“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands (Psalm 119:18, 73).
Many Christians are devoted to the practice of prayer, but do not consider themselves to be involved in meditation at all. But actually, it is hard to separate prayer and meditation. It has been said that if prayer is talking to God, then meditation is listening to Him.
Recent scientific studies that have verified the health benefits of prayer and meditation come from a variety of notable sources, including the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Harvard Medical School, Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, Johns Hopkins University, and Duke University. Well-regarded centers and institutes dedicated only to research related to spirituality and health are sponsored by some of these institutions, among many others. Prayer and meditation have been shown to offer specific health benefits, mainly involving the reduction of stress response in our bodies. In addition to calming us down and making us feel good, meditation has been shown to sharpen mental activity and change brain structure.
Our bodies are responsive
Although science is exploring the benefits of prayer and meditation, many medical doctors still find the mind/body connection and alternative (or complementary) medicine to be a foreign concept. But through personal experience alone, we recognize that our bodies respond to the way we think, feel, and act. When we are stressed, anxious, or upset, our bodies try to tell us that something isn’t right. For example, high blood pressure or a stomach ulcer might develop after a particularly stressful event, such as the death of a loved one.
The following may be physical signs that emotional health is out of balance: back pain, chest pain, or general aches and pains; headaches or extreme tiredness; constipation, diarrhea or upset stomach; change in appetite and unusual weight gain or loss; trouble sleeping; sweating, light-headedness, or heart palpitations; and sexual problems. Poor emotional health can weaken the immune system, making the development of colds and other infections more likely during emotionally difficult times. Also, when feeling stressed, anxious, or upset, we may not take care of our health as well as we should. We may not feel like exercising, eating healthy foods, or even taking medicine that the doctor prescribes.
You may not be used to talking to your doctor about such feeling or problems in your personal life that are causing emotional distress, but it is important to be honest with your doctor if you are having these feelings or experiencing excessive stress.
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
