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Health & Fitness

Meditate vs Medicate

*Meditation has gotten a lot of positive press lately as researchers find that it has a host of brain benefits, including helping us feel happier, and leading to the growth of brain regions responsible for building memories, regulating our emotional state, and helping us gain a sense of perspective. But can the practice help those with depression or anxiety manage their condition as well as patients on antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications?

A review of 47 clinical trials involving more than 3,500 participants with mild anxiety or depression found that those who took mindfulness meditation classes experienced improvement in mood after eight weeks — on par with the effect seen with prescription medications. The study, published Jan. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that meditation helped alleviate chronic pain in those with back trouble, arthritis, headaches, or other conditions. Read full article Boston Globe 1/13/14 *By Deborah Kotz 

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