health – Page 10 – Christian Science Committee on Publication for Michigan

Watching what we’re watching for health’s sake

By Bob CummingsDecember 21, 20122 commentsHealth, Notes from Bob CummingsFred Rogers, health, Jesus, Mary Baker Eddy, mental health, Mister Rogers, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Newtown, PTSD, Smita Nagpal, spirituality, St Paul, stress, tragedy

(Photo: © Glow Images, Models are used for illustrative purposes.)

The recent tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut pulls at the heartstrings of all of us. We long to know that everyone involved will soon find some measure of comfort and peace.

As we search for answers to why the tragedy unfolded in the first place and to how to help children who are suffering trauma recover, many have offered helpful ideas. One idea struck me as not only of benefit in dealing with trauma but also useful for preventing the illnesses that can accompany stress and emotional duress.

In a recent opinion piece¹ in Heritage-Media West newspapers, Smita Nagpal, a licensed psychologist and licensed professional counselor, advised, “Limit exposure to TV images and news coverage. The graphic images and repetitive scenes can be disturbing for children.” “Talk honestly about the incident, without graphic detail…”

Need an emancipation proclamation for your health?

By Bob CummingsNovember 16, 20121 commentHealth, Notes from Bob Cummings1856, Abraham Lincoln, chapped lips, Emancipation Proclamation, freedom, health, healthcare, Kalamazoo, Lincoln, Mary Baker Eddy, mental slavery, Michigan, prayer, Science and Health, slavery, spirituality

Do you sometimes feel like a slave to disease? Or to its treatment? Or know someone who does? How do chapped lips, Abraham Lincoln’s visit to Kalamazoo, Michigan, and a case of poison ivy shed light on needed emancipation? Abraham Lincoln made only one visit to Michigan – to Kalamazoo in 1856. Why did he

IN THE NEWS Placebos, Nocebos and a Possible Solution

By Bob CummingsAugust 30, 2012Health, Notes from Bob Cummingshealth, nocebo, placebo, side effects, spirituality

The nocebo effect causes a dilemma: ethically sharing possible side effects of drugs with patients may cause patients to experience them.

Here, below, are excerpts with links to some interesting articles in the news this month about placebos and nocebos – the last one offering an interesting solution to the nocebo effect.

IN THE NEWS Prayer and love heal a wounded butterfly

By Bob CummingsAugust 21, 2012Health, Notes from Bob Cummingsbutterfly, Healing, health, love, Phil Mikan, prayer

“Let’s see if I can help him with a jolt of energy, a thought of love and perhaps a prayer.” writes Phil Mikan in the New Britain Herald in Connecticut last Sunday. This is what he thought when he came across a wounded butterfly. It’s interesting to me that he had been researching “the energy

Giving mental consent to excellence breaks barriers

By Bob CummingsJuly 31, 2012Health, Notes from Bob Cummings400 Freestyle, athletes, cyclists, excel, Faster Higher Stronger, Freestyle, health, mental consent, Olympic motto, Olympics, performance, prayer, spirituality, swimming, thought

The Olympic motto – “Faster, Higher, Stronger” – is about exceeding limits. An experience in competitive swimming when I was in school gave me a glimpse of what researchers are finding in their studies – that giving mental consent has a huge impact on athletic performance. In my case, the difference was almost unimaginable.

Health Care and Healthy Habits of the Mind

By Bob CummingsJuly 19, 2012Health, Notes from Bob Cummingshealth, health care, healthcare, meditation, mindfulness, prayer, prayer for self, stress

Yours truly at the U.S. Capitol on a rainy day

“We don’t need to move to the left or to the right. We all need to go a little deeper.”

This from Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan according to a recent Washington Times article¹ by Patrick Hruby about Mr. Ryan’s interest in a form of meditation called mindfulness. Ryan has found it so helpful that he said, “This needs to be in the schools. And the health care system.”

There’s a lot of talk these days in the U.S. about health care, health care costs, and what role the government should play. Mr. Ryan’s interest in mindfulness seems focused more on health itself.

According to Hruby, research suggests that mindfulness helps with such problems as chronic pain, inflammation, high blood pressure, and stress. He quotes Mr. Davidson, director of the University of Wisconsin’s Lab for Affective Neuroscience, who said, “There’s a huge amount of suffering that can be prevented with healthy habits of the mind.”

Do you need to get above life’s storms?

By Bob CummingsJuly 3, 20121 commentHealth, Notes from Bob Cummingsaltitudes, clouds, freedom, health, prayer, spiritual vision, spirituality, Tropical Storm Debby

Tropical Storm Debby over Florida (Photo from flickr.com courtesy of NASA Goddard Photo and Video under Creative Commons license)

Did you know that you can and that a spiritual perspective – spiritual vision – is the ticket?

Last week while enroute to a meeting in Miami I flew over Tropical Storm Debby. The pilot pointed out to us the blue spot at the center of the large area of circular clouds indicating that this was the eye of the storm. I was struck by how bright, sunny, and peaceful it was above the clouds. It was a little hard picturing all the wind and rain going on beneath those same clouds.

It’s peaceful in the eye of a storm. So, what if we were always in the eye? Above a storm the weather is sunny and clear. So, what if we could always get above life’s storm clouds?

“Spiritual vision is not subordinate to geometric altitudes“¹ writes Mary Baker Eddy.

In The News for Mental Health Month

By Bob CummingsMay 31, 20122 commentsHealth, Notes from Bob CummingsAlzheimer's, health, meditation, mental health, PTSD, spirituality

May was National Mental Health Month here in the U.S.

Here are brief excerpts from five interesting news stories on the subject that show things we’re learning, new approaches that are being tried to treat mental health issues, and a recognition that spirituality is important.

Prayer and Numbers That May Surprise You

By Bob CummingsApril 28, 20122 commentsHealth, Notes from Bob Cummingshealth, National Day of Prayer, prayer, spirituality

May 3rd is National Day of Prayer here in the U.S. For me, every day is a day of prayer. And I’m not alone. Not by a long shot.

In Michigan, 56% pray at least once a day and 76% pray at least once a week according to the 2008 Pew Forum Religious Landscape Survey. And in the U.S. as a whole the numbers are about the same: 58% daily and 75% weekly.

Now let’s do a little math here to make this more meaningful. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Michigan’s population is just under 10 million. Which means that over 5.5 million of us in Michigan pray at least once a day, and over 7.5 million of us in Michigan pray at least once a week. And nationally, with over 308 million this translates into 178 million daily and 232 million weekly.

When laughter administers love to the heart

By Bob CummingsApril 17, 2012Health, Notes from Bob Cummingscomfort, health, International Moment of Laughter Day, laughter, love, National Humor Month, pain, Patch Adams, spirituality

He shared a video of one of his house calls to a poor woman in another country who was very ill and in much pain. Using his humor, despite a language barrier, he had her sitting up, smiling, laughing, and singing. It was apparent that she experienced some relief from her suffering. This was part

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