It has been proved that high levels of cholesterol can be caused by diet. No surprise there, but did you know high cholesterol levels can also be caused by stress? In today's world it seems everywhere we go we are constantly subject to noise, be it audible - cars, music blaring in shops, machinery at work etc., or subliminal in the form of what we see around us, advertising and TV for example.
It seems today's world is full of distractions competing for our attention, often at the expense of quality family time, or importantly, time simply with ourselves. Add the changing nature of the workplace, the uncertainty of continued employment, those in work having to work harder to stand still, and it's not surprising that today's modern living is responsible for more stress related illnesses than ever before.
There has been a great deal of research conducted on the subject of stress, and it has been found that chronic stress actually increases cholesterol levels. The Journal of Human Stress published a study that proved raised stress levels also raises cholesterol. The study involved 23 individuals suffering from hypercholesterolemia, (very high cholesterol), being divided into two groups, one of 12 and the other of 11.
The group of 12 learnt and practised meditation for 13 months, the group of 11 did not. At the end of the 13 months results were compared and it was found that the group who had not practised meditation had a 5 point reduction in their cholesterol level, whilst those who had been using meditation found that their cholesterol levels had dropped from an average of 254 to 225 - nearly 30 points.
A second study in which 40 female medical students practiced yoga and meditation found their cholesterol levels dropped by an average of 31 points. So what can we conclude here? Well, one of the main benefits of meditation is calm and inner peace - emotional states rarely approached in today's living.
Practiced regularly, and regularly is the operative word here, like anything worth doing it must be done consistently, meditation will relax and calm you. The result of this as you continue to practice is that more and more you can retain this inner peace as you go about your day, thus reducing your overall stress levels.
Meditation should not be used as a substitute for medication, but given that it is safe and free, meditation is a very worthwhile addition to your daily routine.
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