Advances In Mind-body Medicine[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
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Stauffer P, Baker S
Adv Mind Body Med · 2023 Summer · PMID 38345773
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Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Yoga for Thyroid Dysfunction: A Cross-sectional Survey Using a Tableau Approach.
Nilkantham S, Kn H, Singh A
Adv Mind Body Med · 2023 Summer · PMID 38345772
CONTEXT: Thyroid dysfunction is a common endocrine disorder. Lifestyle changes such as the use of complementary therapies namely yoga, regular physical activity, and proper diet may reduce the risk of endocrinal dysfunct...
CONTEXT: Thyroid dysfunction is a common endocrine disorder. Lifestyle changes such as the use of complementary therapies namely yoga, regular physical activity, and proper diet may reduce the risk of endocrinal dysfunction and may help individuals to maintain a healthy weight. OBJECTIVE: The study intended to evaluate thyroid patients' knowledge gaps with respect to, cultural beliefs about, and attitudes towards the practice of yoga as a therapeutic tool in India. DESIGN: The research team conducted a cross-sectional survey electronically using a snowball sampling technique. SETTING: The study took place at Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) Yoga University in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were patients with thyroid dysfunction in India. OUTCOME MEASURES: The research team: (1) evaluated the overall awareness of, opinions about, and practice of yoga among participants, (2) correlated the findings with participants' sociodemographic characteristics, specific thyroid disease and comorbidities using the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) model and Tableau analysis. RESULTS: Among respondents, 192 patients were eligible to participate in the survey, out of which 31.8% were yoga practitioners and 68.2% weren't. All participants confirmed that they had heard the term yoga. The second group's awareness of yoga's use as a therapy was limited. Many nonpractitioners stated that they lacked knowledge of and feared injury from the practice of yoga, yet they showed interest in receiving yogic counseling. Of the 192 participants, 85.94% had received a clinical diagnosis of hypothyroidism, out of which 64% were female and 22% were male. The remaining 14% of participants had received other diagnosis along the spectrum of thyroid dysfunction. The prominent comorbidity was obesity at 28.13% among both genders, and in addition, 20.83% of females had polycystic ovarian syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: This study found an inadequate level of knowledge of yoga as a therapy among thyroid patients. Because yoga is progressive in improving endocrinal functions and is one of the complementary therapies for managing thyroid dysfunction, the research team recommends its integration into conventional medicine as an adjunct therapy. This study provides the scope for future studies about yoga and thyroid dysfunction among a wide range of age groups across the globe.
Systematic Review of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Weight Management Among Pre- and Post-bariatric Surgery Patients.
Almuhtadi Y, Alageel S
Adv Mind Body Med · 2023 Summer · PMID 38345771
CONTEXT: Bariatric surgery has been an effective treatment for severe obesity. However, it can be challenging for bariatric-surgery patients to reach and maintain long-term weight loss. Behavioral interventions may be be...
CONTEXT: Bariatric surgery has been an effective treatment for severe obesity. However, it can be challenging for bariatric-surgery patients to reach and maintain long-term weight loss. Behavioral interventions may be beneficial in reducing weight and improving the psychological outcomes of bariatric patients. OBJECTIVE: The review intended to evaluate the benefits of mindfulness training for weight management among pre- and postoperative, bariatric-surgery patients and to help determine the design of the most effective mindfulness program for them. DESIGN: The research team performed a systematic narrative review by searching the Medline, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), PsycINFO, Web of Knowledge, PubMed, and CENTRAL databases. The search terms included mindfulness-based therapy, stress reduction, relaxation therapy, meditation, and acceptance and commitment therapy. Eligible studies included those using interventions that examined the impact of mindfulness on weight loss for bariatric-surgery patients. Due to the heterogeneity of the included studies, the research team conducted a narrative synthesis rather than a meta-analysis. SETTING: The review took place in the Community Health Sciences Department at the College of Applied Medical Sciences of King Saud University in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes included indicators of body-weight change, such as kilograms, pounds, or BMIs. Secondary outcomes included changes: (1) in eating behavior, such as in binge eating, grazing behavior, craving behavior, and emotional eating, (2) in caloric intake, (3) in mental health, including a reduction in anxiety or depression, (4) in quality of life, (5) mindfulness acceptability and practice, (6) in physical activity, and (7) in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). RESULTS: The research team included eight studies in the review. One study aimed to explore the impact of mindfulness on pre-operative patients, and the remaining seven studies measured the impact among postoperative individuals. Most studies suggested that mindfulness-based interventions can have a positive impact on weight outcomes and eating behaviors. The team also found promising effects for mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression. It's important to note that the included studies reported no strategies that examined treatment fidelity and the monitoring of an intervention's delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results suggest that mindfulness-based interventions can be useful in tackling eating disorders and in promoting weight loss among bariatric individuals. Further studies are warranted in this area to make explicit recommendations that inform pre- and post-bariatric guidelines. The field needs further well-developed studies to understand the impact of mindfulness on weight loss in the long term.
Money Attitudes After Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques: Psychological Change in a Virtual vs In-Person Group.
Church D, Vasudevan A, De Foe A … +1 more , Lovegrove R
Adv Mind Body Med · 2023 Summer · PMID 38345770
CONTEXT: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFTs) can reduce anxiety, depression, PTSD, and phobias. Research has found correlations between attitudes toward money and anxiety and depressive symptomatology. No research has ye...
CONTEXT: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFTs) can reduce anxiety, depression, PTSD, and phobias. Research has found correlations between attitudes toward money and anxiety and depressive symptomatology. No research has yet examined the effectiveness of EFT in changing money attitudes. OBJECTIVE: The study intended to measure the effectiveness of EFT in changing money attitudes and to contrast EFT's effects delivered virtually or in-person by evaluating multiple markers of stress, including anxiety, depression, pain, happiness, and PTSD. DESIGN: The research team performed a retrospective controlled study. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were a convenience sample of 54 nonclinical individuals. INTERVENTION: The study included participants into an in-person group and a virtual group. The 24 participants in the in-person group met prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 35 participants in the virtual group participated in the workshop toward the end of 2020. Both used EFT to address money-related issues during a two-day workshop. OUTCOME MEASURES: The research team used: (1) the brief version of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), GAD-2, to assess participants' anxiety; (2) the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) to assess symptoms of depression over the two weeks prior to the testing; (3) the PTSD Checklist (PCL-2) to assess symptoms of PTSD over the month prior to the test; (4) the Happiness Scale, an 11-point Likert scale that indicates whether respondents feel happy in general; (5) the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, a self-rated average of pain that participants had experienced in the 24 hours prior to the test; and (6) the Money Attitudes Scale (MAS) to measure change in attitudes. RESULTS: Postintervention, the in-person group has significant reductions in anxiety (P = .023), PTSD (P = .013), and pain (P = .029) as well as significant improvements in happiness (P < .001). The group's MAS scores for Power-Prestige (P = .008), Distrust (P < .001) and Money Anxiety (P < .01) also decreased significantly. At the six-month followup, the group's mean scores showed significant decreases for PTSD (P < .001) and pain (P < .001) as well as significant improvements in happiness (P < .05). Postintervention, the virtual group had a significant increase in happiness (P < .001), but while anxiety, depression, and pain decreased, the changes weren't statistically significant. The group's money attitudes also showed a significant increase in Retention-Time (P < .001) as well as significantly decreased scores for Distrust (P < .001), Money Anxiety (P < .01) and Power-Prestige (P < .01). At the six-month followup, the virtual group's mean differences from baseline were greater than that of the in-person group. CONCLUSIONS: The current study's findings point toward EFT's potential to improve money attitudes as well as psychological symptoms and indicated that EFT can be effective when delivered virtually. The study demonstrated improvements in anxiety, depression, pain, and happiness. The current research team recommends delivering EFT and other evidence-based therapies virtually, through apps, on-demand therapy sessions, virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI).
Missing Part of Vitalism: Information.
Tez M
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Fall · PMID 36351187
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Comparative Cross-sectional Study on Phasic Heart Rate Variability and Working Memory Among Young Adults.
Budhi BR, Deepeshwar S, Angadi B
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Fall · PMID 36351186
CONTEXT: Heart rate variability (HRV) could be a promising early biomarker of cognitive impairment. A better understanding of reaction patterns between cardiovascular and cognitive functions can be helpful in predicting...
CONTEXT: Heart rate variability (HRV) could be a promising early biomarker of cognitive impairment. A better understanding of reaction patterns between cardiovascular and cognitive functions can be helpful in predicting and preventing the manifestation of disease. Additionally, beneficial cardiovascular evidence for yoga is promising but lacks short-term (approximately one year) cross-sectional investigations. OBJECTIVE: The study intended to investigate phasic HRV and its patterns of reaction in yoga practitioners and nonpractitioners, using rest and stress periods induced by cognitive tasks. DESIGN: The research team designed a cross-sectional, controlled study. SETTING: The study took place in the Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory at Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 84 healthy male volunteers, 42 in the yoga group, the intervention group, and 42 in the nonyoga group, the control group. OUTCOME MEASURES: Simultaneously the research team recorded both an autonomic measurement, an electrocardiogram (EKG), and a working memory (WM) task, the N-back task, to assess the effects of the two groups' reaction patterns on HRV and WM. The data included an average of a 5 min epoch for the baseline EKG and a 15 min epoch for the EKG during the N-back task. The research team recorded the HRV indices: (1) mean rhythm-to-rhythm (RR) intervals, (2) heart rate (HR), (3) standard deviation of RR intervals (STDRR), (4) root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), (5) triangular interpolation of RR interval histogram (TINN), (6) percentage of successive normal sinus RR intervals >50 ms (pNN50), (7) number of adjacent N-N intervals over 50 ms (NN50), (8) low frequency (LF), (9) high frequency (HF), and (10) LF/HF ratio. The team compared the HRV indices to participants' reaction patterns while performing cognitive tasks. RESULTS: In response to psychological stress, the yoga group had enhanced physiological activity, such as an increased cardiac activity, indicated during the task by a higher HR, NN50, and TINN and a lower RR, STDRR, pNN50, and RMSSD, indicating more flexibility. The control group had an increase only in HR and TINN and had a decreased RR. Simultaneously, the yoga group showed greater accuracy in the N-back task for WM compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed significant differences in phasic HRV and WM performance among the groups. The yoga group had higher phasic HRV indices with higher cognitive performance than the control group. This is the first study that has attempted to show that the cross-sectional differences in HRV indices between yoga practitioners and nonpractitioners exist at an early stage of life, where no disease has yet manifested. The research team suggest that incorporating yoga into daily life at a young age may yield a healthy life.
Effects of Yoga on Psychological Health and Sleep Quality of Patients With Acute Insomnia: A Preliminary Study.
Verma K, Srivastava A, Singh D
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Fall · PMID 36351185
CONTEXT: Insomnia or poor sleep quality is associated with impaired physical, psychological, and mental functions that individuals require for health and well-being. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the effects of...
CONTEXT: Insomnia or poor sleep quality is associated with impaired physical, psychological, and mental functions that individuals require for health and well-being. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the effects of yoga practice in managing insomnia and its related complications, such as cognitive failure, stress, and impaired quality of life (QoL), for individuals suffering from acute insomnia. DESIGN: The research team designed a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: The study took place at OPD of Dept. of Panchkarma Uttarakhand Ayurveda University in Uttarakhand, India. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 24 patients at the hospital with acute insomnia between September 1 and September 30, 2021. INTERVENTION: The research team randomly allocated 12 participants to the yoga group, the intervention group, and 12 to the control group. The yoga group participated in yoga practice for 60 minutes per day including Jala Neti- thrice in a week, Yoga Nidra- once in a week for 30 days, in addition to three days for an orientation program. The control group received conventional treatment. OUTCOME MEASURES: At baseline and postintervention on day 30, the research team measured outcomes using the Perceived stress scale (PSS), Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Abbreviated (WHO-QOL-BREF). The team assessed the data for normality and applied the paired t test and an independent t test. RESULTS: Postintervention, the decrease in the yoga group's stress and sleep quality were significantly greater, except for cognitive failure, than those of the control group. For the yoga group, three aspects of QOL-physical, psychological, and social-showed significant improvements but environmental health didn't. CONCLUSIONS: Yoga may be helpful in the management of insomnia and other sleep-related disorders in conjunction with pharmacotherapies and psychological interventions. Yoga can enhance QOL by improving overall mental health status and sleep quality and decreasing stress.
Effect of a Structured Naturopathy and Yoga Intervention on Pain, Depression, and Quality of Sleep in a Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patient.
Deepa Y, Nisha S, Mooventhan A … +2 more , Manavalan N, Christa SE
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Summer · PMID 36308506
A 54-year-old postmenopausal woman was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACCA) of the right breast. She had complaints of pain in the upper quadrant of the right breast, stress, disturbed sleep, and depression. He...
A 54-year-old postmenopausal woman was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACCA) of the right breast. She had complaints of pain in the upper quadrant of the right breast, stress, disturbed sleep, and depression. Her self-reported pain intensity using the visual analog scale (VAS) was 8 and her perceived stress scale value was 19. Her depression score on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was 12. Her quality of sleep, evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), was 18. She was given integrated naturopathy and yoga therapy for 43 days. She showed a reduction in pain, stress, and depression scores. Her quality of sleep also improved after the integrated naturopathy and yoga therapy. Our structured integrated naturopathy and yoga therapy improved pain, stress, depression, and sleep quality in a postmenopausal breast cancer patient and may be used as adjuvant therapy for patients with breast cancer.
Breathing Exercises, Cold-Water Immersion, and Meditation: Mind-Body Practices Lead to Reduced Stress and Enhanced Well-Being.
Faid T, Van Gordon W, Taylor EC
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Summer · PMID 36308505
Stress is a key contributor to several major life-threatening illnesses including depression and cardiovascular disease. Behavioral strategies that enable individuals to regulate stress responses can lead to improved hea...
Stress is a key contributor to several major life-threatening illnesses including depression and cardiovascular disease. Behavioral strategies that enable individuals to regulate stress responses can lead to improved health and well-being. Such practices may also help reduce required clinical interventions, ease pressure on the National Health Service (NHS), and reduce the need for medical and psychological treatments. This study explores the effects of a novel mind-body therapy for stress reduction and enhanced well-being. A single-group longitudinal intervention design was applied in a study comprising 29 healthy volunteers. The 10-day program was delivered online and consisted of deep-breathing exercises, cold-water exposure, and mindfulness meditation. Participant measures of perceived stress, depression symptoms, and mental well-being were taken at baseline and after completing the 10-day program. A MANOVA analysis revealed significant pre-post intervention differences for all psychometric measures, suggesting the intervention elicited improvements in symptoms of stress, well-being, and depression. This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the efficacy of an innovative mind-body therapy that may be learned and used by individuals to help modulate stress responses, improve mood levels, and enhance well-being. Future research could utilize multi-modal controlled study designs to understand the psychophysiological mechanisms associated with the benefits this practice may generate.
Qigong in Perceptual Auditory Attention: Tool to Improve Sound Integration in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Teixeira Lopes L, Matos LC, Gonçalves M … +4 more , Ramos B, Joao Santos M, Machado J, Greten HJ
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Summer · PMID 36308504
CONTEXT: Qigong, a mind-body practice in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), can improve cognitive functions, emotional balance, attention, multitask management, stress-coping, and well-being. One limitation of Qigong re...
CONTEXT: Qigong, a mind-body practice in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), can improve cognitive functions, emotional balance, attention, multitask management, stress-coping, and well-being. One limitation of Qigong research is a lack of adequate controls. OBJECTIVE: The current study intended to evaluate whether a single 5-min practice of a White Ball (WB) Qigong exercise could improve the perceptual auditory attention, divided and focused, in adults and whether obtaining potential effects would require a minimum level of training. DESIGN: The research team designed a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, and single-blinded study. SETTING: The study took place at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS) at the University of Porto in Porto, Portugal. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 55 students at the University of Porto, 30 of whom were students attending the second year of medical school at ICBAS with no experience in Qigong and 25 of whom were students in the specialization and Master's programs in TCM with experience in Qigong. INTERVENTION: The research team randomly distributed the 30 participants without experience into two groups, a negative control group (n = 15), who watched a wildlife video for 5 min in an orthostatic position, and a positive control group , the verum Qigong group (n = 15), who participated in 5 min of Qigong practice. The Qigong-practitioner group (n = 25), the intervention group, participated in the same 5-min Qigong, doing it with expertise. OUTCOME MEASURES: The study measured reaction time (RT) under two experimental conditions, one an auditory RT task and the second an auditory RT task with visual distraction. The procedure was constant for all the studied groups. RESULTS: Postintervention, the reaction time (RT) in the negative control and the verum Qigong groups hadn't changed significantly (P > .05), while that of the Qigong-practitioner group had decreased significantly, with shorter RTs under the two experimental conditions, with P = .006 for the auditory RT and P = .003 for the auditory + visual distraction. Qigong may induce a conditioning effect that comes with regular practice. CONCLUSIONS: The WB Qigong had a positive effect on the AA mechanism, with a significant reduction in RT. The results support the importance of practice to achieve positive effects. People with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and ADHD, struggle every day for sensory integration of AA mechanisms. Qigong can be taught and easily learned from the age of 2 years until senior ages, and it's a safe and very low-cost intervention that deserves to be researched further in clinical trials. These potential benefits of Qigong should be confirmed by future studies.
Development, Content Validation, and Feasibility of Yoga Module for Smartphone Addiction.
Chaitanya Putchavayala K, Rajesh SK, Singh D
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Spring · PMID 35732065
CONTEXT: Mental health practitioners have postulated that smartphone addiction is a disorder characterized by maladaptive and problematic behavior, and treatment modalities are scarce. Yoga has been found to be a viable...
CONTEXT: Mental health practitioners have postulated that smartphone addiction is a disorder characterized by maladaptive and problematic behavior, and treatment modalities are scarce. Yoga has been found to be a viable tool for addiction treatment and other psychiatric conditions, but no specific validated module is currently available for smartphone addiction. OBJECTIVE: The study intended: (1) to develop a yoga-based intervention for smartphone addiction, based on the ancient literature of yoga and a modern literature review; (2) to validate the developed module with experts from different schools of yoga; and (3) to test the module's feasibility and efficacy for young adolescents, with the objective of creating biopsychosocial well-being. DESIGN: The research team first conducted a search of traditional and contemporary literature, with the objective of developing the yoga program. That yoga program was then sent to yoga experts for content validation. A pilot study then tested the feasibility of using the developed module for individuals with internet and smartphone addiction. SETTING: The study took place in Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA) University, Bengaluru, India. PARTICIPANTS: For content validity, participants were 15 yoga experts who had >10 years of experience in treating mental health disorders. For feasibility in a pilot study, participants were 22 students from an engineering college in Bengaluru, South India. OUTCOME MEASURES: For content validity, the experts' opinions were rated using a content validation ratio (CVR) through Lawshe's formula. For the feasibility study, assessments were performed at baseline and post intervention. Data were collected to evaluate: (1) addiction level using the Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version (SAS-SV), (2) impulsiveness using the Barat Impulsive Scale (BIS); (3) sleep problems using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), (4) mindfulness using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), (4) self-regulation using the Short Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SSRQ); and general health using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). RESULTS: In the final version of the module, 26 out of 35 items (74.28%) of the practices in the developed program were retained, together with the modifications suggested by the experts. The content validity index for the whole module, an average of all CVRs, was 0.74. The study found significant reductions in the most symptom scores after participants practiced the yoga module for six weeks. CONCLUSIONS: A yoga module for smartphone addiction was developed, validated, and checked for feasibility. The content validity of the module was found to be good. The module was found to potentially useful for reducing symptoms in individuals with smartphone addiction. Future studies should test the efficacy of the developed program through a randomized, controlled clinical trial.
Preliminary Research into the Effects of Higher Brain Living on Well-being.
Seagull D
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Spring · PMID 35732064
CONTEXT: Higher Brain Living (HBL) is a light-touch therapy, which practitioners claim can increase well-being. Although studies have suggested that its component elements-light touch, focused breathing, and positive sel...
CONTEXT: Higher Brain Living (HBL) is a light-touch therapy, which practitioners claim can increase well-being. Although studies have suggested that its component elements-light touch, focused breathing, and positive self-talk-can increase well-being for specific populations in specific contexts, no empirical research has occurred on HBL's efficacy. OBJECTIVE: The study intended to measure the effects of HBL therapy on the well-being of individuals who have received it. DESIGN: The research team designed a quasi-experimental controlled trial that used a survey to gather self-reported data related to well-being. SETTING: The study took place in individual HBL practitioners' locations throughout the USA. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were adults who had attended an introductory presentation about HBL. INTERVENTION: Participants were assigned to one of three groups: (1) the intervention group, who had responded to the baseline and postintervention surveys and had participated in HBL sessions (n = 14); (2) the control group, who had responded to the baseline and postintervention surveys and had not participated in HBL sessions (n = 9); and (3) the noncompleter group who had responded to the baseline surveys and had not completed the postintervention survey (n = 54). OUTCOME MEASURES: Well-being was assessed using five measures that evaluated constructs associated with well-being: (1) happiness using the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), (2) anxiety using the Anxiety Index (AI), (3) depression using Depression Index (DI) (4) mastery using the Pearlin Mastery Scale (PM), and (5) flourishing using the Flourishing Scale (FS). RESULTS: The study included baseline data from 77 respondents; 23 participants completed the surveys at baseline and postintervention, 14 in the intervention group and 9 in the control group. A statistically significant, greater improvement occurred for the intervention group in the measures for flourishing, mastery, and happiness compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The current study provides a foundation of empirical evidence suggesting the effectiveness of HBL as a potential treatment for improving well-being, upon which further investigation can be based.
Effects of Yoga on Cognitive Functions Among Adolescents.
Shetty L, Reddy GG, Krishnan P … +3 more , Toby I, Ts S, K A
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Spring · PMID 35732063
CONTEXT: Yoga is beneficial in enhancing mental health and consequently cognitive growth. Some studies have show that yoga practice can improve cognitive functioning in children. OBJECTIVE: The study intended to evaluate...
CONTEXT: Yoga is beneficial in enhancing mental health and consequently cognitive growth. Some studies have show that yoga practice can improve cognitive functioning in children. OBJECTIVE: The study intended to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based yoga intervention on the cognitive abilities-attention and memory-of adolescents. DESIGN: The research team conducted a one-group, pretest-posttest study. SETTING: The study occurred at a rural residential school in Udupi, Karnataka, and South India. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were a convenience sample of 36 adolescents, with a mean age of 12.19 ± 0.4 years, in the seventh grade at the school. INTERVENTION: A senior yoga expert prepared a structured, yoga-intervention module, which was implemented, with each session lasting one hour and occurring five days a week for 12 weeks. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Digit Span Forward (DSF) and Digit Span Backward (DSB) tests and Letter-Number Sequencing (LNS) test were used by a trained research examiner to evaluate cognition. RESULTS: Comparing the mean DSB, total digit span score, and LNS at baseline and postintervention showed significantly higher posttest scores than pretest ones, with P = .005, P = .005, and P = .001, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Yoga training improves cognitive functions and is a simple, low-cost, and effective adjuvant modality.
Effects of an Integrated Yoga Program on Quality of Life, Spinal Flexibility, and Strength in Older Adults: A Randomized Control Trial.
Ganesh HRS, Subramanya P, Rao RM … +2 more , Vadiraj HS, Udupa V
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Winter · PMID 35476749
CONTEXT: Aging can contribute to a decrease in physical activity as a result of metabolic dysfunction and hormonal imbalance that can cause degenerative joint disease and aging-related inflammation. As age advances, a de...
CONTEXT: Aging can contribute to a decrease in physical activity as a result of metabolic dysfunction and hormonal imbalance that can cause degenerative joint disease and aging-related inflammation. As age advances, a decrease in muscle mass, muscle strength, and flexibility can impair physical function. OBJECTIVE: The study intended to evaluate the effects of an integrated yoga module in improving the flexibility, muscle strength, and quality of life (QOL) of older adults. DESIGN: This research team designed a prospective, two-arm, open-label, and parallel, randomized controlled trial. SETTING: The study took place in an outpatient department at Divine Park, Yoga & Naturopathy Hospital, Udupi, Karnataka, India. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 96 older adults, aged 60-75 years (64.1 ± 3.95 years) taking part in a yoga program in the department. INTERVENTION: The program was a three-month, yoga-based lifestyle intervention. The participants were randomly allocated to the intervention group (n = 48) or to a waitlisted control group (n = 48). The intervention group underwent three one-hour sessions of yoga weekly, with each session including loosening exercises, asanas, pranayama, and meditation spanning. OUTCOME MEASURES: At baseline and post intervention, assessments were made: (1) for spinal flexibility using a sit and reach test, (2) for back and leg strength using a back leg dynamometer, (3) for handgrip strength (HGS) and endurance (HGE) using a hand-grip dynamometer, and (4) the Older People's Quality of Life (OPQOL) questionnaire. Analysis was performed employing Wilcoxon's Sign Rank tests and Mann Whitney Tests, using an intention-to-treat approach. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, the intervention group experienced a significantly greater increase in spinal flexibility (P < .001), back leg strength (P < .001), HGE (P < .01), and QOL (P < .001) after three months of yoga. CONCLUSION: Yoga can be used safely for older adults to improve flexibility, strength, and functional QOL. Larger randomized controlled trials with an active control intervention are warranted.
Skinny Genes' Six-week, Online, Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques Program: Durable Weight Loss and Improved Psychological Symptoms.
Church D, Stapleton P, Raynor D
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Winter · PMID 35476748
CONTEXT: With obesity a mounting global issue, efficacious treatments can make a contribution to both personal and public health. Prior clinical trials have demonstrated that an evidence-based method, Clinical Emotional...
CONTEXT: With obesity a mounting global issue, efficacious treatments can make a contribution to both personal and public health. Prior clinical trials have demonstrated that an evidence-based method, Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), can produce a durable weight reduction. OBJECTIVE: The study evaluated whether Skinny Genes, a six-week online program applying EFT to emotional eating, was associated with behavioral change and reductions in weight. DESIGN: A pre-post outcome study design evaluated the results of a convenience sample of participants enrolled in an online weight loss course. PARTICIPANTS: Participant were recruited through EFT websites. Pre, post and follow-up measures were available for 72 participants and all analysis was performed on this sample. INTERVENTION: Participants used EFT to address cognitions, behaviors, and adverse experiences that could contribute to binge eating, intermittent dieting, and resistance to exercise. OUTCOME MEASURES: Behaviors to restrain eating were measured using the Revised Restraint Scale (RRS); the association of food with reward using the Power of Food Scale (PFS); anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Weight was measured pre and postintervention and at six-month follow-up. RESULTS: Postintervention, a 36.8% reduction in anxiety (P < .001) and a 48.5% reduction in depression (P < .001) were found. The perceived power of food decreased significantly as did restraint behaviors. Participants lost an average of 12.9 lbs during the six weeks of the program (P < .001), and at follow-up, a further 2.6 lbs. All psychological gains were maintained (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The findings are consistent with those of other clinical trials studying the benefits of EFT for weight loss, demonstrating simultaneous reductions in both weight and psychological distress. The continued weight reduction found on follow-up was consistent with other EFT studies but counter to the pattern of weight regain noted in the literature. Addressing emotional issues using an online delivery format was associated with durable weight-loss maintenance as well as improved mental health. App-based and virtual programs such as Skinny Genes have the potential to bring effective therapies to underserved populations.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Older Individuals: Who Benefits the Most?
Kornfield SL, Nicol GE, Lenze EJ … +2 more , Yingling M, Loebach Wetherell J
Adv Mind Body Med · 2022 Winter · PMID 35476747
BACKGROUND: Preexisting patient characteristics may influence the outcome of mindfulness training, and a composite predictive index may be most informative in predicting outcome. PRIMARY STUDY OBJECTIVE: To develop a pre...
BACKGROUND: Preexisting patient characteristics may influence the outcome of mindfulness training, and a composite predictive index may be most informative in predicting outcome. PRIMARY STUDY OBJECTIVE: To develop a predictive index from baseline patient characteristics to determine which characteristics are associated with improvement following mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) vs health education and to examine whether intreatment variables-reflecting adherence to the mindfulness intervention-predicted clinical outcome. METHODS: In a secondary data analysis, a composite moderator statistical approach created a predictive index from baseline participant characteristics that were associated with clinical global impressions improvement following intervention. SETTING: Data come from a 2-site, randomized controlled trial which took place in medical centers in St Louis, Missouri, and San Diego, California. PARTICIPANTS: Included 103 older adults with anxiety and/or depressive disorders randomized to either 8 sessions of MBSR or health education classes. INTERVENTION: MBSR was delivered in 8 sessions of 2 hours each by credentialed health care providers. The control condition consisted of health education classes designed to match the length and timing of the MBSR sessions. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale was used to measure symptom improvement and was assigned by a blind rater. RESULTS: The combined moderator approach generated a predictive index with a moderate effect size (0.46; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.57). Individuals who demonstrated improvement on the scale following MBSR were more likely to be younger, female, with lower psychological symptom severity, and less likely to have a diagnosis of depression or to be taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. DISCUSSION: Baseline characteristics predicted clinical response with MBSR in older adults. These predictive factors, if replicated and validated, could determine which patients are most likely to benefit from mindfulness training and lead to personalized strategies to maximize outcomes. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT01693874).
Effectiveness of Liquid Fasting with Yoga and Naturopathy Treatments in Reducing Metabolic and Cardiovascular Risks in Obesity.
Ganesh Iyyer S, Mooventhan A, Nandakumar B
Adv Mind Body Med · 2021 Fall · PMID 34734846
CONTEXT: Obesity is associated with chronic diseases, including metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Fasting is commonly employed by obese people to reduce their weight. Likewise, yoga and naturopathy (...
CONTEXT: Obesity is associated with chronic diseases, including metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Fasting is commonly employed by obese people to reduce their weight. Likewise, yoga and naturopathy (YN) that include liquid fasting (LF) have been shown to be beneficial in reducing weight for people with metabolic disorders. However, the safety of LF during YN treatments and its effects on metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors haven't yet been reported. OBJECTIVE: The study intended to evaluate the safety of LF during YN treatments and its effects on metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors in people with obesity. DESIGN: A single-group, pretest-and-posttest design was adopted for the study. SETTING: The study took place in a YN hospital located in South India. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 176 obese people aged between 18 and 65 years. INTERVENTION: Together with YN treatments, all participants underwent LF using lime juice with jaggery, ash guard juice, vegetable soup, buttermilk, and kokum juice for a period of 5 consecutive days. OUTCOME MEASURES: Assessments such as body weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass, lipid profile, and blood pressure were taken at baseline and postintervention. RESULTS: Participants showed a significant reduction in body weight, BMI, fat mass, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that LF during YN treatment canbe effective in reducing metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors in people with obesity.
Effectiveness and Risk Factors in Mindfulness Meditation.
Soláriková P, Bartolen I
Adv Mind Body Med · 2021 Fall · PMID 34734845
INTRODUCTION: Our research dealt with the evaluation of the effectiveness and risk factors present in interventions based on mindfulness meditation. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between particip...
INTRODUCTION: Our research dealt with the evaluation of the effectiveness and risk factors present in interventions based on mindfulness meditation. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between participant factors-the presence of physical illness, mental illness and trauma, aversive childhood experiences; program factors-the intensity and frequency of meditation; and teacher factors -competence. Subsequently, we evaluated how they affect the occurrence and interpretation of meditation experiences. METHODS: A total of 52 participants participated in this research, which was an administrative form consisting of several questionnaires: the Short Adverse Childhood Experience Measure (SACEM), Meditation Experience Scale (MES), and Assessment of Mindfulness Teacher (AMT). RESULTS: Higher ratings of teachers' competence has a positive impact on the interpretation of meditation-related experiences. We found that the tendency towards negative assessment to a varying degree occurred in individuals with physical illness, mental illness, trauma and aversive childhood experiences, with a higher incidence of challenging experiences. The childhood abuse group seemed to be the most serious in this respect, which could be partly explained by the low-rated competence of the teacher's mindfulness of meditation. DISCUSSION: The results may provoke reflection on the process that takes place between the participants and the teacher leading the mindfulness-based intervention. The study results may serve as a suggestion for improving the mindfulness process and the competences of teachers themselves. They can provide preliminary information on what aspects of mindfulness intervention could be given more emphasis in order to increase its effectiveness, both for the benefit of the provider and the recipients.
Use of the Move to Emptiness Technique, A Mind-Body Exercise for Treating Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Report.
Yeung A, Chen Y, Feng F … +4 more , Zhou W, Goodness T, Wang F, Liu T
Adv Mind Body Med · 2021 Fall · PMID 34734844
CONTEXT: The paper reports a case of trauma treated by the Move to Emptiness Technique (MET), which is a therapy to alleviate patient's physical or psychological symptom related to trauma by combining Qigong with imagery...
CONTEXT: The paper reports a case of trauma treated by the Move to Emptiness Technique (MET), which is a therapy to alleviate patient's physical or psychological symptom related to trauma by combining Qigong with imagery, metaphor and suggestions. OBJECTIVE: To introduce MET and report treating a patient with trauma using MET. INTERVENTION: The patient was guided to visualize a symbolic object that represented the physical or psychological symptom of the traumatic experience, and visualize moving the symbolic object to the farthest possible space of "emptiness", where the object became imperceptible. At the same time, the patient embodied the physical and emotional sensations of the symbolic object and its container, and focused on the changes in his sensations when moving them. OUTCOME MEASURES: A self-assessment was used to score the patient's distress form 0 to 10, 10 being the worst before and after intervention. RESULTS: The score of distress dropped form 8/10 to 2/10. The patient improved a lot and was better able to manage his emotions and communicate with his parents after resolving his conflict. CONCLUSIONS: MET may be an alternative to commonly used trauma-focused treatments. It is safe and easy to learn for therapists and patients.
Is Consciousness an Organizing Force in the Universe? A Hypothesis on the Nature of Consciousness and The Relevance of Consciousness in Medicine.
Williams-Orlando C
Adv Mind Body Med · 2021 Fall · PMID 34734843
Is consciousness an organizing force in the universe? 4 fundamental forces have been described as governing our universe: gravitational, electromagnetic, and the strong and weak nuclear forces, while a fifth force has be...
Is consciousness an organizing force in the universe? 4 fundamental forces have been described as governing our universe: gravitational, electromagnetic, and the strong and weak nuclear forces, while a fifth force has been speculated to exist. Supporting evidence for the hypothesis that consciousness is an organizing force is found in the sciences of yoga, parapsychology (psi), and quantum physics. The relevance of consciousness in healing and medicine is discussed.
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