Meditation :: Meditation therapy for rheumatoid arthritis patients

A revered contemplative practice for centuries, meditation has recently inspired research into its therapeutic value for everything from anxiety disorders to heart attack prevention. A painful, progressive autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a high risk of depression—double the risk of the healthy population, by conservative estimates—and various forms of psychological distress.

Stress :: Chronic stress increases nervous system inflammation

The evidence is accumulating on how bad stress is for health. Chronic stress can intensify inflammation and increase a person?s risk for developing central nervous system infections, neurodegenerative diseases, like multiple sclerosis (MS), and other inflammatory diseases, say researchers presenting at the 115th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (APA).

Meditation :: Therapeutic value of meditation unproven

“There is an enormous amount of interest in using meditation as a form of therapy to cope with a variety of modern-day health problems, especially hypertension, stress and chronic pain, but the majority of evidence that seems to support this notion is anecdotal, or it comes from poor quality studies,” say Maria Ospina and Kenneth Bond, researchers at the University of Alberta/Capital Health Evidence-based Practice Center in Edmonton, Canada.

Brain :: Putting feelings into words produces therapeutic effects in the brain

Why does putting our feelings into words ? talking with a therapist or friend, writing in a journal ? help us to feel better” A new brain imaging study by UCLA psychologists reveals why verbalizing our feelings makes our sadness, anger and pain less intense.

Cancer :: Rochester spreads knowledge of cancer-related fatigue

In a special publication sent to thousands of oncologists nationwide this month, University of Rochester Medical Center scientists offer an in-depth examination of cancer-related fatigue, with hope that a better understanding of the topic will prompt new research and treatment.

Grant :: Kent State University & Summa Health System receive NIH grant to study prehypertension

Summa Health System and Kent State University have received a $545,000 grant from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health to study the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction and progressive muscle relaxation on people with prehypertension.

Eating Disorders :: Buddhist philosophy a hope for women with eating disorders

A psychological technique based on Buddhist philosophy and practice may provide a solution for women who struggle with binge eating and bulimia. The technique known as ‘mindfulness’ is being taught to Queensland women to help them understand and deal with the emotions that trigger their binges.