Meditation is Medicine « Health Now, Wealth Forever

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By Marilyn, on May 15th, 2013

Meditation—that word can bring many things to mind, can’t it?  Oh, that’s what we did back in the 60’s if you are my age or that is what those new age folks do, only how many of those “people “ are around?  I got a Member Alert today about meditation being the “super pill” that we all may be looking for.  Member Alerts come from the HSI Health Science Institute.  I joined and am glad I did, because it has helped me with my belief that our medical system is not the only way to good health.  I get these alerts every day.  I do not always read them as they are advertising for good things, but today’s came with this little tidbit.

Did you know that meditation, this form of tuning out can be powerful medicine.  “it actually activates genes that perform beneficial tasks in your body.  And deactivates genes that can make you sick.”  That is quite a statement about just sitting still, breathing deeply and letting your thoughts go.  Stress is very hard on us, harder than we think.  Stress may cause depression, high blood pressure, illness and insomnia.

“In a new study a new study, meditation activated genes that do three things… 1) Boost insulin production 2) Keep DNA stable

3) Improve efficiency of mitochondria, the cell powerhouses

But meditation also deactivated genes that play a role in inflammation.”  The subjects in this study who were new to meditation, had gene changes within minutes.  Those who had practiced meditation for a long time, had already “locked” these benefits in place.

Wow, what benefits if we can sit still, relax, breathe deeply and free our minds for period of time.

Sources:

“Meditation boosts genes that promote good health”  Andy Coghlan, New Scientist, 5/2/13, newscientist.com

HSI Member Alert, Jenny Thompson, 5/15/2013.