THE 15-MINUTE HEART CURE

John M. Kennedy, M.D., is the medical director of preventative cardiology and wellness at Marina del Rey Hospital, and author of the new book, The 15 Minute Heart Cure: The Natural Way to Release Stress and Heal Your Heart in Just Minutes a Day.  He has also incorporated the BREATHE™ technique into a company wellness program, BREATHE™ For Company Wellness, which will enable companies to provide a healthy and safe alternative for employee stress release; the program features a private social media component. Dr. Kennedy is our newest guest blogger here at StopStressingNow.Com and we couldn’t be any more excited to have him on board. I’ve read his amazing book and asked him right away to contribute his life saving knowledge with all of you for 2010.

It’s with great pleasure I introduce to you…

Dr. John M. Kennedy

Over the past fifteen years, I’ve personally witnessed how emotional stress directly impacts the hearts of my patients, both directly and indirectly.  The direct negative affects are caused by the stress hormones that over time cause damage to the delicate cardiac tissue, and the indirect affects lead to developing maladaptive behaviors such as physical inactivity, smoking, and overeating—all leading to cardiovascular disease.

The reality is, we all experience rising pressures to perform under increasingly more demanding schedules.  So I set out to find a solution, and developed the BREATHE™ technique, a seven-step exercise that helps reduce stress and heal your heart.  BREATHE™ combines two proven forms of relaxation—guided imagery and breath work—and puts a modern spin on ancient wisdom.  Both of these techniques elicit the “relaxation response” which is opposite the “stress response”.  When practiced regularly, like toning your muscles in the gym, you’ll develop a special neural network that will help you focus and find a sense of calm when faced with one of life’s unexpected stressful challenges.

• B is for Begin: In order to develop a rhythm and routine, find the right time of day and a comfortable, quiet place to practice the meditation.

• R is for Relax: Though it may seem counterintuitive, relaxation requires focused and conscious breathing.  Try to clear all thoughts and concentrate only on your breath.

• E is for Envision: Special imagery exercises and specific healing metaphors will help lower heart rate, blood pressure, and strengthen the immune system.

• A is for Apply: By practicing each heart-healing metaphor regularly, they will be filed away in your memory bank, and become retrievable and accessible for high-stress situations.

• T is for Treat:  The BREATHE™ technique is a pleasurable and therapeutic exercise.  Practicing regularly, like exercising, will foster feelings of elation and happiness.

• H is for Heal: The goal of this technique is to unite neural networks that connect your heart and brain, decreasing blood pressure, enhancing immune response, and lowering pulse rate.

• E is for End: Every effective exercise has a formal beginning and ending.

This simple, cost-effective technique has withstood the test of time and modern research shows many positive health benefits of its use. Guided imagery and breath work have been used successfully for reducing anxiety, improving coping skills, lowering blood pressure, and for decreasing post-operative pain. They have also been shown to have potent immune bolstering effects. Studies have shown that patients using similar techniques have increased levels of natural killer cells which are potent immune cells that help ward off infection. Relaxation therapies such as BREATHE™ have also been shown to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol which in large amounts (like those seen with chronic stress) can weaken our body’s ability to fight infection and slow tissue repair.

Whether you have had a heart attack, have been diagnosed with a heart condition, or simply want to keep your heart in great shape, BREATHE™ will help you make every day less stressful and more healthy.

Dr. Kennedy will be appearing on my radio show on Feb 28th. Don’t miss it!

For more information on Dr. John M. Kennedy, please visit his website:  www.johnmkennedymd.com