There are numerous natural foods, drinks, herbs and supplemental products that possess brain & body-enhancing properties. Following is a list of five all-natural, widely-available foods that we believe represent the BrainReady Top 5 Brain Health Foods in the world. The list is based a variety of factors, ranging from overall proven health benefits (through multiple peer-reviewed, valid scientific studies from around the world over many years). Using these foods regularly, over the years, are proven safety and lack of contraindications from these foods, and general availability/ease of incorporation of these foods by the most people in most countries.
It's important to keep in mind that just because we didn't include a food like Turmeric or Sage or Walnuts in our Top 5, this doesn't mean that those foods aren't incredibly brain and health-friendly too; it's just that the foods in our Top 5 have been demonstrated to possess more 'yes' counts across our range of criteria, particularly brain health benefits.
So without further adieu, here are the BrainReady Top 5 Brain Health Foodsworth considering adding to your diet if you haven't already (of course, make sure you don't have any contraindications with any of these foods by consulting your health care provider first if you're not sure). These are not listed in order of priority, as all are beneficial in different ways and via different mechanisms:
1) Wild Salmon
Wild salmon is not only an incredible food for brain health, it qualifies as incredible across virtually every other health standard as well and is clearly one of the healthiest foods that one can eat. Period. Wild salmon (not farm-raised) in particular is a true brain food: one of the best sources of Essential Fatty Acids (such as the all-important Omega-3), a rich source of high-quality non-land animal protein, low saturated fat, generally among the lowest amounts of contaminants (such as mercury) among seafood, and other health properties -- wild salmon can help do everything from improve your brain matter, your mood, your synaptic connections, your arteries, reduce your risk of stroke and Dementia and Alzheimer's and much more.
It's also important to know that only WILD salmon has been shown to contain the highest levels of the good stuff that your brain & body crave...as wild-caught fish grow and evolve their muscles, tissues and fat levels the hard way, fighting for survival of the fittest in the oceans and rivers. By contrast, many or most farm-raised salmon exist in a locked-up, artificial and sometimes contaminated environment and thus have to be fed food (or worse, color added later just before going to market!) to make them LOOK orange and healthy instead of white and sickly. Ewww!
While there ARE some good sustainable, eco-friendly, health-focused farmed salmon operations out there, I'll take my salmon fresh and wild and naturally orange in color, thank you...as long as wild salmon remains a mostly non-endangered fish species (particularly in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska). Even if it costs more. Your brain and body are worth it.
2) Cacao Beans
Wait, you mean chocolate, right? Hurray! I've been looking for an excuse to hit that vending machine and grab a candy bar...it has chocolate in it, so now it's actually healthy, right?
WRONG. Well, mostly wrong: what's healthy is thecacao bean, minimally processed. This amazing, hedonistic bean is one of the world's longest-revered foods (think 'time of the Aztecs' old) and has in recent years been shown to be a veritable powerhouse of cognitive enhancement, mood and bliss-enhancement (thanks in part to the Theobromine in cacao), antioxidants, flavonoids, catechins and many other brain & body-enhancing elements. In fact, chocolate has been very recently cited by some top health professionals and researchers to be THE single most exciting health food, and as more research continues to pour in, the more true this appears to be. And we discussed the health benefits of chocolate (and walnuts) in our BrainReady Blog feature recently (click here to read it)
How is this possible, something that only recently was thought of as an unhealthy, dangerous, guilty indulgence...a sign of dietary decadence, now being hailed as beneficial to everything from brain health to skin elasticity to cardiovascular health to anti-cancer and pretty much everything in between? It's simple: chocolate does not equal cacao bean, nor vice-versa; most candy and chocolate bars contain not only low levels of cacao bean compared to other unhealthy ingredients such as sugars, milk fat, artificial flavorings and so on, but the quality and processing of the cacao used in these products is often of low health benefits due to everything from alkalization (e.g. "Dutch process cocoa") to refining and processing and over-roasting the healthy elements right out of the beans.
So if you want the real stuff, the best bet is to either use 100% organic non-alkalized cocoa powder from a high-quality maker who minimally processes the cocoa to ensure that the health properties are retained, or, second best, choose only high cacao percentage dark chocolate bars (typically at least 75% cacao content or higher, but we suggest 85% or higher), also from a high-quality provider.
Here at BrainReady, we've found it easiest to just mix a large spoonful of 100% organic cocoa powder with a bit of espresso, organic unsweetened soy milk and some cinnamon, even a sprinkle of cayenne red pepper...yes, cayenne pepper!) in the morning (and sometimes again in the afternoon) to make a drink not unlike what the ancient Aztecs used to make: it's one tasty, brain & body-fueling drink that gives you your pure cacao bean dose without the sugars and milk fat, you get your protein from the soy milk, brain-enhancing (and blood sugar-stabilizing) cinnamon, a little brain-enhancing caffeine from the espresso and theobromine (plus more) from the chocolate, and a digestion, brain-enhancing and respiratory-enhancing kick from the cayenne pepper. No sweetener needed (sweet is overrated these days...but we'll save that topic for another BrainReady feature).
All that in one tasty drink that really gets you going!
In summary, yes: chocolate is a brain health food. Or more specifically, the cacao bean is a true brain health and body health food. And worth considering adding to your diet (barring any allergies to chocolate or contraindications, of course).
For some recommendations on our favorite dark chocolate and cocoa sources/makers out there, check out the links in our BrainReady Favorites Store area...there are a couple in there that you've probably never tried (but will want to)!
3) Matcha (stone-ground Gyokuru green tea powder)
So those green tea bags at the office water cooler aren't the ultimate form of green tea? Do I need something better? What brand of tea bags ARE better?
Oh dear. Where to begin. If you're used to getting your tea from tea bags, you'll need to put aside notions of brands, tea bags, and tea in general for a moment and take a big step back: as we discussed in our BrainReady health feature on the health benefits of Matcha, Matcha -- which is the finely-ground powder of the highest-quality, most revered part of the shade-grown green tea plant (Gyokuru leaves...the very top part of the shade-grown green tea plant then dried to become"Tencha") carefully grown, selected, dried, stone-ground, processed and prepared according to an ancient Japanese tradition, is not your average green tea. Nor does it come in tea bags. Nor do you brew it, boil it, or consume the watery extract from leaves.
When you drink real stone-ground Japanese Matcha, you're not only drinking the arguably highest-quality, most carefully cultivated green tea variety, you're actually consuming it all -- you're eating the whole thing, you're drinking the green tea leaf itself, whole, in powdered form mixed with hot (but not boiling!) water. The powder itself is so rich in chlorophyl (from the shade growing) that it's literally bright green, and when mixed with water it becomes a rich, bitter-sweet, Kermit-colored concoction whose effects you can actually FEEL almost immediately after drinking a cup (or small bowl, if doing it the traditional Japanese way) of it.
Perhaps best known as the traditional, ceremonial drink tightly interwoven with the Buddhist ceremonies and tradition, Matcha's unique effects on the brain were a perfect fit for those monks in Japan preparing to endure 12-hour straight meditation sessions: calming and focusing while stimulating at the same time, it's no wonder that Matcha became integrated into the monks' meditative practices (thanks in large part to the amino acid L-Theanine).
And when you drink real Matcha yourself, you too will...understand.
But as Matcha has become more known (and researched) in the West recently, even more exciting are the health properties being discovered and reported (and yes, now marketed as buzzwords by tea companies..have you seen that EGCG commercial for a bottled green tea maker?). You've probably already heard about many of the health benefits of green tea in general, so imagine those benefits amplified exponentially (up to 10x or more!) in the case of Matcha...as you're drinking an extremely concentrated, ultra-high quality form, straight. Antioxidants, catechins, vitamins such as C and A, even Fluoride. And the meditatively calming yet focusing effects of L-Theanine.
But perhaps best known is EGCG: Epigallocatechin Gallate, a compound found uniquely in green teas which has been shown to possess almost unbelievable anti-cancer, anti-aging and overall health benefits...so much so that 'EGCG' has become a health marketing buzzword for tea companies. Here's where Matcha is really unprecedented:Matcha contains exponentially higher amounts of EGCG than regular brewed green tea (including high-quality fresh Sencha green tea). Matcha also has over 33 timesthe antioxidant levels of antioxidant powerhouse blueberries(!)...hard to believe, but real.
So if you're looking for a great way to get a veritable blast of antioxidants (not to mention EGCG, vitamins, minerals, etc.), boost your brain with Zen-like concentration and physical benefits, it's hard to beat Matcha. And you can't get that with a tea bag.
A word of warning: not all Matcha is created equal! There are many non-Japanese (as well as Japanese) products out there called 'Matcha' that are often nothing more than powdered low-quality green tea, or worse, a mixture of ingredients with artificial green coloring(!). The stone grinding method is also very important, as low-quality Matcha is sometimes 'exploded' instead of stone-ground, reducing the health properties.
For more details on Matcha, check out our BrainReady Blog article on Matcha!
4) Acai berries & Blueberries (tie)
We recently reported on the comprehensive health benefits from the highly unusual South American native berry called Acai...a berry that possesses not only all of the antioxidant, vitamin and brain benefits of other purple berries such as blueberries and blackberries but also (oddly, for a berry) contains Essential Fatty Acids like Omega-3's like salmon, and and is even high in protein.
Sounds like a a true superfood, right? It is. With proven ORAC antioxidant levels higher than any other berry ever tested, Acai's unique combination of health properties make it a true superfood for brain and body. Of course, we're talking about fresh Acai berries here...not some local generic health food shop pills claiming to contain Acai. And that's where the challenge can come in (hence our research and report on the best Acai products that we published recently), as Acai needs to be quickly processed (flash-freeze dried, flash-frozen, etc.) and maintained and processed if you're to get the full benefits of this berry outside of South America.
Fortunately, companies like Sambazon and Bolthouse have created amazing local growing and processing facilities to do exactly that, and we can now buy great Acai in various forms in the U.S., Australia, Europe and beyond these days including our personal favorite: the Sambazon organic Acai powder (their 'PowerScoop' product) as well as in Sambazon and Bolthouse refrigerated juice blends.
(You can read more about the amazing, unique health benefits of Acai in our BrainReady feature Acai here).
Then there's blueberries: it didn't seem fair to leave this time-honored, well-researched superfood off the list, particularly given its reputation as the 'brain berry' and its wide availability in fresh, original form (compared to Acai). And given how relatively easy it is to add blueberries to your daily diet, the combination of proven health benefits with ready availability make it a no-brainer to consider eating blueberries daily if possible. Think about it: what would your brain health, brain abilities, disease/risk profile, and overall health be like 5 or 10 or 20 years from now if you consumed blueberries every day? Exactly...
5) Coffee beans
Ah, coffee. So popular, so ubiquitous, yet still so surprisingly misunderstood when it comes to "healthy or not". How can this be?
You'd think that virtually everyone would be an expert on coffee these days, given the explosion of coffee chains like Starbucks over the last decade. Perhaps it's because the situation is much like chocolate: the coffee bean, much like the cacao bean, is incredibly rich with antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Fresh-ground gently roasted coffee bean powder (again, like with cacao) has numerous brain and body health benefits...yes, including the caffeine content which has recently been shown to be GOOD for the brain, not bad, and particularly in the area of antioxidants. Regular coffee consumption has been shown to actually reduce the risk of mental decline and diseases such as Dementia and Alzheimer's, and has also recently been found to be (shockingly) the "#1 source of antioxidants in the average American diet"...showing at once how health food-deprived the average diet continues to be while illustrating the surprising health benefits of something as common as coffee.
So where's the controversy and confusion? The problem comes in when coffee is combined with other unhealthy things, as is so commonly done: triple-carmel-double-whip-chocolate-creme-mocha-blast-freeze drinks, weak over-extracted brewed cheap poor quality coffee, coffee loaded up with artificial cream and sweeteners, you know the drill. Compare such carb, chemical and fat-laden concoctions with, say, a high-quality organic coffee freshly ground into an Espresso-grade powder and served as a couple shots of fresh espresso, straight? No comparison. This should be obvious, but surprisingly, many or even most people still don't get it.
Equally odd is that for many people, coffee is still viewed as a 'vice', something bad for you, something 'naughty' that should be avoided...as if it were akin to smoking cigarettes or pounding shots of tequila. The origin of this bizarre thinking comes partially from the effects of the caffeine (and other elements) which contribute to the stimulating effects of drinking coffee, and yes, for some people, coffee is contraindicated due to sensitivity to caffeine or gastrointestinal effects that coffee can sometimes produce.
But generally speaking, the coffee bean is a safe, true superfood. And when properly consumed in ideal forms (such as pure Espresso), it's one uniquely enjoyable beverage that also packs a host of brain and health-friendly properties to boot!
So there you have it: a simple list of 5 brain health (and overall healthy) foods to consider adding to your diet (barring any allergies or contraindications) if you're interested in optimum brain health, overall health and longevity, and optimal aging.
It's important to note however that none of these foods nor any other food, drink, supplement or drug is a "wonder drug" that will produce miracles, especially overnight. There's no magic cure or wonder drug or superfood panacea that one should consume at the expense of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle, nor should you have unrealistic expectations around what any one of food can do for you. Rather, the foods cited here (like other healthy foods) are foods which have been shown to be particularly, often uniquely, beneficial when consumed consistently in moderation over time along with the rest of a healthy diet. And given that science is still in the comparative early days of understanding the complex mechanisms by which foods and nutrients affect the brain and body, it is likely that the subtle, complex interactions and combinations between several healthy food sources, combined with other healthy lifestyle practices such as exercise/healthy social interaction/genetic disposition and other factors, all work synergistically together to "balance the odds" in favor of (or against, if your diet is poor) optimum health.
Therefore, it's not enough to think "okay, I've added Matcha to my diet...I'm done!". That's why we here at BrainReady try to incorporate all of these five brain-friendly foods into the daily diet, along with other healthy foods and in combination with brain exercises, physical exercise, and overall well-being practices.
Nonetheless, these 5 foods are a great way to get started if you're interested in keeping your brain and body healthy as you age, and yes...one or more of them just might make that critical difference in your current and future health. So why not tip the scale in your favor, and feel great while doing it?
The ongoing march of scientific progress is commonly viewed as separate, or at least distinct, from such areas as philosophy and religion, particularly in the West. And for many, trying to apply new learning or research findings to our everyday, practical busy lives is difficult at best; we hear a nugget there, we read a snippet there, but seldom do we encounter truly life-changing, mind-shaping new knowledge. Particularly knowledge that combine the best of science AND philosophy or religion.
But what if you learned that there's an unprecedented, "quiet convergence" happening at the intersection of neuroscience, quantum physics, brain health, philosophy and religion? Something that might shake the very foundation of how you view not only your brain health and mental well-being, but also your fundamental view of the nature of your everyday reality? And how you can actually change your habits, preconceived beliefs and routines for the better, just by thinking?
These are just some of the things you'll learn about in an exciting (if not revolutionary) new book that one of our BrainReady readers (David Gomes...thanks again, David!) tipped us off to recently: "Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves" by Sharon Begley.
Anyone keenly interested in either the topics of Neuroplasticity or the intersection between Buddhism and science may already be familiar with Sharon's book, but the topics and implications discussed in the book go far beyond these areas -- so much so that found ourselves continually reading between the lines, pausing and thinking, "wait a minute...this means that I could get rid of that old bad habit of mine while making huge progress and becoming more productive, just by focusing thought on x, y and z".
But selfish personal improvement application doesn't do justice to some of the jaw-dropping findings (both from scientific research as well as from discussion of parallels between philosophy and science) that are interspersed throughout, all presented without unnecessary hype yet far from being dry.
What's also exciting is how truly RECENT and new all of this is: the groundbreaking meeting and discussions between some of the world's leading neuroscientists and quantum physicists with the Dalai Lama and other Buddhist scholars happened in 2004, and as recently as 1999, neurologists writing in the prestigious journal Science admitted, "We are still taught that the fully mature brain lacks the intrinsic mechanisms needed to replenish neurons and reestablish neuronal networks after acute injury or in response to the insidious loss of neurons seen in neuro-degenerative diseases."
Begley cites the example of neuroscientist Fred Gage, one of the researchers invited by the Dalai Lama to discuss the implications of neuroplasticity with him and other Buddhist scholars at the 2004 meeting:
"But the dogma is wrong. In the last years of the twentieth century, a few iconoclastic neuroscientists challenged the paradigm that the adult brain cannot change and made discovery after discovery that, to the contrary, it retains stunning powers of neuroplasticity. The brain can indeed be rewired. It can expand the area that is wired to move the fingers, forging new connections that underpin the dexterity of an accomplished violinist. It can activate long-dormant wires and run new cables like an electrician bringing an old house up to code, so that regions that once saw can instead feel or hear. It can quiet circuits that once crackled with the aberrant activity that characterizes depression and cut pathological connections that keep the brain in the oh-god-something-is-wrong state that marks obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The adult brain, in short, retains much of the plasticity of the developing brain, including the power to repair damaged regions, to grow new neurons, to rezone regions that performed one task and have them assume a new task, to change the circuitry that weaves neurons into the networks that allow us to remember, feel, suffer, think, imagine, and dream. Yes, the brain of a child is remarkably malleable. But contrary to Ramón y Cajal and most neuroscientists since, the brain can change its physical structure and its wiring long into adulthood."
Wow.
But that's just the neuroplasticity angle -- the parallels with Buddhism (and other areas of science as well, such as quantum physics) are equally fascinating, and presented largely objectively...this is not a Buddhist book nor an attempt to convert anyone.
Although it's hard not to be impressed with some of the tenets, particularly the eerily same-as-science-has-recently-found ones given that these tenets are thousands of years old. And regardless of what your personal religion or life philosophy might be, some Buddhist practices such as meditation may become even more worth investigating after reading this book. This is certainly true for us, and anyone interested in optimal brain health and mental well-being as one ages...
Rachel can't sleep, can't eat. She is in the midst of a family health crisis, marriage problems, and other issues. She's faced bouts of mild depression all her life, but this is suddenly much worse -- a severe case of anxious depression.
Rachel needs an antidepressant, most psychiatrists would say. And they're right, says Henry Emmons, MD, a general and holistic psychiatrist in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. "An antidepressant can quickly and potently address her depression. But all too often, the treatment stops there."
If she'd had a heart attack, her cardiologist wouldn't just prescribe pills forcholesterol and blood pressure and leave it at that, Emmons notes. She'd get advice -- on stopping smoking, eating better, getting more exercise, learning how to cope with stress.
"Even well-meaning psychiatrists tend to see depressed patients as brain chemistry gone awry rather than as a complex integration of mind, body, and spirit," Emmons writes in his newly published book, The Chemistry of Joy. "Even responsible, caring physicians -- psychiatrists as well as general practitioners -- are unaware that depression requires a 'brain-healthy' diet and lifestyle."
The chemistry of joy, Emmons says, is built on a foundation of specific nutrients -- like B-vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants that affect brain chemicals involved in depression. It is the cornerstone of the three-part program he describes in his book.
Blending Western and Eastern Medicine
Emmons believes in mind-body medicine, so he also draws on wisdom from two ancient Eastern systems -- Ayurvedic medicine and Buddhist philosophy.
Through Ayurvedic medicine, we discover our specific mind-body type, which offers clues to finding balance in our lives, he explains. Through study of Buddhist philosophy, we learn how to rein in thoughts, quell our fears, open our hearts, and practice forgiveness, which provides the path to joy.
Depression is more than a brain chemical crisis -- it is very much a spiritual crisis, says James S. Gordon, MD, a psychiatrist and founder of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, D.C.
"Depression and anxiety develop from how one feels and looks at the world, at one's own life," he tells WebMD. "Treating depression isn't just about getting it under control with antidepressants. It's often a matter of transforming your whole life. As we deal with any difficulty in our lives, we can look at depression as an opportunity for profound change."
Buddhism and Ayurvedic medicine "have been used for centuries, and people may find them useful," says Gordon. "There's really no research data on those approaches, but it's obviously something that [Emmons] has found useful in his clinical practice. My sense is that these traditional approaches can help people."
Charles L. Raison, MD, a professor of psychiatry at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, is "agnostic about traditional systems like Ayurvedic medicine," he tells WebMD. "But they point the way to something we've really gotten wrong in the West -- that just because our bodies work like machines, we shouldn't be treated as machines."
Step 1: Your Brain's Health
From Western medicine, we have gained great insights into brain chemistry -- the balance of chemicals in the brain that determine, to a great extent, our mood, energy level, even our outlook on life, Emmons writes. An imbalance of these brain chemicals -- serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine -- results in depression.
A "brain-healthy" program involves specific nutrients that will help boost specific brain chemicals, depending on the type of depression you have - anxious depression, agitated depression, or sluggish depression, he explains.
"Many patients who try to eat well, exercise frequently, and live a healthy life remain ignorant of the specific diet and lifestyle choices that might cure their insomnia, lift their mood, soothe their anxiety, and generally ease their depression," he writes.
Emmons' term for Rachel's condition is "anxious depression," which he says indicates that her serotonin levels are low. He identifies two other types of depression: "agitated depression" (high levels of norepinephrine and dopamine, with low serotonin levels) and "sluggish depression" (norepinephrine and dopamine levels are low).
To increase her serotonin levels, Rachel needs a diet high in complex carbohydrates -- root vegetables (like sweet potatoes), whole grains, beans, legumes -- plus a little protein with every meal, he says. She should eat several small meals during the day or three meals plus a couple of snacks. She should also eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon.
Emmons advised her to take these supplements: B-6, B-12, folate, omega-3, vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and selenium. A multimineral supplement with calcium, magnesium, chromium, copper, zinc, and manganese is also important (although most good multivitamins contain these minerals), he says.
The Case for Supplements
Over the last decade, a growing number of studies have shown that these supplements can help with depression, says Gordon. "I've looked at the evidence, and there's enough evidence that these may be helpful. We don't know for sure -- but I prescribe them because there's no downside, if they're taken in reasonable doses. And there's enough evidence to suggest that they might be helpful," he tells WebMD.
Published studies have shown a relationship between B vitamins and depression, Gordon says. "Whether it causes depression, we don't know. But studies show that increasing levels of B vitamins -- particularly when taking antidepressants -- improves mood. The evidence is not ironclad, but enough is there that I feel very comfortable prescribing it."
Omega-3s are known to reduce inflammation, protect against heart disease andcancer, and help with arthritis, he says. "It stands to reason that if there is any inflammatory process going on in depression -- and there may be -- omega-3s might help. Studies suggest that omega-3s help with bipolar disorder, but the evidence is not as strong about whether it helps depression alone."
Rachel's symptoms improved very quickly -- with a low-dose antidepressant, nutritional supplements, and counseling to help her deal with pressing family issues, Emmons reports. She was willing to try Ayurvedic medicine and Buddhism to gain better balance in her life -- to gain control over her thoughts and quiet her mind, he says.
"With antidepressants, there's always a point at which the drug just doesn't seem to work well anymore and when side effects begin appearing," he says. "For the vast majority of people, they are not an adequate long-term solution. Over time, if you're living as stressfully as before, if your diet hasn't changed, you're still overresponding to stress, you're going to get depressed again."
Step 2: Your Mind-Body Type
In Ayurvedic medicine (used for centuries in India), there are three mind-body types -- Air, Fire, and Earth, explains Emmons. Each is based on your body type -- whether you're a thin, wiry type, or strong and muscular, or a bit on the hefty side. Other patterns -- whether you tolerate hot weather, have straight or curly hair, get constipated easily or not, sleep easily or not -- are all factored into your Ayurvedic type.
Air types like Rachel are most prone to anxious depression, he says. Fire types align with agitated depression, and Earth types are likely to have sluggish depression.
"Someone like Rachel, who is thin by nature, has an active, restless mind," Emmons explains. "She needs to do things that will calm her nervous system --aerobic exercise that is light but repetitive like walking, easy jogging, bicycling. Being out in nature is especially helpful for Air types, because it is grounding. Moving the body in a repetitive fashion, as opposed to competitive activity, elevates serotonin levels. It's a potent treatment."
Also, Rachel needs to develop structure in her daily life -- a more predictable eating pattern and regular exercise. A regular sleep schedule helps keep the body's hormones regulated, an important factor in fighting depression. "With depression, the body has failed to correct itself when under stress, so all mechanisms are disrupted," Emmons explains.
Rachel should also add warmth wherever possible -- with soothing foods and drinks, hot baths, and massages. She also can benefit from "conscious breathing" -- a slow and regulated breathing practice. "It involves bringing attention to the breath," he explains. "Count to four as you breathe in slowly, count to two while you pause, then count to seven while you breathe out even more slowly. Even five minutes of this can be calming."
Fire types generally need cooling, calming foods and activities, he adds. Earth types need stimulating foods and activities to keep them motivated.
Step 3: Your Spiritual Needs
By studying Buddhist philosophies, one can overcome the spiritual crisis of depression, says Emmons.
"Depression is a sign, a signal, and it's important to take heed of what it's trying to tell us," he tells WebMD. "It often means we need to change our diet, get more exercise. But it might be pointing toward deeper spiritual and relationship issues that need to be addressed. Unless you've changed the original dynamics -- the reason why you were depressed -- you will get depressed again."
Life isn't easy, after all. "There are what I would call 'enemies of joy' -- factors in our lives that literally depress us. One of these is the problem of 'mind run rampant,' which causes endless worry. It's a depressing way to live -- so we become depressed," Emmons says. "There is also a feeling of isolation -- that we are going through this life alone. Without the sense that the universe is a friendly place to belong as a family, we have great difficulty not becoming depressed."
Step 3: Your Spiritual Needs continued...
Psychologists often turn to cognitive behavioral therapy to help patients change their thought patterns, he notes. "In my own practice, I try to bring in mindfulness practice -- a Buddhist practice -- as another way of addressing mind and thought," he tells WebMD.
Mindfulness involves honing the ability to focus on the present moment, Emmons explains. "It is a way of facing problems we all confront, a way of controlling our thoughts. It's an opportunity to settle the mind so our thoughts aren't so active. Even beyond that, mindfulness gives us a means to work more skillfully with whatever problems we're faced with -- and take them on without feeling overwhelmed. It has an affect on the stresses that fuel depression."
'Circle of Trust'
Rachel was an ideal candidate for mindfulness, says Emmons, because her mind often spun out of control. She took an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction class, which can be found in most major cities. She was able to develop an imagery technique to calm her thoughts and fears, he says.
Creating a "circle of trust, a soul community" of like-minded spirits can help us feel less isolated in this very scary world -- another important component of a balanced life, says Emmons. "As much as anything, depression is a call to community, a stark reminder that we cannot go it alone -- we are simply not designed that way," he writes. "In the end, I believe, we need another to heal, and the creation of community is just as important to our well-being as is the inner journey of coming to know ourselves."
Some people say that they find the chanting part of Buddhism boring and meaningless. Others say that they feel much better after chanting, and ask why that happens. Chanting is very good for the health, and also leads us eventually to "peace of mind".
To explain the importance of chanting for spiritual growth, let's first look at the human brain. There are two different sides to our brain. The left side controls the rational, calculating mind - this is the part of the brain that allows us to think mathematically, scientifically and logically. It breaks down ideas into a step-by-step process. Our whole modern society is based mainly on the achievements and point of view of rational thinking.
The right half of the brain controls our intuitive mind. This gives us the human ability to appreciate art, music, poetry, and religion. The intuitive mind perceives things holistically - we appreciate a piece of music or a beautiful sunset, we have a flash of insight, we aspire to become a Buddha, or we feel spiritually inspired. These feelings come from our intuitive mind, in contrast to our rational mind.
It is interesting to notice that the two halves of our brain are the same size; suggesting that human beings are made to use both sides of their mind - equally. However, since the Industrial Revolution, and our modern reliance on science and technology, the intuitive mind has been mainly ignored in Western society. But, one of the activities that exercises and brings forward our intuitive mind is chanting the sutras. And, it is this intuitive or spiritual mind that Shakyamuni Buddha encouraged us to develop.
Chanting is also good for our health, for a number of reasons:
1. The very sound of chanting helps to heal our bodies and minds. Parents have been singing lullabies to their children through the centuries. We all know that when we feel tired, it helps to listen to some soothing music. Scientists have taken this a step further through the study of plants. If you take a greenhouse full of plants, and play the music of Bach or Handel, which is very regular and rhythmical classical music, the plants flourish. But if you play discordant, disorganized, erratic music or sounds, the plants respond - by failing to grow. Plants fail to thrive in an atmosphere of disorganized sound. Discordant sound makes us nervous, and harmonious sound, such as chanting, heals us. Chanting is one of the most healing sounds in the world.
2. When we chant, it also acts to regulate our breathing. In to-day's world of "fast lane lifestyles" whatever we can do to slow down and regulate our breathing helps us. The automatic thing to do when we become frightened or uptight is to breathe in a shallow way, and that makes us feel more tense. Do you notice, when chanting, that your breathing rate goes down? And if your breathing rate goes down, then your heart rate goes down. And if your heart rate goes down, then your blood pressure also goes down. Chanting brings a general "cooling-down" of your whole body. Some people become so stressed-out that they go to Stress Management Clinics or Relaxation Therapy. What is the first thing those relaxation therapists say? "You've got to learn deep abdominal breathing." Deep abdominal breathing can be promoted through chanting.
3. Chanting is also good for the health because, if done wholeheartedly, it acts to release negative emotions. As you know, holding on to the emotions of anger and frustration over time makes us sick. We can clear out stress and irritation in several ways: by vigorous exercise, by singing, by shouting, and by chanting. Chanting is a physical exercise for the body that empties the lungs and muscles of toxins created by frustration and stress.
4. Another health benefit of regular chanting is that it brings us to a steady rhythm. The movement of the sun, the movement of the plants, the changes of season, our heartbeat, the movement of the tides - all these are done in rhythm. Balanced and healthy people are people who have balanced rhythm. The regular beat of the sutras, chanted in unison, acts on us in the same way as a parent rocking and singing to their upset child - bringing the child into healing harmonious rhythm.
5. Chanting also acts to clean our mind. The nerve pathways of the brain are like a road map in a densely populated region. Some pathways, the ones we use all the time, are like major highways; others are like countryside unpaved roads. The action of pronouncing the ancient Chinese/Japanese syllables of the sutras gives healthy variety to our brain activity, using different pathways and mixing up the brain signals for a while. This gives a rest to the regularly used pathways of the brain, and promotes cleaning of the mind.
6. Chanting also focuses our thoughts. Group chanting is really group meditation. When we put all of our attention and all of our emotion on one word at a time as we are chanting, we are learning how to focus our mind. Focusing the mind on "Dharma" or "Truth" in this way, opens us to receive the "Other Power" of Amida Buddha that is tirelessly working to transform us into Enlightened Beings. When we chant with a sincere heart, we are touched by Amida. Chanting the sutras also serves to remind us of the monks and nuns in ancient times. We know that Buddhism is 2500 years old. That means that an inconceivable number of human beings have chanted before us, and passed the Teaching down to us. It is truly amazing that the Buddhist sutras have reached us. There have been many dark periods in human history. When we think of the countless wars and famines in China and Japan, it is absolutely amazing that there were enough people who continued Buddhist chanting so that we may receive it now. By remembering our Buddhist ancestors in this way, their devotion to the Teaching is also passed down to us.
Chanting exercises our intuitive mind; it soothes our nervous tension; it regulates our breathing. It focuses our mind, and teaches our body steady rhythm. All this is being done without considering the actual words of the sutras and what they mean. "Shoshinge," for example, describes Shinran Shonin's conviction that he can take refuge in the Eternal Light of Amida. All over the cosmos, unhindered, omnipotent light is shining on all sentient beings. No one is excluded. We are all learning, through our life experiences, how to let go of our "ego" and become a Buddha. We have been given the Sacred Name, "Namo Amida Butsu" as a tangible gift. It is something we can touch that comes from the inconceivable, formless realm of the Pure Land, over to our uncertain lives in samsara. Chanting the sutras helps us feel the smallness of our ego cravings, compared to the unhindered All-Compassionate Wisdom of Amida. We surrender our small self. We feel refreshed after chanting, and we feel grateful.
