Lifestyle Interventions in the Treatment and Management of Disease

Wednesday, Dec 12, 2018 7 PM
CLU Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, 130 Overton Court, rooms 253/254 (second floor)

The American Psychology Association’s latest publication Stress in America, denotes that no matter our age, more than half of Americans believe this is the lowest point in our nation’s history and that the highest cause of stress in our nation is health care. Stress is affecting the health and well-being of many Americans and is costing our country $1 billion a day in medical costs. Stress can lead to heart disease, and the American Heart Association projects by 2035, nearly half of the U.S. population will have some form of heart disease and costs associated with it will skyrocket to $1.1 trillion. High stress is correlated with poor sleep quality, somatic pain, hopelessness, compromised physical and mental health, suicide ideation and high risk of substance abuse. Given the public health crisis of illicit drug use, it is important to consider effective methods and innovative approaches in preventative health to address the significant increase in stress-related health issues. Scientific research may determine how aspects of various contemplative and spiritual-based practices may help individuals tap into their innate source of strength, hope, and bring about positive characteristics that contribute to a healthful population and peaceful society.

Dr. Nasim Bahadorani

Dr. Nasim Bahadorani has a doctoral degree in public health from Loma Linda University, School of Public Health, and teaches Public Health courses in the Health Sciences Department at California State University, Northridge California. She holds a master’s degree in Biomedical Science from Midwestern University, College of Health Sciences in Phoenix, Arizona. For her master’s thesis, she conducted clinical research at the Barrow’s Neurological Institute where she studied the molecular biology of a rare brain tumor in children called hypothalamic hamartomas. Her strong background in biomedical sciences, coupled with her education and experience in public health provides a unique expertise in understanding pathways of disease, and knowing the strategic models and systems to prevent them. She is a certified health education specialist and a certified health and wellness coach providing consultation for corporate wellness programs and use of biotechnology that evaluates health outcomes. Her work in public health is focused on bridging the gap between orthodox healthcare within organizational systems and lifestyle medicine with integrative approaches to disease prevention and health promotion.

Her research interests include studying how meditation and contemplative practices dynamically effect the biochemical and biophysics pathways that induce sustainable changes that improve wellbeing, increase compassion and ultimately result in healthy functioning. She is currently writing manuscripts for publication on the results of her research, which determined the effect of a Sufi method of concentration called Tamarkoz on perceived stress, positive emotions, spirituality, heart rate, blood pressure, and salivary immunoglobulin A.