Q: I know relaxation is important for good heart health, but what are the alternatives to medication? (T’ai Chi, etc.) Are there studies?

A: Relaxation is outstanding for overall heart health. The concept and mechanism for how relaxation protects our heart is simple: When we relax by practicing yoga, T’ai Chi or meditation, for example, we elicit the relaxation response, which is opposite to the stress (fight or flight) response.

Once a state of deep relaxation is achieved, for example by deep breathing, our heart rate and blood pressure fall, which is largely due to stimulation of the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system. Many studies have shown the beneficial physiologic effects of relaxation therapy. In a recent study published in the American Journal of Hypertension, researchers showed that patients taught transcendental meditation had significant decreases in blood pressure.

In addition, a meta-analysis of 27 studies in which patients with known heart disease were taught relaxation therapy found that this form of treatment decreases resting heart rate, arrhythmias, angina, cardiac events and cardiac death. And, not only did relaxation therapy have immediate positive results, a study examining the effect of relaxation therapy (focusing on relaxing imagery and initiating voluntary changes in posture, muscle tension and breathing techniques) on patients who sustained a heart attack had beneficial effects that were long lasting.

Dr. John Kennedy is an invasive cardiologist who practices in Southern CaliforniaMarina Del Rey Hospital in Marina Del Rey, Calif. He is and works primarily as the Director of Preventative Cardiology and Wellness at the co-author of the book "Breathe: Heal Your Heart in Just 15 Minutes a Day," which will be released by John Wiley & Sons in  February 2009. Learn more  at www.johnmkennedymd.com. Send your questions to John@smartnow.com.