asha international mental health

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The Healing Power of Nutrition

The Healing Power of Nutrition

“Gayu, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” my mother used to insist, “It’s not enough to know how to do calculus. It is also important to know how to cook.”  I recall being eight years old, barely tall enough to reach the granite counter-top in our kitchen in Bangalore, India, when my mother first recruited me as her apprentice. I loved everything about cooking – chopping vegetables, roasting spices, grating coconut, and making chapattis. I took great pride in rolling out the little discs of whole wheat dough into perfect circles and watch their golden crusts puff up as my mother flipped them on the hot tava, a heavy cast iron griddle.  Most of all, I loved to work alongside my mother while we sang in chorus with our favorite songs lilting through the Phillips radio in our living room.  In time I learned how to cook healthy, well-balanced, nutritious meals which greatly enhanced my marriageability in India, and more importantly, empowered me to nurture myself and my family in America. Even during my darkest battles with depression, cooking and sharing meals with my family gave me a deep sense of meaning and purpose.  It is said that “A family that eats together stays together.” I sincerely believe “A family that eats together stays healthy together.” Over the years, cooking and sharing meals with my family each day has continued to be a great source of joy and well-being.  In this post, I am delighted to share articles on the healing power of nutrition. And, invite you to explore how it can nurture your mind, body,...
The Healing Power of Social Connectedness

The Healing Power of Social Connectedness

Social connection improves physical health and psychological well-being. And, the social support of family and friends has been shown to reduce the psychological and physiological consequences of stress and may enhance immune function.   Unfortunately, when overwhelmed with depression, like many people struggling with mental illness, I used to give in to my urge to isolate and spiral into a deep pit of despair and loneliness. But, over time, I have learned that sustaining and nurturing my connections with family and friends, and seeking their love and support is key to my recovery and wellness. Over the years, these social connections have offered me hope and healing.  In this blog post, I am excited to share articles and videos on the healing power of social connectedness. And, invite you to nurture your connections with family and friends and tap into their healing power to enhance your collective health and well-being. Social Network’s Healing Power is Borne Out in Poorer Nations By Shankar Vedantam Psychiatrist Naren Wig crossed an open sewer, skirted a pond and, in the dusty haze of afternoon, saw something miraculous. Krishna Devi, a woman he had treated years ago for schizophrenia, sat in a courtyard surrounded by religious pictures, exposed brick walls and drying laundry. Devi had stopped taking medication long ago, but her articulate speech and easy smile were eloquent testimony that she had recovered from the debilitating disease. Few schizophrenia patients in the United States are so lucky, even after years of treatment. But Devi had hidden assets: a doting family and an embracing village that never excluded her from social events, family obligations,...

The Healing Power of Creativity

Creativity offers avenues to explore our inner child and provides pathways to help us heal and become whole. Years ago, I re-discovered the healing power of creativity during my hospitalization for severe depression. Making bracelets and necklaces for my three-year-old daughter who visited me each day with her father, taught me that even in my state of brokenness, I could create gifts that brought joy to another soul. I still recall my daughter’s delight each time I placed one of my creations in her little palms, and her hugs that melted my heart and despair away.   In this newsletter, I am thrilled to share articles on the healing power of creativity, and invite you to enhance your well-being through creative pursuits.   The Healing Power of Creativity by Lynn Zavaro   Channeling Depression Into a Powerful Tool for Creativity by Jennifer Haupt     Wishing you wellness,      Gayathri Ramprasad, MBA, CPS  Founder & President, ASHA...
The Healing Power of Compassion

The Healing Power of Compassion

Several years ago, I discovered a quote by Mother Teresa. “We want to create hope for the person and acceptance in the hearts of the people. We must give them hope – always hope – and remove the bitterness that is harming them when they are avoided by everyone… compassion, love, understanding… that is what is important.” Reading the quote reminded me of a time in my life when I received the universal, life-transforming gifts of hope, acceptance, compassion, love, and understanding – in the most unusual of places – a psych ward. After years of struggling through the death-hold of depression, medications, countless hours of therapy, electro-convulsive therapy, and failed suicide attempts, I had finally chosen to get hospitalized. And, there, for the first time in my life, I met others like myself, people struggling with mental health issues, and I knew I was not alone. In the two weeks I spent in their midst, I received the gifts of hope, acceptance, compassion, love, and understanding that has helped me heal, and inspired me to help others like myself heal. In this blog post, I am glad to share articles on how to practice compassion meditation to enhance your health and well-being, and the well-being of the people you serve. Please be sure to read Priscilla’s story, I am sure you will be inspired by her journey from panic to peace shared in her book Learning to Breathe. Compassion Meditation 101 By Penelope Green Compassion meditation involves silently repeating certain phrases that express the intention to move from judgment to caring, from isolation to connection, from indifference or...
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