Tag Archive for: Rx for Community Wellness

Compassion Meditation

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Compassion Meditation from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

 Learn about cultivating love and tenderness towards others and bolstering feelings of connectedness as well as understanding and acceptance of others. Support your overall psychological and emotional well-being. Watch now.

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Transcript:

Greetings everyone. Thank you for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. In this practice session we will be focusing our attention on directing compassion towards another.

Compassion is having tenderness towards someone who is suffering along with a heartfelt desire to alleviate their suffering. In this practice we will be offering this compassion towards someone who is dear to ourselves. Bring to mind someone in your life who is suffering. Someone is going through challenging time. Who may be struggling with discomfort or distress? Picture them in your mind and allow yourself to feel a tender caring for their wellbeing. Allow yourself to hold them in your heart. Feeling their presence.

To your level of comfort, allow yourself to feel into their discomfort, their pain, their suffering. Doing so without overwhelming yourself with their pain, with their suffering. So, doing so to your level of comfort. Feeling your heart continuing to open to them. Wishing them well. Extending your tenderness and compassion towards them in their pain and wishing them well. Wishing them well. Repeating the following phrases or modify them to meet your heart’s sincere desire for their wellbeing: May you be held in compassion, May your pain and sorrow be eased, May your heart be at peace, May you be free from suffering.

Again, you modify any of those phrases that are suitable for your desire for their wellbeing. Repeating to yourself with a tender heart. Bringing this practice to a close. Releasing the phrases and noticing how you feel. Gently open your eyes. We hope you have enjoyed this Patient Empowerment Network program

Self-Compassion Meditation

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Self-Compassion Meditation from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Learn about cultivating love and tenderness towards yourself and bolstering feelings of self-worth, self-acceptance, and resilience. Support your overall psychological and emotional well-being.

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Transcript:

Greetings everyone. Thank you for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. In this practice session we will be focusing our attention on directing compassion towards ourselves. Compassion is having tenderness towards someone who is suffering along with a heartfelt desire to alleviate their suffering.

In this practice we will be targeting this compassion towards ourselves. Bring to mind a situation in your life that is difficult, a situation that is causing you stress. To your level of comfort allow yourself to feel the discomfort of the situation in your body. Now please don’t force this. Back off if it is too intense. You don’t want to force this. Saying silently to yourself as you feel into the discomfort: this is a moment of suffering, this is difficult, this is hard, this is painful. Whatever words you can use to acknowledge your distress. Acknowledging that in life there are difficult moments. That you are not alone. So, silently saying to yourself, acknowledging to yourself that suffering is a part of the human experience. We all go through struggles in our lives. Acknowledging your struggle, your discomfort as a human being having a human experience. If you like, you may place a tender hand over your heart. Asking yourself what kind words you need to soothe yourself in this moment of distress, of discomfort, of suffering. See if any of the following phrases work for you or find what works for you in your particular situation: May I give myself the compassion that I need, May I learn to accept myself as I am, May I forgive myself, May I be kind to myself, or May I be patient. Repeating your desired phrase or phrases to yourself with a tender heart.

Bringing this practice to a close. Noticing how you feel. So releasing the phrases. Noticing how you feel. Gently open your eyes. We hope you have enjoyed this Patient Empowerment Network program

Loving Kindness Meditation (Part II)

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Loving Kindness Meditation (Part II) from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

 Learn about cultivating love and kindness towards others and enhancing your capacity for social connectedness. Watch now.

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Transcript:

Greetings everyone. Thank you for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. In this practice session we will be planting seeds of loving kindness towards others in the garden of our minds. To start our practice, find a comfortable seat. A chair is perfectly fine. And make any arrangements to support your back if necessary.

Allow your eyes to softly close, if you feel comfortable doing so. Begin to feel into the weight of your body being supported by your seat. Taking in a deep breath in through the nostrils and exhale softly out the mouth with pursed lips. Do this several times. Releasing control of the breath and allow yourself to feel into the natural rhythm of your breath. The natural uncontrolled breath. Relaxing with each breath. Bring to mind the feeling of love to the best of your ability. Without forcing it. You may bring up a memory to support you in this process. The important thing here is to feel into the quality of love itself. Again, without forcing it.

Allowing this feeling of love to permeate your mind and body, your entire being. With a loving heart bring to mind someone who is dear to you. With a kind and loving heart begin to silently repeat the following phrases towards them. Feeling into to each repetition of the phrases to best of your ability without forcing it. May you be safe from harm, May you be well in mind and body, May you be happy, May you live with ease, May you be filled with lovingkindness. Let’s circle back and extend this kind heartedness towards all beings.  May all beings be safe from harm, May all beings be well in mind and body, May all beings be happy, May all beings live with ease, May all beings be filled with lovingkindness. Releasing the phrases. Noticing how you feel. Gently open your eyes. We hope you have enjoyed this Patient Empowerment Network program

Benefits of Vitamins

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Benefits of Vitamins from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Vitamins are very important compounds that are required in small amounts in the diet to support various functions related to growth, reproduction, and the maintenance of health. Watch now.

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Transcript:

Vitamins are essential micronutrients that are required for many bodily functions and therefore necessary to maintain health. Vitamins are traditionally categorized into two groups: water-soluble meaning they are dissolvable in water or fat-soluble meaning they are dissolvable in fat. 

Water soluble vitamins include a collection of B vitamins and vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant found in citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit and in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. The collection of B vitamins all assists in various metabolic processes in the body and are found in a variety of unprocessed plant-based foods and animal foods. Vitamin B12 is mainly found in animal foods but can be easily obtained through fortified cereals and non-dairy milks for those consuming a plant-based diet.

Fat soluble vitamins include Vitamins A, D, E and K. Vitamin A is an antioxidant and supports eye health found in leafy green vegetables like kale, orange and yellow vegetables like carrots. Vitamin D supports bone health and is obtained through exposing the skin to the sun, eating fatty fish and fortified foods. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects cell membranes and is found in nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Vitamin K supports blood clotting and bone health and is found in green leafy vegetables and Brussels sprouts.

Unless there is a deficiency, it is recommended to primarily focus on getting vitamins from food sources vs supplementation. By eating a variety of whole foods from all food groups, you can ensure that you are getting all the vitamins needed to maintain health, protect against cancer and support recovery from cancer treatment.

Thanks for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. Please remember to ask your healthcare team what may be right for you.

Heart Center Meditation

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Heart Centered Meditation from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Learn about cultivating present moment awareness by focusing your attention on the heart center.

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Related Programs:

Body Scan Meditation

Body Scan Meditation

 Body Parts Meditation

Body Parts Meditation

Complete Breathing Meditation

Transcript:

Greetings everyone. Thank you for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. In this practice session we will be cultivating present moment awareness by focusing attention on the heart center. Before we start the practice, I want to state that focusing your attention on the body can have a grounding effect. Nonetheless, if you find this practice difficult for whatever reason, including health related or a traumatic history, please do not force it. I encourage you to be gentle and kind to yourself. Accepting yourself where you are in the process. Attend softly and your capacity will build over time.

To start our practice, find a comfortable seat. A chair is perfectly fine. And you may make any arrangements to support your back if necessary. Or you may lie down on your back for this particular practice. Allow your eyes to softly close if you feel comfortable doing so. Begin to feel into the weight of your body being supported by whatever you are seated on or lying on. Begin to bring your attention to the center of your chest area, the heart center. To support you in this practice, you may bring a hand to place over the heart center. Feel into the warmth of your hand. The tenderness of your hand over the heart center. Feeling, sensing, noticing. Anchoring your mind to the heart center. If the mind wonders about, gently bring it back to focusing your attention on the heart center. Feeling into the heart center without judgment. You may keep your hand over your heart for the duration of the practice or you may remove it at any moment you feel comfortable doing so. Gently open your eyes. We hope you enjoyed this Patient Empowerment Network program.

Whole Body Meditation

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Whole Body Meditation from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

 Learn about cultivating present moment awareness and staying grounded by attending to and being present with the whole body. Watch now.

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Related Programs:

Body Scan Meditation

Body Scan Meditation

 Body Parts Meditation

Body Parts Meditation

Complete Breathing Meditation

Transcript:

Greetings everyone. Thank you for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. In this practice session we will be cultivating present moment awareness by focusing attention on the whole body. Before we start the practice, I want to state that focusing your attention on the body can have a grounding effect. Nonetheless, if you find this practice difficult for whatever reason, including health related or a traumatic history, please do not force it. I encourage you to be gentle and kind to yourself. Accept yourself where you are in the process. Attend softly and your capacity will build over time.

To start our practice, find a comfortable seat. A chair is perfectly fine. And you may make arrangements to support your back if necessary. Or you may lie down on your back for this particular practice. Allow your eyes to softly close if you feel comfortable doing so. Begin to feel into the weight of your body being supported by whatever you are seated on or lying on. Feeling into the heaviness of your body. Feeling supported. Being open to whatever arises without judgment of good or bad, without pushing anything away or grasping at anything. Just being present in your body to the best of your ability. Are you drawn to any part of your body? If so, allow yourself to go there with a soft attention without looking for anything in particular. Notice with curiosity and openness to your level of comfort without judgment. Feeling, sensing, noticing. Gently (bring) begin to come back to feeling the weight of your entire body being supported. Feeling into your whole body with a spacious curiosity and openness without judgment. Resting in your whole body. Your precious body. Gently open your eyes. We hope you enjoyed this Patient Empowerment Network program.

Body Scan Meditation

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Body Scan Meditation from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Learn about cultivating present moment awareness and staying grounded by scanning your body for sensations in a methodical fashion from head to toe. Watch now.

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Related Programs:

Breath Counting Meditation

Breath Counting Meditation

 Chest Breathing Meditation

Chest Breathing Meditation

Complete Breathing Meditation

Transcript:

Greetings everyone. Thank you for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. In this practice session we will be cultivating present moment awareness by scanning the body for sensations. Before we start this practice, I want to state that focusing your attention on the body can have a grounding effect. Nonetheless, if you find this practice difficult for whatever reason, including health related or a traumatic history, please do not force it. I encourage you to be gentle and kind to yourself. Accept yourself where you are in the process. Attend softly and your capacity will build over time.

To start our practice, find a comfortable seat. A chair is perfectly fine. You may also make arrangements to support your back if necessary. Or you may lie down on your back for this particular practice. Allow your eyes to softly close if you feel comfortable doing so. Begin to feel into the weight of your body being supported by whatever you are seated on or lying on. Notice any sensations without judgment of good or bad, without pushing anything away or grasping at anything. Just allow yourself to notice to best of your abilities. If you do not feel anything it’s ok. No need to force it. Be open to whatever arises without judgment. Begin to softly bring your attention to the soles of your feet. You may wiggle your toes to help you go there. Attending to any sensations that may arise or not without judgment. Begin to move your attention from the soles of your feet up your legs like a scanning disc up to your knees. Softly scanning for any sensations without judgment. If you are not feeling anything it is ok. Just move along, not allowing your mind to get stuck. From your knees up your thighs to your hips. Scanning. From your hips up your torso; front, back and sides up to your shoulders. Bringing your attention to your hands. Feeling, sensing, noticing. From hands to your elbows. Elbows to your shoulders. From your shoulders up your neck to your head. All the way to the crown of your head, the very top of your head. Begin to work your way down from the crown of your head to the shoulders. Scanning, sensing. Down the arms to your hands. Back to your shoulders down the torso to the hips. From the hips down the legs to the soles of your feet. From here bring your attention back to feeling the weight of your body in your seat. Gently open your eyes. We hope you enjoyed this Patient Empowerment Network program.

Body Parts Meditation

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Body Parts Meditation from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Learn about cultivating present moment awareness and staying grounded by focusing your attention on different parts of the body.

See More from Rx for Community Wellness

Related Programs:

Breath Counting Meditation

Breath Counting Meditation

 Chest Breathing Meditation

Chest Breathing Meditation

Complete Breathing Meditation

Transcript:

Greetings everyone. Thank you for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. In this practice session we will be cultivating present moment awareness by focusing the attention on different parts of the body.

Before we start the practice, I want to state that focusing your attention on the body can have a grounding effect. Nonetheless, if you find this practice difficult for whatever reason, including health related or a traumatic history, please do not force it. I encourage you to be gentle and kind to yourself. Accept yourself where you are in this process. Attend softly and your capacity will build over time. To start our practice, find a comfortable seat. A chair is perfectly fine. And you may make arrangements to support your back if necessary. Or you may lie down on your back for this particular practice. Allow your eyes to softly close if you feel comfortable doing so. Begin to feel into the weight of your body being supported by whatever you are seated on or lying on. Notice any sensations without judgment of good or bad, without pushing anything away or grasping at anything. Just allow yourself to notice to the best of your abilities. If you do not feel anything, it’s ok. No need to force it. Be open to it. Whatever arises without judgment. Begin to softly bring your attention to your right foot. You may wiggle your toes to help you go there. Attending to any sensations that may arise or not without judgment. Begin to move your attention to your left foot. Attending softly without judgment. Moving your attention to your right leg. Feeling, sensing, noticing. Then bring your attention to your left leg. Moving to your right hand, attending softly without judgment. Then your left hand. Then to your right arm. Feeling, sensing, noticing. To your left arm. Bringing your attention to your head. Then your bringing your attention to your abdominal area, your belly area. Feeling, sensing, noticing. And then to your attention to your chest. From here bring your attention back to feeling the weight of your body in your seat. Gently open your eyes. We hope you enjoyed this Patient Empowerment Network program.

Equity Rx, Cancer Care for the Whole Prostate Cancer Patient

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Download Guide

Prostate Cancer _Equity Rx

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Breath Counting Meditation

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Breath Counting Meditation from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Learn about cultivating present moment awareness by focusing your attention on and anchoring your mind to the natural flow of your breath through breath counting meditation. Watch now.

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Related Programs:

Abdominal Breath Meditation

Abdominal Breath Meditation

 Chest Breathing Meditation

Chest Breathing Meditation

Complete Breathing Meditation

Transcript:

Greetings everyone. Thank you for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. In this practice session we will be focusing our attention on the natural flow of the breath as a form of meditative practice. Before we start the practice, I want to state that the quality of your breathing is intimately related to the qualitative experience of the mind.

In this session we will be taking advantage of this relationship between the mind and the breath by anchoring the mind to the natural rhythm of the breath. For this practice, I invite you to find a comfortable seat. By sitting you minimize the chance of falling asleep. A chair is perfectly fine. You may also make arrangements to support your back if necessary. Allow your eyes to softly close if you feel comfortable doing so. By closing the eyes you minimize visual distractions. Begin to feel the weight of your body in your seat. Begin to lengthen your spine. Relaxing your shoulders. Lengthening the back of your neck. Relaxing your jaw, and the musculature of the face. Begin to take notice of the natural flow of your breath. Maybe by attending to your torso, the abdominal or chest areas, or the movement of the air as it passes through your nostrils. Wherever you are drawn to is perfectly fine. Attending to the natural uncontrolled breath. On your next inhalation, silently to yourself began to count 1 and the on the subsequent exhalation 2, 3 on the next inhalation, 4 on the following exhalation, counting until you reach 10 and then start this process over again. If you lose count, its ok. Start over at 1. Continue this practice of breath counting as long as time permits. Wherever you are in this process. Bringing this practice to a close. Just notice the natural flow of your breath. Gently open your eyes. We hope you enjoyed this Patient Empowerment Network program.

Health Benefits of Fats

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Health Benefits of Fat from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Fats are necessary and play an important role in storing energy, providing insulation and protection, and regulating and signaling functions throughout the body. Watch now.

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Transcript:

Contrary to what you may have heard, fat is necessary for the body to function and therefore an important part of a healthy and balanced diet. Fat in the body plays important roles in storing energy, providing insulation and protection to tissues and organs, and helping the body to produce and regulate hormones. Large amounts of dietary fat is not required because the body can produce most of what it needs. Fat also plays unique roles in the diet, including increasing the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and phytochemicals, and contributing to the flavor and satisfaction of food. 

Triglycerides are the main form of fat in the body and in foods, where fatty acids are a major building block. Fatty acids are categorized as either saturated or unsaturated. The dietary guidelines for Americans recommends consuming fewer than 10 percent of calories from saturated fats. Above that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. An emphasis is placed on consuming monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats because of their health promoting benefits. 

Pecans, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, avocados, olive oil, and peanut oil are some good sources of monounsaturated fats. Fatty fish like salmon and tuna, corn oil, safflower oil, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds are good sources of polyunsaturated fats that include the essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Whole plant-based foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids also include other healthful nutrients, like fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that are health promoting and protective against cancer. 

Thanks for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. Please remember to ask your healthcare team what may be right for you.

Complete Breathing Meditation

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Complete Breathing Meditation from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Learn how to cultivate a calm, soothing, and yet alert quality of mind through controlled complete breath by combining abdominal and chest breathing. A complete breath also enhances breathing efficiency. Watch now.

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Transcript:

Greetings everyone. Thank you for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. In this practice session we will be exploring active breathing as a form of meditative practice. Before we start the practice, I want to state that the quality of your breathing is intimately related to the qualitative experience of your mind. In this session we will be taking advantage of this relationship between the mind and the breath by manipulating the breath in order to manipulate and regulate the mind.

To start our practice, find a comfortable seat. A chair is perfectly fine. You may also make arrangements to support your back if necessary. Allow your eyes to softly close if you feel comfortable doing so. By closing the eyes, you minimize visual distractions. Begin to feel the weight of your body in your seat. Begin to lengthen your spine. Relaxing your shoulders. Lengthening the back of your neck. Relaxing your jaw, and the musculature of the face. Begin to take notice of the natural flow of your breath. Maybe by attending to your torso, the abdominal or chest areas, or the movement of the air as it passes through your nostrils. I invite you to imagine your torso as a cylindrical tube made of a lower chamber, the abdominal area, and an upper chamber, the chest area. In this practice we will focus on both the lower and upper chambers, the entire torso. Begin by actively exhaling the breath out the nostrils, gently drawing your abdomen back towards your spine. Then begin to inhale smoothly and gradually through the nostrils feeling the expansion of the lower chamber in all directions without straining. Then begin to feel the expansion of the upper chamber by allowing your lower ribs to fan out in all directions without straining, then your mid chest to upper chest and back without straining. When the lower and upper chamber fills, gently and smoothly exhale out the nostrils allowing the chest to descend and then subsequently bringing the abdomen towards the spine. Continue this smooth and gradual controlled breathing in and out the nostrils as long as time permits. Allowing your next exhalation to be your final round and return to attending to the natural flow of your breath. Gently open your eyes. We hope you enjoyed this Patient Empowerment Network program.

Benefits of Protein

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Benefits of Protein from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Proteins are the body’s workhorses providing structure and many other functions necessary for life. They play an important role in the function of every cell in our bodies.

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Transcript:

There are over 100,000 various proteins in the human body that are made of different combinations of 20 amino acids, 9 of which must be acquired through the diet. Proteins are often referred to as the workhorses of the body because they are a vital part of every cell and are essential for the nourishment, renewal, and continuance of life. They are the primary building blocks for bone, skin, hair, muscle, hormones, and antibodies. They give tissues like bones and muscle strength and structure. They are necessary for digesting and processing food. They regulate various bodily processes as hormones. They are important in transporting substances throughout the body and are necessary for the function of the immune system. 

These properties of proteins are very important for cancer patients who might be having problems eating and are losing weight and who may experience hair loss as a consequence of some cancer treatments. After surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy, extra protein is usually needed to heal tissues and help fight infection. Emphasis on acquiring proteins from plant based foods is highly recommended because of the additional substances in them like antioxidants and phytochemicals that are health promoting, protective against cancer and beneficial for healing. Good sources of protein can be attained by eating a variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and lean meats including fish and poultry.

Thanks for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. Please remember to ask your healthcare team what may be right for you.

Chest Breathing Meditation

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Chest Breathing Meditation from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

 Learn about cultivating an alert quality of mind through controlled chest breathing

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Transcript:

Greetings everyone. Thank you for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. In this practice session we will be exploring active breathing as a form of meditative practice. Before we start the practice, I want to state that the quality of your breathing is intimately related to the qualitative experience of your mind.

In this session we will be taking advantage of this relationship between the mind and the breath by manipulating the breath in order to manipulate and regulate the mind. To start our practice, find a comfortable seat. A chair is perfectly fine. You may also make arrangements to support your back if necessary. Allow your eyes to softly close if you feel comfortable doing so. By closing the eyes, you minimize visual distractions. Begin to feel the weight of your body in your seat. Begin to lengthen your spine. Relaxing your shoulders. Lengthening the back of your neck. Relaxing your jaw, and the musculature of the face. Begin to take notice of the natural flow of your breath. Maybe by attending to your torso, the abdominal or chest areas, or the movement of the air as it passes through your nostrils. I invite you to imagine your torso as a cylindrical tube made of a lower chamber, the abdominal area, and an upper chamber, the chest area. In this practice we will focus on the upper chamber, the chest area. The lower chamber/abdominal area will remain steady and still throughout this practice.

If you like, you can rest a hand on your chest to help you with this exercise. Begin by actively exhaling the breath out the nostrils. Then begin to inhale smoothly and gradually through the nostrils, feeling the expansion of the upper chamber by allowing your lower ribs to fan out in all directions without straining, then your mid chest to upper chest and back without straining. When the upper chamber fills, gently and smoothly exhale out the nostrils allowing the chest area to descend. Continue this smooth and gradual controlled breathing in and out the nostrils as long as time permits. Allowing your next exhalation to be your final round and return to attending to the natural flow of your breath. Gently open your eyes. We hope you enjoyed this Patient Empowerment Network program.

Benefits of Carbohydrates

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Health Benefits of Carbohydrates from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for the body’s cells, tissues and organs, particularly the brain. They are also a rich source of health-promoting fiber. 

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Transcript:

Carbohydrates are the most abundant nutrient (with the exception of water) in the diets of most humans around the world. Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates are not only the key ingredient in desserts, sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, and many of the packaged snack foods. In actuality, carbohydrates are a part of all food groups and are found in grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and even dairy. A healthy diet rich in carbohydrates would include those plant-based foods in their unrefined whole food form. In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that carbohydrates make up 45 to 65 percent of our total daily energy intake. Every cell in our bodies can benefit from the consumption of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for the body’s cells, tissues and organs. The brain is particularly dependent on the glucose from carbohydrates for its fuel source. Unrefined carbohydrates are a rich source of fiber, which has many benefits including helping maintain digestive and bowel health as well as a healthy weight. Fiber also lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer. 

 Consuming nutrient dense carbohydrates in their whole food form are advantageous to meeting your body’s nutritional needs. 

Thanks for joining this Patient Empowerment Network program. Please remember to ask your healthcare team what may be right for you.