Mindfulness from Meditation Associated With Lower Stress Hormone

'Focusing on the present rather than letting the mind drift may help to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, suggests new research from the Shamatha Project at the University of California, Davis.

The ability to focus mental resources on immediate experience is an aspect of mindfulness, which can be improved by meditation training.

"This is the first study to show a direct relation between resting cortisol and scores on any type of mindfulness scale," said Tonya Jacobs, a postdoctoral researcher at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain and first author of a paper describing the work, published this week in the journal Health Psychology.'

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20+ More Reasons You Should Meditate

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Physical and health benefits of meditation

'As meditation has become more well-known in the West, scientists have begun to quantify its physical benefits in hundreds of studies.

Significant benefits have been found for many health conditions, including heart disease, cholesterol, high blood pressure, insomnia, chronic pain, cancer, and immunity. Because meditation is a low-cost intervention with no side-effects, it shows promise for relief of a wide range of societal and health problems.'

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Breaking Study Is The First To Show Link Between Being Present In The Moment And Ageless DNA

'Scientific studies have suggested that a mind that is present and in the moment indicates well-being, whereas shifting our energy to the past or future can lead to unhappiness. Now, a preliminary UCSF study shows a link between mind wandering and aging, by looking at a biological measure of longevity within our DNA.'

In the study, telomere length, an emerging biomarker for cellular and general bodily aging, was assessed in association with the tendency to be present in the moment versus the tendency to mind wander, in research on 239 healthy, midlife women ranging in age from 50 to 65 years.

Being present in the moment was defined as an inclination to be focused on current tasks, while mind wandering was defined as the inclination to have thoughts about things other than the present or being elsewhere.'

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Meditating Measurably Changes The Brain Even When Not Actively Meditating

'A new study has found that participating in an 8-week meditation training program can have measurable effects on how the brain functions even when someone is not actively meditating.

Published research has demonstrated that the practice of regular meditation can increase brain density, boost connections between neurons, decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, provide clarity of thought, and increase positive mood endorphins. Other published studies have shown meditation can improve physical functioning, decrease chronic disease risks, and enhance overall quality of life.'


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The Science Behind Good Vibes: How Mindfulness Actually Works

Photo Credit:Seeds of Mindfulness



'Achieving mindfulness through meditation has helped people maintain a healthy mind by quelling negative emotions and thoughts, such as desire, anger and anxiety, and encouraging more positive dispositions such as compassion, empathy and forgiveness. Those who have reaped the benefits of mindfulness know that it works. But how exactly does it work?'


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Meditation Success Relies on Techniques That Are Comfortable Rather Than Popular

'New to meditation and already thinking about quitting? You may have simply chosen the wrong method. A new study published online July 7 inExplore: The Journal of Science and Healing highlights the importance of ensuring that new meditators select methods with which they are most comfortable, rather than those that are most popular.


If they do, they are likely to stick with it, says Adam Burke, the author of the study. If not, there is a higher chance they may abandon meditation altogether, losing out on its myriad personal and medical benefits. Burke is a professor of Health Education at SF State and the director of SF State's Institute for Holistic Health Studies.'




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Meditation technique repairs the brain processes that aspartame destroys

'Research has shown that with as few as 11 hours of mindful meditation, the white matter of the brain that aspartame destroys, can begin to grow back. Research into the brain damage that aspartame causes, has revealed lesions to the nerve fibers known as white matter. This is due to the by-products created when aspartame is ingested, namely methanol and formaldehyde. The effects of ingesting these chemicals are so serious that they cause symptoms often mistaken for multiple sclerosis. Other artificial sweeteners such as neotame, which have the same by-products, have the same effects.'


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How to heal your body using your mind

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Jon Kabat-Zinn: Befriending Our Bodies

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Research On 'Iceman' Wim Hof Suggests-- It is Possible to Influence Your Autonomic Nervous System and Immune Response

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Iceman" Wim Hof 

'At the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, professor of experimental intensive care medicine Dr. Peter Pickkers and his team have performed research on "Iceman" Wim Hof. Hof claims that he can influence his autonomic nervous system and immune response through concentration and meditation. 

 The results obtained are remarkable, however, the investigators emphasize that so far, these results have only been obtained in a single individual. Therefore, they can not serve as scientific evidence for the hypothesis that the autonomic nervous system and the immune response can be influenced through concentration and meditation techniques. Further research with larger groups is warranted.' 

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Meditation can cut heart attacks by as much as half

 

Transcendental Meditation was popularised in the 1960s through the Beatles who learnt the technique through their guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Photo: GETTY 

"The prevention of heart attack and stroke and actual lengthening of lifespan by an alternative treatment method is exceedingly rare, if not unprecedented.

"If Transcendental Meditation were a drug conferring so many benefits, it would be a billion-dollar blockbuster." 

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Discover the art of meditation and supercharge your mental abilities

 

'Results of ongoing research shed new light on the mechanisms of meditation. Recent studies now confirm that you don't have to be a monk to enjoy deep relaxation, increased attention span, better cognition and other health benefits meditation is offering.

Until recently, it was believed that one has to spend many years training in meditation in order to see any real and lasting improvements in health. However, both everyday experience and psychology research are now starting to agree that our mind may be easier to cognitively train than we previously thought. In fact, just four days of practicing mindfulness meditation for 20 minutes might be enough to boost your mental abilities.'

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This "Chinese Secret" Lowered Blood Pressure in 85% of Trials

 

by Dr Mercola


'The 2,000-year-old Chinese practice of tai chi is a branch of Qigong -- exercises that harness the qi (life energy). Tai chi has been linked to numerous health benefits, including improvements in the quality of life of breast cancer patients and Parkinson's sufferers. It has shown promise in treating sleep problems and high blood pressure. A recent study found that tai chi promotes balance, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness, and strength. A group of research subjects who practiced tai chi improved more than 30 percent in lower-body strength and 25 percent in arm strength -- nearly as much as a weight-training group and more than people who took up walking as exercise.' 

 According to U.S. News & World Report:

"... [I]n 85 percent of trials, tai chi lowered blood pressure. Other studies have shown it to reduce blood levels of B-type natriuretic peptide, a precursor of heart failure, and to maintain bone density in postmenopausal women."

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Zen Meditation Can Help Bring Pain Under Control

 

 "Using functional magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], we demonstrated that although the meditators were aware of the pain, this sensation wasn't processed in the part of their brains responsible for appraisal, reasoning or memory formation," Rainville noted. "We think that they feel the sensations, but cut the process short, refraining from interpretation or labeling of the stimuli as painful."


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Meditation 'cuts risk of heart attack by half'

'Patients with heart disease who practiced Transcendental Meditation cut their chances of a heart attack, stroke and death by half, compared with non-meditating patients, the first study of its kind has found.

Stress is a major factor in heart disease and meditation experts say the technique can help control it.

Transcendental Meditation, practised by the Beatles and based on an ancient tradition of enlightenment in India, involves sitting quietly and concentrating to focus the mind inwards by silently repeating a mantra. The practice is said to induce inner peace by allowing thoughts to flow in and out of the mind.

The results of the research are being presented at the American Heart Association scientific meeting in Orlando, Florida.'

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