Episode 8

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Published on:

19th Feb 2020

8. Meditation and Mindfulness 101: What Are They and How To Do Them

Meditation and mindfulness – what are they? The terms can mean so many things to so many people, but the science is clear: a small practice of it can be life-changing. Let's dip our toes in the water together and meditate, with a very short walking meditation session. Please let me know how it goes by being in touch!

LET'S TALK THE WALK!

RESOURCES AND SOURCES (some links may be affiliate links)

Relaxation Revolution, Herbert Benson, MD

Wherever You Go, There You Are, Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness Meditation and Relaxation Response Affect the Brain Differently, harvard.edu/gazzette

Meet Mr. Mindfulness: How Jon Kabat-Zinn Brought Mindfulness to the Masses, parade.com

What's the Difference Between Meditation and Mindfulness, chopra.com

Harvard Neuroscientist: Meditation Not Only Reduces Stress, Here's How It Changes Your Brain, washingtonpost.com

  • From the article: There is not sufficient data generated yet to answer this question. Some studies suggest that practicing even 5-10 minutes a day can provide some benefits. Some studies suggest that there is a correlation between change in symptoms and amount of practice (i.e. those that practiced more derived greater benefits).
  • Website of that neuroscientist

Early article about the gut-brain axis

3 Simple Strategies to Help You Focus and De-Stress, mayoclinic.org

The Long Road Turns to Joy: A Guide to Walking, Thich Nhat Hanh

DISCLAIMER

Neither I nor my podcast guests are doctors or healthcare professionals of any kind, and nothing on this podcast or associated content should be considered medical advice. The information provided by Wellness While Walking Podcast and associated material, by Whole Life Workshop and by Bermuda Road Wellness LLC is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment, and before undertaking a new health care regimen, including walking.

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About the Podcast

Wellness While Walking
Small Steps to Big Health
Welcome! Each episode of Wellness While Walking addresses the real health concerns you're facing:

• metabolism shifts and blood sugar spikes/weight gain
• establishing sustainable habits despite crazy-busy schedules
• adapting movement regimens (featuring walking!*) to work for you… in a fun way!
• implementing doable nutrition approaches that work with your midlife body and life

Hi, I'm Carolyn, a Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach of almost 20 years.

I was a health-rejectionist! I didn't think it mattered what our lifestyles were like – I even doubled down on this approach, working in the ultra-processed foods industry for a decade (and gained a lot of weight and was fatigued all the time, but I didn't connect the dots!) But then I got very sick. And my young children did, too. I started to open up to the idea that what we ate, how (if!) we moved, how we slept and more – how it did matter! I "walked back" my chronic disease diagnoses and my kids healed.

After over a decade of health coaching people in their midlife years, I also noticed another trend – that of extremes! Folks rejected things like walking and eating largely whole foods for their more intense counterparts, like running and "eating clean." I knew that I needed to fight this, because there are lots of health-conferring points in between on the spectrum, and I'm all about capitalizing on the low hanging fruit by taking small steps that we'll actually do and enjoy!

I do think we need to fight societal norms that leave us unhealthy – we call that "walking against traffic" – but this can be a moderate, doable, fun and effective path! Getting this word out to the wider audience beyond my clientele led me to introduce the Wellness While Walking Podcast in January of 2020, and we've been going strong since!

I hope you'll join me, Health Coach Carolyn, for Wellness While Walking—your 30-minute movement companion that delivers research-backed strategies for weight management, metabolic health, healing chronic conditions and extending your healthspan in a motivating, compassionate format!
Whether you're seeking accountability for consistent action, clarity on conflicting health advice, or gentle guidance for aging vibrantly, Wellness While Walking meets you where you are with understanding and actionable solutions.

By the end of each episode, you'll feel physically energized, mentally renewed, and equipped with clear next steps—having moved, learned, laughed, and found the motivation to take the next meaningful step on your health journey! (*Did I mention that we play a beep halfway through so you know when to turn around if you're walking while listening?!)

Today is a terrific day to start so press "Follow" and then "Play," and let's do this, together!

About your host

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Carolyn Cohen