scholarly journals Yoga and relaxation for promoting public health: A review of the practice and supportive research

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-140
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Stec
Keyword(s):  
Life Stress ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
The Body ◽  
General Level ◽  
Reduced Physical Activity ◽  
Fitness Training ◽  
The Impact

SummaryThe purpose of this review is to present yoga as an important tool for both disease prevention and health care. Yoga involves a holistic approach that lacks the mechanistic fragmentation of the impact on individual organs and body systems, which arises from much of the specialization found in modern medicine. Lifestyle diseases are increasingly a problem. The incidence of diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, cancer, mental illness and obesity is increasing worldwide. This is true even of countries that, until recently, followed a traditional way of life. Technology, the pace of life, stress, and reduced physical activity serve to degrade the general level of health in societies across the globe. In Western societies, these factors have raised the demand for preventive and therapeutic antidotes, leading Westerners to turn to traditional yoga, which is, however, often modified to the point of distorting its essence. In its original nature yoga is a non-religious, psychosomatic system based on natural laws, inspired by science to act on the body in a way that is integrated into the natural world. The system of Ayurvedic medicine works in parallel with yoga, aiming at the same holistic effect. Both it and the various elements of yoga, in particular asanas (postures), are the means of effecting beneficial changes in psychosomatic functioning. Yoga itself relaxes and strengthens physical movement, focusing particular attention on the mobility of the spine. It is also the perfect medium for achieving mental balance. These properties of yoga have made it useful in the treatment of cancer and other modern diseases, in slowing the body’s aging process, and in achieving general welfare and well-being. More intense forms of yoga practice, such as the ancient method of fitness training called Suryanamaskar, have demonstrated their effectiveness in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases, respiratory ailments and other conditions.

scholarly journals Social Support and Subjective Assessment of Psychophysical Condition, Health, and Satisfaction with Quality of Life among Women after Pregnancy Loss

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grażyna Iwanowicz-Palus ◽  
Mariola Małgorzata Mróz ◽  
Agnieszka Bień
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Ectopic Pregnancy ◽  
Pregnancy Loss ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Assessment ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: The task of modern medicine is not just to heal, but also to improve the patient’s well-being and achieve non-medical goals in the therapy process that enable effective physical, mental and social functioning of the patient. Social support in difficult situations mobilizes an individual's strength and resources to cope with problems. Research on social support and women’s condition after pregnancy loss reflects a holistic approach to the patient and is important from the perspective of increasing the level of hospital care. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of social support on the psychophysical condition, health, and satisfaction with quality of life among women after miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.Methods: The study was carried out among 500 patients after misscariage and 110 with ectopic pregnancy, hospitalized in hospitals in Lublin (Poland). The study was conducted with the use of a diagnostic survey with the application of the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS) and original survey questionnaire.Results: Respondents after miscarriage and those after termination of ectopic pregnancy assigned highest scores to the degree of perceived available instrumental support (respectively, miscarriage: M = 3.79, EP: M = 3.77), emotional support (M = 3.68, M = 3.65), and actually received support (M = 3.61, M = 3.57) (p < 0.05). Women after pregnancy loss assigned the highest score to the support obtained from their partner (respectively, miscarriage: M = 9.26, EP: M = 9.23), family (M = 9.09, M = 9.18), midwife (M = 8.70, M = 8.58), and friends (M = 8.49, M = 8.61) (p < 0.05). Social support was significantly correlated with the condition of patients hospitalized as a result of pregnancy loss (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Women hospitalized due to miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy assigned high scores to the level of perceived available instrumental, emotional, and actually received social support. There is a positive relationship between social support and subjective opinion about psychophysical condition, health and satisfaction with quality of life among women after pregnancy loss.

The Impact of Mental Factor as an Indicator of the Population State of Health

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S89-S90
Author(s):  
A. Vasileva ◽  
N. Neznanov
Keyword(s):  
Common Knowledge ◽  
Life Quality ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
The Other ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
State Of Health ◽  
The Impact

In the framework of biopsychosocial model of health and pathology that is nowadays widely recognized in the different fields of modern medicine the mind, building the core of personality and the brain as the central regulatory organ play an essential role in the interdisciplinary approach to somatic illnesses. It is a common knowledge that comorbid anxiety and depression disorders can influence the course of various somatic illnesses and worsen their prognosis. We also have evidence-based studies that depression for example is an independent risk factor of heart infarct onset. On the other hand, we observe the somatization of clinical picture of mental disorders, the increase of atypical forms manifesting through pain or other somatic syndromes that leads to the increase of mental illnesses in the primary care. The research of common pathways of mental and somatic pathology should be the subject of further interdisciplinary research programs. The other issue is the patient's compliance that plays in important role in the success of every kind of treatment. Personality traits and status of mental health can influence ones attitude to illness as well as motivation to therapy. We cannot assess the population state of health without taking into consideration the evaluation of mental status as well as such definitions like subjective well being, life quality and stigmatization.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Conceptualising Food as Death: A Radical Environmentalist Politics of Food

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Van Kemenade
Keyword(s):  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural World ◽  
The Body ◽  
Human Food ◽  
Food Practices ◽  
Semiotic Approach ◽  
Multiple Meanings ◽  
Food Provision

Research into the politics of food cannot assume universal acceptance of what is meant by the term ‘food’ which has multiple meanings and significantly different associations. A semiotic approach demonstrates the meaning and value of this point.Food has variously been conceptualised as process and as commodity, nature or culture. None of these tropes are value neutral, but are associated with opposing priorities and conflicts of interest.Drawing from ecocentric and anthropocentric environmental philosophies, an alternative trope, that of food-as-death, can be developed, which challenges other, more dominant, tropes. Semiotics denies the notion that language ‘mirrors’ reality. Rather, language creates reality. Semiotics, then, can be useful in developing alternative realities.To conceptualise food as death is more than using death as a metaphor. Where food is prioritised as commodity, commercial/industrial food practices promote death: death of the body through malnutrition or over-consumption; death of communities through the power of transnationals and commercial interests; death of the natural world through the prioritisation of these human food provision systems. Food-as-death is a trope which privileges the destructive aspect of food over others such as pleasure, identity and nurturing.Power is invested in those whose trope gains the greatest acceptance. The challenge for environmentalism is to demonstrate the validity of food-as-death. The essential task therefore, is to demonstrate that food for humans can be organised in a way which affirms the well being of humans, communities and nature. This trope will be food-as-life.

scholarly journals From Medication to Meditation: A Critical Disability Studies Analysis of Mindfulness-Based Practices for Children With Learning Disabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Emma Peddigrew ◽  
John McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Disability Studies ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
The Body ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Self Advocacy ◽  
Critical Disability Studies ◽  
The Impact

Throughout the past 70 years, the field of LDs has aimed to support children, youth, as well as their families, to generate definitions, understand neurological contributions and create meaningful policies and practices. However, despite decades of research, an emphasis on early identification and prevention, and significant policy documents, children and youth with LDs continue to face equally as important difficulties related to one’s social and emotional well-being. Critical disability studies (CDS) identifies how political, educational, and social contexts serve as sites for (in)justice (Shildrick, 2007). A CDS framework aims to resist the emphasis of individual impairment and deficiency while incorporating the interests and voices of the individuals with disabilities themselves. Few studies have analyzed the impact of mindfulness on how children with LDs cope with stress, ‘failure’, and understand their bodies. As a result, this paper will ask: how can mindfulness-based practices be used as a tool to improve the overall well-being of children and youth with a LD? With support from CDS and the utilization of mindfulness-based practices, children and youth with LDs can become connected to the body and mind. This study will enable future research on the importance of self-advocacy, coping, confidence, attention, and emotional regulation for children with LDs. It is through these liberating frameworks that children with LDs can become emancipated from political, historic, social, and cultural constraints.

scholarly journals TYPES OF READINESS OF SPECIALISTS IN PHYSICAL THERAPY AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY FOR THE USE OF HEALTH-PRESERVING TECHNOLOGIES IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

2020 ◽  
pp. 98-109
Author(s):  
Anhelina Korobchenko
Keyword(s):  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Occupational Therapy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
International Classification ◽  
International Classification Of Functioning ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Professional Activities ◽  
The Impact

The article considers the types of readiness of specialists in physical therapy and occupational therapy to use health-preserving technologies in professional activities, which are determined by: scientific knowledge about the nature, patterns, features, principles, purpose, objectives and content of work to restore public health and implement such technologies. The main indicator of the effectiveness of specialist training is the psychological, pedagogical, professional, practical, social, personal and physical readiness of a specialist in physical therapy and occupational therapy to work to restore the health of the socio-component of our society. It is shown that the main property of a specialist in physical therapy and occupational therapy is a generalized ability to think pedagogically, which implies that the teacher has analytical, prognostic, design and reflexive skills. Features of both practical and professional readiness of the specialist are external (subject) skills, which include organizational and communication skills. The main types of readiness (professional, personal, psychological, physical, social, pedagogical and practical) of specialists in physical therapy and occupational therapy to use health technology in professional activities are described; the peculiarities of use in working with patients when compiling rehabilitation programs based on the International Classification are indicated. functioning, limitation of life and health, which aims to define a unified and standardized language and schemes for describing health and health-related conditions, which introduces the definition of the components of health and some related to health, components of well-being (in particular, such as education and work). This classification has moved away from the classification of "disease consequences" and has become a classification of "health components". The components of health determine the components of health, while the "consequences" focus on the impact of disease or other health conditions on the end result. The international classification of functioning, limitation of life and health is not nosologically oriented, but takes into account changes in health without regard to the facts, at the time of the examination. This classification is focused not only on the severity of the consequences of diseases, it for the first time emphasizes the adaptive and compensatory capabilities of the body, the importance of maximum involvement of people with special educational needs in public life, which deal with physical therapists and occupational therapists activities.

scholarly journals EVALUATING THE IMPACT OF DENSITY ON ACCESS TO LOCAL FACILITIES IN URBAN NEIGHBOURHOODS

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wan Nurul Mardiah Wan Mohd Rani
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Urban Form ◽  
Social Sustainability ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
The Body ◽  
Local Services ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Way

Local services and facilities in residential neighbourhoods play an important role towards the social sustainability of local residents. It is believed that having good provision and access to these local services and facilities would contribute significantly to the quality of life and residents’ well-being. The form of the neighbourhood influences the way people live in the neighbourhood. The way people settle in neighbourhood’s shapes the quality of life, the richness of the local economy, the level of social cohesion, the level of safety and the amount and the kind of human activities in public spaces. Different urban forms can have very different degrees of sustainability. Density is one of the urban form elements that have been research numerous times and proven to have an influence on the neighbourhood sustainability. Density is the most easily measured urban form element either at a macro level (city) or micro level (neighbourhood). This research discusses the impact of density on the micro scale through estimating its influence on access to local facilities. Through the use of household survey and supported by observation survey, this study findings on the impact of density on access and use of local facilities. The study concludes with establishing the findings of the survey to reflect and fit into the body of knowledge and how it would improve the guidelines and policy on social sustainability in improving the urban living as a whole.

scholarly journals Measuring What Matters—A Holistic Approach to Measuring Well-Being in Endometriosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lori McPherson ◽  
Siladitya Bhattacharya
Keyword(s):  
Capability Approach ◽  
Treatment Success ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Narrow Definition ◽  
Evaluative Research ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Impact

Endometriosis is a common condition which affects women in a number of ways and impairs their ability to live a full and meaningful life. Evaluative research has traditionally taken its cue from a medical approach which has forced women to choose one area of functioning as their primary concern, and tended to use a narrow definition of treatment success which ignores general well-being. While recent trials have included quality of life (QOL) measures as outcomes, these have not been able to capture the totality of the impact of the disease and its treatment on a woman's capability to do what she might want to do and be who she might want to be. A capability approach might overcome this barrier, but the available tools will need to be refined and validated in women with endometriosis before this can be integrated within everyday clinical and research practice.

scholarly journals LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL 55-PLUS: A COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTION FOR REDUCING DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S511-S511
Author(s):  
Nasreen Khatri ◽  
Stephen Perkovic ◽  
Tara Faghani Hamadani
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Community Based ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

Abstract Living Life to the Full 55+ (LLTTF) was an 8-week, 12-hour, community educational program based on CBT principles. The program aim was to teach participant skills and techniques to cope effectively with life stress. Participants self-referred to the program by responding to advertisements or were otherwise referred to the program by local community centres. Following the promising results of the pilot study, a follow-up empirical study was conducted to assess the impact of the program on clinical measures and other notable measures over time. Study participants (N = 514) were recruited at partner sites hosting the program. Demographic and other data was collected to assess the impact of the program. Measures collected to assess the impact of the program were the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), and a brief measure of loneliness/social connectedness. Participant data was collected pre/post-intervention, and at post-course follow-up periods (3/6/9-months). Preliminary repeated-measures ANOVA analyses found statistically significant changes in depression, anxiety, mental well-being, and loneliness scores, from pre- to post-intervention. Participant’ depression, anxiety, and loneliness scores significantly reduced from pre- to post-course. Participants also experienced a significant improvement in mental well-being from pre- to post-course. Observed decreases in loneliness and depression did not significantly change from post-course to any of the follow-up periods. Results suggest the viability of a nonclinical program for addressing depression and loneliness in older individuals, and have implications for community-based strategies attempting to address mental health issues in older Canadians

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND HAPPINESS: DOES NATIONAL CULTURE MATTER?

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (01) ◽  
pp. 2050007
Author(s):  
AURORA AC TEIXEIRA ◽  
RAYANNE VASQUE
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Organizational Behavior ◽  
New Ventures ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
General Level ◽  
National Cultures ◽  
Cultural Measures ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

Considerable research has been conducted in the field of entrepreneurship. However, very few studies have explored the impact of entrepreneurship on the life satisfaction/happiness of individuals. Furthermore, they have yet to analyze the extent to which the impact of entrepreneurship is mediated by national cultures. The present study explores the effect of entrepreneurship on the life satisfaction/happiness of individuals and analyzes the extent to which such impact is mediated by ‘national cultures.’ Resorting to fixed effect panel data techniques, this study was conducted using the 2016 World Values Survey dataset, encompassing 90350 individuals from 60 countries over the 2010–2013 period, combined with information provided by the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) Framework on cultural measures. We found that being an entrepreneur increases the chances of happiness across the entire set of countries analyzed. Culture does matter in such relation as the impact of entrepreneurship on happiness varies across the sample, being positive for sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe and negative for the Middle East culture cluster. Governments should implement active policies to foster the emergence of new businesses because new ventures enable countries not only to increase their output per capita, but also to achieve economic development by stimulating well-being and happiness. Nevertheless, this study highlights the danger of ‘blind’ recipes/formulas to promote entrepreneurship without considering the ‘entrepreneurship ecosystem’ and, at a more general level, the countries’ culture.

Selected health issues related to high altitude trekking

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-65
Author(s):  
Hanna Prószyńska-Bordas ◽  
Katarzyna Baranowska
Keyword(s):  
High Altitude ◽  
Physical Exertion ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
High Mountain ◽  
Heavy Equipment ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Unbalanced Diet ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact

The aim of the paper was to investigate health aspects of high altitude trekking such as preparation for the physical exertion during trekking at high altitude, the impact of mountaineering on the daily life before and after the expedition, the effect of high-mountain conditions on health and well-being. It was found that in the pre-departure period trekkers commonly train to ensure that they are physically fit for the expedition. They train alone or under the supervision of a trainer. Self-prepared workouts may turn out to be insufficient due to the lack of appropriate training plans. The most challenging aspects of high altitude trekking for the body include carrying too heavy equipment, dealing with illegibly marked routes, wearing inappropriate clothing, having an unbalanced diet, not having enough water, which can lead to dehydration and infections. Misconduct by other people poses a risk. The specific type of effort involved in mountaineering requires balanced nutrition in terms of both micro- and macro-elements. To find the right combination, one has to either experiment or seek advice from a dietitian. However, relatively few people consult a nutrition coach. Among sanitary problems, the most serious one is inappropriate human waste disposal, the resulting lack of drinkable water. Some of the observed problems result from insufficient regulations regarding the conduct in the mountains and from trekkers’ lack of awareness regarding good practices in such extreme conditions.

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