Meditation for Stress Reduction

What do you think of when meditation is mentioned?  Buddhist monks sitting in monasteries on mountaintops? That’s what I pictured. Did you know that more than 1,000 scientific articles have been published on the subject of meditation? Impressive research tells us that meditation induces a sense of well-being and emotional balance. It helps to reduce the body’s reaction to stress. And let’s face it. Stress is a killer.

Researchers at the Maharishi School of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, found that meditation has an enormous impact on stress reduction. When they examined a group who had meditated for four months they saw that they produced less of the stress hormone cortisol. They were therefore better able to adapt to stress in their lives, no matter what their circumstances were.

So, just what is meditation? I would say that it is focused attention on reality. It's connecting with all that is and being in the present moment. It's deep relaxation however you want to do it--whether you're walking, running, cycling, sitting in a yoga class, lying on your bed or being mindful of the present moment as you do the dishes. I find breathwork the easiest process to enter this focused attention.

Psychological Benefits

• Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation
• Increased happiness
• Increased emotional stability
• Decreased anxiety
• Decreased depression
• Greater creativity
• Decreased irritability and moodiness
• Improved learning ability and memory
• Increased insight and wisdom

Physiological benefits

• Deep rest (as measured by decreased metabolic rate, and lower heart rate)
• Lowered levels of cortisol and lactate (two chemicals associated with stress)
• Improved blood pressure
• Drop in cholesterol levels
• Improved flow of air to the lungs
• Significant slowing of the aging process

Give meditation a try. You'll find that you will value yourself more and come back to it again and again.

Exercise

Our bodies don't work well if we don't move. There's plenty of research on the benefits of exercise--particularly to lift one's mood. Although all types of exercise can help, the type of exercise that is recommended to treat mood disorders is vigorous aerobic exercise. And it only takes about 20 minutes before serotonin and dopamine, the "feel-good" hormones, kick in and help you feel happy and calm. Since you'll also look better if you exercise, your confidence and self-esteem will improve. Whoo hoo!

Examples of aerobic exercise include dancing, brisk walking, cross-country skiing, jogging, and cycling. There are many machines that simulate the movements of running, walking, rowing, skiing, and stair climbing. Before you spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars, go to a gym for a while and see what you enjoy. And there's nothing quite like walking outside.

Many of my clients use the same excuse that I have used: I don't want to walk outside in bad weather. To quote my friend Kristen, "There's no such thing as bad weather. There's only bad clothing." Point taken.

You'll still get the benefit of a serotonin release if you do something less vigorous like strolling, stretching, yoga, Tai Chi, ballroom dancing and gentle weight lifting. Do something that you enjoy!

The medical benefits of exercise are numerous. You'll lower your cholesterol, prevent certain cancers as well as chronic diseases such as osteoporosis,  high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. You'll be able to handle the stress in your life more easily. It puts the spark back in your sex life. Your heart and lungs will become more efficient, and you'll have more energy and endurance. You'll probably sleep more soundly and wake up more refreshed. Convinced? Wait, there's more...

If you've ever struggled with depression or anxiety, you'll find that exercise works better than any antidepressant. Naturally, you should always consult with your doctor. However, many of my clients have been able to gradually reduce their antidepressant usage by following a vigorous, regular exercise routine as well as eating healthy foods. They find that exercising a minimum of an hour a day helps their mood.

Not only does exercise add years to your life, new evidence tells us that it can reverse the aging of the brain. Professor Art Kramer of the University of Illinois, a top cognitive neuroscientist, argues that a large body of evidence shows the benefit of aerobic exercise and physical activity on the aging brain. Any exercise which leaves you breathless can increase both the volume of brain tissue and the brain's ability to perform executive functions, such as task coordination, planning, goal maintenance, memory, and the ability to switch tasks.

Brain Food

Nutrition is VERY important if you want to be healthy, live long, value yourself, and feel physically well. Since so many of my clients suffer from depression or anxiety, I've done a little research on what helps to boost your mood. This is brain food. Here are my recommendations:

1. Eat a balanced diet with an emphasis on whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat protein sources and few "empty calories."

2. Cut out the junk food and artificial stimulants. Especially sugar. Despite the temporary lift, these substances  deplete and blunt valuable hormones in the long run. They also contribute to insulin resistance, diabetes, and obesity. Not good.

3.  Refrain from caffeine (including cola drinks), light chocolate, and alcohol. OK, if you can't give up your morning coffee, limit yourself to one or two cups per day.

4.  Take a high-quality multi-vitamin & B complex supplements.

5.  Drink adequate pure water (8 glasses per day recommended).

6.  Be sure to get your protein. Turkey, fish, chicken, cottage cheese, nuts, cheese, eggs, and beans all contain generous levels of tryptophan. Tryptophan is the amino that converts to serotonin (the feel-good chemical) in the brain.

7.  Be wary of "quick fixes."  Grabbing a sugary treat feels good because it causes an instant release of serotonin. But carbs won't stimulate the ongoing production of serotonin, which is what you want. Vegetables and healthy carbohydrates (such as a handful of nuts, a scoop of brown rice or a few tablespoons of legumes) with your protein helps your brain to process the tryptophan in the proteins.

8. Eat the "good fats." Hormonal processes require essential fatty acid. Get plenty of DHA-enhanced eggs  in your diet. Eat fish a few times a week like tuna, mackerel and wild salmon.  Limited amounts of avocados, nuts, flaxseed, vegetable oils (walnut, avocado, almond, flax, olive) and seeds also provide us with good fats.

9. Take a fish oil supplement. Omega 3s are essential for brain health and mood regulation. Be sure to buy a high quality fish oil supplement. You get what you pay for. Watch out for saturated fats in the list of ingredients.

10. Investigate supplements wisely. There are so many differences in quality and in ingredients. Rather than looking in your local supermarket,  go to a health food store and talk to a knowledgeable person there if you don't have the time or inclination to do your own research.

If you have a nutritional counselor who can help you with your specific needs, even better. As you change your dietary habits, you'll value yourself more. Won't it be nice to have an improved self esteem?

You may also want to refer to Ultraprevention by Mark Hyman, M.D. and Mark Liponis, M.D. I have to tell you that I have seen remarkable results in people who have followed the advice in this wonderful book. Once you see the changes in your health, mood, and energy, you won't want to return to your former bad habits.

Recipe for "Big Brain Shake" by Barry Sears, M.D.

Dr. Barry Sears (The Zone Diet), states in The Anti-Inflammation Zone that he developed this shake for people with neurological problems such as attention deficit disorder and Alzheimer’s who need very high levels of EPA and DHA.

1 cup 2% milk

15 – 20 grams protein powder (whey or soy)

1 to 1 ½ cups of thawed frozen berries

Put all the ingredients in a blender and add up to a tablespoon of liquid fish oil (which contains 7.5 grams of EPA and DHA), and blend. You can add ice to make it more like a milkshake. The key is the milk globules found in 2% milk. These are preformed emulsions into which the added EPA and DHA will immediately incorporate. These fat emulsions are an ideal delivery system to maximize the fish oil absorption with virtually no taste. The protein powder (lactose-free why usually tastes the best) and the berries provide additional emulsification for any fish oil, plus make a very quick Zone diet meal. Be care to not take more than this amount of fish oil, because you can take too much. For more information, see his website at www.drSears.com.

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