Studies show that rabbits who were petted, cuddled, and caressed failed to get high cholesterol levels despite being fed high cholesterol diets while rabbits fed high cholesterol diets but received no cuddling, petting or caressing died of cardiovascular disease. This study indicates that those receiving “loving energy” metabolized cholesterol differently resulting in normal serum cholesterol levels.
Premature infants who were loved, stroked, and cuddled gained almost 50% more weight per day than premature infants who received no physical demonstration of love. Furthermore, cuddled infants had increased growth hormone levels.
A comprehensive study found that 50% of heart attack victims didn’t have the standard risk factors–smoking, hypertension, diabetes, obesity. Instead, the two most important risk factors in this group centered on job satisfaction and happiness ratings. People who answer affirmatively to two questions–“Are you happy?” and “Do you enjoy your job?”–have a much lower risk for heart disease.
An intriguing study at San Francisco General Hospital documented the power of prayer. Patients on the coronary care unit were divided into two groups. One group received excellent medical care. Those in the second group, in addition to experiencing excellent medical care, received prayer. The group that was prayed for recovered twice as fast as the first group.