It's Always Personal by Anne Kreamer

Author:Anne Kreamer [Kreamer, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-679-60493-8
Publisher: Random House Inc.
Published: 2013-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

EMT—JUST SAY “OHM” OR JUST GET MOVING

An Asian practice—meditation in its various forms—is one relaxation technique under study as a means of reducing anxiety. And the data are encouraging. As one example, a study in the department of physiology at Chlalongkom University in Bangkok of fifty-two men practicing Buddhist meditation found that cortisol levels, blood pressure levels, and pulse rate were all significantly reduced after meditation.

Reducing anxiety may have even farther-reaching benefits for women. Cardiovascular disease, which has been clinically correlated with high stress and anxiety levels, is the number one killer of women in the United States, accounting for 26 percent of deaths and killing more American women then all cancers combined, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Yet because it is only within the last decade that scientists have begun to realize the extent to which women’s biochemical and hormonal constitution may influence their predisposition toward contracting a variety of diseases, there is no clear consensus regarding specific benefits of stress-reduction protocols for women.

Until that consensus emerges, for those of us who feel anxious a lot of the time and for whom the idea of sitting down to meditate is a foreign concept, I have found several other practical, physical ways to help me slow my overactive, anxiety-prone mind. Every day I try to walk a mile outdoors. The methodical rhythm is soothing, and hearing birds chirp, watching dogs frisk, and observing other people going about their business instantly decompresses me. It’s almost miraculous how quickly my tension diminishes. And on days when I have a bit more time, I try to fit in a yoga session or tai chi class. Moving in unison with a group of like-minded people for a sustained period of time, fully focused on breath and ritualized movements, serves as a powerful antidote to anxiety.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.