Heart disease kills more than 600,000 people in the U.S. every year. That’s more American deaths than our country suffered in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War combined.[1]
One of the biggest factors in this annual carnage is high blood pressure.
It is either the primary or contributing cause in 400,000 American deaths a year. Two-thirds of adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure or pre-hypertension.[2]
Drugs are the standard treatment. But they often don’t work well. Patients may have to take two or three medications to lower their readings even modestly.
Now, new research shows there is a way to dramatically lower blood pressure without drugs or any other kind of medical treatment.
The study comes from Brown University’s School of Public Health. Researchers had 43 people with high blood pressure take a nine-week mindfulness meditation course.[3]
Subjects saw their systolic readings drop by as many as 15 points. This is a better result than most people get from taking a drug.
And the effects were long-lasting. Participants’ blood pressure remained lower a year later.
Professor Eric Loucks was the study’s lead author. He said “if we can start mindfulness training in early life…we can reduce chances of getting high blood pressure in the first place.”
Step-by-Step Guide to Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is simple: You sit comfortably in any quiet place, focus on your breathing, and when your attention wanders, return.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Find a seat. Sit on a chair, a park bench, a carpeted floor—anywhere that is comfortable and quiet. You want a stable, solid seat…not a porch swing or rocking chair.
Position your legs. Many people like to cross their legs to sit in the lotus position. But that’s not necessary. Sit with your legs positioned in any way that allows you to relax.
Sit up. Straighten your upper body, but don’t be stiff. Your back has a natural curve. Let it be there.
Drop your hands. Let your hands rest naturally on your legs.
Look ahead. You can close your eyes or gaze forward without focusing on anything in particular.
Feel your breath. Pay attention to the physical act of breathing. Notice your chest and belly rise and fall. Mentally note breathing in and breathing out.
When your mind wanders… Don’t worry about it. That’s normal. Just go back to paying attention to your breathing. Continue for five minutes or longer.
Stop. Open your eyes if they were closed. Notice how your body feels. Pause for a moment to consider how you’d like to continue on with your day.
As little as five minutes a day is beneficial. But longer sessions—up to a half hour—or two or three sessions a day, work well for many people.
Editor’s Note: If you’re concerned about your blood pressure, you need to read Independent Healing. It’s your best source for unbiased, evidence-based solutions to the most common health problems.
Find out more, HERE.
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[1]https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/06/books/chapters/what-every-person-should-know-about-war.html
[2]https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_bloodpressure.htm
[3]https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0223095