This week we will present the last in this series on chronic systemic inflammation and its role in the development of most if not all chronic lifestyle diseases – e.g. obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, auto-immune diseases, cancer and degenerative neurological disorders.

ALSO READ : Turning the Tide – Sleep is more important than you may think

The topic this week is on the role of spiritual well-being.  Some people would like to deny our spiritual nature.  For many, spirituality is related to religious activities such as prayer, meditation, spiritual reading and contemplation and attendance of religious services. 

But even for those who do not claim religious affiliation, spirituality can be expressed in art forms, music, acts of compassion and community service. 

I am not denying that some expressions of spirituality can be negative or even toxic – religious beliefs that diminish human value, or freedom of choice or that cause fear. Is there scientific evidence for the benefit of regular participation in constructive spiritual activities – prayer, meditation, forgiveness, compassion, kindness, gratefulness, hope, attendance at places of worship, connection with a higher power? 

How do these affect chronic systemic inflammation? In an article in the World Heart Journal in 2016, a group of international physicians haling from India, Norway, Russia, USA, Poland and Bulgaria discussed the role of mental and spiritual health on the heart. 

They cited the role of stress and anxiety on stimulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (chemicals which stimulate inflammation), and the effect of yoga, meditation and active prayer to decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure and blood glucose. 

Regular practice of spiritual activities can improve autonomic functions, reducing stress hormones, and increase parasympathetic activity, which suppresses inflammation. 

A study that followed almost 75,000 participants showed an inverse association between attendance at religious services and adverse health outcomes, with greater benefit the more often participants attended religious services. One of the determinants of chronic inflammation is social stress – things like childhood adversity, social isolation and social threat.

These actually alter gene expression resulting in greater inflammation, and reduction in antibody production. 

Imagine the benefits accrued to someone from the social support obtained by attending church or group fellowships, or from learning to be grateful or hopeful because of dependence upon a higher power in our lives; or from sharing love and compassion; or from experiencing and giving forgiveness for wrongs committed or received.

According to Dr Karen Swartz of the John Hopkins University, forgiveness “is an active process in which you make a conscious decision to let go of negative feelings whether the person deserves it or not.  As you release the anger, resentment and hostility, you begin to feel empathy, compassion and sometimes even affection for the person who wronged you.” 

Those who hang onto grudges are more likely to experience severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder – which can result in chronic inflammation.

(I can’t quite imagine someone beginning to feel affection for the individual who has sexually or physically abused them in the past, but at least the thought of that person can pass through the mind without resulting in rising tension).

A large nationwide study involving 8450 people 40 or more years of age, over an average of 8,5 years as part of the NHANES III confirmed that there was a significant reduction in mortality with more frequent attendance at religious services in the USA.  (The NHANES III is the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey which included just under 40,000 persons.)

This includes deaths from all causes.  Often associated with frequent attendance at religious services, and contributing to lower mortality, is less smoking or alcohol use, more health-promoting activities like attending doctors for regular check-ups, and less anxiety.

Over the last 7 weeks we have discovered that very many factors influence chronic systemic inflammation.  Many of these factors can be mitigated by instituting lifestyle modifications which include:

• A predominantly plant-based, whole food diet, resulting in healthy gut microbiome
• Participate in physical activity on a regular basis
• Get sufficient regular sleep
• Deal positively with stress in life
• Good social connectivity
• Spiritual health, as was discussed in today’s blog.

We have discovered that our choices can significantly affect our health and longevity; our zest for living and our enjoyment of life – apart from reducing expenditure on doctors and pharmacy bills. Next week will be a surprise package.  I would love some feedback, and suggestions for future blogs. 

Please contact me on dglass@venturenet.co.za if you have any questions or comments. 

Dr David Glass graduated from UCT in 1975.  He spent the next 12 years working at a mission hospital in Lesotho, where much of his work involved health education and interventions to improve health, aside from the normal busy clinical work of an under-resourced mission hospital.  He returned to UCT in 1990 to specialise in obstetrics/gynaecology and then moved to the South Coast where he had the privilege of, amongst other things, ushering 7000 babies into the world.  He no longer delivers babies but is still very clinically active in gynaecology. An old passion, preventive health care, has now replaced the obstetrics side of his work.  He is eager to share insights he has gathered over the years on how to prevent and reverse so many of the modern scourges of lifestyle – obesity, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, common cancers, etc. He is a family man, with a supportive wife, and two grown children, and four beautiful grandchildren. His hobbies include walking, cycling, vegetable gardening, bird-watching, travelling and writing.  He is active in community health outreach and deeply involved in church activities.  He enjoys teaching and sharing information. HAVE YOUR SAY Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram