Meditation Reduces Risk of Death by Half

This article, written by J.D. Hayes in NaturalNews.com describes from several source test studies that groups who learned meditation showed a reduction of heart problems, anger and were able to reduce smoking and alcohol consumption vastly better than the control groups who were given classes on health and fitness. Here is part of it.

One "treatment" that has begun to generate interest is meditation and, in particular, how it can be utilized to effectively treat dire medical conditions such as heart disease. To that end, researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee have found that people with coronary disease who began practicing Transcendental Meditation were 48 percent less likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die from all causes, compared to a group of study participants who merely attended a health education class over more than five years.
In addition, researchers found that those practicing meditation were able to lower the blood pressure, in addition to reporting less overall stress and anger, The Times of India reported. The study also found that the more regularly patients meditated, the greater their rates of survival.
"Meditation is now widely accepted as a mind-body technique for maintaining holistic health and wellness. In medical and rehabilitation settings, meditation has proven to be a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for treating a variety of conditions and the psychologic effects of chronic illness and pain-effects often not addressed in conventional treatments," adds Dr. Sala Horowitz, PhD, in a paper discussing the newest research into the health benefits of meditation.
"Evidence suggesting that meditation has neuroprotective properties has implications for enhancing cognition and preventing dementia," she wrote.
To read the original click here.

I agree that meditation is a wonderful gift to humanity with endless uses. However, I have known people who simply could not learn to calm their minds, no matter what techniques they used to learn it. I wonder about these studies and whether all members of the meditation groups improved. It is hopeful that some of them at least were able to use meditation to reduce risk of death by half.