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Quotes about Volunteering from the world's top natural health / natural living authors

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"This is the story I am creating for my patients in Cleveland, where several persons with diagnosed dementia are volunteering as reading mentors in a local charter school that my wife and I created, and participating in art and narrative therapies that integrate them into the community and honor the personhood still remaining in each individual. A study in 2004 showed that of eighty-eight people with mild to moderate dementia, 67 percent of persons diagnosed with dementia claimed they enjoyed a "very good" or "good" quality of life, while only 15 percent reported having a "bad" quality of life." - Peter J. Whitehouse and Daniel George, The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis (Get the book.)

"We talked about her volunteering to hold premature babies at the hospital or volunteering at a local school to help children who needed one-on-one tutoring. She indicated no resentment. She agreed with my thoughts, and before she left she was committed to getting out of her house, socializing again and focusing more on helping and serving others rather than on herself. She committed to ending the daily ritual of sitting on the couch, looking at her husband's photograph and crying. If I had the opportunity to counsel Mary Todd Lincoln, I would have shared several of those same thoughts with her." - Dr. Timothy Scott, America Fooled: The Truth About Antidepressants, Antipsychotics and How We've Been Deceived (Get the book.)

"She gets going each day by around noon and spends what stamina she has left volunteering at the Lupus Foundation of Mid and Northern New York, which has become her "baby," although it can hardly begin to make up for the fact that "the chance to be a mother has been stolen from me." The best Kathleen and her husband of fifteen years can hope for is that with the careful monitoring of diet, stress, and sleep, she will have more good days than bad. To look at Kathleen, however, you would never guess what she has been through or what she faces each morning at the start of her day." - Donna Jackson Nakazawa, The Autoimmune Epidemic (Get the book.)

"That's when I started volunteering again, and it was the best thing to ever happen to me. I found that when you are depressed, that's when you do something for somebody else. There, that's eight miles," she said, abruptly changing her mood and the subject. "See what you can do on this bike—one of the girls here taught me this." She cackled, suddenly pedaling furiously in the other direction. "It uses a whole different set of muscles." "I can't believe you aren't the slightest bit winded," I told her. "I would be." "Really?" - Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest (Get the book.) "Getting involved in activities like singing in the choir or volunteering might enhance well-being and possibly reduce mortality. Explore a new tradition. If you don't have a particular religious faith, commit to trying a new faith community. If you don't subscribe to any specific denomination, or if you haven't found a positive religious experience, you may want to explore a belief that is not based on strict dogma." - Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest (Get the book.) "Studies show that people who get involved with the service (singing hymns, participating in prayers or liturgy, volunteering) may find their well-being enhanced. LESSON EIGHT: LOVED ONES FIRST Make family a priority The most successful centenarians we met in the Blue Zones put their families first. They tended to marry, have children, and build their lives around that core. Their lives were imbued with familial duty, ritual, and a certain emphasis on togetherness. This finding was especially true in Sardinia, where residents still possess a zeal for family." - Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest (Get the book.)

"If you are interested in volunteering for hospice but are unaware of any facilities in your area, visit the Web page of the Hospice Foundation of America at http:// www.hospicefoundation.org/hospiceInfo/volunteer.asp. Finally ... I have argued that coming to grips with our mortality can elevate the meaning in our lives." - Peter J. Whitehouse and Daniel George, The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis (Get the book.)

"Most of the participants are volunteering their time. The entire undertaking survives on meager contributions from many countries. It is estimated that some 10,000 reviews are necessary to provide a comprehensive "evidence-based medicine" library with periodic updating of all reviews (Mallett and Clarke 2003). There is much work to do, particularly since the available reviews (and probably the available rcts) do not reflect the global burden of disease (Swingler et al. 2003)." - Nortin M. Hadler MD, Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America (Get the book.)

"Nevertheless, she agrees to give the volunteering a try. The doctor thanks Fran and Beth for coming, and on the way out says, "The most important thing is that I don't want you living in fear of Alzheimer's disease, Fran. You are still a vital person who can find purpose and fulfillment in your life and contribute to your family and to your community, even with your aging brain. Your family and I are going to work together to help you write a story of successful aging." - Peter J. Whitehouse and Daniel George, The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis (Get the book.)

"But shortly after my return, when I was invited to spend a few days volunteering with a local orphanage, something bizarre happened. When I was with the children, I didn't feel the pain. So I offered to come every day. It's the only time my world seemed right. The love and calmness I felt gave me a sense of security, and I could forget about the loneliness and fear for those few hours each day." Greg got the chance to accompany Bonnie on one of her daily visits to the orphanage. When she arrived, the children came running." - Rick Foster, Greg Hicks, M.D., Jen Seda, Choosing Brilliant Health: 9 Choices That Redefine What It Takes to Create Lifelong Vitality and Well-Being (Get the book.) "He's spent the last four years posting his findings on the Internet and volunteering to talk to anyone else who suffers from the disease. • After an unanticipated colon cancer surgery, Linda initially told her family not to utter a word about it to anyone. Over time, her emotional freedom came from speaking at corporate "lunch-n-learn" programs about the importance of colonoscopies in cancer prevention. • One year after Andy's kidney transplant, he looked for a way to make his life meaningful and inspirational to others." - Rick Foster, Greg Hicks, M.D., Jen Seda, Choosing Brilliant Health: 9 Choices That Redefine What It Takes to Create Lifelong Vitality and Well-Being (Get the book.)

"Moreover, when people learn to give or start volunteering and caring for others, they in turn learn how to really care for themselves as well. And finally, when you start becoming more proactive about the prob- lems in the world, they don't overwhelm you or depress you as much because you have the sense that you can make a difference. And you already have. Just look at how getting better has helped those around you. You are in a better mood, have more energy and more time, are more centered—and this is just the beginning!" - Frank Lipman, Mollie Doyle, Spent: Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Feel Great Again (Get the book.)

"That precipitated laughter in the court room, facilitated by the judge himself breaking out into laughter and volunteering a humorous answer to Meloling's question: "Court: You win." This provoked more laughter. I then answered the question: "That's right. That's my recommendation also," and there was still more laughter. Ridicule is, of course, the most effective weapon against arrogant stupidity. The psychiatrists were not amused. Interestingly, Dr. Finney based his criticism of my testimony on a psychoanalysis of what he imagined was my personal history. " - Thomas Szasz, The Medicalization of Everyday Life: Selected Essays (Get the book.)

"Not all treatments for dementia are medicinal in their nature. In my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, my wife, Cathy, and I, along with numerous friends and colleagues, have developed a community-based initiative: the world's first intergenerational charter school (www.tisonline.org). In existence for five years, The Intergenerational School (TIS) has received international recognition as well as state, regional, and local awards for its educational excellence." - Peter J. Whitehouse and Daniel George, The Myth of Alzheimer's: What You Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis (Get the book.)

"Participants take responsibility for their own learning and action by volunteering to host sessions on topics they care about or by choosing to attend sessions hosted by others. The meetings can take place among very small groups or very large groups of a thousand or more. And as Harrison suggests, they can be energetic, creative, productive, efficient, and inspiring: "Open Space Technology has now successfully been utilized in India, South America, Africa, Europe, China, the United States and Canada with groups of from five to one thousand members." - Alex Steffen, Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century (Get the book.)

"They thought they were volunteering to fight for the republic; they didn't know they were signing up for Aztec child sacrifice. Of course, there are always people who will say that you need to put out spin to counter the other fellow. They did it first, is their argument. This is a bit thick. The U.S., after all, went jackbooting into Iraq. Iraqis can hardly be expected to keep still about it. If a quarter of a million Arabs flooded Washington, DO, and set up camp in the White House, we expect Americans would not remain mute, either." - William Bonner, Lila Rajiva, Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets: Surviving the Public Spectacle in Finance and Politics (Agora Series) (Get the book.)

"Reading a book? volunteering for a worthwhile social cause? The answers are important because they represent the decisions you've made that have led to your happiness or hollowness. Make no mistake, these are your choices—no one else's. Another way to determine on which side you're living is to consider the things that preoccupy your mind. Are you thinking about the mortgage? Are you fretting over the bills? Worried about whether your boss will approve of your work on the project of the moment? Or are you thinking about bringing flowers to your partner?" - David H. Rippe, Jared Rosen, The Flip: Turn Your World Around (Get the book.)

"To that end, Katie is volunteering two shifts at Green Spa, organizing girls in her school and helping publicize the safe cosmetics campaign. "I go where I'm needed," she says. "The nice thing is, it's real-life situations going on. It's great even to practice interviewing and talking to people. These are just different things you need in real life." Katie speaks into my microphone as if she's done a hundred interviews. "Believe it or not, you can make a difference. By working together, we can accomplish something." - Stacy Malkan, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry (Get the book.)

"A veritable bible of world travel, The Practical Nomad, now in its third edition, contains invaluable resources on everything ranging from air travel to rail passes to volunteering abroad. Says Hasbrouck, "the biggest mistake you could make, in my opinion, would be not to travel around the world, at least once in your life, if you have the chance." Even if we can't drop everything to troll the globe for six months, The Practical Nomad offers tips, resources, and advice sure to benefit the intrepid travelers among us." - Alex Steffen, Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century (Get the book.) "From there, programs stacked back-to-back help HCZ kids with everything from academics to health and nutrition, conflict resolution to volunteering. Since 1999, HCZ has also operated an Employment and Technology Center, teaching computer-literacy skills and providing job-placement programs to connect both youth and adults to opportunities and support. It has been a powerful force in revitalizing and strengthening the community." - Alex Steffen, Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century (Get the book.)

"We can each take it one step further if we couple our Conscious Creation with action in the material world, by volunteering, becoming an agent of change or by imbuing love where there was none before. And most significantly, we can join with others to raise our vision and our voice in the new consciously awakening world, raising the amplitude and magnifying the power of energy for change. UNIVERSAL GUIDING PRINCIPLE 24: Why Are We Here? The simple answer is that we are here to evolve." - Jackie Lapin, The Art of Conscious Creation: How You Can Transform the World (Get the book.)

"Service doesn't have to be about volunteering at the soup kitchen; the spiritual practice of service also includes all the ways that we can teach truth and express beauty. Goodness is the inner principle of beauty and truth; goodness actually helps to define truth and beauty through the test of their service value—what they are good for. Real truth is something we can live and use to improve our lives. Even the rarefied beauty of fine art provides the service of pleasure and inspiration." - Steve McIntosh, Integral Consciousness and the Future of Evolution (Get the book.)

"Therefore, if you want more time for yourself, commit yourself to volunteering for others. People will come forth to help take the load off of you in other parts of your life. If you love more without strings attached, you'll see a watershed of love in your own life. Global Implications Believing there is not enough wealth to go around will create the phenomenon of fear." - Jackie Lapin, The Art of Conscious Creation: How You Can Transform the World (Get the book.)

"When you give back to your community by volunteering to work in a hospital, school, or an animal shelter, you do more than help others: You help yourself stay young. You'll find your spirit is revitalized, your mind stays active, you kindle social contacts, and your energy level soars. "Volunteering gives people a feeling of mastery over their lives again," says Fred Penzel, Ph.D., a psychologist and the executive director of Western Suffolk Psychological Services in Huntington, New York. volunteering at any age can also be a way to beat depression." - Deborah R. Mitchell, The Home Healing Almanac: Solutions That Will Help You Make the Best Choices About Your Health and Safety (Get the book.)

"Time is not an issue in volunteering once we learn to say "yes" to those things we can handle and "no" to those things we cannot. "If you can't give a beggar a dollar, give him a dime," my grandmother used to say. To put an updated spin on that teaching, if you can't be the chairman of the AIDS walk, just walk. Kids can spearhead recycling drives in their neighborhoods. Teens can organize fund-raising dances. Often the simplest offer of aid becomes all the more valuable because of its timeliness. Volunteering is an act of kindness—and awareness." - Zorba Paster, M.D. and Susan Meltsner, The Longevity Code: Your Personal Prescription for a Longer, Sweeter Life (Get the book.)

"Spiritual: Becoming active in a community whose values reflect your own— a church, synagogue, temple, or mosque, or any spiritual, religious, artistic, or political group,- volunteering for a cause that you care about,- practicing forgiveness toward others who may have hurt you,- committing random acts of kindness. Making Molehills out of Mountains Being aware of what drains your energy and learning how best to replenish your reserves is the first step toward taking charge of your health and well-being. Unfortunately, making the necessary changes also uses energy, especially in the beginning." - Richard P. Brown, M.D., and Patricia L. Gerbarg, M.D., The Rhodiola Revolution: Transform Your Health with the Herbal Breakthrough of the 21st Century (Get the book.)

"More than twenty years after volunteering his body to help a little girl, he was suffering the consequences of his good deed. The story of Nathan's experience with treatment is a cautionary tale about just how insidious a chronic infectious disease like hepatitis C can be. They are ticking time bombs in millions of people. And what happened to Nathan after his diagnosis shows just how hard hepatitis G is to treat. By 1990 doctors had begun to put hepatitis G patients on interferon—a pharmaceutical form of the same cytokine the immune system produces naturally." - Elinor Levy, Mark Fischetti, The New Killer Diseases: How the Alarming Evolution of Germs Threatens Us All (Get the book.)

"For others, being an active member of a church, synagogue, temple, mosque, or another spiritual community buoys the mind and spirit. volunteering to help others appears to have positive health benefits. The point is, do what feels most authentic for you. Though close relationships stimulate and nourish us in so many ways, they can deplete us of vital energy when they're unbalanced. Friends or family members who talk but don't listen, who take but don't give, who expect us to help with their problems but don't reciprocate drain our emotional reservoirs." - Richard P. Brown, M.D., and Patricia L. Gerbarg, M.D., The Rhodiola Revolution: Transform Your Health with the Herbal Breakthrough of the 21st Century (Get the book.)

"But to her surprise she found him active in group discussions and volunteering answers. Here is what she wrote. "The first thing that his parents noticed in Ben's improvement after he showed an improvement in his health was his desire to go to school. Ben started to do his assignments, but at first he found the excuse of hunting for his books and pencils in his desk to delay him in starting his assignments promptly." The teacher started keeping his books on her desk for some time, but midway through the term Ben took the initiative to get his books out promptly and began his assignments." - Dr. Abram Hoffer, M.D., FRCP(C), Healing Children's Attention & Behavior Disorders (Get the book.)

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