1. Lesson Three
Mind-Body Medicine

2. Mind-Body Medicine
Mind-body medicine is a holistic approach to medicine that takes into account the effect of the mind on physical processes, including the effects of psychosocial stressors and conditioning, particularly as they affect the immune system. Many of the therapeutic techniques used have as their purpose increasing the body's natural resistance to disease by managing the stressors.
(mind-body medicine. Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. (2009)

3. Mind-Body Medicine
Mind-body medicine uses a variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind’s capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms.
Some techniques that were considered CAM in the past have become mainstream (for example, patient support groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy).
Other mind-body techniques are still considered CAM, including meditation, prayer, mental healing, and therapies that use creative outlets such as art, music, or dance.
(NCCAM, 2007)

4. How Does Mind-body Medicine Work?
When you are physically or emotionally stressed, your body releases stress hormones that can affect all your systems and organs
The goal of mind-body techniques is to get the body and mind to relax and to reduce the levels of stress hormones in the body, so that your immune system is better able to fight off illness
Mind-body techniques can be helpful for many conditions because they encourage relaxation, improve coping skills, reduce tension and pain, and lessen the need for medication
(University of Maryland Medical Center)

5. What Are Mind-body Techniques?
The key to any mind-body technique is to "train" the mind to focus on the body without distraction. In this state of "focused concentration," a person may be able to improve their health. Some of the most commonly used techniques include:
Biofeedback
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Relaxation techniques
(University of Maryland Medical Center)

6. What Is Biofeedback?
Biofeedback therapy uses special instruments and methods to expand the body's natural internal feedback systems. By watching a monitoring device, patients can learn by trial and error to adjust their thinking and other mental processes to control bodily processes previously thought to be involuntary, such as blood pressure, temperature, gastrointestinal functioning, and brain wave activity.
(Micozzi, 2011)

7. Five Common Forms Of Biofeedback Therapy
Electromyographic biofeedback
Thermal biofeedback therapy
Electrodermal activity therapy
Finger pulse therapy
Breathing biofeedback therapy

8. What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an action-oriented form of psychosocial therapy that assumes that maladaptive, or faulty, thinking patterns cause maladaptive behavior and "negative" emotions.
(cognitive-behavioral therapy. Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. (2008)

9. Common CBT Interventions
Setting realistic goals and learning how to solve problems (e.g., Engaging in more social activities; learning how to be assertive)
Learning how to manage stress and anxiety (e.g., Learning relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, coping self-talk such as “I've done this before, just take deep breaths,” and distraction)
Identifying situations that are often avoided and gradually approaching feared situations
Identifying and engaging in enjoyable activities such as hobbies, social activities and exercise
Identifying and challenging negative thoughts (e.g., “Things never work out for me”)
Keeping track of feelings, thoughts and behaviors to become aware of symptoms and to make it easier to change thoughts and behaviors
(Patterson, 2009)

10. Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques include a number of practices such as progressive relaxation, guided imagery, biofeedback, self- hypnosis, and deep breathing exercises.
The goal is similar in all: to consciously produce the body’s natural relaxation response, characterized by slower breathing, lower blood pressure, and a feeling of calm and well-being.
(NCCAM, 2011)

11. Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation is more than a state of mind; it physically changes the way your body functions. When your body is relaxed breathing slows, blood pressure and oxygen consumption decrease, and some people report an increased sense of well-being.
This is called the “relaxation response.”
Being able to produce the relaxation response using relaxation techniques may counteract the effects of long- term stress, which may contribute to or worsen a range of health problems including depression, digestive disorders, headaches, high blood pressure, and insomnia.
(NCCAM, 2011)

12. Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques often combine breathing and focused attention to calm the mind and the body. Most methods require only brief instruction from a book or experienced practitioner before they can be done without assistance.
These techniques may be most effective when practiced regularly and combined with good nutrition, regular exercise, and a strong social support system.
(NCCAM, 2011)

13. Relaxation Response Techniques
Autogenic training
Biofeedback
Deep breathing or breathing exercises
Guided imagery
Progressive relaxation
Self-Hypnosis
The relaxation response techniques
Autogenic training. When using this method, you focus on the physical sensation of your
own breathing or heartbeat and picture your body as warm, heavy, and/or relaxed.
• Biofeedback. Biofeedback-assisted relaxation uses electronic devices to teach you how to
consciously produce the relaxation response.
• Deep breathing or breathing exercises. To relax using this method, you consciously slow
your breathing and focus on taking regular and deep breaths.
• Guided imagery. For this technique, you focus on pleasant images to replace negative or
stressful feelings and relax. Guided imagery may be directed by you or a practitioner through
storytelling or descriptions designed to suggest mental images (also called visualization).
• Progressive relaxation (also called Jacobson’s progressive relaxation or progressive muscle
relaxation). For this relaxation method, you focus on tightening and relaxing each muscle
group. Progressive relaxation is often combined with guided imagery and breathing exercises.
• Self-Hypnosis. In self-hypnosis you produce the relaxation response with a phrase or
nonverbal cue (called a “suggestion”).
(NCCAM, 2011)
(NCCAM, 2011)

14. What Is Meditation?
Meditation is a mind and body practice that has a long history of use for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being. Mind and body practices focus on the interactions among the brain, mind, body, and behavior.
(NCCIH, 2007)

15. Common Elements Of Meditation
There are many types of meditation, but most have four elements in common
A quiet location with as few distractions as possible
A specific, comfortable posture (sitting, lying down, walking, or in other positions)
A focus of attention (a specially chosen word or set of words, an object, or the sensations of the breath)
An open attitude (letting distractions come and go naturally without judging them).
(NCCIH, 2007)

16. Types Of Meditation
The different types of meditation techniques that have evolved from Hinduism, Christianity, and Buddhism can be classified under five categories:
Concentration
Reflective Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation
Heart-Centered Meditation
Creative Meditation
(Types of Meditation)

17. Concentration Meditation
Concentration is at the heart of all the types of meditation, but in some techniques, focus is predominantly on building concentration.
(Types of Meditation)

18. Why Is Concentration Important?
This is because in order to gain the fruits of meditation, you need to train the mind to concentrate and focus on an object or nothingness, that is to cut all distractions.
This allows your mind to be calm and awaken beyond thought elaboration and even beyond your sense of self.
Once you hold this view of awareness, you can use it for your wellness and for the greater good.
(Types of Meditation)

19. Concentration Meditation Techniques
There are several types of meditation techniques in concentration meditation category that can help you overcome distractions within and outside your mind and sustain mental focus. The different types of techniques that will help you gain concentration include:
Zen meditation
Transcendental Meditation
Om meditation
Shine Meditation or Samadhi
Chakra Meditation
(Types of Meditation)

20. Reflective Meditation
Reflective meditation is also known as analytical meditation and refers to disciplined thinking. In order to successfully practice reflective meditation, you will need to choose a question, theme, or topic and focus your analysis or reflection upon it. Initially, your thoughts may wander to other topics but then you need to train your mind to come back to the topic in question. In order to do this, you need to learn concentration meditation first.
(Types of Meditation)

21. Reflective Meditation
As you practice this every day, your mind will be more in control and not wander off. It is one of the most important types of meditation and is considered to have a calming effect on the mind. It stimulates transformative power and provides you with great conviction and strength to change the course of your life.
(Types of Meditation)

22. Reflective Meditation
There are different types of questions or reflective ideas that you can focus on, such as:
Who am I?
What is the true purpose of my life?
What is my role in this universe?
How can I help remove the sufferings of others?
(Types of Meditation)

23. Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is one the most powerful and alternative meditation techniques, which lays emphasis on cultivating a highly receptive mindful attention toward any action or objects within your sphere of influence.
(Types of Meditation)

24. Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is one of the important meditation types that helps you learn a simple thing: to pay attention or be "mindful". This type of meditation is known to provide pain relief and help for those suffering from anxiety and depression. There are different types of techniques in this category that you can practice
(Types of Meditation)

25. Mindfulness Meditation
There are different types of techniques in this category that you can practice:
Vipassana meditation
Deep breathing meditation
Body scan meditation
Visualization meditation
Mindful breathing
Mindful eating
Sitting Meditation
Walking Meditation
(Types of Meditation)

26. Heart-Centered Meditation
Heart-centered meditation will help you release all your fears and sadness and bathe in the radiance of loving kindness and compassion. It is also known as the heart chakra meditation. Practicing this meditation over a period of time will help you to heal your heart and that of others.
(Types of Meditation)

27. Heart-Centered Meditation
This meditation technique helps in opening the heart chakra and removes any negative energy that exists. In order to practice this meditation technique, choose a quiet place, set the right posture and focus on the heart area while inhaling and exhaling slowly but smoothly. You can also connect your heart to the heart of a teacher or a person you feel that is compassionate. This is considered as one of the important types of meditation techniques.
(Types of Meditation)

28. Creative Meditation Or Visualization
A different type of meditation technique, this form of meditation will enable you to consciously cultivate as well as strengthen different qualities of your mind. It focuses on strengthening qualities, such as appreciation, joy, compassion, patience, empathy, love, gratitude, compassion, humility, fearlessness, and tenderness, among others.
(Types of Meditation)

29. References
cognitive-behavioral therapy. Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. (2008). (n.d.). Retrieved from dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/cognitive-behavioral+therapy Micozzi, M. (2011). Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Fourth Eddition [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from mind-body medicine. Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. (2009). (n.d.). Retrieved from dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/mind-body+medicine NCCAM. (2007, February). cam basics: What Is Complementary and Alternative Medicine? Retrieved from National Institutes of Health: NCCAM. (2011, August). Relaxation Techniques for Health: Relaxation Techniques for Health: . Retrieved from NIH NCCIH NCCAM: NCCIH. (2007, December). Meditation: In Depth. Retrieved from NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Patterson, M. (2009). CBT in Practice: Reprinted from "CBT" issue of Visions Journal, 2009, 6 (1), p. 6. Retrieved from HeretoHelp: Types of Meditation. (n.d.). Retrieved from Spiritual Healing For You: you.com/types-of-meditation.html University of Maryland Medical Center. (n.d.). Complementary and Alternative Medicine Guide: Mind-body medicine. Retrieved from University of Maryland Medical Center: