Meditation as a Free and Effective Way to Prevent One of America's Leading Killers
A study by the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion revealed that about six hundred and fifty thousand people succumb to heart disease in the United States every year. This disease costs Americans hundreds of billions of dollars in treatment and management costs each year. These mind-boggling statistics beg the question; is there a cost-effective yet efficient method of dealing with heart disease? The answer to which is yes!
Besides other benefits, meditation can yield specific physiological effects that result in cardiovascular risk reduction. The best part is that meditation is free and takes up only a few minutes of a person's time every day. Some of the positive physiological effects produced by meditation can include reductions in; heart rate, oxygen consumption, blood pressure, adrenaline levels, and cortisol hormone levels - all of which have the positive impact of reducing the chances of having a heart attack. Another positive impact of meditation is stress reduction, which, in turn, reduces the production of stress hormones adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine, reducing the chances of cardiovascular diseases. Whether guided, transcendental, or mindful meditation, these physiological effects will manifest provided that a person religiously sticks to their meditation routine.
Meditation Causes Amazing Physiological Effects that Reduce Risks to Cardiovascular Diseases
As highlighted, meditation reduces the risk of heart disease and other related cardiovascular diseases by addressing their predisposing factors. It does this by promoting physical and mental relaxation by enhancing the sense of calm, peace, and tranquility. For instance, according to the American Journal of Cardiology, regular meditation can reduce the chances of having coronary heart disease by up to fifty percent. The cardiovascular benefits associated with meditation, coupled with the practice being inexpensive and easy to master, make it a worthwhile daily undertaking. While meditation is evidently good for the heart, it works best in conjunction with other proven practices promoting healthy living, such as proper dieting and regular exercising.