Overcoming Severe Stroke Through Powerful Prayers

 Good luck with that. I'd prefer EXACT 100% RECOVERY PROTOCOLS!

Overcoming Severe Stroke Through Powerful Prayers

The Effects of Prayer and Meditative Practices on Neuroplasticity

 Meditation has been known for a long time to be beneficial to stroke recovery. Hasn't your competent? doctor created a protocol on it yet? So an incompetent doctor for over a decade and your stroke hospital still hasn't fired them?

• meditation (60 posts to January 2012)

The Effects of Prayer and Meditative Practices on Neuroplasticity

Sep 2, 2024

—

by

astrastem

in Research Journal

By Masooma Hyder Baig

Throughout our lives, our brains are constantly changing and adapting to our environments. Neuroplasticity is our brain’s ability to reorganize itself by continually forming new neural connections at all life stages: good and bad. This article explores how prayer and meditative practices act as internal stimuli that impact these abilities, where research highlights the changes in brain function.

Understanding Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is defined as the ability of the nervous system to change its activity in response to intrinsic or extrinsic factors by reorganizing its structure, functions, or connections (Mateos-Aparicio and Rodríguez-Moreno, 2019). This often involves the formation of new neural pathways, the strengthening of existing ones, and/or pruning of unused connections. Thus, neuroplasticity is fundamental in determining our ability to learn, memorize, and even recover from brain injuries. It enables the brain to compensate for decreased function and simultaneously maximizes the remaining function if there is damage. 

Meditation and Brain changes

Meditation can refer to several mindful practices involving the individual training themselves to focus on a present moment, object, or situation, allowing them to feel peace and connected to themselves. Studies have shown that long-term meditation practices have been linked to increased cortical thickness in certain brain areas. Primarily, areas related to attention, the perception of the body’s internal conditions, and sensory processing that enable positive habits and practices in individuals. However, one should consider factors like age, sex, genetics, and health status which may also influence cortical thickness alongside the effects meditation may have  (Lazar et al., 2005).

Meditation has also been linked to larger hippocampal volumes in the right hemisphere of the brain (Luders et al., 2009). The hippocampus has numerous functions, that are proven to be vital in learning and memory, emotional behavior, and spatial navigation (Dhikav and Anand, 2012). Thus, it suggests these findings explain why meditators maintain emotional stability and form positive emotions.

Prayer

Prayer encompasses many different practices which can include meditation, deep thought, and/or certain physical movements to demonstrate one’s submission to a superior being or particular way of life. Newburg’s study on the Franciscan nuns performing a contemplative prayer that involved pondering over a Bible phrase demonstrated increased frontal lobe activity and decreased parietal lobe activity (Newberg et al., 2003). The frontal lobe is associated with focused attention, emotional regulation, and decision-making (Kinaan Javed and Forshing Lui, 2019) while the parietal lobe is associated with spatial awareness and sensory perception (Vandenberghe et al., 2001). A case series study on Islamic prayer observed similar results with decreased parietal lobe activity. However, decreased frontal activity was also documented. Newburg suggested that this was due to the centering prayer of the nuns being similar to meditation, where participants were actively focused on a particular religious phrase (Newberg et al., 2015). These different practices correlate with the feeling of submission individuals may experience when in prayer, with anecdotal accounts highlighting how many feel less attached to their current surroundings and more aligned with a presence they assume to be greater than them: providing a sense of comfort during prayer. 

Conclusion

To summarise, prayer and meditation both have profound effects on neuroplasticity. Regular meditation enhances cortical thickness and hippocampal volume contributing to increased attention, emotional stability, and better memory. Prayer produces similar effects to invoking different brain responses where increased frontal lobe activity may be observed. Especially in prayer practices similar to meditation that require deep focus. Other prayer practices that emphasize movement may observe decreased frontal lobe activity as one works to submit to God. Yet, these different practices reiterate the idea of relinquishing control, allowing individuals to find peace. Thus, it is evident that through prayer and meditation, one can reap both spiritual and cognitive benefits: an area of modern neuroscience proving to be abundant in further exploration.

Reference list

Discovering Grace at the Table? Prayers at Mealtime, Marital Status, and Life Satisfaction in Later Life

I'm not married and I'm certainly not going to take up religion for supposed psychological benefits. This earlier research suggests the opposite.

Life-Course Religious Attendance and Cognitive Functioning in Later Life 

 Our key findings demonstrate that older adults who attended religious services for more of their life course tend to exhibit poorer working memory and mental status.

But  have the smarter people self selected out of religion?

 The latest here:

Discovering Grace at the Table? Prayers at Mealtime, Marital Status, and Life Satisfaction in Later Life

Jong Hyun Jung, Christopher G. Ellison

First Published January 21, 2021 Research Article 

https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027521989092

Article information

Abstract

This study examines the effects of prayers at mealtime on change in life satisfaction among older U.S. adults. In addition, it assesses the ways that marital status conditions these psychological effects of prayers at mealtime. Using two waves of longitudinal data from the Religion, Aging, and Health Survey (2001–2004), a representative sampling of adults aged 65 and older, the analyses reveal that the frequency of prayers at mealtime is associated with an increase in life satisfaction over time. Further, the positive effects of prayers at mealtime on change in life satisfaction are greater for nonmarried older adults than their married counterparts. The findings in the study reinforce claims of the beneficial effects of religion on mental well-being in later life. Moreover, they elaborate on the resource substitution thesis by showing that religion provides greater psychological benefits for older adults who do not have alternative resources for well-being—a marital partner.

Keywords religion, subjective well-being, marriage, resource substitution, longitudinal analysis

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Braves offer prayers for Hall of Famer Cox following stroke

Prayers do nothing. You would have needed to get research going decades ago to help people now. If you want your grandchildren to get recovered from a stroke you need to take over the stroke associations, create a strategy and run research to solve that strategy. It is very simple but our fucking failures of stroke associations fixate on prevention and F.A.S.T.  Neither of which help survivors.

Braves offer prayers for Hall of Famer Cox following stroke

ATLANTA (AP) — Hall of Famer manager Bobby Cox was able to accept visitors in his Atlanta-area hospital room on Wednesday, one day after the longtime Braves skipper suffered a stroke.
Braves manager Brian Snitker and general manager Alex Anthopoulos were among those saw Cox.
“He’s holding up great, as Bobby would,” Snitker said.
Snitker described his reaction to Cox’s stroke as “stunned.” Snitker, who worked as a third base coach for Cox, became emotional when talking about his 77-year-old mentor.
“He’s a strong man, he’s got a strong will,” Snitker said, adding, “right now, we’re all just praying.”
First baseman Freddie Freeman, who made his debut in Cox’s 2010 farewell season, said he felt a missing presence around the team.
“It’s tough,” Freeman said. “But we all know Bobby Cox. I don’t think a stroke is going to keep him down. We’ll see him here real soon, hopefully.”
Cox wore his Braves jersey while shouting “play ball!” before the first pitch of Monday night’s home opener against the Chicago Cubs.
Even in retirement, Cox has remained a regular around the Braves. His routine includes pregame coffee with Snitker.
“I said about 6:20 when I’m normally in there drinking coffee with him, it’s going to be a big void,” Snitker said.
Snitker said he visited Cox in the hospital “as much for me as for him. He’ll be fine.”
Cox’s family released a statement on Wednesday which thanked fans for their support.
“We want to thank all of you who have sent their well wishes or said a prayer,” the statement said. “We know the power of Braves Country and we hope those prayers and positive thoughts continue as Bobby heals. You don’t know how much your support means to Bobby and to our family.”
The Braves also released a statement that said, “We know no one stronger or more determined than Bobby Cox. Our thoughts and prayers are with him as he recovers. We look forward to seeing him soon and would like to thank the baseball community for joining together to support our dear friend.”
Catcher Brian McCann described Cox as “one of the best human beings any of us have ever met” and as an “icon.”
“He is the Atlanta Braves,” McCann said. “He’s the best.”
Freeman said he expected Cox would be watching Wednesday night’s Cubs-Braves game.
“He’s going to be keeping score,” Freeman said. “He’s going to be yelling at us, for sure.”
Cox ranks fourth all-time with 2,504 wins in 29 years as a manager, including 25 years in two stints with the Braves and four years with Toronto.
Cox led the Braves to 14 straight division titles from 1991-2005, including the 1995 World Series title. It is the Braves’ only championship since moving to Atlanta in 1966.
He began his second stint with the Braves as general manager in 1985 when he was lured back to Atlanta by then-owner Ted Turner. As GM, Cox helped to build the team that enjoyed the long run of division titles.
Cox returned to the dugout as manager in 1990. John Schuerholz moved to Atlanta as general manager, forming the successful partnership with Cox.
His most celebrated draft pick as GM was Chipper Jones, the No. 1 overall selection in 1990.
Jones spent his full career with the Braves and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame last year, joining Cox and former teammates Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz.
Jones used his Twitter account to express support for Cox. “Prayers up this morning for the Skipper!!!” Jones wrote.
The Braves retired Cox’s No. 6 following his final season. He entered the Hall of Fame in 2014 with Maddux and Glavine.