Why Meditate? Because it’s Good Medicine

A summary of an article by By William Collinge, Ph.D. originally published in full in Cnn.com

At the heart of mind/body medicine lies the age-old practice of meditation, a quiet, simple technique that belies an extraordinary power to boost disease resistance and maintain overall health.

Meditation is more than just a "feel-good" state

Meditation leads to reductions in heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, oxygen consumption, blood flow to skeletal muscles, perspiration and muscle tension, as well as an improvement in immunity, all of which are deeply restorative and which quicken healing. This ‘relaxation response’ works like pushing a ‘reset’ button, enabling your body to return to a state of optimal balance. Many studies have shown the effectiveness of meditation in treating a number of health conditions.

Meditation and Women's health

Some remarkable benefits are possible for regular female meditators; one study found that women with PMS reduced symptoms by 58 percent, and another that menopausal women could significantly reduce the intensity of hot flushes.

Even women struggling with infertility can benefit: In a study of a 10-week group program that included meditation (along with exercise and nutrition changes), the women had significantly less anxiety, depression and fatigue, and 34 percent became pregnant within six months.

Researchers have also found that new mothers who use meditation with images of milk flowing in their breasts can more than double their production of milk.

Meditation and the healthy heart

There have been hundreds of studies in relation to the benefits of meditation on the health of the human heart. Regular meditation has been found to...  next page

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