Tag: depression

anxiety, depression, loving kindness meditation, Miami holistic health coach, Miami psychologist, stress,

How to grow love and kindness for yourself and others . . .

In Psychology and Wellness

You may face situations that are challenging and perhaps even overwhelming each day.   You may be “tested” at the expense of your inner peace and personal resources.  Illness, the loss of loved ones and simple everyday experiences like bumper to bumper traffic can provoke feelings of pain, sadness, anxiety and anger.  Such experiences not only produce painful emotions, they are also very damaging to your body.

While practicing different forms of relaxation, skills like progressive muscle relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing or receiving massage therapy are effective in helping you to reduce your stress; new research suggests that cultivating and practicing Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM) provides you distinct benefits that go beyond managing your stress.

Researchers at Emory University have found that LKM may improve your physical and emotional responses to stress.  Consistently practicing LKM every day for as little as 10 minutes helps you to reduce feeling of stress and depression,  reduces physiological inflammation, illness, and chronic pain as well as enhances your empathy and feelings of social connection to others, self-acceptance, and physical resilience and well-being (i.e., increases your vagal tone and changes the neural circuitry of your insula and temporal parietal junction in your brain).1, 2,3,4

Having a LKM practice is simple and easy.  To practice, visualize and generate positive,  loving feelings towards yourself and others by gently repeating the following phrases:

  • May I be filled with love and kindness.
  • May be I safe and protected.
  • May I love and be loved.
  • May I be happy and contented.
  • May I be healthy and strong.
  • May my life unfold with ease.
  • May I be a person of joy.

After visualizing and sending love and kindness to yourself,  follow by visualizing and then generating and sending these feelings to the following:

  1. someone who you love deeply (e.g., your husband, mother, son).
  2. a good friend.
  3. someone who is “neutral”  who you have neither very positive or negative feelings towards (e.g., the cashier at your grocery store).
  4. someone who you do not like who may have hurt you and provokes feelings of discomfort or pain (e.g.,  your boss).
  5. all beings everywhere alive.

You may also listen to a free guided LKM practices offered by the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center.

To your health and success,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a  consultation.

  1. Carson, JW, Keefe, FJ, Lynch, TR, Carson, KM, Goli, V, Fras, AM and et al. “Loving-Kindness Meditation for Chronic Low Back Pain: Results From a Pilot Trial” Journal Of Holistic Nursing. (2005). 23: 287-304.
  2. Fredrickson, BL, Cohn, MA., Coffey, KA, Pek, J, and Finkel, SM. “Open Hearts Build Lives: Positive Emotions, Induced Through Loving-Kindness Meditation, Build Consequential Personal Resources.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.  (2008). 95(5), 1045-1062.
  3. Hutcherson CA, Seppala EM, and Gross JJ. “Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness.” Emotion. (2008). 8(5):720-4. doi: 10.1037/a0013237.
  4. Lutz A, Brefczynski-Lewis J, Johnstone T, and Davidson RJ. “Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise.” PLoS ONE. (2008). 3(3), e1897. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0001897.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.drjosesandoval.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

exercise, anxiety disorders, depression, yoga, Miami psychologist, Miami holistic health coach,

How putting a spring in your step heals your body and mind . . .

In Psychology and Wellness

Optimal health is more than just what you eat. While whole foods are a cornerstone to achieving long-term health, it is not enough to maximize your health if you do not include other important practices, like relaxation, meditation, or regular exercise. Exercise and moving your body on a consistent basis is a key strategy to help you optimize your health and avoid several chronic health problems.1 If you struggle with your health, you may have an adverse reaction to the word exercise.

This probably is because you assume that exercise consists only of lifting weights or long-distance running. The reality is that any type of movement is beneficial as long as you do it consistently. The key to exercise is finding the best type of movement for your body and lifestyle.

Generally speaking, there are many different kinds of exercise such as resistance training and strength conditioning, low intensity cardio, and flexibility and stretching exercises. There are also high intensity programs that incorporate brief intervals and jumping movements like plyometric exercises. All types of movement can benefit you and enhance your health. What is important is that you strive for a flexible program of exercise that you can start and commit to consistently in the long haul. Below are many different types of exercise and some of their key benefits.

  1. Non exercise movement: Simple everyday activities and house duties such as cooking, working on your garden and doing laundry and cleaning are all types of movement. Several studies suggest that prolonged sitting increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease and many other chronic health conditions even if you exercise vigorously on a consistent basis. Sitting or being inactive for a prolonged period of time has also been found to be associated with reduced life expectancy. Fortunately, if you find yourself sitting for an extended period of time (e.g., working a desk job), you need only stand periodically to undo the negative effects of sitting. Try stretching and moving about 2 to 3 times every hour to promote optimal health.
  2. Low intensity cardio exercises: Any movement that maintains you at 50 to 70% of your maximum heart rate, such as brisk walking or jogging. It improves your cardiovascular condition, lowers your resting heart rate and blood pressure, helps to increase your HDL, preserves your cognitive functioning and lowers your risk for many chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. When you walk or jog, aim for 30 to 60 minutes, 3-4 times a week.
  3. Strength training: Lifting weights or doing full body weight exercises is important and necessary for optimal health. Adding a strength and conditioning program to your exercise program is key to preserving lean muscle mass. Strength training helps you to improve your metabolism, strengthens your bones, elevates your mood, helps you to sleep better and increases levels of endogenous opioids that decrease pain. Strength training can also help to optimize your hormone levels. Lifting heavy weights with brief rest periods will help you to produce more human growth hormone and testosterone. It is a known fact that levels of important hormones like growth hormone decline with age. Engaging in strength training twice a week is all that is necessary to preserve muscle tone.
  4. High intensity, brief exercises: Doing sprints or high intensity interval training has several distinct advantages. First and foremost, it saves you a whole lot of time. Doing 6-8 rounds of all out sprints for 15-30 seconds and taking 1-2 minute rest periods will amount to no more than 20 minutes. Anyone can squeeze 10 to 20 minutes during their day. In addition, brief, high intensity exercises may help you to enhance your metabolism, burn fat, increase your production of growth hormone and elevate your cardiopulmonary capacity more so than long periods of low intensity cardio exercise. If your goal is to lose weight, incorporate high intensity interval training 2 to 3 times a week.
  5. Flexibility training programs: Yoga or Pilates have a number of key benefits as well. They can help you to stay limber, strengthen your core, improve balance, attention and concentration, reduce pain and elevate your mood. Many studies have found that adding a yoga practice reduces feelings of anxiety and depression.2

There are several other benefits to consistent exercise. Research has found that regular exercise can also help you to reduce systemic inflammation by enhancing your body’s production of the anti-inflammatory, cytokine interleukin (IL)-10.3 Cytokines are chemical messengers that work to orchestrate your body’s immune system and inflammatory response. Strive to exercise for 30 to 45 minutes, four to five times per week to achieve optimal physical and mental health. And, remember to have fun and play with your workouts. Vary your workouts, avoid sitting for an extended period of time and try adding brief, intense exercise routines a couple times a week.

To your health,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

  1. Metzl, J (2013). The Exercise Cure: A Doctor’s All-Natural, No-Pill Prescription for Better Health and Longer Life.
    . Ratey, JJ (2013). Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.
    O strowski, K, Rohde, T, Asp, S., Schjerling, P, and Pedersen, BK “Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine balance in strenuous exercise in humans.” Journal of Physiology. (1999), 15; 515(Pt 1): 287–291.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.drjosesandoval.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention. Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

5 minute gratitude journal. depression, gratitude, Hoʻoponopono, loneliness, Miami holistic health coach, Miami psychologist, Thanksgiving Day,

How letting go will help you to experience gratitude and love . . .

In Psychology and Wellness

Traditionally, Thanksgiving Day marks a celebration and expression of gratitude.  Gratitude and acknowledgement for all of the positive aspects in your life during which you acknowledge your basic needs being met (e.g., a roof over your head to sleep, clean water, food), the material goods in your life, friends, family and loved ones.

Many studies have found that when you cultivate gratitude, you are more likely to be happier, cope more adaptively and increase your relationships with the people who you love.1,2,3 You are also less likely to get stressed or depressed and will engage in fewer negative coping behaviors, such as substance abuse.4

Acknowledging the positive aspects in your life may be challenging for you; particularly, when you focus or hold on to negative emotions like frustration, anger and resentment. Holding on to negative emotions towards situations and people in your life can exacerbate the painful conditions you are trying to avoid or change.

Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to cultivate a grateful heart and reap its many psychological benefits. In order to have an attitude of appreciation, you must first release and let go of any negative emotions that you are holding on to in your life. Like any skill, you must also practice appreciation in order to cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

To help you release negative emotions, try the traditional Hawaiian practice of Hoʻoponopono. This traditional practice of forgiveness or reconciliation will help you to open your heart and mind to the many blessings in your life. It is defined in the Hawaiian Dictionary as a “mental cleansing: family conferences in which relationships were set right through prayer, discussion, confession, repentance, and mutual restitution and forgiveness.”

To practice, simply bring to your awareness to the difficult situation or person with whom you are holding on to a negative emotion. As you visualize the situation or person, repeat in your mind and affirm “I’m sorry,” “Please forgive me,” “Thank you” and “I love you.” Let go of the need to find blame, be gentle and refrain from judging yourself.  Continue the practice for 5 – 10 minutes. Do this every day for a few weeks and you will experience a shift in your heart and be more open and receptive to the good graces in your life.

As you let go of the negative emotions that are holding you back and cultivate gratitude, you will also want to keep a gratitude journal.  Start each morning reflecting on the people, situations or aspects of your life for which you are grateful. You can use The 5 Minute Gratitude Journal that has prompts for you to write down 2 aspects each morning. Gratitude journals have been found to help people experience more positive emotions and reduce painful feelings like depression in many psychological studies.5

In order to sustain and cherish the love in your life, it is simultaneously important to learn to notice, pay attention and forgive. We all commit errors, make mistakes and act in ways that only with the perspective of maturity and growth we later regret or feel contrite about in life.  As the English poet Alexandar Pope has eloquently stated “to err is human; to forgive, divine.”

You cannot avoid the pain that invariable comes from acting in a manner that you or your loved one now would act in differently.  In seeking to minimize or avoid your pain, you also cut yourself off from experiencing human virtues like joy, love, appreciation and gratitude.  So in order to cultivate and nourish these “feel good” emotions, you must be willing to make room for them and hold them lightly.  So this week on Thanksgiving Day, learn to notice how you feel, allow and make room for all emotions and cultivate gratitude by releasing the painful emotions that hold you back and notice the abundance in your life.

To your health,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.  

  1. Algoe, Sara B.; Fredrickson, Barbara L.; Gable, Shelly L. “The social functions of the emotion of gratitude via expression.” Emotion, (2013) 13(4), 605-609.
  2. Emmons, R.A., McCullough, M.E. “Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life.”   Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (2003) 84(2), 377-389.
  3. Gordon, A.M.; Impett, E.A.; Kogan, A.; Oveis, C.; Keltner, D. “To have and to hold: Gratitude promotes relationship maintenance in intimate bonds. “ Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2012) 03(2) 257-274.
  4. Grant, A. M.; Gino, F. “A little thanks goes a long way: Explaining why gratitude expressions motivate prosocial behavior.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. (2010)  98(6), 946-955.
  5. Lyubomirsky, Sonja; Dickerhoof, Rene; Boehm, Julia K.; Sheldon, Kennon M. “Becoming happier takes both a will and a proper way: An experimental longitudinal intervention to boost well-being.” Emotion (2011)11(2), 391-402.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.drjosesandoval.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

anxiety,depression,MBSR, Miami holistic health coach, Miami psychologist, mindfulness meditation, stress,

How mindfulness meditation can help you to soothe your mind and extend your life . . .

In Psychology and Wellness

If you’re reading my blog, you’re probably not fully aware of what is happening right now and you are distracted by a torrent of thoughts and feelings.  Researchers from Harvard University have found that people spend 46.9% of their waking time thinking about something other than what they’re doing and that this generally leads to a state of unhappiness.

Moreover, negative emotional states like dissatisfaction, stress, anxiety and depression can contribute to and accelerate the speed of cognitive decline.  It’s no wonder then that you may be searching for a way to help you improve your life satisfaction and enhance your cognitive abilities.  Fortunately, the simple skill of paying attention to your breath can help to soothe your mind you and may even extend your life.

Research has found that learning and practicing mindfulness meditation (i.e., observing your breath and simply noticing your thoughts and emotions non-judgmentally with curiosity, receptivity and affection) can lower your levels of stress, increase telomerase activity (i.e., your telomeres play a key role in the aging of your cells), enhance cognitive abilities like your memory and ability to focus and may even extend your lifespan by warding off the physiological effects of aging.1, 2, 3   

This is significant news since research from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study has found that having early adverse life experiences like physical, emotional or sexual abuse, having parents who divorced, abused alcohol and drugs or family mental illness significantly increases the likelihood that you will experience emotional and cognitive impairments, adopt heath risk behaviors, chronic disease and lead to premature death.4

To learn mindfulness meditation is simple but not easy.   Several resources exist, however; to support you and provide guidance as you cultivate a steady practice.  The Center for Mindfulness, developed by Jon Kabat Zinn, offers an 8-week MBSR training program.  You can also find MBSR programs locally or online.

To your health,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

  1. Epel, E, Daubenmier, J, Moskowitz, JT, Folkman, S, and Blackburn, E. “Can meditation slow rate of cellular aging? Cognitive stress, mindfulness, and telomeres.” Annals NY Academy of Science. (2009). 1172: 34–53. doi:  10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04414.Jacobs, TL, Epel, ES, Lin, J, Blackburn, EH, Wolkowitz, OM, Bridwell, DA et al. “Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators.” Psychoneuroendocrinology. (2011). 36(5) 664–681.
  2. Hölzel, BK, Carmody, J, Vangel, M, Congleton, C, Yerramsetti, SM, Gard, T, and Lazar, SW. “Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density.”  Psychiatry Research.  (2011). 191(1):36-43. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006.
  3. Kim, S, Bi, X, Czarny-Ratajczak, M, Dai, J, Welsh, DA, Myers, L, et al. “Telomere maintenance genes SIRT1 and XRCC6 impact age-related decline in telomere length but only SIRT1 is associated with human longevity.” (2012). Biogerontology.  13(2):119-31. doi: 10.1007/s10522-011-9360-5.
  4. Teicher, MH, Anderson, CM and Polcari, A. “Childhood maltreatment is associated with reduced volume in the hippocampal subfields CA3, dentate gyrus, and subiculum.” Proceedings in the National Academy of Science U S A. (2012). 109(9) 563-572. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1115396109.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.drjosesandoval.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

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