Meditation is good for the body, mind and heart. A study presented at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association showed that people with coronary heart disease who practiced transcendental meditation—a mind-focusing technique that’s known to reduce stress—were nearly 50 percent less likely to experience cardiac-related conditions as those who didn’t meditate. Over nine years, researchers followed 201 African-American men and women, all of whom had a condition involving the narrowing of arteries in their hearts. They were assigned to either practice transcendental meditation or take classes on diet, exercise and risk factors for heart disease. The study found that those who practiced transcendental meditation had reduced blood pressure and reduced rates of death, heart attacks and strokes. Transcendental meditation is a simple technique anyone can learn to start on the path toward less stress, a clearer mind and a healthier heart.