by Peta Stapleton  , Craig Buchan  , Ian MItchell  , Yasmin McGrath  , Paul Gorton  and Brett Carter

Received: 11 December 2018;  Published: 15 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901010

Background: This pilot randomised clinical trial investigated the effect of Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) on brain activation in response to food craving stimuli using functional magnetic resonance imaging. EFT is a brief stress reduction technique which involves stating a cognitive statement with stimulation of acupressure points with a tapping technique. Method: Fifteen overweight/obese adults were allocated to a four-week group EFT treatment or control condition and completed a measure of food crav [...]

by Rebecca MacDonald  , Carol Wiebe  and Gilles Comeau

Received: 17 March 2023;  Published: 05 July 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2303026

The arts offer many health benefits and can be especially impactful in hospital or continuing care facilities through group art interventions or personalized art activities. Arts can also be socially prescribed to fulfill social needs, improve emotional well-being, and have a positive impact of the social determinants of heath. This feasibility study explores the value of a pilot program that brought personalized virtual 1-on-1 art performances to residents in long-term care (LTC) during the Covid-19 pandemic which [...]

by Michael K. McMullen

Received: 09 July 2018;  Published: 28 September 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1803022

The metabolism of fructose by the liver produces uric acid and elevated serum uric acid levels are an independent risk factor for hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. Fructose occurs in fruits and fruit juices, honey as well as in the sweeteners sucrose (common white sugar) and High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Dietary fructose may be considered a naturally occurring toxin because it is largely metabolised by the liver with little fructose reaching the systemic blood circulation. Uric acid i [...]

by David Feinstein

Received: 01 February 2021;  Published: 19 April 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2102014

The impact of psychological factors on illness is, in recent years, being biochemically mapped. The subspecialties of psychosomatic medicine, health psychology, psychoneuroimmunology, and integrative medicine work with mind and body in concert to promote health and healing. A specialized set of mind-body approaches, collectively called “energy psychology,” is being utilized within these and related clinical frameworks to facilitate beneficial changes in the neurological underpinnings of (1) mental states that imped [...]

by Lucia D. Willems  , Stefania V. Vacaru  , Hannelies Hokke  and Paula S. Sterkenburg

Received: 30 May 2022;  Published: 24 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203037

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) are at a higher risk of shame and self-criticism and tend to make downward social comparisons. Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) is commonly used to address these issues in the general population, however, information on the adaptability and effectiveness of CFT for individuals with ID is limited. Thus, we conducted a scoping review of studies on CFT for individuals with ID, to accumulate and consolidate the information and provide a basis for future studies to further [...]

by Francesco Di Lorenzo  , Giovanni Dinelli  , Ilaria Marotti  and Grazia Trebbi

Received: 11 May 2021;  Published: 12 July 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2103020

Modern agriculture must meet the changing needs of society both in terms of food quality and with regards to the environmental issues related to primary production (e.g., biodiversity, habitats, the quality of water and air, and climate change). In this context, win-win solutions at the farm level are required, with more sustainable food production, as well as, a reduction in air, water, and soil pollution, and loss of biodiversity and natural resources. To address these issues, a new emerging discipline called “sy [...]

by Gary Stanton

Received: 18 August 2024;  Published: 22 October 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2404061

The Shenmen Point is an auricular acupuncture point that is also known in France as the Cosmonaut Point. It is widely utilized therapeutically for its property of reducing stress. In some ways it is a controversial point. Differences of opinion exist regarding the most appropriate name of the point, who discovered it first, its location within the triangular fossa, its best method of detection, its best method of stimulation, its actions, its indications, its contraindications, its therapeutic effects, and even its [...]

by Nicole Thibodeaux  and Matt J. Rossano

Received: 16 July 2018;  Published: 02 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1804032

As alternative forms of medicine have become increasingly popular, research on the health benefits of meditation has grown. Specifically, Mindfulness Meditation, Transcendental Meditation, and Qigong have been shown to be effective in treating psychological disorders, enhancing immune function, and in delaying disease progression in patients diagnosed with HIV, the varicella-zoster virus, and dermatomyositis. This paper briefly reviews the historical background of the many forms of meditation and examines in detail [...]

by Suchandra Goswami  , Shivangi Saxena  , Shalini Yadav  , Diptendu Goswami  , Koushik Brahmachari  , Sruti Karmakar  , Biswajit Pramanik  and Sunil Brahmachari

Received: 22 May 2022;  Published: 27 December 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2204057

Curcumin, the yellow principle of the Indian Turmeric, ‘Haldi’ has recently attracted renewed interest in the field of experimental medicine with pleiotropic activity. This review has emphasized three pharmaceutical studies of interest: the pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, and pharmacodynamics of curcumin. In this review, we attempted to review the general pharmacokinetics profile, pharmacokinetic interactions, and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic interactions of curcumin and its formulations. Different species of tu [...]

by Michael Takacs  , Michael Frass  , Anja Pohl-Schickinger  , Philippa Fibert  , Peter Lechleitner  , Menachem Oberbaum  , Ilse Leisser  , Peter Panhofer  , Kavita Chandak  and Petra Weiermayer

Received: 04 May 2024;  Published: 06 August 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2403045

In some patients, coronavirus (COVID-19) can cause symptoms that last weeks or even months after the infection has gone. Long COVID-19 was defined as a confirmed initial COVID-19 infection, the presence of signs and symptoms more than four weeks after initial infection, and the persistence or appearance of signs and symptoms that another condition cannot explain and did not exist before infection. This study aimed to describe the effect of adjunctive individualized homeopathic treatment delivered to Long COVID-19 p [...]

by Janika Epe  , Rudolf Stark  and Ulrich Ott

Received: 29 June 2021;  Published: 18 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2103031

Yogic breathing techniques are fundamental to the physical and mental practice of yoga. They are closely connected to meditation, which involves the observation of breath. There are many yogic techniques based on the active regulation of the breath. Breathing practices influence many processes in the body, e.g. heart rate variability, and the mind, e.g. relaxation and stress, through their impact on the autonomic nervous system. This study intended to investigate differential effects of four yogic breathing techniq [...]

by Randye J. Semple  and Christine Burke

Received: 20 August 2018;  Published: 04 January 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901001

Background: Research support for a variety of health benefits of mindfulness-based interventions for adults is robust. These include management of stress, anxiety, and depression; as a supportive treatment for eating disorders, PTSD, and psychosis; improved sleep; chronic pain management; support for tobacco, alcohol, and substance abstinence; and as adjunctive treatments for serious or chronic medical illnesses such as HIV, cancer, and heart conditions. As is typical with newer interventions, mindfulness intervent [...]

by Dietmar Payrhuber  , Piero Sangaletti  and Josef Muehlmann

Received: 10 May 2018;  Published: 10 June 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902035

(1) Background: The article provides insight into the mode of the immune system acting hierarchically when administering potentized remedies. Occasionally, this can be best seen in severe cases as available with cancer. (2) Methods: The careful anamnesis and subsequent prescription is based on Jan Scholten’s hierarchic classification of homeopathic mineral remedies. (3) Results: In such cases we find syndrome shifts of symptoms shifting from vital to less vital organs, from inside outside and from up downwards, e [...]

by Istvan Széchenyi

Received: 16 October 2018;  Published: 26 February 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901013

Background: In the international auriculotherapy practice there are relatively big differences in the exact localization of the same ear acupuncture point. On one hand, there are specialists who devote their efforts to find the active points. In that case it becomes intriguing that there may be another point (at 1-2 mm distance) near the point to be treated, indicating a relatively strong, even stronger activity than the one they were initially aiming to find. That point may be active because of another health prob [...]

by Patricia L. Gerbarg  , Richard P. Brown  , Chris C. Streeter  , Martin Katzman  and Monica Vermani

Received: 10 April 2019;  Published: 12 July 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1903045

Does compassion itself benefit the healing process or does the activation of neurophysiological processes, from which the experience of compassion arises, trigger a cascade of physical and psychological changes that support health and well-being? Exploration of the neurological substrates of compassion reveals multiple healing pathways that can be activated by mind-body practices. Furthermore, these pathways affect physical health, emotion regulation, and how we perceive and relate to others. Physiological states a [...]

by David Feinstein

Received: 27 January 2022;  Published: 01 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2202015

The vague or controversial use of the term energy in the clinical subdiscipline known as "energy psychology" has been an obstacle to the field's acceptance. This paper discusses five forms of energy and explores the role of each in energy psychology treatments. While patterns in (a) electrical signaling, (b) brain waves, and (c) electromagnetic fields are presumably shifted in any form of effective psychotherapy, a strength of energy psychology interventions is shown to be in their ability to initiate such effects [...]

by Peter Morrell

Received: 06 June 2018;  Published: 23 August 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1803016

This paper explores some of the conceptual issues that arise when comparing homeopathy with the mainstream medical system, both in terms of their underpinning philosophies and in their treatment methods, and especially when applied to the problem of cancer. A review is under-taken of the key concepts that underpin both medical approaches: the holistic approach of homeopathy and the reductionist approach of mainstream medicine. The article closes with a discussion of the emerging conflicts between classical homeopat [...]

by Francesco E. Negro  and Francesco V. Marino

Received: 26 April 2021;  Published: 07 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104045

The 19th century saw an explosion of serious epidemic diseases, such as smallpox and scarlet fever, which led to the development of an alternative system of medicine called homeopathy. Under this system, S. Hahnemann developed a rigorous methodology based on repeated observations on the field, leading to successful results. The aim of this work is to depict the birth and evolution of his thought. The correct understanding and application of this methodology became the reference model for subsequent generations of h [...]

by Salvador Vargas-Molina  , Jorge L. Petro  , Diego A. Bonilla  , Eneko Baz-Valle  , Leandro Carbone  , Roberto Cannataro  and Javier Benítez-Porres

Received: 25 November 2021;  Published: 09 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201010

Cluster-set resistance training is focused on performance improvements of sports by increasing the repetition maximum, jump height, and efficiency in the sprint. In this commentary, we present relevant aspects to optimize the use of cluster training under the context of muscle hypertrophy. Therefore, we address intra-sets pauses, the number of repetitions per block, and strategies that benefit this methodology. During a cluster set resistance training program, not only the total number of repetitions could be highe [...]

by Karin Matko  , Holger C. Bringmann  and Peter Sedlmeier

Received: 08 March 2021;  Published: 13 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2103030

Traditional yoga encompasses a variety of practices, such as postures, breathing techniques, meditation, and ethical teachings. However, little is known about how different components of yoga contribute to its overall effect. In this meta-synthesis, we comprehensively summarized the current evidence on differential and incremental effects of various yoga components collected from available meta-analyses. For this meta-analysis, we searched Medline/PubMed, Scopus, PsychInfo, and the Cochrane Library in July 2021. We [...]

by Alkyoni Athanasiou-Fragkouli  , Michael T Lynskey  , Anne Katrin Schlag  and David J Nutt

Received: 01 March 2024;  Published: 05 June 2024;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2402032

Chronic pain is one of the most common conditions for which people seek treatment with cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) and there is mounting real world evidence that CBMPs are safe and effective in treating pain. Many people with chronic pain also experience major depression and it is unknown whether pain patients with major depression derive equal benefit from CBMPs as those who are not depressed since comorbidities are usually an exclusion factor in RCTs. This study aimed to investigate whether patients [...]

by Sue Anne Fuller  and Peta Stapleton

Received: 17 June 2021;  Published: 26 October 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104038

A 37-year-old female with a history of complex trauma, anxiety and depression was treated with Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) supplemented with guided imagery within the first 24 hours of having a stroke that affected the right side. CT scans indicated a haemorrhage and brain clot. Surgery was delayed as another seizure was expected. Interventions occurred during COVID-19 restrictions. The patient then engaged in 90 minutes of EFT every day over the course of a week while in hospital. After seven days she was d [...]

by Lauren E. Guerriero  and Bruce F. O'Hara

Received: 12 February 2019;  Published: 24 May 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902031

Meditation describes a large variety of traditions that are extremely variable, but all include the conscious focus or awareness of attention. By maintaining their attention, meditators experience both acute and long-term changes in physiology, anatomy, and cognitive performance. The literature shows that the type of performance benefits may depend on the specific type of mental training. During meditation practice there is a documented increase in neuronal coordination and slowing of neuronal firing across many re [...]

by Anupa Pathak  , Saurab Sharma  and Mark P. Jensen

Received: 30 December 2019;  Published: 05 February 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2001005

There is a growing body of research evaluating the effects of hypnosis for the management of clinical pain. A summary of the recent systematic review would help understand the quality of evidence regarding the efficacy of hypnosis, and provide directions for future research. We conducted a scoping review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the efficacy of hypnosis for management of clinical pain conditions published after 2013. We searched four databases and two reviewers independently screened studies. We e [...]

by Gabriel Moss  , Gi-Ming Wang  , Bethanny Bristol  , Hasina Momotaz  , Ming Li  and Richard T. Lee

Received: 05 May 2022;  Published: 04 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203033

Reiki is a form of energy healing that has gained popularity in the United States, but there remains skepticism about its scientific validity. This study examines the ability of Reiki practitioners (RP) to detect human energy fields (HEF). Volunteer RP were asked to identify the location of a human hand under blinded conditions for a total of 20 trials. Four potential options existed for subjects (right, left, both, or neither); thus, random chance would predict a success rate of 25%. A success rate of >40% was [...]

by Richard B. Kreider

Received: 01 April 2021;  Published: 03 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104041

Obesity has historically been thought to simply be related to an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure. Weight loss recommendations have traditionally focused on reducing energy intake, maintaining either a high-carbohydrate low-fat diet or vice versa, and increasing physical activity typically through low to moderate intensity exercise. More recently, genetic, physiological, and behavioral factors have also been found to play a significant role in the etiology of obesity. For this reason, the prevention [...]

by Andrew Villamil  , Talya Vogel  , Elli Weisbaum  and Daniel J. Siegel

Received: 03 October 2018;  Published: 16 January 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901003

Research on the physiological and emotional health benefits of meditative practices has grown exponentially over the last two decades, influencing both scientific literature and popular media. Research has highlighted three distinct components or pillars at the core of meditative practices and mind training. They are, focused attention, open awareness, and kind intention. Neuroimaging studies and recent research highlight that the repeated practice of directing attention and awareness can enhance neural connections [...]

by Michael Frass  and Katharina Gaertner

Received: 16 January 2019;  Published: 16 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902023

This case reports of a 71-year-old patient with polycythemia vera (PCV). Homeopathic treatment began 15 years after his diagnosis at the age of 51. The frequency of phlebotomies was lowered significantly after the start of the homeopathic treatment; the patient survived another 16 years without chemotherapy, which he had rejected despite appropriate education. For someone with PCV who denied chemotherapy, this patient had a long survival time of more than 30 years, essentially enjoying good health and high quality [...]

by Paul A. Barclay  and Clint A. Bowers

Received: 27 July 2018;  Published: 07 October 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1804024

(1) Background: Meditation is a common intervention for college students suffering from issues with anxiety. Due to this popularity, several meditation-based video games have been released which can be used to supplement or motivate meditation practice. However, these tools are not often given scrutiny in a laboratory setting before being released to the public. Our lab conducted a brief feasibility pilot study to investigate Meditation Deathmatch, an open-source meditation video game aimed at stimulating meditatio [...]

by Dorothy S Greene

Received: 17 July 2021;  Published: 16 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104047

Yoga is increasingly becoming a strategy for wellness in the United States. A 2016 survey found that nearly 37 million Americans practice yoga and an additional 12 million say they intend to try it in the coming year. Yoga is also being studied as an intervention for a number of physical and behavioral health disorders. This short report examines yoga’s utility as a treatment or adjunctive tool for addiction recovery. Because addiction is characterized as a biopsychosocial-spiritual disorder and yoga is a holistic [...]

by Peta Stapleton  , Trude Roos  , Glenn Mackintosh  , Emma Sparenburg  , Debbie Sabot  and Brett Carter

Received: 14 October 2019;  Published: 17 December 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1904065

Background: The combination of dietary restraint and physical exercise as a recommended treatment for weight loss has had limited long-term success. One factor proposed as limiting weight management techniques efficacy is the failure to target psychological processes linked with overeating. Consistent with prior research that has identified the efficacy of emotional freedom techniques (EFT) in reducing food cravings and aiding weight loss, this pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) examined the impact of online d [...]

by Takahiro Fujimoto  , Hidetake Kobayashi  , Takeshi Hataoka  , Kazuo Taniguchi  and Keisuke Miura

Received: 17 May 2020;  Published: 09 December 2020;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2004045

Obesity causes serious long-term health problems in people worldwide. Since the effect of dietary advice is possibly limited, weight loss can be a major challenge; therefore, additional weight control techniques may be beneficial. We conducted four experiments to evaluate if auricular acupuncture point stimulation with simple metal beads (AA) rather than the popular use of intradermal needle (DA) to stimulate auricle would support weight loss. In this retrospective study, weight change in Japanese women (aged 18 to [...]

by Naoki Ohkura  , Gen-ichi Atsumi  , Seima Uehara  , Mitsuhiro Ohta  and Masahiko Taniguchi

Received: 18 July 2018;  Published: 23 January 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901005

Metabolic syndrome is a serious health condition comprising a combination of glucose metabolism disorder, high blood pressure and obesity. The main underlying risk factors for metabolic syndrome are abdominal obesity and insulin resistance. Various studies have shown that herbal medicines can effectively reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Angelica keiskei Koidzumi (ashitaba), a large perennial herb native to the Southeast Pacific coast of Japan, has recently become a popular herbal medicine, dietary [...]

by Gila Chen

Received: 04 March 2019;  Published: 24 April 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1902026

Background: A large body of empirical evidence has supported the notion that individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) have difficulty regulating their negative emotions and employing emotion-regulation strategies. The aim of this article is to (a) explore the role of self-compassion in providing an emotion-regulation strategy for initiating a process of recovery from SUDs; (b) examine the role of self-compassion in building recovery capital (RC) to promote long-term recovery; and (c) examine the practice of [...]

by Megan Berberich  and Bettina Bernstein

Received: 10 March 2018;  Published: 13 November 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1804030

Background: Treatment of mood and anxiety disorders with supplements, herbs and nutraceuticals (dietary supplements) is at this point viewed as an integrative or alternative treatment, however these substances have been around for quite some time and are regarded as basic to the understanding of human biochemistry, physiology, health and illness in medicine. Methods: This review article was done using a literature search utilizing the National Library of Medicine online data base and the PCOM electronic library dat [...]

by BAGOT Jean-Lionel

Received: 31 May 2018;  Published: 15 September 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1803019

Background: After fatigue, pain is one of the major complaints from cancer patients. Regular use of Class 1 analgesics may cause side effects and is not always sufficient to relieve pain. Homeopathy is the complementary and integrative medicine most frequently used in France in supportive care in oncology (SCO). What is its place in the treatment of pain? Method: Extraction and analysis of results concerning pain from three surveys, two of which were carried out in France, on the main indications of homeopathy in S [...]

by Megan Sweeney  and Harold Kraft

Received: 29 September 2021;  Published: 17 December 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104055

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a highly debilitating chronic pain condition characterized by continuous regional pain disproportionate to duration and intensity of the initial damaging stimulus. In CRPS, abnormal perception, transmission, and modulation of pain by nerve cells and the autonomic nervous system induces extreme increases in perceived pain that may be accompanied by swelling, temperature sensitivity, color fluctuations, and/or skin changes. CRPS most commonly affects the extremities but may sp [...]

by Daniela Litscher  and Gerhard Litscher

Received: 24 May 2016;  Published: 17 August 2016;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1601002

The present report deals with some current important aspects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) education and practice in Europe and China. The data and facts are based on a lecture of one of the authors (G.L.) prepared for a conference in Wuhan about acupuncture education in Europe, and lectures of two high-ranking representatives of renowned Chinese institutions (State Administration of TCM and Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin). In addition to current figures regarding TCM in general, the ad [...]

by Patricia Gabrielli Vassão  and E-Liisa Laakso

Received: 03 February 2022;  Published: 21 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2201012

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) for minimal to moderate Kellgren and Lawrence grade knee osteoarthritis has significant evidence for effectiveness. The effect of PBMT in severe grades of osteoarthritis is less clear; and no studies have investigated the effect of PBMT before and after knee replacement surgery. This small study (n=4) aimed to understand the potential feasibility of undertaking a future randomised controlled clinical trial of a self-administered, home-based light patch system before and after total [...]

by Elio Rossi  , Cristina Noberasco  , Marco Picchi  , Mariella Di Stefano  , Linda Nurra  , Antonella Rossi  and Leonardo Ventura

Received: 28 March 2018;  Published: 03 September 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1803017

Background: To manage the adverse effects of anti-cancer treatment, the Homeopathic Clinic of Lucca collaborated with the oncology department of the the Health Unit Toscana North West Lucca and set up an Integrative Oncology Outpatient Unit in the Public Hospital Campo di Marte. Aim: The purpose of this study was to present the results of the homeopathic and complementary integrative medicine treatment targeted at reducing the adverse effects of anti-cancer therapy and cancer symptoms, and to give dietary and lifes [...]

by Leslyn Keith  and Robert Erkstam

Received: 11 January 2023;  Published: 17 March 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2301016

Lymphedema, a chronic incurable condition characterized by edema, inflammation, reactive fibrosis, adipose proliferation, and compromised immune function, affects over 250 million people worldwide [1]. Further, a comorbidity of obesity increases the risk of developing lymphedema and can result in irreversible damage to lymphatic function. Access to appropriate and timely lymphedema treatment, performance of proper self-management strategies, and implementation of healthy lifestyle practices are critical for optimal [...]

by J. Kim Penberthy  , Dinesh Chhabra  , Nina Avitabile  , J. Morgan Penberthy  , Ngan Le  , Yiqin Roger Xu  , Seara Mainor  , Natalie Schiavone  , Paul Katzenstein  , Janet E Lewis  and Leslie Hubbard

Received: 18 April 2018;  Published: 28 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1804039

Over the past few decades, there have been minimal advances in effective new behavioral or psychotherapeutic interventions for people living with autoimmune diseases such as systematic lupus erythematosus. This is problematic due to the severe, debilitating and potentially life-threatening nature of these diseases. Mindfulness based interventions, such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, have demonstrated effectiveness in a wide range of patient populations and we hypothesize such treatment would also benefit pa [...]

by Kelsey Madison Dietrich  and Maria Gabriela Bidart

Received: 15 July 2021;  Published: 12 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104046

College students experience increased stress levels that could predispose them to develop mental and physical health conditions throughout adulthood. Yoga is an ancient mind-body practice including breath techniques, body exercises, and meditation that may be a useful strategy for enhancing college student health. Likewise, exposure to nature has been shown to have beneficial impacts on human health. This study investigates physiological and psychological responses of college students to yoga practiced in outdoor v [...]

by Randolph James  , Amy Lawson Moore  , Dick M Carpenter II  , Terissa Michele Miller  and Christina Ledbetter

Received: 29 April 2019;  Published: 06 September 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1903054

Background: The current study examined a multifaceted anti-neuroinflammatory intervention that included physical exercise, mental exercise, grain-free/sugar-free diet, anti-inflammatory nutritional supplements, sleep optimization, and stress management within the context of a functional medicine practice for five patients with varying levels of cognitive impairment. Methods: In a prospective chart review, we examined impact measures including assessment of (1) cognitive skills, (2) brain connectivity, and (3) daily [...]

by Joanna E. Witkin  , Ekaterina Denkova  , Anthony P. Zanesco  , Alexandra B. Morrison  , Joshua Rooks  , Jane Carpenter  , Michael Baime  and Amishi P. Jha

Received: 24 August 2021;  Published: 06 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2202016

Mindfulness training (MT) has been shown to benefit sustained attention and mind wandering. Yet, few studies have examined whether benefits differ as a function of individual differences in mind wandering. The sustained attention to response task (SART) measured task accuracy (A'), response time variability (response time intraindividual coefficient of variation, ICV), and self-reported mind wandering in participants before (T1) and after (T2) a 1-month MT retreat (n = 56), as well as in a control group (n = 32) wh [...]

by Selma A. Augusta Quist Møller  , Sohrab Sami  and Shauna L. Shapiro

Received: 04 July 2018;  Published: 06 January 2019;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1901002

Background: In this study, we performed a systematic review of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) examining the health benefits of (mindful) self-compassion-based interventions (SCBIs) and studies which explicitly combine SCBIs and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). Based on the compelling evidence supporting the effectiveness of MBIs, we evaluated the potential use of MBIs and SCBIs to complement one another, and whether SCBIs may serve as supplementary, or preliminary interventions for individuals not fully [...]

by Peta Stapleton  , Ulf Sandstrom  and Gunilla Hamne

Received: 12 September 2018;  Published: 22 December 2018;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.1804036

Background: This pilot trial investigated whether a 3-week self-help model for stress reduction using the Trauma Tapping Technique (TTT) would impact traumatized youth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on post-traumatic stress symptoms and general happiness. It also focussed on the acceptability of the program to recipients and implementation in a community with complex trauma and conflict. Methods: The study involved 77 youth who received a TTT 3-week model of intervention (self-applied). Post traumatic stre [...]

by Anna Blázovics  , Botond Csorba  and Andrea Ferencz

Received: 19 May 2022;  Published: 08 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2203034

The most well-known phytoestrogens (flavonoids, isoflavonoids, lignans, coumestans, stilbenes, and prenylflavonoids) are isoflavonoids, which are important active ingredients in medicinal and food plants. They are highly abundant in the Fabaceae family. More than 1,000 types of isoflavonoids have been isolated from nearly 300 kinds of plants, and more are being discovered through modern analytical methods. Glycosides O and C of isoflavonoids are poorly absorbed in the intestine. They are converted by bacterial este [...]

by Kazandra Lopez Hernandez  and John V. Rider

Received: 26 July 2023;  Published: 20 November 2023;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2304053

Chronic pain imposes significant personal and societal challenges. The concerning impact across all population levels has led to several federal agencies dedicating considerable efforts to developing clinically guiding recommendations to improve how chronic pain is addressed, specifically in primary care practice. These guidelines recognize and emphasize the importance of comprehensive evaluation, appropriate diagnosis, and treatment interventions that target multifactorial influences of pain for improved quality o [...]

by Karolina Bryl  and Jacelyn Biondo

Received: 25 August 2021;  Published: 26 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/obm.icm.2104052

Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is a strengths-based approach to psychotherapy that uses dance and movement as the primary form of communication, while emphasizing the movement relationship in addition to verbal dialogue. Positive and negative symptomatology of a diagnosis on the schizophrenia spectrum often disrupt organized thinking, orientation to reality, overall functioning, communication, and healthy relationships. Therefore, a body-based psychotherapeutic approach can be a pragmatic way to support, join, and pr [...]