In the October issue of Prevention Magazine there is an article entitled "Prayer Can Save Your Life." Prevention reports that the study was led by Duke's Director of Interventional Clinical Trials. 150 men with chest pains were divided into five groups. All groups had a heart catheterization. One group received stress relaxation training, a second group received imagery training, a third group received therapeutic touch, and a fourth group were prayed for by a variety of people, from Baptists in North Carolina to Buddhists in Nepal. The fifth group was the control group, and simply received Duke's "usual excellent care."
None of the patients, their families, or the Doctors knew who was being prayed for. All of the men were very ill: most were former smokers, more than half had high blood pressure and more than one-quarter had diabetes. More than half had had a prior heart attack.
When compared with the control group, the groups that received relaxation, imagery and touch had a 20% - 30% reduction in complications. But the results for the group prayed for was "off the charts: Those who were prayed for had a 50% reduction in heartbeat abnormalities and a 100% reduction in clinical outcomes such as heart attachs and heart failure."
There are prayer groups you can call to pray for you or a loved one. Prevention lists the Upper Living Prayer Center, which is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Volunteers are ready to pray for you 24/7 at 800-251-2468. They also list Virtual Jerusalem, where you can write a prayer on-line, then a volunteer in Jerusalem will write on paper for you and tuck it into the Western Wall. (It is believed that prayers at the Western Wall go directly to God). If I did this right, here's the link: http://www.virtualjerusalem.com/sendaprayer/
None of the patients, their families, or the Doctors knew who was being prayed for. All of the men were very ill: most were former smokers, more than half had high blood pressure and more than one-quarter had diabetes. More than half had had a prior heart attack.
When compared with the control group, the groups that received relaxation, imagery and touch had a 20% - 30% reduction in complications. But the results for the group prayed for was "off the charts: Those who were prayed for had a 50% reduction in heartbeat abnormalities and a 100% reduction in clinical outcomes such as heart attachs and heart failure."
There are prayer groups you can call to pray for you or a loved one. Prevention lists the Upper Living Prayer Center, which is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Volunteers are ready to pray for you 24/7 at 800-251-2468. They also list Virtual Jerusalem, where you can write a prayer on-line, then a volunteer in Jerusalem will write on paper for you and tuck it into the Western Wall. (It is believed that prayers at the Western Wall go directly to God). If I did this right, here's the link: http://www.virtualjerusalem.com/sendaprayer/
