Paul J Mills1,2,3, Kathleen L Wilson1, Meredith A Pung1, Lizabeth Weiss4, Sheila Patel1,4, P Murali Doraiswamy5, Christine Peterson1,4, Valencia Porter1,4, Eric Schadt6, Deepak Chopra1,4, Rudolph E Tanzi7. 1. 1 Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, CA. 2. 2 Department of Psychiatry, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, CA. 3. 3 Fellow, Samueli Institute , Alexandria, VA. 4. 4 The Chopra Center for Wellbeing , Carlsbad, CA. 5. 5 Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University , Durham, NC. 6. 6 Genetics and Genomics Sciences, Mount Sinai Hospital , New York, NY. 7. 7 Massachusetts General Hospital , Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of a comprehensive residential mind-body program on well-being. DESIGN: The Self-Directed Biological Transformation Initiative was a quasi-randomized trial comparing the effects of participation in a 6-day Ayurvedic system of medicine-based comprehensive residential program with a 6-day residential vacation at the same retreat location. SETTING: Retreat setting. PARTICIPANTS: 69 healthy women (n = 58) and men (n = 11) (mean age ± standard deviation, 53.6 ± 12 years). INTERVENTION: The Ayurvedic intervention addressed physical and emotional well-being through group meditation and yoga, massage, diet, adaptogenic herbs, lectures, and journaling. OUTCOME MEASURES: A battery of standardized questionnaires. RESULTS: Participants in the Ayurvedic program showed significant and sustained increases in ratings of spirituality (p < 0.01) and gratitude (p < 0.05) compared with the vacation group, which showed no change. The Ayurvedic participants also showed increased ratings for self-compassion (p < 0.01) as well as less anxiety at the 1-month follow-up (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that a short-term intensive program providing holistic instruction and experience in mind-body healing practices can lead to significant and sustained increases in perceived well-being and that relaxation alone is not enough to improve certain aspects of well-being.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of a comprehensive residential mind-body program on well-being. DESIGN: The Self-Directed Biological Transformation Initiative was a quasi-randomized trial comparing the effects of participation in a 6-day Ayurvedic system of medicine-based comprehensive residential program with a 6-day residential vacation at the same retreat location. SETTING: Retreat setting. PARTICIPANTS: 69 healthy women (n = 58) and men (n = 11) (mean age ± standard deviation, 53.6 ± 12 years). INTERVENTION: The Ayurvedic intervention addressed physical and emotional well-being through group meditation and yoga, massage, diet, adaptogenic herbs, lectures, and journaling. OUTCOME MEASURES: A battery of standardized questionnaires. RESULTS:Participants in the Ayurvedic program showed significant and sustained increases in ratings of spirituality (p < 0.01) and gratitude (p < 0.05) compared with the vacation group, which showed no change. The Ayurvedic participants also showed increased ratings for self-compassion (p < 0.01) as well as less anxiety at the 1-month follow-up (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that a short-term intensive program providing holistic instruction and experience in mind-body healing practices can lead to significant and sustained increases in perceived well-being and that relaxation alone is not enough to improve certain aspects of well-being.
Authors: Christine Tara Peterson; Sarah M Bauer; Deepak Chopra; Paul J Mills; Raj K Maturi Journal: J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med Date: 2017-09-22
Authors: Sheila Patel; Stephen Klagholz; Christine T Peterson; Lizabeth Weiss; Deepak Chopra; Paul J Mills Journal: Glob Adv Health Med Date: 2019-04-29