Research Ties Mindfulness to Physical Health
by Judith Dreyer, MS, BSN
The expanding body of research about the impact of mindfulness on physical health and well-being spans a range of topics as diverse as you might imagine. From oncology departments to sports teams, the benefits of learning how to hold potential stressors in gentle awareness are being applied, and studies are tying daily mindfulness and meditation to physical health.
In a study sponsored by the Canadian Breast Cancer Research alliance and the British Columbia Cancer Agency, researchers, “conducted a randomized, controlled trial comparing two evidence-supported programs, Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) and supportive expressive group therapy (SET), in reducing stress and improving the quality of life of distressed breast cancer survivors." Both groups showed positive results. However, the MBCR group showed improvement at a greater rate and with effects that lasted nearly a year.
Also, we see studies about the application of mindfulness among athletes. Young soccer players placed in either a mindfulness-based program (MG) or against a control group (CG) showed: "Number of injuries, an average of injuries per team, and days lost to injury in the MG were significantly lower than in the CG.”
Many studies have looked at meditation’s (an example of one type of mindful practice) positive effect on overall well-being by looking at physical health and well-being through various parameters such as pain, high blood pressure, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, sports performance, Multiple Sclerosis, and more.
Most of us accept our body's state of physical health. That does not mean we are free of disease or have a health issue. Some could be minor, like a cut or a bruise, or more serious, like diabetes or cancer.
Mindfulness means we pay attention to our body, tune into ourselves within the noise of the moment. The pandemic forced us to make changes overnight. More of us work from home. Have you given a thought to the routines that had to change? What new habits are you trying to cultivate?
1. Some of us are adding more movement: planning walks, biking, taking a yoga class. Have you tried mindful walking?
2. We can also be mindfully eating: how are we nourishing our bodies?
3. Connecting with others: how are we getting together?
4. Connecting with self: "Being" with self in the moment. We know that what we think affects our biology. If our body is in some pain, it affects how we feel.
We suggest that adding a mindful moment to your routine will be positive. We are an interconnected human being; all systems are interdependent on one another. Our western traditions rely on science, as mentioned above, to understand our state of health and well-being. Eastern traditions start with going within, using meditation or mindfulness practices to quiet the mind.
"Putting your well-being first - like putting your oxygen mask on before you help the person next to you - that really benefits all your relationships." ~ Gabrielle Bernstein
