Meditation Increases Healthy Intestinal Bacteria and Reduces Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Study

Meditation is a spiritual practice that has existed for thousands of year in the East. Meditation has slowly become a popular part of Western society and has received widespread attention in modern medicine for almost half a century. Meditation has many benefits for the body, which are being confirmed by more and more research.

Recent research has shown that meditation can be used long-term to increase the amount of healthy bacteria in the intestine. This can reduce anxiety and depression as well as the chance of developing heart disease.

A study The findings were published in General Psychiatry, Jan. 16, 2023. They found that meditation long-term can improve the intestinal bioflora balance and have a positive effect on physical and psychological health. Researchers analyzed stool samples and blood samples taken from 37 Buddhist monks in three Tibetan monasteries and 19 residents living nearby with similar eating habits and ages. The study included monks who meditated for at most two hours daily for three to 30 years.

Two healthy bacterial types, Megamonas (a good bacteria) and Faecalibacterium (a good bacteria), were found in stool samples from monks. According to researchers, the bacteria affected the body’s metabolism and inflammation. They also helped alleviate mental illness and improve immune function. The blood samples of the monks showed significantly lower cholesterol levels than those from the control group. This suggests that they are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

Meditation can reduce anxiety and alleviate pain

Numerous medical studies have shown that meditation can improve one’s mental and physical health. NTDTV interview with Dr. Leah Weiss at Stanford Business School said that meditation can help you focus better, increase work efficiency, regulate your emotions and make you feel calmer.

She also cites research showing Meditation is an effective treatment for chronic pain that does NOT respond to medication. By meditating, one learns how not to resist pain—but to reduce stress instead. This relaxation makes the body suffer significantly less, which is a testament to traditional wisdom that has been around since thousands of years.

Jon Kabat Zinn, an American scholar and meditation expert, developed the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program in 1979. This program uses meditation to combat stress, chronic pain, and other illnesses. After 10 weeks of meditation training, 90 patients suffering from chronic pain experienced a decrease in their use of pain medication, greater mobility, and a higher level of self-confidence. The 15-month follow up revealed that most patients who had participated in the program still practice meditation and felt the long-term effects of pain relief.

Meditation is a good practice for every day life

Dr. Yang Jingduan is a psychiatrist and neurologist who founded the Yang Institute of Integrative Medicine in America. He stated that the modern lifestyle causes people to be in chronic stress and tension for long periods, which can lead to the body’s deterioration. “sympathetic nervous system” Being in an overactive state is a constant condition. This can lead to toxin buildup, lower immunity, poor circulation, endocrine disorders, and many other problems. Meditation can improve the quality of your meditation. “parasympathetic nervous system” They can also help in the repair and renewal of the body.

He pointed out that meditation is a result of spiritual practices and Oriental religions. This can help people to focus on the present moment and become calm, peaceful, and without distractions. He said that meditation can be used in everyday life. “When you can do one single thing attentively, you are already in a state of meditating. When you have your meal, just think of eating and nothing else. Forget all the things of yesterday, the vacation of tomorrow.” Focusing on one’s thoughts and focusing on what you can control is the best thing. “Once you think about what you can do now, and do that immediately without delay, you will feel relaxed almost immediately.”