Say ommm to keep your genes healthy

摘要

Feeling run-down? Try a little chanting, or meditation - yes, really. Such relaxation techniques can boost the activity of genes that promote good health, and a few minutes each day is enough to show results. "It's not New Age nonsense," says Herbert Benson of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He and his colleagues analysed the whole genomes of 26 volunteers - none of whom regularly meditates - before teaching them a relaxation routine lasting 10 to 20 minutes. It included reciting words, breathing exercises and emptying the mind. After eight weeks of performing the routine daily, gene analysis was repeated. Clusters of beneficial genes had become more active and harmful ones less so (PLoS One, doi.org/mfj).