The Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention was established to scientifically investigate through multidisciplinary, collaborative research and demonstration programs, the most ancient and comprehensive system of prevention-oriented natural health care, Maharishi Vedic Medicine, for the prevention and treatment of the major chronic diseases of our time, with emphasis on cardiovascular health, aging and quality of life in underserved high risk populations.

Our latest research findings have demonstrated:

1. the feasibility and efficacy of the Transcendental Meditation® program in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors especially hypertension
   
   
2. improvement in well-being and quality of life
   
   
3. prevention of aging and promotion of longevity
   
   
4. reduced medical care utilization and expenditures

These studies have included related findings on behavioral and physiological mechanisms for the clinical outcomes investigated in our trials.

Many of these published studies have received wide-scale media coverage in hundreds of newspaper, magazine articles, and television and radio shows.

Ongoing collaborative research studies include the effects of the TM Program:

1. in the primary prevention of hypertension in African Americans with high-normal blood pressure
   
   
2. in the regression of atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease) in at-risk African Americans
   
   
3. on pathophysiological mechanisms of coronary heart disease
   
   
4. on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates in African Americans and medical care costs
   
   
5. in improving survival rates and quality of life in older women with breast cancer

In addition to the above ongoing clinical trials, the National Institutes of Health / National Center for Complementary and Alternative medicine awarded Maharishi University of Management an $8 million grant to establish a Center of excellence for studying Natural Medicine in relation to cardiovascular disease in minority populations.

The major research projects of this Center grant include the effects of:

1. the TM program on underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of coronary heart disease in urban African Americans
   
   
2. traditional herbal antioxidants from Maharishi Vedic Medicine compared to antioxidant vitamin supplements (C and E) and placebo on reduction of coronary artery disease in at-risk urban African Americans
   
   
3. the TM program on regression of atherosclerosis and improvement in quality of life in at-risk urban African American women

The Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention is the research division of the College of Maharishi Vedic Medicine.