Meditate away your cold

Meditation could be more useful in preventing winter ailments than popping vitamins or herbal remedies as “insurance policy” to stave off colds and flu, a new study has revealed. According to a study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, adults who meditated or did moderately intense exercise, such as brisk walk, for eight weeks suffered fewer colds than those who did nothing, the Daily Mail reported.

Previous research has found that mindfulness meditation may improve mood, decrease stress, and boost immune function. The 149 people in this new study were divided into three groups. One performed mindful meditation that essentially involves focusing the mind on the present. Another group jogged regularly for eight weeks while the third group did nothing. The researchers then followed the health of the volunteers through the winter from September to May, although they didn’t check whether or not people carried on exercising or meditating after the eight week period.

The Participants were observed for cold and flu symptoms such as a runny nose, stuffiness, sneezing and sore throat. Nasal wash samples were collected and analysed three days after the symptoms began. The study, found that those who meditated missed 76 per cent fewer days of work from September through to May than those who did nothing. Those who had exercised missed 48 per cent fewer days during this period. In addition, mindful meditation reduced the duration or severity of acute respiratory infections by up to 50 per cent, and exercise by up to 40 per cent.

According to the website, Scientific America, those who exercised or meditated suffered for an average of five days ; colds of participants in the control group lasted eight. In addition, tests confirmed that the self-reported length of colds correlated with the level of anti-bodies in the body, which indicate the presence of a virus.

“Nothing has previously been shown to prevent acute respiratory infections,” said Dr Bruce Barrett, a family medicine doctor and associate professor at the University, who led the study . “A lot of previous information suggested that meditation and exercise might have prevention benefits, but no high-quality, randomized trial had been done.”

Flu shots are partially effective but work only for three strains of flu each year. The apparent 40 to 50 per cent benefit of mindfulness training is a very important finding, as is the apparent 30 to 40 per cent benefit of exercise training. “If this finding is confirmed in future research, the impact could be substantive indeed,” he added.

                                                                      ANI

Thanks,

The Hindu – Well Being

25/11/2012