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to the heart of vitamins E s function: preventing the oxidation of es-
sential oils in the body. In this way, vitamin E actually slows the
aging process.
If you want to get 50 milligrams of vitamin E daily, you will need
to take a supplement that contains at least 30 milligrams, and you d
Take More Vitamin B-Complex, C, and E 165
be better off taking one that provides 40 milligrams. One advantage
of taking extra vitamin E is that your body stores it, unlike vitamin
C, which must be replaced daily. Therefore, if you took a 400-I.U.
supplement or 240 milligrams once weekly, that would maintain a
running average of about 50 milligrams daily if you eat a good diet.
Since almost all the most concentrated sources of vitamin E are very
high in calories, a vitamin E supplement will more easily fit into
your calorie limits.
The vitamin E should be made from D alphatocopherol. It can
be in the acetate or succinate form. If it is DL, don t purchase it. The
D is the effective form; having both isomers, D and L, can actually
reduce the effectiveness of vitamin E.
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24
Use Meditation and
Biofeedback
MEDITATION
Studies conducted on people before and after beginning a medita-
tion program showed some startling effects. Once their meditation
program was well established, their blood pressure dropped, their
resting pulse was lower, they slept more soundly, and their choles-
terol was lower.
How can that be? Think about everything you ve read about
stress: it elevates blood pressure, increases pulse rate, elevates choles-
terol, and steals sleep. It follows that meditation must relieve stress.
Professor Herbert Benson, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, de-
scribed meditation as the relaxation response.
There are a variety of meditation methods, but all share the same
basic characteristics. Although a teacher is preferable, you can learn
meditation on your own.
Set aside a block of time, preferably twenty to thirty minutes,
during which you can be completely alone. Early morning or late
evening may be best. Find a quiet place where nobody will interrupt
you during your allotted time. For people starting meditation, it is
best to have a room or even a large closet that is isolated. Some
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168 25 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure
people start by using the attic in their homes. You might even use
your car. Adjust your phone so that it doesn t ring; turn on the an-
swering machine. Make certain no radios or TVs are within earshot,
or shouting or other loud noises. Meditation is sometimes assisted
by white noise. This is not music but noise that becomes a back-
ground setting for your meditation that helps you relax. Meditation
tapes of background noises such as a quiet surf or rain are often sold
in shops and catalogues.
Teachers of meditation usually have students sit on the floor with
their back relaxed legs crossed, and hands on knees. Alternatively,
some people sit in a soft chair. In any position, your hands should
be relaxed and preferably resting on your legs. Teachers usually as-
sign students a mantra to recite over and over. These mantras, which
are, as a rule, more sounds than words, become the focus of your at-
tention. You may also focus on a feeling, possibly even visualize a
nice scene, such as a mountain lake. Your eyes should be closed
throughout this period of reflection.
Anyone who starts meditation learns quickly that two minutes
can seem like two hours. Rather than repeatedly opening your eyes
to check the time, set a timer that doesn t tick. An electronic, bat-
tery-operated timer can be purchased in any hardware store. Start
with a five-minute setting and go until it rings. Then increase the
time until you are meditating at least fifteen minutes. Once you
achieve fifteen minutes, you will begin to notice a change in your
ability to deal with stress.
I recommend twenty minutes of quiet time each day. After you
have meditated for about fifteen minutes and are relaxed, use the re-
maining time to reaffirm who you are and what you will become.
This self-talk should affirm that you will be optimistic and positive
and that you will not allow anger, anxiety, or fear to take over your
thoughts.
This is, of course, not all there is to meditation. If you are inter-
ested in pursuing meditation further, you can find beginning and
intermediate classes in your area.
Use Meditation and Biofeedback 169
BIOFEEDBACK
Biofeedback is a method for gaining control of bodily functions nor-
mally considered beyond conscious control, such as heartbeat or
brain waves. This is accomplished through visualization and the use
of a device, such as an oscilloscope, that tells you what your heart
rate is. You visualize your heart slowing down or speeding up and
the oscilloscope, by recording the heartbeat as waves on a screen,
gives you visual feedback that tells you whether you ve successfully
changed your heart rate. Eventually, through practice, it becomes
possible to alter heart rate without relying on the biofeedback pro-
vided by the oscilloscope. Simply taking your pulse works well too.
Yes, you can actually learn techniques to lower your blood pressure.
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