Major religious traditions have known for millennia that meditation can improve health. While some medical practitioners are still skeptical about its usefulness this is largely because they are not aware of the amount of evidence there is in the medical literature. Meditation not only changes the electrical activity of the brain but impacts on both the hormonal cascades and the immune system.

When I first started as a researcher I was told in no uncertain terms that there was no evidence that stress contributed to ill health. Now it is known that stress suppresses the immune system through multiple processes including encouraging the white blood cells to die off. They call this stress induced “apoptosis of lymphocytes and development of immune supression by means of glucocorticoid pathways”. Please bear with me and put up with some big words. I have found that most doctors and many ordinary people won’t believe it is effective without these convoluted expressions.

Researchers have also been able to show how meditation can increase the relaxation response and undo many negative effects of stress. It always makes me smile when a statement such as this is blithely disregarded by my medical colleagues. However, if I quote from a paper and say how stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, or that “cortisol is also a powerful immunosuppressant and this may undermine the capacity of NK (natural killer) and cytotoxic T-cells to eradicate tumor cells” then I can have a more productive conversation with them.

In addition to these biological effects meditation has been shown in research to reduce negative moods of depression, anxiety, anger, irritability and confusion in patients with cancer.

Most people feel much better after becoming regular meditators. They come to a greater sense of peace about their situation and their lives, have a greater sense of trust in the world, and improved coping capabilities. And each of these emotions not only make you feel better, but they have a positive flow on effect to your hormones and immune system.

One of the issues surrounding self care in cancer is the hope and expectation that some special pill, potion or magic herb, or in this case, meditation might be the cancer equivalent of antibiotic use in tonsillitis. Unfortunately there are no promises for recovery from cancer – not even from medicine and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy contributes an average to only just over 2% to the 5-year survival rate. This means that many survivors are recovering as a result of their own innate immunity.

Therefore anything that might increase one’s innate immunity and anything that can upregulate the cancer fighting cells should be considered. The wonderful aspect of natural cancer treatment is that there are no bad negative side effects.

Meditation is just one of these upregulators of the immune system. Meditation need not cost any money. It can be undertaken in a great many environments without additional resources and in my opinion it should be in the front line of any self care. Look out for other upregulators of the immune system, such as good social support, enough Vitamin D3, bright colored fruits and vegetables and exercise. With cancer, and indeed with any chronic or terminal illness you need every possible assistance to improve your chances of improved short and long term outcomes.

Major religious traditions have known for millennia that meditation can improve health. While some medical practitioners are still skeptical about its usefulness this is largely because they are not aware of the amount of evidence there is in the medical literature. Meditation not only changes the electrical activity of the brain but impacts on both the hormonal cascades and the immune system.

When I first started as a researcher I was told in no uncertain terms that there was no evidence that stress contributed to ill health. Now it is known that stress suppresses the immune system through multiple processes including encouraging the white blood cells to die off. They call this stress induced “apoptosis of lymphocytes and development of immune supression by means of glucocorticoid pathways”. Please bear with me and put up with some big words. I have found that most doctors and many ordinary people won’t believe it is effective without these convoluted expressions.

Researchers have also been able to show how meditation can increase the relaxation response and undo many negative effects of stress. It always makes me smile when a statement such as this is blithely disregarded by my medical colleagues. However, if I quote from a paper and say how stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, or that “cortisol is also a powerful immunosuppressant and this may undermine the capacity of NK (natural killer) and cytotoxic T-cells to eradicate tumor cells” then I can have a more productive conversation with them.

In addition to these biological effects meditation has been shown in research to reduce negative moods of depression, anxiety, anger, irritability and confusion in patients with cancer.

Most people feel much better after becoming regular meditators. They come to a greater sense of peace about their situation and their lives, have a greater sense of trust in the world, and improved coping capabilities. And each of these emotions not only make you feel better, but they have a positive flow on effect to your hormones and immune system.

One of the issues surrounding self care in cancer is the hope and expectation that some special pill, potion or magic herb, or in this case, meditation might be the cancer equivalent of antibiotic use in tonsillitis. Unfortunately there are no promises for recovery from cancer – not even from medicine and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy contributes an average to only just over 2% to the 5-year survival rate. This means that many survivors are recovering as a result of their own innate immunity.

Therefore anything that might increase one’s innate immunity and anything that can upregulate the cancer fighting cells should be considered. The wonderful aspect of natural cancer treatment is that there are no bad negative side effects.

Meditation is just one of these upregulators of the immune system. Meditation need not cost any money. It can be undertaken in a great many environments without additional resources and in my opinion it should be in the front line of any self care. Look out for other upregulators of the immune system, such as good social support, enough Vitamin D3, bright colored fruits and vegetables and exercise. With cancer, and indeed with any chronic or terminal illness you need every possible assistance to improve your chances of improved short and long term outcomes.

Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com

Dr Harriet Denz-Penhey is an internationally recognized health researcher who has done groundbreaking research into patient self care in serious illness. The web site www.cancerremedies.org discusses aspects of natural cancer treatment and remedies for good general health.

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Technorati Tags: Blood Cells, Brain, Cancer Treatment, Electrical Activity, Ill Health, Immune System, Lymphocytes, Medical Literature, Medical Practitioners, Meditation, Millennia, Pathways, Religious Traditions, Researcher, Stress, Supression, Uncertain Terms

How does meditation affect your brainwave activity? What exactly are brainwaves? Well, from the moment you’re born till the day you die there’s constant activity in your brain. Countless chemical reactions as the brain co-ordinates everyday bodily function. Not only chemical but also electrical signals are flashing across your mind right now as you’re reading these words!

Electrodes measuring electrical activity have been used to study different parts of the brain and what each part does. Speech centers, pleasure, pain and so forth, each have a very specific location within the overall structure of the brain. EEG is used to measure and understand the electrical pulses or waves that collectively are known as brainwaves.

Now you might be wondering what the difference is between the different speeds of brainwave activity. Well, you can actually tell a lot about the mood and state of mind of anyone who’s hooked up an EEG by the speed of their brainwaves. You can actually see the difference between, being drowsy and in a tense, stressful situation right there on a screen. These patterns are measured Hertz (Hz) which means cycles per minute.

The actual brainwave frequencies as they’re known can be split into 4 main levels, each with it’s own particular properties. These four patterns have been thoroughly researched and documented by neuroscientists for a number of years now. The break down goes:

Beta – 14Hz to 20Hz

At this level the brainwaves are associated with normal day to day consciousness. You probably spend most of your waking hours in this state. This higher end is usually linked to stress, anxiety and fear.

Alpha level – 8Hz to 13Hz

This is often a more relaxed state, daydreaming or intense focus. This brainwave level has been linked to enhanced learning and retention. Enhanced creativity and better retention and learning are all found at the alpha level. When you are focused on an activity you’ll find yourself slipping into this level as your brainwaves slow and become more coherent.

Theta level – 4Hz to 7 Hz

During deep meditation or states of intense creativity when the hours seem to just disappear you’re probably in Theta. When you meditate and begin to lose the awareness of your body, an eerie weightless sensation, that’s when you’re in theta.

At this level most people who haven’t done a lot of specific brainwave training will slip into sleep. However, if you can stay awake and alert while your mind is just ticking over, you can get in touch with your innermost self and experience the bliss of meditation.

Delta level – 0.5Hz to 3Hz

This where we are in deep sleep and sometimes extremely deep states of meditation will slow our brainwaves to this level. This is a level that few people reach when they are awake.

Techniques that bring the brain to this level through external influences have been found to help with sleep problems. This works by entraining the brain to get used to operating at this level so that it’s easier to reach that same level again during sleep.

So that’s basically the different brainwave levels, and the exciting thing is that you can reach these lower levels using meditation. By meditating you not only slow your brainwaves but you actually increase the coherence of them, meaning that they are more in sync so more effective and focused. This means that you can access the more focused and creative parts of your mind more easily.

How does meditation affect your brainwave activity? What exactly are brainwaves? Well, from the moment you’re born till the day you die there’s constant activity in your brain. Countless chemical reactions as the brain co-ordinates everyday bodily function. Not only chemical but also electrical signals are flashing across your mind right now as you’re reading these words!

Electrodes measuring electrical activity have been used to study different parts of the brain and what each part does. Speech centers, pleasure, pain and so forth, each have a very specific location within the overall structure of the brain. EEG is used to measure and understand the electrical pulses or waves that collectively are known as brainwaves.

Now you might be wondering what the difference is between the different speeds of brainwave activity. Well, you can actually tell a lot about the mood and state of mind of anyone who’s hooked up an EEG by the speed of their brainwaves. You can actually see the difference between, being drowsy and in a tense, stressful situation right there on a screen. These patterns are measured Hertz (Hz) which means cycles per minute.

The actual brainwave frequencies as they’re known can be split into 4 main levels, each with it’s own particular properties. These four patterns have been thoroughly researched and documented by neuroscientists for a number of years now. The break down goes:

Beta – 14Hz to 20Hz

At this level the brainwaves are associated with normal day to day consciousness. You probably spend most of your waking hours in this state. This higher end is usually linked to stress, anxiety and fear.

Alpha level – 8Hz to 13Hz

This is often a more relaxed state, daydreaming or intense focus. This brainwave level has been linked to enhanced learning and retention. Enhanced creativity and better retention and learning are all found at the alpha level. When you are focused on an activity you’ll find yourself slipping into this level as your brainwaves slow and become more coherent.

Theta level – 4Hz to 7 Hz

During deep meditation or states of intense creativity when the hours seem to just disappear you’re probably in Theta. When you meditate and begin to lose the awareness of your body, an eerie weightless sensation, that’s when you’re in theta.

At this level most people who haven’t done a lot of specific brainwave training will slip into sleep. However, if you can stay awake and alert while your mind is just ticking over, you can get in touch with your innermost self and experience the bliss of meditation.

Delta level – 0.5Hz to 3Hz

This where we are in deep sleep and sometimes extremely deep states of meditation will slow our brainwaves to this level. This is a level that few people reach when they are awake.

Techniques that bring the brain to this level through external influences have been found to help with sleep problems. This works by entraining the brain to get used to operating at this level so that it’s easier to reach that same level again during sleep.

So that’s basically the different brainwave levels, and the exciting thing is that you can reach these lower levels using meditation. By meditating you not only slow your brainwaves but you actually increase the coherence of them, meaning that they are more in sync so more effective and focused. This means that you can access the more focused and creative parts of your mind more easily.

Article Source: http://www.articlewarehouse.com

What is the easiest meditation to lower your brainwave activity? I have been using binaural audio programs for a long time now and have experience huge benefits from them. Why not try for yourself? Click here www.howtomeditate.biz

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Technorati Tags: Brain, Brainwaves, Chemical Reactions, Control, Eeg, Electrical Activity, Electrical Pulses, Electrical Signals, Electrodes, Meditation, Pleasure Pain, Waves