Mind/body exercise

Mind–body interventions (MBI) (often used interchangeably with Mind-body training (MBT)) describes health and fitness interventions that are supposed to work on a physical and mental level such as yoga, tai chi, and pilates. Mind–body interventions (MBI) (often used interchangeably with Mind-body training (MBT)) describes health and fitness interventions that are supposed to work on a physical and mental level such as yoga, tai chi, and pilates. The category was introduced in September 2000 by the United States National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and encompasses alternative medicine interventions. It excludes scientifically validated practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Cochrane Reviews have found that studies in this area are small and have low scientific validity. Since 2008, authors documenting research conducted on behalf of the NCCIH have used terms 'mind and body practices' and 'mind-body medicine' interchangeably with mind-body interventions to denote therapies, as well as physical and mental rehabilitative practices, which 'focus on the relationships between the brain, mind, body, and behavior, and their effect on health and disease.' The center has also stated that 'mind and body practices include a large and diverse group of procedures or techniques administered or taught by a trained practitioner or teacher'. The United States National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) defines mind-body interventions as activities that purposefully affect mental and physical fitness, listing activities such as yoga, tai chi, pilates, guided imagery, guided meditation and forms of meditative praxis, hypnosis, hypnotherapy, and prayer, as well as art therapy, music therapy, and dance therapy. The Cochrane Library contains 3 systematic reviews that explicitly cite and define MBI as MBT. The reviews consider biofeedback, mindfulness, autogenic training, hypnotherapy, imagery, meditation, and prayer as MBT despite them focusing more strictly on the mind. One review uses a narrower definition, defining MBT as an ‘active’ intervention in which mental and physical exercises are alternated.A web search will yield mentions of mind-body training in offerings of entities that give yoga, pilates, or meditation training, but explicit definitions are rare. Western MBI was popularized in the early 20th century but dates back to Ancient Greece. The Greek values of strength and beauty in combination with Greek mythology led to activities intended to promote confidence. Eastern MBI in the form of yoga originated in Ancient India and has been around since at least 500 BCE and possibly as early as 3300 BCE. A renewed interest developed in mind-body work in the late 19th and early 20th century. Possibly due to visits from yoga gurus and increased interest, some medical practitioners and movement specialists developed movement therapies with a deliberate mental focus.