- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." — Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's health information websites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the website) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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Sept. 5, 2012
Mindfulness for a healthy mind and body
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Mindfulness is generally defined as focused, deliberate attention to a task or thought to quiet the mind and eliminate distractions. It's well accepted that practicing mindfulness can help restore peace of mind. Evidence is now building that it can also benefit the body's immune system.
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Inflammation is emerging as a factor in heart disease and perhaps some types of cancers. Evidence for this comes from the fact that some people with cancer have higher frequencies of blood studies reflecting inflammation. People with heart attacks likewise seem to be at risk for these inflammatory markers.
There are fascinating studies that mindfulness can decrease inflammation as seen on these blood tests. Of course, this is not to say that you can simply sit in a room and wish away heart disease or cancer. But practicing mindfulness may be one step to shift the odds in your favor, in concert with healthy lifestyle choices and appropriate medical interventions.
Follow me on Twitter at @EdwardCreagan. Join the discussion at #Stress.
8 comments posted
November 27, 2012 4:21 a.m.
The saddest part is that she lived a short life. She passed a month ago. She had been sick when I adopted her with cancer too. But kept me happy through my hardest days. I pray I kept her loved too. Now my angel is with the angels. God Bless
- Stepleton
October 27, 2012 8:09 p.m.
i am a clinical social worker in Maine and am part of a wellness practice that is based on Work originating with Harvard's Mind/ Body Institute. We teach Mindfulness Practice, along with though restructuring through, through Cognitive Behavioral Work. We integrate this with yoga, nutrition classes, Reiki,massage and acupuncture. There are many books available about mindfulness, and practices such as yoga, tai chi, and qigong which naturally promote a mindful state.
- Lorraine
October 14, 2012 11:28 a.m.
I'd be very interested in reading the studies you mention in this article, those that show that mindfulness has direct effects on inflammation related blood tests. Thank you
- Dennis
October 4, 2012 7:25 p.m.
Like so much of Mayo's information this is so general as to be useless for most of us. I would like some specifics that have actually been tested in clinical settings. Some book titles maybe. If Mayo cannot do it...who can?
- Bob
September 29, 2012 8:14 p.m.
I recommend books by Jon Kabat-Zinn, "Full Catastrophe Living" also "Guided Mindfulness Meditation" [Audiobook). I took an Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course years ago which was based on teachings by Jon Kabat-Zinn and found the cd's which are available on his website very helpful.
- Ciaran
September 14, 2012 9:38 a.m.
How can I find out more about techniques for "mindfullness"? Are there books about this?
- Kathy
September 11, 2012 7:39 a.m.
I have been in and out of stress reduction for over a year. Cancer blew me away for this type A personality. I tried so hard to run from it. It always followed me. Work, exercise,racing constantly, I couldn't sit still. I would think and be in Pain. So...I just about crashed and burned. Then I got a beautiful rescue doggie. Oh my gosh, she was my angel. She pulled me into her world of happiness, love,and quiet warmth. Slowly I understood about peace and mindfulness. Petunia was mind hope. I am now in meditation classes and feel peaceful. The saddest part is that she lived a short life. She passed a month ago. She had been sick when I adopted her with cancer too. But kept me happy through my hardest days. I pray I kept her loved too. Now my angel is with the angels. God Bless
- Bev
September 10, 2012 8:34 a.m.
I believe in the concept of mindfulness, it stops "big picture catastrophic thinking," but as a person with chronic anxiety and experiences with serious depression, I find I can only "access" mindfulness when I meditate; life seems too busy at other times. I also find it helpful to remember what my key stress triggers are, and stay clear about how they affect me. I try not to take life so seriously. I laugh a lot, I eat well, I exercise... all part of my "formula" for staying centered. It's not easy, but there are definite strategies that have worked for me....one day at a time. Thanks for your site, stress is so rampant, people just don't know what to do about it. Your site I'm sure is a comfort to many.
- Abby
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8 comments posted