Spanning over 70 years, this study meticulously examined the mortality and disease statistics of devoted Danes affiliated with the Seventh Day Adventist or Baptist churches. By cross-referencing membership lists with national cancer and death registries, the researchers unearthed a remarkable revelation.
While these religious societies exhibited significantly lower rates of “lifestyle” cancers associated with smoking and alcohol abuse, the impact surpassed mere lifestyle choices—extending its reach to non-lifestyle-related cancers like bladder and pancreatic cancer.
The protective effect also transcended cancer and impacted other diseases as well. Men witnessed a 27% reduction of heart disease, while women experienced a 21% decrease. When accounting for all potential causes of death, the mortality rate for men dropped to a remarkable 76% of the average, and for women, it dwindled to 87%.
Seventh Day Adventists and Baptists firmly believe that God shields them from harm, and the numbers resoundingly affirm the validity of their convictions. Similar findings have emerged from studies involving churchgoers in the United States and Norway as well..
What captivated my imagination was the magnitude of the effect, particularly concerning traffic accidents. After all, accidents are deemed happenstance, occurrences of chance. Yet, the religious Danes, with a mere 8% of the traffic accidents compared to the average Dane, suggesting something more profound than chance is indeed at play in these populations of believers..
In my book Bliss Brain (2020), I delve into numerous case histories where individuals have experienced transformative changes in their lives and health simply by altering their beliefs. Consider the astounding account of a television journalist who, through eight weeks of meditation, witnessed a remarkable 23% enlargement of a brain structure known as the dentate gyrus—an area responsible for emotional regulation. A larger dentate gyrus translates into a reduction of irritation, anger, resentment, and other negative emotions.
Astonishingly, even highly genetic conditions such as Alzheimer’s can be influenced by our daily thoughts as another study uncovered a striking link between negative thinking and the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain—a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease progression. The presence of more negative thoughts correlated with heightened beta-amyloid levels.
The seemingly random occurrences we often attribute to chance, such as traffic accidents, as well as ailments like cancer and heart disease, bear profound connections to our beliefs. The intricate relationship between a belief in a loving God and the subsequent adoption of healthier lifestyle choices makes it challenging to disentangle cause and effect. Nonetheless, reinforcing the power of our positive beliefs remains paramount.
Embrace the protection offered by a loving and benevolent universe as you embark on each new day. Align your consciousness intentionally with the spirit. Embrace prayer as your unwavering response to life’s trials. Begin your mornings with meditation to set a harmonious tone for the day ahead. Surround yourself with individuals who emanate elevated emotions and spiritual awareness. Refrain from engaging in negative thoughts, actions, and media.
Love yourself enough to wholeheartedly embrace belief. Science unequivocally reveals that these practices hold the potential to wield a dramatic influence on your health, even positively impacting your longevity. The realm of divine protection awaits your conscious embrace.
For more spiritual material and other helpful pieces to lead you in a more positive direction in life, learn more from the divine teachings of Dawson Church PhD. in his educational course today!
References
Church, D. (2020). Bliss brain: The neuroscience of remodeling your brain for resilience, creativity, and joy. Hay House.
Marchant, N. L., Lovland, L. R., Jones, R., Pichet Binette, A., Gonneaud, J., Arenaza‐Urquijo, E. M., … & PREVENT‐AD Research Group. (2020). Repetitive negative thinking is associated with amyloid, tau, and cognitive decline. Alzheimer’s and Dementia, 16(7), 1054-1064.
