MB Mindfulness

By Lynne Adkins  PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The nation's opioid crisis has resulted in a sharp increase of the number of pregnant women with addiction problems. There is now an effort to help the moms without harming the babies. Depression is big issue for people recovering from opioid addiction, according to Dr. Karen Alexander, assistant professor at Jefferson College of Nursing. While pregnant women can safely take medication to wean them off of the opioid, the drugs for depression should be avoided, and her study looked at the benefits of mindfulness. "Align or perspective on the present moment and have the ability to stay in that present moment without judgment and with compassion on yourself and hopefully others. So it's really an orientation of the mind. It also has many physical benefits that scientists are all trying to uncover," said Alexander.  Her project included a 12-week course teaching the women the skills needed to handle the anxiety, d...

Clinical Research A study looking into the application of mindfulness techniques to assist the current standard of care for substance use disorder treatment has yielded some promising results. The potential impact of a form of mindfulness training has been evaluated as an adjuvant therapy for substance use disorder treatment in a study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Washington (WA, USA) led by Cinthia Price. The study found that the use of Mindfulness Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy (MABT) in conjunction with the current standard of care treatment had a significant positive impact on the rate of substance use amongst the participants. The research was conducted in a population of 189 women selected from three clinics throughout Seattle, all of whom were experiencing substance use disorder treatment. The group was divided into three cohorts. One group continued with their treatment as usual (TAU), a second received TAU and M...

Positions that take you out of your head and into your body can ease symptoms.      By Jake Panasevich Treating depression can be complicated, and may involve a whole lot of trial and error with different medications, types of therapy and lifestyle changes. But one relatively straightforward – and basically side effect-free – management option is yoga , which recent research has shown can improve mood and anxiety measures in people with depression such that they match those of non-depressed individuals. If you have depression and you practice yoga consistently, have faith the yoga will work and develop a home practice, it can work for you too, either alone or in conjunction with other therapies. But not just any yoga may do. The study used a particular sequence of poses developed by Patricia Walden, a world-renowned teacher of Iyengar yoga, a method that focuses on alignment, safety and specific modifications with clear steps to advance in a pose...

By  Moris Beracha .- Currently, there is evidence that the immune system can be improved through stress reduction, or the so-called mind-body medicine. You can use techniques that, after a long-period practice, produce soothing and anti-inflammatory effects for mind and spirit. The brain under polar circumstances (i.e., calm and happiness versus stress and depression) produces a dramatically different set of chemical mediators, including cortisol, one of the master switches of inflammatory responses. In addition, the brain transmits nerve signals consisting of two alternative parts: the sympathetic system, designed to accelerate acutely, but at a chronic cost; and the parasympathetic system, designed to calm. Experiments have shown that it is associated with anti-inflammatory properties. The hint is to learn how to control them to achieve optimal immune health. However, although these exercises are available to everyone, they require diligence and hard work to achieve la...

By Lauren Wallenfels There are benefits to maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a combination of eating right, working out and mindfulness.  Eating healthy means having a balanced diet. This includes consuming foods from all food groups and unhealthy foods in moderation. It is encouraged that people eat food low in sodium, sugar and saturated fats — including beverages.  When working out, consistency with the amount that one is exercising. It is also important to do workouts that are enjoyable, such as Zumba or spinning.  Working out with a friend can be more motivating.  Mindfulness is “ the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.” The combination of eating right, working out, and mindfulness not only makes one feel good physically but also mentally.  Physical...

By Moris Beracha .-  In our world various disorders such as anxiety and depression are usually very common and go unseen. By the time they can be detected, people feel they are in a blind alley. Many seek out professional help and certain psychiatrists end up prescribing pills that in certain cases can only worsen the problem or trigger substance dependence in the patient. However, nowadays, there are more psychologists and psychiatrists who decide to use mindfulness-based techniques to treat different psychological problems, thus leading to a positive impact and a change in people who consider that their problems have no solution. Mindfulness is a Buddhist practice that involves staying in the present, in the here and in the now through techniques and exercises such as meditation and yoga. It is a time when you connect with yourself and listen to your body and mind. The benefits of this practice can be felt in the first session. Exposure to medita...

By Steve Hitz/ Deseret News The rising generations are keen on applying what they frequently call “daily mindfulness.” If we pause and take the opportunity to learn from our young adults, we may find some solutions for the challenges of anxiety and depression. Setting time aside for daily mindfulness — a quiet time apart from the pressing and complicated world we live in — puts the hinges back on our doors and simplifies our path forward. It settles the soul. It reduces anxiety and depression. It puts fears in proper perspective and allows hope to flourish. Meditation is a key part of daily mindfulness. To meditate is to center one’s thoughts and allow time to connect with oneself before engaging with the world we live in. It is a time to ponder things that really matter. For those who deal with anxiety and depression, it is often very difficult to sit silently or to find a space or time apart that is not encumbered. Therefore, practicing daily mindfulness requires ...

By Eric W. Dolan New research suggests that mindfulness can protect against some of the negative psychological consequences of racial and ethnic discrimination. The study was published in the journal Mindfulness . “Mounting research has demonstrated the positive effects of mindfulness for mitigating the effects of stress,” said study author Amanda J. Shallcross of New York University. “However, the bulk of this research has been conducted in racially/ethnically homogeneous samples,” she told PsyPost. “Given the socio-political climate in the U.S. right now, the time was ripe to test whether mindfulness may be helpful for the significant numbers of racial/ethnic minorities who face daily stress in the form of discrimination.” The researchers surveyed 97 Black, Asian, and Hispanic adults living in New York City regarding mindfulness, discrimination, and depression. They found that mindfulness moderated the relationship between perceived discriminatio...

By Adrianna Mendrek  “I felt a sense of dissolving, disappearing completely.” “My body and mind melted and merged with the universe.” “I ceased to exist.” These are excerpts of what I occasionally hear from the students who come to my yoga and meditation classes. For most, these “mind-expanding” experiences are very positive and this is precisely what my students are seeking. However, there are always a few who have a difficult time with “ceasing to exist.” Most traditional contemplative practices encourage careful examination of our concept of self and reality. This can induce feelings of boundlessness, non-separation, fusing with the universe, a deconstructed self, timelessness, emptiness or the void. This can be an insightful and blissful experience, but it can also be frightening if we are not prepared. Given that meditation can sometimes produce such profound effects, is it a good idea to promote it in people with an already fragmented perception of s...