14 DAY TRIAL // The flu and the common cold affect millions of people each year, statistics show. Now, investigators at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UWM) draw attention to a study that may highlight a way of reducing the occurrence, length and severity of these conditions.
According to a team of experts at the university, practicing meditation and performing regular physical exercises provide a great way of minimizing the symptoms associated with the flu and common cold.
In fact, meditating and exercising prove to be a bit more effective than the vaccines doctors administer against these conditions. The UWM team conducted this research on a group of 149 participants, which the scientists divided into three groups.
People in the first group were asked to practice mindful meditation for a total of 8 weeks, while people in the second group were asked to perform moderate-intensity physical exercises. The third group was used as control, PsychCentral reports.
Individuals in the first group performed 45-minute daily practices, during which they focused on becoming increasingly aware of their thoughts, senses and emotions. Once a week, they met up for group sessions, lasting 150 minutes each.
In the second group, people were asked to walk or jog briskly for up to 45 minutes daily. They met up for 150-minute workouts weekly as well. During these appointments, they also used treadmills and stationary bicycles.
At the end of the study, people in the third group reported a total of 453 days of flu and common cold symptoms. Individuals in the meditation group reported a total of 257 days of sickness, whereas those in the physical exercise group said they were sick for only 241 days.
“The bottom line is both the mental health and physical health matter in helping improve (the) flu and cold. If it turns out to be true, it’s a bigger deal than flu shots,” study author Bruce Barrett explains.
He holds an appointment as a physician and an associate professor at the UWM Medical School’s Department of Family Medicine. Details of the new research appear in the latest issue of the esteemed scientific journal Annals of Family Medicine.
While scientists knew that physical exercises could protect against disease by boosting the immune system, the exact reasons why meditation provides a similar effects are still unclear. What scientists agree on is that more studies need to be conducted in order to shed light on this mystery.