Cardiovascular Disease and the Mind-Body Connection

There is evidence that lifestyle modification programs incorporating mind-body methods can play a significant role in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, reducing risk factors such as body weight and total cholesterol.

The groundbreaking research of Herbert Benson, MD, on the effect of meditation on blood pressure was described in his landmark book, The Relaxation Response. Benson described a relaxation response that could offset the effects of the fight-or-flight response to stress, which is associated with increased heart rate and blood pressure, among other changes.

The relaxation response is the opposite of the fight-or-flight response, resulting in decreases in heart rate and respiration, blood pressure (if already elevated) and the metabolic rate. Benson and Klippe describe four basic components that help elicit the relaxation response:

Meditation
Although the traditional aim of meditation practice is to increase awareness, wisdom and compassion, meditation can also be used as a method of stress reduction. There are many forms of meditation. Regardless of the form, three essential ingredients apply to most, if not all, meditation practices: posture, awareness and attitude. In seated meditation, the posture is upright but not rigid, with hands resting on the lap or near the midsection. The eyes can be open or closed. Awareness is directed toward the object of meditation, which might be the breath or a repeated word. Attitudes cultivated in meditation practice include patience, acceptance, letting go, gentleness and even a sense of humor!

Two forms of meditation are mantra meditation and mindfulness meditation. In mantra meditation, the practitioner silently repeats a word or phrase over and over. If awareness strays from the repetition of the mantra, the mind gently returns to it to resume the repetition. Benson’s original research on the relaxation response was based on the cardiovascular benefits of mantra meditation achieved by practitioners of Transcendental Meditation (Benson 1975).

Mindfulness is "awareness, of present experience, with acceptance" . Mindfulness meditation involves two basic elements: concentration (e.g, on the breath) to focus and stabilize the mind and body; and open, nonjudgmental awareness that observes the passing of thoughts, feelings, images and sensations. Once concentration is stabilized, the primary emphasis is on opening the field of awareness to the entire range of observed experience, but without nalyzing, judging or "holding on" to internal experience. Mindfulness allows practitioners to be aware of the present state of their mind (e.g., calm, judgmental, distracted, excited). Mindfulness-based stress reduction has been found to be a useful approach in the treatment of a wide range of mental and physical disorders, including cardiovascular disease. Click to learn how Chinese medicine treats Hypertension (High Blood Pressure).

Tai Chi and Qigong
Tai chi chuan, popularly referred to as "tai chi," is an ancient Chinese system of meditative movement, exercise and self- defense. The slow, graceful movements of tai chi promote physical relaxation and mental calmness. According to Benson and Klipper, the benefits of practicing tai chi include improved cardiovascular health, bolstering of immune-system functioning, increased flexibility and muscle strength, and improved coordination and balance. Qigong (pronounced "chee gung") is another ancient Chinese system of exercise and healing meditative movement that is usually simpler in form and therefore easier to learn than tai chi. Practitioners of qigong experience cardiovascular and immune-system benefits, as well as the physical benefits shared by practitioners of tai chi. In fact, when not used for martial arts purposes, the practice of tai chi is considered a form of qigong.