David Wild: Mindfulness meditation is as much as four times more effective than group support in relieving the severity of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, according to research presented at the 2011 Digestive Disease Week meeting. Patients with IBS who participated in eight weekly meditation sessions and meditated daily at home experienced residual symptom relief three months after ending treatment.

Lucinda A. Harris, MD, who was not involved in the study, said the research confirms that modalities like mindfulness need to be integrated into a holistic approach to treating IBS, which also …

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Reuters: A therapy that combines mindfulness meditation and gentle yoga may help soothe symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, according to a U.S. study.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, found that, of the 75 women with the digestive disorder involved in the study, those assigned to “mindfulness training” – a type of meditation – saw a bigger improvement in their symptoms over three months than women who were assigned to a support group.

The study, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, suggests that the mindfulness technique should be an option for treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), researchers said.

“This randomized, controlled trial demonstrated…

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