Here’s How Meditation Reduces Inflammation And Prevents Disease
Good morning!
Today we are sharing an article from The Huffington Post on how regular meditation has been proven to reduce inflammation in our bodies and even help prevent disease! Check it out below:
Here’s How Meditation Reduces Inflammation And Prevents Disease
A new study reveals the neurobiological effects of the practice.
By Carolyn Gregoire
Senior Health & Science Writer, The Huffington Post
CARNEGIE MELLON
Science has shown that mindfulness meditation can have a positive impact on a huge range of health conditions, including cancer, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The practice has even been found to slow HIV progression and protect the brain from aging.
Mindfulness seems to improve nearly every aspect of health — but how? While mounting research has revealed many of the numerous physical and mental health benefits of mindfulness, little is known of the mechanisms underlying these positive changes.
Now, a new study from Carnegie Mellon University, published on Jan. 29 in the journal Biological Psychiatry, demystifies the neurobiological effects of cultivating a focused awareness on the present moment.
“Many people are skeptical about whether there are helpful aspects of mindfulness meditation practices,” Dr. David Creswell, a professor of psychology at the university and the study’s lead author, told The Huffington Post. “We show that mindfulness meditation impacts measurable brain circuits more so than helpful relaxation practices, and that these brain circuit changes help us understand how mindfulness meditation improves health.”
The researchers found that inflammation seems to be the key factor, as mindfulness reduces it by way of impacting changes in the brain’s functional connectivity.
To continue reading this great article, click here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/meditation-brain-changes-study_us_56b4b7aee4b04f9b57d93bef