Breast and prostrate cancer outpatients that practiced meditation showed enhanced quality of life, decreased stress symptoms, altered Cortisol and immune patterns consistent with less stress and mood disturbance, and decreased blood pressure.

Carlson LE, Speca M, Faris P, Patel KD. One year pre-post intervention follow-up of psychological, immune, endocrine and blood pressure outcomes of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in breast and prostate cancer outpatients. Brain Behav Immun. 2007 Nov;21(8):1038-49. Epub 2007 May 22.

After 10 weeks of meditation practice, 24 woman being treated for stage I or II breast cancer showed a reduction in cortisol levels, an increase on the reported degree to which breast cancer had made a positive contributions to their lives and an increase in immune functioning.

Dean G. Cruess, PhD, Michael H. Antoni, PhDPsychosomatic Medicine 62:304-308 (2000) at al. Cognitive-Behavioral Stress Management Reduces Serum Cortisol By Enhancing Benefit Finding Among Women Being Treated for Early Stage Breast Cancer. Psychosomatic Medicine 62:304-308 (2000)

After 7 weeks of a 1.5 hours group weekly meditation plus home meditation practice  Ninety nine patients, average age 51,  with different types and stages of cancer showed an improvement in levels of stress, anxiety, anger, irritability, depression, cognitive disorganization and gastrointestinal symptoms. Overall reduction in total mood disturbance was 65%, with a 31% reduction in symptoms stress.

Michael Speca, PsyD, Linda E. Carlson, PhD, Eileen Goodey, MSW and Maureen Angen, PhD. A Randomized, Wait-List Controlled Clinical Trial: The Effect of a Mindfulness Meditation-Based Stress Reduction Program on Mood and Symptoms of Stress in Cancer Outpatients  Psychosomatic Medicine 62:613-622 (2000)

49 patients with breast cancer and 10 with prostate cancer showed a Significant improvements in quality of life, symptoms of stress and sleep quality after an 8 week program including relaxation, meditation, gentle yoga and daily home practice. 

Linda E. Carlson, PhD, Michael Speca, PsyD, Kamala D. Patel, PhD and Eileen Goodey, MSW. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients.  Psychosomatic Medicine 65:571-581 (2003)

Yoga therapy, in addition to antipsychotic treatment significantly increased the social and occupational functioning and quality of life of moderately ill schizophrenia patients.

Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2007 Sep;116(3):226-32.

All participants were experiencing mild levels of depression but had received no current psychiatric diagnoses or treatments. After 5 consecutive weeks of an hour long yoga class, twice a week, participants demonstrated significant decreases in self-reported symptoms of depression and trait anxiety. Changes also were observed in acute mood, with subjects reporting decreased levels of negative mood and fatigue following yoga classes. Finally, there was a trend for higher morning cortisol levels in the yoga group by the end of the yoga course.

Altern Ther Health Med. 2004 Mar-Apr;10(2):60-3.

University of California, Los Angeles.

All participants were diagnosed with Unipolar major depression in partial remission. After 20 classes Significant reductions were shown for depression, anger, anxiety, neurotic symptoms and low frequency heart rate variability

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2007 Dec;4(4):493-502.

A 60 min yoga practice including postures, Breathing exercises and meditation increases brain gamma-Amynobutryc (GABA) levels. Low GABA levels are associated with depression, anxiety disorders and epilepsy.

J Altern Complement Med. 2007 May;13(4):419-26.

Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA., McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA.

Young adults with mild levels of depression who participated in the Yoga course demonstrated significant decreases in self-reported symptoms of depression and trait anxiety. Changes also were observed in acute mood, with subjects reporting decreased levels of negative mood and fatigue following Yoga classes.

Altern Ther Health Med. 2004 Mar-Apr;10(2):60-3.

Dr. A. Woolery, University of California, Los Angeles

Research shows that the brain responds to stretching and challenging exercises in every stage of life by establishing connections between neurons and increasing synaptic density.  Richard Restak. ‘Think Smart: A Neuroscientist’s Prescription for Improving Your Brains Performance

Healthy seniors ( 68 to 85 years old ) that participated in a 6 month yoga program showed improvement in physical measures (eg 1-legged standing, forward flexibility) as well as in measures related to sense of well-being and energy and fatigue compared to controls.  Altern Ther Health Med. 2006; 12(1): 40–47.Dr. BS Oken, Department of Neurology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University

A 30 minute programme of Yogic stretch and breathing exercises which is simple to learn and which can be practised even by the elderly had a markedly invigorating effect on perceptions of both mental and physical energy and increased high positive mood.” –

J R Soc Med. 1993 May; 86(5): 254–258. Dr. C. Wood. Mood change and perceptions of vitality: a comparison of the effects of relaxation, visualization and yoga  J R Soc Med. 1993 May;86(5):254-8

After a 12-week,  twice a  week 60 min  hatha yoga class including breathing exercises and physical postures, sitting and standing position,  study participants reported reduced fear of failing and increased static balance and lower body flexibility.   Study involved 14 mean and women with an average age of 78. Five participants had fallen previously.

 Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development., Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. Arlene.schmid@va.gov. Effect of a 12-week yoga intervention on fear of falling and balance in older adults: a pilot study.  Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2010 Apr;91(4):576-83.

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Yoga and Meditation

Hafner-Holter S, Kopp M, Günther V. Effects of fitness training and yoga on well-being stress, social competence and body image. Neuropsychiatr. 2009;23(4):244-8.