One of the scariest things people face when getting older is the possibility that at some point they will lose sight of their memory and develop Alzheimer’s. Especially difficult for family and friends, unfortunately at present, there isn’t a magic-bullet to delay its onset. Or is there?
Checkout this recent Huffington Post about Alzheimer’s, stress, and meditation from renowned doctor, Dharma Singh Khalsa. According to Khalsa, stress releases a hormone into the body called cortisol. Cortisol can kill brain cells by the millions and potentially lead long term memory loss. So it would make sense: decrease stress through stress reduction practices like meditation and reduce the possibility of developing Alzheimer’s. Khalsa suggests Transcendental Meditation and mindfulness meditation.
I recalled that in 1949, Dr. Walter Hess, a Swiss-born physiologist, won the Nobel Prize in medicine for proving that there were actually two discrete centers in the brain: a stress center and an anti-stress, or relaxation, center. When the stress center in your brain is activated, a stress response is elicited with its all-too-familiar features such as a pounding heart, faster breathing and high blood pressure. And, as I mentioned, prolonged exposure to stress can kill brain cells, too. When you touch that relaxation spot, however, the exact opposite response ensues: your blood pressure goes down, your pulse slows and your breathing rate returns to normal.
One of the best scientifically proven ways to elicit this anti-stress response is through the regular practice of meditation, which lowers that dangerous stress hormone. There are various forms of meditation, all of them worthwhile and effective at reducing stress and improving many aspects of physical and mental health and well-being.
Read more on using meditation to reduce stress here.
