Recently the Huffington Post ran an article that referred to a study of breast cancer survivors who took part in art and mindfulness groups.

After eight weeks of art therapy and a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, study participants showed positive changes.

Specifically, they were less anxious. How could the scientists tell? The participants took a survey before the program, and then again eight weeks later. Their brains were also scanned while performing tasks, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The program activities actually changed how blood flowed to certain parts of the brain. Cool stuff, right? Maybe it's a no-brainer (OMG, no pun intended) for cancer survivors who already know that yoga, breathing, art, meditation, help relax and improve their mood. Nice to have science backing what you knew all along, though!