Meditation News and Research

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The term meditation refers to a variety of techniques or practices intended to focus or control attention. Most of them are rooted in Eastern religious or spiritual traditions. These techniques have been used by many different cultures throughout the world for thousands of years.

Today, many people use meditation outside of its traditional religious or cultural settings as a form of mind-body medicine. Many claims have been made about its value in promoting or improving health and wellness.

USF College of Nursing awarded NCI grant to study mindfulness-based stress reduction in breast cancer survivors

The National Cancer Institute has awarded more than $2.8 million to University of South Florida College of Nursing to study memory and concentration among breast cancer survivors using a meditation-based stress reduction intervention.

15 Jul 2015

Internet-based program can help people manage their chronic pain, reduce reliance on opioids

Washington State University researchers have found that people can manage chronic pain and reduce their reliance on opioids through an Internet-based program that teaches non-medical alternatives like increased physical activity, thinking more positively and dealing with emotions.

8 Jul 2015

New study finds growing use of CAM therapies among menopausal women

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasing for the treatment of menopausal symptoms but often without the guidance of a clinician. That's according to a new study reported online today in Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society.

10 Jun 2015

Meditation optimizes adaptive behavior

Certain meditation techniques can promote behavior to vary adaptively from moment to moment depending on current goals, rather than remaining rigid and inflexible.

18 May 2015

Workplace mindfulness-based intervention reduces stress levels of employees

A study by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that a workplace mindfulness-based intervention reduced stress levels of employees exposed to a highly stressful occupational environment.

14 May 2015

Workplace mindfulness-based intervention reduces stress levels and risk of burnout

11 May 2015

Relaxation response has significant impact on patients with gastrointestinal disorders

A pilot study has found that participating in a nine-week training program including elicitation of the relaxation response had a significant impact on clinical symptoms of the gastrointestinal disorders irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease and on the expression of genes related to inflammation and the body's response to stress.

6 May 2015

Mindfulness meditation can reduce pain, anxiety in healthy individuals

When Rebecca Erwin was a varsity rower at the University of North Carolina, the coach had the team's members take a yoga and meditation class.

10 Apr 2015

MBSR reduces fasting glucose, improves quality of life in overweight and obese women

A treatment known as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) may decrease fasting glucose and improve quality of life in overweight and obese women, new research suggests.

9 Mar 2015

Possible therapies to address cognitive symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia

By studying specially bred mice with specific developmental and cognitive traits resembling those seen in schizophrenia, UC San Francisco researchers have provided new evidence that abnormal rhythmic activity in particular brain cells contributes to problems with learning, attention, and decision-making in individuals with that disorder.

6 Mar 2015

Rythmia Life Advancement Center opens new addiction rehabilitation facility in Costa Rica

Rythmia Life Advancement Center today announced the launch of its new addiction rehabilitation facility in Costa Rica which will utilize the Iboga plant and Ibogaine as part of their treatment plan.

28 Feb 2015

Use of mind and body approaches to improve health, well-being remains high among Americans

More Americans of all ages are rolling out their yoga mats in an effort to improve their health. A large nationally representative survey shows that the number of Americans using mind and body approaches to improve health and well-being remains high. Of note is a significant increase in the use of yoga since 2002. In addition, almost as many Americans practice meditation or receive chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation.

16 Feb 2015

Mindfulness training can influence health via stress reduction pathways

Over the past decade, there have been many encouraging findings suggesting that mindfulness training can improve a broad range of mental and physical health problems. Yet, exactly how mindfulness positively impacts health is not clear.

15 Feb 2015

Study examines use of yoga therapy to address lymphedema

Cancer is bad enough. But cancer patients who receive surgery, radiation and chemotherapy may suffer from side effects that run from irritating to crippling — problems that are postural, musculoskeletal and respiratory, along with lowered self-esteem. Many suffer from lymphedema, swelling caused by retained fluid in a compromised lymphatic system.

6 Feb 2015

Meditation appears to help preserve the brain's gray matter

Since 1970, life expectancy around the world has risen dramatically, with people living more than 10 years longer. That's the good news.

6 Feb 2015

Lifestyle tips to lower heart disease risks

With the arrival of American Heart Month in February, it's that time of the year to remind ourselves to take good care of our hearts.

30 Jan 2015

Hot Spring offers reminder to consider mental-health resolutions for 2015

Hot Spring®, the only brand to sell more than one million hot tubs, offers a reminder to consider mental-health resolutions for 2015.

31 Dec 2014

Tips to allergy sufferers for easy breathing this holiday season

The many smells and tastes of the holidays that get so many in a festive mood can sicken others, thanks to allergic reactions. But with some seasonal savvy, allergy sufferers can breathe easy this festive time of year.

14 Dec 2014

OSU researchers review studies on effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs for weight loss

If dieting is on your New Year agenda, it might pay to be mindful of a study suggesting there is little hard evidence that mindfulness leads to weight loss.

12 Dec 2014

New study finds that military culture enables use of tobacco for stress relief

Military culture perpetuates the notion that using tobacco provides stress relief, a new study in the American Journal of Health Promotion finds. But other stress relievers, such as exercise or taking meditation breaks, could be more valuable and effective than smoking breaks and avoid the health risks of tobacco.

7 Dec 2014