Improve the Brain’s Emotional Responses with Mindfulness

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Meditation gives you the wherewithal to pause, observe how easily the mind can exaggerate the severity of a setback, and resist getting drawn back into the abyss.”— Richie Davidson

 

We’re very emotional creatures. Without emotion, life is flat and uninteresting. Emotions provide the spice of life. We are constantly having or reacting to emotions. We often go to great lengths in an attempt to create or keep positive emotions and conversely to avoid, mitigate, or get rid of negative emotions. They are so important to us that they affect mostly everything that we do and say and can even be determinants of life or death. Anger, fear, and hate can lead to murderous consequences. Anxiety and depression can lead to suicide. At the same time love, joy, and happiness can make life worth living. Our emotions also affect us physically with positive emotions associated with health, well-being, and longevity and negative emotions associated with stress, disease, and shorter life spans. The importance of emotions is only surpassed by our ignorance of them.

 

Emotions occur automatically and reflexively to particularly stimuli in the environment. For example, the sight of a snake almost universally evokes a fear response, or conversely the sight of a baby smiling almost universally evokes loving feelings. Psychologists have demonstrated that these reflexive emotional reactions can be transferred to other stimuli. This occurs in a process first described by Pavlov called classical conditioning. For example, seeing a snake in a flower pot can later produce fear responses to the flower pot itself. This is called emotional learning.

 

One of the most important effects of mindfulness training is improving emotion regulation. Research has demonstrated that people either spontaneously high in mindfulness or trained in mindfulness are better able to be completely in touch with their emotions and feel them completely, while being able to respond to them more appropriately and adaptively. In other words, mindful people are better able to experience yet control emotions. The influence of mindfulness training on emotional learning has not, however, been extensively studied.

 

In today’s Research News article “Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Fear Conditioning, and The Uncinate Fasciculus: A Pilot Study.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1312616582095598/?type=3&theater

or see summary below or view the full text of the study at:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4908122/

Hölzel and colleagues randomly assigned adult participants to either receive an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program or be placed on a wait-list. Prior to and after the 8-week training period, both groups were assessed for mindfulness, perceived stress, and emotion regulation ability. They were also tested with a 2-day fear conditioning emotional learning, extinction and retention of extinction procedure which occurred while the participants laid in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner. The conditioning occurred to red and blue lights paired with a mild electric shock. Then only one light and not the other was paired with shock so that the fear response to one would decline in strength (extinguish).

 

They found that the MBSR training produced significant improvements in mindfulness, emotion regulation and perceived stress. In addition, the more home practice the participants engaged in the greater the improvement. They found that the MBSR participants retained the fear conditioning from prior to, to after the conditioning while the control group did not. In addition, MBSR was found to produce a significant increase in the fiber density, axonal diameter, and myelination of the Uncinate fasciclus; in other words, it increased the size of this fiber tract that interconnects the limbic system to the frontal lobes. Aslo, the greater the increase in the size of the Uncinate, the stronger the increase in the strength of the fear conditioning.

 

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that mindfulness (MBSR) training increases emotion regulation and decreases stress responses. So, these results in the present study were no surprise. The increased retention of the fear conditioning found after mindfulness training is interesting and suggests that the training did what is was supposed to, increasing attentiveness to environmental stimuli and thus making the individual more responsive to them over longer periods. It is possible that mindfulness training, by improving emotion regulation and stress responding allowed for better appreciation and control of prior emotional conditioning. Hence, mindfulness training appears to make us better at being attentive to and regulating both our primary and secondary (learned) emotions.

 

The improved retention of the fear conditioning may also result from the increased size of the Uncinate fasciculus which connects the limbic system which is known to be involved in emotions to the frontal lobes which are known to be involved in emotion regulation. Hence, the MBSR training appears to have altered the brain to accentuate the processing and regulation of emotional signals. These kind of changes in brain structure, known as neuroplasticity, are commonly found after mindfulness training. In the case of the present study the change in the brain produced by mindfulness training appears to alter the individual’s responsiveness and control of their emotions.

 

So, improve the brain’s emotional responses with mindfulness.

 

“Mindfulness practice isn’t meant to eliminate thinking but aims rather to help us know what we’re thinking when we’re thinking it, just as we want to know what we’re feeling when we’re feeling it. Mindfulness allows us to watch our thoughts, see how one thought leads to the next, decide if we’re heading toward an unhealthy path, and if so, let go and change directions. It allows us to see that who we are is much more than a fearful or envious or angry thought. We can rest in the awareness of the thought, in the compassion we extend to ourselves if the thought makes us uncomfortable, and in the balance and good sense we summon as we decide whether and how to act on the thought.” – Sharon Salzberg

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts

 

Study Summary

Hölzel, B. K., Brunsch, V., Gard, T., Greve, D. N., Koch, K., Sorg, C., … Milad, M. R. (2016). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Fear Conditioning, and The Uncinate Fasciculus: A Pilot Study. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 10, 124. http://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00124

 

Abstract

Mindfulness has been suggested to impact emotional learning, but research on these processes is scarce. The classical fear conditioning/extinction/extinction retention paradigm is a well-known method for assessing emotional learning. The present study tested the impact of mindfulness training on fear conditioning and extinction memory and further investigated whether changes in white matter fiber tracts might support such changes. The uncinate fasciculus (UNC) was of particular interest in the context of emotional learning. In this pilot study, 46 healthy participants were quasi-randomized to a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR,N = 23) or waitlist control (N = 23) group and underwent a two-day fear conditioning, extinction learning, and extinction memory protocol before and after the course or control period. Skin conductance response (SCR) data served to measure the physiological response during conditioning and extinction memory phases. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data were analyzed with probabilistic tractography and analyzed for changes of fractional anisotropy in the UNC. During conditioning, participants were able to maintain a differential response to conditioned vs. not conditioned stimuli following the MBSR course (i.e., higher sensitivity to the conditioned stimuli), while controls dropped the response. Extinction memory results were not interpretable due to baseline differences. MBSR participants showed a significant increase in fractional anisotropy in the UNC, while controls did not (group by time interaction missed significance). Pre-post changes in UNC were correlated with changes in the response to the conditioned stimuli. The findings suggest effects of mindfulness practice on the maintenance of sensitivity of emotional responses and suggest underlying neural plasticity.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4908122/

 

Practice Yoga and be Resilient to Stress

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“yoga is anti-aging, lowers blood pressure, and is beneficial for treating metabolic syndrome x. Waist circumference, blood sugar, and triglycerides. Yoga has been known to balance the endocrine system and hormones for centuries. Now it is also being recognized as a way to balance blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of diseases brought on by a classically western diet.” – Cheryl Walters
Stress is universal. We are constantly under some form of stress. In fact, if we don’t have enough stress, we seek out more. Stress actually can strengthen us. Muscles don’t grow and strengthen unless they are moderately stressed in exercise. Moderate mental stress can actually increase the size and connectivity of brain areas devoted to the activity. Moderate social stress can help us become more adept in social interactions. Moderate work stress can help us be more productive and improve as an employee, etc. So, stress can be a good thing promoting growth and flourishing. The key word here is moderate or what we called the optimum level of stress. Too little or too much stress can be damaging.

 

Unfortunately for many of us living in a competitive modern environment stress is all too often higher than desirable. In addition, many of the normal mechanisms for dealing with stress have been eliminated. The business of modern life removes opportunities for rest, working extra hours, and limiting or passing up entirely vacations to stay competitive. Persistently high levels of stress are damaging and can directly produce disease or debilitation increasing susceptibility to other diseases. Chronic stress can produce a condition called distress which can lead to headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, and problems sleeping and can make other diseases worse.

 

It is beyond the ability of the individual to change the environment to reduce stress, so it is important that methods be found to reduce the individual’s responses to stress; to make the individual more resilient when high levels of stress occur. Contemplative practices including yoga practice have been shown to reduce the psychological and physiological responses to stress. Because of their ability to relieve stress, mindfulness trainings are increasingly being practiced by individuals and are even being encouraged in some workplaces.
In today’s Research News article “Heart Rate Variability, Flow, Mood and Mental Stress During Yoga Practices in Yoga Practitioners, Non-yoga Practitioners and People with Metabolic Syndrome.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1311695092187747/?type=3&theater

or see summary below. Tyagi and colleagues investigate the ability of yoga practitioners to respond to and recover from stress. They recruited yoga practitioners who had been practicing for at least 6 months, comparable individuals who did not practice yoga, and individuals with metabolic syndrome. They had the participants relax in a reclining position and then challenged them with a stressful mental arithmetic task. During this time, they were measured for mood, flow, respiration, and cardiac activity with an Electrocardiogram (ECG). Flow is a “desirable state of positive arousal caused by the perception of subjective control with maximum physiological efficiency and the down-regulation of functions irrelevant for task fulfilment.”

 

They found that the yoga practitioners had greater flow and were in a better mood even before the stressful task and showed greater improvement in flow and mood after the task than the other groups. These included flow, total mood, and the mood components of tension, depression, fatigue, confusion, anxiety, and vigor. They also found that the yoga practitioners had lower heart rates and respiration rates than the other groups, had greater increases during the stressful task, and more rapid decreases afterward.

 

These are interesting results and replicate many previous results that the practice of yoga in general improves flow, mood, and physiological responses. This is not surprising as exercise in general is known to do this. What is new and significant is that yoga practice appears to improve resilience; that is, it results in vigorous responses to stress, but rapid recovery. Both of these responses are adaptive. By readying the physiology to cope with the effects of stress, it positions the individual to better withstand these effects. But, yoga also improves the recovery afterward preventing the stress effects to be prolonged and potentially damaging. As a result, yoga practitioners appear to better able to respond to and cope with stress, quickly and efficiently, without unnecessary prolonged physiological reactions.

 

So, practice yoga and be resilient to stress.

 

“Regular yoga practice creates mental clarity and calmness; increases body awareness; relieves chronic stress patterns; relaxes the mind; centers attention; and sharpens concentration. Body- and self-awareness are particularly beneficial, because they can help with early detection of physical problems and allow for early preventive action.” – Natalie Nevin

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts

 

Study Summary

Tyagi, A., Cohen, M., Reece, J. Telles, S. and Jones. L. Heart Rate Variability, Flow, Mood and Mental Stress During Yoga Practices in Yoga Practitioners, Non-yoga Practitioners and People with Metabolic Syndrome. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback (2016). doi:10.1007/s10484-016-9340-2

Abstract

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia are directly associated with autonomic flexibility, self-regulation and well-being, and inversely associated with physiological stress, psychological stress and pathology. Yoga enhances autonomic activity, mitigates stress and benefits stress-related clinical conditions, yet the relationship between autonomic activity and psychophysiological responses during yoga practices and stressful stimuli has not been widely explored. This experimental study explored the relationship between HRV, mood states and flow experiences in regular yoga practitioners (YP), non-yoga practitioners (NY) and people with metabolic syndrome (MetS), during Mental Arithmetic Stress Test (MAST) and various yoga practices. The study found that the MAST placed a cardio-autonomic burden in all participants with the YP group showing the greatest reactivity and the most rapid recovery, while the MetS group had significantly blunted recovery. The YP group also reported a heightened experience of flow and positive mood states compared to NY and MetS groups as well as having a higher vagal tone during all resting conditions. These results suggest yoga practitioners have a greater homeostatic capacity and autonomic, metabolic and physiological resilience. Further studies are now needed to determine if regular yoga practice may improve autonomic flexibility in non-yoga practitioners and metabolic syndrome patients.

 

Detach from Depression with Mindfulness

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“People at risk for depression are dealing with a lot of negative thoughts, feelings and beliefs about themselves and this can easily slide into a depressive relapse. MBCT helps them to recognize that’s happening, engage with it in a different way and respond to it with equanimity and compassion.” – William Kuyken

 

Depression is epidemic. Major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. It also affects children with one in 33 children and one in eight adolescents having clinical depression. It is so serious that it can be fatal as about 2/3 of suicides are caused by depression. It makes lives miserable, not only the patients but also associates and loved ones, interferes with the conduct of normal everyday activities, and can come back repeatedly. Even after complete remission, 42% have a reoccurrence.

 

Depression appears to be the result of a change in the nervous system that can generally only be reached with drugs that alter the affected neurochemical systems. But, of the patients treated initially with drugs only about a third attain remission and even after repeated and varied treatments including drugs, therapy, exercise etc. only about two thirds of patients attain remission. In addition, the drugs can lose effectiveness over time and can have problematic side effects, So, it is important that other safe and effective treatments be identified.

 

Depression has also been long hypothesized to have roots in early childhood. Patterns of mother-child interactions are thought to produce different forms of attachment styles in the infant, including secure, insecure, avoidant, ambivalent, fearful, preoccupied, and disorganized attachment styles. All of these styles, save secure attachment style, have been found to be associated with depression.

 

Mindfulness training has been shown to be effective for depression alone or in combination with drug therapy. One way that mindfulness may effect depression is by altering the effects of attachment style on depression. In today’s Research News article “Mediating Role of Mindfulness as a Trait Between Attachment Styles and Depressive Symptoms.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1310795515611038/?type=3&theater

or see summary below. Linares and colleagues investigate this hypothesis. They recruited over 500 adults and measured depression, emotional distress, mindfulness, decentering and attachment styles and statistically investigate the interrelationships between these variables.

 

They found that high levels of depression were associated with low mindfulness, decentering, and secure attachment styles and with high levels of anxiety and preoccupied and fearful attachment styles. The preoccupied and fearful attachment styles had primarily direct influences with depression. There were small but significant mediation effects for the non-judging facet of mindfulness and for decentering.

 

These results suggest that attachment styles do indeed affect depression, but mainly do so directly. Non-judging mindfulness and decentering are affected by attachment styles but only have a small effect on the attachment style effects on depression. As has been demonstrated repeatedly in the research literature, mindfulness reduces depression and attachment styles can increase depression, but appear to do so relatively independently. Since they seem to act on depression relatively independently, it may be reasonable to test the combination of mindfulness treatment and treatment for attachment styles for the relief of depression.

 

So, detach from depression with mindfulness.

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

“Mindfulness is a valuable practice for improving the cognitive symptoms of depression, such as distorted thinking and distractibility. It helps individuals recognize these more subtle symptoms, realize that thoughts are not facts and refocus their attention to the present.” – Margarita Tartakovsky

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts

 

Study Summary

Linares L, Jauregui P, Herrero-Fernández D, Estévez A. Mediating Role of Mindfulness as a Trait Between Attachment Styles and Depressive Symptoms. J Psychol. 2016 Jul 28:1-16. [Epub ahead of print]  DOI: 10.1080/00223980.2016.1207591

 

Abstract

Attachment styles and dysfunctional symptoms have been associated. This relationship could be affected by metacognitive capacity. The aim of this study is to clarify the relationship between depressive symptoms, attachment styles, and metacognitive capacity. In addition, the mediating role of metacognition between attachment and depressive symptoms has been studied. A total of 505 participants recruited from the general population of the province of Bizkaia (Spain) completed questionnaires regarding depression, anxiety, mindfulness, decentering, and attachment. Results showed positive and significant relations between (a) dysfunctional symptoms and insecure attachment styles and (b) metacognitive capacity and secure attachment style. Additionally, the mediating role of metacognition between attachment and depressive symptoms was confirmed. Intervention in metacognitive abilities such as mindfulness could be a useful therapeutic tool for depressive symptoms.

 

Change your Brain for the Better with Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Neuroscientists have also shown that practicing mindfulness affects brain areas related to perception, body awareness, pain tolerance, emotion regulation, introspection, complex thinking, and sense of self. . . When we take a seat, take a breath, and commit to being mindful, particularly when we gather with others who are doing the same, we have the potential to be changed.” – Christina Congleton

 

The nervous system is a dynamic entity, constantly changing and adapting to the environment. It will change size, activity, and connectivity in response to experience. For example, the brain area that controls the right index finger has been found to be larger in blind subjects who use braille than in sighted individuals.  Similarly, cab drivers in London who navigate the twisting streets of the city, have a larger hippocampus, which is involved in spatial navigation, than predefined route bus drivers. These changes in the brain are called neuroplasticity. Over the last decade neuroscience has been studying the effects of contemplative practices on the brain and has identified neuroplastic changes in widespread areas. In other words, meditation practice appears to mold and change the brain, producing psychological, physical, and spiritual benefits.

 

The seemingly simple behavior of meditation is actually quite complex. Adding to the complexity is that there are a variety of different meditation techniques. To begin to understand exactly how meditation works to produce its benefit, it is important to determine what works best and what doesn’t. So, there is a need to test and compare the effects of a variety of techniques and variations. There has been some work investigating the neuroplastic changes resulting from a number of different types of meditation techniques. But more work is needed.

 

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a practice widely used particularly to treat mental and physical conditions. It is, in fact, an amalgam of three mindfulness practice techniques; meditation, body scan, and yoga. It is not known if this combination of practices has the same effects on the nervous system as simple long-term meditation practice. In today’s Research News article “8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction induces brain changes similar to traditional long-term meditation practice – A systematic review.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1309864165704173/?type=3&theater

or see summary below. Gotink and colleagues review the published research literature on the effects of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training on the brain and compare it to the effects of long-term meditation. Participants in the studies were adults who were provided an 8-week MBSR program and had their brains scanned with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (f-MRI).

 

They found that the literature reported that 8 weeks of MBSR training produced changed activity and functional connectivity in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, insula, and cingulate cortex. These are all brain structures that are involved in emotion regulation and behavioral response inhibition and control. In addition, the studies report decreased activity and size of the amygdala. This is a structure involved in activation and emotionality. These are very similar to the neural changes that have been reported for long-term meditators. So, it would appear that and 8-week MBSR training is sufficient to produce major changes in the nervous system reflecting changes in the psychological and emotional aspects of the individual. The practitioner’s brain is changed in such a way as to make them better in charge of their emotions and behavior.

 

So, change your brain for the better with mindfulness based stress reduction.

 

“Noticing the differences between sense and story, between primary experience-dependent ‘bottom-up’ input and the secondary ‘top-down’ chatter of prior learning becomes a fundamental tool of the mindfulness approach. Once this distinction, this noticing of the contents of the mind, is readily accessible through intentional practice, the capacity to alter habitual patterns is created and the possibility becomes available for relief from self-preoccupied rumination, self-defeating thought-patterns, negative autobiographical narratives and maladaptive patterns of emotional reactivity.” – Daniel J. Siegel

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts

 

Study Summary

Gotink RA, Meijboom R, Vernooij MW, Smits M, Hunink MG. 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction induces brain changes similar to traditional long-term meditation practice – A systematic review. Brain Cogn. 2016 Jul 15;108:32-41. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2016.07.001. [Epub ahead of print]

 

Highlights

  • Literature reports that long-term meditators show altered brain activations and structure.
  • Post-MBSR, prefrontal cortex, insula, cingulate cortex and hippocampus show similar results to traditional meditation.
  • In addition, the amygdala shows earlier deactivation, less gray matter and better connectivity.
  • These changes indicate a neuronal working mechanism of MBSR.

Abstract: The objective of the current study was to systematically review the evidence of the effect of secular mindfulness techniques on function and structure of the brain. Based on areas known from traditional meditation neuroimaging results, we aimed to explore a neuronal explanation of the stress-reducing effects of the 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program.

Methods: We assessed the effect of MBSR and MBCT (N = 11, all MBSR), components of the programs (N = 15), and dispositional mindfulness (N = 4) on brain function and/or structure as assessed by (functional) magnetic resonance imaging. 21 fMRI studies and seven MRI studies were included (two studies performed both).

Results: The prefrontal cortex, the cingulate cortex, the insula and the hippocampus showed increased activity, connectivity and volume in stressed, anxious and healthy participants. Additionally, the amygdala showed decreased functional activity, improved functional connectivity with the prefrontal cortex, and earlier deactivation after exposure to emotional stimuli.

Conclusion: Demonstrable functional and structural changes in the prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, insula and hippocampus are similar to changes described in studies on traditional meditation practice. In addition, MBSR led to changes in the amygdala consistent with improved emotion regulation. These findings indicate that MBSR-induced emotional and behavioral changes are related to functional and structural changes in the brain.

Reduce Depression and PTSD Symptoms in Caregivers for Dying Children with Mindfulness

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Mindfulness Self-Compassion turns the usual self-critical paradigm around and asks the care partner, in the midst of a difficult caregiving moment; become aware of the emotions that arise in the moment and where they reside in your body (Mindfulness), recognize that there are others who suffer in this way (Common Humanity), and then offer yourself what you need in the moment (Self-Kindness). Again, this is not to change the moment of suffering for the person you are caring for or for yourself, but because you are suffering too! In the end this supports both of you in a softer way and provides the circumstances, not necessarily for ‘cure’ but for healing.” – Sarel Rowe

 

Stress is epidemic in the western workplace with almost two thirds of workers reporting high levels of stress at work. In high stress occupations burnout is all too prevalent. This is the fatigue, cynicism, and professional inefficacy that comes with work-related stress. Burnout is associated with depression-like symptoms and often post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms. Healthcare is a high stress occupation. It is estimated that over 45% of healthcare workers experience burnout.

 

Providing care for the dying can be can be a very satisfying, rewarding, and even joyful experience. But, over time, caregiving can wear the caregiver out and can lead to burnout. Indeed, 62% of physicians involved with end of life care report symptoms of burnout. This is magnified many times when the patient is a child. This is supposed to be the beginning of life, not its end. It is often the case that caregivers for the dying become personally attached to their patient. With a child, that attachment becomes deep and profoundly emotional. This level of emotional stress is difficult to repeatedly endure. So, there is a need to find ways to help the healthcare professionals who provide care in general, but particularly for those working with children to cope with the stress and emotional drain.

 

It has recently been demonstrated that mindfulness training can help caregivers cope with the stress. It has also been shown to help to prevent burnout in multiple occupations and particularly in healthcare workers. So, it would make sense to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness training in preventing burnout in healthcare workers providing end of life care to children. In today’s Research News article “Multimodal Mindfulness Training to Address Mental Health Symptoms in Providers Who Care for and Interact with Children in Relation to End-of-Life Care.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1308949565795633/?type=3&theater

or see summary below. O’Mahoney and colleagues recruited palliative care and other health-care professionals who were involved in caring for terminally ill children. They received a 9-week mindfulness training program meeting once a week for 2 hours in the evening. They were measured before and after training for experiential avoidance, cognitive fusion (taking thoughts as true and upsetting), depression, burnout, and PTSD symptoms.

 

They found that the mindfulness training resulted in significant decreases in depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. These are interesting preliminary results. But, there is a need to follow this up with a randomized controlled trial to determine unequivocally if the training was responsible for the improvements. The effects do seem reasonable as mindfulness training has been shown in different contexts to reduce depression and improve PTSD symptoms. These findings simply extend these general understandings of the effects of mindfulness training to end of life care for children. But, again demonstrate the usefulness of mindfulness training to relieve the psychological effects of caregiving.

 

So, reduce depression and PTSD symptoms in caregivers for dying children with mindfulness.

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

“We are set up for short-term stress, but caregiving is long-term stress. Mindfulness works to inhibit the stress response. Most of us run around listening to our thoughts, and this is particularly true of caregivers, who are driven by the To-Do list. They are never at rest.” – Griffiths Vega

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts

 

Study Summary

O’Mahony S, Gerhart J, Abrams I, Greene M, McFadden R, Tamizuddin S, Levy MM. A Multimodal Mindfulness Training to Address Mental Health Symptoms in Providers Who Care for and Interact With Children in Relation to End-of-Life Care. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2016 Jul 21. pii: 1049909116660688. [Epub ahead of print]

 

Abstract

AIM: Medical providers may face unique emotional challenges when confronted with the suffering of chronically ill, dying, and bereaved children. This study assessed the preliminary outcomes of participation in a group-based multimodal mindfulness training pilot designed to reduce symptoms of burnout and mental health symptoms in providers who interact with children in the context of end-of-life care.

METHODS: A total of 13 medical providers who care for children facing life-threatening illness or bereaved children participated in a 9-session multimodal mindfulness session. Mental health symptoms and burnout were assessed prior to the program, at the program midpoint, and at the conclusion of the program.

RESULTS: Participation in the pilot was associated with significant reductions in depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among providers (P < .05).

CONCLUSION: Mindfulness-based programs may help providers recognize and address symptoms of depression and PTSD. Additional research is needed to enhance access and uptake of programming among larger groups of participan

Improve Body Awareness and Reduce Depression Due to Pain with Mindfulness

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“People at risk for depression are dealing with a lot of negative thoughts, feelings and beliefs about themselves and this can easily slide into a depressive relapse. MBCT helps them to recognize that’s happening, engage with it in a different way and respond to it with equanimity and compassion.” – Willem Kuyken

 

We all have to deal with pain. It’s inevitable, but hopefully mild and short lived. But, for a wide swath of humanity pain is a constant in their lives. At least 100 million adult Americans have chronic pain conditions. Chronic pain accompanies a number of conditions. The most common form of chronic pain is low back pain affecting between 6% to 15% of the population. Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease that is the most common form of arthritis. It produces pain, swelling, and stiffness of the joints. In the U.S., osteoarthritis affects 14% of adults over 25 years of age and 34% of those over 65. Fibromyalgia is a mysterious disorder whose causes are unknown. It is characterized by widespread pain, abnormal pain processing, sleep disturbance, and fatigue that lead to psychological distress. It is very common affecting over 5 million people in the U.S., about 2% of the population.

 

Pain involves both physical and psychological issues. Indeed, people with chronic pain are much more likely to become depressed and people with depression are much more likely to develop chronic pain. Mindfulness practices have been shown to be safe and beneficial in pain management and to reduce depression. But, how mindfulness training may reduce the depression accompanying chronic pain is not known. Mindfulness is known to improve the awareness of the sensations from the body. It is possible then that the reduction of depression about pain is produced by making the patient more aware of their bodies and thus better able to respond to any aversive states in the body.

 

In today’s Research News article “Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Body Awareness in Patients with Chronic Pain and Comorbid Depression.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1308036735886916/?type=3&theater

or see summary below or view the full text of the study at:

http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00967/full

de Jong and colleagues recruited chronic pain patients with depression and randomly assigned them to receive either an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) plus the normal treatment provided to these patients or to receive only treatment as usual. They were measured for body awareness, pain catastrophizing, and depression before, during, and after the 8 weeks of treatment.

 

They found that the MBCT group had reduced depression and increased body awareness, especially in self-distracting and self-regulation. “Not-Distracting refers to not ignoring or distracting oneself from uncomfortable body sensations such as pain. Self-Regulation refers to the ability to control psychological distress by consciously attending to body sensations.” Hence MBCT significantly improved the chronic pain patient’s ability to control their pain by paying attention to it. Using a sophisticated statistical technique of mediation analysis, they were able to determine that the effects of mindfulness on depression were completely mediated by its effect on body awareness.

 

These results are interesting and important. It is well established that mindfulness training and MBCT in particular are very effective in reducing depression. The present findings, though, demonstrate that its ability to reduce the depression produced by chronic pain is due to improved body awareness. This may seem counterintuitive that increasing the awareness of body pain would improve the depression produced by the pain. But, denying pain by ignoring it or by distracting oneself from it doesn’t work and actually increases its pain’s impact by increasing worry and rumination. Directly addressing the pain and seeing it as it is, makes it easier to cope with it.

 

So, improve body awareness and reduce depression due to pain with mindfulness.

 

“MBCT helps participants learn how to recognize their sense of being and see themselves as separate from their thoughts and moods. This disconnect can allow people to become liberated from thought patterns in which the same negative messages may be replayed over and over. . . . In general, MBCT attempts to give participants the necessary tools to combat depressive symptoms as they arise. People who learn these skills may then be able to revert to these methods in times of distress or when faced with potentially overwhelming situations.” – Goodtherapy.org

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts

 

Study Summary

de Jong M, Lazar SW, Hug K, Mehling WE, Hölzel BK, Sack AT, Peeters F, Ashih H, Mischoulon D and Gard T (2016) Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Body Awareness in Patients with Chronic Pain and Comorbid Depression. Front. Psychol. 7:967. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00967

 

Abstract

Body awareness has been proposed as one of the major mechanisms of mindfulness interventions, and it has been shown that chronic pain and depression are associated with decreased levels of body awareness. We investigated the effect of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on body awareness in patients with chronic pain and comorbid active depression compared to treatment as usual (TAU; N = 31). Body awareness was measured by a subset of the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) scales deemed most relevant for the population. These included: Noticing, Not-Distracting, Attention Regulation, Emotional Awareness, and Self-Regulation. In addition, pain catastrophizing was measured by the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). These scales had adequate to high internal consistency in the current sample. Depression severity was measured by the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician rated (QIDS-C16). Increases in the MBCT group were significantly greater than in the TAU group on the “Self-Regulation” and “Not Distracting” scales. Furthermore, the positive effect of MBCT on depression severity was mediated by “Not Distracting.” These findings provide preliminary evidence that a mindfulness-based intervention may increase facets of body awareness as assessed with the MAIA in a population of pain patients with depression. Furthermore, they are consistent with a long hypothesized mechanism for mindfulness and emphasize the clinical relevance of body awareness.

http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00967/full

 

Meditate to Pray. Pray to Meditate

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Meditate to Pray. Pray to Meditate

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Silence is God’s first language; everything else is a poor translation.” ― Thomas Keating

 

Prayer takes a number of different forms most of which are not meditative. Prayers of adoration are prayers focused on the worship of God, without any reference to circumstances, needs, or desires. They are often recited by rote. Prayers of thanksgiving are expressions of gratitude towards God, made in reference to specific positive life experiences. Prayers of supplication “taps requests for God’s intervention in specific life events for oneself or others”. Prayers of confession involve the admission of negative behaviors, and a request for forgiveness. Obligatory prayers are required prayers consist primarily of fixed prayers repeated at each worship time. All of these types of prayer generally don’t parallel meditation and might be characterized as self-serving.

 

The final type, on the other hand, prayers of reception are very similar to meditation. These are prayers in which “one more passively awaits divine wisdom, understanding, or guidance”. They are “characterized by a contemplative attitude of openness, receptivity, and surrender, resulting in experiences ranging from peaceful/quiet to rapture/ecstasy”. The following story exemplifies this form of prayer:

“Mother Theresa was once asked about her prayer life.

The interviewer asked, “When you pray, what do you say to God?”

Mother Teresa replied, “I don’t talk, I simply listen.”

Believing he understood what she had just said, the interviewer next asked, “Ah, then what is it that God says to you when you pray?”

Mother Teresa replied, “He also doesn’t talk. He also simply listens.”

There was a long silence, with the interviewer seeming a bit confused and not knowing what to ask next.

Finally, Mother Teresa breaks the silence by saying, “If you can’t understand the meaning of what I’ve just said, I’m sorry but there’s no way I can explain it any better.” –  David Matthew Brown

 

This is the kind of prayer described by Mother Theresa is the form of contemplative prayer engaged in by the Christian or Sufi mystics. Receptive prayer might be characterized as the deepest most profound form of prayer. In this prayer the mind is quieted and there is no specific goal as in meditation. The practitioner simply quiets the mind and patiently monitors experience, just like meditation. So, not only can contemplative prayer be viewed as a form of meditation, but meditation can be viewed as a form of prayer. Both involve quieting the mind and simply resting peacefully observing whatever transpires.

 

This idea is further evidenced by what is arguably the most famous definition of prayer from St John Damascene ,‘Prayer is the raising of the mind and heart to God’. It is also evident in the sermons of the highly regarded Christian mystic, Meister Eckhart. He states that

“The most powerful form of prayer, and the one which can virtually gain all things and which is the worthiest work of all, is that which flows from a free mind. The freer the mind is, the more powerful and worthy, the more useful, praiseworthy and perfect the prayer and the work become. A free mind can achieve all things. But what is a free mind? A free mind is one which is untroubled and unfettered by anything, which has not bound its best part to any particular manner of being or devotion and which does not seek its own interest in anything but is always immersed in God’s most precious will, having gone out of what is its own. (Talks of Instruction 2 in Davies, 1994).”

 

So, prayers of reception are essentially meditations. They involve quieting the mind and simply observing what transpires. The difference is simply one of intent. In the case of prayer, the practitioner has the intent of becoming one with the Deity, while in the case of meditation the practitioner has the intent of becoming one with the universe. Simply thinking of the universe as the expression of the Devine makes contemplative prayer and meditation identical. It’s all a matter of the label put on it. The meditator calls the ultimate product of meditation as awakening or enlightenment while the contemplative prayer practitioner calls the ultimate product of the prayer Devine revelation. It could be argued that these two are identical except for the labels put on them. In fact, the mystical experiences reported by the Christian and Sufi mystics only differ from those reported by meditators in the labels put on them. In their essence they are identical and lead to effectively the same place.

 

So, meditate to pray and pray to meditate!

 

“Spiritual meditation is the pathway to Divinity. It is a mystic ladder which reaches from earth to heaven, from error to Truth, from pain to peace.” ~James Allen

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

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Reduce Fatigue After Brain Injury with Mindfulness

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Mindfulness meditation — or mentally focusing on being in the present moment — has also proven an effective tool to help people with cognitive and behavioral issues after TBI. With meditation of all kinds — from chanting to visual imagery — people can make peace with their new self and not get swept up in the constant maelstrom of mental obsessions.” – Victoria Tilney McDonough

 

Brain damage is more or less permanent. The neurons and neural structures that are destroyed when the brain is damaged for the most part do not regrow. There are a number of causes of brain damage including Traumatic Brain Injury, stroke, and Multiple Sclerosis. TBI has many causes of this including car accidents, warfare, violent disputes, etc.. A stroke results from an interruption of the blood supply to the brain, depriving it of needed oxygen and nutrients. This can result in the death of brain cells and depending on the extent of the damage produce profound loss of function. Multiple Sclerosis is a progressive demyelinating disease which attacks the coating on the neural axons which send messages throughout the body and nervous system. MS is not fatal with MS patients having about the same life expectancy as the general population. Hence, most MS sufferers have to live with the disease for many years. So, quality of life becomes a major issue. Quality of life with brain injuries in general is affected by fatigue, cognitive decrements, physical impairment, depression, and poor sleep quality.

 

Regardless of the cause, the brain is damaged, and the areas that are destroyed are permanently lost. But, people can recover to some extent from brain injury. Fatigue is the common symptom of all of these neurological disorders and it interferes with treatment and recovery. These patients frequently lack the energy to adhere to their therapeutic regimens. So, there is a pressing need to find treatments that can reduce or eliminate fatigue in these patients. Mindfulness practices have been shown to be helpful in recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury, stroke, and Multiple Sclerosis. They have also been shown to be effective in reducing fatigue due to environmental and medical causes. Hence, mindfulness training may be an effective treatment for the fatigue following brain injury.

 

In today’s Research News article “Clinical Utility of Mindfulness Training in the Treatment of Fatigue After Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury and Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1306292806061309/?type=3&theater

or see summary below or view the full text of the study at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4917545/  Ulrichsen and colleagues review the published research literature investigating the usefulness of mindfulness treatments for fatigue following brain injury. They report that the summarized results from four studies indicate that mindfulness training reduces fatigue after brain injury with a moderate but clinically significant effect size (.37). In other words, mindfulness treatment reduces fatigue, but doesn’t eliminate it.

 

These are promising results suggesting that one way that mindfulness training may help improve the recovery after brain injury is by reducing the fatigue that typically accompanies brain injury. This is very important as fatigue is at the center of the reduced quality of life after brain injury. Fatigue also interferes with the patient’s ability to fully engage in their rehabilitation therapy regimens. Additionally, mindfulness training is a safe treatment with no know negative side effects and many additional positive physical and psychological effects on the patients. Hence, these results suggest that mindfulness training should be employed to assist in recovery after brain injury.

 

So, reduce fatigue after brain injury with mindfulness.

 

“It seems then that exploring the benefits of mindfulness and meditation after brain injury can be worthwhile for people living with brain injury, family and supporters.  It can reduce stress and focus concentration and attention.” –  Melanie Atkins

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts

 

Study Summary

Ulrichsen, K. M., Kaufmann, T., Dørum, E. S., Kolskår, K. K., Richard, G., Alnæs, D., … Nordvik, J. E. (2016). Clinical Utility of Mindfulness Training in the Treatment of Fatigue After Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury and Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 912. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00912

 

Abstract

Background: Fatigue is a common symptom following neurological illnesses and injuries, and is rated as one of the most debilitating sequela in conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Yet effective treatments are lacking, suggesting a pressing need for a better understanding of its etiology and mechanisms that may alleviate the symptoms. Recently mindfulness-based interventions have demonstrated promising results for fatigue symptom relief.

Objective: Investigate the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for fatigue across neurological conditions and acquired brain injuries.

Materials and Methods: Systematic literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. We included randomized controlled trials applying mindfulness-based interventions in patients with neurological conditions or acquired brain injuries. Four studies (N = 257) were retained for meta-analysis. The studies included patients diagnosed with MS, TBI, and stroke.

Results: The estimated effect size for the total sample was -0.37 (95% CI: -0.58, -0.17).

Conclusion: The results indicate that mindfulness-based interventions may relieve fatigue in neurological conditions such as stroke, TBI, and MS. However, the effect size is moderate, and further research is needed in order to determine the effect and improve our understanding of how mindfulness-based interventions affect fatigue symptom perception in patients with neurological conditions.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4917545/

 

Improve Employee Well-being with Mindfulness

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Toxic emotions disrupt the workplace, and mindfulness increases your awareness of these destructive patterns, helping you recognize them before they run rampant. It’s a way of reprogramming your mind to think in healthier, less stressful, ways.” – Drew Hanson

 

Work is very important for our health and well-being. We spend approximately 25% of our adult lives at work. How we spend that time is immensely important for our psychological and physical health. Indeed, the work environment has even become an important part of our social lives, with friendships and leisure time activities often attached to the work environment. But, more than half of employees in the U.S. and nearly 2/3 worldwide are unhappy at work. This is partially due to work-related stress which is epidemic in the western workplace. Almost two thirds of workers reporting high levels of stress at work. This stress can result in impaired health and can result in burnout; producing fatigue, cynicism, and professional inefficacy.

 

To help overcome unhappiness, stress, and burnout, mindfulness practices have been implemented in the workplace. In fact, it has become very trendy for business to incorporate meditation into the workday to help improve productivity. For example, Google offers “Search Inside Yourself” classes to teach mindfulness at work. But, although there is a lot of anecdotal evidence of meditation improving work performance, there is actually very little systematic research on its effectiveness.

 

In today’s Research News article “Systematic review: complementary therapies and employee well-being.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1305498966140693/?type=3&theater

or see summary below. Ravalier and colleagues reviewed the published research literature on the effects of mindfulness practices implemented in the work environment. They included only full-length peer-reviewed journal articles published since 2000. They found that mindfulness practices produced significant reductions in perceived stress and improvements in vigor, psychological health, and resilience in the employees. In other words, they found very promising research findings, suggesting marked improvements in employee psychological well-being produced by mindfulness practices. They point out, however, that there is a need for longer-term follow-up studies to ascertain whether mindfulness practices have lasting effects in the workplace.

 

These results complement the research findings of mindfulness effects in many other contexts. It has been shown in general to reduce the psychological and physical responses to stress and to improve mental and physical health. This suggests that mindfulness practices may improve health and productivity and reduce burnout in modern workers. Beyond overcoming the negative effects of the work environment, the workplace has been postulated to be an excellent environment to practice the Buddha’s Eightfold Path for spiritual development and the relief of suffering.

 

So, improve employee well-being with mindfulness.

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

“By improving the way people relate to one another, ideally it can change corporate culture for the better, creating a more supportive, friendlier workplace with better relationships. In many organizations, there are bigger, systemic changes that need to be made, but I don’t think that instituting a mindfulness program will prevent those changes from happening. At the least, a mindfulness program provides workers with some relief from stress and anxiety while they campaign for systemic changes; at best, it helps to catalyze those bigger systemic changes.” – Jason Marsh

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts

 

Study Summary

  1. M. Ravalier, P. Wegrzynek and S. Lawton Systematic review: complementary therapies and employee well-being. Occup Med (Lond) April 4, 2016, doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqw047

 

Abstract

Background A variety of workplace-based interventions exist to reduce stress and increase productivity. However, the efficacy of these interventions is sometimes unclear.

Aims To determine whether complementary therapies offered in the workplace improve employee well-being.

Methods We performed a systematic literature review which involved an electronic search of articles published between January 2000 and July 2015 from the databases Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, AMED, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE and PubMed. We also undertook a manual search of all applicable article reference lists to ensure that no relevant studies were missed. We only selected published, full-length, English-language, peer-reviewed journal articles. Articles had to address the research objective using valid and reliable measures. We excluded articles concerning return to work or whose populations had been adversely affected by work resulting in the development of health issues.

Results We included 10 articles in the review from 131 identified. Mindfulness and meditation-based interventions were most effective in improving workplace health and work performance; the latter demonstrating some evidence of maintaining gains up to 3 months later. The evidence for relaxation interventions was inconclusive.

Conclusions Mindfulness and meditation interventions may be helpful in improving both psychosocial workplace health and work performance, but long-term efficacy has yet to be fully determined.

 

Improve Type II Diabetes with Yoga

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Regular yoga practice can help reduce the level of sugar in the blood, along with lowering blood pressure, keeping a weight check, reducing the symptoms and slowing the rate of progression of diabetes, as well as lessening the severity of further complications.” – Art of Living

 

Type 2 diabetes is a common and increasingly prevalent illness that is largely preventable. Although this has been called adult-onset diabetes it is increasingly being diagnosed in children. It is estimated that 30 million people in the United States have diabetes and the numbers are growing. One of the reasons for the increasing incidence of Type 2 Diabetes is its association with overweight and obesity which is becoming epidemic in the industrialized world. Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. In addition, diabetes is heavily associated with other diseases such as cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and circulatory problems leading to amputations. As a result, diabetes doubles the risk of death of any cause compared to individuals of the same age without diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes results from a resistance of tissues, especially fat tissues, to the ability of insulin to promote the uptake of glucose from the blood. As a result, blood sugar levels rise producing hyperglycemia.

 

A leading cause of this tissue resistance to insulin is overweight and obesity and a sedentary life style. Hence, treatment and prevention of Type 2 Diabetes focuses on diet, exercise, and weight control. Recently, mindfulness practices have been shown to be helpful in managing diabetes.

A mindfulness practice that combines mindfulness with exercise is yoga and it has been shown to be helpful in the treatment of Type II Diabetes. In today’s Research News article “Effects of Yoga in Adult Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1304539652903291/?type=3&theater

or see summary below or view the full text of the study at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jdi.12548/epdf

Cui and colleagues review the published literature on the effects of yoga practice on Type II diabetes.

 

They found that yoga practice had significant positive effects on the patients, reducing fasting blood glucose, blood glucose after meals, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and increasing high- density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the patients with Type II diabetes. In other words, yoga practice had markedly beneficial effects on blood sugar and cholesterol levels in the patient. Most of these measures are short-term indicators of the patient’s metabolic condition. HbA1c, on the other hand, is an indicator of long-term blood glucose control and suggests that yoga practice has lasting effects on the overall metabolic state of type II diabetic patients.

 

How yoga practice produces these effects is unknown. But, it is likely that, at least in part, the improvement is due to the fact that yoga is a moderate exercise and exercise is known to improve Type II diabetes. In addition, yoga practice reduces the physiological and psychological responses to stress and stress is known to exacerbate diabetes. Finally, yoga practice improves discipline and conscious appreciation of the bodily state. This may make it easier for the patient to successfully negotiate the rigorous dietary and lifestyle restrictions required for successful treatment of diabetes. Regardless of the mechanisms of action, it is clear that yoga practice is very helpful in controlling the metabolism of Type II diabetes patients.

 

So, improve type II diabetes with yoga.

 

“Yoga can decrease fasting blood glucose levels, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol and triglycerides, reduce the need for diabetes medication, and lower stress hormone levels.1 What’s more, yoga increases flexibility and strength, improves balance and immune function, precipitates weight loss, relieves stress, and alleviates chronic pain.” – Jennifer Van Pelt

 

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Google+ https://plus.google.com/106784388191201299496/posts

 

Study Summary

Cui J, Yan JH, Yan LM, Pan L, Le JJ, Guo YZ. Effects of Yoga in Adult Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis. J Diabetes Investig. 2016 Jul 1. doi: 10.1111/jdi.12548. [Epub ahead of print]

 

Abstract

Aims/Introduction: A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy of yoga in adult patients with T2DM.

Materials and Methods: The PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched to obtain eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The primary outcome was fasting blood glucose (FBG), and the secondary outcomes included glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride, and postprandial blood glucose (PPBG). Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. The I2 statistic represented heterogeneity.

Results: Twelve RCTs with a total of 864 patients met the inclusion criteria. The pooled WMDs were –23.72 mg/dl (95% CI: –37.78 to –9.65; P = 0.001; I2 = 82%) for FBG and –0.47% (95% CI: –0.87 to –0.07; P = 0.02; I2 = 82%) for HbA1c. The WMDs were –17.38 mg/dl (95% CI: –27.88 to –6.89; P = 0.001; I2 = 0%) for PPBG, –18.50 mg/dl (95% CI: –29.88 to –7.11; P = 0.001; I2 = 75%) for TC, 4.30 mg/dl (95% CI: 3.25 to 5.36; P < 0.00001; I2 = 10%) for HDL-C, –12.95 mg/dl (95% CI: –18.84 to –7.06; P < 0.0001; I2 = 37%) for LDL-C, and –12.57 mg/dl (95% CI: –29.91 to 4.76; P = 0.16; I2 = 48%) for triglycerides.

Conclusions: The available evidence suggests that yoga benefits adult patients with T2DM. However, considering the limited methodology and the potential heterogeneity, further studies are necessary to support our findings and investigate the long-term effects of yoga in T2DM patients.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jdi.12548/epdf