Synopses & Reviews
In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Jeff Levin explores the latest compelling evidence of the connection between health and an array of spiritual beliefs and practices, including prayer, attending religious services, meditation, and faith in God. Drawing on his own and other published studies, Dr. Levin shows how religion's emphasis on healthy behaviors and supportive relationships influences one's overall health and how the optimism and hopefulness of those who profess faith promote the body's healing responses. Filled with dramatic personal stories, God, Faith, and Health will alter the way you think about your body and your faith and will show you the path to improving your own health through spiritual practice.
""Jeff Levin writes with incredible clarity, style, and passion. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the religion-health connection, especially those wondering if such a connection exists at all.""
-Harold G. Koenig, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, and author of The Healing Power of Faith
""Beautifully written and packed with compelling scientific evidence for the spirituality-health connection . . . . With the precision of a scientist, the courage of a true pioneer, and the artistry of a storyteller, Levin reminds us of what we can no longer afford to ignore: that our spiritual life matters mightily to our health and well-being at every level.""
-Janet F. Quinn, Ph.D., R.N., Associate Professor, University of Colorado School of Nursing
Review
Praise for God, Faith, and Health
"Jeff Levin writes with incredible clarity, style, and passion. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the religion-health connection, especially those wondering if such a connection exists at all."??Harold G. Koenig, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, and author of The Healing Power of Faith
"A masterpiece for this exciting and challenging time of transformation . . . a beacon to all seeking to understand the connection between faith and health and our connection to the divine."??Elaine R. Ferguson, M.D., author of Healing, Health, and Transformation: New Frontiers in Medicine
"Beautifully written and packed with compelling scientific evidence for the spirituality-health connection . . .With the precision of a scientist, the courage of a true pioneer, and the artistry of a storyteller, Levin reminds us of what we can no longer afford to ignore: that our spiritual life matters mightily to our health and well-being at every level."??Janet F. Quinn, Ph.D., R.N., Associate Professor, University of Colorado School of Nursing
"Dr. Levin brings to awareness what is essential for everyone to know about the role of religion and spirituality in creating health and recovery from illness. Without this knowledge, real healing cannot happen. Dr. Levin has done us all??clinician and patient alike??a real service."??Gerald Epstein, M.D., Director, American Institute for Mental Imagery, and author of Healing Visualizations and Healing into Immortality
" God, Faith, and Health emphasizes the major scientific advances that tell us it is time to reintegrate spirituality into all aspects of our lives."??C. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D., Founding President, American Holistic Medical Association, and President, Holos Institutes of Health, Inc.
"Dr. Levin shows us??clearly, thoughtfully, comprehensively??that belief does matter. Spiritual practice and religious observance are powerful medicine."??James S. Gordon, M.D., Chairman, White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy, and author of Manifesto for a New Medicine
"Jeff Levin writes with incredible clarity, style, and passion. He is one of the first and finest scientists ever to brave this territory and has had enormous influence on others due to his scientific rigor. Levin speaks powerfully as a true leader and authority in this growing field. This book is a MUST read for anyone interested in the religion-health connection, especially those wondering if such a connection exists at all."--Harold G. Koenig, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center and author of The Healing Power of Faith
Synopsis
In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Jeff Levin explores the latest compelling evidence of the connection between health and an array of spiritual beliefs and practices, including prayer, attending religious services, meditation, and faith in God. Drawing on his own and other published studies, Dr. Levin shows how religion's emphasis on healthy behaviors and supportive relationships influences one's overall health and how the optimism and hopefulness of those who profess faith promote the body's healing responses. Filled with dramatic personal stories, God, Faith, and Health will alter the way you think about your body and your faith and will show you the path to improving your own health through spiritual practice.
"Jeff Levin writes with incredible clarity, style, and passion. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the religion-health connection, especially those wondering if such a connection exists at all."
-Harold G. Koenig, M.D., Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, and author of The Healing Power of Faith
"Beautifully written and packed with compelling scientific evidence for the spirituality-health connection . . . . With the precision of a scientist, the courage of a true pioneer, and the artistry of a storyteller, Levin reminds us of what we can no longer afford to ignore: that our spiritual life matters mightily to our health and well-being at every level."
-Janet F. Quinn, Ph.D., R.N., Associate Professor, University of Colorado School of Nursing
About the Author
JEFF LEVIN, Ph.D., an epidemiologist and former medical school professor, is the pioneering scientist whose research beginning in the 1980s helped create the field of religion, spirituality, and health. He has been featured in Time and the Washington Post as well as on NPR. He lives with his wife, Dr. Lea Steele, in Kansas.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Larry Dossey, M.D.
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
PART 1. THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF PUBLIC RELIGION.
Religious Affiliation and a Healthy Lifestyle.
Religious Fellowship and Spiritual Support.
PART 2. THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF PRIVATE SPIRITUALITY.
The Emotional Impact of Worship.
Religious Beliefs, Healthy Beliefs.
Faith, Hope, and Optimism.
PART 3. GOD, SPIRIT, AND THE FUTURE OF MEDICINE.
Energy, Consciousness, and Mysticism.
To Heal Is Divine.
From Body-Mind to Body-Mind-Spirit.
References.
Index.