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

 

Reduce Aggression and Counterproductive Work in the Office with Yoga

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Making office yoga exercises a part of your routine can work wonders as they wipe away body pain, fatigue and tension and increase overall muscle strength and flexibility, keeping you fresh and revitalized through the day.” – The Art of Living

 

Sometimes in the workplace employees engage in behaviors that harm the organization or other employees. These are known as counterproductive work behavior and include behaviors such as absenteeism, bullying, abuse of others, excessive use of social media, incivility, aggression, chronic lateness, sabotage, harassment, substance abuse, and theft. These behaviors are quite common as 75% of employees have reportedly stolen from their employer and 33% to 75% of all employees have engaged in fraud, sabotage, and voluntary absenteeism. In addition, it has been estimated that around 40% of employees have been bullied in the workplace. Such behaviors can cost organizations dearly. It has been estimated that in the U.S. workplace violence costs around $4.2 billion, theft costs around $80, and delinquent behavior costs around $100 billion annually. Hence, it is important to organizations to find methods to reduce or control these counterproductive work behaviors.

 

Mindfulness practices have been shown to be effective in promoting the work performance and the well-being of workers including the prevention and treatment of burnout. Yoga is a mindfulness practice that has been shown to have a wide range of physical and psychological benefits. It has also been used to promote health in the workplace. In today’s Research News article “Effect of yoga practices in reducing counterproductive work behavior and its predictors.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1303749202982336/?type=3&theater

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

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4919969/

Dwivedi and colleagues investigate whether yoga practice can reduce counterproductive work behavior. They recruited working professionals who had engaged in counterproductive work behavior and randomly assigned them to a yoga practice group or a control condition which included lectures on management and mild to moderate exercise. Both groups practiced for one hour per day, five days per week, for ten weeks. The participants were measured prior to and after the training for counterproductive work behaviors, aggression, and positive and negative emotions.

 

They found that after the ten-week practice the yoga practice group, but not the control group, had significant reductions of 15% in counterproductive work behaviors, 14% in aggression, and 22% in negative emotions. These are very good results and suggest that yoga practice can improve the psychological state of workers and reduce counterproductive work behaviors. This suggests that yoga practice may be of great use in organizations and improve employee behavior and the costs of wasteful counterproductive work behaviors.

 

It will be important to establish whether these effects are lasting with follow-up measurements. Regardless, the results suggest that yoga practice is a safe and effective method to improve employee health and reduce the negative behaviors that interfere with organizational effectiveness and add unnecessary costs.

 

So, reduce aggression and counterproductive work in the office with yoga.

 

“Taking breaks in the workday with yoga has proven to be one of the most effective ways in helping employees relieve stress and become refreshed and more focused. Employees will then be able to make better decisions, be more productive, and have a more positive attitude with co-workers.” – Kreg Weiss

 

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

Dwivedi, U., Kumari, S., & Nagendra, H. R. (2016). Effect of yoga practices in reducing counterproductive work behavior and its predictors. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 58(2), 216–219. http://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.183778

 

Abstract

Context: Aggression and negative affectivity (NA) are known for moderating relationship between job stressors and counterproductive work behavior. Yoga has been demonstrated earlier to reduce the parameters of aggression and negative emotions.

Aim: The present study examined the effectiveness of yoga practices in reducing counterproductive work behavior and its predictors such as aggression and NA.

Settings and Design: A pretest–posttest randomized controlled design.

Materials and Methods: The study sample included yoga group (n = 80) and control group (n = 80). Yoga module that included asanas, pranayama, meditation, and yogic theory were taught to the yoga group. Mild to moderate physical exercises and management theories were taught to the control group. Both groups received intervention for 10 weeks, covering 1 h daily, 5 days a week. Measurements of self-reported counterproductive work behaviors, aggression, and NA were taken as baseline and postintervention for assessment.

Results: Yoga group reported significant reductions in aggression, NA, and counterproductive work behavior in comparison with the control group after 10 weeks.

Conclusions: This study contributes by introducing a cost-effective way to prevent the heavy losses organizations are incurring due to counterproductive work behavior and its predictors. The findings support that yoga at workplace may result in positive psychological empowerment of the employees as well.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4919969/

 

Get Mindful Before Public Speaking

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“mindfulness helps us discover a different kind of confidence.  We learn that courage isn’t the absence of fear – it’s being willing to have that fear, and knowing that we can cope, by holding it in kind awareness.” – Sheila Bayliss

 

It is so common to fear giving speeches in public, that it is actually less common not to. In fact, about 75% of humanity has severe anxiety about speaking in public. Indeed, people prefer to administer small but uncomfortable shocks to themselves than give a 5-min speech about their personal attributes.  Surveys suggest that people fear public speaking more than death. It’s been quipped that we would prefer to be in the coffin than giving the eulogy!

 

Public speaking is very stressful including physiological responses indicative of the fight or flight response such as increased cortisol (stress hormone) levels. There are, however, a variety of therapies that are effective for speech phobia. Mindfulness training would appear to be a likely candidate. It has been shown to reduce anxiety, alleviate phobias, and reduce the psychological and physiological responses to stress. In today’s Research News article ““Letting Go” (Implicitly): Priming Mindfulness Mitigates the Effects of a Moderate Social Stressor.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1302912356399354/?type=3&theater

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

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4904283/

Bergeron and colleagues investigate whether a brief induction of mindfulness with an implicit priming procedure can improve the recovery from the anxiety, arousal, and stress of giving a public speech.

 

They recruited college students and measured mindfulness prior to a laboratory session in which the students completed scales measuring self-esteem, stress, and positive and negative emotions. They then provided a saliva sample for measurement of cortisol. They were then instructed and gave a public speech and provided another saliva sample. Afterwards they were randomly separated into either an implicit mindfulness priming group was primed with mindfulness words or a control group that was primed with neutral words. Afterwards, they again competed measures of self-esteem, stress, positive and negative emotions, and physiological arousal. Finally, they provided three more saliva samples immediately after the priming, and 15 and 30 minutes later.

 

Bergeron and colleagues found that participants who were low to begin with in mindfulness were helped by the mindfulness priming results in higher self-esteem and lower levels of stress, physiological arousal, and negative emotions. They also found that the mindfulness priming produced a greater decrease in the indicator of stress, cortisol levels. So, a brief mindfulness induction improves recovery from the anxiety, arousal, and stress of public speaking.

 

These results suggest that a simple implicit priming procedure improves the recovery from stress for everyone and improves the psychological state of participants who were low in mindfulness at the outset. The findings are in line with previous studies of mindfulness training effects. But, these results are particularly interesting because they didn’t require extensive mindfulness training to produce reductions in responsiveness to stress or improve psychological well-being. It only required a brief implicit mindfulness prime. This suggests that anything that improves mindfulness can have marked effects on stress and well-being for as long as the increased mindfulness persists. Training can produce long-lasting increase in mindfulness and therefor long-lasting effects while mindfulness priming can produce brief increases in mindfulness and brief effects.

 

 “The power of a mindfulness practice, however, may come in the realization that one can live a meaningful life even with social anxiety. Schjerning, says that he still feels nervous in social situations but now feels compassion — not judgment — for himself, and sees that “I can be more the person I want to be.” –  Jason Drwal

 

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

Bergeron, C. M., Almgren-Doré, I., & Dandeneau, S. (2016). “Letting Go” (Implicitly): Priming Mindfulness Mitigates the Effects of a Moderate Social Stressor. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 872. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00872

 

Abstract

This experimental study investigated whether implicitly priming mindfulness would facilitate psychological and cortisol recovery after undergoing a standardized psychological stressor. After completing baseline measures of well-being, all participants (N = 91) completed a public speaking stress task, were implicitly primed with “mindfulness” or “neutral” concepts using a scrambled sentence task, and finally, reported their situational well-being and provided cortisol samples. Simple moderation regression analyses revealed that the implicit mindfulness condition had significant beneficial effects for participants with low trait mindfulness. These participants reported higher situational self-esteem as well as less negative affect, perceived stress, and self-reported physiological arousal than their counterparts in the control condition. Cortisol analyses revealed that participants in the implicit mindfulness condition, regardless of level of trait mindfulness, showed a greater decline in cortisol during the early recovery stage compared to those in the control condition. Overall, results suggest that implicitly activating mindfulness can mitigate the psychological and physiological effects of a social stressor.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4904283/

 

Improve Health and Weight with Mindfulness

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Applied to eating, mindfulness includes noticing the colors, smells, flavors, and textures of your food; chewing slowly; getting rid of distractions like TV or reading; and learning to cope with guilt and anxiety about food.” – Celeste Robb-Nicholson

 

Obesity has become an epidemic in the industrialized world. In the U.S. the incidence of obesity, defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or above has more than doubled over the last 35 years to currently around 35% of the population, while two thirds of the population are considered overweight or obese (BMI > 25). Lesbian and bisexual women have even higher incidence rates of overweight and obesity that the general population. Although the incidence rates have appeared to stabilize, the fact that over a third of the population is considered obese is very troubling.

 

This is because of the health consequences of obesity. Obesity has been found to shorten life expectancy by eight years and extreme obesity by 14 years. This occurs because obesity is associated with cardiovascular problems such as coronary heart disease and hypertension, stroke, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and others. Obviously there is a need for effective treatments to prevent or treat obesity. But, despite copious research and a myriad of dietary and exercise programs, there still is no safe and effective treatment.

 

Mindfulness is known to be associated with lower risk for obesity. Mindfulness has also been shown to make people more aware of eating and reduce intake. This suggests that mindfulness training may be an effective treatment for overeating and obesity. Hence it would seem reasonable to investigate the benefits of mindfulness training for a particular vulnerable party of the population, lesbian and bisexual older women.

 

In today’s Research News article “Effects of Mindfulness Interventions on Health Outcomes in Older Lesbian/Bisexual Women.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1302069166483673/?type=3&theater

or see summary below. Ingraham and colleagues examined the effectiveness for lesbian and bisexual older (>40 years of age) women of a mindfulness-based program entitled Women’s Health and Mindfulness (WHAM) program which was specifically tailored to improve mindfulness, body weight, and overall health. They compared the effectiveness of this program to a similar program designed to promote exercise and dietary restrain but did not contain a mindfulness component. The programs met once a week for 2 hours over 12 weeks. Measurements were taken before and after the programs of mindful eating, nutrition, alcohol consumption, physical activity, body size, and quality of life.

 

They found that the mindfulness intervention significantly increased all three components of mindful eating, emotional eating, disinhibition, and eating awareness. This was associated with healthier eating including decreased alcohol and sugar intakes. The increases in mindful eating were also associated with increased activity levels and mental health quality of life. In addition, there were small but significant decreases in weight and waist circumference.

 

These results are encouraging and demonstrate that a mindfulness-based training program can be effective for a population, older lesbian and bisexual women, which is highly vulnerable to overweight and obesity; improving intake, decreasing body size, and improving mental health quality of life. There is a need for a long-term follow up to examine how lasting the effects of the intervention might be.

 

So, improve health and weight with mindfulness.

 

“Mindfulness is the act of focusing attention on present-moment experiences. Apply that to a meal, and mindful eating means actually paying attention to the food you’re eating, making you less likely to thoughtlessly plow through a bag of potato chips, for instance. “The only thing you have to focus on is the food. Mindfulness brings you back to the present moment, back to the present meal.” – Mandy Oaklander

 

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

Ingraham N, Eliason MJ, Garbers S, Harbatkin D, Minnis AM, McElroy JA, Haynes SG. Effects of Mindfulness Interventions on Health Outcomes in Older Lesbian/Bisexual Women. Womens Health Issues. 2016 Jul 7;26 Suppl 1:S53-62. doi: 10.1016/j.whi.2016.04.002.

 

Abstract

PURPOSE: Lesbian and bisexual (LB) women are at higher risk for obesity, but no reported interventions focus on older LB women who are overweight or obese. The Healthy Weight in Lesbian and Bisexual Women study funded five programs (n = 266 LB women age ≥40); two examined effects of mindfulness interventions on health outcomes.

METHODS: Analysis of variance and regression measured the impact of mindfulness-based programs on health behaviors and quality of life (MCS). Outcomes were also compared between intervention sites (mindfulness vs. standard weight loss approaches).

RESULTS: Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ) subscale scores improved significantly from preassessment to postassessment in mindfulness interventions. LB women who reported an increase (top tertile) in mindful eating had the most significant increase in MCS scores (35.3%) compared with those with low gains (low and medium tertile) in mindfulness (3.8%). MEQ score increase predicted 40.8% of the variance (adjusted) in MCS score, R(2) = .431, F(6,145) = 18.337, p < .001. Top tertile increases in mindfulness were significantly related to increases in physical activity and some nutrition outcomes. Mindfulness intervention sites showed within-person improvements in MCS and fruit and vegetable intake, whereas standard intervention sites showed within-person decreases in alcohol intake and increases in physical activity level.

CONCLUSIONS: Although weight loss was not a primary outcome at the mindfulness sites, small but significant weight loss and weight-to-height ratio decreases were reported at all five sites. Increases in mindfulness were associated with a number of significant self-reported health improvements, including a great increase in perceived mental health quality of life. Mindfulness may be a promising practice to address health issues in aging LB women.

 

It’s Eliminating the Causes of Suffering, Stupid

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“The Buddha taught that beyond suffering lies great bliss. As we take steps towards removing the causes of suffering, we experience progressive levels of happiness. The path is a long one. But staying on it leads to a tremendous sense of liberation. There are other benefits from adhering to this philosophy – one can live in happiness, untroubled by any kind of negativity. At the end of this path, when desire and ignorance would have completely fallen away, one may experience the same transcendental joy that the Buddha did.” – Buddha Groove

 

In a previous essay the first Noble Truth was discussed, reflecting the patently obvious fact that there is suffering, a.k.a. unsatisfactoriness. In the next essay the second Noble Truth was discussed also stating the obvious that there are causes to the suffering. But, not so obviously we saw how, all encompassing, unsatisfactoriness is in our lives and how subtle are its causes. We saw that most of the unsatisfactoriness emanated from our inability to accept things as they are and instead, go to war against reality.

 

As we look carefully and deeply at this unsatisfactoriness, we find that it is much more encompassing than we initially thought, affecting every aspect of our lives and experience, day in and day out. In fact, unsatisfactoriness is the rule and not the exception. It is the biggest single impediment to being truly happy, making progress on a spiritual path, and experiencing liberation. The Buddha recognized this and held out hope in the third Noble Truth, that suffering can be eliminated, that there can be a cessation of unsatisfactoriness.

 

At first glance the idea of eliminating suffering would seem simple, just eliminate the cause of suffering. Since, the cause of suffering, desiring things to be different than they are, is also simple, it should be an easy task to eliminate the desiring and thereby the suffering. But, it’s not simple at all. It took arguably the greatest, most mentally disciplined, mindfulness practitioner of all time, the Buddha, six years of struggle to accomplish it. For most of us, it would seem to be an almost impossible task. To get an idea of the difficulty just realize that wanting to eliminate the desire for things to be different, is itself a desire for things to be different!

 

The complexity of the cessation of desires is also underscored by the fact that many desires are healthy and in fact necessary for life, e.g. hunger, thirst, breathing, etc. Obviously these desires should not be eliminated. In addition, many are for pleasant things that make life enjoyable, such as companionship, love, art, music, good food and wine, etc. It would certainly be a bland life without them. Others are unpleasant things that need to be avoided or tempered, such as pain, illness, fear, loneliness. It would seem problematic to remove these desires. In fact, the third Noble Truth does not call for the elimination of desires. Rather, it suggests that we should eliminate clinging to, grasping onto, these desires.

 

The difference between desires and clinging to desires is a subtle but very important distinction. There is nothing wrong with desires themselves. It is human nature to have them and if not clung to, they are normally healthy. But to be invested in the outcome of the desires is where the problem arises. It is perfectly fine to desire going to a concert, but it causes suffering when the outcome makes a difference. If the concert is cancelled or sold out or your car breaks down so you can’t get there would you be OK with it, or would you be upset? If it’s the latter then you’re attached, you’re grasping, you’re clinging. If it’s the former you’re displaying the equanimity that the Buddha taught is the way to the cessation of suffering. Similarly, if you desire to get rid of a headache and take analgesics and rest, this is fine. But, if the headache continues and you’re angry and upset to have to deal with the continuing pain, then that’s clinging, grasping, and attaching to the desire. You can only alleviate the suffering by accepting that the headache is still there. Indeed, research has shown that the headache pain lessens just as soon as you cease to fight it and let go of resistance. As Ajahn Chah said, “If you let go a little, you’ll have a little happiness. If you let go a lot, you’ll have a lot of happiness. If you let go completely . . . you’ll be completely happy.”

 

Once again, though, this sounds simple, but in practice is devilishly difficult to do. The mind is programmed to control. It automatically tries to produce good feelings and hold onto them and eliminate bad feelings and prevent them from returning. So, even though we may wish to cease clinging to desires, our own mind works against us. We might try to force our will on the mind and battle its tendencies. But, as Adyashanti likes to say “If you go to war with your mind you’ll be at war forever.” The Buddha found this to be absolutely true as his attempts to control his mind with asceticism were a nearly mortal failure. He finally found a better way, “The Middle Way” where one works to restrain the mind, but doesn’t get upset when failure occurs, simply returns to the effort with expectations of slowly moving more and more toward equanimity. This is a patient practice in the middle between striving and giving up. It works to tame the mind, but not dominate it.

 

The practice begins with an intention to explore everyday experiences, looking at each and asking the question, do I feel unsatisfactoriness and when you do exploring why, what is the cause of the unsatisfactoriness. Sometimes it’s simple. You’re caught at a red light and detect unsatisfactoriness and realize that you want to get somewhere (you want things to be different) rather than appreciating the drive. With this realization, you can often spontaneously let go and stop clinging to the desire to be somewhere else and simply enjoy a relaxing interlude to the stress of driving. At times, though, it may be difficult to release the clinging. You may feel that you’re underpaid at work and thus feel unsatisfactoriness with you job rather than enjoying the moment to moment experience of the work. This feeling of unfairness may not simply diminish upon realization. This will take more work. One important lesson here, is that the key to ending suffering and becoming happy is not in a monastery or a pilgrimage, but right here in everyday life. This is where the practice is. This is where equanimity can be developed. It’s right here, right now, in the present moment, in the midst of your life.

 

The practice from here becomes subtle. It involves first working with everyday experiences and noticing when unsatisfactoriness arises and secondly noting the underlying cause, the desire, the wanting, the craving. Then, thirdly, noting and observing that both the unsatisfactoriness and the desire go through a phase of arising, increasing in magnitude and fourthly noting that they both go through a phase of decline, falling away. Obviously, this requires patience and mindful observing. But, it reveals that unsatisfactoriness and its cause, desire, just like everything else, are impermanent. They come and they go. Note that you have just observed the cessation of unsatisfactoriness and desire, the exact state that you want to achieve. Note also that you didn’t do anything. It all happened spontaneously, on its own.

 

For example, you may want to go out for dinner at a restaurant for a nice meal but realize that your budget won’t allow it. This will likely be followed by feelings of frustration, the unsatisfactoriness. Observe the feelings arising. Then, look deeply for the underlying cause, perhaps the desire to have more money, greed. Observe, also how this desire for money arises and strengthens. Then if you patiently stay with these feelings, you’ll note that they begin to decrease and fall away. The unsatisfactoriness and the greed slowly dissipate and eventually completely cease. You are left not caring that you can’t go out for the meal, that you don’t have the money. You have achieved a brief equanimity. As I’m sure, you’ll recognize, this liberation will not last long, the feelings will arise again either immediately or at a later time. You haven’t extinguished them, only experienced a brief cessation.

 

Once, the falling away of unsatisfactoriness and the underlying desire, is experienced. There is nothing else for you to do. Do not attempt to control this experience in any way. Do not attempt to maintain or lengthen the experience. This is a form of desiring things to be different than they are; the exact cause of unsatisfactoriness in the first place. It’s very hard not to try to control it. Remember your mind is programmed to do this. Don’t get upset if the mind jumps in and tries to do so. It’s just what minds do. Simply watch it and see how this itself creates unsatisfactoriness that arises and falls away.

 

This is where the subtlety comes in. The equanimity, the decrease of unsatisfactoriness, and the cessation of desire can’t be controlled. They must simply be allowed to come and go. As the practice continues the number of times this equanimity occurs and the duration of the cessation will start to increase on their own. The realization begins to dawn that you really don’t have to do anything. All you need to do is accept things as they are. This acceptance produces a pleasant state that reinforces the process, making it occur more frequently and for longer duration in the future. You come to not only understand, but directly experience that unsatisfactoriness and desire can be ended simply by patiently waiting for them to spontaneously diminish and cease. When you do a pleasant feeling will spontaneously arise. This in turn leads to an upward spiral leading slowly to enduring equanimity.

 

It is important to understand that attempting to actually do anything to produce, hold onto, or lengthen the state is counterproductive. Patience and persistence is required here. Trust that it will all happen on its own if you just let it. Don’t meddle. But, don’t stop observing. This is the method revealed in the Third Noble Truth. It is the way to true happiness, true liberation, true enlightenment.

 

The Buddha provides a path that makes it more likely that this will occur. It is the fourth Noble Truth, also called the Noble Eightfold Path which is the subject of other essays.

 

“After suffering, the Buddha taught, there is supreme happiness. Every step of the way to removing the causes of unhappiness brings more joy. On the path to the end of suffering, which is a path that Buddhists may spend their whole lifetimes practicing, there are levels of happiness and freedom from craving and ignorance that can be achieved.” – Buddhist Studies

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

Improve Anxiety and Depression in Primary Care with Mindfulness

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By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Group mindfulness treatment should be considered as an alternative to individual psychotherapy, especially at primary health care centers that can’t offer everyone individual therapy,” – Jan Sundquist

 

“Primary care is at the front line of the health delivery system” (Craner et al., 2016). Most patients enter the health system either though primary care physicians who are responsible for wellness and for the diagnosis and treatment of mental and physical diseases. If the disease is common or simple, they’ll treat it themselves or if it’s more complex or dangerous they’ll refer it to specialists. Either way, they’re the first step in treatment.

 

Mood and anxiety disorders, including depression are the most common mental illnesses and affect almost 30% of the US population. Depression is the most common mental disorders seen in primary care patients, constituting nearly a third of all patients. People with an anxiety disorder are 3 to 5 times more likely than those without to visit their doctor and constitute around 6% of primary care patients. Hence these mood disorders are an important challenge for primary care. Yet, primary care physicians have little training in psychological therapy techniques and generally treat these disorders by prescribing drugs.

 

In recent years, it has become apparent that mindfulness training is a powerful treatment option for depression and anxiety disorders either alone or in combination with other therapies. It is rare, however, for mindfulness training to be implemented in the course of primary care. In today’s Research News article “Outcomes of a 6-Week Cognitive– Behavioral and Mindfulness Group Intervention in Primary Care.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1300205500003373/?type=3&theater

or see summary below.

Craner and colleagues recruited patients who came into primary care with a diagnosis of either depression or anxiety disorders. They were provided 6-weeks of therapy that was a combination of mindfulness training and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Instruction was provided in weekly 1-hour group sessions and patients were encouraged to practice at home. They were measured for depression and anxiety disorder intensity before and after the conclusion of treatment.

 

They found that after the therapy the patients had a large and significant reduction in both their depression and anxiety. This was particularly significant in that these impressive results were obtained from a relatively brief group treatment delivered in the primary care facility itself. To our knowledge this is the first demonstration of successful mindfulness-based treatment for mood disorders conducted in a primary care facility. This is an ideal point for delivery of services to treat a major mental health problem in a safe and effective way without expensive specialist involvement and without employing drugs. Because the services were delivered at the point of entry into the health care system, it allows the delivery of services quickly, immediately upon diagnosis, maximizing effectiveness.

 

But, the results must be interpreted cautiously as there was no comparison or control condition. A randomized controlled clinical trial is needed to insure that the positive results were due the mindfulness-based therapy and not due to a placebo effect, experimenter bias, spontaneous remissions, or some other confounding factor. But, these are exciting preliminary findings which clearly support conducting further research.

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

“Once I stopped battling anxiety, it lost its power over me. The negative thoughts do still pop up, but what has changed is how I react to them now that they no longer frighten me. On the few occasions that I have had panic attacks since practicing mindfulness, I have consciously switched to mindful breathing and the panic has subsided. The vicious circle has gone, and has been replaced with positive thoughts about everything I have achieved and may yet achieve. I will always have anxious thoughts, I’m only human, but I know they are just that, just thoughts.” – Amy Straker

 

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

 

Study Summary

Craner, J. R., Sawchuk, C. N., & Smyth, K. T. (2016, July 14). Outcomes of a 6-Week Cognitive– Behavioral and Mindfulness Group Intervention in Primary Care. Families, Systems, & Health. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/fsh0000202

 

Abstract:

Introduction: Cognitive–behavioral and mindfulness-based interventions are established treatments for depressive and anxiety disorders; however, there is a lack of research for these interventions in primary care settings. The current study evaluates an evidence-based group intervention provided to primary care patients with a variety of mood and anxiety concerns. Method: Participants included 54 adult primary care patients who attended at least four sessions of a six-session cognitive–behavioral and mindfulness group. A total of nine separate groups were conducted, all of which were colocated within the primary care setting. Major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder were the most common psychiatric conditions, with approximately 56% of the sample having one or more chronic medical conditions. Self-report measures of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire–9) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire–7) were completed at each session. Results: Significant improvements were noted on self-reported measures of depression and anxiety when comparing pre- and posttreatment assessment measures with large effect sizes. Discussion: A brief, principle-based cognitive–behavioral and mindfulness group intervention delivered in primary care was associated with improved symptoms across a range of patient presentations. Evidence-based group interventions in primary care settings have the benefits of increased access and cost-effectiveness.

 

Alter the Brain for Better Pain Management with Meditation

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meditation pain2 Bilevicius

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“For some people with chronic pain, mindful meditation is an appealing pain management option because it has an unusual benefit; it is something that you personally control. Unlike pain medications or medical procedures, meditation is not done to you, it is something you can do for yourself.” – Stephanie Burke

 

Pain can be difficult to deal with, particularly if it’s persistent. But, even short-term pain, acute pain, is unpleasant. Pain, however, is an important signal that there is something wrong or that damage is occurring. This signals that some form of action is needed to mitigate the damage. This is an important signal that is ignored at the individual’s peril. So, in dealing with pain, it’s important that pain signals not be blocked or prevented. They need to be perceived. Nevertheless, it would be useful to find ways to lower the intensity of perceived pain and improve recovery from painful stimuli.

 

Pain signals are processed in the brain and the state of the brain can alter the perception of pain. Indeed, pain is affected by the mind. The perception of pain can be amplified by the emotional reactions to it and also by attempts to fight or counteract it. On the other hand, pain perception can also be reduced by mental states. Indeed, contemplative practices have been shown to reduce both chronic and acute pain. These changes are reflected in the underlying processing of the pain signals in the nervous system. This suggests that mindfulness training produces long-lasting alterations of the neural circuits underlying pain processing.

 

In today’s Research News article “Altered Neural Activity Associated with Mindfulness during Nociception: A Systematic Review of Functional MRI.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1299302553427001/?type=3&theater

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

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4931491/

Bilevicius and colleagues review the published research literature on the neural circuits involved in mindfulness’ alterations of perceived pain. In these studies, it was routinely reported that mindfulness produced a reduction in the anticipation of pain and pain unpleasantness. There were mixed findings in regard to whether the intensity of pain was reduced or not. Regardless, mindfulness appears to reduce unpleasantness without blocking the actual perception of pain.

 

They then looked at the reported effects of mindfulness training on brain activity as measured with functional Magnetic Resonance Imagery (fMRI). The published studies reported consistently that mindfulness training increased the activity of two key areas in pain processing, the Insula and the Anterior Cingulate Cortex in response to pain signals. On the other hand, mindfulness training produced decreased activity in response to pain in the Lateral Prefrontal Cortex. The ACC and the Insula are involved in processing stimuli originating in the present moment and their increased activity suggests that the mindfulness training altered the neural circuits involved in present moment awareness of pain signals. The Lateral Prefrontal Cortex, on the other hand, is associated with the awareness, cognitive processing, of pain. This suggests that mindfulness training produces a reduction in the thinking about pain.

 

These results suggest that mindfulness training produces lasting changes to the nervous system, sometimes called neuroplasticity. These changes altered the usual processing of pain signals. Although, the pain signals occurring in the present moment are heightened, they have less of an impact upon awareness and cognitive appreciation of pain. Mindfulness training, then appears to produce long-lasting changes in the brain that allow pain signals to be processed but reduce the psychological responses to pain, making it less unpleasant. The individual then can respond adaptively to the pain but not suffer as much.

 

So, alter the brain for better pain management with meditation.

 

“Imaging studies show that mindfulness soothes the brain patterns underlying pain and, over time, these changes take root and alter the structure of the brain itself, so that patients no longer feel pain with the same intensity. Many say that they barely notice it at all.” – Danny Penman

 

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

Bilevicius, E., Kolesar, T. A., & Kornelsen, J. (2016). Altered Neural Activity Associated with Mindfulness during Nociception: A Systematic Review of Functional MRI. Brain Sciences, 6(2), 14. http://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci6020014

 

Abstract

Objective: To assess the neural activity associated with mindfulness-based alterations of pain perception. Methods: The Cochrane Central, EMBASE, Ovid Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched on 2 February 2016. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were independently screened by two reviewers. Data were independently extracted from records that included topics of functional neuroimaging, pain, and mindfulness interventions. Results: The literature search produced 946 total records, of which five met the inclusion criteria. Records reported pain in terms of anticipation (n = 2), unpleasantness (n = 5), and intensity (n = 5), and how mindfulness conditions altered the neural activity during noxious stimulation accordingly. Conclusions: Although the studies were inconsistent in relating pain components to neural activity, in general, mindfulness was able to reduce pain anticipation and unpleasantness ratings, as well as alter the corresponding neural activity. The major neural underpinnings of mindfulness-based pain reduction consisted of altered activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4931491/

 

Improve Arthritis with Tai Chi

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Tai Chi Arthritis2 Shin

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“With its integrative approach that strengthens the body while focusing the mind, tai chi addresses a range of physical and mental health issues—including bone strength, joint stability, cardiovascular health, immunity, and emotional well-being.” – Stephanie Watson

 

Arthritis is a chronic disease that most commonly affects the joints. Depending on the type of arthritis symptoms may include pain, stiffness, swelling, redness, and decreased range of motion. It affects an estimated 52.5 million adults in the United States. It is associated with aging as arthritis occurs in only 7% of adults ages 18–44, while 30% adults ages 45–64 are affected, and 50% of adults ages 65 or older. The pain, stiffness, and lack of mobility associate with arthritis produce fatigue and markedly reduce the quality of life of the sufferers. Arthritis can have very negative psychological effects diminishing the individual’s self-image and may lead to depression, isolation, and withdrawal from friends and social activities Arthritis reduces the individual’s ability to function at work and may require modifications of work activities which can lead to financial difficulties. It even affects the individual’s physical appearance. In addition, due to complications associated with rheumatoid arthritis, particularly cardiovascular disease, the lifespan for people with rheumatoid arthritis may be shortened by 10 years.

 

It is obvious that there is a need for a safe and effective treatment to help rheumatoid arthritis sufferers cope with the disease and its consequences. Increasing exercise has been shown to increase flexibility and mobility but many form of exercise are difficult for the arthritis sufferer to engage in and many drop out. But all that may be needed is gentle movements of the joints. Tai Chi training is designed to enhance and regulate the functional activities of the body through regulated breathing, mindful concentration, and gentle movements. It has been shown to have many physical and psychological benefits, especially for the elderly. Because it is not strenuous, involving slow gentle movements, and is safe, having no appreciable side effects, it is appropriate for an elderly population. So, it would seem that tai chi practice would be well suited to treat arthritis in seniors.

 

In today’s Research News article “The beneficial effects of Tai Chi exercise on endothelial function and arterial stiffness in elderly women with rheumatoid arthritis.” See

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

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4718020/

Shin and colleagues examine the effectiveness of tai chi practice to help alleviate some of the cardiovascular symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. They recruited elderly (over 50 years of age) women with rheumatoid arthritis and assigned them to two groups, a tai chi and an exercise information group. The tai chi participants engaged in a group tai chi exercise once a week for 60 min for 3 months at the hospital gymnasium. Measurements were taken before and after the 3-month practice period of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and cardiovascular function. They found that the tai chi group had a significant decrease in plasma cholesterol and measures of atherosclerosis including significant decreases in arterial stiffness and flow mediated dilatation. Both of these measures are associated with the beginnings of cardiovascular disease.

 

These findings suggest that tai chi practice is beneficial in reducing cardiovascular risk factors associated with rheumatoid arthritis. These risk factors are likely due to the sedentary lifestyle of most rheumatoid arthritis sufferers and the gentle exercise of tai chi appears to be sufficient to begin to reverse some of these risk factors. This is very significant as cardiovascular disease associated with rheumatoid arthritis is serious and can lead to premature death. Since tai chi is safe and appropriate for seniors, it would appear to be an excellent treatment to reduce the cardiovascular disease risks associated with rheumatoid arthritis in the elderly.

 

So, improve arthritis with tai chi.

 

“Tai chi is often described as “meditation in motion,” but it might well be called “medication in motion.” There is growing evidence that this mind-body practice, which originated in China as a martial art, has value in treating or preventing many health problems.” – Harvard Women’s Health Watch

 

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

Shin, J.-H., Lee, Y., Kim, S. G., Choi, B. Y., Lee, H.-S., & Bang, S.-Y. (2015). The beneficial effects of Tai Chi exercise on endothelial function and arterial stiffness in elderly women with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Research & Therapy, 17, 380. http://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-015-0893-x

 

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been known to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Tai Chi exercise on CVD risk in elderly women with RA.

Method: In total, 56 female patients with RA were assigned to either a Tai Chi exercise group (29 patients) receiving a 3-month exercise intervention once a week or a control group (27 patients) receiving general information about the benefits of exercise. All participants were assessed at baseline and at 3 months for RA disease activity (Disease Activity Score 28 and Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3), functional disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire), CVD risk factors (blood pressure, lipids profile, body composition, and smoking), and three atherosclerotic measurements: carotid intima-media thickness, flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV).

Results: FMD, representative of endothelial function, significantly increased in the Tai Chi exercise group (initial 5.85 ± 2.05 versus 3 months 7.75 ± 2.53 %) compared with the control group (initial 6.31 ± 2.12 versus 3 months 5.78 ± 2.13 %) (P = 1.76 × 10−3). Moreover, baPWV, representative of arterial stiffness, significantly decreased in the Tai Chi exercise group (initial 1693.7 ± 348.3 versus 3 months 1600.1 ± 291.0 cm/s) compared with the control group (initial 1740.3 ± 185.3 versus 3 months 1792.8 ± 326.1 cm/s) (P = 1.57 × 10−2). In addition, total cholesterol decreased significantly in the Tai Chi exercise group compared with the control group (−7.8 ± 15.5 versus 2.9 ± 12.2 mg/dl, P = 2.72 × 10−2); other changes in RA-related characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. Tai Chi exercise remained significantly associated with improved endothelial function (FMD; P = 4.32 × 10−3) and arterial stiffness (baPWV; P = 2.22 × 10−2) after adjustment for improvement in total cholesterol level.

Conclusion: Tai Chi exercise improved endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness in elderly women with RA, suggesting that it can be a useful behavioral strategy for CVD prevention in patients with RA.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4718020/

Improve Self-efficacy and Movements in Teens with Yoga

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yoga children school2 Das

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Although teens frontal lobe activity is still developing well into their twenties, they do have frontal lobes. Mindfulness practices can help teens engage their frontal lobes, and slow down and weigh the outcome of their actions.” – Donna Torney

 

Adolescence can be a difficult time, fraught with challenges. During this time the child transitions to young adulthood; including the development of intellectual, psychological, physical, and social abilities and characteristics. There are so many changes occurring during this time that the child can feel overwhelmed and unable to cope with all that is required. An important characteristic that develops during this time is self-efficacy, the belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task. This characteristic is an important foundation for success in many other areas of development. So, methods that could help to improve the development of self-efficacy could be very helpful for the child in navigating the difficult adolescent years.

 

Yoga practice has been shown to have a large number of beneficial effects on the psychological, emotional, and physical health of the individual and is helpful in the treatment of mental and physical illness. The acceptance of yoga practice has spread from the home and yoga studios to its application with children in schools. Studies of these school programs have found that yoga practice produces a wide variety of positive psychosocial and physical benefits. These include improved mood state, self-control, social abilities, self-regulation, emotion regulation, self-esteem, and ability to focus. In addition, yoga practice produces improvements in student grades and academic performance. They have also shown that the yoga practice produces lower levels of anxiety, depression, general distress, rumination, and intrusive thoughts.

 

So, yoga practice may be helpful to adolescents in the development of their self-efficacy. In today’s Research News article “Influence of Yoga-Based Personality Development Program on Psychomotor Performance and Self-efficacy in School Children.” See:

https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/photos/a.628903887133541.1073741828.627681673922429/1297633423593914/?type=3&theater

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

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4908105/

Das and colleagues examine the effects of a 10-week intensive yoga camp on adolescents’ self-efficacy and cognitive task performance. The camp involved 10-hours per day of yoga postures, meditation, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques, and yoga games. They were measured before and after the camp for self-efficacy and the Trail Marking Test which measures fine motor coordination, visual–motor integration, visual perception, and cognitive planning ability. The results were compared with a matched group of adolescents who spent the 10-weeks in a traditional school setting.

 

They found that the yoga training produced a marked, significant, increase in self-efficacy including the academic, social, and emotional domains. Whereas, the control group showed no change in self-efficacy. The yoga group also showed large, significant improvements on the trail Making Test while the control group did not. These results suggest that the intensive yoga practice was very beneficial for the adolescents. The improvements in the teens beliefs regarding their ability to succeed academically, socially and emotionally has important implications for their successful navigation of the difficult teen years. In addition, their improvements in motor ability, planning, and cognitive performance suggest improved physical and intellectual development and success in school.

 

It is important, though, to recognize that the yoga training was very intensive. It is unclear whether a less intensive yoga program like that typically used in schools would have similarly impressive effects. In addition, the comparison, control, condition was not equivalent in that they didn’t experience a similar intensive training and social contact situation. So, it is not possible to know if it was the yoga training itself or the intensive camp context that produced the effects. It remains for future research to clarify these issues.

 

Regardless, the results are suggestive that yoga practice may have profound effects on teen’s development of self-efficacy, motor, and cognitive development.

 

“Yoga has proven very helpful for teenagers. The deep breathing, focusing, and stretching of Yoga help calm the mind and soothe the body and spirit. Restorative Yoga especially helps to balance the nervous system, and ease teens out of the flight-or-fight response. And luckily Yoga is now considered “cool” by most teenagers, so your kids can practice without worrying about being ostracized.” –  Jane Heyman

 

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

Das M, Deepeshwar S, Subramanya P and Manjunath NK (2016) Influence of Yoga-Based Personality Development Program on Psychomotor Performance and Self-efficacy in School Children. Front. Pediatr. 4:62. doi: 10.3389/fped.2016.00062

 

Abstract

Selective attention and efficacy are important components of scholastic performance in school children. While attempts are being made to introduce new methods to improve academic performance either as part of curricular or extracurricular activities in schools, the success rates are minimal. Hence, this study assessed the effect of yoga-based intervention on psychomotor performance and self-efficacy in school children. Two hundred ten school children with ages ranging from 11 to 16 years (mean age ± SD; 13.7 ± 0.8 years) satisfying the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited for the 10-day yogä program. An equal number of age-matched participants (n = 210; mean ± SD; 13.1 ± 0.8 years) were selected for the control group. Participants were assessed for attention and performance at the beginning and end of 10 days using trail making task (TMT) A and B, and self-efficacy questionnaire. The yoga group showed higher self-efficacy and improved performance after 10 days of yoga intervention. The performance in TMT-A and -B of the yoga group showed a significantly higher number of attempts with a reduction in time taken to complete the task and a number of wrong attempts compared with control group. Results suggest that yoga practice enhances self-efficacy and processing speed with fine motor coordination, visual–motor integration, visual perception, planning ability, and cognitive performance.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4908105/