Mindfulness in Cardiology
While mindfulness is a practice that has been growing in popularity for years, in many ways it has not yet been fully embraced in the realms of mainstream medicine. Cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Fisher incorporates the many benefits of mindful meditation into his medical routine to treat patients with conditions ranging from small to severe. This growing trend is both exciting and timely.
Dr. Fisher importantly notes the link between what happens in our mind and bodies, a principle at the core of mindfulness. He lists a variety of conditions that occur as a side effect of stress, including heart palpitations, chest pain, high blood pressure, and other issues for which many patients seek his medical expertise. Rather than jump straight to a diagnosis or a prescription, Dr. Fisher has pursued mind-body practices to address some of these symptoms.
In 2017, the American Heart Association published a study called “Meditation and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction” exploring the idea that mind and body are inextricably linked, and improving one can benefit the other. As they note, “Given the low costs and low risks of this intervention, meditation may be considered as an adjunct to guideline‐directed cardiovascular risk reduction.” Truly, because meditation is both accessible to everyone and free to the general public, there is no reason not to consider trying this course of action as part of your routine.
If you are experiencing cardiological distress, it is important to seek medical help, but adding meditation to your life can clearly benefit mind and body immensely. Dr. Fisher sums up his article well with this quote: “In order to protect our physical hearts we need to take time to nurture our emotional heart by working on mastering our stress response and cultivating a sense of emotional well-being.”
If you are intimated by the thought of starting this journey by yourself, I am here to help. You can learn more about what mindfulness is, practice it on your own, and get in touch with me directly or join one of my mindfulness groups to get started towards self-care, discovery, and true healing both mentally and physically. I guarantee you will not regret embarking on this adventure – and, as always, contact me if you need help getting started!
Peace,
Dr. Pamm
