Hello World!  Hope all is well with you today! I’m a bit under the weather

so I’m writing early because I want to, more or less, veg out the rest of the day. I have a sore throat. I’ll live, but feel crappy. This is  the universe telling me to “practice what I preach.”  Well, I’m a firm believer in eating raw garlic daily, but I recently cut back to every other day. I should’ve known better in the winter. I wouldn’t have gotten sick if I had not cut back. I’m back to eating garlic daily now, but at the moment, it isn’t preventative, but curative. Today’s post is about meditation which I believe I can use today 🙂 … Included is a basic meditation exercise anyone can do.  I found this to be good basic info for everyone…

Meditation Improves Blood Flow to the Brain

When we think of brain health, few of us consider meditation, yet

meditation can be surprisingly effective to boost brain health. That’s because this simple act is effective for reducing stress & the resulting stress hormones that can have a negative impact on your brain.

Research published in the journal Psychiatry Research found that meditation improves blood flow to the brain & these changes last long after the meditation is over.  Scientists at the Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center at UCLA studied the effects of meditation on the “stress” circuits of the brain. Ten experienced meditators performed 2 types of meditation: a focus-based meditative technique & a breath-based practice. The meditators’ brains were scanned using MRI technology before starting, during the meditation practices & following meditation.

Researchers found that four regions of the brain were affected during

meditation & the 2 types of meditation states cause different patterns of blood flow to the brain; however, both techniques improved blood flow to the brain. Some of the brain changes continued even after meditation stopped.

While research in this area is still in its infancy, the positive impact of meditation on blood flow to the brain may have applications in treating brain disorders or stroke & in keeping your brain healthy for the long-term.

Meditation has also been linked to mood improvements, pain threshold

increases, increases in immune system activity & improved bronchial & arterial muscle tone.  Other research at the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Healthy Minds found meditation can improve attention in children. While the studies show a wide variety of health improvements linked to meditation, they consistently show a reduction in stress hormones & a reversal in the effects of chronic stress.

While many people associate meditation with religion, it’s actually a simple technique that transcends religious beliefs. It is a mental vacation from the stresses of daily life whereby you center your mind & create a sense of peacefulness. The rewards are worth the minimal effort

Meditation is easy to learn, requires no expensive equipment & can be done almost anywhere. All you need is commitment & a small amount of time. While participants in the study practiced for one hour a day, even a few minutes daily will be helpful.

There are many different types of meditation. Don’t get bogged down in finding the ideal one for you; that sort of quest is often just an excuse for procrastinating anyway. There are a million or more reason for not meditating, starting with “I don’t have time” or “I’m too tired,” but they are all simply excuses for not making your health a priority. No one has the time. How you spend your time is up to you.

Here is a simple, yet effective, meditation exercise:  Play peaceful background music while performing this meditation or you can have silence—whichever you prefer.

1. Sit in a comfortable position where you won’t be disturbed & close your
   

   meditation for relaxation & destressing

   eyes. Keep your head upright & shoulders relaxed.

2. Begin by breathing deeply & steadily; Do not force your breathing. Simply breathe as deeply as you comfortably can. Observe your breath.
3. Begin to allow your breath to expand your abdomen. Comfortably expand your abdomen with each inhalation, & then release your abdomen with every exhalation.
4. Continue breathing deeply for at least 10 minutes. The longer you can meditate, the better.

Meditation gets easier with practice; Take some time each day to meditate & your brain & your body will thank you.

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This is a good easy read & I already do some meditation, but want to do more. Tomorrow’s post will continue where this one stops as I’ll share info about how meditation can change your life…

 

 

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