Mindfulness Meditation Works to Reduce Anxiety

The new research adds more evidence to the use of mindfulness as a powerful mental health tool.

Mindfulness meditation, a practice including breath awareness and body scanning, is as effective at treating anxiety as a commonly-used antidepressant.  Practicing a certain form of mindfulness helps relieve symptoms of anxiety as well as a popular antidepressant.

In a new clinical trial, it was found that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was as effective as escitalopram (Lexapro) in treating anxiety disorders in some people.

As a treatment for anxiety, MBSR had fewer side effects. But the practice was more difficult to maintain. It is more time-consuming and difficult to stick with for some people. It can also be an intense experience.

On the other hand, about 80% of those using drug reported at least one side effect, including increased anxiety, trouble sleeping, decreased libido, headaches or nausea, though most reported mild side effects.

“The drug works great. But it’s not for everyone, some people might be particularly hesitant about side effects,” said Dr. Elizabeth Hoge, director of the Anxiety Disorders Research Program and associate professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center. 

Anxiety disorders are characterized by habitual worrying thoughts about the future, typically revolving around bad outcomes and a person's inability to control larger aspects of their lives. Anxious thoughts can trigger a physiological response, like increased heart rate or breathing, which can then trigger even more anxiety. 

"That sort of thing snowballs," said Dr. Hoge. "With meditation, people can practice not letting the thoughts be overwhelming and learn to put them aside." 

Mindfulness effective at curbing symptoms of anxiety and depression by allowing a person to become more aware of their thought processes and eventually interrupt them. 

Mindfulness brings people back to the present—through breath and body awareness, along with moving meditations—to help better regulate the body's stress response to those future thoughts, and rewire how a person relates to anxiety. 

It is important to note that learning how to control these thoughts does not mean not having them at all. Rather, it means shifting one's mindset from allowing worries to take control of their mind and body, to recognizing that they are having an anxious thought, acknowledging it, and letting it pass without causing a reaction. 

This interrupts the feedback loop before it even starts, according to Dr. Hoge, who recommends reframing a thought like "I'm scared I'm going to fail this exam" to "I'm having a thought about failing this exam." 

However, according to Dr. Stephen Ferrando, director of psychiatry at Westchester Medical Center and chairman of psychiatry at New York Medical College, anxiety disorders often exist alongside other conditions, such as depression, and some people will benefit more from medication than mindfulness-based interventions. 

"People with anxiety disorders experience a sense of loss of control and lose their sense of internal agency and ability to change. Their focus is outward and on the future."

“Not all patients, such as those with psychosis or an unstable mood disorder, or severe post-traumatic stress, can actually participate in mindfulness until their symptoms are reduced,” he said. 

Health Benefits of Cilantro

Cilantro is the leaves and stems of the coriander plant. Cilantro is also the Spanish word for coriander.

Cilantro is a bright green herb commonly used in Mexican, Asian and Middle Eastern cooking, as well as other cuisines around the globe. Both the soft feathery green serrated cilantro leaves as well as the stems are used in most dishes. They sprinkle it atop guacamole, salads, beans, stir-fries, soups, fish, curries and more. In many Asian recipes cilantro might be referred to as Chinese Parsley or coriander leaves.

Cilantro is a good source of nutrients. A quarter cup of raw cilantro leaves (about the size of a golf ball) provides 16% of the daily value (DV) of vitamin K, which supports bone health according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. 

It also offers 5% DV of vitamin A and 2% DV of vitamin C—two vitamins that are important for immune function. 

Beyond its vitamin value, cilantro also offers up important compounds called antioxidants, especially polyphenols which prevent or delay certain types of cell damage that would have otherwise contributed to premature aging and heightened disease risk. 

Traditional medicine has long used parts of the coriander plant (including cilantro leaves) for pain, inflammation, gastrointestinal problems and the herb may have cardiovascular (heart) benefits, such as helping to regulate blood pressure and heart rhythm due to its high antioxidant content. 

Some people loathe cilantro as they find the flavor soapy, acrid or pungent due to the smell of a compound in cilantro called aldehydes. Additionally, because cilantro is often consumed raw, it poses the risk of being contaminated with bacteria that would have otherwise been killed via cooking.