When older adults lose muscle tone and their balance starts to deteriorate, a simple mishap like tripping over a rug or losing their footing as they go to the bathroom during the night can turn into a tragedy. Among Americans who break a hip when they are 50 or older—about 300,000 people per year—24% die… [Continue Reading]
Exercise With Counseling Helps Depressed Heart Patients
January 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Mind-Body-Spirit News: Exercise combined with counseling improved well-being among depressed heart patients more effectively than either exercise or therapy alone, according to a study presented at the May 2008 American Heart Association’s Scientific Forum on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke, in Baltimore. [Click here for full article]
Can Relaxation Help Patients With Anorexia Nervosa?
January 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Mind-Body-Spirit News: For patients with anorexia nervosa [AN], the idea of regaining weight can be terrifying. In a small study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders (2008; 41, 728–33), researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill sought to determine whether relaxation therapy might help. They chose to compare the effectiveness… [Continue Reading]
Pilates Improves Fitness and Trains Core Muscles
January 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Regular Pilates mat classes can significantly improve body composition, flexibility and core musculature endurance, according to results from two small Pilates studies presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, held in Denver, Colorado. [Click here for full article]
Wellness Festivals Grow in Popularity
January 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Mind-Body-Spirit News: Body-mind fitness and wellness professionals should note the growing trend of wellness festivals occurring throughout the nation. For example, in Jackson, Wyoming; Sun Valley, Idaho; Snowmass Village, Colorado; and Mammoth Lakes, California, wellness festivals are now popular annual events, according to an article in The New York Times (August 3, 2007). Festival activities… [Continue Reading]
Exercise Relieves Depression
January 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Doctors may soon be able to recommend exercise as a viable alternative to drug therapy for patients with depression. According to a study published in Psychosomatic Medicine (2007; 69, 587-96), patients who exercised in a group program achieved reductions in depression comparable to those seen in patients taking a standard antidepressant medication. For patients who… [Continue Reading]
Qigong May Lower Hypertension
January 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Mind-Body-Spirit News: Consistent practice of the ancient Chinese art of qigong may offer relief to people with high blood pressure, according to a paper published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (2008, 14 [1]; 27–37). Scientists reviewed 92 studies but found only nine that qualified for meta-analysis. Among these studies, people who consistently… [Continue Reading]
Yoga Nidra Helps People Relax
January 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Mind-Body-Spirit News: Yoga nidra, the ancient yogic practice of deep relaxation, is growing in popularity as people look for more tools to cope with chronic stress. Yoga nidra may be translated as “yogic sleep” or “sleep of the yogis.” The practitioner of yoga nidra reaches a level of relaxation akin to deep sleep, achieving a… [Continue Reading]
Good News for Winter Swimmers
January 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
greater body awareness tied to sensitivity to negative emotions
January 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Mind-Body-Spirit News: People with higher levels of body awareness may experience more feelings of anxiety and other negative emotions. Results of a small study published in Nature Neuroscience (2004; 7 [2],102–3) showed that subjects who were more aware of their own heart rate levels also felt more anxiety than subjects who lacked awareness of their… [Continue Reading]
