	Enliven your spirit to balance high blood pressure

The Healing Power of Prayer

The Search

An Ancient Concept of God

and Ritual Prayers

Wholeness is the only

“Reality”

Preventing heart disease through prayer: Eric Butterworth

Dr. Levin of Eastern Virginia and Dr. David Larson, a research psychiatrist formerly of the National Institutes of Health, cite more than 200 studies that touch directly or indirectly on the role of religion and health. The majority of these studies offer evidence that religion is good for one’s health.71 There are at least another 900 studies on this subject. A study at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in 1995 demonstrated that comfort and strength from religious faith was one of the best predictors of survival among 232 heart patients. Those who did not have religious faith had three times the death rate of those who did.

Churchgoers have lower blood pressure than non-churchgoers — 5 mm lower according to Larson, even when adjusted to account for smoking and other risk factors. This information comes from a survey of 30 years of research on blood pressure.

The risk of dying from coronary artery disease is half for men and women who attend church regularly compared to those who rarely attend. Again, smoking and socioeconomic factors were taken into account.74 Other studies in 1996 showed that 4,000 elderly persons living at home who attended church regularly were less depressed and physically healthier than those living at home who did not attend church, or worshipped at home. Studies have also shown that those who attended church have lower rates of depression and anxiety.75 This lowers the risk of platelet aggregation, stroke, heart attack and high blood pressure. Other studies showed that those who were religious and socially involved had a fourteen fold advantage over those that were not religious and were socially uninvolved.

A study of 990 hospitalized heart patients admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) showed the power of intercessory prayer. At the time of admission the patients were assigned randomly to receive either the usual coronary care or coronary care plus remote intercessory prayer. The design was a randomized, controlled, double blind, prospective, parallel group trial. Half the names of the patients were randomly assigned to be prayed for by one of fifteen teams of five practicing Christians. Patients were unaware that they were being prayed for, and the other half (receiving the usual care) were not prayed for. Four weeks later the medical records showed an 11% decrease in complications with respect to the need for medications and surgery for patients that were prayed for, as compared to the control group.

A study conducted at Georgetown University demonstrates that involvement in religious healing activities and faith can be beneficial in treating and preventing illness, recovering from surgery, reducing pain, and improving quality of life.

A study conducted at Duke University Medical Center demonstrates that those with involvement in religious healing activities have lower blood pressures than those who are less involved.

Diabetics have a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality and higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels than people without diabetes. CRP is a measure of inflammation, a major cardiovascular risk factor that we will discuss in the Diet Chapter. Research conducted at the Medical University of South Carolina on the relationship of religious practices, CRP and mortality show that people with diabetes who have not attended religious services in the previous year are more likely to have elevated levels of CRP.80 Research continues to dissolve the artificial barriers involving mind, body and spirit that we have created. The dissolution of these barriers promotes self-empowerment and growth on all levels. When you experience this from your spiritual nature within, and not because you were told, you have really started on the path of self-empowerment.

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