More American Doctors Prescribing Yoga, Meditation

A new Harvard study has revealed that more American doctors are putting away their prescription pads and asking their patients to seek yoga and meditation. They are especially referring patients for whom conventional medicines have failed, reports the New York Daily News.

The study found that more than 6.3 million Americans use mind-body therapies, including meditation, based on a referral from their physicians.

That compares with 34.8 million who seek these therapies out themselves without doctor's orders.

Interestingly, the study found that those who were referred to mind-body therapies by their doctors tended to be sicker and used the health-care system more than people who sought the therapies themselves, according to a foreign news agency.

"It makes us wonder whether referring patients for these therapies earlier in the treatment process could lead to less use of the health-care system, and possibly, better outcomes for these patients," said lead researcher Aditi Nerurkar, of Harvard Medical School.

Source-ANI