Healing

Cancer, Heart Disease, and Depression

Jerry Rhine

• Publisher: Open Road Distribution
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781504028097
• eBook ISBN: 9781504011860
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Oncology

Healing provides readers with the power to utilize the mind's ability to create physiological changes in their bodies in combination with western medicine to reverse life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, depression, diabetes, AIDS, and more. This book includes numerous transforming images, which enable readers to tap into their mind's subconscious, of positive emotional states including Hope, Self-love, Happiness, and Courage, and thereby reverse immune suppressive states of anxiety. Healing also contains inspiring quotes from the Dalai Lama, Buddha, and William Wordsworth; suggestions for specific actions including forgiving someone who has hurt them and feeling a sense of peace; and supporting facts, studies, and science, including gene therapy and quantum physics.

The Science of Psychoneuroimmunology

The brain and the body are constantly transmitting information in the form of our emotions, which influence the effectiveness of our immune system. Our brain is made of ten trillion transmitters, about as many as there are stars in the galaxy.

These cells are neurons, which transmit negative electrical impulses. Neurons receive information from other cells’ processes and send the information to systems in the body, including the immune system. The dendrites of the receptors on the surface of the neuron gather the information in the form of electrical impulses. A combination of this information is sent to the cell body, called the soma and then to axons through nerve impulses. At the end of the axon, chemicals called neurotransmitters are sent across separations called synapses. The neurotransmitters are attached to receptors of specific neighboring dendrites, like a key to a lock. The chemicals such as endorphins, norepinephrine, and dopamine are excitatory; encephalin and GABA are inhibitory. The information received by the receptors will determine the form of the nerve impulse and the firing rate of the next neuron.

A similar process is taking place when hormones are released from our pituitary system.

First, emotional information is gathered in the amygdala, which stores our memories of events. Additional information from our emotions is stored in our limbic system.

How can we affect our mood and enhance our immune system through imagery?

Images are constantly entering our minds both consciously and unconsciously in daydreams and dreams when we sleep. We can alter negative images using pleasant images of our past. These images can be enhanced by bringing in all of our senses. They stimulate emotions encoded in the memory system in our cells. The emotions create electrical impulses and chemicals that travel through our body, communicating interactively with our brain. This communication either suppresses or enhances our immune system.

Imagery of positive and calming emotions can change our negative moods. Positive images enable us to produce better results from medical treatment and curtail the growth and metastasis of cancer cells. They have the potential to reverse heart disease.

Unfortunately, life has dealt you a very difficult challenge.

Biological Factors: Stress

The immune system, the endocrine system, and the nervous system are biological systems that prevent and treat cancer. Each is in some manner affected by psychological stress. Even though normal stress alone has not been found to cause cancer, chronic stress that lasts a long time negatively affects a person’s overall health and ability to cope with cancer. People who are better able to cope with stress by practicing visualization, have a better quality of life in general. Supplementing visualization with traditional medical treatment for cancer can enhance the chance for recovery.

The immune system is a biological system that protects against disease. It detects a wide variety of external agents and distinguishes them from the organism’s own healthy tissue, acting as a physical and chemical barrier to infectious agents. Done through a process known as antigen presentation, it identifies and removes foreign substances present in organs, tissues, blood, and lymph nodes utilizing specialized white blood cells.

Among them T cells can recognize and destroy cells displaying tumor antigens and are associated with survival of patients with different cancers.

Disorders of the immune system can result in cancer and heart disease.

The endocrine system is the system of glands, each of which secretes different types of hormones directly into the bloodstream to maintain homeostasis. Hormones are substances (chemical mediators) released from endocrine tissue into the bloodstream where they travel to target tissue and generate a response. Hormones regulate various human functions, including metabolism, growth and development, tissue function, sleep, and mood. Tamoxifen is a medication used in hormone therapy to treat breast cancer by blocking the effects of estrogen on cancer cells in breast cancer tissue. Hormone therapy is also used in prostate cancer treatment. Stress can lead to increased levels of hormones such as cortisol, which depresses the immune system. Norepinephrine and serotonin reduce stress levels.

The nervous system is integrated with the endocrine system. It receives sensory information from its external environment and inputs it to its internal environment. The internal environment integrates this information and transmits signals to the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The CNS contains the brain and spinal cord.

The PNS contains a complex network of neurons, nerve cells, which signal to other neurons in the form of electrochemical waves. These signals travel along axons, which are thin fibers. The result is chemicals called neurotransmitters released at junctions called synapses. These neurotransmitters may be excitatory or inhibitory. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine, acetylcholine, glutamate, and GABA in areas of the brain are involved in the regulation of stress responses. The nervous system enables the body to perceive its external environment and to adapt its performance. At the cellular level, the nervous system is defined by the presence of a special type of cell, called the neuron, also known as a “nerve cell.” Neurons have special structures that allow them to send signals rapidly and precisely to other cells.

A cell that receives a synaptic signal from a neuron may be excited, inhibited, or otherwise modulated. The connections between neurons form neural circuits generating an organism’s perception of the world determining its behavior.

Scientists have also found a direct link between our immune system and heart disease. Chronic anxiety or depression suppresses the immune system, producing a higher risk for heart disease and cancer. If we lower our stress levels with our brains, we decrease our risk for heart disease and cancer.

Instructions for Meditation

Go to a quiet place where you will not be disturbed since it is your time to relax. Sit comfortably without crossing your arms and legs. Close your eyes and breathe in and out slowly. Become increasingly aware of your breathing. As you breathe out say the word “one”, om, shalom, love, peace, or a mantra of your choosing. Breathe easily and naturally. Continue for 10 minutes. With practice you will be able to extend the period of this form of relaxation. When distracting thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not focusing on them, and return to repeating your mantra. You are now free from all responsibilities and have nothing to do but allow waves of relaxation to wash through your body. Try and see a light filled with love and power coming down from above from a higher power.

Allow these rays to come into the crown of your head and start to fill up your body. Visualize the light filling every organ, bone, and cell in your body. Let waves of relaxation permeate your entire body and soul.

Now relax the muscles in your forehead and, if necessary, tense your forehead first and then relax it.

Now relax the muscles around your eyes, tensing first if it is helpful. Allow your eyelids to feel very heavy.

Next, allow your mouth to open and your tongue to float in your mouth.

Now relax your nose slowly, breathing in and out.

Swivel your neck slowly, and allow it to relax and rest down to your chest. Shake your shoulders and allow them to relax.

Begin taking deeper and deeper breaths into your chest, exhaling slowly. Imagine breathing into your nose a very comforting steam with a pleasant fragrance.

Breathe the comforting steam into your body slowly and easily. Allow the breathing to happen by itself.

Feel the wave...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Praise for Healing
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Imagery to Heal
• Change
• Hope
• Knowledge
• Self-Love
• Happiness
• Self-Esteem
• Courage
• Freedom
• Compassion
• Power
• Joy
• Laughter
• Awe
• Gratitude
• Energy
• Spirituality
• Forgiveness
• Faith
• Giving
• Tranquility
• Connection
• The Science of Psychoneuroimmunology
• Suggested Materials
• Acknowledgments
• About the Author
• Copyright Page