{"id":8926,"date":"2016-06-28T21:24:18","date_gmt":"2016-06-28T21:24:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/globalpress.hinduismnow.org?p=8919&preview_id=8919"},"modified":"2016-06-28T21:24:18","modified_gmt":"2016-06-28T21:24:18","slug":"scientists-discover-what-meditation-does-to-your-gut-your-brain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/?p=8926","title":{"rendered":"Scientists Discover What Meditation Does To Your Gut & Your Brain | Collective-Evolution"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Numerous studies have indicated the many physiological benefits of meditation, and the latest one comes from Harvard University.<\/p>\n

An eight week study conducted by Harvard researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) determined that meditation literally rebuilds the brains grey matter<\/a> in just eight weeks. It\u2019s the very first study to document that meditation produces changes over time in the brain\u2019s grey matter. (1<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough the practice of meditation is associated with a sense of peacefulness and physical relaxation, practitioners have long claimed that meditation also provides cognitive and psychological benefits that persist throughout the day.\u00a0This study demonstrates that changes in brain structure may underlie some of these reported improvements and that people are not just feeling better because they are spending time relaxing.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 (1<\/a>) Sara Lazar of the MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program and a Harvard Medical School Instructor in Psychology<\/p>\n

The Study<\/h3>\n

The study involved taking magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the brain\u2019s of 16 study participants two weeks prior to participating in the study. MRI images of the participants were also taken after the study was completed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe analysis of MR images, which focused on areas where meditation-associated differences were seen in earlier studies, found increased grey-matter density in the hippocampus, known to be important for learning and memory, and in structures associated with self-awareness, compassion and introspection.\u201d <\/strong>(1<\/a>)<\/p>\n

For the study, participants engaged in meditation practices every day for approximately 30 minutes. These practices included focusing on audio recordings for guided meditation, non-judgmental awareness of sensations, feelings and state of mind.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is fascinating to see the brain\u2019s plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life.\u00a0Other studies in different patient populations have shown that meditation can make significant improvements in a variety of symptoms, and we are now investigating the underlying mechanisms in the brain that facilitate this change.\u201d \u2013 <\/strong>(1<\/a>)\u00a0<\/strong>Britta Holzel, first author of the paper and a research fellow at MGH and Giessen University in Germany<\/p>\n

The Gut<\/h3>\n

Researchers from Harvard have also released another study showing that meditation can have a significant impact on clinical symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).\u00a0 The study showed that elicitation of the relaxation response<\/a> (a physical state of deep rest that changes the physical and emotional responses to stress) is a very big help.<\/p>\n

The study comes out of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). This is the very first study where the use of the \u201crelaxation response\u201d was examined in these disorders, and the first to investigate the genomic effects of the relaxation response in individuals with any disorder. The report was published in the journal PLOS-ONE. <\/em>(source<\/a>)
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Given the two studies cited above, and all of the other documented health benefits of meditation, this should open the door for more studies to examine the benefits of meditation for a wide range of diseases.<\/p>\n