The HeartMath Solution; The Heartmath Institute's Revolutionary Program for Engaging the Power of the Heart's Intelligence - Hardcover

Doc Childre; Howard Martin; Donna Beech

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062516051 ISBN 13: 9780062516053

Publisher: HarperOne, 1999

Synopsis

What if you could easily...

• Make better decisions?

• Gain control of your emotions?

• Enhance creativity?

• Reduce high blood pressure?

• Increase personal productivity?

• Slow down aging?

You can, simply by understanding your heart's intelligence--which has more impact on our emotions, our mind, and our physical health than was ever thought possible. And what if you learned that there is something you can use--potent tools that can channel your heart's intelligence--to live a healthier life with greater potential than ever before?

Breakthrough scientific research proves that the heart is the control tower of the body's systems and overall health. Pioneers of this research--based at the prestigious Institute of HeartMath--have developed a program to harness the power of the heart with simple, proven techniques. These life-altering techniques will show you how to deepen the qualities long associated with the heart--wisdom, compassion, courage, love, strength, and joy.

Hailed by the medical community, the institute teaches its techniques to individuals and corporate clients all over the world, from Fortune 500 companies, such as Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, and Royal Dutch Shell to all four branches of the U.S. military. Here, for the first time, The HeartMath Solution presents a comprehensive view of their groundbreaking work including:

• The research that is the foundation of their program--from the institute's team of cardiologists, physicists, psychiatrists, and other experts in the medical field;

• Their easy-to-learn, scientifically proven techniques, including FREEZE-FRAME, CUT-THRU, and HEART LOCK-IN; and

• The amazing results that balance our heart rhythms and hormone levels, increase DHEA, and boost our immune systems.

About this title

Review:

The HeartMath Solution may easily be written off as a book too eccentric for widespread public consumption, and that's unfortunate. The title's a bit misleading--it's not about cardiac care and it's not about calculus, but rather how 30 years of research have shown that the heart's "intelligence" affects emotions and physical health--especially when it comes to handling stress--and specifically what you can do to balance heart rhythms, reduce stress hormones, and boost your immune system. Yes, it sounds complicated, especially when you read that cardiologists worked with physicists and psychiatrists to develop the HeartMath program. But it's worth brushing off your skepticism and exploring the concepts in the Solution, as many employees of Fortune 500 companies have already done.

The "intelligence" that the authors focus on refers to both the heart's "brain," or the 40,000 neurons found in the heart (the same number in the brain itself), and the intuitive signals the heart sends, including feelings of love, happiness, care, and appreciation. When such positive emotions are felt, they "not only change patterns of activity in the nervous system; they also reduce the production of the stress hormone cortisol." When there's less cortisol, there's more DHEA, the so-called fountain of youth hormone known to have anti-aging effects on many of the body's systems.

The HeartMath Solution outlines 10 steps for harnessing the power of the heart's intelligence, including ways to manage your emotions and keep energy levels high. One of the most important is the "Freeze-Frame" technique for calming the nervous system, improving clarity of thought and perception, and boosting productivity (which is one of the many appealing features for those Fortune 500 companies). Each step includes references to data proving its effectiveness, with handy summaries of the key points to remember at the end of each chapter. This is a book that takes a bit of scientific understanding and a lot of time to wade through, but one that could help you prevent stress from ruling your existence. --Erica Jorgensen

About the Author:

Howard Martin is an executive vice president of HeartMath LLC. He lives in Boulder Creek, California.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperOne
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0062516051
• ISBN 13: 9780062516053
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272