HealthSept15

SOUND MIND ••••
Can Breathing Really Help You Heal?
By Sarah Brodsky
Meditation has
been practiced for
thousands of years.
Most reports have
it dating back more
than 5,000 years in
the East, although
the Western tradition
of meditation
really began to gain
traction in the 1960s
and 1970s. Since
then, meditation
has continued to
gain in popularity,
with millions of
people drawing on
the principles for
mental and physical
wellness.
The word “meditate” comes from the Latin root
meditatum, i.e. to ponder. However, in practice,
meditation is actually the opposite, at least when
it comes to pondering thoughts. Meditation,
according to Mayo Clinic’s website, is intended to
be a deliberate removal of all random thoughts of
the past or future, with the intent to focus only on the present
moment.
“There are countless studies that have been conducted on the
health benefits of yoga and meditation,” says Alva Roche-Green,
M.D., a family medicine physician and pediatrician at Mayo
Clinic. Stress, pain and anxiety, says Dr. Roche-Green, weaken
the immune system. By improving stress levels, one can hopefully
improve their immune system. And meditation, says Dr. Roche-
Green, is a great tool.
“Meditation can help reduce overall stress levels and has been
shown to help with fatigue as well as improvement in blood
pressure and heart rate,” says Green.
There are many studies showing the significance of breathing
exercises. But perhaps more significant are the actual experiences
of those who live—and breathe—the practice. Meditation happens
naturally, when you direct all of your attention to the present
moment, allowing all distractions to fade away. In a meditative
state, your breath and brain activity slow down, which in turn,
helps bring more oxygen to your body
While breathing is a natural act, in the practice of meditation it is
very focused.
“Regardless of the type of meditation practice, by placing your
undivided attention on your breath or other bodily sensations, you
24—HealthSource September 2015