By: K.A. Phinney

Part 1: The Mind-Body Connection

Stress is the silent killer. We’ve all heard it before, yet for some odd reason many of us fail to actually digest what this powerful aphorism means for us in our daily lives. Volumes of research show that stress is a state of mind that contributes to a great deal of disease and illness. That sounds like terrible news, but it’s actually not. Unlike genetics and other states of health that are primarily out of our control, stress is a facet that we are completely in control of. So if you want to be healthier, happier, and decrease disease, stress, and illness in your life, then employing various forms of relaxation on a daily basis is something you can easily do for yourself. And trust me, you deserve it. Think of relaxation as a priceless gift for you and your loved ones.

To convince you to change your stressful habits and on-the-go lifestyle, I will open the body of this article with a list of ailments that effective relaxation techniques have been proven to decrease significantly or even heal entirely:

1) Insomnia
2) Depression and Anxiety
3) Heart Disease and High Blood Pressure
4) Cancer
5) Over-active Sympathetic Nervous System
6) Poor Immune System and Low Antibody Levels
7) Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia
8) Migraines and Chronic Headaches
9) Premenstrual Syndromes
10) Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Not only does relaxation work to cure and rid you of your disease and illness, it also has many health benefits:

1) Peacefulness and Overall Sense of Well-being
2) “In-the-moment” Living
3) Mindfulness and Positive Thinking
4) Cleansing for Body and Mind
5) Flexibility and Increased Energy Levels
6) Relaxed Breathing and Heart Rates
7) Natural Beta-blocker
8) Improved Blood Flow

Part 2: Things You Can Do to Relax- Coming Soon!

Part 3: What Yoga Can Do to Help You Relax- Coming Soon!

Sources:
Benefits of Relaxation: http://www.healthcentral.com/anxiety/c/1950/64389/relaxation-benefits
Kevin Trudeau’s Natural Cures They Don’t Want You to Know About
Women and Stress: http://womenshealth.suite101.com/article.cfm/women_and_meditation
Stress and Cancer: http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/cancer/2009/02/19/janice-kiecolt-glaser-on-cancer-and-stress.html
Dr. Herbert Benson’s Body of Research: http://relaxationresponse.org/