Best Selling Books by Herbert Benson

When Dr. Herbert Benson introduced this simple, effective, mind/body approach to relieving stress twenty-five years ag, his book became an instant national bestseller. Since that time, millions of people have learned the secret--without high-priced lectures or prescription medicines. The Relaxation Response has become the classic reference recommended by most health care professionals and authorities to treat the harmful effects of stress. Discovered by Dr. Benson and his colleagues in the laboratories of Harvard Medical School and its teaching hospitals, this revitalizing, therapeutic approach is now routinely recommended to treat patients suffering from heart conditions, high blood pressure, chronic pain, insomnia, and many other physical ailments. It requires only minutes to learn, and just ten to twenty minutes of practice twice a day.

Recent scientific breakthroughs—demonstrating that mind body strategies can actually “switch off” or “switch on” gene activity associated with health and disease—have triggered a mind body revolution in the medical world. In the 1970s, Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School ushered in a new era of understanding in the field of mind body medicine. Coining the term “relaxation response,” Dr. Benson identified the body’s physiologic reaction that is the exact opposite of the stress (fight-or-flight) response. In the four decades since that initial discovery, Benson and his colleagues have established the first effective therapy to counteract the harmful effects of stress. They have explored how the relaxation response, the power of expectation and belief, and other mind body phenomena can produce healing in your own body. A new era has dawned. Genetic research now shows conclusively that the mind can influence the body down to the genetic level. Your mind has the ability to change the way your body and your genes function. We now have scientific proof that the mind can heal the body. In Relaxation Revolution, Dr. Herbert Benson and William Proctor present the latest scientific endings, revealing that we have the ability to self-heal diseases, prevent life-threatening conditions, and supplement established drug and surgical procedures with mind body techniques. In a special “treatment” section, Benson and Proctor describe how these mind body techniques can be applied—and are being applied—to treat a wide variety of conditions, including: • High blood pressure • Anxiety and depression • Infertility • Insomnia • Menopausal hot flashes • Many pains, including backaches and headaches • Phobias • And much more Relaxation Revolution details Dr. Benson’s recent work with colleagues in the field of genetics, which links mind body treatments to the healing of a steadily expanding number of medical conditions. Mind and body have become part of a scientific and medical whole; together they represent a complete approach to healing and maximal well-being. In clear, straightforward language, Benson and Proctor cite the experiences of real people to show how mind body techniques have the potential not only to enhance healing but also to reduce health costs to individuals and to society as a whole. Relaxation Revolution shines a light on the future of medicine.

Learn how the mind shapes the body, and take charge of your health and wellness with the science and power of belief. In this life-changing book, Dr. Herbert Benson draws on his twenty-five years as a physician and researcher to reveal how affirming beliefs, particularly belief in a higher power, make an important contribution to our physical health. We are not simply nourished by meditation and prayer, but are, in essence, "wired for God." Combining the wisdom of modem medicine and of age-old faith. Dr. Benson shows how anyone can, with the aid of a caring physician or healer, use their beliefs and other self-care methods to heal over 60 percent of medical problems. As practical as it is spiritual, Timeless Healing is a blueprint for healing and transforming your life.

A practical stress-reduction program that uses meditation and spirituality to help you relieve headaches, lower blood pressure, fight insomnia, and decrease anxiety. "Workable and tested solutions for liberating the mind and body from tension, despair, and panic that predispose the human organism to disease." —Norman Cousins, author of Anatomy of an Illness In just minutes a day, you can easily master the techniques that have helped millions conquer or alleviate stress. Employing neither drugs nor doctors, Dr. Herbert Benson’s program is considered by many to be the most beneficial step forward in personal health and well-being in our time. Using what Dr. Benson calls the Faith Factor—a combination of meditation and religious or philosophical convictions—you can: • Reduce overall stress • Relieve headaches, backaches, and chest pains • Lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels • Fight insomnia • Decrease anxiety • Achieve greater inner peace and emotional balance

Would it surprise you to learn that to solve a seemingly unsolvable problem, you need to get up and leave the room? A walk in the woods will help you finish your novel? Humming can make you a better tennis player? Or completely giving up is the way to succeed? In The Breakout Principle, the bestselling author of The Relaxation Response delivers the ultimate self-help principle -- simple instructions to activate a powerful biological trigger that converts conflict and confusion into clarity and extraordinary performance, a state athletes refer to as "the zone." More than three decades ago, Dr. Herbert Benson of the Harvard Medical School began research into why some people are devastated by stress while others thrive, turning it into brilliant achievement. Now The Breakout Principle reports the discovery of an easy-to-access inner switch that increases mental function, enhances creativity and productivity, maximizes athletic performance, and enriches spiritual life. The same internal mechanism that improves a tennis serve or golf putt strengthens your speaking skills, makes you a better negotiator, and fosters inner peace and belief. Dr. Benson and coauthor William Proctor explain the cutting-edge science behind the phenomenon in accessible language, clearly describe the four distinct phases of the Breakout, and provide simple, step-by-step instructions on how to activate the Breakout "trigger." Compelling case histories and information on how to incorporate Breakouts into daily life are woven throughout the book. Dr. Benson''s previous discoveries have helped millions reduce the harmful effects of stress. The Breakout Principle now reveals how to maximize your untapped abilities and powers.

A groundbreaking mind/body program for perimenopause and menopause uses relaxation response techniques, nutrition, and exercise to manage menopause symptoms.

This book''s groundbreaking Cardiac Wellness Program uses relaxation response techniques, nutrition, and exercise to reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, and other risk factors for heart disease.

From the author of a No. 1 bestseller (The Relaxation Response), come new relaxation techniques customized for self help--physical, emotional, spiritual, and on-the-job.

From the author of #1 bestseller The Relaxation Response comes a practical guide to how behavioral medicine can counteract the harmful effects of stress and help you regain control of your health. “In The Mind/Body Effect, Herbert Benson, MD, redefines medical care as a process in which the mind and body are tended as components of a single vital organism, and calls upon individual patients to share with physicians the responsibility for their own medical well-being. Writing with brilliant clarity, he exposes hypes and commercialism within a society obsessed with health and terrified of pain. The Mind/Body Effect may be the most important medical book for laymen since Dr. Benson’s The Relaxation Response.”—Noah Gordon, publisher, Journal of Human Stress “In their avid pursuit of better health, millions of Americans are making themselves less healthy. Ironically, their doctors often make things worse instead of better. In this fascinating book, Dr. Benson tells us—patients and doctors alike —how to break the vicious cycle.”—David W. Ewing, executive editor, Harvard Business Review “The next great advance in the health of the American people will come not from hospitals or laboratories but from what they learn to do for themselves. The Mind/Body Effect represents a major step in that direction.”—C. Norman Shealy, MD, PhD, codirector, The Pain and Health Rehabilitation Center

What is the subtle relationship between mind and body? What can today''s scientists learn about this relationship from masters of Buddhist thought? Is it possible that by combining Western and Eastern approaches, we can reach a new understanding of the nature of the mind, the human potential for growth, the possibilities for mental and physical health? MindScience explores these and other questions as it documents the beginning of a historic dialogue between modern science and Buddhism. The Harvard Mind Science Symposium brought together the Dalai Lama and authorities from the fields of psychiatry, psychology, neuroscience, and education. Here, they examine myriad questions concerning the nature of the mind and its relationship to the body.

A comprehensive guide to maintaining health and treating stress-related illness. Boston-based Benson and Stuart offer proven techniques developed by the Mind/Body Institute for exercise, diet, and stress management to help readers cope with many common conditions. Includes how-to illustrations and case histories.

An innovative approach to lowering blood pressure that builds on the national bestseller The Relaxation Response For the 100 million people worldwide dealing with high blood pressure, bestselling author Dr. Herbert Benson and cardiac wellness expert Aggie Casey have created a proven plan for lowering blood pressure. Based on the groundbreaking work done at the Mind/Body Medical Institute, the authors'' program goes beyond advice about nutrition and exercise to incorporate a proven stress-management program--including the relaxation response.