Religion and Correlation of Health/Lifespan
By Yakob Abdul Rahman W. Scholer
“Those who are deeply involved in religious activities have a longer lifespan and are likely to stay more healthy ”
(Mr. McCullough et al.) Healthpsychology – Linda Brennon and Jess Feist
HEALTH AND RELIGION
A century ago Emile Durkheim, a social Scientist, pondered on the benefit and influence of religious involvement to our health.
However many researchers found out that the community involved in religious activities were more likely to be sicker than others.
This PARADOX was further researched and an interesting finding was revealed.
EXTRINSIC - outside pressure and influence motivated persons, seemed to benefit less, indeed they seemed to have negative consequences of following the ritual requirement, without deeper love and understanding of the essence of their religion. These people are not deeply religious but follow attendance and rituals for their own ends.
INTRINSIC - inner motivation oriented persons whose whole life and action was guided by the spirit of their believes, had significant health benefits related to less sickness recorded and longer life span. They, in contrast, were deeply committed and their life was guided by their religion as part of their lives. They had internalized the creed and follow it fully.
Extrinsic religious orientated persons are quite prejudiced and narrow minded whereas those with an
Intrinsic orientation were less intolerant and less prejudiced.
In recent years researchers had become more interested in the correlation of Health consequences and religions involvement.
Study was done on three types of religious involvement:
• attendance at religious services
• the importance of religion is one's own life
• spiritual help seeking
These people had been examined for depression and the finding was that those who just attended religious services had no reaction on their depression.
The second group showed low level of depression suggesting that the benefit of salience improved their condition.
Those who sought spiritual guidance had a very low level of depression.
Another study showed that people who had an intrinsic religious orientation had a lower rate of:
• Cancer
• Hypertension
• Heart disease
• Strokes
There is an assumption that religion and health have a psychological link and it is assumed that the psychological resources provided by the religious involvement plays a vital role.
A leading German newspaper reporting on “Why Prayers are Healthy” revealed the following:
Prayer and religious activities reduce:
• Hypertension
• Cholesterol levels
• Depression
It improved the:
• Cardiovascular system
• Immune system
• Pain management
Yet another Study showed that people who suffered from a heart disease had a 93% improvement due to prayers that were performed for these people from spiritual persons from the various world religion.
Another study showed that People who attended community prayers at least ones a week lived an average 14 years longer than others.
Religion and prayer are not a substitute for medical help, but support and complement each other.
In Islam we are taught to take care of our body. To do all that keeps it healthy and to avoid all that harms it.
Moderation in all that we do, is part of the religious guidance in Islam.
I would like to come back to a point made earlier.
EXTRINSIC form of religious practices seems to become more of a problem than true help. This has to be understood in that the person is in an emotional conflict between believing and practicing. Performing rituals without the practicing spirit
In my experience I have over and over noted that people who did not practice what they ‘claimed‘ to believe were tensed up, “holier than thou”, prejudiced, envious, intolerant and unhappy, unable to accept that others might be happier.
Islam and other religions forbid the faithful to indulge in hatred, bitterness, jealousy and vengefulness. How do these abdominal behaviors influence our health.
• They cause emotional stress
• Negative stress causes reduction of the immune system.
• Reduced immune system again opens the door to illness
• Cancer is an immune reduction disease.
• Infections, viral as well as bacterial are flourishing in an reduced immune condition.
• The cardiovascular system, inclusive of hypertension, is being impaired by negative mental stress
• Mental Health is significantly influenced by negative thoughts and behavior
In the years of my experiences I have observed that a significant number of people who suffered cancer, heart infarct and strokes, had a prior period of (negative) mental stressful situations. Some where matrimonial related: illicit relationship, unfaithful partners, neglect and abuse or sudden loss of partner.
A study in Asia has found out that up to 60% of Drug abusers were victims of sexual abuse in childhood most within the family circle and become predators of sexual abuse in their adulthood.
Drug abuse connected to AIDS is one of the most serious problems facing our present society.
There is a (potential) workforce of approximately 250,000 people on drugs, unproductive and causing social as well as security problems, devouring millions of RINGGITS that could be used for a better purpose.
When looking at a problem like drug abuse we must also look at the potential underlying causes that leads young people to resort to chemical induced temporarily “contentment and gratification”. To condemn Drug users is a simplification of a problem and ignoring of our own failures.
THE NEED TO DO GOOD - Islam and most other great world religions, encourage their followers to do good deeds. Doing good deed is not merely a matter of performing good acts, perhaps to be seen by others. No, it is the good deed that may remain completely unnoticeable to others.
I would like to stress that the most important and fruitful deed is to pray for others.
We have heard how prayers can influence our environment. How it can help sick persons. It is free of monetary needs yet powerful and effective.
We can do it at anytime, anyplace for anyone. How about a friendly smile to someone whom we might not even know, a courteous greeting, holding a door open for someone with a load, offering a seat in a bus or LRT etc. giving way to another motorist, being courteous in our service with others etc. they are true and potent acts of good deeds, encouraging others to follow-suit and thereby changing our “world for the better”. I remember what my mother used to say, “ The good deeds we do return manifold in our own hearts” . Indeed, try to do a good deed and find out how happy, contended and satisfied you feel afterwards.
Happy feelings foster the our Immune System and lead to improvement of positive mental/physical and spiritual benefits to the individual.
Being happy and healthy can be so simple and effective, if only we would follow the spiritual aspect of Islam. It is not the ritual performance that will bring the benefit but the ‘ niat' which will automatically lead to the rest of observance of religious obligations
It is this mentality of being good to others that will bring us more benefit than the mere distribution of material things. Of course we should help the less fortunate materially as well, but never forgetting that the most potent of good acts is the good wishes and prayers we can offer for others.
Parenting and Prayer
Parents do not need to despair when they notice that their child goes through and adolescent crisis. It is a time when they are often confused and without orientation. If parents are cutting off ties with them, they create the feeling of rejection. Of course, we should not condone an unacceptable behavior of an offspring, nor should we reject the person because of our own pride or for fear of tarnishing our public image. Why not use the most powerful tool we have available, and that is PRAYER .
The nature of parenthood is such, that we cannot “deny” the existence of a child without undergoing severe mental stress.
Denying mental stress does not eliminate its existence or its harmful effect on us. Just the fact that they are ‘common' does make it normal. At times I hear people say that illness is sent by Allah. We should not question that Allah may have His own way of leading us through life. But if we lead a self-destructive life and then claim the consequences to be from Allah, we come close to blasphemy. Allah wants us to be happy. He gives us health. We, however, often lead ourselves into illness and sorrow.
We humans were made to be happy and healthy. Sorrow and illness are not normal. Otherwise we would have no right to strive for restoration of health.
It is the Person who has done all that is possible for his health, who will accept Allah's ways of leading and guidance of our life.
I like to close with an Arabic proverb that says:
"Thust in Allah but tie up your Camel"
If you are in need of mobilenursing or a MOBILE DOCTOR kindly contact: http://www.hnp-mobilenursing.com/ or 0060378777202 or nursing@hnp-mobilenursing.com
By Yakob Abdul Rahman W. Scholer
“Those who are deeply involved in religious activities have a longer lifespan and are likely to stay more healthy ”
(Mr. McCullough et al.) Healthpsychology – Linda Brennon and Jess Feist
HEALTH AND RELIGION
A century ago Emile Durkheim, a social Scientist, pondered on the benefit and influence of religious involvement to our health.
However many researchers found out that the community involved in religious activities were more likely to be sicker than others.
This PARADOX was further researched and an interesting finding was revealed.
EXTRINSIC - outside pressure and influence motivated persons, seemed to benefit less, indeed they seemed to have negative consequences of following the ritual requirement, without deeper love and understanding of the essence of their religion. These people are not deeply religious but follow attendance and rituals for their own ends.
INTRINSIC - inner motivation oriented persons whose whole life and action was guided by the spirit of their believes, had significant health benefits related to less sickness recorded and longer life span. They, in contrast, were deeply committed and their life was guided by their religion as part of their lives. They had internalized the creed and follow it fully.
Extrinsic religious orientated persons are quite prejudiced and narrow minded whereas those with an
Intrinsic orientation were less intolerant and less prejudiced.
In recent years researchers had become more interested in the correlation of Health consequences and religions involvement.
Study was done on three types of religious involvement:
• attendance at religious services
• the importance of religion is one's own life
• spiritual help seeking
These people had been examined for depression and the finding was that those who just attended religious services had no reaction on their depression.
The second group showed low level of depression suggesting that the benefit of salience improved their condition.
Those who sought spiritual guidance had a very low level of depression.
Another study showed that people who had an intrinsic religious orientation had a lower rate of:
• Cancer
• Hypertension
• Heart disease
• Strokes
There is an assumption that religion and health have a psychological link and it is assumed that the psychological resources provided by the religious involvement plays a vital role.
A leading German newspaper reporting on “Why Prayers are Healthy” revealed the following:
Prayer and religious activities reduce:
• Hypertension
• Cholesterol levels
• Depression
It improved the:
• Cardiovascular system
• Immune system
• Pain management
Yet another Study showed that people who suffered from a heart disease had a 93% improvement due to prayers that were performed for these people from spiritual persons from the various world religion.
Another study showed that People who attended community prayers at least ones a week lived an average 14 years longer than others.
Religion and prayer are not a substitute for medical help, but support and complement each other.
In Islam we are taught to take care of our body. To do all that keeps it healthy and to avoid all that harms it.
Moderation in all that we do, is part of the religious guidance in Islam.
I would like to come back to a point made earlier.
EXTRINSIC form of religious practices seems to become more of a problem than true help. This has to be understood in that the person is in an emotional conflict between believing and practicing. Performing rituals without the practicing spirit
In my experience I have over and over noted that people who did not practice what they ‘claimed‘ to believe were tensed up, “holier than thou”, prejudiced, envious, intolerant and unhappy, unable to accept that others might be happier.
Islam and other religions forbid the faithful to indulge in hatred, bitterness, jealousy and vengefulness. How do these abdominal behaviors influence our health.
• They cause emotional stress
• Negative stress causes reduction of the immune system.
• Reduced immune system again opens the door to illness
• Cancer is an immune reduction disease.
• Infections, viral as well as bacterial are flourishing in an reduced immune condition.
• The cardiovascular system, inclusive of hypertension, is being impaired by negative mental stress
• Mental Health is significantly influenced by negative thoughts and behavior
In the years of my experiences I have observed that a significant number of people who suffered cancer, heart infarct and strokes, had a prior period of (negative) mental stressful situations. Some where matrimonial related: illicit relationship, unfaithful partners, neglect and abuse or sudden loss of partner.
A study in Asia has found out that up to 60% of Drug abusers were victims of sexual abuse in childhood most within the family circle and become predators of sexual abuse in their adulthood.
Drug abuse connected to AIDS is one of the most serious problems facing our present society.
There is a (potential) workforce of approximately 250,000 people on drugs, unproductive and causing social as well as security problems, devouring millions of RINGGITS that could be used for a better purpose.
When looking at a problem like drug abuse we must also look at the potential underlying causes that leads young people to resort to chemical induced temporarily “contentment and gratification”. To condemn Drug users is a simplification of a problem and ignoring of our own failures.
THE NEED TO DO GOOD - Islam and most other great world religions, encourage their followers to do good deeds. Doing good deed is not merely a matter of performing good acts, perhaps to be seen by others. No, it is the good deed that may remain completely unnoticeable to others.
I would like to stress that the most important and fruitful deed is to pray for others.
We have heard how prayers can influence our environment. How it can help sick persons. It is free of monetary needs yet powerful and effective.
We can do it at anytime, anyplace for anyone. How about a friendly smile to someone whom we might not even know, a courteous greeting, holding a door open for someone with a load, offering a seat in a bus or LRT etc. giving way to another motorist, being courteous in our service with others etc. they are true and potent acts of good deeds, encouraging others to follow-suit and thereby changing our “world for the better”. I remember what my mother used to say, “ The good deeds we do return manifold in our own hearts” . Indeed, try to do a good deed and find out how happy, contended and satisfied you feel afterwards.
Happy feelings foster the our Immune System and lead to improvement of positive mental/physical and spiritual benefits to the individual.
Being happy and healthy can be so simple and effective, if only we would follow the spiritual aspect of Islam. It is not the ritual performance that will bring the benefit but the ‘ niat' which will automatically lead to the rest of observance of religious obligations
It is this mentality of being good to others that will bring us more benefit than the mere distribution of material things. Of course we should help the less fortunate materially as well, but never forgetting that the most potent of good acts is the good wishes and prayers we can offer for others.
Parenting and Prayer
Parents do not need to despair when they notice that their child goes through and adolescent crisis. It is a time when they are often confused and without orientation. If parents are cutting off ties with them, they create the feeling of rejection. Of course, we should not condone an unacceptable behavior of an offspring, nor should we reject the person because of our own pride or for fear of tarnishing our public image. Why not use the most powerful tool we have available, and that is PRAYER .
The nature of parenthood is such, that we cannot “deny” the existence of a child without undergoing severe mental stress.
Denying mental stress does not eliminate its existence or its harmful effect on us. Just the fact that they are ‘common' does make it normal. At times I hear people say that illness is sent by Allah. We should not question that Allah may have His own way of leading us through life. But if we lead a self-destructive life and then claim the consequences to be from Allah, we come close to blasphemy. Allah wants us to be happy. He gives us health. We, however, often lead ourselves into illness and sorrow.
We humans were made to be happy and healthy. Sorrow and illness are not normal. Otherwise we would have no right to strive for restoration of health.
It is the Person who has done all that is possible for his health, who will accept Allah's ways of leading and guidance of our life.
I like to close with an Arabic proverb that says:
"Thust in Allah but tie up your Camel"
If you are in need of mobilenursing or a MOBILE DOCTOR kindly contact: http://www.hnp-mobilenursing.com/ or 0060378777202 or nursing@hnp-mobilenursing.com
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