Crossroads is a publication of Duke University’s Center for Spirituality, Theology & Health. This publication provides updates on research, current events, and funding opportunities related to spirituality and health. I receive it as a member
The current issue contains information on the following research and topics:
Cognitive behavioral treatments for depression in patients with chronic illness
Spiritual Needs and Physiological Responses of Women Undergoing Core Needle Breast Biopsy for Cancer
Genetic Basis for Religious Involvement
Spiritual Intervention in Persons Addicted to Opium/Heroin
Religious involvement as a predictor of telomere shortening
Religion and hippocampal atrophy in late life
Religious participation and cognitive functioning in China
Religious activity and progression of cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease
Almost 60% of American adults say they had difficult childhoods featuring abusive or troubled family members or parents who were absent due to separation or divorce. Nearly 9% say that while growing up they underwent five or more “adverse childhood experiences” ranging from verbal, physical or sexual abuse to family dysfunction such as domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, or the absence of a parent. This data was reported in the Dec 17th, 2010 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the report, Dr. Lee M. Sanders, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine said that “There is a connection of these events to lifelong implications, not just for mental health for adults, but also for physical health.” Valerie J. Edwards, team lead for the Adverse Childhood Experiences Team at CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, says that a person who has several of these events is more likely to get cancer and heart disease. In the report, Edwards said. “This is serious and it’s not just a quirk of statistics. It’s a real relationship.”
The Faith and Health Link
As the experts have indicated, if left unaddressed, issues like these childhood traumas can likely affect one’s emotional health in adulthood. Over time, these emotional issues can affect one’s physical health. Deep-rooted emotions and beliefs associated with such trauma such as anxiety, resentment, shame, low self-worth, rejection and unforgiveness can play havoc with one’s endocrine, cardiovascular and immune system resulting in a host of chronic diseases.
In general, medical practitioners do not care for these issues of the soul that are at the root of these diseases. This is where faith in the healing power of God and his Son Jesus comes into play. Jesus’ compassion, love and power expressed through his followers and accompanied with prayer, can bring inner healing to the soul of these traumatized individuals. This inner soul healing then favors improved physical health.
The sooner a child or young adult can come to experience the deep love and healing power of God, through Jesus, the more likely they will not succumb to these long-term emotional and physical health problems. Healing and restoration is part of the life transformation that God desires that his children experience in this life on earth.
Such experiences of healing and improved personal wholeness can be a witness and encouragement to others of God’s love, grace and power. It can also enable healed these healed individuals to better give their life away in service to others. In all this, God receives glory.
It’s sad that the statistics in this report are what they are, but it’s Good News to know that God is still in the business of healing and restoration of his children. Our role as believers and followers of Christ is to be a conduit of this message and his love.
Related Scriptures
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones. Proverbs 14:30
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has anointed meto proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisonersand recovery of sight for the blind,to set the oppressed free,to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19
He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2:12
Another article appearing in the Wall Street Journal this week is worth passing along. The author, Ron Winslow, writes that “Broken Heart Syndrome is typically triggered by acute emotion or physical trauma that releases a surge of adrenaline that overwhelms the heart. The effect is to freeze much of the left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber, disrupting its ability to contract and effectively pump blood.”
“The phenomenon is a “concussion” of the heart, says Scott Sharkey, a cardiologist at Minneapolis Heart Institute. “It’s really a heart attack which is triggered by stress rather than by a blocked artery,” he says.
Triggers for broken-heart syndrome seem as varied as the number of people affected. While death of a spouse or other close family member or friend is a common cause, breakups such as a divorce or separation have also sparked the event, according to a study of 136 patients by Dr. Sharkey and his colleagues published Jan. 26 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
For others, being overwhelmed by new software at work, seeing a poultry barn burn down, or losing money at a casino all have brought the condition on, doctors say.”
Osteoporosis is the most widespread degenerative disease in the developed world, afflicting 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over 50.
Despite the accumulating evidence for a connection between depression and decreased bone density, official authorities, such as the US National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization, have not yet acknowledged depression as a risk factor for osteoporosis, due to the lack of studies in large samples.
A study of several research efforts including thousands of people by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers has shown a clear connection between depression and a loss of bone mass, leading to osteoporosis and fractures. The results, say the researchers, show clearly that depressed individuals have a substantially lower bone density than non-depressed people and that depression is associated with a markedly elevated activity of cells that breakdown bone (osteoclasts).
What the Bible Says
God inspired writers of the Bible to share his truth and principles about the connection between our emotional and spiritual health and our physical health. Take a look at the following verses related to this topic:
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22
“A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.“ Proverbs 14:30
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:7-8
“My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.” Psalm 31:10
What You Can Do
Seek to have a cheerful heart.
If you’re carrying bitterness towards someone, forgive them.
Have a reverential fear of God and his principles, and turn away from evil and sin.
If you’re jealous towards someone, ask God to take that nature away from you. Be content with what you have and trust God to provide for your most basic and deepest needs.
If you are a believer in Christ, turn to God in a more dependant and surrendered way and allow his Spirit to have more influence and control of your thought life and attitude. Ask him to change you… to transform you from the inside out. (Romans 12:2)
As we walk with God in a personal way, following his commandments and principles out of love, we are able to become more and more like his Son, Jesus. This transformation brings us greater inner peace, gentleness and joy. This often goes hand in hand with good physical health.
God seems to make it pretty clear in the Bible – the guidebook he has given us to live by. Perhaps this is the best explanation concerning the link between depression and bone health.
Questions to Reflect On
What has your experience been regarding depression and bone health? Can you personally see a link between the scriptures listed above and your health?
Dr. Christina Pulchaski, Executive Director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, is interviewed by Sally Quinn of the Washington Post’s On Faith column.
Topics addressed in the 5-minute video:
Intercessory prayer
The power of belief
Research design
Mechanisms of religious practices and health outcomes
“When individuals, regardless of their faith, incorporate these powerful biblical principles of the Christian faith into their lives, the spirituality and health connection occurs and they will tend to enjoy better health and well-being.”
The Feb. 23rd issue of Time is a special mind-body issue with the cover story “How Faith Can Heal.” The main article is The Biology of Belief.
There is another article that includes a question and answer forum by three experts that discuss the role that belief should play in science.
A third “User’s Guide” article provides a listing of research institutes, books, websites and pilgrimages that may be a resource for people who want to know more about this topic.
Most interesting to me was the Biology of Belief article as it explores what happens in the brain as a person practices certain behaviors or thinking patterns.
I was bothered by one aspect of this issue however. A sidebar in the hard-copy of the magazine addressed how various religions view life after death. Concerning to me is that Christianity is misrepresented. In that light, I have written the editors of the magazine and asked that a correction be made in an upcoming issue. This is my email to the editors:
On Page 70 in the Feb. 23, 2009 issue you have a sidebar on “How Religions View the Beyond.” Under Christianity, you say the vast majority of Christians believe “that your destination depends on your deeds and faith during life.” This is not at all accurate. We believe in scripture that says:
Romans 10:9-10 – That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.(after death you will live eternally in heaven – my notes) For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
John 11:25 – 26- “Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.” ”
Romans 3:28 - “So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.”
The bottom line for the Christian faith is that to be saved and have eternal life all we have to do is believe that God loves us so much that He sent His son, Jesus, to die for our sins/wrongdoings. Jesus then was resurrected.
If we believe this in our heart and confess it, we will go to heaven. Our “deeds” do not determine our destination after death, it is our faith – whether we have accepted Jesus as our savior.I hope that you will make a correction of what you wrote in the Feb 23rd issue. What you printed is not true. It misrepresents the Christian faith and will mislead many people. Sincerely, Dale Fletcher – Founder, Faith and Health Connection
If you’d like to correspond with Time on this issue, they can be reached via email – letters@time.com.
Overall, these articles are very informative. You may want to run out to a book store and buy a hard copy for your further reading and use. Enjoy!
P.S. – Thank you Janice, my sweetheart, for alerting me about this issue of the magazine.
The current issue contains information on the following research and topics:
I want to pass along a link that I also made available here a year ago at this time.
What the Research Says
The Feb. 23rd issue of Time is a special mind-body issue with the cover story “How Faith Can Heal.” The main article is 
I was bothered by one aspect of this issue however. A sidebar in the hard-copy of the magazine addressed how various religions view life after death. Concerning to me is that Christianity is misrepresented. In that light, I have written the editors of the magazine and asked that a correction be made in an upcoming issue. This is my email to the editors:
Let’s Connect!