Page 199 - Demo

197Better health for all age groups. The data from a health insurance company* showed that a group of 2,000 people practicing the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique had fewer days in the hospital and fewer doctor visits in all age categories. This indicates that the lower rates of sickness for the TM group were not because the TM group was younger. It also shows that TM is an effective tool for helping prevent diseases for people of all ages. Interestingly, the largest decreases were for the oldest group: 69% fewer days spent in the hospital and 74% fewer doctor visits. By comparison to normative data, TM-group children (0%u201318 years old) and TM-group young adults had about a 50% reduction in hospitalization and doctor visits compared to non-meditating people of their age. (Reference 1)A number of other studies have also indicated that practicing TM slows biological aging.Younger biological age. A landmark study provided evidence that TM decreases biological age. The study found that a group that had been doing TM an average of 3 years had a biological age 5 years younger than their chronological age. A group doing TM for 7 years had a biological age 12 years younger. (Reference 2)Decreased mortality. TM reduces the death rate, also called the mortality rate. One eight-year study found that the TM group had 19% fewer deaths than control groups. (Reference 3) A second study followed up older blood pressure patients a maximum of 18.8 years and found that the TM group showed a 23% decrease in deaths by all causes. (Reference 4)BETTER HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFESPAN1500100050000 to 18 19 to 39 40+Age CategoryHospital Days/1000Reduced Medical Utilization in All Age Categories0501001502002500 to 18 19 to 39 40+Age CategoryOutpatient Visits/1000-50% -69%-55%-74%Norm TM-50%-47%Hospital Days Doctor Visitstm-035Reference 1: Psychosomatic Medicine, 1987; 49, 493%u2013507. *Data courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa.Reference 2: International Journal of Neuroscience, 1982; 16, 53%u201358. Reference 3: Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 2005; 17(1), 201%u2013216.Reference 4: American Journal of Cardiology, 2005; 95(9), 1060%u20131064.