Meditation may help breast cancer patients
While women who buy Canadian Tamoxifen can treat the physical aspects of their breast cancer, these patients may experience psychological symptoms as a result of living with a malignancy.
While women who buy Canadian Tamoxifen can treat the physical aspects of their breast cancer, these patients may experience psychological symptoms as a result of living with a malignancy. Up to 50 percent of breast cancer survivors develop depression, according to researchers from the University of Missouri. In order to alleviate this condition, they conducted a study on a treatment known as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR).
In order to assess the effectiveness of MBSR, the researchers studied a group of breast cancer survivors, whom they enrolled into classes that taught meditation, yoga and physical awareness.
After eight to 10 weeks of classes, the researchers observed that study participants experienced improvements in their breathing rate, heart rate and blood pressure. Psychologically, the subjects also had better moods and levels of mindfulness, as published in the Western Journal of Nursing Research.
The research suggests that MBSR may be able to complement Tamoxifen and other conventional breast cancer therapies.
"MBSR is another tool to enhance the lives of breast cancer survivors," said researcher Jane Armer. "Patients often are given a variety of options to reduce stress, but they should choose what works for them according to their lifestyles and belief systems."
The National Cancer Institute estimated more than 232,000 new cases of breast cancer in the U.S. in 2011.
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