Displaying 1 - 4 of 4
Introduction. Cancer diagnosis and treatment are often associated with physical and psychosocial impairments. Many cancer patients request complementary and alternative therapies such as mind-body medicine. Concept. The department of internal and integrative medicine at the Essen-Mitte Clinics offer a mind-body medicine day care clinic for cancer patients that is based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program and the mind-body medicine cancer program of the Harvard Mind/Body Medical Institute. The program encompasses mindfulness training, yoga, mindful exercise, nutrition, naturopathic self-help strategies, and cognitive restructuring. Cases. Two patients who had participated in the day care clinic program are presented here. One patient presented with anxiety and depression after recently diagnosed breast cancer and the other with psychological impairments as a result of multiple nevi excision after malignant melanoma surgery. Both patients improved in terms of anxiety and further psychological symptoms. Conclusions. The Essen-Mitte Clinics mind-body medicine day care clinic appears to alleviate psychological consequences of cancer and its treatment. Further studies and randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm these results.
Introduction. Cancer diagnosis and treatment are often associated with physical and psychosocial impairments. Many cancer patients request complementary and alternative therapies such as mind-body medicine. Concept. The department of internal and integrative medicine at the Essen-Mitte Clinics offer a mind-body medicine day care clinic for cancer patients that is based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program and the mind-body medicine cancer program of the Harvard Mind/Body Medical Institute. The program encompasses mindfulness training, yoga, mindful exercise, nutrition, naturopathic self-help strategies, and cognitive restructuring. Cases. Two patients who had participated in the day care clinic program are presented here. One patient presented with anxiety and depression after recently diagnosed breast cancer and the other with psychological impairments as a result of multiple nevi excision after malignant melanoma surgery. Both patients improved in terms of anxiety and further psychological symptoms. Conclusions. The Essen-Mitte Clinics mind-body medicine day care clinic appears to alleviate psychological consequences of cancer and its treatment. Further studies and randomized controlled trials are necessary to confirm these results.
BACKGROUND: Emotional distress is an increasing public health problem and Hatha yoga has been claimed to induce stress reduction and empowerment in practicing subjects. We aimed to evaluate potential effects of Iyengar Hatha yoga on perceived stress and associated psychological outcomes in mentally distressed women.MATERIAL/METHODS: A controlled prospective non-randomized study was conducted in 24 self-referred female subjects (mean age 37.9+/-7.3 years) who perceived themselves as emotionally distressed. Subjects were offered participation in one of two subsequential 3-months yoga programs. Group 1 (n=16) participated in the first class, group 2 (n=8) served as a waiting list control. During the yoga course, subjects attended two-weekly 90-min Iyengar yoga classes. Outcome was assessed on entry and after 3 months by Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Profile of Mood States, CESD-Depression Scale, Bf-S/Bf-S' Well-Being Scales, Freiburg Complaint List and ratings of physical well-being. Salivary cortisol levels were measured before and after an evening yoga class in a second sample.
RESULTS: Compared to waiting-list, women who participated in the yoga-training demonstrated pronounced and significant improvements in perceived stress (P<0.02), State and Trait Anxiety (P<0.02 and P<0.01, respectively), well-being (P<0.01), vigor (P<0.02), fatigue (P<0.02) and depression (P<0.05). Physical well-being also increased (P<0.01), and those subjects suffering from headache or back pain reported marked pain relief. Salivary cortisol decreased significantly after participation in a yoga class (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Women suffering from mental distress participating in a 3-month Iyengar yoga class show significant improvements on measures of stress and psychological outcomes. Further investigation of yoga with respect to prevention and treatment of stress-related disease and of underlying mechanism is warranted.
BACKGROUND: Emotional distress is an increasing public health problem and Hatha yoga has been claimed to induce stress reduction and empowerment in practicing subjects. We aimed to evaluate potential effects of Iyengar Hatha yoga on perceived stress and associated psychological outcomes in mentally distressed women.MATERIAL/METHODS: A controlled prospective non-randomized study was conducted in 24 self-referred female subjects (mean age 37.9+/-7.3 years) who perceived themselves as emotionally distressed. Subjects were offered participation in one of two subsequential 3-months yoga programs. Group 1 (n=16) participated in the first class, group 2 (n=8) served as a waiting list control. During the yoga course, subjects attended two-weekly 90-min Iyengar yoga classes. Outcome was assessed on entry and after 3 months by Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Profile of Mood States, CESD-Depression Scale, Bf-S/Bf-S' Well-Being Scales, Freiburg Complaint List and ratings of physical well-being. Salivary cortisol levels were measured before and after an evening yoga class in a second sample.
RESULTS: Compared to waiting-list, women who participated in the yoga-training demonstrated pronounced and significant improvements in perceived stress (P<0.02), State and Trait Anxiety (P<0.02 and P<0.01, respectively), well-being (P<0.01), vigor (P<0.02), fatigue (P<0.02) and depression (P<0.05). Physical well-being also increased (P<0.01), and those subjects suffering from headache or back pain reported marked pain relief. Salivary cortisol decreased significantly after participation in a yoga class (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Women suffering from mental distress participating in a 3-month Iyengar yoga class show significant improvements on measures of stress and psychological outcomes. Further investigation of yoga with respect to prevention and treatment of stress-related disease and of underlying mechanism is warranted.