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2010, Issue 3
Mindfulness Can Reduce
School Anxiety in Kids
In this issue of the Health Update, we bring you tips from the WorldCare Consortium hospitals on reducing school-related stress for kids, and on the health benefits of olive oil. You’ll also learn Starting a new school year can be a real stressor about a new study on cancer treatment from a top cancer institute.
for kids, and they don’t always know how todeal with it. Learning to be mindful can help.
“Making a transition, whether it’s to a new school, a new teacher or a new grade, signals Regional Director, Corporate Communications change,” says Michelle Bailey, MD, a pediatrician at Duke Integrative Medicine. “And any time we go through change it can HEALTH NEWS
generate feelings of resistance, fear, and anxiety.” Standard Chemo Seems Better Than Capecitabine
improves a person’s ability to pay attention in Older Breast Cancer Patients
to what’s happening in the present moment.
It’s already proven useful for reducing stress From the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in adults, boosting the immune system and Standard chemotherapy is more effective than an oral drug, lowering blood pressure. Kids can benefit from capecitabine, following surgery in older women with early breast mindfulness, too. Dr. Bailey says research shows cancer, according to a study co-led by Dana-Farber researchers.
it can help kids reduce anxiety and improvetheir ability to pay attention and stay focused.
In a clinical trial involving 633 patients, the investigators found that It may lessen aggression in kids, as well.
two and a half years after beginning the trial, women who hadreceived capecitabine were twice as likely to have a relapse or die “Mindfulness helps kids recognize their as those who received standard chemotherapy.
thoughts, reconnect with their emotions, andunderstand how that impacts their behavior,” “Because standard chemotherapy agents are administered intravenous- she explains. “Ultimately, if we can heighten ly and patients often prefer oral agents, we wanted to compare the effectiveness of a proven oral drug with standard chemotherapyregimens in this group,” says Eric Winer, MD, director of the Breast our emotions and that changes behavior.” Oncology Center and the senior author of the study.
Truly learning mindfulness techniques takes Patients enrolled in the study had small breast tumors that could be training that is offered through mindfulness- removed by surgery. Participants were randomly assigned to groups based stress reduction programs available that received either standard chemotherapy – with a combination at clinics and hospitals like Duke across the of two or three intravenously administered drugs – or capecitabine country. To get started, however, try these After two and a half years, 20 percent of the patients who received capecitabine had relapsed, compared to 11 percent of those onstandard chemotherapy. Twelve percent of the capecitabine patientshad died, compared to 7 percent in the other group. At three years, WorldCare
68 percent of those in the capecitabine group were alive without a 7 Bulfinch Place, P.O. Box 8310,
cancer relapse, compared to 85 percent in the other group. The Boston, MA 02114
results were reported in the May 14 issue of the New England Tel. 617.374.9001
Mindfulness (continued)
NEWS ON WORLDCARE
Mindful breathing. Once in the
morning and once in the evening,
WorldCare launches new telemedicine system. Genie, the new
custom-designed telemedicine system, allows greater streamlining of WorldCare’s online case processing. Accessible from anywhere in the world, the web-based system also allows WorldCare’s worldwide telemedicine staff to collaborate online to provide a quick, seamless chest expands and contracts.” Don’ttry to change your breathing; simplyobserve. Breathing usually slows Patient Perspective
“I was a little afraid to use this service in the beginning. Because my husband’s situation was so serious, I went ahead. I found all staff to Mindful listening. Gather the family
be magnificently helpful and they guided me through the process. The reports were so informative and our family physician was impressed play a note on a musical instrument.
with the service which he had not been involved with before.” center the family’s attention will do.
Have one child listen to the entiresound until it ends. Then, ask her to About WorldCare
The global health care community has trusted WorldCare since 1994, when it became the first company to offer physician-referred, patient- turns experiencing this form of activelistening. Eventually, children can use specific, second opinion e-consultations (telemedicine) for serious this technique in their classroom too.
illnesses. WorldCare benefits patients around the world by providing access to top physicians, cutting edge medical practices and best medical advice through highly specialized electronic medical opinions their teacher is saying,” Bailey says.
from the best medical centers in the United States.
Mastering the skill will help themnotice when their mind is wanderingand redirect their attention.
WorldCare – 7 Bulfinch Place – P.O. Box 8310 – Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617.374.9001 Email: [email protected] Web: worldcare.com
Mayo Clinic Dietitian Offers
Highlights on Olive Oil
By Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., What are the health benefits of
olive oil? Is extra-virgin oil better
than regular olive oil?
Contact your local WorldCare office if you are interested in obtaining a second opinion
from a WorldCare Consortium hospital. Visit www.WorldCare.com for more information.

Source: http://www.worldcare.com/pdf/news/2010%20Issue%203-web.pdf