| HOME | RADIO SHOW | ARTICLES | RESOURCES |
|
|
|
|||
|
|||||
|
Key 8: Valuing Spirituality and Religion
What many believe
Recent surveys confirm that, like me, many consumers and doctors believe in a deity. Others believe something less specific - for instance, that we share an interconnectedness and spiritual commonality. Whatever your belief, 50 percent of adult Americans pray - according to the National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).How does prayer help?
There is ample evidence to support prayer as an integral part of the healing process. Prayer often helps those who are facing death or suffering from chronic disease. Prayer also has been demonstrated to lower elevated blood pressure, thus decreasing the amount of medication required.One author cites a study of 31,000 adults showing that 45 percent of Americans pray for health reasons - especially for their own health. About 25 percent also asked others to prayer for them, and 10 percent joined in group prayer for good health. One study, in 1988, showed that AIDS patients who had someone praying for them lived longer, got sick less often, and got better faster than those who didn't have prayers said for them. A study at Duke University Medical Center showed that heart patients who had someone else praying for them had 100 percent fewer side effects. But, another study at Mayo Clinic showed no connection between prayer and the medical outcomes of heart patients. So what's the real answer? If you believe in prayer
Could it be that the people who believe in prayer experience results because they believe? Some people think so. So there's value to sticking to your own spiritual views. Respect them. And, ask your doctor to respect your views. Maybe, like me, your doctor will pray with you. If not, someone else might. Oftentimes, a hospital will have a chaplain who can pray with you. And you can always ask others to pray for you from a distance.Distance healing and prayer
Modern medicine loves to assign complicated names to things. It has taken a simple and profound concept - praying for someone else's good health - and renamed it Long Distance Intercessory Prayer (LDIP). Sometimes when we pray for others' good health - even without them knowing about it - we can make a positive impact in their health. Or so I believe. And so do many others.Is there any proof that prayer and other spiritual methods make a difference in the course of a disease? A review of 23 studies of long-distance healing, mental healing, spiritual healing, or therapeutic touch showed the following results:
Prayer is an ancient practice - and a personal one. You are the best judge of its effectiveness for you. But I say, until it's disproven or until scientific evidence proves the effect of prayer, you should consider using prayer as part of the treatment and prevention of disease and the enhancing of your well-being. What Americans believe
No one thought it was unusual when President George W. Bush proclaimed Friday, September 14, 2001, as a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. He asked that churches, synagogues and other places of worship hold memorial and evening candlelight remembrance vigils. He even encouraged employers to give their workers time off to attend the noontime services "to pray for our land." He added: "I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in these solemn observances." Millions of Americans and people worldwide participated.Resources:
|
|
| © 2004 - Humana Inc. | About Humana | Legal | Internet Privacy Statement | Privacy Practices |
