Trial of relaxation in reducing coronary risk: four year follow up.

Abstract

On screening 192 men and women aged 35-64 were identified as having two or more of the following risk factors: blood pressure > 140/90 mm Hg, plasma cholesterol concentration > 6-3 mmol/l (243 6 mg/100 ml), and current smoking habit ) 10 cigarettes a day. They were randomly allocated to a group for modification of behaviour or to serve as controls. Both groups were given health education leaflets containing advice to stop smoking, to reduce animal fats in the diet, and on the importance of reducing blood pressure. In addition, the treatment group had group sessions of one hour a week for eight weeks in which they were taught breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditation and about managing stress. It had previously been found that after eight weeks and eight months there was a significantly greater reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the group taught to relax compared with the control group. After four years of follow up these differences in blood pressure were maintained. Plasma cholesterol concentration and the number of cigarettes smoked were lower in the treatment group at eight weeks and eight months but not

Risk Indices Associated with the Insulin Resistance Syndrome, Cardiovascular Disease, and Possible Protection with Yoga: A Systematic Review

“…100 In a follow-up of an earlier British study, 102 Patel and colleagues reported maintenance of lipid profile changes at 8 months postintervention, but no differences between the yoga relaxation/meditation and the control groups at 4 years. 79 Only one RCT, a study of 35 hypertensive Dutch adults (18 intervention group, 17 controls), reported no differences between the intervention and control groups. 101 Of those studies demonstrating positive effects, yoga practice was associated with a 5.8% to 25.2% decrease in total cholesterol, 22.0% to 28.5% reduction in triglycerides, and a 12.8% to 26.0% reduction in LDL, with the observed magnitude of the effects differing by study population and design (Table 5).…”

“…70 -73 With no appreciable side effects and multiple collateral lifestyle benefits, 70,72,74,75 yoga seems safe, is simple to learn, and can be practiced even by elderly, ill, or disabled individuals. 76 Requiring little in the way of equipment or professional personnel, yoga also seems easy and inexpensive to maintain, with some studies indicating excellent long-term adherence, [77][78][79] even in Western populations. 79 Most importantly, there is a growing body of research suggesting that practice of yoga may reduce IRSrelated risk factors for CVD, and may attenuate signs, reduce complications, and improve the prognosis of those with frank or underlying disease.…”

“…76 Requiring little in the way of equipment or professional personnel, yoga also seems easy and inexpensive to maintain, with some studies indicating excellent long-term adherence, [77][78][79] even in Western populations. 79 Most importantly, there is a growing body of research suggesting that practice of yoga may reduce IRSrelated risk factors for CVD, and may attenuate signs, reduce complications, and improve the prognosis of those with frank or underlying disease. [67][68][69][70][71][72]75,78,80 However, despite yoga's growing popularity and apparent promise as a safe and cost-effective intervention for populations with CVD or at risk for CVD, systematic reviews are lacking.…”

Distress in working on dementia wards – A threat to compassionate care: A grounded theory study

“…This might mean, for example, training in meditation which has been shown to be effective in encouraging stress control in one's day-to-day life (Patel et al, 1985) in combination with structural changes to allow time and space throughout the working day for individuals to practice this skill. Specific forms such as Mindful Self-Compassion Training (MSC: Neff & Germer, 2013) exist and have a small but growing evidence base in terms of reducing a range of psychological symptoms, including stress (Neff & Germer, 2013).…”

Psychophysiological hypotheses regarding multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome.

“…For example, this is the case for muscle contraction (21) and migraine headaches (22,23), irritable bowel syndrome (24,25), and Raynaud's disease (26). Psychological components in treatment programs have proven effective for hypertension (27), cancer (28,29), and epilepsy (30), to name a few. If exposure to chemicals is a psychological stressor among MCS patients (probably in addition to being a physical trigger of symptoms), a stress-related autonomic reaction also may occur, perhaps superimposed on other physical reactions.…”