SPIRIT FAITHFUL

Healthy Spirituality

THERE SEEMS TO BE A CLEAR CONNECTION BETWEEN A PERSON’S SPIRITUAL BELIEFS AND HIS OR HER OVERALL HEALTH.

The idea there is a mind-body connection is no longer a controversial subject, but positive thinking alone is not necessarily the key to a longer, more productive life. Medical science has become more open to the idea there is a soul-body connection, and the person with spiritual well-being is also likely to have physical well-being.

Several observational studies have hinted that people who have regular spiritual practices tend to live longer. One study in particular involving 1,700 older adults showed those who attended church regularly were half as likely to produce the chemical interleukin-6, which is associated with an increased incidence of disease.

Practicing a faith provides emotional and social support through fellowship. Social interaction and a strong support system are vital elements in maintaining a positive attitude and helping to cope with stressful situations. Having a spiritual commitment also tends to enhance recovery from illness or surgery. A study of heart transplant patients showed that those who participated regularly in religious activities and said their beliefs were important tended to comply more closely with follow-up treatment protocols. They also had improved physical functioning a year after the surgery and had less anxiety and fewer health worries compared to those with no spiritual leanings. Religious or spiritual beliefs also tend to mitigate self-destructive behaviors. One of the states noted for having some of the oldest residents medical practitioners, such as managed care powerhouse Kaiser Permanente, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and the founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Dr. Neal Barnard. is Utah; this state also has one of the largest populations of Mormons. People of the Mormon faith do not smoke cigarettes, nor do they drink alcoholic beverages or caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, or colas. Similarly, the Seventh Day Adventists have been observed over a long period to have significantly lower rates of cancer and heart disease compared to nonAdventists. The Seventh Day Adventists are ovo-lacto vegetarians and also avoid tobacco and alcohol usage. Many of the dietary habits that Adventists have practiced for more than a century are now being endorsed by mainstream

Non-Christian spiritual beliefs can be just as beneficial to physical health.

Okinawa, Japan, has the highest percentage of centenarians in the world. A 25-year study of Okinawans concluded that a combination of diet, physical activity, spiritual beliefs that fostered a sense of well-being, and strong family ties and social networks were the foundational blocks for this incredibly vigorous population. Okinawa has a mix of spiritual beliefs. Buddhism, Shinto, Christianity, and a form of animism or nature worship are all part of this culture.

Finally, those who hold spiritual beliefs tend to have a strong sense of purpose and believe their life has meaning. These two factors create an unshakable will to live. In his book, Man’s Search For Meaning, Viktor Frankl observed that those people who had a sense of purpose or reasons for living that were larger than their own existence were the ones who were better able to withstand the brutalities of life in a Nazi concentration camp. Every day, they awoke committed to survive that day so that one day they could achieve their life’s purpose, and they had a sense of gratitude at the end of the day because they had survived. Can spirituality be counterproductive?

In certain circumstances, it can hinder rather than help physical well-being. Medical doctors who practice holistic or compassionate care have noted that individuals whose worldview includes a punitive God, one who sends illness and adversity as a way to punish past misdeeds, or who believe that their present circumstances are “karma,” may actually embrace their illness rather than work toward wellness. In these situations, medical practitioners often refer the patient to a priest, minister, rabbi, or other religious leader who is of the same faith as that of the patient but whose worldview is more optimistic. In this way, the patient’s religious views are respected, but gently challenged so that the patient feels less like a victim and more like a co-creator.

In many cases, spirituality plays a major role in the way people face chronic illness, suffering, and loss. Given the many health benefits that maintaining an active spiritual life appears to provide, it may not hurt to take a leap of faith occasionally.