Prayer & Your Health

Research shows that prayer is nurturing and healing.  Some say that this healing power is the direct hand of God, a miracle.  Though this may be true at times, God has made us a physical being ruled by the laws of science or nature.  Why could he not act through that nature, the basis of science?Some say prayer is asking for what one needs from God.  Meditation is listening for His answer.

One is active, the other passive.  The resulting serenity, calmness, wants and strength that motivates us, increases our awareness of our oneness with nature, and the Almighty is the essence of prayer and meditation.  Both serve a purpose, to bring us as one with nature, society, family, and God.

Through meditation and prayer one actively stimulates the frontal inferior gyrus, the optimistic center of the brain.  This diminishes the adrenaline sympathetic nervous system and augments the vagal or relaxation system of the nervous system.  As a consequence we have a feeling of calmness and the body reacts in the following way: decreased blood pressure, decreased pulse, our skin warms, and our muscles relax.

Many may be upset at the idea that prayer is nothing but a scientific molecular process.  I disagree with the assertion that accepting science is a denial of God’s power.  Every day we are a witness to God’s power through His creation: the flowers, birds of paradise, the moon, and the stars.  Why not marvel in the creative process of the body he has made. The hormones, neurotransmitters, and the molecules that make us work?  They are His greatest creation.  Why not marvel at His scientific creation?

THE SCIENCE OF PRAYER

When we pray what happens to us from a scientific standpoint?

Neurologically, the process begins in our brain, the neocortex. This is an active, willful decision, i.e. to pray.  This causes a cascade of events which begins with reaching out to God.  Some call this cascade of events simple relaxation, others meditation and prayer.

The process begins in our thinking brain; which makes us different from other animals.  It is initiated by oneself as an active process, an act of will.  This then stimulates many areas of the brain, in particular, the limbic or emotional brain.  This is in control of our autonomic nervous system, one that is seemingly not under our conscious control, but can be stimulated by our conscious brain.  One part of this unconscious system brings excitement and alarm, the other peace and calm, the proverbial Ying and Yang.

Through meditation and prayer, a mantra or saying the Rosary, one actively stimulates the frontal inferior gyrus, the optimistic center of the brain. This diminishes the adrenaline sympathetic nervous system and augments the vagal or relaxation system of the nervous system.  As a consequence, our bodily reactions include lowering of blood pressure, decreased pulse, our skin warms, and our muscles relax.  At the same time messages are sent to central parts of the brain called the hypothalamus and dopamine and serotonin, the feel-good and calmative neurotransmitters are stimulated.

The Buddha study performed at the University of Wisconsin showed that this ability can be learned as indicated by the functional MRI (FMRI) scan. With use of the FMRI scan, one can see what areas of the brain are activated in prayer and meditation. In this study, veteran and novice Buddhists and University of Wisconsin students were tested. The results, the veteran monks caused large areas of the frontal temporal optimistic lobe to light up when they meditated and their receptors for dopamine and serotonin were high as demonstrated by the FMRI.  Novice monks did not have the same level of stimulation, however it was much greater than the students.

What was the difference between the three groups? Was it just a matter of genetics?  By constant reinforcement, the pathways of the optimistic center are increased with connections to all areas of the frontal lobe and pathways affecting the rest of the brain. The pessimistic center in the right frontal temporal lobe appeared to be suppressed so negative thoughts were diminished.

CALM

When dopamine and serotonin are high your stress reaction changes.  First due to serotonin your mind acts calmly saying “it’s okay” and examines the problem.  There is neither overreaction nor panic.  Therefore an over-response of panic which would stimulate the neurotransmitter adrenaline does not occur and consequently insulin levels stay low, and amyloid the corrosive brain toxin is removed. An enzyme called IDE is essential to understand here. It functions to delete insulin from the brain when levels are too high. It either deletes amyloid the toxic brain substance that causes Alzheimer’s or insulin.

As a result prayer and meditation, by decreasing alarm response decreases the likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease. This is the biological plan of God behind prayer and meditation. The reason why those who meditate have a lower Alzheimer’s disease rate and an increased cardiovascular health