Researchers at Charité, University Medicine Berlin have reported that a specific supplement produced from the concentrate of fruit and vegetable juices significantly has been shown to reduce the length and severity of severe cold symptoms.
Researchers from the institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, in conjunction with over 500 employees of the Charité, as study participants, ran an eight month research study regarding the effects of the product "Juice Plus+" ®, produced by the US supplier NSA from Collierville, Tennessee. In a randomized, double-blind research study, fifty percent of the participants took the preparation daily, while the other fifty percent took a placebo. After only 2 months the results were that the number of colds caught were the same in both groups. However, the group that took the prepartion had milder colds. There was shown to be a decrease in moderate and severe cold symptoms of approximately twenty percent.
Whether this product is suitable for extended use, may be the subject of upcoming research studies of "Juice Plus+" ®. Also it is not clear what is the specific mode of action of the product.
The research study was ensured to be neutral because the sponsor of the study transmitted no study data to the manufacturer of the product, nor was the manufactrer involved in the interpretation of the results of the research.
News, articles, and views on the field of alternative health including naturopathy, herbal supplements, holisitc medicine,
homeopathy, magnetic therapy, energy healing, acupuncture, and others.
News and discussions regarding the use of, history of, and research on alternative medicines and therapies.
Practicing Meditation May Help Improve Both Memory and Empathy
Changes in the brain after practicing meditation have been reported by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers.
An eight week meditation study has shown measurable changes in the areas of the brain associated with memory, sense of self, and empathy the study suggests.
For this study, MR images were taken of the brain of the sixteen study participants about 2 weeks before and after taking part in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. In addition to weekly session which included practicing mindful meditation — which primarily focuses on the non-judgmental awareness of sensations, feelings and state of mind — study participants also listened to audio recordings for guided meditation and tracked how much time they meditated every day. A collection of MR brain images of a control group were also taken.
The meditation participants recorded spending an average of about twenty-seven minutes a day practicing mindful meditatio exercises, and their responses to the questionnaire suggested substantial improvement when compared with their responses from before the study. Analysis of the MR images, which were focused on brain regions where meditation-associated differences were noted in previous studies, found an increase in the grey-matter density of the hippocampus, which is integral for both learning and memory, and in brain structures connected with self-awareness, compassion and introspection. Reports by the participants in lowered stress were also with a decrease in grey-matter density in the amygdala, which plays a role in stress and anxiety. None of these brain changes were observed in the control group.
The findings of the study are published in the January 30 issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.
An eight week meditation study has shown measurable changes in the areas of the brain associated with memory, sense of self, and empathy the study suggests.
For this study, MR images were taken of the brain of the sixteen study participants about 2 weeks before and after taking part in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. In addition to weekly session which included practicing mindful meditation — which primarily focuses on the non-judgmental awareness of sensations, feelings and state of mind — study participants also listened to audio recordings for guided meditation and tracked how much time they meditated every day. A collection of MR brain images of a control group were also taken.
The meditation participants recorded spending an average of about twenty-seven minutes a day practicing mindful meditatio exercises, and their responses to the questionnaire suggested substantial improvement when compared with their responses from before the study. Analysis of the MR images, which were focused on brain regions where meditation-associated differences were noted in previous studies, found an increase in the grey-matter density of the hippocampus, which is integral for both learning and memory, and in brain structures connected with self-awareness, compassion and introspection. Reports by the participants in lowered stress were also with a decrease in grey-matter density in the amygdala, which plays a role in stress and anxiety. None of these brain changes were observed in the control group.
The findings of the study are published in the January 30 issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.
Research Shows Benefits of Therapeutic Massage
Anorexia nervosa is a very difficult problem to treat. Massage therapy has shown significant promise with those suffering from it. A research study dealing with women with anorexia demonstrated that those who received a massage 2 times a week for 5 weeks reported reduced stress and anxiety. These patients also had reduced levels of cortisol as well as an increse in dopamine and norepinephrine after being treated. They also reported lower body dissatisfaction according to the Eating Disorders Inventory.
In a research study which examined the role of massage therapy for the treatment of migraines, researchers ran a study which compared 2 groups of participants. One group got massage therapy treatments for thirteen weeks and the other group didn't. The participants from both of the groups maintained a daily journal which recorded their stress levels and ability to cope. They also kept a daily journal of their stress level and sleeping pattenrs. Anxiety, heart rate, and cortisol levels were all assessed. In contrast with the control group, the massage therapy patients displayed a decrease in heart rates, a reduction in anxiety, as well as a reduction of cortisol levels. A significant aspect of the study was that the massage therapy subjects had fewer migraines during the study.
There are over a thousand studies which demonstrate the success of massage therapy for the treatment of stress. There are a wide variety of theories for why therapeutic massage is so successful for treating and managing stress. One simple explanation is that stress increases tension in muscles, and massage therapy helps to decrease muscle tension. When a muscle is tense, blood circulation is lowered, thereby inhibiting the absorption of both oxygen and nutrients. Massage therapy aids in loosening up these muscles, thereby increasing blood circulation, which brings more oxygen and nutrients to the tense area. Massage therapy may also release toxins stored in tissue, which could help explain a sense of well-being after receiving a massage.
In a research study which examined the role of massage therapy for the treatment of migraines, researchers ran a study which compared 2 groups of participants. One group got massage therapy treatments for thirteen weeks and the other group didn't. The participants from both of the groups maintained a daily journal which recorded their stress levels and ability to cope. They also kept a daily journal of their stress level and sleeping pattenrs. Anxiety, heart rate, and cortisol levels were all assessed. In contrast with the control group, the massage therapy patients displayed a decrease in heart rates, a reduction in anxiety, as well as a reduction of cortisol levels. A significant aspect of the study was that the massage therapy subjects had fewer migraines during the study.
There are over a thousand studies which demonstrate the success of massage therapy for the treatment of stress. There are a wide variety of theories for why therapeutic massage is so successful for treating and managing stress. One simple explanation is that stress increases tension in muscles, and massage therapy helps to decrease muscle tension. When a muscle is tense, blood circulation is lowered, thereby inhibiting the absorption of both oxygen and nutrients. Massage therapy aids in loosening up these muscles, thereby increasing blood circulation, which brings more oxygen and nutrients to the tense area. Massage therapy may also release toxins stored in tissue, which could help explain a sense of well-being after receiving a massage.
Acupuncture Reduces Depression During Pregnancy
Acupuncture could aid in reducing depression symptoms during pregnancy, according to a study from the Stanford University School of Medicine.
The study was conducted after it was found that almost 15% of pregnant women suffer from major depressive disorder, a disorder which is characterized by emotions of dread and hopelessness, as well as an absence of interest in what were pleasurable activities.
Pregnancy can often bring to light pre-existing psychiatric and emotional problems. Treating depression during pregnancy is vitally important so that the mother can maintain a sense of well-being and stay healthy. If depression is not treated, it can pose risks not only to the mother, but also her baby.
The study was conducted on 150 women were between 12 and 30 weeks pregnant, and who also met the criteria for major depressive disorder.
The participants were separated into groups and received one of three different treatments: acupuncture designed specifically for depression; control acupuncture, where needles are inserted into points which do not help alleviate depressive symptoms, or massage. The participants went through 8 weeks of therapy and were reassessed for depression symptoms at 4 and 8 weeks by an interviewer who wasn't aware of which treatment was being given.
The study found that the women who received the acupuncture for depression experienced a greater reduction in their depression symptoms than the participants from the other groups.
The study was conducted after it was found that almost 15% of pregnant women suffer from major depressive disorder, a disorder which is characterized by emotions of dread and hopelessness, as well as an absence of interest in what were pleasurable activities.
Pregnancy can often bring to light pre-existing psychiatric and emotional problems. Treating depression during pregnancy is vitally important so that the mother can maintain a sense of well-being and stay healthy. If depression is not treated, it can pose risks not only to the mother, but also her baby.
The study was conducted on 150 women were between 12 and 30 weeks pregnant, and who also met the criteria for major depressive disorder.
The participants were separated into groups and received one of three different treatments: acupuncture designed specifically for depression; control acupuncture, where needles are inserted into points which do not help alleviate depressive symptoms, or massage. The participants went through 8 weeks of therapy and were reassessed for depression symptoms at 4 and 8 weeks by an interviewer who wasn't aware of which treatment was being given.
The study found that the women who received the acupuncture for depression experienced a greater reduction in their depression symptoms than the participants from the other groups.
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