healthbriefs


Mindful Meditation Eases Loneliness V


alentine’s Day can increase feelings of loneli- ness, especially for the elderly, and may pose an additional risk factor for health problems such as heart disease and Alzheimer’s. A new study pub- lished in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, offers fresh evidence that mindfulness meditation reduces negative thoughts about being alone in older adults and also improves their physical health. The ancient practice dates back to the time of Buddha and focuses on creating an attentive awareness of the present moment. In the study, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pennsylvania, recruited 40 healthy adults between the ages of 55 and 85 that were interested in learning the technique. Subjects were assessed at the beginning and end of the study using an established loneliness scale, and blood samples were collected. After eight weeks of meditation training, participants reported decreased feelings of loneliness, and new blood samples revealed reduced pro-inflammatory gene ex- pression (manifestion of encoded information). Inflammation is thought to promote the development and progression of many diseases, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Lead researcher J. David Creswell reports, “Mindfulness meditation training is a promising intervention for improving the health of older adults. It’s important to train your mind like you train your biceps in the gym.”


natural awakenings


February 2013


19


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64