Why a daily dose of calm is the BEST medicine

MEDITATION is known to be useful for reducing stress and improving mental health — but did you realise it can also help you beat disease?

Mindfulness is a way of focusing your attention on being in the moment — aware of your thoughts and anxieties but not engaging with them. Both Clare and I practise mindful meditation, and my sister, Susie, teaches it at the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, so we’re a family of believers!

And there’s plenty of science to show it can have a big impact on your physical as well as your mental health — in particular by reducing blood sugar levels and inflammation, which lie at the root of many diseases.

That’s why I recommend trying mindfulness meditation as part of the Fast 800 programme.

So let’s take a look at how a short morning meditation could help you in your quest f or a healthier, happier 2021.

Many of us, s, now more than ever, are living inn a state of stress. .

Being physically or r emotionally stressed triggers the so-called ‘fight or flight’ ’ response, causing your ur body to release se stress hormones nes such as adrenaline naline and cortisol.

These pull glucose into the blood, h el pingi you tot stayt alert and energised — vital for survival, as our cave man ancestors found.

But the low-level stream of stress many of us encounter in modern life can mean our bodies are continuously r releasing adrenaline or cortisol — h hormones th that can cause pr problems f or blo blood sugar lev levels and peopl people with type 2 diabe diabetes. Thi s is because adrenaline d li and d cortisol make it harder for insulin, another hormone, to do its job and bring blood sugar levels down. Over time, you can develop insulin resistance, when your cells stop responding to it, so your pancreas has to produce ever larger amounts of insulin. Having constantly raised insulin levels will not only make you hungry and put you at greater risk of type 2 diabetes, but it is also linked to an increased risk of cancer.

Other symptoms of stress — such as increased heart rate — cause further damage to blood vessels and arteries, raising blood pressure and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. By taking steps to manage stress, you are lowering your risk of serious health problems.

And if you already have health problems, meditation can help.

It’s been shown, for instance, to lower blood pressure and slow heart rate.

Here are some of our favourite ways to incorporate some mindful moments into your new life.

SET aside 20 minutes in the morning for a guided meditation. (The Fast 800 online programme has a collection of meditations and mindfulness guides f or members, see thefast800.com; and you’ll find free apps online.) SIT with your eyes closed. Pay attention to the sensation of the breath through your nostrils, filling your chest, expanding your diaphragm, then gently breathing out again. If your mind wanders, gently pull your thoughts back to your breath. You may find it hard at first but persist. Try to keep it up for three to five minutes. GO FOR a walk — at least 20 minutes outdoors if possible (in the morning) to take advantage of daylight that will regulate your internal body clock, helping you sleep better at night.

Leave your phone at home so you can focus on your surroundings, what you can see, smell, hear and feel. Science has found walking can reduce anxiety and the physical symptoms associated with stress.