{"id":2067946,"date":"2023-10-15T09:51:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-15T13:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/prayer-is-considered-a-form-of-medicine-dr-kat-lindley\/"},"modified":"2023-10-15T09:58:15","modified_gmt":"2023-10-15T13:58:15","slug":"prayer-is-considered-a-form-of-medicine-dr-kat-lindley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/prayer-is-considered-a-form-of-medicine-dr-kat-lindley\/","title":{"rendered":"Prayer: A Healing Medicine &#8211; Dr. Kat Lindley"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fprayer-is-considered-a-form-of-medicine-dr-kat-lindley%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2067946&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>The Healing Power of Prayer: A Form of\u2064 Medicine for the Mind and Body<\/h2>\n<p>The simple act \u2063of\u200d prayer has numerous tangible health benefits, and it is considered \u201ca form of medicine,\u201d \u2062which works to regulate \u2064bodily \u200cfunctions through lowering stress and developing a capacity to maintain a sense of \u200bpeace, according to Dr. Kat Lindley.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>\u201cPrayer can\u2064 calm your nervous system, shutting \u2064down your fight or flight response,\u201d Dr. Lindley, president of\u2063 the NGO Global Health Project, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KLVeritas\/status\/1707582456965042204\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a> in a \u200dSept. 29\u200b X post. \u201cIt can make you less reactive to negative emotions and less angry. \u200cPrayer elicits a relaxation response, \u2063which\u200c lowers \u2064blood pressure and other factors heightened by stress. It also releases control \u2062to something greater than oneself through secondary control, which can\u2062 reduce the stress of needing to be \u2064in charge.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Dr. Lindley was writing the post\u200b in the context\u200c of Johan \u2063Sebastian Bach\u2019s \u200bmusic and how the maestro&#8217;s music always glorified the divine. The doctor pointed to Bach\u2019s \u200dmusic compositions, which regularly ended with &#8220;Soli Deo Gloria&#8221; (Glory to God \u200calone) and a call in the beginning\u2014&#8221;Lord help.&#8221;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/epochtv\/pray-vote-stand-for-america-americas-hope-sept-25-post-5498130?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Pray, Vote, Stand for America | America\u2019s Hope (Sept. 25)<\/h3>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/25\/2023<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/article\/being-a-doctor-and-courageous-runs-in-my-family-french-scientist-behind-hydroxychloroquine-treatment-for-covid-19-post-5506186?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>\u2018Being a \u2062Doctor and Courageous Runs in My Family\u2019: French Scientist Behind Hydroxychloroquine Treatment for COVID-19<\/h3>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">10\/10\/2023<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Prayer \u2062is an effective stress management \u200cmechanism \u2064as it improves testosterone release and \u201crelated androgen hormones such \u2064as DHEA,\u201d said the doctor.<\/p>\n<p>Made by the adrenal glands, a lower level \u2064of\u2063 Dehydroepiandrosterone or DHEA is associated with memory loss, heart disease, and breast \u200ccancer. The hormones typically peak at around age 25 and then steadily decline as the individual gets older. DHEA also helps in the reduction of abdominal fat, osteoporosis, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-best-health-supplements-for-an-unhealthy-world\/\" title=\"The Best Health Supplements for an Unhealthy World\">improves insulin resistance<\/a> and mental well-being while reducing arterial inflammation and\u2064 stiffness.<\/p>\n<p>When a person intently and consistently\u2062 prays, blood flow to the frontal \u2063lobes and \u200canterior cingulate increases, resulting\u200b in a tempering of \u2063emotions, said \u2063Dr. Lindley. This assists\u2062 in making\u2062 more reasonable responses. \u201cThere \u200dis definitely skepticism out there about the healing power of prayer,\u2064 but at the end\u2064 of the day, \u200cwhen your soul needs respite, few words may\u2063 make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode post-related-videos\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Dr. \u2064Lindley\u2062 is also the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KLVeritas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">director<\/a> of Global COVID\u2062 Summit, an \u2064international alliance of doctors and scientists.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>She added\u200b that praying \u200bincreases the release\u200d of dopamine. \u201cDopamine plays \u200dimportant roles in executive function, motor control, motivation, arousal, reinforcement, and reward through \u2062signaling cascades\u2064 that \u2062are\u200c exerted \u200dvia \u2063binding to dopaminergic\u200c receptors\u2064 at the projections found in the \u2062substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, and \u200carcuate\u200d nucleus of\u2063 the hypothalamus of the\u200c human brain.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, the number of Americans\u2062 who pray on a regular basis has been in decline.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>According to a \u20642021 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/religion\/2021\/12\/14\/about-three-in-ten-u-s-adults-are-now-religiously-unaffiliated\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">survey<\/a> by Pew Research,\u2062 45 percent of Americans said that they prayed on a daily \u2062basis, down from 58 percent in 2007. The \u200dpercentage of people who said they \u201cseldom\/never\u201d \u2063pray rose from 18 percent to \u200c32\u200c percent during this period.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>While 67 percent of Protestants said they prayed on a \u200bdaily basis, this number dropped to 51\u200c percent among Catholics. Among \u200bthose who\u2062 identified with \u201cno religion,\u201d 13 percent said they prayed daily.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Is Praying Really Helpful?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Although Dr.\u200c Lindley\u2064 points \u200bto the actual benefits of\u2063 praying, many researchers do not share the \u200bsame enthusiasm for the\u200c activity,<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16569567\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2006\u200d study<\/a>, referenced by\u2063 mainstream media \u200binvolving over 1,800 participants,\u2062 concluded that intercessory prayer \u2064did not help with medically-ill patients.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The study looked at \u2063patients recovering from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/strong-links-between-sinus-congestion-depression-and-suicidal-thoughts\/\" title=\"Strong links between depression, sinus congestion, and suicidal thoughts\">coronary artery bypass graft<\/a>\u200b (CABG) surgery\u200c in six U.S. hospitals\u200c and found that \u201cintercessory prayer itself had\u200b no \u2064effect on \u2064complication-free recovery \u2062from CABG, \u2064but certainty of \u200creceiving intercessory prayer was \u200cassociated with a higher incidence of \u200dcomplications.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, multiple other studies have \u2063found prayer to result\u2063 in beneficial outcomes.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>A Sept. 2018 <a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/aje\/article\/187\/11\/2355\/5094534?login=false\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">study<\/a> looked into the impact of religious involvement \u2063among adolescents, which \u200dincluded religious service attendance, prayer, or\u200d meditation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cCompared with never praying or meditating, \u200bat least daily practice was associated with greater positive affect,\u200c emotional \u200dprocessing, and \u200demotional expression; \u2062greater volunteering, greater sense of mission, \u2064and more \u200bforgiveness; lower likelihoods of \u2062drug \u2064use, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-why-atheists-should-still-teach-their-kids-about-god\/\" title=\"WATCH: Why Atheists Should Still Teach Their Kids About God\">early sexual initiation<\/a>, STIs, and abnormal Pap test results;\u200b and \u200bfewer lifetime sexual partners,\u201d the study \u200dfound.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was also possibly associated with greater life \u200dsatisfaction and\u2062 self-esteem, greater likelihood of being \u200cregistered to vote, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hope-drives-african-american-exceptionalism\/\" title=\"Hope Drives African American Exceptionalism\">fewer depressive symptoms<\/a>, and \u2062a lower risk of \u2064cigarette smoking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Praying or meditation was linked \u200dto a sense \u200cof mission among those who practiced it regularly. Such people were also keen on volunteering\u200c and being socially involved. Praying\u200c or meditating one to six times per week was found to be \u200drelated to fewer symptoms of depression \u200cand \u2064greater emotional expression.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>A 2011 <a href=\"https:\/\/citeseerx.ist.psu.edu\/viewdoc\/download?doi=10.1.1.1010.259&#038;rep=rep1&#038;type=pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">study<\/a> conducted experiments to test\u200c whether praying for others reduced anger and aggression\u2062 among people who were provoked. It suggested that\u2062 \u201creligious \u200dpractices can promote cooperation among\u2064 non-kin or in situations in which reciprocity is highly \u2063unlikely.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In one experiment, participants were initially insulted \u200bby a stranger. Praying \u2062was later found to have \u2062reduced the \u200cparticipants\u2019 \u2062anger. \u201cFollowing an insult, prayer reduced anger and actual aggressive behavior,\u201d said\u2062 the study.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2064 researchers admitted that more research was needed to \u201cpinpoint the exact mechanism whereby prayer may \u2062reduce\u2063 anger and aggression,\u201d but\u200b the present\u200c work indicates that \u201cprayer was found to have pervasive effects\u200c on the emotional experience, social behavior, and cognitive appraisals of praying individuals.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhenever\u2064 people are confronting their own anger\u200c and tendencies \u2064to \u200caggress, they might consider the \u2062age-old advice of\u200d praying \u2064for one\u2019s enemies. Even \u200cwhen such \u200cprayers do not directly benefit \u200dthose enemies, prayer may still help people coexist more\u2064 peacefully.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What areas of the brain are responsible for reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and emotional regulation, and how does prayer activate \u200cthese regions to enhance cognitive function and emotional stability?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200d Cortex increases. These areas\u200c of the brain are responsible for reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and emotional \u200bregulation. By activating \u2062these regions, prayer can enhance cognitive function\u2062 and emotional\u2063 stability, ultimately leading to better\u200c overall mental health.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, prayer has been shown to have \u200ca positive impact on physical health\u200c as well. Research has\u200d indicated that individuals who engage in regular prayer experience lower blood pressure, reduced heart rate, and improved immune function. Prayer can also alleviate symptoms of various health conditions such as\u2064 chronic pain, headaches, and insomnia.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to its physiological effects, prayer also has a profound impact on \u200cpsychological\u2063 well-being. By connecting with a higher power, individuals often experience\u200d a sense of peace, hope,\u200d and purpose. This spiritual\u200d connection can provide\u2063 comfort during times of stress, \u2062grief, or uncertainty, \u200coffering solace and guidance in challenging\u200c circumstances.<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Lindley emphasizes the importance \u2064of prayer as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/prayer-is-considered-a-form-of-medicine-dr-kat-lindley\/\" title=\"Prayer: A Healing Medicine - Dr. Kat Lindley\">complementary therapy alongside\u200d traditional medical treatments<\/a>. While prayer should not replace medical intervention, it can serve as an adjunctive practice that supports\u2064 and complements the healing process. Prayer can enhance\u200b the \u200defficacy of medical treatments by promoting a positive mindset, reducing anxiety, and fostering resilience.<\/p>\n<p>It is important to note that \u2062prayer is a deeply personal and subjective experience.\u2063 Individuals\u2062 may find solace in \u200bdifferent forms of prayer, whether it be through reciting traditional prayers, engaging in silent meditation, or expressing their thoughts and emotions through written or spoken words. \u2063The key is to\u200c find a method that\u200d resonates with one&#8217;s\u200d beliefs and allows for a genuine connection with the \u2064divine.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the healing power \u200cof prayer should not be underestimated. It serves \u200bas a form\u2062 of medicine for the mind \u2062and body, offering numerous tangible health\u200c benefits. By reducing stress, promoting relaxation, and fostering a sense of peace and connection,\u2062 prayer has the potential to improve\u200d overall well-being. As part \u200bof a\u2062 holistic approach to health, \u200dprayer can be a valuable\u2062 tool \u200cin promoting physical and mental wellness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kat Lindley explains that prayer is like medicine, providing tangible health benefits. It regulates bodily functions by reducing stress and promoting a sense of peace. Prayer can calm the nervous system, effectively shutting down the fight or flight response.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":186,"featured_media":2067947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2067946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2067946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/186"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2067946"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2067946\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2067947"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2067946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2067946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2067946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}