Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord
And let perpetual light shine upon them,
May the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Photo credit: kadbucketcreations092-flickr.com
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Laughing is the sensation of feeling good all over and showing it
principally in one spot.
Josh Billings (1818 - 1885)
THANK YOU, DAD
SOURCE:
http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/memag/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=109019
THANK YOU, DAD
Jun 4, 2004
By: Navreet Kallar, MD
Medical Economics
A review of her father's medical records 20 years after his death taught the author a lot about her father and about medicine.
It's funny how just as we begin to become complacent in our profession, something happens that rejuvenates us and reminds us of the privileges of being a physician. For me, that something was a review of my father's medical records from almost 20 years ago.
Dad was a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist. He died of Takayasu's arteritis when I was 13 years old. Initially, I requested his records as an academic exercise, to learn more about the disease, which is rare and usually occurs in young Asian women. In the end, I learned more about my father—and myself—than I could have possibly imagined.
Getting the charts wasn't easy. Only my mother had the authority to release them, and she was reluctant to do so; she didn't want to relive the more painful memories of Dad's illness. I told her reviewing his charts would benefit my education, that he would have wanted me to learn more about medicine in any way possible. I don't know if she believed me, but she relented.
Details of a protracted illness come to light
Given the length of time that had passed since my father's death, it took months for the hospital to locate his records. In fact, I had forgotten about them by the time I was paged to come pick them up.
The records had been broken down to the bare essentials. The chart began with my father's medical history summary, written in 1984, a little more than two years before he died: "This patient is a 41-year-old physician whose current cardiovascular history started approximately eight years ago."
That would have made him 33 when he became symptomatic, only a year older than I am now. I couldn't help but wonder how I might have handled receiving a major diagnosis at such a young age. When he became ill, Dad's life, for all intents and purposes, was perfect. He had been married to my mother for nine years, had two healthy young children ages 8 (my brother) and 4 (me), and was enjoying a fulfilling career working at a local hospital.
After a hunting trip in 1976, he noticed a diminished right radial pulse. A later Doppler diagnosed this as right subclavian stenosis. As I read this in his chart, I recalled watching him periodically swing his arm in circles when I was a child. At the time, he told me he was trying to get his blood circulating. Now I realize he was trying to adapt to disruptive paresthesias.
"At age 37," the chart continued, "the patient began to develop symptoms of angina." That led to cardiac catheterization and subsequent coronary artery bypass surgery, both within the same year. Dad was eventually given corticosteroids. The debilitating myopathy, malaise, and fatigue he later developed finally explained the time when my father could no longer lift me or play outside with me. My mother later told me that he stopped taking the corticosteroids altogether, finding the side effects intolerable.
Once the Takayasu's arteritis took hold, my father developed coronary graft stenoses—which required six bypass operations—and aortic insufficiency, which led to three aortic valve replacements. Each time he recovered briefly, then the symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue would return. He had gone from an active, fit tennis player to a weak, tired patient. As time went on he began to walk more slowly and to tire more easily.
As a little girl, I didn't understand what was wrong with my father and it frustrated me. Now I realize how frustrated he must have been. To him dyspnea meant being unable to race his kids around the house. Myopathy meant debilitating muscle aches that kept him from working as a physician, a job he loved. And near the end of his life, intractable nausea and vomiting meant being unable to keep down even his favorite meals.
After the last surgery failed, Dad was told that the only option left was a heart transplant, which at the time was still an experimental procedure. Soon, I, too, began to feel the worry, sadness, and despair that showed on his face.
I still remember the night before he died. My mother and brother were puttering about in his bedroom, while I sat next to him on the edge of his bed. I sat to his right side, with my left arm draped lightly across his back, my hand resting on his shoulder. My arm couldn't have weighed more than five pounds, nor had it been there for more than two minutes when he asked me to move it because it was getting too heavy.
I responded with tears. The memory still stifles me, like a wool blanket worn in the heat of summer. That night, before I went to sleep, I asked myself, "What would happen if Dad died?" It was the first time I had allowed myself to consider such a thing. The next morning, he was gone.
A father's suffering gives valuable life lessons
When I look back on my decision to review Dad's medical records, I realize I did it because I wanted to get to know him from a new perspective. I now appreciate his bravery and how difficult it must have been for him, as a physician, to deal with his disease and face its implications. As time went on, he knew he would never live to see his retirement or to see his children grow up. But he never allowed the reality of his disease to taint his will to live.
I began to think of how often we get so caught up in worrying about the future that we lose the moment we're in. Even before he became sick, my father never took a second of his life for granted. He spent as much time as he could with my mother, my brother, and me, talking and making us laugh. He loved his family, his friends, and his profession.
I've since tried to emulate my father's approach to life. Whenever I feel stressed over something in the future—how I'll find time to attend a conference or pay for retirement, for instance—I remind myself of my father's lesson: Think only about now.
Even my patients have noticed how better focused and more attentive I've become. I listen more carefully and ask questions when they complain of a medication's side effects. Besides treating their current complaint, I ask how they're dealing with their chronic illnesses. Looking back at what my father faced has given me a sobering appreciation for what my chronically ill patients must go through each day. How often had I taken their medical conditions and emotions for granted? What I had seen as a self-preserving detachment was in some respects ignorance.
My medical training has taught me the science, but my father's illness has taught me the humanity and true essence of our noble profession. Just as I should never take my duty to treat patients lightly, I should remember my responsibility to become a more compassionate person both in and outside the office.
Thank you, Dad, with all of my heart.
NOTE: Dr. Navreet Kallar is an internist from Richmond, VA.
http://medicaleconomics.modernmedicine.com/memag/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=109019
THANK YOU, DAD
Jun 4, 2004
By: Navreet Kallar, MD
Medical Economics
A review of her father's medical records 20 years after his death taught the author a lot about her father and about medicine.
It's funny how just as we begin to become complacent in our profession, something happens that rejuvenates us and reminds us of the privileges of being a physician. For me, that something was a review of my father's medical records from almost 20 years ago.
Dad was a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist. He died of Takayasu's arteritis when I was 13 years old. Initially, I requested his records as an academic exercise, to learn more about the disease, which is rare and usually occurs in young Asian women. In the end, I learned more about my father—and myself—than I could have possibly imagined.
Getting the charts wasn't easy. Only my mother had the authority to release them, and she was reluctant to do so; she didn't want to relive the more painful memories of Dad's illness. I told her reviewing his charts would benefit my education, that he would have wanted me to learn more about medicine in any way possible. I don't know if she believed me, but she relented.
Details of a protracted illness come to light
Given the length of time that had passed since my father's death, it took months for the hospital to locate his records. In fact, I had forgotten about them by the time I was paged to come pick them up.
The records had been broken down to the bare essentials. The chart began with my father's medical history summary, written in 1984, a little more than two years before he died: "This patient is a 41-year-old physician whose current cardiovascular history started approximately eight years ago."
That would have made him 33 when he became symptomatic, only a year older than I am now. I couldn't help but wonder how I might have handled receiving a major diagnosis at such a young age. When he became ill, Dad's life, for all intents and purposes, was perfect. He had been married to my mother for nine years, had two healthy young children ages 8 (my brother) and 4 (me), and was enjoying a fulfilling career working at a local hospital.
After a hunting trip in 1976, he noticed a diminished right radial pulse. A later Doppler diagnosed this as right subclavian stenosis. As I read this in his chart, I recalled watching him periodically swing his arm in circles when I was a child. At the time, he told me he was trying to get his blood circulating. Now I realize he was trying to adapt to disruptive paresthesias.
"At age 37," the chart continued, "the patient began to develop symptoms of angina." That led to cardiac catheterization and subsequent coronary artery bypass surgery, both within the same year. Dad was eventually given corticosteroids. The debilitating myopathy, malaise, and fatigue he later developed finally explained the time when my father could no longer lift me or play outside with me. My mother later told me that he stopped taking the corticosteroids altogether, finding the side effects intolerable.
Once the Takayasu's arteritis took hold, my father developed coronary graft stenoses—which required six bypass operations—and aortic insufficiency, which led to three aortic valve replacements. Each time he recovered briefly, then the symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue would return. He had gone from an active, fit tennis player to a weak, tired patient. As time went on he began to walk more slowly and to tire more easily.
As a little girl, I didn't understand what was wrong with my father and it frustrated me. Now I realize how frustrated he must have been. To him dyspnea meant being unable to race his kids around the house. Myopathy meant debilitating muscle aches that kept him from working as a physician, a job he loved. And near the end of his life, intractable nausea and vomiting meant being unable to keep down even his favorite meals.
After the last surgery failed, Dad was told that the only option left was a heart transplant, which at the time was still an experimental procedure. Soon, I, too, began to feel the worry, sadness, and despair that showed on his face.
I still remember the night before he died. My mother and brother were puttering about in his bedroom, while I sat next to him on the edge of his bed. I sat to his right side, with my left arm draped lightly across his back, my hand resting on his shoulder. My arm couldn't have weighed more than five pounds, nor had it been there for more than two minutes when he asked me to move it because it was getting too heavy.
I responded with tears. The memory still stifles me, like a wool blanket worn in the heat of summer. That night, before I went to sleep, I asked myself, "What would happen if Dad died?" It was the first time I had allowed myself to consider such a thing. The next morning, he was gone.
A father's suffering gives valuable life lessons
When I look back on my decision to review Dad's medical records, I realize I did it because I wanted to get to know him from a new perspective. I now appreciate his bravery and how difficult it must have been for him, as a physician, to deal with his disease and face its implications. As time went on, he knew he would never live to see his retirement or to see his children grow up. But he never allowed the reality of his disease to taint his will to live.
I began to think of how often we get so caught up in worrying about the future that we lose the moment we're in. Even before he became sick, my father never took a second of his life for granted. He spent as much time as he could with my mother, my brother, and me, talking and making us laugh. He loved his family, his friends, and his profession.
I've since tried to emulate my father's approach to life. Whenever I feel stressed over something in the future—how I'll find time to attend a conference or pay for retirement, for instance—I remind myself of my father's lesson: Think only about now.
Even my patients have noticed how better focused and more attentive I've become. I listen more carefully and ask questions when they complain of a medication's side effects. Besides treating their current complaint, I ask how they're dealing with their chronic illnesses. Looking back at what my father faced has given me a sobering appreciation for what my chronically ill patients must go through each day. How often had I taken their medical conditions and emotions for granted? What I had seen as a self-preserving detachment was in some respects ignorance.
My medical training has taught me the science, but my father's illness has taught me the humanity and true essence of our noble profession. Just as I should never take my duty to treat patients lightly, I should remember my responsibility to become a more compassionate person both in and outside the office.
Thank you, Dad, with all of my heart.
NOTE: Dr. Navreet Kallar is an internist from Richmond, VA.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
WORLD MUSIC VIDEO OF THE DAY
YOSHIDA BROTHERS ON SHAMISEN (Japanese 3-stringed instrument)
NEW AGE MUSIC TITLE: NIKATA (RENAISSANCE)
NEW AGE MUSIC TITLE: NIKATA (RENAISSANCE)
Monday, June 23, 2008
MINOCYCLINE IS EFFECTIVE FOR THE ACTIVE TAKAYASU ARTERITIS
SOURCES: www.cardiologyonline.com/wchd05/abstracts/1611Matsuyama.doc
http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/143/5/394.pdf
A Matsuyama1 , N Sakai2, M Ishigamai2, H Hiraoka2, S Yamashita2
1Osaka University Hospital, Suita, Osaka, Japan, 2Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Background: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a chronic vasculitis of large elastic arteries. A number of patients are sometimes resistance to the treatment with glucocorticoids and/or immunosuppressive agents, and not a few of them suffer drug toxicity. To evaluate the effect of minocycline in patients with active Takayasu arteritis as a novel therapy, we treated active TA patient with minocycline. Results: A 3-month course of minocycline significantly improved disease activity score from 2.8 + 0.8 (mean + SD) to 0.7 + 1.0 (p<0.05)>
http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/143/5/394.pdf
MINOCYCLINE IS EFFECTIVE FOR THE ACTIVE TAKAYASU ARTERITIS
A Matsuyama1 , N Sakai2, M Ishigamai2, H Hiraoka2, S Yamashita2
1Osaka University Hospital, Suita, Osaka, Japan, 2Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan
Background: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a chronic vasculitis of large elastic arteries. A number of patients are sometimes resistance to the treatment with glucocorticoids and/or immunosuppressive agents, and not a few of them suffer drug toxicity. To evaluate the effect of minocycline in patients with active Takayasu arteritis as a novel therapy, we treated active TA patient with minocycline.
Methods: Eleven patients with active Takayasu arteritis referred to Osaka University Hospital from October 2001 to July 2004 were treated with minocycline orally (100 mg, b.i.d.) for 3 months without changing the dosage of prednisolone. Clinical evaluation based on NIH Criteria of Disease Activity and assessment of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) were performed at baseline and after treatment.
Conclusion: Minocycline could be an alternative to steroids and immunosuppressive agents in patients with active Takayasu arteritis. Before our results are confirmed in controlled clinical trials, minocycline should be considered only for patients who fail to respond or are difficult to stabilize with conventional therapy
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
SERENITY PRAYER
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next.
Amen.
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next.
Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
Saturday, April 5, 2008
AFFIRMATION POSITIVE VIBE OF THE DAY
Here are some tips by Eckhart Tolle, author of the best selling novel A NEW EARTH, and featured on Oprah.
First, do not talk about your illness to other people, except when you visit your doctor.
The more you talk about it, the more you keep the process going.
Do not empower the disease.
If someone asks, say "I'm doing all I can to find healing in this. And I'm making good progress."
No more mentioning of illness. This will have a certain influence on your thought processes.
Gradually refrain from thinking of yourself as a sick person. Give less thought to your illness and focus attention more on well-being.
You may ask, well, but if I don't fell good, if I feel it, how can I give attention to well-being?
You can still do that.
One way is to see well-being around you in nature, because nature is just an embodiment of well being.
There's well-being even if certain parts of your body feel unwell or painful. Sense the body..there are always parts of your body where you can still find well-being, in your toes, wherever.
Take some attention into the body and see, where can I most strongly feel great, a sense of well-being in the body, and then take your attention there.
Choose to direct attention to well-being rather than dwelling on the idea of illness.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS LINK TO AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE
http://www.mrc.ac.uk/NewsViewsAndEvents/News/MRC004475
24 March 2008
Scientists working at the MRC National Institute for Medical Research have shown that environmental factors can influence the development of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis.
A team led by Dr Brigitta Stockinger has identified a molecular mechanism that links a wide range of environmental factors to the autoimmune reactions in which immune system cells attack body tissue. The results are published online in Nature.
The research focused on a protein called the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Activation of the AhR causes enzymes to be produced that are involved in reducing the toxic effect of a wide range of chemicals on the human body. Many of these, such as dioxin, are generated in industrial processes. The research found that stimulation of AhR by environmental factors could be involved in development of autoimmune disease.
The researchers looked at the effect that both AhR and environmental factors had on autoimmune disease in mice.
Dr Stockinger said: ‘‘Multiple factors can influence the development of autoimmune diseases, these include genetics, hormones, diet, the presence of infection or exposure to chemical and environmental irritants. Autoimmune diseases are becoming increasingly common in industrialised countries and it is likely that this is connected to environmental factors.’’
The AhR is present in a group of T helper cells called Th17 in both the mouse and human immune systems. T helper cells generate a response to infection by stimulating the immune cells that produce antibodies and those that destroy other infected cells.
Under normal circumstances, Th17 cells are important in mounting an immune reaction to fungal and bacterial infection. Th17 cell activity is also the cause of some autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The research found that if AhR is activated in mice while Th17 cells are developing, the proportion of Th17 cells present in the body increases and so the potential for the development of autoimmune disease is enhanced. The AhR is activated by environmental factors.
Dr Stockinger explains: ‘‘The AhR system can potentially react to an astounding range of factors, from environmental pollutants to particular foods or even hormone levels. So here we have identified a molecular mechanism that shows how such a wide range of environmental factors could be directly linked to the cells that cause autoimmune reactions.’’
In comparison, mice that lack AhR still develop Th17 cells and T helper cell responses but they don’t have enhanced numbers of these cells. This suggests that AhR interaction with environmental factors leads to an increase in the number of Th17 cells and may contribute to the onset or development of autoimmune diseases in genetically susceptible individuals. In addition, the research showed that stimulation of AhR resulted in faster development of autoimmunity with greater severity. This means that environmental factors are interacting with genetic factors to generate a detrimental autoimmune reaction.
Dr Stockinger concludes: ‘‘The discovery that the stimulation of AhR by environmental pollutants can accelerate the development of autoimmune reactions and the severity of symptoms raises intriguing possibilities and warrants closer examination of a possible role of AhR in human autoimmune diseases."
Original research paper: The Aryl hydrocarbon receptor links TH17-mediated autoimmunity to environmental toxins is published online in Nature.
Press contactPhone: 020 7637 6011press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
24 March 2008
Scientists working at the MRC National Institute for Medical Research have shown that environmental factors can influence the development of autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis.
A team led by Dr Brigitta Stockinger has identified a molecular mechanism that links a wide range of environmental factors to the autoimmune reactions in which immune system cells attack body tissue. The results are published online in Nature.
The research focused on a protein called the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Activation of the AhR causes enzymes to be produced that are involved in reducing the toxic effect of a wide range of chemicals on the human body. Many of these, such as dioxin, are generated in industrial processes. The research found that stimulation of AhR by environmental factors could be involved in development of autoimmune disease.
The researchers looked at the effect that both AhR and environmental factors had on autoimmune disease in mice.
Dr Stockinger said: ‘‘Multiple factors can influence the development of autoimmune diseases, these include genetics, hormones, diet, the presence of infection or exposure to chemical and environmental irritants. Autoimmune diseases are becoming increasingly common in industrialised countries and it is likely that this is connected to environmental factors.’’
The AhR is present in a group of T helper cells called Th17 in both the mouse and human immune systems. T helper cells generate a response to infection by stimulating the immune cells that produce antibodies and those that destroy other infected cells.
Under normal circumstances, Th17 cells are important in mounting an immune reaction to fungal and bacterial infection. Th17 cell activity is also the cause of some autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The research found that if AhR is activated in mice while Th17 cells are developing, the proportion of Th17 cells present in the body increases and so the potential for the development of autoimmune disease is enhanced. The AhR is activated by environmental factors.
Dr Stockinger explains: ‘‘The AhR system can potentially react to an astounding range of factors, from environmental pollutants to particular foods or even hormone levels. So here we have identified a molecular mechanism that shows how such a wide range of environmental factors could be directly linked to the cells that cause autoimmune reactions.’’
In comparison, mice that lack AhR still develop Th17 cells and T helper cell responses but they don’t have enhanced numbers of these cells. This suggests that AhR interaction with environmental factors leads to an increase in the number of Th17 cells and may contribute to the onset or development of autoimmune diseases in genetically susceptible individuals. In addition, the research showed that stimulation of AhR resulted in faster development of autoimmunity with greater severity. This means that environmental factors are interacting with genetic factors to generate a detrimental autoimmune reaction.
Dr Stockinger concludes: ‘‘The discovery that the stimulation of AhR by environmental pollutants can accelerate the development of autoimmune reactions and the severity of symptoms raises intriguing possibilities and warrants closer examination of a possible role of AhR in human autoimmune diseases."
Original research paper: The Aryl hydrocarbon receptor links TH17-mediated autoimmunity to environmental toxins is published online in Nature.
Press contactPhone: 020 7637 6011press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
Saturday, March 22, 2008
LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE
Medical studies show that by doing 15-20 minutes of simulated laughter every day, helps the blood vessels to open up and brings out the good endorphins.
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES & ARTICLES ON LAUGHTER:
http://www.laughteryoga.org/research.php
I AM HAPPY, I AM ALIVE!!!!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
LAUGHTER BOOSTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
LAUGHTER YOGA
The theory behind it is that by doing 15-20 minutes of simulated laughter every day, helps the blood vessels to open up and brings out the good endorphins.
Scientific research write-ups about the benefits of laughter yoga:
http://www.laughteryoga.org/research.php
The theory behind it is that by doing 15-20 minutes of simulated laughter every day, helps the blood vessels to open up and brings out the good endorphins.
Scientific research write-ups about the benefits of laughter yoga:
http://www.laughteryoga.org/research.php
"What you repeatedly think and say is what you get."
WORDS ARE POWERFUL
http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_00000a.htm
The Power of Affirmations
By Remez Sasson
It is advisable to repeat affirmations that are not too long, as they are easier to remember. Repeat them anytime your mind is not engaged in something in particular, such as while traveling in a bus or a train, waiting in line, walking etc, but do not affirm while driving or crossing a street. You may also repeat them in special sessions of 5-10 minutes each, several times a day.
http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_00000a.htm
The Power of Affirmations
By Remez Sasson
Positive affirmations are positive sentences repeated many times in order to impress the subconscious mind and trigger it into action. These sentences describe a situation that we desire to happen, and are repeated many times, with conviction, attention and feelings.
Repeating positive affirmations a few minutes, and then thinking negatively, neutralizes the effects of the positive words. You have to refuse negative thoughts, otherwise you will not attain positive results. We often repeat affirmations, without even being aware of the process. We use them when we tell ourselves that we can't do something, that we are too lazy, or when we believe we are going to fail. The subconscious mind always accepts follows what we tell it.
It is the same principle at work when we say to ourselves that we can do it, or we cannot, when say we are going to succeed and when we keep saying that we are going to fail. It is the same power working both ways. Why not choose the better way?
How to Repeat Affirmations
It is advisable to repeat affirmations that are not too long, as they are easier to remember. Repeat them anytime your mind is not engaged in something in particular, such as while traveling in a bus or a train, waiting in line, walking etc, but do not affirm while driving or crossing a street. You may also repeat them in special sessions of 5-10 minutes each, several times a day.
Relax any physical, emotional or mental tension while affirming. The stronger the concentration, the more faith you have in what you are doing, the more feelings you put into the act, the stronger and faster will be the results.
Choose only positive words, describing what you really want. If you desire to lose weight, do not tell yourself "I am not fat" or "I am losing weight." These are negative statements, bringing into the mind mental images of what you do not want. Say instead, "I am getting slim" or "I have reached my right weight". Such words evoke positive images in the mind.
Always affirm in the present tense, not the future tense. Saying, "I will be rich", means that you intend to be rich one day, in the indefinite future, but not now. It is more effective to say, and also feel, "I am rich now", and the subconscious mind will work overtime to make this happen now, in the present.
The power of affirmations can help you to transform your life. By stating what you want to be true in your life, you mentally and emotionally see and feel it as true, irrespective of your current circumstances, and thereby attract it into your life.
Positive Affirmation: I am truly healthy.
THE POWER OF YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND
PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY - Can We Control Our Immune Systems?
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Psychoneuroimmunology+--+Can+We+Control+Our+Immune+Systems%3F-a074799726
Summary:
This article looks at the controversial issue of mind-body therapy. In particular it will examine the relatively new science of Psychoneuroimmunology, its formation and its relevance to the medical community in finding potential cures for disease through the immune system. This article will also look at some of the alternative therapies, which have proven to be successful, and for which Psychoneuroimmunology provides a potential scientific reason for their success.
For this is the great error of our day that the physicians separate the soul from the body. Hippocrates
Introduction:
A traditional view, still held by many scientists, is that the immune system is autonomous. That is to say that it is self-regulatory and functions separately and independently from the rest of the body. With the increasing focus on the relatively new science of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) these old views are becoming less legitimate.
The name Psychoneuroimmunology was provided in 1975, by Dr. Robert Ader, director of the division of behavioural and psychosocial medicine at New York's University of Rochester. Dr. Ader believes that there is a link between what we think (our state of mind) and our health and our ability to heal ourselves. In particular, this was borne out in a study conducted by Dr. Ader and his colleagues, which showed that it is possible to classically condition, the immune system(1). The experiment that caused this development consisted of feeding mice with saccharin while simultaneously injecting a drug that caused upset stomach. By association, the mice learned to avoid the saccharin. An additional side effect of the drug used was that it suppressed the immune system. When the experiment was repeated without the drug to reverse the aversion Dr. Ader found a high proportion of the mice formerly injected died when receiving saccharin alone.
Dr. Ader hypothesized that the conditioning had been so successful that saccharin alone suppressed the immune system enough to kill the mice.(2) It is possible then, that when there is stress on the organism, mental or physical, that there is a corresponding link between the two. That is to say, if a person has a mental state of depression, this state can be interpreted by the body to produce lethargy and other corresponding ailments. Conversely, if the body is diagnosed as ailing from a serious disease, i.e. cancer, a negative mental state may ensue. By conditioning the immune system through mental processes a connection in communication has been made. Providing patients with some feeling of control over their circumstances may create a positive outlook and attitude. Some believe that this may, Inoculate against disease and act as a valuable supplement to conventional medical care.(3)
Psychoneuroimmunology then is the scientific field of study investigating the link between bi-directional communications among the nervous system, the endocrine (hormone) system, and the immune system and the implications of these linkages for physical health.
This article will look at the history behind Psychoneuroimmunology, and the different sciences that make up Psychoneuroimmunology. It will also look at the research behind these sciences and the different therapies that compliment these studies. In addition, the notion that all non-allopathic medicine is placebo response will be discussed.
A Brief History of Mind-Body Medicine:
There is, and has always been, much controversy over the mind and body connection. It is interesting how the history affected medical philosophies causing the dichotomy between eastern and western medical cultures.
Looking at the ancients, one can see a strong connection in their beliefs that the mind and the body should be treated as the whole. Hippocrates, often referred to as the father of medicine, would caution against not including all of the possibilities in healing. In Chinese medicine the belief is held that certain organs of the body represent various mental or emotional conditions. In addition, a lot of connections are made to nature, through energy meridian lines and hands on manipulation (acupressure). The practitioner will take the time to look into the person's life and see what is happening that may cause a change in the `balance of the organism within the environment'. Knowing what psychological situations are going on in someone's life becomes important when deciding upon what course of treatment to follow.
In the present day western system, the doctor spends only as much time as needed to generally inquire about the symptoms of the ailment, and then to prescribe a particular medicine. This system is derived from the philosophies of Rene Descartes in the seventeenth century. Descartes believed `there are two distinct and separate substances in the world: matter, which behaved according to physical laws, and spirit, which was dimensionless and immaterial'.(4) A belief that these were the differences of spirit and body and that the two were totally unrelated became the philosophy of the day. And so it became that the western culture accepted that pathogens were the cause of all disease. This theory was substantiated in the late nineteenth century by a study of Robert Koch, a German doctor who injected the disease anthrax into healthy sheep and noticed they too contracted the disease and died. From this. `Koch theorised that every disease had a simple, specific cause: germs'.(5)
In the 1920's, Dr. Walter Cannon, a professor of physiology at Harvard University, looked at the need for mental and physical balance throughout the organism and coined the term, "Homeostasis", from the Greek word homoios, meaning similar, and stasis, meaning position. It was his studies into the relationship between the effects of emotions and perceptions on the autonomic nervous system, namely the sympathetic and parasympathetic responses that initiated the recognition of the `fight or flight response'.(6) Following on Cannon's work was that of Hans Selye. Selye experimented with animals putting them under different physical and mental adverse conditions and noted that under these conditions the body consistently adapted to heal and recover. He referred to this as the general adaptation syndrome. Selye also noticed during this adaptation the thymus and other major organs of the immune system shrank. In these studies it was found if the stress of the environment was continued then the immune system reduced and the animal would be overwhelmed and die. These studies validated the path for the connection between emotional states affecting physiological behaviour and states.
Current Research in the Field:
Research continued in the area of molecular communication between the mind and the body, this however was often seen as unwelcome by the existing science community. Research over the past twenty years has seen the development of Psychoneuroimmunology, which is based primarily upon the neuro sciences of the central nervous systems, the neuroendocrine system and the immune system and their inter-relationships. The central nervous system is a huge array of connections throughout the body incorporating sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. It allows the brain to send information throughout the body via chemicals generally referred to as information substances (IS). It was once thought that the brain sent out these information substances to respond to the various problems in the body and that the communication was that of a one way direction. What has become clear is that the central nervous system virtually controls the body's defense mechanisms. This being said, Every thought, emotion, idea or belief has a neurochemical consequence(7).
These natural chemical messengers, called Neuropeptides, were at one time thought to be found in the brain alone. Pioneering research by neuropharmacologist, Candice Pert, revealed that these neuropeptides are present on both the cell walls of the brain and in the immune system.(8) These information substances affect our emotions as well as our physiology. These cells of the body have their own receptors on the surface that act like satellite dishes. These receptors receive the chemical information substances being released by the brain and sometimes return messages at the appropriate times. Pert believes that peptides probably provide solutions to every medical problem.(9) As these complex messengers travel throughout the body they provide vital information and sometimes almost instant physical feedback. If you have ever encountered something unpleasant, possibly by surprise, you may have found yourself instantly shivering, then literally shaking off the feeling produced. This is a simple example of how fast the information can be transmitted from thought to physiology. The emotions we create are just that, created. This requires input from the brain. The centre for the brain that deals with emotional issues is the limbic system and in particular the hypothalamus. The discovery by Candice Pert, that neuropeptides and neurotransmitters are also on cell walls of the immune system shows a close association with emotions and suggests that emotions and health are deeply interdependent. Showing that the immune and endocrine systems are modulated not only by the brain but by the central nervous system itself has had an impact on how we see disease and how its created. For its part, the endocrine system is a series of hormone secreting glands that themselves moderate the function and balance of the body. Primarily the pituitary, thyroid and adrenal glands send these hormonal chemicals to regulate the function of other organs. Using this network of transmitters and receivers the body is in constant adjustment to ensure balance.
The balance is kept as long as the immune system is functioning optimally. The immune system is literally on patrol throughout the body and is a complex surveillance system. The immune cells, called Lymphocytes (white blood cells)
are the keys to the immune system. Produced initially in the bone marrow of long bones, some of these cells known as stem cells will migrate to the thymus where they multiply and are known as T cells. Those cells that remain in the bone marrow mature to become B cells. Each attacks the enemy in different ways. Circulating the body, when these antigens are discovered an army of appropriate cells (antibodies) is produced to attack the invader. To prevent this army of cells taking over, they in turn are suppressed and attacked. On this continuous patrol, natural killer (NK) cells attack and destroy cells that are produced by the organism which are mutated or abnormal. It is this action which prevents most people contracting cancers or other immune deficient problems such as A.I.D.S.
Research has indicated that an inextricable chemical link exists between our emotions, which includes all stress in our lives, both good and bad, and the regulatory systems of the endocrine and immune systems through the central nervous system. This research emphasizes the importance of expressing our emotions both verbally and physically in an appropriate way. When strong emotions generate fear, anger or rage and these are not expressed in a healthy way then the body's natural response is that of the sympathetic nervous system as demonstrated in Cannon's research on homeostasis and the fight or flight syndrome. At this point, inappropriate storing of these stressful emotions produces an excess of epinephrine. This excess of epinephrine causes a chemical breakdown, resulting in internal weakening of the immune system and an increased potential for disease.
For all of the research that has been conducted and continues to be conducted, this new research is not without its detractors. In 1985, Marcia Angell published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine on the new science of Psychoneuroimmunology in which she labelled the science "folklore". She stated that, No one had unequivocally shown a state of mind can cause or cure a disease.(10)
Imagination is more important than knowledge, for while knowledge points to all there is, imagination points to all there will be. Albert Einstein
Mind-Body Therapies:
The application of this field is truly cross-disciplinary and is readily available to the public. There are many techniques and they may be used by a variety of professionals. These professionals include: medical doctors, nurses, naturopaths, osteopaths, Chinese medicine and Chiropractors for the body model and psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, hypnotherapists and counsellors for the mind model. It now becomes a choice for the individual as to whether they attend these mind-body therapies used by a traditional medical person or a practitioner from one of the complimentary systems. While the systems purporting to deliver mind-body therapies are many, this article will restrict itself to a brief overview of some of the most popular of those with recorded successes.
To be continued in the next issue of Subconsciously Speaking
Endnotes:
(1) Kiecolt-Glaser J.K. &. Glaser R. "Psychoneuroimmunology: Past, Present & Future," Health Psychology 8(6): 1989,677-682
(2) Hall Stephen S. "A Molecular Code Links Emotions, Mind and Health," Smithsonian, June 1989
(3) Maranto Gina, "Emotions: How They Affect Your Body," Discover; November 1984, 35
(4) Hafen Brent Q, Karren Keith J., Frandsen Kathryn J., Lee Smith N., "The Effects of Attitudes, Emotions, & Relationships" 23 Allyn & Bacon Massachusetts
(5) Hafen Brent Q, Karren Keith J., Frandsen Kathryn J., Lee Smith N., "The Effects of Attitudes, Emotions, & Relationships" 23 Allyn & Bacon Massachusetts
(6) Gordon James S. M.D. "Testimony to the House Appropriations Committee Chairman" November 5th 1997 3-4
(7) Watkins Alan M.D. "Mind Body Medicine" Churchill Livingstone 1997 P.3
(8) Gordon James S. M.D. "Testimony to the House Appropriations Committee Chairman" November 5th 1997 5
(9) Hafen Brent Q, Karren Keith J., Frandsen Kathryn J., Lee Smith N., "The Effects of Attitudes, Emotions, & Relationships" 30 Allyn & Bacon Massachusetts
(10) Angell Marcia, "Disease as a Reflection of the Psyche," New England Journal of Medicine, 312: 1985, 1570-1572
Jay Quinlan owns and operates Global Learning Solutions Inc., a company that provides both individual and group therapeutic sessions within the Neuro Linguistic & Hypnotherapeutic processes. In addition, Jay provides training and seminars in related topics and communication skills. Jay is an approved school director with the International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association[TM]. If you wish to contact Jay you can do so at (416) 523.9720/(519) 928.9624, Email jay.quinlan@sympatico.ca
Summary:
This article looks at the controversial issue of mind-body therapy. In particular it will examine the relatively new science of Psychoneuroimmunology, its formation and its relevance to the medical community in finding potential cures for disease through the immune system. This article will also look at some of the alternative therapies, which have proven to be successful, and for which Psychoneuroimmunology provides a potential scientific reason for their success.
For this is the great error of our day that the physicians separate the soul from the body. Hippocrates
Introduction:
A traditional view, still held by many scientists, is that the immune system is autonomous. That is to say that it is self-regulatory and functions separately and independently from the rest of the body. With the increasing focus on the relatively new science of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) these old views are becoming less legitimate.
The name Psychoneuroimmunology was provided in 1975, by Dr. Robert Ader, director of the division of behavioural and psychosocial medicine at New York's University of Rochester. Dr. Ader believes that there is a link between what we think (our state of mind) and our health and our ability to heal ourselves. In particular, this was borne out in a study conducted by Dr. Ader and his colleagues, which showed that it is possible to classically condition, the immune system(1). The experiment that caused this development consisted of feeding mice with saccharin while simultaneously injecting a drug that caused upset stomach. By association, the mice learned to avoid the saccharin. An additional side effect of the drug used was that it suppressed the immune system. When the experiment was repeated without the drug to reverse the aversion Dr. Ader found a high proportion of the mice formerly injected died when receiving saccharin alone.
Dr. Ader hypothesized that the conditioning had been so successful that saccharin alone suppressed the immune system enough to kill the mice.(2) It is possible then, that when there is stress on the organism, mental or physical, that there is a corresponding link between the two. That is to say, if a person has a mental state of depression, this state can be interpreted by the body to produce lethargy and other corresponding ailments. Conversely, if the body is diagnosed as ailing from a serious disease, i.e. cancer, a negative mental state may ensue. By conditioning the immune system through mental processes a connection in communication has been made. Providing patients with some feeling of control over their circumstances may create a positive outlook and attitude. Some believe that this may, Inoculate against disease and act as a valuable supplement to conventional medical care.(3)
Psychoneuroimmunology then is the scientific field of study investigating the link between bi-directional communications among the nervous system, the endocrine (hormone) system, and the immune system and the implications of these linkages for physical health.
This article will look at the history behind Psychoneuroimmunology, and the different sciences that make up Psychoneuroimmunology. It will also look at the research behind these sciences and the different therapies that compliment these studies. In addition, the notion that all non-allopathic medicine is placebo response will be discussed.
A Brief History of Mind-Body Medicine:
There is, and has always been, much controversy over the mind and body connection. It is interesting how the history affected medical philosophies causing the dichotomy between eastern and western medical cultures.
Looking at the ancients, one can see a strong connection in their beliefs that the mind and the body should be treated as the whole. Hippocrates, often referred to as the father of medicine, would caution against not including all of the possibilities in healing. In Chinese medicine the belief is held that certain organs of the body represent various mental or emotional conditions. In addition, a lot of connections are made to nature, through energy meridian lines and hands on manipulation (acupressure). The practitioner will take the time to look into the person's life and see what is happening that may cause a change in the `balance of the organism within the environment'. Knowing what psychological situations are going on in someone's life becomes important when deciding upon what course of treatment to follow.
In the present day western system, the doctor spends only as much time as needed to generally inquire about the symptoms of the ailment, and then to prescribe a particular medicine. This system is derived from the philosophies of Rene Descartes in the seventeenth century. Descartes believed `there are two distinct and separate substances in the world: matter, which behaved according to physical laws, and spirit, which was dimensionless and immaterial'.(4) A belief that these were the differences of spirit and body and that the two were totally unrelated became the philosophy of the day. And so it became that the western culture accepted that pathogens were the cause of all disease. This theory was substantiated in the late nineteenth century by a study of Robert Koch, a German doctor who injected the disease anthrax into healthy sheep and noticed they too contracted the disease and died. From this. `Koch theorised that every disease had a simple, specific cause: germs'.(5)
In the 1920's, Dr. Walter Cannon, a professor of physiology at Harvard University, looked at the need for mental and physical balance throughout the organism and coined the term, "Homeostasis", from the Greek word homoios, meaning similar, and stasis, meaning position. It was his studies into the relationship between the effects of emotions and perceptions on the autonomic nervous system, namely the sympathetic and parasympathetic responses that initiated the recognition of the `fight or flight response'.(6) Following on Cannon's work was that of Hans Selye. Selye experimented with animals putting them under different physical and mental adverse conditions and noted that under these conditions the body consistently adapted to heal and recover. He referred to this as the general adaptation syndrome. Selye also noticed during this adaptation the thymus and other major organs of the immune system shrank. In these studies it was found if the stress of the environment was continued then the immune system reduced and the animal would be overwhelmed and die. These studies validated the path for the connection between emotional states affecting physiological behaviour and states.
Current Research in the Field:
Research continued in the area of molecular communication between the mind and the body, this however was often seen as unwelcome by the existing science community. Research over the past twenty years has seen the development of Psychoneuroimmunology, which is based primarily upon the neuro sciences of the central nervous systems, the neuroendocrine system and the immune system and their inter-relationships. The central nervous system is a huge array of connections throughout the body incorporating sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. It allows the brain to send information throughout the body via chemicals generally referred to as information substances (IS). It was once thought that the brain sent out these information substances to respond to the various problems in the body and that the communication was that of a one way direction. What has become clear is that the central nervous system virtually controls the body's defense mechanisms. This being said, Every thought, emotion, idea or belief has a neurochemical consequence(7).
These natural chemical messengers, called Neuropeptides, were at one time thought to be found in the brain alone. Pioneering research by neuropharmacologist, Candice Pert, revealed that these neuropeptides are present on both the cell walls of the brain and in the immune system.(8) These information substances affect our emotions as well as our physiology. These cells of the body have their own receptors on the surface that act like satellite dishes. These receptors receive the chemical information substances being released by the brain and sometimes return messages at the appropriate times. Pert believes that peptides probably provide solutions to every medical problem.(9) As these complex messengers travel throughout the body they provide vital information and sometimes almost instant physical feedback. If you have ever encountered something unpleasant, possibly by surprise, you may have found yourself instantly shivering, then literally shaking off the feeling produced. This is a simple example of how fast the information can be transmitted from thought to physiology. The emotions we create are just that, created. This requires input from the brain. The centre for the brain that deals with emotional issues is the limbic system and in particular the hypothalamus. The discovery by Candice Pert, that neuropeptides and neurotransmitters are also on cell walls of the immune system shows a close association with emotions and suggests that emotions and health are deeply interdependent. Showing that the immune and endocrine systems are modulated not only by the brain but by the central nervous system itself has had an impact on how we see disease and how its created. For its part, the endocrine system is a series of hormone secreting glands that themselves moderate the function and balance of the body. Primarily the pituitary, thyroid and adrenal glands send these hormonal chemicals to regulate the function of other organs. Using this network of transmitters and receivers the body is in constant adjustment to ensure balance.
The balance is kept as long as the immune system is functioning optimally. The immune system is literally on patrol throughout the body and is a complex surveillance system. The immune cells, called Lymphocytes (white blood cells)
are the keys to the immune system. Produced initially in the bone marrow of long bones, some of these cells known as stem cells will migrate to the thymus where they multiply and are known as T cells. Those cells that remain in the bone marrow mature to become B cells. Each attacks the enemy in different ways. Circulating the body, when these antigens are discovered an army of appropriate cells (antibodies) is produced to attack the invader. To prevent this army of cells taking over, they in turn are suppressed and attacked. On this continuous patrol, natural killer (NK) cells attack and destroy cells that are produced by the organism which are mutated or abnormal. It is this action which prevents most people contracting cancers or other immune deficient problems such as A.I.D.S.
Research has indicated that an inextricable chemical link exists between our emotions, which includes all stress in our lives, both good and bad, and the regulatory systems of the endocrine and immune systems through the central nervous system. This research emphasizes the importance of expressing our emotions both verbally and physically in an appropriate way. When strong emotions generate fear, anger or rage and these are not expressed in a healthy way then the body's natural response is that of the sympathetic nervous system as demonstrated in Cannon's research on homeostasis and the fight or flight syndrome. At this point, inappropriate storing of these stressful emotions produces an excess of epinephrine. This excess of epinephrine causes a chemical breakdown, resulting in internal weakening of the immune system and an increased potential for disease.
For all of the research that has been conducted and continues to be conducted, this new research is not without its detractors. In 1985, Marcia Angell published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine on the new science of Psychoneuroimmunology in which she labelled the science "folklore". She stated that, No one had unequivocally shown a state of mind can cause or cure a disease.(10)
Imagination is more important than knowledge, for while knowledge points to all there is, imagination points to all there will be. Albert Einstein
Mind-Body Therapies:
The application of this field is truly cross-disciplinary and is readily available to the public. There are many techniques and they may be used by a variety of professionals. These professionals include: medical doctors, nurses, naturopaths, osteopaths, Chinese medicine and Chiropractors for the body model and psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, hypnotherapists and counsellors for the mind model. It now becomes a choice for the individual as to whether they attend these mind-body therapies used by a traditional medical person or a practitioner from one of the complimentary systems. While the systems purporting to deliver mind-body therapies are many, this article will restrict itself to a brief overview of some of the most popular of those with recorded successes.
To be continued in the next issue of Subconsciously Speaking
Endnotes:
(1) Kiecolt-Glaser J.K. &. Glaser R. "Psychoneuroimmunology: Past, Present & Future," Health Psychology 8(6): 1989,677-682
(2) Hall Stephen S. "A Molecular Code Links Emotions, Mind and Health," Smithsonian, June 1989
(3) Maranto Gina, "Emotions: How They Affect Your Body," Discover; November 1984, 35
(4) Hafen Brent Q, Karren Keith J., Frandsen Kathryn J., Lee Smith N., "The Effects of Attitudes, Emotions, & Relationships" 23 Allyn & Bacon Massachusetts
(5) Hafen Brent Q, Karren Keith J., Frandsen Kathryn J., Lee Smith N., "The Effects of Attitudes, Emotions, & Relationships" 23 Allyn & Bacon Massachusetts
(6) Gordon James S. M.D. "Testimony to the House Appropriations Committee Chairman" November 5th 1997 3-4
(7) Watkins Alan M.D. "Mind Body Medicine" Churchill Livingstone 1997 P.3
(8) Gordon James S. M.D. "Testimony to the House Appropriations Committee Chairman" November 5th 1997 5
(9) Hafen Brent Q, Karren Keith J., Frandsen Kathryn J., Lee Smith N., "The Effects of Attitudes, Emotions, & Relationships" 30 Allyn & Bacon Massachusetts
(10) Angell Marcia, "Disease as a Reflection of the Psyche," New England Journal of Medicine, 312: 1985, 1570-1572
Jay Quinlan owns and operates Global Learning Solutions Inc., a company that provides both individual and group therapeutic sessions within the Neuro Linguistic & Hypnotherapeutic processes. In addition, Jay provides training and seminars in related topics and communication skills. Jay is an approved school director with the International Medical & Dental Hypnotherapy Association[TM]. If you wish to contact Jay you can do so at (416) 523.9720/(519) 928.9624, Email jay.quinlan@sympatico.ca
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