anxiety

When my anxiety began, I had already seen a cardiologist who assured me my heart was doing good. But then, palpitations, breathlessness, and chest pain persisted. Since the symptoms continued, I was diagnosed with anxiety but I just couldn’t accept that my heart health was OK. I struggled to believe that anxiety could create something so physical and relentless. I was convinced the doctor had overlooked something critical. Something dangerous was hiding, waiting to strike.

The thought that my doctor missed something kept growing louder. I later discovered this fear is one of the most common patterns in health anxiety. It’s not that you don’t trust your doctors. It’s just that anxiety doesn’t let you trust anyone, including yourself. Because it feeds on uncertainty, anxiety tends to amplify the smallest doubts:

“What if they didn’t look closely enough?”
“What if the equipment malfunctioned?”
“What if it’s too early to detect?”

Anxiety convinces you that the only path to safety is 100% certainty. But here’s the truth about health: absolute certainty doesn’t exist.

Why This Thought Traps You in Endless Loops

That single thought keeps the entire anxiety cycle spinning. It drives you back to Google. It compels you to book more tests. It pushes you to seek just one more opinion. It makes you post in support groups, desperately searching for others with identical symptoms. The relief you get? It lasts hours, maybe a day. Then the thought returns and the “What if?” cycle starts again. If this sounds familiar to you, let me assure you that I know how exhausting this loop feels — I lived it.

How I Broke Free from the “What If” Spiral

Here are the specific strategies that helped me start healing. They might seem simple, but they’re transformative when practiced consistently:

1. Recognize That Anxiety Creates Real Physical Symptoms

Anxiety is a condition of overactive nerves, excess adrenaline, and elevated cortisol. This affects your entire body from head to toe. Instead of analyzing every symptom separately, I learned to see the bigger picture. My heart, chest, stomach, and muscles were all responding to one source: anxiety. I stopped dissecting every sensation and began recognizing them as parts of the same storm.

2. Start Each Day with Gratitude and Body Awareness

We often wake up scanning our bodies for problems: “Is my heart okay? Do I feel strange today?” I replaced this habit with something healthier. Each morning, I would write down three things I’m grateful for and note three things working well in my body. For example: “My digestion feels comfortable,” “I’m breathing easily,” or “I walked yesterday without issues.” I did this daily and read it throughout the day, appreciating every function my body performed correctly. This gratitude practice trains your brain to notice what’s working instead of hunting for problems.

Related » How Being Grateful Keeps You Healthy

3. Eliminate Symptom Googling Completely

Even though it feels helpful in the moment, trust me, it’s not. Every search reinforces your brain’s belief that there’s something to fear. The less you Google, the more your brain learns: “I am safe.” Things changed for me when I made a firm decision: no more symptom searching, forum browsing, or medical article deep-dives. This digital detox was crucial for my recovery.

4. Practice the Pause When New Symptoms Appear

When you notice something new, anxiety makes it feel urgent, but it rarely is. Instead of panicking or rushing for another test, I learned to wait. This approach worked wonders for me. I gave it time—hours, days, sometimes even weeks. When familiar symptoms emerged, I asked myself: “Have I felt this before? Did it resolve on its own?” I let my body do what it’s designed to do: self-regulate and heal without constant intervention.

5. Let Time Become Your Evidence

If you’ve had medical evaluations and nothing has changed or worsened over weeks or months, that’s confirmation your heart is functioning well. Serious cardiac conditions don’t hide quietly for months; they progress and worsen over time. When that “what if” voice surfaced, I reminded myself: “I’ve had tests. I’ve waited. Nothing bad has happened. I’m well.” Time became more reassuring than blood reports, tests or even my doctor’s words.

6. Make Peace with Uncertainty

This was my turning point. Anxiety demands total certainty. Life never provides it. Healing began when I told myself: “Yes, there’s a tiny chance something was missed, and I can live with that uncertainty.” You don’t need complete certainty to feel calm. You need trust in your body, your recovery process, and your ability to handle fear without immediately escaping it.

You’re Not Walking This Path Alone

If you’re trapped by the thought that your doctors have missed something, let me assure you that you’re not overreacting or losing your mind; you’re scared, and your brain is trying to protect you the only way it knows how. But that protection has become a prison of sorts. Your healing starts when you stop investigating every sensation and begin trusting your body’s wisdom to guide you toward complete recovery. You have the strength to overcome this.

Do you struggle with similar thoughts? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below. If you’re on this recovery journey, consider subscribing to helpful resources about anxiety recovery and health anxiety management. You may look up my YouTube channel Rewire With Grace or follow me on Instagram.

You don’t have to navigate this path alone. Remember: Recovery is possible, and you’re already taking the first steps by reading this.

The post My Health Anxiety Story: How I Learned to Trust Normal Test Results appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

How Our Schooling Failed Us

In my observation and experience, our formal schooling tends to disconnect us from ourselves and from our intrinsic humanness. Instead of developing the faculty of critical thinking in our students, we teach them to become highly competent knowledge gatherers. By and large, we teach children what to think, instead of how to think. We stifle their free minds when we punish mistakes and reward only the right answers. We don’t measure true understanding; we only measure how well the students do against a set benchmark. In the name of standardization, we discourage creativity and promote mediocrity.

Little wonder then that when they grow up, most have no real values of their own. Their values are borrowed, their morals second-hand, their beliefs handed-down. Their conscience is “learned” and selective because it is not something born out of the consciousness of their shared humanity.

Look around at the hatred, the violence, the greed and the craving for success at all costs. Look at the apathy that pervades all around us. Doesn’t it bother you?

It might not, especially if you are comfortable in your conditioning, or if the violent and divisive narratives suit your personal life situation and goals.

I wouldn’t blame you if you do—society benefits from conformists; after all, democracy as a system itself encourages majoritarianism. And our education is designed to produce conformists who are discouraged to ask uncomfortable questions.

But if you are reading this, it is a good bet that you do feel concerned about the state of the world. You don’t want your children to inherit a violent, apathetic, self-centered, hate-filled world, and worse, to perpetuate it. You don’t want your children to become mindlessly consuming automatons who are incapable of thinking freely.

So what can we do about it?

Related » What Is Meant By True Success

Why You Should Never Let Schooling Interfere With Your Education

The schooling system we follow has hardly evolved in over a century. Originally, schools were meant to groom children to become efficient workers for the industry. As business, political and religious agendas started to blend, schooling started becoming an easy instrument to further propaganda that benefited these institutions. No wonder schools end up curbing our children’s natural curiosity as well as their ability to think freely — their critical thinking faculty. The result is that we have “literate” masses who behave like herds — it’s by design.

In most traditional educational systems around the world, there is excessive emphasis on procuring high grades in standardized tests that rarely measure a student’s real understanding of the subject. Instead, it promotes rote memorization and the repetition and regurgitation of facts among students rather than critical thinking and creative problem solving. Compounding the problem are the teachers who due to their own lack of training, are ill-equipped to inspire free thinking in their students. Most parents, too, are sailing in the same boat as teachers and end up perpetuating what schools began.

In my view, whether by design or otherwise, our schooling trains us to seek personal success. We are taught to compete with our own friends and classmates; greed is given the name of ambition and is promoted overtly; we are brainwashed into believing that participating in the rat-race is inevitable and, in fact, good for us.

Slowly, gradually, our humanness starts withering. By the time our schooling (formal education) is over, we are well-trained in chasing wealth but at the cost of our health and happiness. By now we have learnt to worship success so blindly that we begin to twist even spirituality to attain material goals. We consume, consume and consume even more… mindlessly. As a result, we are beneficial to the economy but at the tremendous cost to our humanity.

Recognizing Your Conditioning

If you’re honest then perhaps in your quiet moments you probably reflected: have I been hoodwinked by this society? You wonder whether all this mad rush for “more” is just propaganda by those who profit from it. You see the everyday violence, hatred and divisiveness all around you and want to no longer participate in it—directly or indirectly. You even begin to question the fundamentals of economics, which measures only wealth and not wellbeing.

At such contemplative moments, you have a choice: dismiss these uneasy thoughts when they cross your mind because you are too afraid of standing alone. Or wake up fully and begin reconnecting with your real self, your raw humanness.

I think if you wish to live freely and fully, truly live, you can only do so when you recognize your conditioning as conditioning. And it is impossible to lift the veil of conditioning unless you start questioning.

No one is entirely free from biases and bigotry — we all have our pet peeves and prejudices. There’s no shame in accepting this fact. In fact, it is freeing! On the other hand, by denying it, you remain in bondage.

Awakening From the Stupor

It’s only when you start questioning that you begin to free yourself from the hold of a manipulative, divisive society — a society that, by exploiting your vulnerability as a child, brainwashed you not only into conforming but also succeeded in making you part of their team so that the exploitation and subjugation continues.

Please understand that I am not promoting cynicism. I am suggesting that you wake up and reconnect with your own intrinsic humanness and check for hidden biases… in the self and in others.

When you awaken from the stupor, you stop accepting any information without passing it through your own critical filter of humanity. You become mindful of your thoughts and reactions whenever you feel strongly about anything so that you can notice that more often the real trigger is your own hidden bigotry or chauvinism. Recognizing this is a big leap in consciousness. As you do this, you will feel as if you are coming alive after a very long hiatus.

How to Cultivate Critical Thinking to Free Yourself

If the above perspective resonates with you and you realize that it is absolutely vital to live freely, here’s what you can do to break free: start questioning. And encourage your kids and other youngsters to do the same.

• Question everything you read or see or hear
• Question your elders. Question your teachers
• Question the media, the politicians, the patriots, the philosophers
• Don’t forget to question your spiritual masters and your religious leaders. They are as responsible for the state of affairs as everyone else
• Most importantly, question your own thoughts and motivations. Do consider that most of your thoughts and beliefs are not your own…but they pretend to be, thanks to years of brainwashing through propaganda, misinformation etc. Be open to contrary viewpoints.

And by questioning, I don’t mean seeking answers from others. In fact, I would urge you to question any answers that come forth, too!

I have included a framework for constructive questioning in this article » How Questioning Your Beliefs Sets You Free. I encourage you to read the same.

As for answers, seek them from your own awareness and experience as a human being. Start practicing mindfulness to become really aware of your automatic thoughts and feelings. You might be in for a shock!

In Conclusion

It’s time to grow up and out of the shadows of your schooling — your formal education systems — and start question your basic assumptions about yourself and your world. Deliberately cultivate your critical thinking faculty. Don’t settle for quick, easy answers. Challenge your own darling thoughts and beliefs even more — this is most important and also most difficult to achieve. Strive to come alive by looking at life from a fresh perspective, sans any biases.

I assure you that as you drop your old beliefs and clean up your heart and mind of biases and prejudices, you will feel lighter, think clearer, and live happier and healthier. And, in turn, you will contribute to a happier, more peaceful world.

The post Why You Should Break Out of the Shadows of Schooling appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

From the moment I set foot in Morocco’s ancient city of Volubilis, I was captivated by its rich history and archaeological wonders. Led by the head of the excavation team, I embarked on a journey through the remnants of a mini city, learning about the ingenious structures and fascinating concepts from over 2000 years ago. One such revelation was the hammam, a personal and social sanctuary with rooms of varying temperatures. The ingenuity of our ancestors never ceases to amaze me.

The Therapeutic Ritual Called Hammam

Eager to experience the magic of the hammam myself, I indulged in not just one, but two hammam visits. The ritual began with hot water and black soap gently applied to my skin, followed by lying on a warm surface that embraced and enveloped me in its comforting heat.

As the scrubbing exfoliation commenced, I could not help but notice that the steam itself didn’t provide the massage I had anticipated. However, during my second hammam experience, something shifted. As I reclined on the warm surface, a sense of profound relaxation washed over me. It was as if my body and mind had found a serene harmony. For 45 minutes, I basked in the blissful combination of natural ingredients and the therapeutic power of the hammam.

A Lesson in Contrast

The pinnacle of the hammam experience arrived with the invigorating plunge into a cold-water tub. The sensation of immersing myself in icy water after the warm treatment was nothing short of rejuvenating. It awakened my senses and left me feeling refreshed, revitalized, and ready to embrace all that lay ahead.

This age-old practice taught me the importance of balancing extremes, of embracing contrasts to deeply appreciate the beauty of each moment. It was an experience that I can confidently say was the best I have ever felt.

Health and Happiness at an Amazigh Village

In the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco I had the privilege to visit an Amazigh village near the town of Ouirgane. The villagers welcomed us with open arms, treating us as the most cherished company they could hope for. Their genuine hospitality and infectious joy reminded me that having everything at our disposal is not always a blessing. Living in the moment and making the most of what we have can bring us true happiness.

At this village, a herbalist showed me all the leaves, roots, seeds, and flowers that he uses to treat the people of the village for a variety of minor (and sometimes major) ailments. Almost all the medicinal ingredients are farmed or foraged nearby, and they are consumed in a variety of ways — brewed into tea, mixed with a little water or oil, or simply cooked into various dishes. By incorporating these ingredients into their daily meals mindfully, the residents ensure they lead a healthy life.

Later in the day, at an afternoon tea laid out by an Amazigh family, I savored this taste of authenticity. Bread, olives, and homemade honey comprised the spread, with every element sourced from their natural surroundings. Not a single item came out of a packet. The family even had their own brick oven to bake the fresh bread that accompanied our tea.

Tasting Centuries of Wisdom

My visit to Morocco reinforced the importance of eating whole, seasonal, organic food with lots of herbs and spices. This can go a long way to giving our body what it needs to stay healthy.

The Moroccan knowledge of local flora and its various uses for food, oils, and medicine left me in awe. Centuries of wisdom have been passed down through generations, highlighting the effectiveness of natural herbs and spices. In one village, a farm-to-table operation is run by Chef Tarik, one of the country’s top culinary minds. Chef Tarik not only empowers the community but also fosters a deeper connection with the origin of food and the healing potential of locally sourced ingredients.

In Conclusion: A Reminder of What Matters

The cultural immersions of Morocco have left an indelible mark on my perception of the power of nature and its natural healing properties. From the ancient hammam to the wisdom of herbalists and the simplicity of Amazigh life, this journey has reminded me that as we continue to navigate modern life, let us not forget to seek solace and healing in nature, for it holds the key to our wellbeing and harmonious existence.

The post Hammam, Herbs, and More — Wellbeing Wisdom from Morocco appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Tips for Organizing Effective Workplace Yoga Sessions

Choose a theme

Always have a theme for your session. This is important because it allows the trainer to tailor the session to the specific theme and stick to it. The theme could be common issues like sleeplessness, neck pain, lower back pain, acidity/indigestion, improving concentration or the all-time-favorite, weight loss. This way, employees will know what to expect. Those who are facing that specific challenge will be particularly attracted to the session, and you can expect a healthy rate of participation from them. You could also consider running a poll and checking with your staff what are the common issues they are facing and choose your theme accordingly.

Follow the appropriate type of yoga

You might choose the trainer based on a friend’s recommendation and seal the deal because he or she fits the budget allocated for the activity. But do check on the style of yoga that the trainer specializes in. For the introductory session, it’s best to choose someone with experience in Hatha Yoga as that is the traditional form of yoga and will introduce your staff to the basics. It’s also the safest, if done correctly. Resist the temptation to introduce power yoga or any other adaptation of yoga in the first session itself as not everyone may be able to keep pace with it.

Be mindful of the level of practice

Remember, some employees who come for the yoga session may not even recall the last time they did any physical activity. For them, sitting crossed legged on the floor or doing asanas will be a BIG challenge. But there would be others who come to the session wanting to learn something new and challenging. So based on the theme, you can ask the trainer to start the session with beginner level poses and then move progressively to intermediate level. It’s best to leave out advanced level poses as they need personal attention and the trainer needs to know the limitations and comfort level of each participant.

Also read » Yoga for busy bees: 5 simple asanas you can do on your desk

Consider the timing of the sessions

All your efforts will go waste if you don’t pay attention to the date and time and inform your staff in advance. Make sure not to plan the session on month ends, when the staff is likely to have more workload; just before or after long weekends is also a no-no. As for timing, best time is in the evening around 4 – 5 pm. On the morning of the appointed day, send an email to everyone who has registered for the session, reminding them that they need to finish off their lunch at least three hours prior to the session. Also, keep at least 15 minutes after the session for people to cool down and ask questions or clarify their doubts.

Insist on suitable attire

Just because it’s corporate yoga does not mean it can be performed in corporate wear. I have had people show up to the sessions in outfits like skirts, tight trousers and even saris! Insist on changing to work-out attire so they can move freely, comfortably and make the most of the session.

Ensure there are enough yoga mats

Yoga is no fun without a yoga mat, so your work is not over till you have organized for those. Where do you source them from? Check with the trainer if she can get a few, and ask participants to carry theirs; you could also rent a few. If you are using a carpeted area, participants can carry a full length towel in place of a mat.

Space

Whether you are using a large conference room, or converting the cafeteria into a make-shift yoga hall, you will need to ensure some hygiene factors. The floor must be absolutely clean and the room should be quiet. Make sure that the session does not get disturbed by sounds from outside. A music player for some relaxing music in the background is a great idea; lighting aroma candles or incense makes the participants feel welcome and gets them into the mood for yoga.

Related » How to do candle meditation or trataka

Conclusion

Workplace yoga sessions are organized in many companies, yet few participants continue with the practice afterwards. A little planning can go a long way in making the session enjoyable for your employees and some may even take to doing it regularly.

This is an update version of the article that was first published on 31 March 2017.

The post Planning a Workplace Yoga Session? Read These Expert Tips First appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

During the contest, the young man displayed superlative adeptness when his first arrow hit the bull’s eye, and then he split that arrow into two with his second shot. Highly pleased with his own performance, he dared the old man to match it. The master remained calm and instead of drawing his bow he motioned for the young archer to follow him up the hill. Curious about what the old man was up to, the young archer followed him near the peak of the mountain. There, they confronted a deep gulf, bridged simply by a flimsy trunk of an old tree. The master stepped on the wobbly log and walked to the middle, picked a far away tree as a target, drew his bow, and fired a clean, direct hit. Calm and composed, he stepped off the log quietly, looked at the champion archer and said, “Your turn now.”

As he stared into the terrifying chasm, the young man trembled and couldn’t even step onto the log, leave aside attempting to shoot at a target. Sensing his predicament, the old man looked at him lovingly and, without a trace of superiority, said, “Young man, no doubt you have great skill with your bow and arrow but you have little skill with the mind that controls these weapons. Shooting arrows in contests is not that same as firing them on the battlefield, where violence can arise upon any kind of terrain and under any conditions. If you want to be a real champion, go and become the master of your mind.”

Why Unwavering Composure Matters

For me, the lesson in this Zen story runs deeper than the abyss that terrified the young archer. All my life, I have been taught to focus on learning new ways to succeed, on acquiring knowledge, on gaining technical “expertise”. After all, these qualities are valued in the world. But when disaster strikes, when I am confronted with an unexpected crisis, or when life throws a curve ball, no amount of expertise and knowledge comes in handy — unless it is also accompanied by a tranquil mind. Only if you are calm and composed can you face stressful situations without succumbing to the pressure. And yet, learning worldly skills is given prominence everywhere with hardly any emphasis on the importance of training the mind for peace and calmness.

But then, life is the greatest school with the most unsuspecting teachers on its roll. And my teachers have come disguised as unexpected difficulties and stressful situations — challenges and problems that have stumped me and made me realize that what I most need at that moment is unwavering composure; nothing else matters as much.

Also read » The lion and the crippled fox

Why Staying Calm Helps

I rate the ability to stay calm and composed as greater than any other material accomplishment. Without composure, I cannot help myself or another. But if peace is my constant companion, regardless of how stressful the challenge, how demanding the situation, how dicey the problem, I know I can deal with it. This is what the Zen master implied when he urged the young archer to become the master of his mind.

I understand that steadfast equanimity requires great practice and dedication, especially because it is not given priority in a world that is smitten by material wealth and sense pleasures. But, like the Zen story teaches us, skill — or for that matter riches, fame or power — are of little use without a calm mind. That’s why I consider the ability to stay calm and composed under all circumstances to be the greatest quality. This quality of composure is a flowering of mindfulness. Let me explain.

How to Be Mindful In Stressful Situations

To be able to stay calm and composed in the midst of chaos and uncertainty requires one to be in a state of heightened awareness, which is the quality of mindfulness. When facing a crisis, a mindful person, rather than being swayed by extreme emotions, stays calm and controlled while working the best way out of the situation. Mindful beings are in touch the present moment and also know that their all power exists now in the timeless realm of now. When you focus on the present, you are able to respond better to the challenges at hand rather than being overwhelmed by stress and losing perspective of your situation.

Here are a few steps that will help you stay calm and composed in stressful situations:

1. Acknowledge and accept that you are feeling stressed

Only when you acknowledge the physical and emotional signs of stress — palpitations, feelings of weakness, a stream of dreadful thoughts — are you in a position to do something about it. Accepting your stressful feelings allows you to approach the situation objectively and calmly.

2. Stop and notice your breath

Take a moment to pause and pay attention to your breathing. As you notice you breath, you will begin to breathe deeper and slower which, in turn, will activate the body’s relaxation response and help you regain a sense of calm.

3. Bring your attention to the present

Become intensely present. Look around and notice your surroundings. Also make note of  the sensations in your body as well as your mental chatter. Doing so will instantly ground you and anchor you to the present moment. Now you will have a clearer view of the stressful situation.

4. Question your fearful thoughts

Stressful situations cause our minds to go into an overdrive of negative thinking. But most of these thoughts are simply unfounded fears that can be challenged and disputed with reason. As you question your thoughts, you will be able to look at your stressful situation in the right context.

5. Be your own friend

Avoid self-criticism. Bashing yourself up is self-defeating phenomenon with terrible consequences. Give yourself space to be imperfect. Be gentle and compassionate to yourself like you would be to a friend in a similar situation.

Conclusion

Try following the above steps, the next time you feel immobilized when facing a difficult situation. With practice, being mindful will enable you to stay stay calm and composed no matter how challenging and stressful your situation.

If you wish to learn how to cultivate a mindful disposition, start by reading this article.

Also read » The man who eliminated uncertainty

» Follow Manoj Khatri on Twitter and Instagram

The post How to Be Mindful in Stressful Situations appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Growing up with two sets of parents

I am a mother in my late 30s. While my situation may not sound so unique, it is a bit uncommon. I was adopted by my father’s elder brother at the time of my birth. The reason for my adoption was that my parents were unable to conceive. My father had told me about my biological parents from the time I was a baby — even though he was urged not to share the truth with me. His reasoning was that my biological parents ought to receive the recognition they deserved for their selfless act of sacrifice. I was fortunate to grow up in a large, joint family, with both sets of parents residing together. As a result, I was raised to call both sets of parents mumma/papa.

At the age of seven, my parents relocated to another city, and I went to a boarding school, away from both sets of parents. My biological parents went on to have two more sons after me, who grew up knowing about my adoption and treated me like their own sister. Even though I spent only a few days with them during my vacations, me and my biological brothers have always been close.

Brother from another mother

As I turned 18, my parents made the unexpected decision to adopt a baby boy, solely because they desired a son. I believe this was influenced by societal gender expectations, and they might have believed that having a son was necessary to care for them in their old age, once I was married and moved away.

My biological parents, however, opposed my adoptive parents’ decision and expressed their concerns that my parents, particularly my mom, would not love me as much once another child joined the family. Despite this, my parents went ahead with the adoption.

Ideally, it would have been wonderful to have a sibling of a similar age with who I could to relate to, play with, argue with and so on. Unfortunately, I always felt that my brother was my parents’ child, not exactly a sibling to me. As I was already in college when he was adopted, we didn’t get to spend much time together. The decision to adopt him was only for my parents’ benefit, not mine. Having said that, we do share a bond of love and are there for each other when needed.

Getting married

After a few years, I reached the age when most people get married, and my parents arranged a marriage for me, as is common in India.

The whole arranged-marriage affair was one of the worst experiences of my life because both sets of parents had different opinions and wanted to handle things their way. Neither of them realized what I was going through — I was caught in the middle and didn’t know who to listen to. One set of parents wanted me to get married immediately, while the other wanted me to wait. Anyways, I did end up getting married rather young.

Even after marriage, this has been an ongoing issue in my life — balancing the opinions of both sets of parents. All four of them love me deeply, and my biological brothers are also quite close to me. However, what has complicated my life is not the fact that I was adopted, but rather that 1) I was being adopted within the family, and 2) my biological parents had a say in my life.

People often say that I’m lucky to have two sets of parents, but it’s not always easy. During every crisis in my life, both sets of parents have had different opinions, which has added to the stress and confusion.

Becoming a mother

Becoming a mother has been my greatest achievement. As I was growing up, I knew that my mother couldn’t conceive a child and had needed to adopt. This created a subconscious doubt in my mind about my chances of conceiving. So, when I became pregnant, it felt like a monumental accomplishment. Even though there was no real reason to doubt fertility, I always feared that I may not be able conceive. This might be partly because my mother always urged me to have a child soon so that I wouldn’t experience the same difficulties she had. Now, as I raise my child, I often find myself thinking “he’s mine” and “I gave birth to him.” While I know that many mothers share this sentiment, it may not be to the same degree that I do.

How people react

As I was growing up, most people who knew me were aware that I was adopted and that I had two biological brothers who I considered as my own siblings. When I started college and disclosed my adoption status, people often had varying reactions. While some expressed surprise and simply said, “Oh, I didn’t know that,” others had less favorable responses, such as asking if I felt sad about being “given away” or questioning who my “real” parents were. One person even assumed that I had step-parents and step-siblings, which was quite comical.

To anyone who meets someone who has been adopted, I would advise not to express sympathy towards them. Instead, ask questions about their experience and their relationship with their parents without feeling sorry for them. Having a loving family, biological or not, is a wonderful thing.

In conclusion

My brother, who is now 20 years old, is still in the dark about his adoption. My father chose not to disclose the fact to him, fearing that he would feel resentment towards his biological parents for giving him up. In contrast, I have always known about my being adopted since my birth. While I respect my father’s decision to withhold this information from my brother, I believe that he should have the chance to learn about his adoption when he is ready. I understand that many children may struggle with this information later in life, but I hope that my brother will take the news positively.

My life has been both simple and knotty because of my experiences with adoption and motherhood. I believe that sharing my perspective can help others understand these experiences better. I leave you with a quote by actor Hugh Jackman: “I think adoption is a blessing all around when it is done right.”

The author of this blog has chosen to remain anonymous.

The post “I grew up with two sets of parents” — A perspective on adoption appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

It was a difficult phase, not only because of the unpredictability of the seizure episodes, but also because of the social stigma that surrounds epilepsy, even though it is a non-communicable condition. This, naturally, compounds the negative experience not only of the person suffering from the condition but their families too.

According to WHO, epilepsy is one of the world’s oldest recognised medical conditions, with written records of it dating back to roughly 4000 BCE. In ancient times, epilepsy was believed to be caused by magic or by supernatural entities like possessions by demons or gods, and those who had it were either feared or isolated, since the knowledge of the central nervous system was all a mystery. Read The History of Epilepsy: From Ancient Mystery to Modern Misconception

My struggle with epilepsy

Epilepsy, which affects an estimated 50 million people around the world, intrinsically challenges the entire neurological, psychological and mental equilibrium of the body. Being an epilepsy patient, I was used to sudden seizures, headaches, loss of consciousness, and anxiety.

I faced many hardships during my journey with epilepsy; I used to have a limited concentration which disrupted my lifestyle and retarded my career prospects. But I didn’t give up because I always had faith that I would find a way to heal myself. As I grew up, I began researching ways to restore myself inside-out. I knew that medicines can only cure the symptoms of a condition, but to heal from within, it takes patience and discipline.

Here I must mention that the support of my parents was instrumental throughout my fight with epilepsy and the misconceptions related to it. My parents faced great hurdles but they went on supporting their neurologically-affected son in all possible ways. Even though they hail from rural areas, they never allowed society’s prejudices against epilepsy affect me negatively. People’s fallacies about the condition did not dissuade them from doing their best for me. Had it not been their open-mindedness and progressive attitude, it might have been next to impossible for me to conquer the disease. Their unconditional love and ceaseless support kept me protected from the social stigma and false beliefs about epilepsy and helped keep my hopes for a good life alive.

Discovering the power of Ayurveda and yoga

Around 2013, while looking for a more natural way of healing myself and my lifestyle, I stumbled upon the age-old practice of meditation, which led me to tap into the power of Yoga and Ayurveda. These newfound approaches energised me and began to reshape my psyche. I would say that yoga changed the course of my life.

I began following a healthy lifestyle which included right diet, proper sleeping habits, natural remedies and detoxifying therapies. Different yoga Asanas like Vajrasana, Malasana and meditation, along with a balanced Ayurvedic regimen helped calm my nerves and improved the quality of my life.

I began to understand that a healthy way of living is not only just about avoiding or controlling disease symptoms but rather to bring about a physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. Practising yoga and meditation and following the Ayurveda lifestyle helped me cultivate perseverance and discipline.

Why Ayurveda and yoga work

Let me explain a bit more about why I believe Ayurveda and yoga worked for me. The Ayurvedic way of life involves numerous activities that have been shown to improve a person’s mental and physical wellbeing via traditional Indian methods. In today’s world, the millennial style of life and metropolitan culture promote unhealthy living, either directly or indirectly, by romanticising harmful habits such as staying up late, smoking, drinking and eating a wide variety of processed foods. To counter this harmful influence, the combination of Ayurveda and Yoga offers you behavioural modification that promote physical vitality and mental peace.

At first it may seem like following the Ayurvedic lifestyle is not everyone’s cup of tea. But trust me, adhering to the Ayurvedic ways isn’t all that big a deal. It involves cultivating simple habits such as going for a brisk walk every day, eating freshly prepared food, drinking plenty of water, taking enough vitamins, and setting aside some time for yourself. When all this is combined with yoga which involves pranayama, bodily extension, and mindfulness, the body and spirit are strengthened, and you are brought into harmony with your current predicament.

Ayurveda beyond epilepsy

Coming back to my journey, around 2016, I began to experience extensive hair loss. I tried every single product in the market but nothing seemed to help. Losing my hair began denting my self-esteem and for a while I started losing hope again. Then I pulled myself back and decided to find a remedy for hair loss just as I had done for epilepsy.

Once again it was Ayurveda that came to my rescue. I reached out to my friend who is an Ayurvedic doctor, and together we developed a natural product for hair loss in line with all the principles of Ayurveda.

Final thoughts

When people ask me, what is the source of my zeal that helped me overcome such a chronic condition, I respond that I believe in the old truism: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”. Life is often difficult. We all face trials—relationship sorrows, financial woes or health issues—but regardless of your specific challenge, you can overcome it if you decide to do whatever it takes.

For someone who lost several years of his youth to an ailment, I can say that every cloud has a silver lining. In my case, my medical condition impelled me to find a way to heal myself from a seemingly incurable condition like epilepsy and also find a way to reverse hair loss with the help of Ayurveda and yoga. What’s more, what I have found will benefit others as much as it has helped me. The axiom that all life is interconnected and entwined is true after all.

The post How Ayurveda and yoga helped heal me appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

But aren’t bedtime stories meant for kids?

Yes, but the reasons why they helped us fall asleep as kids hold true even in adulthood. The only difference is that as kids, our parents or grandparents would narrate them to us, while as adults we have to seek technology-enabled solutions to lull us to sleep.

There are multiple online resources and apps that offer bedtime stories for grown-ups. Tuning into these stories —often narrated by celebrities — is a great way to end a tiring day on a restful note.

Vivid story-scapes, narrated in deep soothing vocals and set to relaxing music can be a much-needed antidote to slow down our minds and help us drift into sleep.

Hearing too much of our own voice and thoughts at bedtime, which is pretty common, leads us, down the slippery slope of brain cacophony, to poor sleep. On the other hand, listening to someone else’s voice is an effective means of muting all those bothersome thoughts and voices in your head.

Listening to music and bedtime stories helps us sleep better

Getting ready for bed doesn’t only mean removing makeup, brushing your teeth and slipping into your pyjamas. Switching off physically and mentally is a complex biochemical process that requires lowering the heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure and reducing the levels of stress hormones. Listening to both music and stories has been shown to help us achieve these states.

But what kind of stories trigger our sleep hormones? While there isn’t any scientific data on this, market data indicates that sleep stories that enjoy a large listenership are wide in their genre, scope, and region of origin — from folk stories to fairy tales to stories about friendship and life experiences. However, their execution—how they are narrated—matters a lot. The cadence, tone, and energy of the narrator can make or break a story. A soothing musical track accompanying it can make it dance.

Scoring music for stories, like films, makes them more effective

If you observe people around you, many of them listen to TV and movie scores before falling asleep. What if meditative music for sleep was scored in three-act structures, like music for a film? And while we are at it, why not insert spoken word into that score?

Narration and music are great in and of themselves but put together, it’s a whole different experience. Just like when peanut butter first “met” chocolate. The combination of story, soothing vocal execution, and a delicate score to reinforce each section of the story is a new concept; but there are plenty of reasons why it would work.

Scoring bedtime stories to music in three-act structures helps enhance their soporific benefits. Humans dream in three-act structures. These structures oftentimes are not obvious in their demarcation and segments. Adding music aids the concept of a beginning, middle, and end. Music changes the way a story is signaled into the audience’s brain. It heightens the emotion, and it can be used to emphasise the three-act structure even when it is not blatantly structured into a story. Imagine listening to a three-act structured story, only to dream in three acts. It’s perfect sleep hygiene.

To summarise…

A good night’s sleep is essential for our holistic wellbeing. It deeply nourishes and heals our bodies and minds. But poor sleep is much more common than we realise. Now that you know how music and bedtime stories might affect your brain, how about try switching on a bedtime story on your device the next time you find yourself struggling to fall asleep? You might just start slowly drifting into restful sleep, lulled by soothing music and words. And wake up fully recharged the next morning to meet the challenges of the day head on.

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I had been having some health issues over the years. I didn’t sleep well and I was achy. However, I was very active in my community, played tennis weekly, went to yoga and other exercise classes. I had the opportunity to travel with my husband all over the world on his business trips. Not feeling great wasn’t going to stop me.

How I discovered I had Parkinson’s

In March 2008, I started to have some strange new symptoms. I would be writing and my foot would start twitching. It would come and go. Then I fell and broke my left leg, just above the ankle. Not long after, the twitch in my right foot came back. This time it didn’t go away and by January it had spread to my hand. My general practitioner sent me to a neurologist to see what was going on. He said that I had a Parkinson’s like tremor, gave me a prescription for Ropinerole and no information about Parkinson’s.

Earlier that month I found out that I had very early Stage 1 Breast Cancer. I was going to have surgery the following week, so maybe the neurologist was trying to minimize the PD. So I did the same thing. I basically ignored it while going through radiation treatment after the surgery. Meanwhile, the neurologist gradually raised the dose of Ropinerole. I soon reached a point where I was having hallucinations at night. I called my general practitioner and said I refused to go back to the neurologist. He took me off the medication and sent me to a Movement Disorders Specialist.

This was the first step towards acceptance for me. I immediately bonded with the new doctor, who I still see today, 12 years later. She confirmed that I did have tremor dominant Parkinson’s, which is usually a very slow developing type of PD. She gave me information about Parkinson’s, told me to exercise more, suggested a few supplements to take and referred me to a few websites. Unfortunately there was not much on the internet at the time, but it was a major step in the right direction for me.

Eventually she put me on a few Parkinson’s medications, but not carbidopa/levodopa. So my tremor progressed gradually over the next 5 years. I was still trying to hide my tremor, but people were starting to notice it. Friends started asking me if I could talk to someone else who was newly diagnosed with PD. Since I had not actually told any of my friends about my PD, I was surprised each time someone called me.

Sharing my adventures with Parkinson’s

About the same time, I attended Fox Foundation symposium. This was the first time I went to any Parkinson’s related event. I dragged my husband with me so that we could both learn more about the disease. At that event, I met people who would change my outlook on having Parkinson’s. I saw that not all People with Parkinson’s fit the image I described above. I met a young woman in her 30’s who took up boxing to combat PD. I was moved by her speech and how boxing changed her life. I now consider her one of my treasured PD friends.

Shortly after that event, I decided to start my blog, Twitchy Woman, My Adventures with Parkinson’s. I wanted to write it for the people who were asking me for help. And I still was not admitting to my friends that I had Parkinson’s. Then one day, I made a mistake. I posted my blog on my Facebook page by accident, not on the Twitchy Woman page that I had created. Five years after my diagnosis I finally admitted to the world that I had Parkinson’s and guess what…nothing changed! The world did not collapse. No one treated me differently. It was a relief to not have to hide it anymore.

The next major turning point for me was starting Levadopa/Carbidopa. It was literally a life-changer. My tremor disappeared completely for about six years. It has gradually come back, but it is not nearly as bad as it was before. I am still on a very low dose of medication, although we have adjusted it slightly over the years.

So nearly 13 years into this journey, I am living very well with Parkinson’s Disease. I am still writing my blog and have become very active in the PD community. I have met many amazing people with Parkinson’s Disease from around the world. I look forward to talking to them on Zoom and seeing them in person in Barcelona for the World Parkinson Congress in 2023. Parkinson’s Disease is not something I would wish for, but it has changed my life for the better in so many ways.

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