Recap

Methods for Health & Well-Being

During the first three hours, holistic physician and author, Larry Dossey shared how "ordinary things" can have healing powers or increase well-being. Among the items and methods he cited:

• Tears-- A study in Japan with rheumatoid arthritis patients found that those who cried during an experiment were more likely to go into remission than subjects who did not shed tears.
• The law of reverse effort-- "If you want it, it recedes; if you let go, it approaches."
• Forgiveness-- Research has shown that people who can't forget and forgive carry an elevated level of stress hormones, which is bad for their health.
• Music-- In some cases music has been known to raise people out of a coma.
• Optimism-- Those with an optimistic attitude have healthier immune systems than pessimists.
• Risk Taking-- People who take chances in their life rather than always playing it safe, tend to have better immune systems. Stretching the mind in terms of mental activity is associated with increased lifespan.

For additional resources on alternative medicine, Dr. Dossey recommended the American Holistic Medical Association and the American Holistic Nurses Association.

The last hour of the program was devoted to Open Lines.

Related Articles

Hygiene Hypothesis

Dr. Larry Dossey is an advocate for what has become known as the 'Hygiene Hypothesis.' The theory argues that excessive cleanliness and a lack of exposure to various microorganisms can affect the developing immune system of children and make them more susceptible to autoimmune diseases such as asthma. For more, see HealthLink and Wikipedia.