THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION:

Healing at the psychological

and spiritual levels
Rob Rutledge MD FRCPC

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

MAIN POINTS

Healing occurs in body-mind-spirit

Take care of yourself
Use what works for you
Listen to your inner wisdom
Peace with the process
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

CAN YOUR BODY

AFFECT YOUR MIND?

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

STRESS AND EXERCISE

Very effective stress-buster
Burns off sugars and fats
Strengthens heart, lung
and bone
More energy, better sleep
Improves quality of life
3 times a week for 30min

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

EXERCISE RESEARCH
Randomized trials

Prostate cancer patients on hormones

3 Workouts / week for 3 months
Improved fatigue and quality of life
Postmenopausal breast cancer women
Met 3/week for 15 weeks
Better lung capacity and quality of life
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

Randomized Controlled Trial of Yoga

for Symptom Management
During Breast Cancer Treatment
A Moadel et al, AECM, Bronx NY presented at ASCO

60 women with breast cancer

Randomized to 12 weekly sessions
of yogic stretching, breathing, and
meditation versus standard care
Yoga improved social well being
Relationships, support, emotions

Less fatigue, better functioning

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

CAN YOUR MIND AFFECT

YOUR BODY?

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

NEUROPSYCHOIMMUNOLOGY
Physical transaction
Neurons release chemicals and
hormones which affect your body
Emotions are from chemicals affects how the brain works
Same area of brain active real vs imagined
Remembered wellness
Our thoughts affect our body
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

THE PLACEBO EFFECT

Sugar pill
Decreases pain 30% of time
Wisdom teeth extraction - 30%
improved with mock ultrasound
Helps many conditions - arthritis,
angina, skin conditions, etc.
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

THE NOCEBO EFFECT

Belief in negative effects can cause
those effects
Voodoo spell
Placebo side effects - drowsiness,
headache, nausea, constipation.
Pseudopregnancy
Worsening of asthma
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

MEDITATION
Exercise in awareness
and concentration
Deep relaxation
Brain waves change
over time
Improves longevity,
quality of life, pain,
intelligence, anxiety

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

The effect of mindfulness meditation and

stress reduction on mood and symptoms
of stress in cancer patients
Speca et al, Psychosom med 2000

Randomized trial of 90 people with cancer

Seven weekly meditation group meeting
Overall reduction in total mood disturbance:
65% in meditation group vs. 31% in controls
Less depression, anxiety, anger, confusion,
and more vigor
Less symptoms of stress
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

Alterations in brain and immune

function produced by meditation
Davidson et al. Psychosom Med July 2003

Randomized trial n=41 healthy employees

Weekly program mindfulness meditation
EEG before, after and four months later
Increased activity in left prefontal lobe that
persists at least four months after practise
More able to produce antibodies in
response to flu vaccine.
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

OTHER SCIENTIFIC PROOF

OF MIND AFFECTING BODY
Imagery improves nausea, pain,
weight gain
Enhances immunity in older people
Hypnosis helps with fish-skin
disease, bleeding in hemophiliacs,
blood sugar in diabetics, allergic
reactions, warts.
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

CAN THE MIND AFFECT

CANCER SURVIVAL?
The mind-body connection and the
immune system
Animals: stress leads to cancer
Support groups improve longevity?
Degree of self-help improves
survival duration
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

Can lifestyle changes

reverse prostate cancer

Dr. Dean Ornish, UCLA

87 men with early prostate cancer
All men were on observation
Experimental arm: stress management, lowfat vegan diet with antioxidants, moderate
exercise, and psychosocial group support
PSA every 3 months for 1 year
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

Can lifestyle changes

reverse prostate cancer
Experimental arm - PSA down 3% at 1 year
and none needed treatment
Control - PSA up 7%, 7 needed Rx
Control group followed diet 75% as well as
experimental group yet PSA increased
2nd experiment : Blood from men inhibited
prostate cancer cell growth in test tubes in
67% in experimental group vs 12%.
Greater adherence to program inhibited
prostate cancer cells more
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

BEYOND THE MIND-BODY

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY

Maximizes relaxation response bypass unhealthy worries
Cancer patients have better
health associated with faith in
7 of 8 studies
Laying of hands
Letting go
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

PRAYER AND MENTAL

HEALING
Effects on cellular and biological systems
Enzyme activity, bacteria, plants, small
mammals
Human targets - eye movements, muscles,
electrodermal, brain rhythms
At a distance, even when subject unaware
Prayer for heart patients may work
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

ADVICE ON HOW TO LIVE

Use what works for you
A peaceful process is crucial
Our motivation is critical

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

HOW TO TAP INTO YOUR

INNER WISDOM

Feeling, intuition or in body

Watch your thoughts and moods
Write down your dreams
Write a journal
Use art to express unconscious
Watch for signs / circumstances
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

WHO AM I ?
Body
Mind
Spirit

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

WHAT TO DO - BODY

LISTEN to your body

Eat well
Exercise
Get lots of sleep
Love Yourself
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

WHAT TO DO - MIND

Find balance and hold the tension

Learn - Read - Research
Relaxation techniques -de-stress
See a therapist
Do what you love
Love Yourself
Serve others
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

WHAT TO DO - SPIRIT

Listen to your inner wisdom

Pray - visualize
Meditate / contemplate
Seek spiritual counsel
Let go
Love Yourself
Serve the greater good
Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

QUESTIONS???

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection

THE RELAXATION
RESPONSE
Breathe into your belly
Think of a time when
you were safe and happy
Physiological response

Mind-Body-Spirit Connection