Carolee Merrill 949 363 6767 www.gatewaystohealthandwellbeing.com

1. Change Your Mind… Change Your Life Carolee Merrill 949 363 6767 www.gatewaystohealthandwellbeing.com

2. Discovering how unconscious physical, mental and emotional habits create stress, aging, addiction and disease. Through awareness and simple lifestyle changes reclaiming youthful vitality, joy and well being.

3. Stress Statistics Stress, Excess Cortisol and Aging Cortisol is released from the adrenal glands in response to stress or low blood glucose.  A meal that has insufficient glucagon (protein), cortisol acts as a back up system to try and increase glucose to the brain. Cortisol’s primary mode of action in times of stress is to shut down eicosanoid synthesis. Eicosanoids are signaling molecules that control the most complex networks in the body. Effecting cardiovascular disease, triglycerides, blood pressure and arthritis. The correct ratios of macronutrients can actually decrease hormonal miscommunication, thus slowing and reversing aging. Scientific research has established that stress is the core factor in physical, mental, and emotional disease. The Federal Government, the Centers for Disease Control, The Mayo Clinic, Yale, Harvard, and Stanford University Medical Schools state that up to 95% of all disease is directly caused by stress. Dr. Bruce Lipton’s research at the Stanford University Medical School found that what makes us sick up to 95% of the time is the stress that is caused by holding a wrong belief about ourselves, others and our lives. Research from the Office of National Drug Policy, Harvard, Duke University, and the American Psychological Association found that the annual economic burden of brain-related disorders has reached over $1 trillion. Nearly every disorder is directly related to stress, with addiction number one. A research study at the University of California, San Francisco showed that stress speeds the aging process by harming DNA.

4. Changing the Mind • To create change in one’s life it is essential to understand that true, lasting change only occurs when there is a change to the inner workings of the mind. • Until there is an understanding of how the mind effects the emotions and state of happiness or unhappiness, there can be no lasting change. • The mind will perpetually insist that your external world is the cause of depression and unhappiness, and that one must change the external. • It’s a curious dilemma of the fox guarding the hen house, that is for the most part not seen or questioned.

5. Recognizing Mental Stress and Well BeingWhere are you in the columns below? Mental StressMental Well Being• Saying ‘No', 'I can't' - Saying ‘Yes’, 'I can!'• Disapproval Self/Others - Approval Self/Others • Mental Confusion - Mental Clarity • Thoughts of Fear, Anger, Grief - Courage, Acceptance• Mental Tension - Relaxed, Creative thinking• Wanting Control, Approval, Safety - Allowing, Being • Mental Resistance - Allowing, Welcoming• Judgment, Attacking, Blaming - Allowing, Forgiveness• Constant Thinking - Spacious, Quiet Mind• Resentments, Grievances - Forgiveness, Freedom• Bored - Curious• Deadly Serious - Playful Humor• Complaining - Appreciation• ‘I am Separate’ - ‘I am connected with the world’

6. Stress, Brain Chemistry, Mental Health and Neurotransmitters • Mental health relies on neurotransmitters and hormones being produced, utilized, and metabolized properly. • Hormones and neurotransmitters govern our moods, emotions, behavior, and sleep patterns, as well as every aspect of our physical health. • Stress resulting from false beliefs causes imbalances of hormones and neurotransmitters. • The diminished availability of just one neurotransmitter or a disruption in its path can adversely affect every aspect of life and health.

7. It is estimated that 86% of Americans have suboptimal neurotransmitter levels!

8. Suboptimal Neurotransmitter Levels • Depression, low mood, mood swings. • Insomnia, sleep disturbances. • Addiction. • Difficulty concentrating, focusing or remembering. • Autism, anxiety, irritability, tension, panic attacks. • Fatigue, lack of energy. • Migraines, headaches, PMS or Menopausal symptoms. • Weight issues, sugar, alcohol, food cravings.

9. Every thought has a biological impact on the body and emotions • and influence our heart rhythms. • Thoughts of frustration causes a chaotic heart rhythm pattern • creating stress and raising levels of the aging hormone, cortisol. • Thoughts of appreciation cause a coherent heart rhythm, and • raises the youthful, happy hormones of dopamine and oxytocin.

12. Balancing Brain Chemistry •  Our thoughts and attitudes alter our brain • chemistry. • When the body and mind can make its own • “feel-good” neurotransmitters again, the craving • for sugar and alcohol disappears. • True peace, joy, optimism and centeredness • replaces mental and physical fatigue, anxiety, • depression and nervousness.

13. Benefits of Coherence Coherence Significantly Improves Brain Function • Increased ability to self-regulate • 40% improvement in long-term memory • 24% improvement in short-term memory • Increased ability to focus • Increased ability to process information • Increased reaction times • Higher test scores • Improved ability to learn

14. Serotonin, Dopamine and Endorphins Created Naturally –Lowering Stress MEDITATION, HEARTMATH produces optimum levels. POSITIVE THINKINING – raises levels. DEEP BREATHING is one of the most important ways. SUNLIGHT bright light increases. EXERCISE one of the best natural ways. ELIMINATING SUGAR – Sugar creates imbalance. SPENDING QUALITY TIME with loved ones. SEX is a powerful producer. LAUGHTER and smiling have a positive effect on. OMEGA 3 and VITIMIN C increase levels. EAT SPICY FOODS like chilies', peppers and jalapenos. EAT fruits, vegetables, lean protein, nuts and seeds.

15. AttitudeEvery thought has a chemical reaction in your body. Change your mind- change your life The Brain on Happiness Alert, Energized: Norepinephrine Pleasant feelings: Dopamine Supports parasympathetic arousal A happy mind: Creates resilience Counteracts depression and anxiety

17. Beliefs and Disease • Dr. Bruce Lipton's research at Stanford University found: • 95% of all the diseases is created by stress. • Wrong beliefs like “I’m not good enough” or "Something is wrong with me" cause up to to 95% of all illness and disease. • The membrane of the cell is the brain of the cell, not the nucleus. • Our beliefs are stored in the membrane of our cells. • Unless we are fully aware of what we are doing and why we are doing it at every moment, we are always acting on our unconscious programming stored as beliefs in our cells.

18. Revolutionary Understanding • This is revolutionary in understanding how thoughts control our lives, and physiology. • What Dr. Lipton is saying is that cellular function is not hard wired by DNA, but influenced by stimuli, or thought fields and beliefs. • The stimuli, or thought forms trigger one of two states; growth or protection, and a cell cannot be in both states simultaneously. It’s either growing, or it’s not. • Negative beliefs and thought patterns can eventually produce disease in our bodies and our minds. • The cell will go into protection response regardless of whether the thoughts have a basis in truth, or not.

19. Quantum Psychology – Core Beliefs • Quantum Psychology is based on quantum physics, neuroscience, and self • inquiry practices. • Approximately 90% of our nervous system is not developed at birth. • Developed through the process of modeling and incorporating beliefs, and • perceptions of care takers. • Our nervous systems only select a tiny percentage of stimuli- roughly • .000054%, of the billions of stimuli we are exposed to, as significant. • Our concept of reality and our experience of who we perceive ourselves to • be is based on this unconscious process of abstraction run by our nervous • system, and is beyond our awareness or comprehension. • The intention of Quantum Psychology is to undo the false core beliefs and • false identity and core beliefs of what and who we perceive ourselves to • be that was created our nervous system and our childhood imprinting.

20. Object Relations • Field of psychology refered to as Object Relations- an infant believes that he or she is one with the mother.   • Five to twelve months the infant realizes that they are separate, which produces a shock- ‘the trauma of the realization of separation’. • Quantum Psychology postulates that due to this trauma the nervous system- to understand and organize this shock- decides that the shock occurs for a reason.   • The conclusion becomes what is called a False Core- or the prime concept, belief, that you have about yourself around which you organize everything you experience in life.

21. The False Core and the False Self • This False-Core Conclusion then masks or hides your essential core and acts as a driver for your personality. • Following the creation of a False-Core Conclusion, the nervous system produces a False-Self Compensator. • This is an attempt to ensure that the trauma of the realization of separation shock never occurs again. • A way to hide, heal and protect itself from the pain of the initial trauma.   • In this way the False-Self Compensator is created as a “solution” to the problem of the False-Core Conclusion- which isn’t true! • The following is a list of the most common False-Cores and compensatory False-Selves.

22. False-Core ConclusionsFalse-Self Compensator • There is something wrong with me.   –I must be perfect. • I am worthless.                                         – I must prove my worth. • I cannot do.                                               – I must overdo. • I am inadequate.                                       – I must prove I am adequate. • I do not exist.                                            – I must prove my existence. • I am alone.                                                 – I must connect. • I am incomplete.                                        – I must become complete. • I am powerless.                                          – I must be overly powerful. • I am unlovable.                                           – I must be overly loving. • I am out of control.                                     – I must control the chaos. • I am crazy.                                                  – I must be sane. • I am trapped.                                               – I must get free. • I am not safe.                                               – I have to create safety.

23. Unraveling the False Core and the False Self “The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is not true.” -Antisthenes 444 - 365 BC.

24. Mindfulness and Health and Well Being • Research studies correlate a direct relationship between mindfulness and health and well being. • Research at the University of Rochester, the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and the University of Wisconsin. • Cultivating mindfulness, nonjudgmental present moment awareness helped to lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, boosts the immune system and reduced chronic pain and emotional reactivity and to create greater health and well being.

26. Becoming the Observer • A powerful way of disempowering negative thinking is • to ‘become the observer’ of your thoughts. • Simple process of detaching from thoughts and • observing them without judgment. • Experience that there is the thinker part of you and • then there is a "you" who is the observer. • Being the observer helps you to stop identifying your • thoughts as who you experience yourself to be, • Negative thoughts and emotions begin to dissipate. • With practice, this can result in the quieting of the • mind and emotions, and the experience of peace and • expansiveness.

27. Becoming the Observer - Present Moment Awareness • Take 6 long, slow deep breaths. Feel each breath anchoring you in the • present moment. • Feel a deepening of present moment awareness with each step. • Become the Observer of your thoughts. • Become aware of the living sensations flowing in your body. • Become aware of your surroundings. • Adopt an attitude of allowing and accepting flow of appreciation. • Feel a smile emanating from your heart and permeating your being. • Adopt an attitude of forgiveness of self and others. Practice forgiveness. • Adopt an attitude of gratitude. Practice gratitude.

28. From this quiet mind you find • yourself fully present in the • moment. • Not regretting the past or • worrying about the future. • In this quiet, peaceful present • moment, there is a natural • flow of positive emotions of • love, joy, and enthusiasm. • From this place you have the • capacity to create and enjoy • your life.

29. Finding Truth and Peace Through Observation Where are You Placing Your Power? • Observing the words you speak, the thoughts you think, the • emotions you feel, the stories you tell yourself. • Look for situations and thoughts and words where you place • happiness outside yourself, where you blame and try to control. • Become aware of unconscious agreements and beliefs you have • that are creating unhappiness in your life. • Reframe thoughts, beliefs and stories: ‘I am creating a story • about this person or circumstance on why I am unhappy. • It is a lie.’

30. You can change the way you think and feel by changing what you say when you talk to the mind.

32. Benefits of Humor •  Gets you out of your head and away from your troubles. • Helps you forget judgments, criticisms, and doubts. • Creates endorphins and helps to balance brain chemistry. • Helps you solve problems, connect with others, and be more creative. • Helps to shift perspectives in a bad situation, finding the irony and • absurdity of life. • Eases anxiety, fear, and depression and adds joy and zest to life. • Relieves stress, improves mood and enhances resilience. • Creates a relaxed, positive, creative, joyful, and balanced perspective.

33. Physical Factors in Mental Well Being • Dehydration, • Shallow Breathing, • Acid ph Balance,  • Sugar consumption, and • Lack of exercise • all contribute to an  • unbalanced brain • chemistry and can • contribute to depression • and negative thinking

34. Emotional Factors in Mental Well Being Our feelings are a wonderful barometer of our well being. When we are not caught up in negative thinking, our feelings remain positive, and we feel joyful, loving and peaceful.   When we are feeling fearful, angry, or depressed it is a sure sign that our thoughts have become negative and dysfunctional.   Developing this awareness and making the decision to eliminate negative thinking can be dramatically life changing.

35. Appreciation and Wonder of

36. Beauty All Around US

37. Alter your own brain chemistry With thoughts of appreciation, gratitude, joy and love.

38. . Carolee Merrill 949 363 6767 www.gatewaystohealthandwellbeing.com