Latest news with #Hippocrates
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Are ice baths good for you? The benefits and risks of a cold plunge.
Soothing sore muscles. Improving mood and sleep. Accelerating weight loss. Vagus nerve stimulation. Wellness enthusiasts, athletes, and maybe even your gym buddy are regularly praising ice baths for a wide range of benefits. And today's fans of cryotherapy—the use of cold for therapeutic purposes—aren't on to anything new. Ancient Egyptians and Hippocrates all have touted the healing benefits of cold water. 'This has been around for a really long time,' says Dr. Georgine Nanos, a board-certified family physician and owner of Kind Health Group, in an interview with Popular Science. But was Hippocrates onto something? Research shows that the effectiveness of ice baths depends on their intended purpose. An ice bath or cold plunge typically involves immersing yourself in frigid water—either in a tub filled with ice or a naturally cold body of water. Even a cold shower can offer similar effects. Especially for beginners, moderation is key, Nanos says. She recommends starting with water around 55 degrees to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, staying in for just 30 seconds, and then gradually increasing the duration to one to two minutes. Over a few weeks, and depending on how you feel, you can work up to three to five minutes. Benefits tend to plateau beyond five to six minutes, she points out. Getting colder is possible, but extra caution is required. Nanos advises that anyone immersing themselves in water colder than 45 degrees should be supervised. Cold plunges, she notes, aren't for everyone, especially those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or a history of arrhythmias or heart attacks. An ice bath 'can worsen an arrhythmia, because when you're in the cold, it can increase oxidative stress and suppress short-term immune responses, and that can cause gasping and hyperventilation and acute cardiac strain,' Nanos explains. From a scientific standpoint, cold water exposure triggers a series of internal changes in our body. It activates the sympathetic nervous system and releases a cascade of hormones called catecholamines, such as norepinephrine and dopamine, according to Nanos. 'Those are like our feel-good hormones,' she says, and their release can improve your mood and alertness. When you plunge into cold water, your blood vessels also narrow—a process called vasoconstriction—to preserve heat, she says. When you come out, your vessels widen again—vasodilation—to bring your body temperature back to normal. Those changes could improve circulation, Nanos says. What's more, cold exposure causes shivering, which is your body trying to generate heat. The theory is that shivering could temporarily raise your metabolism, which some believe could help with losing weight, she says. 'That's the scientific idea, but the evidence for that is not that great,' Nanos explains. So, how do those physiological changes actually help us? Healthcare providers and experts have mostly relied on small clinical studies or observational data to support the potential health benefits of cold-water immersion, Nanos says. But systematic reviews of the research are beginning to shed light on the popular therapy, though everybody notes more study of the impacts is required.. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of cold-water immersion, for example, examined the effects of cold-water immersion across 11 studies involving 3,177 participants. The interventions used either baths or showers with water between 45 degrees to 59 degrees Fahrenheit, lasting anywhere between 30 seconds and two hours. The review found no immediate reduction in stress following cold-water immersion, but participants did report relief 12 hours later. In addition, there were improvements in sleep quality and overall quality of life, although no significant changes in mood were observed. A separate 2023 meta-analysis of 20 studies homed in on how well ice baths help athletes reduce muscle soreness, fatigue, and damage after intense exercise. Researchers found that an ice plunge can help reduce muscle soreness and fatigue immediately after exercise. But they also found that time in frigid water could reduce so-called explosive performance—such as the ability to jump high—immediately after getting out of cold water. And, cautions Nanos, timing seems to matter when it comes to a post-workout ice bath. A 2024 review of eight studies found that cold-water bathing after resistance training could actually reduce muscle growth—a big downside for those seeking to bulk up. 'If you do it too soon, you're blunting muscle protein synthesis,' Nanos says. It's recommended to wait four to six hours after strength training to do a cold plunge—or even only stepping into frigid water on rest or cardio days, she said. So, bottom line, if you enjoy an ice bath and experience benefits, go for it. 'And if it makes you miserable, stop,' Nanos advises . 'Some people just really have a strong aversion to being that cold and their bodies don't adapt, and they don't feel good or they panic. If you find that your body can't regulate, even after starting slowly, it's just not for you.' However, if the cold water calls to you, dive in. This story is part of Popular Science's Ask Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall. Have something you've always wanted to know? Ask us.
Medscape
3 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Physicians Weigh in on Coffee Enema Trends
The social media trend of coffee enemas traces back to a medical tradition over 150 years old. Various enemas are integral to modern medicine and diagnostics. Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk for certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression, and arrhythmias and is recommended as part of a healthy diet. Enema History Enemas have been used in Egyptian, Greek, and Roman medicine for several millennia. The Ebers Papyrus and texts by Hippocrates, Celsus, Galen, Oribasius, Aetius, and Avicenna document their use, as do Ayurveda in the sixth century BC and Chinese medicine in the third century AD. Enemas reached their heyday under Louis XIV, and from the 19th century onward, physicians studied their applications and mechanisms. Florence Nightingale, often regarded as the first modern nursing theorist, used coffee enemas to relieve soldiers' pain during the Crimean War. This practice reportedly continued during the First World War, when doctors turned to coffee enemas as an alternative because of opioid shortages. They were also included in nursing manuals and listed in the editions of the Merck Manual throughout the 20th century. Max Gerson, MD, and William Donald Kelley, DDS, recommended several daily coffee enemas in addition to raw, plant-based diets for the treatment of cancer. Surgeon Ferdinand Sauerbruch observed benefits in advanced bone, joint, and skin tuberculosis. Gerson therapy is claimed to aid migraine, multiple sclerosis, deforming arthritis, epilepsy, skin diseases, Graves disease, liver, gallbladder, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders, obesity, hypertension, and end-stage cancer. Several studies have reported no evidence of its effectiveness in cancer treatment. Patient well-being improvements are often attributed to the placebo effect, although practitioners such as Linda L. Isaacs, MD, argue that skeptical patients experienced genuine benefits despite the cumbersome procedure and required motivation. Conventional Enemas In modern practice, enemas are administered before diagnostic or surgical procedures in obstetrics and pediatrics for severe constipation, spinal cord injury, drug administration, or as part of bowel management in inflammatory bowel disease. Enemas act mechanically, thermally, and chemo-osmotically to stimulate the intestinal mucosa and peristalsis. Prenatal bowel cleansing with an enema or suppository is now obsolete, as no reduction in perineal injuries, impaired wound healing, or infections has been observed. Increased intestinal peristalsis also increases uterine activity. Midwives use enemas to stimulate labor, but studies on their effect on the duration of labor are contradictory. Healthcare professionals reported greater satisfaction with the labor process when enemas were used, yet women reported no difference. An enema may be administered during childbirth at the patient's request or when the rectal ampulla is full. Coffee Effects The alkaloid caffeine contained in coffee has positive inotropic and chronotropic effects on the heart via catecholamine release and raises systolic blood pressure; for instance, 250 mg raises systolic pressure by 10 mm Hg after 15 minutes. Caffeine causes mild cerebral vasoconstriction, relaxes bronchial smooth muscles, increases gastric acid secretion via gastrin release, and transiently increases diuresis. Theobromine and theophylline alkaloids in caffeine act as vasodilators, cough suppressants, and bronchodilators. The habituation effect occurs over time. Four to five cups of coffee daily can reduce gout attacks in men by up to 40% through increased uric acid excretion, while more than six cups may reduce attacks by 59%, although decaffeinated coffee is preferable as a supportive measure. Coffee enriched with chlorogenic acid–rich green coffee bean extracts showed increased DNA protection against oxidative damage and increased plasma-reduced glutathione via glutathione reductase activation. Roasting lowers chlorogenic acid, trigonelline, cafestol, and kahweol levels while increasing melanoidin and nicotinic acid levels. Coffee also contains pro-oxide compounds, such as caffeic acid, which can cause cancer at high doses. Moderate intake of three to five cups daily is linked to a reduced risk for endometrial and hepatocellular carcinoma and, to a lesser extent, melanoma, other skin cancers, breast cancer, and prostate cancer. Six to seven cups daily were not significantly associated with a 30%-50% lower risk for type 2 diabetes. Chlorogenic acid inhibits intestinal glucose absorption and the hydrolysis of glucose-6-phosphate, and high-volume intake can increase homocysteine levels by 18%. Caffeine affects glucose storage, and quinic acid increases insulin sensitivity. Caffeine may stimulate the liver, promote bile flow by dilating the bile ducts, and improve toxin elimination. High doses of kahweol and cafestol have anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic diterpenes and can inhibit cholesterol-7alpha-hydroxylase, which is crucial for the conversion of cholesterol to bile acids, leading to an increase in cholesterol levels by 11%. When coffee is filtered through a paper filter, most harmful compounds are removed, unlike boiled coffee or metal filters, such as those used in espresso machines. As a result, this method of preparation is considered healthier and does not increase cardiovascular risk. Low to moderate coffee consumption was associated with an 11%-20% lower risk for stroke and a reduced risk for dementia. However, drinking more than six cups of caffeinated coffee per day was associated with a smaller total brain volume and a 53% higher risk for dementia. High coffee and tea intake may reduce the risk for depression, unlike soft drinks. Coffee elevates mood and improves cognitive performance. Four to five cups can reduce the mortality risk by up to 12%. Increased caffeine intake is also associated with a lower risk for arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation and supraventricular tachycardia, independent of genetically varying caffeine metabolism. Moderate coffee consumption is recommended, as it may alkalize the body. Caution is advised in peptic ulcer disease, cardiovascular disease, renal impairment, hyperthyroidism, seizure disorders, histamine intolerance, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and high doses during pregnancy. Interactions with certain antibiotics, specifically gyrase inhibitors, can interact with caffeine, leading to reduced caffeine metabolism, prolonged effects, and potentially increased gastrointestinal side effects or, with caffeine intake exceeding 1.5 g, restlessness, insomnia, palpitations, dizziness, hypertension, headaches, and vomiting. Therefore, active ingredient extracts should be investigated rather than whole coffee for therapeutic benefits. However, coffee can be used in unexpected ways beyond mere consumption. Positive Effects Patients reported relief from headaches, myalgia, arthralgia, chronic fatigue, cognitive difficulties, malaise, and constipation, as well as improved well-being; these effects were not observed with coffee alone. Physicians use coffee enemas to support the treatment of atropine poisoning, postoperative anesthetic effects, shock, and pyloric obstruction. The controversial self-poisoning hypothesis, which links intestinal disorders to psychological conditions, is gaining renewed attention amid emerging microbiota research on the gut-brain axis. Enemas may enhance bile flow in the liver and gallbladder, stimulate peristalsis, and promote excretion of metabolic by-products and bowel emptying. The isolated caffeine was ineffective, suggesting that other compounds were responsible. A gallbladder-cleansing study before capsule endoscopy demonstrated increased bile flow using a coffee enema. Oral coffee increases gallbladder contraction and plasma cholecystokinin and glutathione levels. Oral absorption of caffeine is more efficient than rectal absorption, although rectal delivery is slightly faster, which is potentially true for other compounds. Coffee enemas may exhibit detoxification, cleansing, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, metabolism-stimulating, and pain-relieving effects. However, they should be prepared using green coffee rather than roasted or decaffeinated varieties because of their higher caffeine and palmitic acid content. These active compounds reach the liver directly via portal circulation, thereby avoiding irritation of the gastric mucosa. As a result, even individuals with coffee intolerance may tolerate the procedure when used at a reduced dose and for a shorter duration. For administration, the brewed coffee was diluted and cooled to a body temperature not exceeding 40 °C. Low volume and gentle pressure were intended to target the rectum and extend only to the descending colon. Side Effects Proctocolitis Rectal burns at temperatures above 37 °C Electrolyte disturbances such as hypokalemia, hyponatremia with dehydration, nausea, muscle weakness, cardiac arrhythmias, and seizures Weakening of the rectal/intestinal muscles with a tendency to constipation and inflammation Hemorrhoidal injury Disruption of intestinal microbiota with cramps, diarrhea, bloating, and infection risk Circulatory strain Water intoxication due to non-isotonic fluids Rare fatalities attributed to coffee enemas likely reflect underlying terminal illnesses with vomiting-related electrolyte disturbances, ascites, pleural and pericardial effusions, immunosuppression, and susceptibility to infection with sepsis. Caution Enemas should be used with caution or avoided in early pregnancy in cases of vomiting, acute abdomen, post-intestinal surgery, gastrointestinal bleeding, inflammatory bowel disease, mechanical ileus, immunosuppression, fluid overload, renal insufficiency, and severe cardiac disease. Conclusion Regular defecation supports natural cleansing of the body. A diet rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pseudocereals, nuts, seeds, and fermented foods with adequate hydration underpins good intestinal health and reduces the risk for cancer. Intermittent or short-term fasting is effective without colon cleansing. Enemas may support preparation for therapeutic fasting lasting several days by preventing hunger pangs or fasting crises. This story was translated from Univadis Germany.
National Geographic
16-05-2025
- Health
- National Geographic
Ancient Greeks and Romans were obsessed with diet advice, too
From protein-filled meals to the benefits of lentils and intermittent fasting, the Classical world had strong opinions about how to stay healthy. Ancient Roman still-life mosaic fish and vegetables, 2nd century, from a villa at Tor Marancia. Vatican Museums, Rome Photograph by Giorgio Morara / Alamy Stock Photo Before Instagram trends and DNA-based diets, Greek and Roman physicians used diet as the primary form of healthcare. Shockingly, their advice seems both modern and remarkably sensible. Too much red meat (specifically beef) could lead to cancer, wrote the second century-CE Roman medic Galen. Those who were looking to lose weight, wrote Hippocrates, should try what we call fasting cardio: exercising on an empty stomach before eating. And chicken soup, wrote Dioscorides, the father of pharmacology, 'is very often given to those in poor health in order to set them to rights.' 'The most important thing of all,' wrote the Roman writer Celsus, 'is that everyone should be familiar with the nature of their own body.' Most people have some kind of bodily weakness, he continued—and whether or not you're inclined to gain weight or struggle to keep it on, to be constipated or to have food pass right through you— 'whichever part is the most problematic should always get the most attention,' and we should adjust our diets accordingly. 'The Banquet of Cleopatra' by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770). Photograph by IanDagnall Computing / Alamy Stock Photo It's all about balance Ancient ideas about diet were grounded in archaic theories about how the body worked. Most Greek and Roman doctors believed that all bodies existed on a spectrum of hot, cold, wet, and dry. In general, from the Roman doctor Galen onwards, the properties of wet, dry, hot, and cold were believed to correspond to humors (or substances) in the body. Blood was hot and moist; phlegm was cold and moist; black bile was cold and dry; and yellow bile was hot and dry. As early as Hippocrates, it was believed that a deficiency or excess in one of these substances would lead to pain and disease. The primary ways to regulate them was through exercise, which would heat the body, and diet, which depending on the substances could either cool or heat the body from within. Some bodies—such as those of women—were considered more predisposed to be 'wet,' while others—like young men—were hotter and dryer, but broadly speaking, health could be found by keeping these properties in balance, explains Claire Bubb, Assistant Professor of Classical Literature and Science at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at NYU and author of the recently published How to Eat: An Ancient Guide for Healthy Living. 'To put it fairly simplistically,' Bubb says, 'the basic theory was that a patient who was suffering from a hot and dry disease [e.g. cholera] would likely find some relief in a cool and moist diet (and it would be considerably less risky to give someone some lettuce than to give them a …drug, whose downside risk could be catastrophic).' Lettuce was seen as a cooling food that could regulate body temperature in those who were overheating, whether because of their intrinsic nature, because of disease, or because of the weather. (Here's how drinking bone broth benefits your health) Many of the heating and cooling properties of foodstuff feel instinctive: lettuce and cucumbers are cooling, but arugula is heating because it is peppery. Meat is a heating food, particularly if it is prepared through roasting (which does not use liquid and utilizes higher temperatures in preparation). Crudites are cooling food and thus better reserved for summer, when the body needs to be cooled down. According to ancient medics, these prescriptions worked. Galen claimed in On the Properties of Foodstuffs that as a young man—who, on account of his age was hotter—he successfully used lettuce for its cooling properties. Now that he was older, it had taken on a new use as a sleep aid. 'The only remedy against insomnia for me,' he wrote, 'was lettuce eaten in the evening.' While diet was important for diagnosing and treating disease, it was even more essential as a means of preventing illness. With surgical and pharmaceutical treatments in their infancy, most illnesses were incurable. As a result, diet was preventive healthcare—and one of the few ways a person could try to avoid sickness. If a person needed to be cooled down, wrote Celsus in On Medicine, they should drink cold water, sleep, and eat acidic foods. If they needed to be warmed up, they should eat 'all salty, bitter, and meaty foods.' (The Mediterranean diet has stood the test of time for a reason) Fragment of an Italian Fresco with a Meal Preparation. Photograph by Sepia Times/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Personalized diet Ancient dietary advice was 'extremely personalized,' says Bubb—'the ideal diet needs to be tailored to the individual, so the idea of a universal recommended daily amount would not have made sense.' An ancient athlete, a beefy gladiator for example, was advised to eat 'nourishing,' fortifying food like pork or beef. An ancient office worker stuck behind a desk all day doing bookkeeping or other bureaucratic tasks would do better with lighter food like fish. But some people, the ancient doctor Galen noted, digested beef more easily than fish. The rules would be different for them. In general, most patients were advised to follow two key principles: eat seasonally and avoid drastic changes. The former was less about availability (in that sense everyone ate seasonally) and more about adjusting for the weather: in summer, eat light, cooling foods (cucumbers, lettuce, raw vegetables); in winter, consume a warming diet of heavier comfort foods (roasted meat and bread). While most of these authors were partaking in what we might call the Mediterranean diet—olive oil, fish, vegetables, and grains—an ancient person's diet was conditioned by their socioeconomic status. The foundations of the 'average' diet were lentils, bread (of the denser darker kind), a fermented fish sauce known as garum, and occasional fish and, in a good week, meat. The wealthy had access to highly seasoned and prepared foodstuffs, a wide array of different kinds of meats and fish like flamingo tongue and panther. As for drastic changes, while ancient physicians understood the desire for bodily transformation, they believed that radical shifts in diet could cause illness. Transitioning from a winter to a summer diet overnight, for example, was seen as extreme—as extreme as going from a sedentary lifestyle one week to running marathons the next. Celsus warned 'you can't go from overexertion to sudden rest, nor from extended rest straight to exertion without seriously bad effects.' Even when switching from season to season and increasing exercise, wrote Diocles, in his Regimen for Health, you should 'ramp it up slowly and be cautious of overdoing it.' Interestingly, modern studies agree with what the ancients believed: small, incremental lifestyle changes are much more effective and sustainable for improving overall health than large, abrupt ones. (Fish guts were the ketchup of ancient Rome) While modern doctors debate the nutritional value of various kinds of fat (with 'good fats' like avocados and nuts being recommended, while fried foods and processed meats are tied to heart disease), ancient experts disagreed about ingredients like lentils. Lentils were valorized by Stoic philosophers like Zeno of Citium and Musonius Rufus, for whom diet was very much about self-restraint and avoiding the excesses of fancy foreign foods. In On Keeping Well, the Greek writer Plutarch argued that no one should stray too far from a simple diet of lentils because 'less expensive things are always healthier for the body.' But for many Roman doctors, Bubb said, lentils were viewed as very unhealthy. Dioscorides claimed in his Medical Substances that 'the lentil, when eaten steadily, causes dim sightedness, poor digestion, stomachache, gas…and constipation in the bowels.' Similarly, while most people praised the merits of cabbage as a kind of miracle cure-all, others disagreed. 'Cabbage,' wrote Cato the Elder, a Roman statesman and the author of a work On Farming, 'is the vegetable that surpasses all others.' It could be eaten raw or cooked, and sprinkled with vinegar, it did 'the belly good,' even producing urine that itself had medicinal properties. Eaten before a party, he added, it could help prevent a hangover and indigestion from overeating. It not only cleansed the body but could also clear the head. Writing three centuries later, Galen—undoubtedly the better doctor—disagreed. While he acknowledged that cabbage had cleansing properties, he wrote in On the Properties of Foodstuffs that it 'is emphatically not a wholesome food, like lettuce is, but has a pernicious and bad-smelling juice.' (Don't ignore these protein-packed superfoods) Fasting and good fats Some aspects of ancient dietary advice cohere surprisingly well with modern lifestyle trends and philosophies. As early as the fifth century BCE, Bubb said, Hippocratic texts advised people to try intermittent fasting (one meal a day was common), cross-training by sailing, hunting, and walking on varied terrain, and eating a high-fat diet (think butter, sheep's cheese, and olive oil) to lose weight. 'Dishes should be high in fat,' wrote Hippocrates 'so that [the dieter] feels satiated after the smallest amount.' Today scientists agree that, in a controlled environment, fat does have an effect on satiety. Still, not all the advice seems practical—or even safe—for the health-conscious today. The comparatively limited range of medical treatments meant that Hippocratic doctors often recommended routine purging and advised wine for people of all ages (albeit watered down). Extensive time spent bathing and getting massages, prescribed as part of a general health-preserving regimen, sounds appealing—but would make it difficult to maintain modern work hours. And then there's the quirky stuff. The ancient fixation on cabbage, which was almost a universal drug to many around the ancient Mediterranean, seems fairly innocuous. But Bubb notes that other ancient medical opinions are more dubious—such as the idea that 'rotting basil spontaneously breeds scorpions, that eating too many figs causes headlice, that fruit is generally very bad for you—or that walking around nude is a good weight loss strategy.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why walking may be the key to a long and healthy life
Throughout history, few things have inspired as much quackery as the pills, potions and promises to slow ageing, boost vitality, or extend life. Yet, amid the hype and hollow claims, a few golden truths remain. As far back as 400 BC, Hippocrates, widely considered the father of modern medicine, famously said, 'Walking is man's best medicine.' More than two millennia later, science is finally catching up with that wisdom. People who walk more than 8,000 steps a day reduce their risk of premature death by half, compared to those who walk fewer than 5,000 steps – the threshold for a sedentary lifestyle. But beyond 8,000 steps, the benefits tend to plateau, which challenges the long-held belief in the magic of 10,000 steps a day. In fact, that benchmark wasn't born of science, but of marketing. The 10,000-step goal originated from a 1960s Japanese advertising campaign for the world's first commercial pedometer called the manpo-kei, which literally translates to '10,000 steps meter'. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. Lately, researchers have been exploring a simple but important question: does every step count the same, or can walking faster — at a brisk pace of more than 100 steps a minute, or around three to four miles per hour — actually give you more health benefits? For ageing and heart health there is mounting evidence that pace really matters. Simply converting a 14-minute daily stroll into a seven-minute brisk walk has been associated with a 14% reduction in heart disease. An analysis of more than 450,000 adults in the UK used a genetic marker of biological age to reveal that by middle age, a lifetime of brisk walking reduces biological age by up to 16 years compared to a lifetime of slow walking. A follow-up study suggested it is never to late to benefit from brisk walking. An inactive 60-year woman or man was modelled to gain around an additional year of life expectancy through simply introducing a ten minute brisk walk into their daily routine. The power of brisk walking can also be seen in its ability to predict future health outcomes. It has been shown to be a stronger predictor of the risk of dying from heart disease than traditional predictors such as blood pressure and cholesterol, while also being a more powerful predictor than many other measures of lifestyle – including diet, obesity levels, and total physical activity. In fact, perhaps the single most informative question a doctor could ask their patient is: 'How fast is your walking pace in comparison to other people?' But brisk walking may not provide additional benefits for all outcomes or in all contexts. For example, the benefit of brisk walking over light-intensity walking in lowering cancer risk is less certain. A recent study suggested that although total walking was associated with reduction in 13 different types of cancers, there was no added value from brisk walking. Breaking prolonged sitting with light-intensity pottering around has also been shown to have profound impacts on metabolic effects. Importantly, walking has a halo of benefits beyond physical health. It can help with brain activity, doubling creative idea production. Indeed, the systems in the brain that support memory and imagination are also the same as those activated during whole body movement. Many of us already harness this very phenomenon, using walking to mull over problems and arrive at solutions or insights that would otherwise remain elusive. Context is also important here, with the mental health and cognitive benefits of walking thought to be enhanced when walking through nature. So called 'nature prescriptions' for clinical populations have harnessed these principles to increase walking activity and improving both mental and physical health. Physical inactivity is a major driver of the modern epidemic of long-term conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, that are now observed in industrialised and developing economies alike. It has been estimated that 3.9 million premature deaths could be averted annually through targeting physical inactivity. However, instead of prevention, medical systems are largely based on management – people get ill and are then prescribed medicines to treat the illness. On average it takes $1 billion to bring a new drug to market which, despite these research and development costs, still go on to generate sizeable profits for shareholders showing the scale of the health economy. If just a fraction of these costs were diverted into public health initiatives aimed at increasing walking and physical activity opportunities for all, the need for an ever more sophisticated medical management ecosphere may retreat. In short, when searching for the elixir of life, you could do worse than looking down at your feet. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Prof Yates receives funding from the The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre
Observer
06-05-2025
- Health
- Observer
Finding balance through ancient wisdom
The fog of depression lifted slowly during my stay at a Zen Buddhist monastery in Kyoto Japan. Each morning I would join the monks in meditation. The simple act of focusing on my breath gradually untangled the knots in my mind that medication alone couldn't reach. My journey with mind-body practices began in desperation. Clinical depression had left me feeling disconnected and hopeless, even with prescribed antidepressants. During retreats at Buddhist monasteries in England and later Japan, I discovered something powerful – while meditation didn't replace my medication, it gave me tools to recognise destructive thought patterns before they overwhelmed me. On the Internet you'll find countless non-qualified 'experts' promoting mind-over-matter theories suggesting you can cure serious diseases through alternative 'natural' medicines with positive thinking. These false masters are dangerous, and some have had their lives cut short by rejecting traditional medical treatment. I'm not therefore suggesting meditation can cure any illness, but evidence supports that practices like meditation can help manage symptoms of serious conditions including the side effects of cancer treatment. Some alternative approaches can complement, not replace, conventional medical treatment. What I experienced personally now has scientific backing. When stressed, your body releases hormones that damage your heart and weaken your immune system. Mind-body practices help lower these stress hormones, allowing natural healing systems to work better. A groundbreaking Stanford study found women with late-stage breast cancer who participated in support groups lived twice as long as those who didn't. The connection between thoughts and physical health isn't just ancient wisdom – it's measurable reality. This understanding isn't new. Hippocrates recognised 'the natural healing force within us' thousands of years ago. While Western medicine historically separated mind from body, ancient healing traditions like Chinese Medicine always viewed them as inseparable. Western science finally caught up in the 1960s when researchers noticed how emotions like depression worsened physical conditions like arthritis. Since my monastery stays I've learned meditation was just one approach among many. Biofeedback uses equipment to show bodily functions in real-time, helping you control them – effective for pain and headaches. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy helps identify and change harmful thinking patterns that worsen depression and anxiety. Other techniques include guided imagery, muscle relaxation and hypnosis for relieving anxiety and pain. During my monastery stays, I noticed improvements not just in mood but also in unexpected areas – better sleep, improved digestion and fewer tension headaches. Research confirms mind-body approaches help reduce effects of numerous conditions beyond mental health: cancer treatment side effects, high blood pressure, asthma, heart disease, chronic pain, digestive issues, diabetes complications and immune disorders. In meditation halls in England and walking monastery gardens in Japan, I learned that sometimes the most profound medicine begins with simply learning to breathe with awareness. The mind and body aren't separate systems – they're one interconnected whole. Mind-body medicine works best alongside conventional healthcare, creating a complete approach to wellness that honours both scientific advances and your body's remarkable capacity to heal. My personal journey taught me that while these practices aren't miracle cures, they can be powerful allies in healing our whole selves.
