To explore African American (AA) women's use of mind-body therapies, such as yoga and mindfulness, and factors that impact their experiences, observations and opinions. Focus groups were conducted to better understand how AA women perceive mind-body therapies and how to best bring these interventions into their community. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. The urban Midwest. In...
There are different ways of dealing with pain and cognitive and meditative therapies (CMT) are alternative ways to regulate the emotions associated with pain. Current studies apply neuroimaging techniques trying to elucidate the neural mechanisms of cognitive strategies for pain. This systematic review aimed to summarize the evidence on brain activity changes after CMT, which include cognitive...
The current study presents a pilot qualitative exploration of the collaboration of two yoga service agencies in implementing a trauma-informed mindfulness-based teaching curriculum in Kenya, Africa. Yoga and mindfulness practices have been demonstrated as successful complementary and alternative approaches to managing the impacts of stress trauma. This study explores the feasibility and...
Objective: Yoga has been shown to improve muscle strength, flexibility, and balance. However, the impact of meditation on dynamic factors such as gait, reactive balance and proprioception has yet to be examined. The purpose of this study was to test if a novel yoga meditation program (YoMed) is as effective as a standard proprioceptive training in improving proprioception, balance and power in...
Little is known about the acceptance of non-pharmacological group strategies delivered to low income racially diverse patients with chronic pain and depression. This paper examines how the Integrative Medical Group Visit (IMGV) addresses many of the deficits identified with usual care. Six IMGVs cohorts were held at a safety net hospital and two federally funded community health centres. Data...
This study aimed to examine the durability of gain patterns following an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for headache pain program. A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants (N=19) were individuals with headache pain who completed both the MBCT program as well as a 6-month follow-up assessment at a headache clinic or a university...
Objectives: To understand depressed individuals' experiences in a 10-week hatha yoga program. Design: In a randomized controlled trial, participants were assigned to either 10 weeks of hatha yoga classes or a health education control group. This report includes responses from participants in yoga classes. At the start of classes, average depression symptom severity level was moderate. Main...
Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a novel mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) designed to control weight after bariatric surgery. Design: Randomized, controlled pilot trial. Setting: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. Interventions: Bariatric patients 1-5 years post-surgery (n=18) were randomized to receive a 10-week MBI or a standard intervention. Main...
We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week meditation program (focused meditation) in patients with chronic low-back pain. A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 68 patients (55 years;75% female) with chronic low-back pain who scored >40mm on a 100mm Visual-Analogue-Scale. Subjects were allocated to an 8-week meditation program (focused meditation) with weekly 75min classes or to...
The aim of this study was to examine how different levels of yoga involvement are related to different parameters of mental health and illness. A total sample of 455 participants (410 females) were investigated by means of an internet survey. 362 yoga practitioners (327 females) rated their degree of yoga involvement on the Yoga Immersion Scale. A control group was comprised of 93 gymnastics...
The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a 12-week mindfulness-based yoga intervention on depressive symptoms and rumination among depressed women. Prospective, randomized, controlled 12 week intervention pilot study. Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline, post-intervention (12 weeks), and one-month follow-up. Women with a history of diagnosed depression and currently...
This study aimed to determine if mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) engenders improvement in headache outcomes via the mechanisms specified by theory: (1) change in psychological process, (i.e., pain acceptance); and concurrently (2) change in cognitive content, (i.e., pain catastrophizing; headache management self-efficacy). A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial...
BACKGROUND Emotional competencies are extremely important for healthcare providers exposed to patients' suffering. The effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been studied in this population. However, it is unclear whether capacities identified as core for care are modified favourably by this intervention. OBJECTIVES (1) To identify outcomes in studies on the effect of MBSR in...
Previous studies have identified different, but highly correlated variables explaining the effects of mindfulness training. Many of them are limited by tautological explanation. Under the framework of the mind-body connection, mindfulness training cultivates body awareness and promotes self-management of illness. Stagnation, a concept from Chinese medicine, may help explain the mechanism of...
This paper reviews the philosophical origins, current scientific evidence, and clinical promise of yoga and mindfulness as complementary therapies for addiction. Historically, there are eight elements of yoga that, together, comprise ethical principles and practices for living a meaningful, purposeful, moral and self-disciplined life. Traditional yoga practices, including postures and...
To determine the characteristics of yoga and meditation users and non-users amongst young and mid-aged Australian women. The research was conducted as part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) which was designed to investigate multiple factors affecting the health and well being of women over a 20-year period. The younger (28-33 years) (n=8885) and mid-aged (56-61...
Pilot study: Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL): weight, eating behavior, and psychological outcomes associated with a mindfulness-based intervention for people with obesity.