Results from studies of Complementary & Alternative medicine (CAM), conducted by reputable health  research organizations continue to be reported in mainstream media.

Specifically,  last week The Wall Street Journal Health & Wellness page had an article about the effectiveness of yoga in relieving lower back pain, conducted by Seattle’s Group Health Research Institute.   As I was searching online for the source document published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, I found another article in Yahoo news on the same subject, but with results from a study done by the University of York and reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

What I find fascinating is not so much the specific findings of each of these studies, but the fact that  these organizations decided that DOING the study would add value to health research.

So as interest grows in CAM, whether it be yoga, meditation or prayer, the Wall Street Journal  yesterday (Nov 1^st) reported that: “ Since signs emerged last year that Americans were using fewer medical services, the question has been when we would flock back to clinics and hospitals. The answer: not  yet”.

Whether the lower utilization of traditional medical services is due to tough economic times or individuals looking to more fulfilling paths to achieve and maintain health, only time will tell.

The link between what we think or perhaps more specifically the “wellness” of our thought and our overall well being continues to interest those doing health research.