"While meditation, love, spirituality and lowering stress might seem too "new age" for people who want to regain or maintain their health, there is solid science behind such concepts. So much good research exists that more and more patients and doctors are paying attention, according to Dr. Joan Borysenko, one of the nation's foremost researchers in mind-body medicine, who recently spoke to a group of oncology staff members and cancer patients at Central Baptist Hospital. Borysenko, who holds a Ph.D. in medical sciences from Harvard University and taught at Harvard Medical School, said a 2002 survey showed that "relaxation techniques, imagery, biofeedback, and hypnosis were used by 30 percent of the adults in the U.S." She added that the National Institutes of Health funds research into alternative medicine through its NCCAM, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Borysenko began her presentation with a slide of two sleeping cats cuddled together. "Love," she stated, "is the heart of health." She then explained that loving support and touch "induces the self-healing response of the body."
Interleukin-6, aka IL-6, is a cytokine that is "at the heart of the body's inflammatory response." As does the stress hormone cortisol, IL-6 weakens the body's immune system. But tender, loving care extended to a sick person, or loving support from a spouse, family member, or friend, stimulates the person's pituitary gland to secrete Human Growth Hormone (HGH), which counters the bad effects of inflammation.
Research in recent years has linked inflammation to a "spectrum of conditions. It is associated with aging, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, frailty, Alzheimer's Disease, periodontal disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and certain cancers," Borysenko said.
Research also shows that having certain activities in one's life lessens the inflammatory response and keeps the immune system strong. Borysenko listed them: "sleep, moderate exercise, meditation, hypnosis, imagery, massage, laughter, a social support system, high self-esteem, attendance at religious services, a good diet with Omega-3 fatty acids and lots of fruits and vegetables." Two factors received extra mention. Pets elicit the responses of love and calmness, so "go buy a dog, a cat, or a bird!" Music is also helpful. Borysenko noted that one study showed that "thirty minutes of listening to classical music was the same as taking ten milligrams of Valium."
Borysenko also talked about how attitudes of pessimism and optimism affect recovery from illness and maintenance of health. One way to develop a genuinely positive attitude toward life is to "practice appreciation." She mentioned the work of a Buddhist monk, David Steinal-Rast (Web site www.gratefulness.org) and shared a daily practice she learned from him. At the end of every day she thinks of one thing for which she is grateful, yet has never said so. The first week or two you "say the obvious, then you have to look for things to be grateful for. That leads to an attitude of gratefulness," which research shows to be good for one's health.
Borysenko worked with Dr. Herbert Benson, whose research proved the physical benefits of meditating, she said. She explained another proven benefit: regular meditation can make a person happier. We each have a certain setpoint of happiness, which may vary temporarily according to circumstances, but returns. Meditation, which stimulates the left frontal cortex of the brain, helps us change our setpoint of happiness, by teaching us not to take our thoughts so seriously and to stay in the present.
For Business Lexington's busy readers, Borysenko was asked how to deal with the stress of demanding work plus family responsibilities. Although finding time to exercise moderately to counter the damaging effects of stress is difficult for many people, Borysenko was adamant on this point: "If you do not take care of yourself, it will all fall apart." She suggested that people choose one healthful activity - going to the gym or practicing yoga for example - and then "you really need to put that first" in your plans.
In today's two-career families, there is often extra stress. One help, Borysenko advised, is to remember that men and women cope differently with stress. A woman who comes home from a rough day at the office instinctively has a "tend and befriend" response. She wants to call a friend or be with her children. This reconnecting with people she cares about stimulates her brain's production of oxytocin, which calms her.
A man in the same situation needs, Borysenko said, "to be alone for a while. He might want to watch the news or read the paper." Then, after a time, he "can come out and cook dinner" or help with the meal preparations and re-engage with his family.
Borysenko's latest book is Saying Yes To Change, and her monthly column appears in Prevention magazine. For more information, see www.joanborysenko.com.
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