Thursday, January 31, 2013

Take a Healthy Step: Re-Think Meditation

This month we are asking all our fans and followers to take a healthy step.  The wellness of your body starts with a healthy mind and positive outlook.  We all need a chance to step back and gain perspective.  By giving ourselves the time to re-orientate and reflect, we reduce the stress that leads to so many health issues such as heart disease and high blood pressure.  This is why meditation is now proving to be as great for the body as it is for the soul.   

Calming of the Mind

Probably the greatest benefit of meditation is that it calms the mind. Studies have shown that people who meditate regularly are happier and better balanced. They have a much easier time handling stress and keeping depression, anxiety and negativity at bay. There’s just something about spending some time each day doing nothing but sitting and breathing that has an almost magical effect on the brain.

Sharper Focus

People who meditate regularly report that they find their focus and concentration better. Perhaps the reason for this is that when you meditate, you focus only on this exact place and moment. By concentrating all of your energy on the simple activity of sitting, you’re essentially practicing concentration. It tunes your focus so that you can bring it to the other things you do each day.


Improved Memory

Recent scientific studies show that people who meditate daily over a period of several weeks have more grey matter in the part of the brain known as the hippocampus, an area that’s associated with learning and memory. Scientists are clueless as to why this is, but MRI scans show that there is a significant difference between the brains of meditators and non-meditators.

Lower Blood Pressure

Studies also suggest that meditating may lower your blood pressure. They even suggest that the practice is just as effective as certain anti-hypertension medications and possibly more so, without the added side effects and risks. This benefit, along with the power of meditation to stop stress, means that meditating is good for your heart and can prevent you from suffering heart problems.

 

Find out more about meditation and its benefits here:  http://www.meditationtips.net/benefits-of-meditation/the-7-key-benefits-of-meditation.php#more-738

Share your ideas on how to take a healthy step on our Facebook wall or message us on Twitter! 

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