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Since emotional stress has been linked to heart disease, many people have been looking for ways to help with the stresses of everyday life. Among other things, stress causes increased adrenaline and cortisol, which can lead to higher blood pressure levels. One time tested stress reliever is Transcendental Meditation. Studies have shown that by practicing Transcendental Meditation for 20 minutes, twice a day, those who already had heart disease or were at risk for it, had better results than those who only attempted to alter their diets. The meditation group had lower blood pressure levels, and a decreased risk for heart attacks, strokes and death.
Transcendental meditation is beneficial because it actually reduces the levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. Because there are a higher number of cortisol receptors in the abdominal area, stress and high levels of cortisol have also been linked to belly fat; and belly fat has been linked to increased heart disease risks. By taking 40 minutes out of your day to practice Transcendental meditation, you just might be adding years onto your life.
