For the Health of Mind and Body
Benefit of “TLC”
Can TLC (tender loving care) reduce the risk of heart disease even though large amounts of cholesterol are consumed? It apparently can—at least in rabbits. Researchers at Ohio State University reported on experiments with two sets of rabbits who were given identical diets. One set got “tender loving care,” and the other group got ordinary care. As for the TLC rabbits, a researcher said: “I’d visit them four or five times a day just to say hello and cuddle. They were happy.” The result? Said Dr. Fred Cornhill, assistant professor of surgery at the university’s College of Medicine: “We saw twice as much atherosclerosis [cholesterol buildup]—in one case three times as much—in the aortas of the animals given ordinary care as we saw in the TLC rabbits.” The experiment seems to agree with other studies showing that stress may contribute to heart disease, and the rabbits receiving tender care evidently felt less stress.
Beware of Excess X Rays
The routine use of X rays by doctors to protect themselves against possible malpractice suits has been growing rapidly. Government authorities say that as many as a third of such X rays are useless, and medical authorities say that such overuse can be harmful. Exposure to X rays is cumulative, so that a person safely can receive only a certain total radiation dose in his lifetime (50 rems).
“Canadian Consumer” magazine recommends: “A pregnant woman should never have her abdomen X-rayed, unless a doctor counsels the contrary. . . . You should refuse to allow a routine dental X-ray examination every six months, especially of a child. Ask if the machine has a focusing adaptor, which restricts the beam size, and insist on wearing a lead apron. Record all X rays you or your children receive, along with the name of the prescribing doctor, the date, and the place of the examination. The consumer must take the responsibility of avoiding unnecessary X rays.”
More to Life
What is your purpose in living? Many aim at the acquiring of material goods or things that will make their life comfortable. But is that truly satisfying? Dr. Hans Selye, world-famous authority on the effect of stress on the body and mind, observed in “World Health”:
“Man certainly does not get the feeling of happiness, of having completed his mission on earth, just by staying alive very long. On the contrary, a long life without the feeling of fulfillment is very tedious. And yet, when (and if) they analyse their lives, most people get the feeling of merely muddling through, of drifting aimlessly, from one day to another. Just staying alive, no matter how comfortably and securely, is no adequate outlet for man’s vital adaptation energy. Comfort and security make it easier for us to enjoy the great things in life, but they are not, in themselves, great and enjoyable aims.”
The Bible makes it plain that having a relationship with the Creator and living in accord with his will are vital to a truly happy life.