The Secret to Achieving Your Fitness Goals

  About 5,000 years have passed since the invention of yoga, and it is still popular today.  Why? Since it is effective.  There are several advantages to including yoga in your fitness regimen, whether you're an experienced yoga or you've never tried it. Here are 10 unexpected advantages of yoga for your body and mind: 1. Improved range of motion and flexibility Did you know that yoga can expand your range of motion in addition to helping you become more flexible?  You may stretch your muscles and improve joint mobility by performing yoga poses frequ...

“Eventually, one time, I did go to rehab and I stayed.    I was really angry. My daughter was locked up.  Also, even though my significant other was abusive, I still loved him and he was dead.  At the rehab, the counselors had a bet I would not stay.  I think I stayed this time to prove them wrong.   “After rehab, they suggested I go to a halfway house so I went to Casa de Vida , a halfway house for women recovering from substance abuse. I remember the counselors there were peeking out the windows watching me walk off thinking what would they do with me.  Casa de Vida is where my spiritual awakening happened.  “I was back in drug court.  I had turned myself in.   Because I was with my peer Mona White, the judge did not lock me up.  Mona spoke up and encouraged the judge to give me another chance and he did.  I worked closely with Mona. “Casa de Vida staff saw something going on with me.  I could talk about the in...

Tia Lewis is a mother of five, grandmother of one and a peer support specialist at the Mental Health Peer Connection in Buffalo, New York.  She provides empowerment and support to individuals who need employment and who are hard to employ.  Tia recently sat down and discussed her long road to recovery from alcohol and drugs with Mental Health World.  “I first became involved with Mental Health Peer Connection through drug court.  I have been in and out of the penal system since the age of 11.  I am now 48 years old.  I have spent about 20 years of my life incarcerated, give or take a year. “I was in and out of the court system quite a bit.  I became a ward of the state.  I lived in many group homes.  I did this until my mother gave me to a member of our family who was a madam.  I was sixteen when I got involved in a life of prostitution, pimps and drugs. At the age of seventeen, I eventually ended up robbing a bank for a pimp.  I wa...

Depression Suffer What is depression? Depression (depressive disorder) is a common and serious but treatable medical illness. Depression will affect how you feel negatively, through the way you think or the way you act. Depression causes persistent feelings of sadness and can reduce the ability to enjoy pleasurable situations. Depression can cause a variety of emotional and physical symptoms. The ability to perform tasks at home or at work will be much reduced when people are depressed. What are the symptoms of depression? It is normal to feel sad after a sad event has occurred. But there is an emotional difference between depression and feeling sad. Therefore, depression and sadness cannot be equated. The main symptoms of depression include: Always tired, have low energy and struggle to accomplish everything on daily "to do" list. Have no motivation to do anything, including going out with friends or completing tasks Feel anxious and worried about little things in life Negat...