MIND PRACTICES TO BE HEALTHY

Chances are good that you've at least heard about meditation—but perhaps are a bit fuzzy about some of the details, like: What exactly is meditation? What are its benefits? How does it relate to my daily life? What's the best way to start a meditation practice?

Mental health is just as important as physical health and, as such, it's essential to take care of it. If you think about it, each affects the other.

We’ve all come to know and love Movember, the month formerly known as November when the artist (or shall we say hipster) once known as your boyfriend/brother/friend transforms into some mustachioed characters for 30 days, all in the name of men’s health awareness. But when all is said and shaved, what else can men do for the remaining 11 months of the year to live healthier, happier lives?

Just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a combination of strategies (or call you what you will...activities, goals) to keep healthy. The list sounds like a well-versed mantra: eat well, exercise, get enough sleep and avoid unhealthy lifestyles and habits. But wait a minute. How about taking it easy? Especially when your body is stiff and painful from exercise or stressed from work or life's demands.

Yoga is not just an outlet for physical activity… It’s a way of life. It’s a community of people who share certain values about how they want to live their life, and that includes how comfortable they feel in their own skin.

Bikram yoga may burn a ton of calories, but intense 90-minute classes inside sweltering 104-degree studios aren't for the faint-hearted.

Inhale. Exhale. In. Out. Breathing seems pretty simple, right? Well, you could be doing it wrong.

With benefits ranging from stress reduction and enhanced immunity to increased energy and better sleep, meditation could be the most powerful tool to a healthy, happy life.