For the first time, a study showed that mindfulness meditation, unlike a placebo, changes both the brains and bodies of regular people (not just long-time meditators). Read more about how a few days of meditation changed areas of the brain that process stress reactions, and how the trial meditators also saw much lower levels of unhealthy inflammation markers in their blood – even months later.
Must-Reads from the Wellness World (Week of February 23, 2016)
“Too Cautious About Food? That’s Dangerous” – Bloomberg View, Jan. 19, 2016
This article claims that, in the case of food guidelines, too much caution can do more harm than good, and asserts that the scientific literature is full of contradictory claims.
What to Watch for in Wellness in 2016
Check out a few issues in the wellness world that global economist Malleret predicts will be important trends to watch in 2016.
GWI’s ‘Future of Wellness at Work’ Report Will Be Released Next Week
The GWI’s 2016 research report, “Future of Wellness at Work” will be available next Wednesday (2.17). This in-depth study includes new data on the state (and cost) of unwellness for the global & U.S. workforces, while predicting how work itself, and workplace wellness approaches, will change dramatically in the future. Also being released: a white paper on key findings from a GWI/Everyday Health survey of American workers, shedding new light on whether current workplace wellness program are working, and identifying strategies that would make a surprising impact.
Clinical Wellness Best Practices Becomes GWI Initiative
The wellness industry has been around for more than half a century, but gaining credibility within the medical community has been hard won. But increasingly, wellness approaches are being adopted by some of the world’s most respected medical institutions: from large, multidisciplinary hospitals to complex-care specialty facilities. Yet, the work of these pioneers is not well known. So, the new GWI Clinical Wellness Best Practices Initiative seeks to: 1) research and publicize wellness departments in medical settings 2) identify clinical wellness “best-practices” and 3) evaluate/rate the world’s leading clinical wellness centers.
To Prevent Back Pain, Forget Orthotics and Back Belts – Exercise Instead
A large majority of people will suffer serious back pain in their lives, but few studies have examined what really works to prevent it…and what doesn’t. A recent meta-review of studies shines new light: education on its own, orthotics/shoe insoles and back belts provided zero prevention against lower back pain – but exercise’s preventive effect was significant. No matter what kind of exercise program, it basically halved the likelihood of another back pain episode within the next year.
