Stress impairs the immune system, increasing vulnerability to diseases such as cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis, according to the American Psychological Association. In addition, it states that stress can accelerate the aging process and that up to 90 percent of illness is stress-related.
In these stressful times, many health-conscious adults seek ways to build and maintain good health without drugs. Below are 3 drug-free options to consider as part of a regular health regimen. They are inexpensive (or free) and accessible to most adults.
Walking. According to an article published in the Harvard Health Letter, "Walking can strengthen bones, tune up the cardiovascular system, and clear a cluttered mind." The value of walking goes even deeper, as the article states "(Walking) has long been recognized as a proxy for overall health and has been measured in many studies. Researchers have found a remarkably consistent association between faster walking speed and longer life."
I certainly benefitted from walking, after having my second child about 8 years ago. Just before my son's birth, I weighed a sluggish 210 pounds --- my height is only 5 feet, 2 inches! After giving birth, I weighed a little less, 190 pounds, but I longed for my former slim 125-pound physique. I felt awful physically. I ran out of breath easily, and I couldn't walk as quickly as I was able to before the pregnancy. Luckily, I received some advice from a mom's club friend about how she lost her baby weight.
"Walk!" she exclaimed! "Just walk!"
At that time, I didn't believe that simply walking could remove the tens of pounds I had gained during pregnancy. However, I was determined to not spend the rest of my life 60 pounds overweight, so I hit the sidewalk and started walking.
I walked for 45 minutes every day for seven months and got down to 130 pounds. I believe walking has given me a longer life by allowing me to shed those unhealthy 60 extra pounds.
How much walking is enough? Six times a month for 30 minutes is very effective. This is the finding of a study conducted by Finnish researchers and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Among pairs of twins, the twin who exercised regularly had a 56 percent reduced risk of death compared to the sedentary twin.
Meditation. Dr. Deepak Chopra, board-certified in internal medicine and a specialist in endocrinology, is a renowned writer and speaker on alternative medicine and spirituality. He states that meditation lowers blood pressure and strengthens immune function. In fact, people in ancient times knew that meditation has positive effects on the body.
I have found that 20 minutes each morning calms me and helps me keep the day's events in perspective. If I increase my session to 30 minutes, 45 minutes or even an hour, the calming effect can be extraordinary.
I recommend starting with shorter sessions in order to become accustomed to sitting still and quiet for a period of time. Set an alarm clock with a softer tone alarm (a loud buzz will startle you). Sit erect on a pillow or cusion, cross your legs and close your eyes. Rest your hands in your lap.
Breathe gently and naturally. Focus on the sensation of your breath entering and leaving through your nostrils. Let your thoughts settle down and fade out so that your mind is as still as possible.
Just 10 to 15 minutes of mindfulness meditation per day has been found to lower blood pressure, according to an article in Consumer Reports on Health. Mindfulness meditation is one of many types of meditation. To learn more, explore books on the subject as well as recordings or classes, which are available in many communities or online.
Playing the piano. In a study which included researchers from Applied Biosystems, playing the piano keyboard was shown to reduce stress in individuals. A group of non-musicians was directed to play the piano keyboard in a simple way after doing a stressful task. Blood tests from this group showed 19 lower-stress indicators, compared to 6 indicators in another group, which relaxed by reading their choice of newspapers or magazines after the stressful task.
Another study, published in the Journal of Music Therapy, suggested that playing a musical instrument regularly is effective in preventing cardiac and cerebral diseases.
A passionate pianist since childhood, I naturally play piano for refuge, to reassure me when I am upset and calm me when I am stressed. I think of playing piano as "musical meditation." I always memorize a few favorite songs so I have them at my fingertips when I need them and can play them with ease.
References
1. Healthy Years, "Reduce stress to fight disease and slow aging: chronic stress really does wear down your immune system--but simple strategies can
help you manage it," High Beam Research
2. Harvard Health Letter, "Research Points to Even More Health Benefits of Walking," High Beam Research
3. Rocky Mountain News, "BRISK WALKS, BIG BENEFITS FINNISH STUDY FINDS RISK OF PREMATURE DEATH CUT BY 43% FOR PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW REGULAR REGIMEN.
(News/National/International)," High Beam Research
4. PRWeb Newswire, "Deepak Chopra Brings the Many Healing Benefits of Meditation to Stone Mountain, Georgia," High Beam Research
5. PR Newswire, "Consumer Reports Health News," HighBeam Research
6. PR Newswire, "Playing a Musical Instrument Reverses Stress on the Genomic Level," High Beam Research
7. Takiko Takahashi and Hiroko Matsushita, "Long-Term Effects of Music Therapy on Elderly with Moderate/Severe Dementia," High Beam Research
