Have a More Meaningful Thanksgiving with Mindfulness

What will Thanksgiving look like under the new normal? There are many options available, from the traditional Thanksgivings you know to the more innovative ones. It’s important to remember that there is no single right way of spending Thanksgiving. The best choice is what makes you feel safest and most happy. Many families had to alter their traditional Thanksgiving plans due to the pandemic. But, gratitude isn’t lost.

5 Mindfulness Tips to Have a Happy Thanksgiving

Stay connected:Humans are wired to connect, which is why this pandemic has had such devastating effects on people’s emotional well being. You don’t have to be there in person, but that doesn’t mean you should spend the day alone. You can practice mindful self-care, and make a plan for connecting outdoors or via video chat on Thanksgiving. It will lift your spirits as well as those of others.

Be mindful of your surroundings: I recommend that you take 5-10 minutes to move from your daily life into the holiday gathering world. Even if you are gathering online, it is worth it. This short time can make a big difference in how you present yourself. Listen to the free guided meditation available on the Insight Timer App. Rick Hanson’s guided meditation “Coming Home to Happiness” is eight minutes long. This guided meditation will help you leave behind what you don’t need. It’s awesome.

Respond instead of react:Holiday parties are a popular part of our culture, but they can also be a hot spot for heated or awkward conversations. You can make sure that your interactions go smoothly, even if it’s just a quick outdoor gathering or holiday video chat.

Stick a colored dots sticker on your computer or jacket, your wallet, or purse. It will be visible wherever it is most convenient. If you see one of these stickers, remind yourself to take three deep, slow breaths. Your exhale should be slightly longer than your inhale. For example, you might take a count out of six and in for four. This will help you break the cycle of worrying and ruminating. The sticker can be attached to a happy memory so that you can recall it each time. This will help you to create a positive mental state every time you pause. You will feel happier and more resilient if you take a few deep breaths.

Acceptance and forgiveness are important: Family gatherings can trigger if there is unresolved family issues. We can also get triggered no matter where we are, whether we’re at the dinner table or on the screen. A guided meditation can help you forgive and let go. You can find meditations and talks by some amazing teachers in the Insight Timer category for forgiveness.

Begin a gratitude practice: Keeping a journal is a simple way to start a gratitude practice. Take a few deep breaths and notice when you feel joy throughout the day. This will help it become a neural trait. What lights up wires up! Answer these two questions in your journal before you go to sleep at night: What are you thankful for today? What were you grateful for today?

You could invite your loved ones to join in the Thanksgiving gratitude exercise, either on the day itself or during the week before it. To celebrate and strengthen your connection, you can share some of the gratitude you have with one another.

You can continue the practice all year to make gratitude a habit in your life and reap the many benefits such as better physical and mental health and better sleep.

About Julie.Julie Potiker, a mindfulness expert, has extensive teacher training in a wide range of tools and methods including Mindful Self-Compassion. Julie’s Mindful Methods for Life program and her book, “Life Falls Apart but You Don’t Have to: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm In the Middle of Chaos”, help others find peace and wellbeing in their lives. For more information, visit www.MindfulMethodsForLife.com

The article Have a More Meaningful Thanksgiving With Mindfulness appeared first at Alternative Medicine Magazine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between holistic medicine versus alternative medicine?

Holistic medicine considers the whole person-mind, body spirit, soul and spirit. It looks at all aspects of an individual’s health, including physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and environmental factors often overlooked by conventional medicine. Alternative medicine addresses specific conditions, such as asthma, allergies, arthritis, and other ailments.

What types of treatments aren’t considered holistic medicine?

Holistic medicine treats the whole person, not the symptoms. It promotes health and prevents disease.

Holistic medicine is a natural alternative to drugs and surgery.

Holistic medicine includes lifestyle changes such as exercise, diet, meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, massage, and bodywork techniques.

Holistic medicine is often called integrative medicine because it integrates all aspects of a patient’s physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual needs into one comprehensive care plan.

Holistic medicine emphasizes prevention and early diagnosis of disease and encourages healthy lifestyles.

Holistic doctors believe that there are many causes for any condition. Instead, holistic doctors consider the whole picture, including genetics, environment, lifestyle choices and personal habits.

Holistic practitioners emphasize the mind and emotions more than the body.

Holistic physicians work closely with their patients to determine what will best meet their individual needs.

What is a holistic doctor?

A holistic medicine doctor treats patients holistically. They might use traditional techniques such as herbs or acupuncture, but they also integrate them into western medicine.

They treat the illness, not just the symptoms. Patients should feel better after treatment.

The doctor should not only treat the disease, but also prevent it from happening again.

“Holistic” is a term that refers all aspects of a person’s life.

Can a holistic doctor prescribe medication?

Holistic medicine is founded on the principle that all diseases can be caused or exacerbated by a variety of factors.

This is a comprehensive approach to treating patients.

To understand how each factor affects a patient, a physician must understand modern science and traditional methods such as herbs and homeopathy.

Many doctors have been certified in complementary or alternative medicine (C&A). This allows them offer a wide range of services to patients.

Who uses alternative medicine?

Alternative medicine is available for many reasons.

They are keen to avoid surgery and harmful drugs.
They believe natural remedies work best.
They prefer non-invasive therapies.
They want to spend less money.
They feel safer using natural products.
They want greater control over their own healthcare decisions.
They are willing to take responsibility and be responsible for their own health.
They desire a better environment.
They desire less stress in the lives of others.
They want greater freedom in choosing their doctors and their healthcare plans.
They want their child to receive a better educational experience.
They desire healthy food for their families and themselves.
They are looking for safe and effective medication.

What are alternative medicines?

Alternative medicine refers to treatments other than those considered by mainstream medicine to be useful for treating disease. These include traditional Chinese medicine.

Alternative medicine may also include practices that are not supported by scientific evidence but have been used with great success in clinical practice. Examples include meditation, hypnosis, yoga, aromatherapy, reflexology, flower essences, and many others.

What is the distinction between holistic medicine and traditional medicines?

Traditional medicine focuses on treating symptoms, while holistic medicine treats the whole person. Holistic medicine is holistic and does not focus on any one aspect of the patient’s/her health.

Traditional medicine treats specific organs and systems, such as the brain. Holistic medicine examines the whole body from the inside. It also considers how lifestyle choices can affect overall wellness.

Statistics

A 15-year systematic review published in 2022 on the global acceptance and use of CAM among medical specialists found the overall acceptance of CAM at 52% and the overall use at 45%. (en.wikipedia.org)
The concept of regression toward the mean implies that an extreme result is more likely to be followed by a less extreme result. (en.wikipedia.org)
An assessment of conventional treatments found that 41.3% concluded positive or possibly positive effects, 20% concluded no effect, 8.1% concluded net harmful effects, and 21.3% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
The use of alternative medicine in the US has increased, with a 50 percent increase in expenditures and a 25 percent increase in the use of alternative therapies between 1990 and 1997 in America. (en.wikipedia.org)
According to a 2005 book by a US [116]Institute of Medicine panel, the number of RCTs focused on CAM has risen dramatically. (en.wikipedia.org)

External Links

How To

What products are used in holistic medicine and what do they look like?

The best way to describe these products would be as “natural” but not necessarily organic. They may have been grown using natural fertilizers and pesticides, but they were also processed in ways that are less harmful to human health. Some herbs can cause allergic reactions and may need to have different preparations depending on the individual. It is more common to find herbs in grocery stores than at health food shops. These herbs often have higher levels of herbicides than those sold at grocery stores.

The majority of herbal supplements are made from dried plants. Some people prefer to purchase them in liquid form because they are usually cheaper. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are safer. Liquid herbs can lose nutrients during processing. It’s not guaranteed that the product will retain its original strength. Most herbal supplements are not subject to quality control before they are sold.

Usually, herbs and spices are added to food after it has been cooked. You’ll find them in condiments like ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, barbecue sauce, soup mixes, and marinades.

Supplements are generally taken orally (by taking them by mouth). Many vitamins and minerals are available in tablets. Other vitamins and minerals can be purchased in capsules.

Homeopathic remedies, which are highly diluted substances, can be derived from any plant, animal or mineral. They can stimulate the body’s healing abilities. They can be called “homeopathic”, but they don’t work the same as regular medications. They act on the body’s immune system to restore balance, and promote wellness. Homeopathic remedies are safe and nontoxic. They are used extensively in Europe, Canada and Australia, New Zealand as well as South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Acupuncture involves inserting fine needles into specific points along the meridians of your body. It is based on a traditional Chinese medical theory that says there are energy channels through which life force flows. According to the theory, illness occurs when these channels become blocked. By stimulating certain points along the meridian lines with fine needles, energy flow is believed to be restored, and the body returns to normal functioning.

Chiropractors correct misalignments by manipulating the spine. American doctor Daniel David Palmer invented this technique in 1895. He claimed he could diagnose illnesses and cure diseases by manipulating the vertebrae. His methods included spinal adjustments, muscle tests and percussion.

Chiropractic has become very popular over the past few years. Many people believe that chiropractic is better than traditional medicine to relieve back pain.

Massage therapy includes rubbing, tapping or tapping on muscles, joints, or other body parts. Massage can loosen tight muscles, relax tension and soothe sore muscles. Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, sports, reflexology or myofascial release are all methods used by massage therapists.

Reflexology is an alternative medicine involving pressure applied to specific areas of the feet and hands using thumb pads, fingers, and toes. Reflexologists claim that this method stimulates the body’s natural ability to heal.

Aromatherapy uses essential oils extracted from plants to relieve stress, improve well-being, and enhance moods. Aromatherapy is also beneficial because essential oils can have a positive effect on health conditions, such as headache relief and arthritis treatment. Aromatherapy can be used in many ways, including:

Craniosacral Therapy utilizes gentle touch to help alleviate pain and discomfort. Cranial is the skull, sacrum is Latin for “sac”, and cranial-sacral therapy combines both. The therapist uses light pressure to the head, neck, shoulders and arms of the patient while moving her/his fingers across their body.

Cupping therapy uses cups placed on the skin to produce suction and draw out toxins. Cupping therapy can also be combined with moxibustion (burning of herbs) or acupuncture to help detoxify.

Dietary Supplements are oral or topical products containing vitamins, minerals. Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act of 1992 regulates dietary supplements. To be legally sold, a dietary supplement must meet two requirements. To be legally sold, a dietary supplement must meet two requirements. First, it must contain a “dietary element,” which is a supplement that contains more than one percent of a Vitamin, Mineral, Herb, or Other Botanical listed on the Food and Drug Administration’s Generally Recognized AS Safe List. It must adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices. This means it was properly manufactured.

Electrotherapy uses electric currents to stimulate muscles and nerves. Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) is the most popular form of electrotherapy. TENS devices deliver low-level electric pulses to the skin using electrodes. These pulses activate the brain’s pain receptors and block them. Intermittential current therapy and magnetic field therapy are other forms of electrotherapy.

Energy healing relies on the belief system that all of us have innate healing abilities. In addition, our thoughts and feelings can impact our physical health. Although energy healing has existed since ancient times, modern practitioners generally accept that there are multiple layers of energy within and around us. One layer is called emotional energy. Another layer of energy is called mental. Others include spiritual, psychic, chakras vital, life force prana, Kundalini and biofield as well as quantum fields. Some believe that these energies can be connected to all of the universe. Some claim to be able to heal others using only the power of their minds. But, there is limited scientific evidence to support the use of energy medicine.

Energy psychology involves studying how human emotions affect physiological functions and vice versa. Sometimes, it’s considered an alternative therapy to psychotherapy. It focuses less upon past events and more on helping clients alter their present behavior. Energy psychology does require no specific theoretical framework. Instead, it draws upon many disciplines like cognitive behavioral therapy, transactional psychoanalysis, interpersonal psychoanalysis as well as attachment theory and developmental psychology.

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By: Dick Benson
Title: Have a More Meaningful Thanksgiving with Mindfulness
Sourced From: alternativemedicine.com/mindfulness/have-a-more-meaningful-thanksgiving-with-mindfulness/
Published Date: Thu, 03 Nov 2022 22:12:54 +0000