Health and Spirituality. What is the connection?
January 24th, 2012 | 
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The life and human existence we raise many questions that can be put into context within the framework of a spiritual life. Certain forms of spirituality, religion and faith, can find your connection with you and the world. Many people wonder if religion, prayer and spirituality have a positive effect on health of body and mind. In life and health we tell you more about this interesting topic.
They say that faith can move mountains. But how can faith be good for health? For years and years this question has arisen in scientific debates. It is clear that human beings are a composite whole body, mind and spirit. Therefore, an entity can not operate independently of each other: if the body is sick, it is because something in the mind and emotions is wrong. Since we have the use of reason, most of us wonder about the meaning of life. “Why am I here?”, “What is my mission in the world?” “What happens after death?” Are some of the questions we all asked.
To answer and give context to life, spirituality has emerged. This is not necessarily linked to a religion or a cult, but rather comes to choose a way to connect with oneself and with others and give meaning to existence. Scientists agree that spirituality and faith have positive health effects, but precisely because they produce ‘miracles’ in the religious sense of the word. Rather, because the people who lead a spiritual life, tend to have habits or provide tools that promote health and reduce disease, including:
- Social support: people who belong to a church, a worship, a congregation or share a practice such as meditation or yoga, have a larger circle of support and develop more meaningful relationships that are good for emotional wellbeing. This translates into a healthier body/mind.
- Healthy Habits: religious and spiritual practices encourage healthy habits such as eating more vegetables and fruits (yoga and meditation, this is recommended) and also to avoid alcohol and snuff.
- Positive thoughts and emotions: the religious and spiritual activities bring positive emotions and positive thoughts, which has shown a good influence on the immune system and mental health.
- High self-esteem: having a spiritual life promotes good self-image as well as acceptance and love for life.
- Ability to cope better with situations: spiritual people who practice prayer or meditation, for example, have a better ability to cope and deal with stressful and difficult situations that they may present. This makes the stress does not have such a strong impact on physical health. Similarly, if you have an illness or addiction, those who consider themselves spiritual beings or practice any religion can recover much more quickly and easily.
There are some studies that have shown that people suffering from cancer and have a spiritual life, have delayed the development of the disease. While further studies are needed to support this theory, we know that religion, spirituality, prayer and improve the quality of life of cancer patients. It is worth mentioning that in our Hispanic culture, many people who consider themselves religious, sometimes see disease as a ‘punishment’ or ‘proof’ that they must accept without doing anything about it. This means that often accept health problems that present themselves without seeking medical attention. This is a grave mistake! Always seek medical attention, regardless of your beliefs. Instead use them to have a more positive mind, more connected with your being and so, your body may heal faster.
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