Mindfulness Can Lower Blood Pressure

Lots of people have high blood pressure, and more than half of those who hav it fail to get it under control. Now comes research from Brown University suggesting that mindfulness may help. A Brown University news release reports that researchers at the school put 43 participants through a nine-week Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure reduction program. One year later, a followup exam showed significant improvements in self-regulation skills and significantly reduced blood pressure readings. Even those who failed to follow the American Heart Association’s guidelines for salt and alcohol intake and physical activity improved. The biggest gains were seen in people whose former blood pressure was higher than 140 mmHg. They saw a mean drop of more than 15 mmHg.