Theory is that techniques help relieve stress and live for the moment But 60% of us have apparently suffered at least one negative side effect Experts: Shortage of rigorous statistical studies into the negative effects of meditation is a ‘scandal’
By HARRIET CRAWFORD FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 05:56 EST, 22 May 2015 | UPDATED: 11:20 EST, 22 May 2015
Meditation and mindfulness is promoted by celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and Russell Brand, who boast of its power to help people put stress out of their minds and live for the moment.
But the treatment can itself trigger mania, depression, hallucinations and psychosis, psychological studies in the UK and US have found.
The practice is part of a growing movement based on ancient Eastern traditions of meditation.
However, 60 per cent of people who had been on a meditation retreat had suffered at least one negative side effect, including panic, depression and confusion, a study in the US found.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — As the morning school bell rings and students rush through crowded corridors, teenagers in one Portland classroom settle onto mats and Meditation Pillow . They fall silent after the teacher taps a Tibetan “singing bowl.”
“Allow yourself to settle into the experience of being here, in this moment,” teacher Caverly Morgan tells two dozen students at Wilson High School.
The students are enrolled in a for-credit, year-long mindfulness class meant to ease youth anxiety and depression and to prevent violence. For 90 minutes, three days a week, they practice a mix of yoga, sitting and walking meditation, visualization techniques, deep breathing, journaling and non-judgmental listening .
The idea behind mindfulness is that focusing on the present moment helps a person deal better with stress, difficult emotions and negative thoughts.
Mindfulness, yoga and meditation have gained popularity among Americans in recent decades, buoyed by studies showing their benefits to emotional, mental and physical health. The centuries-old practices have roots in Buddhism and Hinduism, but Western culture has secularized them to focus on physical postures, breathing and relaxation techniques.
Such practices are now offered by corporations like Google, Target and General Mills to their employees. Prison inmates, hospital patients and the U.S. Marines are using them to combat stress and illness, increase focus and well-being. And now schools all over the country are introducing the practices.
Some people have greeted the move with less than enthusiasm.
Last year, an elementary school in Ohio ended its mindfulness program after parents complained it was too closely linked to Eastern religion and a conservative Christian law firm unsuccessfully sued on behalf of a couple in Encinitas, California, arguing their school district’s yoga classes indoctrinate children.
Hearing Loss can cause short-term memory loss and short-change your life. June 21,2014
Ridgewood NJ, Are you having trouble with your hearing? An estimated 36 million Americans do. It is the third most prevalent health concern and is now believed to affect cognitive ability when not caught early. It can even contribute to short-term memory problems.Need a consultation with an audiologist in NYC? Contact Audio Help Hearing Centers today!
Shown here (left to right): are Bryan Gaus, Senior General Manager, Westfield Garden State Plaza; Audrey Meyers, President and CEO The Valley Hospital and Valley Health System; and William Conroy, Deputy Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Health.
Valley Health System and Westfield Garden State Plaza Team Up in Yearlong Partnership to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle
April 1, 2014
Ridgewood NJ, Westfield Garden State Plaza and Valley Health System kick off a dynamic year-long partnership designed to promote community health and wellness through engaging events and thought-provoking messaging. Leveraging the center’s two million-plus square feet of premium retail space and Valley’s influence as a leading health provider, the partnership will “deliver a message to our community that lifestyle, diet and well-being are important to living a healthy life,” said Bryan Gaus, Senior General Manager, Westfield Garden State Plaza.
In conjunction with Westfield Garden State Plaza, Valley Health System will host two community-wide events at the Paramus-based center and utilize its large format signage, particularly the digital LED screen, to display compelling content throughout the year. “This is an exciting partnership and we are delighted to provide a platform to support community wellness through engaging events and experiences at Westfield Garden State Plaza,” continued Gaus.
“We are delighted to partner with Westfield Garden State Plaza on this important community health initiative,” said Audrey Meyers, President and CEO of The Valley Hospital and Valley Health System. “The mall is a gathering place for so many in our community that it seems like the perfect place to offer innovative health-related educational events and programs.”
The first event, “Recipe Makeover & A New Look For the Cook,” launches April 1, in partnership with Sur La Table and features an online enter-to-win sweepstakes. Customers are invited to submit the name of a favorite dish, at www.valleyrecipemakeover.com, for a nutritional makeover. On May 17, two winners, sporting their own new makeovers, will cook their healthier dishes in front of a live audience with celebrity chef Michael V. Proietti in the Lord & Taylor Court. Compliments of Westfield Garden State Plaza retailers, the winners’ “new looks” include a makeover and new apparel. A second event will be held in October and details will be released later this year.
“Sur La Table is excited to be working with Westfield Garden State Plaza on this upcoming cooking demonstration featuring Proietti, the resident chef of our Westchester store,” said Aysar Rida, District Manager of Sur La Table, retailer of exclusive and premium-quality goods for the kitchen and table. “With cooking classes in more than 50 locations, Sur La Table operates the largest avocational cooking school nationwide.”
About Westfield Garden State Plaza
Westfield Garden State Plaza is the ultimate destination for fashion, dining and entertainment in the NY/NJ metro area offering the best selection of brands in every retail category, and is renowned for delivering cutting edge, new retail concepts to market. Just minutes from Manhattan in Paramus, N.J., millions of shoppers each year enjoy an unparalleled shopping and dining experience, complete with personalized services and amenities. For more information, call 201-843-2121 or www.facebook.com/gardenstateplaza or www.westfield.com/gardenstateplaza.
The Westfield Group (ASX Code: WDC) is an internally managed, vertically integrated, shopping center group undertaking ownership, development, design, construction, funds/asset management, property management, leasing and marketing activities and employing approximately 4,000 staff worldwide. The Westfield Group has interests in and operates one of the world’s largest shopping center portfolios with investment interests in 91 shopping centers across Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, encompassing over 20,500 retail outlets and total assets under management of A$65.8bn.
About Valley Health System
Valley Health System is a regional healthcare system that serves residents in northern New Jersey and southern New York. It includes The Valley Hospital, a 451-bed, not-for-profit, acute-care hospital; Valley Home Care, an award-winning home care and hospice agency; and Valley Medical Group, a multispecialty group practice of doctors and advanced practice professionals representing more than 30 medical and surgical specialties who practice at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, Valley’s Blumenthal Cancer Center in Paramus, eight urgent and primary care centers in New Jersey and New York, and community-based physician practices throughout the region.
For more information visit www.ValleyHealth.com or www.Facebook.com/ValleyHospital
> Mammography outcry points to trouble for healthcare reform
Some Republicans say the new recommendations are an example of ‘rationing’ that would take place under Obama’s plan to save money by basing treatment on experts’ advice. By Noam N. Levey
