Neuroscience Behind Mindfulness In managing stress-based illnesses

1. Neuroscience Behind
mindfulness
Romila “Dr. Romie” Mushtaq, MD
Center For Natural and Integrative Medicine
Orlando, Florida

3. MIND-BODY
MEDICINE
Mind-Body Medicine
focuses on the interactions
between mind and body
The powerful ways in which
emotional, mental, social
and spiritual factors can
directly affect health.
Science behind
mindfulness and mindful
living

4. MIND-BODY MEDICINE IS NOT ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

5. NEUROSCIENCE &
MEDICINE
BEHIND
MINDFULNESS
STRESS RESPONSE
IMPLICATIONS OF
STRESS IN DISEASE
MINDFULNESS
MINDFUL LIVING

8. WHAT IS STRESS?
STRESS defined:
A state one experiences
when there is a
mismatch between
perceived demands and
perceived ability to cope

9. HOW CAN WE MEASURE STRESS?
1. SLEEP DISRUPTION
2. SLEEP DISRUPTION
3. SLEEP DISRUPTION
4. BLOOD PRESSURE
5. HEART RATE
- heart rate variability
- rhythm
6. PSYCHOLOGY SCALES
Rahe and Holmes Scale

10. HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-ADRENAL AXIS

19. • American Heart Association released a
scientific statement
• Transcendental Meditation (TM)
technique
• Recommended for treatment plans for all
individuals with blood pressure greater than
120/80 mm Hg.
• “Transcendental Meditation is one of the
most studied types of meditation, with
medical studies appearing in the respected
medical journals for more than 30 years.”
• “There are other methods of meditation;
however, the committee deemed that more
studies were needed to verify the
effectiveness of these other types.”

20. Mindfulness:
Pay
Attention
Be Present
www.BrainBodyBeauty.com

21. Mindful Healing
Understand how to train your
brain and mind with scientifically
proven methods
Train your brain and mind to:
Cope with stress
Change the course of
chronic disease
Create work-life balance

22. Meditation is simply the act of making an
appointment with yourself.”
- Dr. Romie

23. Is Meditation Just
New Age?
Mindfulness transcends gender,
race, religion, or geographical
location
Mindfulness Based Stress
Reduction Techniques
Universities
Business schools
Corporations
Professional Athletes
Public schools

24. ANXIETY:
Elevated levels of brain
GABA
REDUCTION GABA (OR
BLOCK IT’S EFFECTS)
Alcohol
Anti-anxiety drugs like
valium, xanax
Sex
Exercise
Breathing techniques

25. DO YOUR STUDENTS HAVE TEST ANXIETY?
A little anxiety/nervousness
is normal.
ABNORMAL:
• sweating,
• shaking,
• rapid heart beat,
• dry mouth,
• fainting and nausea.
• Milder cases of test anxiety-
of "butterflies" in the
stomach,
• More severe cases can
actually cause students to
become physically ill.

26. PRANAYAMA “Breath of Life”
Yogic Breathing Techniques
The effect of pranayama on
test anxiety and test
performance
107 MA students who were
randomly assigned to the control
and experimental groups.
Experimental group practiced
pranayama for one full semester.
Sarason's (1980) test anxiety
scale was given to both the
control and experimental groups
Int J Yoga. 2013 Jan;6

27. PRANAYAMA “Breath of Life”
Yogic Breathing Techniques
Pranayama practicing
students:
Lower test anxiety scores
Lower levels of anxiety
negative correlation
between the final test
performance and test
anxiety (r = -.204, P < .05)
Int J Yoga. 2013 Jan;6

29. THIS IS YOUR BRAIN WITHOUT DEPRESSION DRUGS
JOURNAL OF AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
JANUARY 2014
META-ANALYSIS OF STUDIES LOOKING AT MEDITATION (VARIOUS TYPES)
Journal of Psychiatry 2003;64 Suppl 3:7-14.
J. Alt and Comp Medicine Nov 2010; 16(11): 1145–1152.
Meditation Treats Depression and Anxiety
Yoga and Meditation reduce GABA levels

30. RELAXATION
RESPONSE
Dr. Herbert Benson
Autonomic Nervous System
Modulated by balancing
sympathetic nervous system
parasympathetic nervous
system

32. MEDITATION IS MEDICINE FOR THE MIND
1. Chronic pain
2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
3. Adrenal Fatigue
4. Headaches including Migraine
5. PTSD
6. Diabetes Mellitus
7. Obesity

33. PHASE ONE RELAXATION
RESPONSE TRIGGER
• PICK A FOCUS WORD,
PHRASE, IMAGE OR SHORT
PRAYER
• FIND A QUIET PLACE
• PROGRESSIVELY RELAX ALL
YOUR MUSCLES
• BREATHE SLOWLY AND
NATURALLY
• THOUGHTS- SAY OH WELL
• TRY INITIALLY FOR 5
MINUTES BUILD UP TO 20
MINUTES
• PRACTICE THIS TECHNIQUE
DAILY
THE BENSON-HENRY
PROTOCOL

34. PERCEPTION
Beyond Optimism and Pessimism

35. MINDFULNESS BASED
STRESS REDUCTION
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Breathwork
• Reiki
• Qi Gong
• Tai Chi
• MBCT

36. DR. ROMIE’S
MINDFUL LIVING
PROGRAM:
MINDSET MATTERS
1. Self Compassion
2. Compassion towards others
through Forgiveness
3. Attitude of Gratitude
4. Be Still
5. How Can I Be of Service?

39. your mind is strong medicine,
choose a positive thought.
-Dr. Romie
www.BrainBodyBeauty.com