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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedentedly challenging times, with layoffs, an ailing economy, and shutdowns all fueling the negative culture of social isolation. People live in fear of socializing and congregating as they constantly worry about contracting the virus or, even worse, spreading it to their loved ones, says prominent cardiologist, author, and speaker Dr. John M. Kennedy. “To further complicate matters, the pandemic has created an entirely new set of stressors in the form of home-schooling and distance learning, making things even harder for parents and students alike. The enormous mental and psychological burden of these challenges is likely to have long-term effects. As more people work from home, deal with the pressures of home-schooling, and struggle to juggle family, social, and professional obligations, taking daily breaks has become crucially important for achieving and maintaining optimal health,” according to Dr. John M. Kennedy.As the board-certified cardiologist and stress expert points out, studies have revealed that taking short work breaks can help improve performance, productivity, and even enhance overall health. While some companies promote exercise, yoga, or meditation sessions, it must be noted that not all work breaks are created equal. “To better cope with this ‘new normal’ and reduce rising household stress, it is essential to develop an effective daily relaxation routine. Although mindful-based stress reduction tools have shown promise and help optimize health and wellness, simple, accessible, and effective tools are few and far between, which inspired me to create the BREATHE technique,” Dr. John M. Kennedy comments.
His research focuses on the negative impact of stress on the heart and the common trigger that is work stress, emphasizing how learning effective coping strategies can attenuate the harmful effects and help people achieve optimal heart health. “Stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol can directly damage the heart and change behavior, so individuals exercise less, eat poorly, self-medicate, or resort to smoking and drinking, all of which take a heavy cardiovascular toll,” Dr. John M. Kennedy explains. BREATHE – his bullet-proof mindful-based stress relief program – is a seven-step progressive relaxation technique that incorporates conscious controlled breathing, two special forms of visualization, beautiful scenes of nature, and positive self-talk. When combined and presented in this unique sequence, the elements help users focus, concentrate, relax, and experience a fall in heart rate and blood pressure. These powerful physiologic changes are opposite to the body’s stress response and occur by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.
Given the multiple new challenges that many people face due to the pandemic, Dr. John M. Kennedy recommends taking daily breaks and following the seven steps of BREATHE, which his research has shown to benefit even the most stressed individuals. With the BREATHE for Work version, he has created a tool that reduces stress and promotes a heart-healthy lifestyle regardless of profession and location (office or remote). The program features specially crafted stress-relieving exercises designed to help groups and individuals foster teamwork, innovation, communication, leadership, and goal setting. It also includes BREATHE in Your Favorite Place, which features beautiful scenes of nature that have been shown to produce powerful positive and healing physiologic effects.
Dr. John M. Kennedy further notes that heart disease starts early and has a long asymptomatic lag-time: studies indicate that 90% of 12-year-old children in the United States have the beginnings of atherosclerosis, the disease which causes heart attacks. “The BREATHE for Work program uses the “One for One” business model where every time a company purchases it, a BREATHE for School program is donated to local educational establishments to help kids bolster their mental and cardiovascular health. The exercises in BREATHE for School are designed to teach children to handle the pressure and anxiety often associated with test-taking, public speaking, studying, time management, and sports,” the expert adds.
Dr. John M. Kennedy, the author of The Heart Health Bible and The 15 Minute Heart Cure, has amassed 25 years of experience in preventative and interventional cardiology, combining his clinical work with extensive research on stress and its effects on cardiovascular health. He currently serves as medical director of preventive cardiology and wellness at Marina Del Rey Hospital in California, with professional affiliations including Kindred Health Care South Bay (Gardena, CA), Providence Little Company of Mary (Torrance, CA), and Memorial Hospital of Gardena (Gardena, CA).
John Kennedy, MD – Renowned Cardiologist, Author & Speaker: http://johnkennedymdnews.com
Breathe With Dr. Kennedy: https://breathewithdrkennedy.com
Dr. John M. Kennedy Comments on the Positive Role of BREATHE in Promoting Workplace Wellbeing: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dr-john-m-kennedy-comments-183000727.html
Dr. John M. Kennedy Reviews the Beneficial Impact of BREATHE on Setting and Achieving Business Goals: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/dr-john-m-kennedy-reviews-035500879.html
Contact Info:
Name: JMK
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Organization: Dr. John M. Kennedy
Website: http://www.drjkennedy.com
Release ID: 88993691
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