Life in Focus

At any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety. - Abraham Maslow Self-actualization also involves connecting with your bucket list, which holds the experiences and achievements you deeply wish to have in your lifetime. For some, key elements of the bucket list were known to them since childhood or adolescence. For others, it's a work in progress and reveals itself as you actively engage with your life and your world, embracing new experiences and challenges. The path will require you to: be aware of & accepting of yourself be mindful of your thoughts stop comparing yourself to others embrace uncertainty and life's challenges strengthen your delay of gratification and tolerance toward frustration AND REMEMBER: IF IT DOESN'T CHALLENGE YOU IT DOESN'T CHANGE YOU!

According to the CDC: Heart disease is (and continues to be ) the leading cause of death for men & women. One person dies every 33 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. The World Health Organization's (WHO) most recent statistics reveal that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) continue to be the leading cause of death globally, affecting approximately 17.9 million lives annually. Cardiovascular diseases comprise a group of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels. More than 80% of these deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and an estimated 33% occur in individuals under the age of 70. These are staggering numbers. Despite significant advancement in pharmacological intervention, Cardiovascular diseases continue to be major medical challenges. What's good for the mind also tends to be good for the heart. Anything you do to keep yourself healthy and energized is self-care. So What Can We Do? In recent times, the popularity of the terms alternative and complementary medicine has increased. While "alternative" describes a treatment or intervention used in lieu of conventional medicine, "complementary" is designated for treatments or interventions that are used in conjunction with standard medical care. Such treatments can include but are certainly not limited to the following: acupuncture, chiropractic, hypnosis, aromatherapy, herbal remedies, breathwork, massage, music therapy and yoga. THE PRESCRIPTION: Moving Toward a Calmer Way of Being The BEST prescription for health: Exercise Connect with Nature Embrace gratitude Connect with others Meditate Eat a heart healthy diet Get restorative sleep Find your joy Manage your stress level And STRIKE A YOGA POSE #yoga #cardiologist #heartdisease #stroke #hypertension #stressmanagement #meditation #mindfulness #cortisol #burnout https://drmarierogers.blogspot.com

Hello and happy new year everybody. And yes, since we're still in January, I feel comfortable continuing to say, "Happy New Year!" Welcome to today’s episode. This is LIFE IN FOCUS' first podcast of 2024 and the team and I are excited to continue to bring directly to you relevant and neuroscience research within the areas of psychoneuroimmunology, executive functioning, and mindfulness. It's information you can start putting to use today to enhance your energy and your health! Today's Topic: YOGA & YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM: Retreat to Re-Regulate 1. STRESS; feeling wired and tired and asking yourself the question: HOW DID I GET HERE? 2. We know what a stressed out life looks like but do we know what a regulated nervous system feels like? I will discuss what feeling good feels like deep within our bodies . 3. How can the practice of yoga help? You will find the article at drmarierogers.blogspot.com We are now past the holiday season and settling into 2024. This is a good time to learn to: QUIET YOUR MIND ENERGIZE YOUR BODY & RECLAIM YOUR SENSE OF PEACE And then take this wonderful energy into the next 11 months of 2024, renewing it in 2025.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in mood regulation and overall feelings of happiness, satisfaction and optimism, and there are natural ways to help boost its production and levels. While not a substitute for responsible medical consultation and care, the following 7 recommendations are drug-free ways to feel better and more energized. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SUN & NATURE NUTRIENT DENSE FOOD MASSAGE THERAPY SOCIAL CONNECTIONS RESTORATIVE SLEEP MANAGE STRESS And remember: THERE IS NO LIMIT TO HOW GOOD, HOW HEALTHY & HOW ENERGIZED YOU CAN FEEL!

Many of us intuitively know that there is a relationship between our gut and our emotions and well being, as well as energy levels. The good news is that science is powerfully backing this knowledge and everyday we are learning more and more about the relationship nutrition and stress management play in our lives and overall health. Known as the second brain, the gut-brain connection or axis is the bi-directional communication between your brain and trillions of microbes living within your digestive tract. Described as the "brain in your gut," it is here that we locate the enteric nervous system. It’s actually gaining speed in the specialty area of psychiatry, now aptly termed NUTRITIONAL PSYCHIATRY. Nutritional psychiatry is an accelerating field that incorporates food and supplements in the treatment of psychiatric or mental health conditions. To learn more and go into greater depth about this topic, please visit this article (under the same name) published on LinkedIn under my name --> Marie T. Rogers, PhD.

How you begin your day will set the tone for your day. In today's busy world, it's easy to get caught up with endless to-do lists and mindless engagements that serve little purpose other than to keep you on the proverbial hamster wheel of busy-ness. A chronic state of busy-ness will not put you on the path to success. Success requires focused attention. You need to slow down long enough to mindfully create and energize a plan of action. This is where Dr. Rogers’ newly published journal workbook can help you. It comprises a daily, 12-week practice, in which you start your morning connecting with yourself and with your intention, gratitude, and your goals. Once per week, you will be invited to reflect upon a journal prompt. LIFE IN FOCUS: A Self-DIscovery Journal for Powerful Transformation Twelve weeks of FOCUSED attention and alignment on your part can help move your life forward by up to five years. Think about that. Years, not months, weeks or days. YEARS! A commitment of 12-weeks in which you consistently self-reflect and focus on intentional living, goals that align with your higher purpose, gratitude, and joy has the power to advance your life by years. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO HOW GOOD, HOW HEALTHY AND HOW ENERGIZED YOU CAN FEEL LIFE IN FOCUS A Self-Discovery Journal for Powerful Transformation ready is now available on for presale BOOKBABY’s BOOKSHOP. Now available on AMAZON —> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFGLZJH8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=P5LQAPE7ED85&keywords=life+in+focus%3A+a+self+discovery+journal+for+powerful+transformation&qid=1691868466&sprefix=%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-1 https://drmarierogers.blogspot.com

"And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” – Oscar Wilde The more connected we are with nature, the less connected we will be to stress. Our natural world is our playground and whether you are an outdoor enthusiast or a homebody, or somebody somewhere in the middle, we all, to some degree, crave the outdoors. Nature is one of the best stress management interventions we have as time spent outdoors can generate many positive emotions such as calmness and serenity, joy, and creativity. It also boosts concentration and focus. Time spent in nature has been shown to lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels, improve immune functioning and mood, and reduce feelings of anxiety. https://drmarierogers.blogspot.com

One of the greatest myths many believe and often goes unchallenged is that "people don't change." If this were true, then there would be no need for personal development seminars, psychotherapy, life coaching, leadership development courses, or any other self-motivating or self-enhancing activity, via books, journals, audiotapes, and on-line courses. Since self-improvement is a multi-billion dollar industry, it stands to reason that this cliche is simply untrue and needs to be put to rest. While for some, this concept is valid, but as far as a general statement, we need to re-think this one as advancements in neuroscience; specifically NEUROPLASTICITY indicate otherwise.

Clarity in thinking amplifies wisdom. Your brain is constantly processing information, and does so with lightning speed. It quickly decides what stimuli to attend to and what to ignore. How the information is processed will determine the degree to which you feel focused, serene, calm, anxious, stressed, and/or discombobulated. Your executive functions are key to critical reasoning and problem solving. Critical reasoning and problem solving are negatively correlated with cognitive distortions. As one goes up, the other goes down. In today’s episode, we are going to discuss cognitive distortions, connect these with the executive functions, and help suggest ways to clearer thinking and better living.

Emotional and cognitive overload is the feeling you get when everything seems to be coming at you at once. The speed feels relentless and the demands are escalating exponentially. Almost everyone can identify with the pressure of feelings of overwhelm. Too much to do and not enough time! The question, in that moment, becomes-What do I do? In this episode- you're going to learn about 3 actions you can take right away and two that are more of a longer range plan. You will also learn about a grounding technique that can quickly help calm an emerging panic attack. These strategies will help you feel a better sense of control and clarity.

Focused attention is the brain's ability to actively focus on a target stimulus (or one thing) without being distracted by other stimuli. IF YOU ARE PERSISTENT, YOU WILL ACHIEVE IT IF YOU ARE CONSISTENT, YOU WILL KEEP IT Focus is an important mental or cognitive skill. In short, it means directed attention. Learn powerful ways to Power Up Your Focus!

Mindfulness, the act of paying attention to the present moment with a non-judgmental attitude, is the antidote to stressful and mindless living, that ultimately robs you of your joy; your joie de vivre. In recent times, mindfulness has gained popularity across both popular discourse and scholarly research, especially within the disciplines of psychology, neuroscience, and medicine. Growing research supports its role in stress management, anxiety regulation, and enhanced cognitive and interpersonal functioning. With each mindful intention to connect with the present moment, you are cultivating calmness, clarity and equanimity.

The skills required for achieving success are interconnected, complex and coordinated. Collectively, they are referred to as executive functioning. They are your control or supervisory center, located within the frontal and prefrontal lobes of your brain, representing a fairly large area consuming approximately 1/3 of the brain’s cortical geography. These crucial skills incrementally evolve as you navigate through the developmental stages, reaching a full appreciation of their maturity in your mid 20s. However, the story does not end here. Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience, means you are always capable of optimizing your functioning!

What you need to know about psychoneuroimmunology, or the mind-body connection.

This podcast focuses on bringing you up-to-date information and relevant research pertaining to psychoneuroimmunology, executive functioning and mindfulness. Through a better and deeper understanding of these key areas, you will discover your incredible potential for living life with increased energy, health, productivity, and vitality. Dr. Rogers discusses how psychoneuroimmunology (the connection of the the fields of psychology, neurology and immunology), otherwise known as the mind-body-connection, executive functioning (the power of directed energy and focus), and mindfulness- (the ultimate tool for stress management) can be combined to greatly enhance your well-being. In this introductory episode, Dr. Rogers discusses how understanding and utilizing the three powerful concepts of psychoneuroimmunology, executive functioning and mindfulness can help you to live a better, more fulfilled life.