CHAPTER TWELVE - IT'S NEVER TOO LATE® Be Fabulously Fit as you age - by René Burton

aging and meditation - FOR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

Simply put, meditation is sitting still and quieting your mind. It is the act of being totally present with "what is" without making mental commentary.

When you meditate, you are in your most natural state of being. In other words, your mind is quiet and you are "just being".

If stress has you anxious, tense and worried, consider trying meditation. Spending even a few minutes in meditation can restore calm and inner peace.

Anyone can practice meditation. It's simple and inexpensive and it doesn't require any special equipment. You can practice meditation whether you are out for a walk, riding the bus or waiting for an appointment.

Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that benefits both your emotional well-being and your overall health.

Studies show that meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day and even improve certain medical conditions.

The Emotional Benefits of Meditation include:

 Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations.
 Increased self-awareness.
 Focusing on the present.
 Reducing negative emotions.

Many healthy people use meditation as a way to relax the body and reduce stress. But research shows that meditation might also be helpful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may be worsened by stress.

Research, by the Mayo Clinic, suggests that meditation may help such conditions as:

Allergies
Anxiety disorders
Asthma
Cancer
Depression
Fatigue
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Pain
Sleep disorders

Be sure to talk to your health-care provider about using meditation if you have any of these or other medical conditions. Meditation is not a replacement for traditional medical treatment, but it can be useful in addition to your other treatments.

There are different types of meditation. Ways to meditate can include:

Guided meditation - You may be led through this process by a guide or a teacher. You will try to use as many senses as possible such as smells, sights, sounds and textures.

Mantra meditation - In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming word, thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts.

Mindfulness meditation - You focus on what you experience during meditation such as the flow of your breath.

Qi gong - This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical movement and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. Qi gong (chee-kung) is an art of traditional Chinese medicine.

Tai chi - This is a form of gentle Chinese martial arts. In tai chi (Tie-chee), you perform a self-paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful manner while practicing deep breathing.

Yoga - You perform a series of postures with controlled breathing exercises to promote a more flexible body and a calm mood. You are encouraged to focus less on your busy day and more on the moment.

Let's face it. We are living in very stressful times, as we seek to accomplish so many different tasks every day. If this stress to our body continues over an extended period of time, the result can be devastating for both your mind and your body.

Studies show that prolonged stress can weaken the immune system and lead to many health problems, like high blood pressure, one of the biggest killers on the planet. In fact, according to the website meditationaltherapy.com, stress-related illnesses account for more than 60% of all doctor visits in this country.

FOLLOW THESE EASY STEPS TO BEGIN MEDITATION IN MY BOOK...

STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES
TAKE A BREAK

MEDITATE!!