Meditation may Help Immune System
Meditation done at an intense level may bring a significant boost to the inner workings of your immune system.
The study follows a blood sample analysis that took pre- and post mediation snapshots of genetic activity among more than 100 men and women. The analysis suggested that meditation boosted the activity of hundreds of genes known to be directly involved in regulating immune response.
The study involved 106 men and women, with the average age being 40.
Multiple blood samples were drawn from all participants at several times: five to eight weeks prior to a meditation retreat, just before the retreat began, and three months after the retreat was completed. The result: three months after the retreat’s conclusion, the study found an uptick in activity involving 220 immune related genes, including 68 genes engaged in interferon signaling. The study’s authors pointed out that such signaling can be key to mounting an effective defense against various health conditions, including cancer and multiple sclerosis, given that interferon proteins effectively act as immune system triggers.
The researchers stressed that their study involved 10 hour daily marathon meditation sessions conducted for eight straight days in total silence. It would be difficult to replicate that in the real world. The findings however do suggest that meditation could have an important role in treating various diseases which are associated with a weakened immune system.
The results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Meditation and Your Health
Stress is your body’s natural alarm system. It releases a hormone called adrenaline that makes your breathing speed up and your heart and blood pressure rise. This can take a toll on your body when it goes on too long or is a regular occurrence. Mindfulness meditation provides a method of handling stress in a healthier way. Meditation could help:
Control the body’s response to pain
Increase the ability to process information
Slow the cognitive effects of aging
Support the immune system
While meditation can help you manage stress, sleep well and feel better, it shouldn’t replace lifestyle changes like eating healthier, managing your weight and getting regular physical activity.
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