Spiritual Aspects of Health

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Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)

If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. (Exodus 15:26b)

The sum of it is, that if the Israelites were tractable and, obedient to God, He on the other hand would be kind and bountiful to them. And it is an implied rebuke, that they might know whatever troubles they experienced, to be brought upon them by their sins. He proposes the Egyptians to them as an example, whose rebellion they had seen punished by God with such severe and heavy calamities. I am the Lord that healeth thee, is immediately added in confirmation, as if he had said, that the Israelites were liable to the same plagues which had been inflicted on the Egyptians, and were only exempt from them because God performed the office of a healer. And truly whatsoever diseases afflict the human race, we may see in them, as in so many mirrors, our own miseries, that we may perceive that there is no health in us, except in so far as God spares us. We are also taught in this verse that this is the rule of a good life, when we obey God's voice and study to please Him. But because the will of God was soon after to be proclaimed in the law, He expressly commands them to give ear to His commandments, and to keep His statutes.. . . . Let it suffice that God's law is commended under many names, to take away all pretext of ignorance. -- John Calvin commenting on Exodus 15:26

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. (James 5:14,15)

And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. (Exodus 23:25)

Christ is the most tender-hearted physician. He hath ended his passion but not his compassion. He is not more full of skill than sympathy, He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds (Psalm 147:3). Every groan of the patient goes to the heart of the physician. -- Thomas Watson (1620-1686)

So treat this Holy Spirit, as thou wouldst one from whose prescription thou art in a continual course of physic, and none have skill but he. For when thou comest to die, his cordials must alone support, for none of any other's making will do thee any good. It is these, and these alone, must comfort, and carry thee to heaven. -- Thomas Goodwin (1600-1680)

When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. -- John Muir (1848-1914)

*Baxter, Richard (1615-1691), The Saint's Everlasting Rest: Baxter's Practical Works, Vol. 3, ISBN: 187761128X 9781877611285. A Christian classic.
"Third in the four-volume set. Includes The Saint's Everlasting Rest; Treatise of Self-Denial; The Life of Faith; Obedient Patience, and many more. Over 1000 pages." -- GCB
"This is the greatest treatment on Heaven ever to appear! . . ." -- Wilbur M. Smith.
The Saints' Everlasting Rest, (singly) Richard Baxter, edited by Benjamin Fawcett
"Discusses the nature, excellencies, design, rejection, necessity, of the Saints' rest. Calls us to live the heavenly life now." -- GCB
The Saints' Everlasting Rest, Richard Baxter, edited by Benjamin Fawcett
http://www.ccel.org/b/baxter/everlasting_rest/saints_rest.html

Boston, Thomas (1676-1732), The Shortness of Human Life. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive. Available (THE WORKS OF THOMAS BOSTON, VOL. 11), on the Puritan Hard Drive. Available (THE WORKS OF THOMAS BOSTON, VOL. 11), on Reformation Bookshelf CD #6.

Bouma, Hessel, III, Christian Faith, Health and Medical Practice, ISBN: 0802803695 9780802803696.

Ellens, J. Harold, God's Grace and Human Health, ISBN: 0687153263 9780687153268.

*Finley, Martha (aka Martha Farquharson, 1828-1909), Book 2: Elsie's Holidays at Roselands, ISBN: 9781888306323 1888306327.
"When Elsie's father becomes ill, she takes on the job of nurse-companion, and all goes well until Elsie, because it is the Sabbath, as a matter of conscience refuses to read to him from a secular book. The battle of wills that ensues nearly causes first her father's death, and then Elsie's. Lonely Elsie -- punished, ostracized, and then abandoned by her father -- turns to her heavenly Father for comfort and assurance. Will her father realize that Elsie's obedience to God must be paramount, and submit himself to the same Divine Authority?" -- Publisher
On an even more serious note, one moral of this story is the broader life and death struggle between Truth and Falsehood (See: Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality], Epistemology of Theology, The Theory of Knowledge, and Christian Scholarship.) The consequence of conflict of will is death of the "One," or war of the "Many" (see Rushdoony, THE ONE AND THE MANY: STUDIES IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF ORDER AND ULTIMACY. Conflict of will (see Will and Recalcitrance, Rebellion and Lawlessness: Wickedness, Demonic Possession, Abnormal Behavior, Insanity, Mental Illness, Mental Retardation,) may begin when one individual (see The Doctrine of Man [Human Nature, Total Depravity],) or the corporate body (see Corporate Faithfulness and Sanctification), tries to usurping authority over others (see Power, Authority) -- tries to control and possess the other (see Tyranny, Slavery, Our Systems of Enslavement, Economic Enslavement.) The means of control may be either outward or occult (see The Occult, Spiritism, Witchcraft), deceit, repression or suppression of the truth, replacing moral and ethical absolutes with relativism (see Ethics, Computer Ethics, Cyberethics, Medical Ethics, Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality], unfaithfulness to the highest ethical standards (see The Ten Commandments: The Moral Law, The Holy Bible), Heresy and Apostasy (Apostacy, Old English), Spiritual Adultery [Spiritual Whoredom/Harlotry,] (see Idolatry, Syncretism, Jeremiah and Lamentations,) invocation of the demonic, Oaths, Ensnaring Vows, Promises, and Covenants, Bonds With the Ungodly (see Carnality and Flesh Pleasing: Desires, Pleasure, Justice, Judgment, God's Final Judgment, The Great White Throne Judgment, The Day of the Lord,) attempts to take authority over another politically or by mental malpractice (see Selection of Covenant Heads for Positions of Leadership, making up their own rules (see Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality],) ignoring or changing constitutional or creedal documents, unjust laws for the accumulation of wealth and power, indebtedness, disenfranchisement, (see denial of freedom,) Priestcraft, Pharisaism, Soul-stealing, possessiveness, physical seduction and whoredom, political economic or sexual enslavement (see Sexual Relationship,) and so forth, and so on.
This abuse, this soul-violence, quenches the Holy Spirit (see Owen, God's Presence With a People the Spring of Their Prosperity; With Their Special Interest in Abiding in Him.) If either side is immovable, then death is the consequence (see Soteriology, Atonement, The Blood of Christ, Hell, and Heaven.)
How are conflicts of will resolved? By submission to the Absolute Truths of God's word, the great common denominator, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6)
All this bears a strain of the Gospel (see Book-length Presentations of the Free Offer of The Gospel Message of Salvation and the Life to Come: The Means of Grace, The Westminster Confession of Faith.)
Book 2: Holidays at Roselands
http://archive.org/details/holidaysatrosel00finlgoog
Holidays at Roselands (Gutenberg text)
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=14280
Mantle Ministries (Elsie Dinsmore Series and Mildred Series)
http://www.mantlemin.com

*Flavel, John (1630-1691), The Fountain of Life Opened up, or, A Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory. Available (JOHN FLAVEL'S WORKS), on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"If my pen were both able, and at leisure, to get glory in paper, it would be but a paper glory when I had gotten it; but if by displaying (which is the design of these papers), the transcendent excellency of Jesus Christ, I may win glory to him from you, to whom I humbly offer them, or from any other into whose hands providence shall cast them, that will be glory indeed, and an occasion of glorifying God to all eternity. It is not the design of this epistle to compliment, but to benefit you; not to emblazon your excellencies, but Christ's; not to acquaint the world how much you have endeared me to yourselves, but to increase and strengthen the endearments between Christ and you, upon your part." -- John Flavel
"Wherein the impetration [1. to obtain by entreaty 2. to entreat; to ask for -- compiler] of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded, as it was begun, carried on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious Incarnation, solemn call and dedication, blessed offices, deep abasement, and super-eminent Advancement. In all which the great supernatural mystery of the wisdom and love of God, in his . . . salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ, is distinctly explicated, . . . as well as generally applied for the winning of unbelievers to him, and the confirmation of all that do believe in him." -- Publisher
The Fountain of Life
http://archive.org/details/TheFountainOfLife
The Fountain of Life
http://www.ccel.org/flavel/fountain/flavfoun.txt

Gibson, James E., Healing Wisdom From the Bible: Spiritual Guidance, Inspiration, and Comfort for Everyday Life, ISBN: 044021016X 9780440210160.
"This important book harnesses the healing powers of one of our oldest and most inspiring guides. Whether it's dealing with anger or dealing with each other, overcoming family conflicts or achieving happiness, Gibson uses Scriptures to provide enlightening and practical solutions." -- Publisher

Heimburger, Douglas C, Whatever Happened to sin and the Soul in Medicine?

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), The Doctor Himself and the Human Condition, ISBN: 0906747082 9780906747087.

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), Healing and the Scriptures, ISBN: 0840790112 9780840790118.
"The ten chapters in this book are excerpts from messages given by the Doctor to medical students and practicing M.D.'s. The subjects covered are many, among which are: The Supernatural in medicine, On treating the whole man, The doctor as counselor, Fullest care, Medicine in modern society, Body, mind, and spirit, How to combat the demonic, Identifying psychosomatic illnesses, and The moral law. . . ." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), The Life of Peace: Exposition of Philippians 3 and 4, [Philippians 4] ISBN: 0801056780 9780801056789.
"This volume follows THE LIFE OF JOY which is on Philippians 1 and 2, thus completing the study on the Book of Philippians. Examples of expository excellence!" -- GCB

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), The Supernatural in Medicine, ISBN: 0851119425 9780851119427.

*Lockyer, Herbert, All the Promises of the Bible, ISBN: 0310281318.
"A devotional expositional compilation of all the promises [about 3,300 of the approximate 8,810 promises -- compiler], that are found in Scripture." -- Publisher
"Lockyer's in-depth look at the scope of God's promises arranges them in categories that cover the full array of human concerns, from the spiritual to the material and the corporate to the personal. As you come to understand God's promises and how they apply to every aspect of your life, you'll gain a trust in God that will sustain you through the worst of times and be your source of rejoicing in the best.
"Dr. Herbert Lockyer was born in London in 1886, and held pastorats in Scotland and England for 25 years before coming to the United States in 1935. In 1937 he received the honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Northwestern Evangelical Seminary. In 1955 he returned to England where he lived for many years. He then returned to the United States where he continued to devote time to the writing ministry until his death in November of 1984." -- Publisher

McColley, D., Physical and Spiritual Care of the Terminally ill.

Merritt, James, God's Prescription for a Healthy Christian, ISBN: 0896935396 9780896935396.

*Pascal, Blaise (1623-1662), and A.J. Krailsheimer (translator), Pensees, ISBN: 0140446451 9780140446456.
"In his short lifespan, Pascal invented the prototype of the computer (la machine arithmetique), started the first public passenger service in Paris, mastered a physics problem re the vacuum, expounded his scientific and mathematical studies with such an order of brilliance that it was considered by no means inappropriate to compare him with Aristotle, engaged in vituperative and extremely effective theological polemics with the Jesuits -- and, finally, in spite of appalling ill-health and pain, attained a serene relationship with God and with his fellows, in the process producing one of the great literary masterpieces of all time, viz., the PENSEES. This volume is a work of Christian apologetics before which the most skeptical mind, indulgent flesh, and arrogant spirit, stand utterly defenseless. Not too shabby an achievement in thirty-nine years and two months!" -- Reader's Comment

*Storms, C. Samuel, Healing and Holiness: A Biblical Response to the Faith Healing Phenomenon, ISBN: 087552446X 9780875524467.
"J.I. Packer says 'Sam Storms' book . . . impresses me as soundly Biblical in its perspective and pastorally wholesome in its thrust. Not everyone will love him for writing in these terms, but everyone will benefit from weighing his arguments. I commend HEALING AND HOLINESS most heartily.' Praised by Dr. Ed Payne, founder of the Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine. Dr. Storms sheds light on a topic clouded by controversy, and examines the Biblical teaching on suffering, divine healing, and holiness." -- GCB

See also: The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Forgiveness of sin, Unforgiveness, Reconciliation of relationships, Eternal life, immortality, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Prayer, Bible promises, Loving and obeying God, The holy spirit, Small groups as healing agents, Biblical counsel by subject, Soul-violence, The free offer of the gospel message of salvation and the life to come: the means of grace, the covenant of eternal salvation, Book-length presentation of the free offer of the gospel message of salvation and the life to come, Women's health, Bad relationships a cause of disease and death, and so forth, and so on.

Related Weblinks

Justifying Faith
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrr1cha.html#justfaith

Rebellion and Lawlessness: Wickedness, Demonic Possession, Abnormal Behavior, Insanity, Mental Illness, Mental Retardation
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrrappd.html#rlinsane

Emotions and Health

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Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:20-22)

Satan can afflict the body by the mind -- for these two are so closely bound together that their good and bad estate is shared between them. If the heart be merry the countenance is cheerful, the strength is renewed, the bones do flourish like an herb. If the heart be troubled, the health is impaired, the strength is dried up, the marrow of the bones wasted, etc. Grief in the heart is like a moth in the garment, it insensibly consumeth the body and disordereth it. -- Richard Gilpin

David describes the symptoms of a broken heart quite literally in Psalm 38. It is thought to have been written followed Shimei's stoning and cursing of David in 2 Samuel 16:5-14.

Verse 3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger. Mental depression tells upon the bodily frame; it is enough to create and foster every disease, and is in itself the most painful of all diseases. Soul sickness tells upon the entire frame; it weakens the body, and then bodily weakness reacts upon the mind. . . .
Verse 8. I am feeble. The original is "benumbed, "or frozen, such strange incongruities and contradictions meet in a distracted mind and a sick body -- it appears to itself to be alternately parched with heat and pinched with cold. Like souls in the Popish fabled Purgatory, tossed from burning furnaces into thick ice, so tormented hearts rush from one extreme to the other, with equal torture in each. A heat of fear, a chill of horror, a flaming desire, a horrible insensibility -- by these successive miseries a convinced sinner is brought to death's door. And sore broken. Crushed as in a mill, pounded as in a mortar. The body of the sick man appears to be all out of joint and smashed into a palpitating pulp, and the soul of the desponding is in an equally wretched case; as a victim crushed under the car of Juggernaut, such is a soul over whose conscience the wheels of divine wrath have forced their awful way. I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Deep and hoarse is the voice of sorrow, and often inarticulate and terrible. The heart learns groanings which cannot be uttered, and the voice fails to tone and tune itself to human speech. When our prayers appear to be rather animal than spiritual, they are none the less prevalent with the pitiful Father of mercy. He hears the murmur of the heart and the roaring of the soul because of sin, and in due time he comes to relieve his afflicted.
The more closely the preceding portrait of an awakened soul is studied in the light of experience, the more will its striking accuracy appear. It cannot be a description of merely outward disorder, graphic as it might then be; it has a depth and pathos in it which only the soul's mysterious and awful agony can fully match. . . .
Verse 10. My heart panteth. Here begins another tale of woe. He was so dreadfully pained by the unkindness of friends, that his heart was in a state of perpetual palpitation. Sharp and quick were the beatings of his heart; he was like a hunted roe, filled with distressing alarms, and ready to fly out of itself with fear. The soul seeks sympathy in sorrow, and if it finds none, its sorrowful heart throbs are incessant. My strength faileth me. What with disease and distraction, he was weakened and ready to expire. A sense of sin, and a clear perception that none can help us in our distress, are enough to bring a man to death's door, especially if there be none to speak a gentle word, and point the broken spirit to the beloved Physician. As for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. Sweet light departed from his bodily eye, and consolation vanished from his soul. Those who were the very light of his eyes forsook him. Hope, the last lamp of night, was ready to go out. What a plight was the poor convict in! Yet here, we have some of us been; and here should we have perished had not infinite mercy interposed. Now, as we remember the lovingkindness of the Lord, we see how good it was for us to find our own strength fail us, since it drove us to the strong for strength; and how right it was that our light should all be quenched, that the Lord's light should be all in all to us. . . .
Verse 10. My heart panteth. The verb which David here uses signifies to travel or wander hither and thither, but here it is taken for the agitation or disquietude which distress of heart engenders when we know not what to do. According as men are disquieted in mind, so do they turn themselves on all sides; and so their heart may be said to turn round, or to run to and fro. John Calvin
Verse 15. David committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, and so in patience was able to possess his soul. Hope in God's intervention, and belief in the power of prayer, are two most blessed stays to the soul in time of adversity. Turning right away from the creature to the sovereign Lord of all, and to him as our own covenant God, we shall find the richest solace in waiting upon him. Reputation like a fair pearl may be cast into the mire, but in due time when the Lord makes up his jewels, the godly character shall shine with unclouded splendour. Rest then, O slandered one, and let not thy soul be tossed to and fro with anxiety. -- C.H. Spurgeon commenting on Psalm 38 in The Treasury of David

Feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving . . . my warrant is the Word of God; naught else is worth believing; So, though my heart and flesh should fail, for want of some sweet token . . . I'll put my trust in Him alone, whose word cannot be broken. -- Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Adolph, Harold P., with Dave Bourne, "Holyistic" Attitudes: God's Prescription for Your Good Health, ISBN: 0929292162: 9780929292168.

Adolph, Harold P., with Dave Bourne, Stop Making Yourself Sick: A Physician Explores the Connection Between Spiritual Health and Physical Health, ISBN: 0896933253 9780896933255.

Belgum, David Rudolph, Guilt: Where Religion and Psychology Meet.

Belgum, David Rudolph, Hypocrisy and Mental Health (1962). Available in MORALITY AND MENTAL HEALTH.

Brandt, Henry, The Struggle for Inner Peace, revised edition, 128 pages, ISBN: 0882072455 9780882072456. Alternate title: THE STRUGGLE FOR PEACE.
"Challenges the mental health model of human life. Argues for the biblical process of humbling self-discovery that leads to Christ's grace: 'The struggle for peace is just that -- recognizing and dealing with the sin that causes your problem.' Dissects the sin issues within emotions, bending of truth, and psychosomatic problems. Life's pressures and temptations can become opportunities for growth in godliness rather than occasions of continuing in sin." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)

Cantor, Carla, and Brian Fallon, M.D., Phantom Illness: Recognizing, Understanding, and Overcoming Hypochondria.
"In many minds, the term 'hypochondriac' is synonymous with crank, malingerer, and fraud. However, hypochondriacs are not, in fact, pretending to be sick. Their complaints may be exaggerated, but their pain and suffering are real.
"In her compassionate book, Carla Cantor offers hope to those who suffer from this debilitating disorder. As one who has struggled with bodily preoccupations and fear of disease, she shares what she has learned on the road to recovery. Through extensive interviews with physicians and compelling stories of men and women disabled by illness phobias and incomprehensible symptoms, Cantor helps to erase the stigma of hypochondria.
"Medicine's generally dismissive attitude toward this condition has left patients shuttling from emergency rooms to specialists to medical laboratories, for hypochondria is a significant challenge to the health care system. But a growing number of health professionals are trying to identify hypochondriacal patients and to figure out the underlying causes of their pain.
"PHANTOM ILLNESS summarizes the latest theories on the origins and nature of the disorder; describes treatments, including medication, behavior therapy, and psychotherapy; and offers a diagnostic test so that readers can determine whether they are abnormally concerned about their health. Once they understand the tangled history of this malady and its prevalence, readers may be more accepting of the tendency toward hypochondria in themselves or in someone they love." -- Publisher

Cousins, Norman, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient, ISBN: 0393041905 9780393041903 0393326845 9780393326840.
"This book revolutionized the way Americans think about health and healthcare. Diagnosed with a life-threatening and incurable condition, Cousins checked himself out of the hospital and basically healed himself with laughter, rest and Vitamin C. A few years later, he recovered from a major heart attack on his own and wrote about that, too.
"These books jump-started the whole field of mind-body medicine. Hundreds of books have followed in its tradition, including mine, THE ART OF GETTING WELL: MAXIMIZING HEALTH WHEN YOU HAVE A CHRONIC ILLNESS. ANATOMY OF AN ILLNESS holds up well. I just re-read it and it's still relevant.
"Not everything here will apply to most readers, because Cousins was a major cultural figure with many physicians among his friends. Not everyone would have his self-confidence or his sources of support. But his ideas and his approach are more needed than ever today." -- David Spero, RN, www.art-of-getting-well.com
Cousins "describes his battle with cancer and how he laughed his way to recovery. His hypothesis and the subject of many studies suggests that there are positive effects to be gained from laughter as a great tension-releaser, pain reducer, breathing improver, and general elevator of moods. It sounds miraculous, is not proven, but studies continue. Groups such as the International Conference on Humor and many hospitals use positive emotion rooms and humor carts. In short, humor therapy is valuable and it helps us through difficult or stressful times."

Cramer, Raymond L., The Psychology of Jesus and Mental Health.

Dean, Chuck, NAM VET: Making Peace With Your Past, ISBN: 0967937108 9780967937106.
"Dean is executive director of Point Man International, a non-profit support organization dedicated to healing war wounds of Vietnam veterans. He was among the first combat troops to be sent to Vietnam.
"This book is a shocker. Listen to these statistics: More Vietnam veterans have committed suicide since 1975 than were killed in the war itself. The divorce rate of Nam vets is 90 percent. One out of four combat veterans make less than $7000 a year." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
"Veterans are entering the 21st century, and for many, Vietnam has never ended. Why do so many suffer from flashbacks, depression, rage, substance abuse, and nightmares? Author and Vietnam veteran Chuck Dean has helped thousands find peace and spiritual healing." -- Publisher
Point Man International Ministries (800) 877-VETS
http://www.pointmanintl.org/

*Geisler, Norman L., The Christian Ethic of Love, ISBN: 031024921X 9780310249214. Alternative title: THE ETHIC OF CHRISTIAN LOVE, and THE CHRISTIAN LOVE ETHIC. Completely revised by Dr. Geisler in 2012, and forthcoming 2019.
"Argues that love is an absolute which everything can be measured against. Found this a good response to the situational ethics . . . This book had a great influence on my thinking. . ." -- Reader's Comment
"Jesus summarized our entire moral duty in two commands: Love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-40). Taking these words seriously, this book constructs the whole Christian Ethic on life-and-death issues in terms of these commands. This book was first published in 1973 as THE CHRISTIAN ETHIC OF LOVE." -- Publisher

Horwitz, Allan V., Jerome C. Wakefield, and Robert L. Spitzer (Foreword), The Loss of Sadness: How Psychiatry Transformed Normal Sorrow Into Depressive Disorder, ISBN: 9780195313048 0195313046.
"Depression has become the single most commonly treated mental disorder, amid claims that one out of ten Americans suffer from this disorder every year and 25 percent succumb at some point in their lives. Warnings that depressive disorder is a leading cause of worldwide disability have been accompanied by a massive upsurge in the consumption of antidepressant medication, widespread screening for depression in clinics and schools, and a push to diagnose depression early, on the basis of just a few symptoms, in order to prevent more severe conditions from developing. In THE LOSS OF SADNESS, Allan V. Horwitz and Jerome C. Wakefield argue that, while depressive disorder certainly exists and can be a devastating condition warranting medical attention, the apparent epidemic in fact reflects the way the psychiatric profession has understood and reclassified normal human sadness as largely an abnormal experience. With the 1980 publication of the landmark third edition of the DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS (DSM-III), mental health professionals began diagnosing depression based on symptoms -- such as depressed mood, loss of appetite, and fatigue -- that lasted for at least two weeks. This system is fundamentally flawed, the authors maintain, because it fails to take into account the context in which the symptoms occur. They stress the importance of distinguishing between abnormal reactions due to internal dysfunction and normal sadness brought on by external circumstances. Under the current DSM classification system, however, this distinction is impossible to make, so the expected emotional distress caused by upsetting events -- for example, the loss of a job or the end of a relationship -- could lead to a mistaken diagnosis of depressive disorder. Indeed, it is this very mistake that lies at the root of the presumed epidemic of major depression in our midst. In telling the story behind this phenomenon, the authors draw on the 2,500-year history of writing about depression, including studies in both the medical and social sciences, to demonstrate why the DSM's diagnosis is so flawed. They also explore why it has achieved almost unshakable currency despite its limitations. Framed within an evolutionary account of human health and disease, THE LOSS OF SADNESS presents a fascinating dissection of depression as both a normal and disordered human emotion and a sweeping critique of current psychiatric diagnostic practices. The result is a potent challenge to the diagnostic revolution that began almost thirty years ago in psychiatry and a provocative analysis of one of the most significant mental health issues today.
"Allan V. Horwitz is Professor of Sociology and Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Rutgers University. He is the author of many articles and a number of books on various aspects on mental illness, including THE SOCIAL CONTROL OF MENTAL ILLNESS, THE LOGIC OF SOCIAL CONTROL, and CREATING MENTAL ILLNESS. Jerome C. Wakefield is University Professor and Professor of Social Work at New York University, and he has also taught at the University of Chicago, Columbia University, and Rutgers University. He is an authority on the intersection between philosophy and the mental health professions and the author of many articles on diagnosis of mental disorder." -- Publisher
"Depression is the mental health problem of our generation. In this important and penetrating book, Horwitz and Wakefield show that psychiatry no longer clearly differentiates between normal sadness and depressive disorder. A must read for anyone who wants to understand how so much 'depression' has become medicalized." -- Peter Conrad, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Brandeis University, and author of The Medicalization of Society
"With superb scholarship and crisp prose, Horwitz and Wakefield examine the fatal flaw at the core of depression diagnosis. This book describes, with devastating clarity, why the DSM went off track and how the resulting scientific train wreck slows research and distorts our experience of our own sadness. If the DSM was based on biology, this book would signal a new beginning." -- Randolph Nesse, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, and author of Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine
"Not another hackneyed anti-psychiatry polemic, THE LOSS OF SADNESS is a brilliant analysis of how mental health professionals can avoid pathologizing normal, emotional responses to life's stressors while accurately identifying those suffering from genuine depressive disorders. Erudite and engagingly written, THE LOSS OF SADNESS is destined to have a major impact on our field." -- Richard J. McNally, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of Remembering Trauma

*Justice, Blair, Who Gets Sick: How Beliefs, Moods and Thoughts Affect Health, ISBN: 0960537678 9780960537679.
"This is a revised, expanded edition of the 1988 classic that won a prestigious Ben Franklin Award for the best book on health. It was one of the first to give the public an understanding of how beliefs and attitudes affect the body.
"Blair Justice, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology and a longtime researcher in mind/body medicine at the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, School of Public Health, where he also served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. A clinical psychologist, he is the author of numerous papers in the scientific literature and five other books (two with his wife, Dr. Rita Justice). His most recent book (1998) is A DIFFERENT KIND OF HEALTH: FINDING WELL-BEING DESPITE ILLNESS. His 1988 book, WHO GETS SICK: HOW BELIEFS, MOODS AND THOUGHTS AFFECT HEALTH has been published in four languages. A revised, expanded edition was published in 2000. Dr. Justice is a Visiting Scholar at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Dr. Justice works once a week at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center helping patients cope. He and his wife are avid hikers and mountain climbers, along with their Tibetan dogs Tashi and Bodhi. Blair and Rita do animal assisted therapy volunteer service at Methodist Hospital at the Texas Medical Center. -- Publisher
"This book tells it like is, no holds barred. Anyone who has Chronic Fatigue Immune Deregulation Syndrome (CFIDS), Fibromylagia, Gulf War Syndrome, MS, etc., this is a must have for their bookshelf and reference library. Our thoughts become images thus resulting in chronic illnesses passed on to generations. One might think themselves sick and become sick. The scary part is that it is all true. What we think, we become. -- Reader's Comment

Lawrence, Roy, Christian Healing Rediscovered: A Guide to Spiritual, Mental, Physical Wholeness, ISBN: 0877846219 9780877846215.
"Christian resources of worship, the power of the resurrection, the extent of salvation, and possible sources of suffering are given insightful, Biblical, practical treatment; well balanced approach to the interrelationships of spiritual, emotional, and physical health." -- Mark Branson

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), The Life of Peace: Exposition of Philippians 3 and 4, [Philippians 4] ISBN: 0801056780 9780801056789.
"This volume follows THE LIFE OF JOY which is on Philippians 1 and 2, thus completing the study on the Book of Philippians. Examples of expository excellence!" -- GCB

*Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), Spiritual Depression, ISBN: 0551025492 9780551025493.
"A physician turned preacher deals with the scriptural causes of spiritual depression and show how it may be cured. Aims at developing an effective, healthy Christian life." -- Cyril J. Barber
"Believing that Christian joy was one of the most potent factors in the spread of Christianity in the early centuries, Lloyd-Jones not only lays bare the causes that have robbed many Christians of spiritual vitality, but also points the way to the cure." -- Publisher

Martin, Mike W., From Morality to Mental Health: Virtue and Vice in a Therapeutic Culture, ISBN: 0195304713 9780195304718.
"In this wide-ranging, accessible book, Mike W. Martin asks: are we replacing morality with therapy, in potentially confused and dangerous ways, or are we creatively integrating morality and mental health? According to him, it's a little bit of both. He surveys the ways in which morality and mental health are related, touching on practical concerns like love and work, self-respect and self-fulfillment, guilt and depression, crime and violence, and addictions. Terming this integrative development "the therapeutic trend in ethics," Martin uses examples from popular culture, various moral controversies, and draws on a line of thought that includes Plato, the Stoics, Freud, Nietzsche, and contemporary psychotherapeutic theories. Martin develops some interesting conclusions, among them that sound morality is indeed healthy, and that moral values are inevitably embedded in our conceptions of mental health. In the end, he shows how both morality and mental health are inextricably intertwined in our pursuit of a meaningful life. This book will be of interest to philosophers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and sociologists, as well as the general reader." -- Publisher

McMillen, S.I., None of These Diseases, ISBN: 080075719X 9780800757199.
Revised and expanded in 2000 by D.E. Stern. "This epochal work, when first published in 1963, drew attention to the Biblical teaching on health and the care of the body. Now updated with information on modern diseases, it is even more valuable than when it broke new ground two decades ago." -- Cyril J. Barber
"Good insights into the relation between your attitudes and your physical health." -- Robert B. Somerville

Mowrer, Orval Hobart, Morality and Mental Health, 669 pages, online version (OCoLC)590215904.

*Ornish, Dean, Love and Survival: The Scientific Basis for the Healing Power of Intimacy, ISBN: 0060930209 9780060930202.
"Many people know Dean Ornish as the doctor who proved that symptoms of heart disease can be reversed with a regimen of a low-fat diet, exercise, and stress reduction. In LOVE AND SURVIVAL, he concentrates on the less tangible aspects of a healthful life. Through anecdotes and dozens of scientific studies, Ornish demonstrates that personal intimacy and other aspects of emotional well-being -- all the elements that make up what we call 'love' -- are as important to our physical condition as to our mental health. Not only do these positive emotions motivate us to make better lifestyle choices, Ornish argues, they also have a powerful direct effect on our bodies, giving us stronger immune systems, better cardiovascular functioning, and longer life expectancies. But the benefits of opening our hearts to others go beyond curing our bodies of disease; it's also the first step toward healing our entire lives." -- Publisher

*Sibbes, Richard (1577-1635), The Bruised Reed, ISBN: 0851517404 9780851517407. A Christian classic. Available (THE WORKS OF RICHARD SIBBES) on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"Richard Sibbes, one of the most influential figures in the Puritan movement during the earlier years of the seventeenth century, was renowned for the rich quality of his ministry. THE BRUISED REED shows why he was known among his contemporaries as 'the sweet dropper.'
"If you have ever been (or are) discouraged in any way this is a book that will bring great encouragement and joy!" -- Publisher
"Sibbes never wastes the student's time, he scatters pearls and diamonds with both hands." -- C.H. Spurgeon
"A poor peddler came to the door . . . and my father bought of him Sibb's BRUISED REED . . . It suited my state . . . and gave me a livelier apprehension of the mystery of redemption and how much I was beholden to Jesus Christ . . . Without any means but books was God pleased to resolve me to himself." -- Richard Baxter (1615-1691)
"Speaking of the preacher's need to suit his reading to the varying conditions he finds within, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says in his PREACHING AND PREACHERS:
'You will find, I think, in general that the Puritans are almost invariably helpful . . . I shall never cease to be grateful to one of them called Richard Sibbes who was balm to my soul at a period in my life when I was overworked and badly overtired, and therefore subject in an unusual manner to the onslaughts of the devil. In that state and condition . . . what you need is some gently, tender treatment for your soul. I found at that time that Richard Sibbes, who was known in London in the early seventeenth century as 'the heavenly Doctor Sibbes', was an unfailing remedy. His books THE BRUISED REED and THE SOUL'S CONFLICT quieted, soothed, comforted, encouraged and healed me.'
"This is one of the best Puritan books to read if you are feeling down or depressed or if you are facing struggles and trials. It is also very useful if you are struggling with assurance. Great encouragement for Christians here!" -- Publisher
The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax, A. Beith (introduction, 1878)
http://archive.org/details/bruisedreedands00sibbgoog

Siegel, Bernie S., Love, Medicine and Miracles: Lessons Learned About Self-Healing From a Surgeon's Experience With Exceptional Patients, ISBN: 0060919833 9780060919832.
Includes bibliography.

Ubel, Peter A., You're Stronger Than You Think: Tapping Into the Secrets of Emotionally Resilient People.
This is a biography, document, and internet resource.

Vander Goot, Mary, Healthy Emotions: Helping Children Grow, ISBN: 0801093031 9780801093036.
"This book is about the normal emotions of normal children. Its purpose is to help adults deal with children's emotions effectively." -- GCB

See also: The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Joy, Humor, Psychosomatic illness, Stress, Grief, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Praise, Forgiveness of sin, Reconciliation of relationships, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Prayer, Depression, Love and counseling problems, Soul-violence, The Battle for the mind, Mind control, Depression, The regulative principles of worship, Praise, Joy, Sleep, and so forth, and so on.

Related Weblinks

Illness Anxiety Disorder (Hypochondriasis)
"Illness anxiety disorder, sometimes called hypochondriasis or health anxiety, is worrying excessively that you are or may become seriously ill. You may have no physical symptoms. Or you may believe that normal body sensations or minor symptoms are signs of severe illness, even though a thorough medical exam doesn't reveal a serious medical condition."
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/illness-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20373782

Justifying Faith
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrr1cha.html#justfaith

Bad Relationships as a Cause of Disease and Death

---

The most important relationship is, of course, vertical, between the individual and God.
The second most important relationship is horizontal, between the individual and society.
How the individual handles these relationships determines the outcome of their life, both temporal and eternal, and is interrelated with all other spheres of life.

Strong conflict of will can lead to death. If either side is immovable in a conflict of will, then disease and death are the result. See the didactic fiction of Martha Finley, BOOK 2: ELSIE'S HOLIDAYS AT ROSELANDS.
How are conflicts of will resolved? By mutual submission to the absolute truths of the Word of God. Some will see here strains of the Gospel message of salvation, the means of Grace. Man's total depravity showcases the Holiness of God and his everlasting Righteousness, eternal life in the perfect holiness of God the Father and God the Son, the transforming power of sacrificial love, and on and on.

Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death is certainly something that is seldom talked about. Yet it could be the most important listing in the chapter. There have been countless examples throughout my life supporting this conclusion. Only recently a neighbor in her 70's shared that she had been in excellent health until the age of 50, when aging parents became dependent upon her for care. They lived nearby, she cared for them on a daily basis. But there was conflict between them. She has since had five heart surgeries, and she suffers from constant back pain that is inoperable. -- compiler

How ironic that Cain, the very first man born of a woman, murdered his brother, while so many modern men believe that humans are "basically good." The biblical account of Cain slaying his brother Able, is a most telling example of the utter depravity of fallen man. -- compiler

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. (She probably hoped that this was the Messiah. Alas! how often are parents' hopes deceived. It was not "a man -- the Lord" who had come to Eve's bosom, but a man of sin, a child of the wicked one.) And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. (Her second child she called "Vanity," and yet he was precious in the sight of the Lord. What mistakes we make about our children.) And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. (Can had no faith, and he had no eye to the blood of atonement: Abel had both. These should be main points in all our religious duties.) And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. (Wroth not with himself as he ought to have been, but with his brother and with God.)
And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. (It is sin which blocks the way.) And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?
And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? (We shall either be our brother's keeper or our brother's murderer. If we do not labour to save others, we shall be guilty of their blood.)
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. (He makes no confession of his sin, but only murmurs at his punishment. We know many whose minds are in a similar state. They cavil at hell, but they persevere in sin.) Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
This ancient record of the first murder is used by John as a picture of the action of the unregenerate in all time. Love marks the children of God, and hate is the sure ensign of the heirs of wrath. Thus writes the beloved apostle. (Genesis 4:1-15) -- C.H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Devotional Bible, p. 10

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:15)

For the wages of sin is death [both the first death, or temporal death, and the second death or eternal separation from God after the Final Judgement -- compiler]. (Romans 6:23)
To be in conflict with God's will is to be a causative agent of disease and death. Sin is a conflict of will that leads to death. (Romans 6:23)

The depravity of man is at once the most empirically verifiable reality, but at the same time the most intellectually resisted fact. -- Malcolm Muggeridge (1903-1990). See also: Calvin's Commentary on Isaiah, Chapter 33 [Isaiah 33:1-66].

Anthropologists tell us that one-third of all human beings who have lived on this planet have died at the hands of their brothers -- that fully one-third of the human race have died through war, violence, crime, and sudden death at the hands of another human being. -- D. James Kennedy (1930-2007) and List of Wars and Anthropogenic Disasters by Death Toll, Wikipedia

The first half of the 20th century has been the bloodiest times in history. If all the people of the United States were to perish in a nuclear war, the number dead would be less than those who have perished by violence during the first half of the 20th century. -- Howard Mumford Jones

Abortion was the 20th century's biggest single killer of mankind worldwide, far surpassing any other cause: disease, war, governments, natural disasters, and so forth. See: "Biggest Killers of the 20th Century." Notice that abortion is not included in this diagram. The absence of information says something about the depravity of mankind (Jeremiah 17:9,10), and about the suppression and repression of truth. (Hosea 4:6,7)
The number of abortions performed worldwide in the last 50 years is estimated to be 1 to 2 billion. But try to document this fact elsewhere online.
The total abortions worldwide for the 20th century may be interpolation from available data. The calculation does not factor in incremental increases in world population since 1900. Worldwide there are an estimated 43.8 million abortions annually (2008 figures, Guttmacher Institute) X 100 years = 4.38 billion killings worldwide in the 20th century. This is compared to 1.97 billion estimated deaths worldwide for non-communicable diseases the reported biggest killer worldwide of the 20th century. Comparison may also be made with figures for genocide.
Number of Abortions -- Abortion Counters
"The most accurate set of abortion counters on the web. Number of abortions in U.S. and worldwide; Number of abortions since 1973; Number of abortions this year; U.S. Abortion clock; Worldwide abortion clock; Number of abortions due to rape or incest; Planned Parenthood abortion count."
http://www.numberofabortions.com/

Based on current trends, one in three women in the U.S. will have an abortion, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute. The majority of women older than 17 who obtained an abortion reported a religious affiliation. The highest proportion (43 percent) identified themselves as Protestant. Twenty-seven percent of women having an abortion identified themselves as Catholic, and eight percent as a member of another religion; . . . Thirteen percent identified themselves as "born-again" or evangelical, three-fourths of whom were Protestant. -- Rachel K. Jones, Jacqueline E. Darroch, and Stanley K. Henshaw, "Patterns in the Socio-economic Characteristics of Women Obtaining Abortions in 2000-2001," Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Volume 34, Number 5, September/October 2002

The Christian life is not a matter of the tongue but of the inmost heart
And this is the place to upbraid those who, having nothing but the name and badge of Christ, yet wish to call themselves "Christians." Yet, how shamelessly do they boast of his sacred name? Indeed, there is no intercourse with Christ save for those who have perceived the right understanding of Christ from the word of the gospel. Yet the apostle says that all those who were not taught that they must put on him have not rightly learned Christ, as they have not put off the old man, who is corrupt through deceptive desires [Eph. 4:22,24], [Ephesians 4:22,24]. Therefore, it is proved that they have falsely, and also unjustly, pretended the knowledge of Christ, whatever they meanwhile learnedly and volubly prate about the gospel. For it is a doctrine not of the tongue but of life. It is not apprehended by the understanding and memory alone, as other disciplines are, but it is received only when it possesses the whole soul, and finds a seat and resting place in the inmost affection of the heart (1 Cf. III. ii. 36, note 53). Accordingly, either let them cease to boast of what they are not, in contempt of God; or let them show themselves disciples not unworthy of Christ their teacher. We have given the first place to the doctrine in which our religion is contained, since our salvation begins with it. But it must enter our heart and pass into our daily living, and so transform us into itself that it may not be unfruitful for us. The philosophers rightly burn with anger against, and reproachfully drive from their flock, those who when they profess an art that ought to be the mistress of life, turn it into sophistical chatter. (Seneca, Moral Epistles cviii. 23; xlviii. 4, 12 [LCL Seneca, III. 244; I. 316 i, 3S0 f.]). With how much better reason, then, shall we detest these trifling Sophists who are content to roll the gospel on the tips of their tongues when its efficacy ought to penetrate the inmost affections of the heart, take its seat in the soul, and affect the whole man a hundred times more deeply than the cold exhortations of the philosophers! -- John Calvin in Institutes of the Christian Religion, (McNeill/Battles edition), 3.6.4 and context

Christians continued to be the most persecuted group across the globe in 2016. It is estimated that 90,000 Christians were killed worldwide for their faith in 2016. "And hundreds of millions more were not allowed to practice their faith." -- Christians the Most Persecuted Group in World for Second Year

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15)

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:25)

There are some persons who are so rebellious, so perverse, so deceitful, so destructive, so recalcitrant, the incompetent and corrupt "Cains," that they are a danger to the innocent "Abels," and destructive to society. Besides personal prayer for protection and deliverance, they must be brought to justice by arrest, conviction, sentencing, and punishment. Sometimes it is necessary to wait for them to die. -- compiler

Word: "disease"; Meaning; "disturb"; Sample location: "Luke 8:49" -- from the "Glossary," 1599 Geneva Bible, Tolle Lege edition

DISEASE, n. Dizeze. [dis and ease].
1. In its primary sense, pain, uneasiness, distress, and so used by Spenser; but in this sense, obsolete.
2. The cause of pain or uneasiness . . . disorder; any state of a living body in which the natural functions of the organs are interrupted or disturbed . . . The first effect of disease is uneasiness or pain, and the ultimate effect is death. . . .
3. A disordered state of the mind or intellect, by which the reason is impaired.
4. In society, vice; corrupt state of morals. Vices are called moral diseases. A wise man converses with the wicked, as a physician with the sick, not to catch the disease, but to cure it.
5. Political or civil disorder, or vices in a state; any practice which tends to disturb the peace of society, or impede or prevent the regular administration of government.
The instability, injustice and confusion introduced into the public councils have, in truth, been the mortal diseases under which popular governments have every where perished. -- 1846 edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language
DISEASE, v.t. dizeze.
1. To interrupt or impair any or all the natural and regular functions of the several organs of a living body [i.e. robbing a neighbor of sleep -- compiler]; to afflict with pain or sickness to make morbid . . .
2. To interrupt or render imperfect the regular functions of the brain, or of the intellect; to disorder; to derange.
3. To infect; to communicate disease to, by contagion.
4. To pain; to make uneasy. -- 1828 edition of Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language

The futility of relying on medicine to cure the ills created by social and physical environments. . . (Dubos)

The biggest predictor of health is socio-economic status, and not necessarily any of the indicators flushed out by screenings and diagnosis. The most important health risk are revealed in your answers to two questions. 1. Are you comfortable in your socio-economic status? 2. Are you satisfied in your job? [Notice this is the problem of healthy relationship, put in general terms. Is the individual oppressed in any or all of the different spheres of society? For example, in societies with resources, the greater the gap between the poor and the wealthy, the more ill health there is among the poor. -- compiler] -- Nortin Hadler, MD, Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in Worried Sick

He joined God's power with his will [God's -- compiler], to the intent that we should not separate them, and hereby he willeth God's people to depend on his power which he confirmeth by examples. -- Psalm 135:6 annotation, 1599 Geneva Bible

The fool hath said in his heart,
There is no God.
They are corrupt,
they have done abominable works,
there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1)
See the Theological Notes: "Mankind's Guilty Knowledge of God" at Romans 1:29 and the note at Psalm 14:1 in The Reformation Study Bible.

The Treasury of David, Psalm 38, C.H. Spurgeon
http://archive.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps038.php

Bad relationships may begin when one person tries to usurping authority over another, tries to control and possess them. The means of control may be either outward or occult: deceit, repression or suppression of the truth, possessiveness, soul stealing, enslavement, attempts to take authority over another politically or economically, occult practices, sorcery, witchcraft, mental malpractice, whoredom, indebtedness, and so forth, and so on goes the catalog of sin. -- compiler

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8)

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

*Amundsen, Darrel W., The Anguish and Agonies of Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
"Spurgeon's last years of physical suffering must be seen through the grid of the Down-Grade Controversy Down-Grade Controversy (begun in 1887). Early in this controversy he commented that he had "suffered the loss of friendships and reputation, and the infliction of pecuniary withdrawments and bitter reproach. . . . But the pain it has cost me none can measure."
To a friend in May 1891 he said, "Goodbye; you will never see me again. This fight is killing me."
The Anguish and Agonies of Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Free PDF file.
http://ebookbrowse.com/the-anguish-and-agonies-of-charles-spurgeon-pdf-d56778188

Bruhn, John G. and Stewart Wolf, The Roseto Story: An Anatomy of Health, ISBN: 0806114916 9780806114910.
"Roseto is a small Italian-American community in east-central Pennsylvania. This fifteen-year study drawing on medical histories, physical examinations, and laboratory tests, compared a large sample of Rosetans to inhabitants of two neighboring communities, Bangor and Nazareth, and followed up this research with a sociological study of the three communities.
"Despite a greater prevalence of obesity in Roseto, and despite similar dietary, smoking, and exercise habits and similar ethnic and genetic background, the inhabitants of Roseto were relatively immune to heart disease at the beginning of the research in 1963. They were also strikingly tenacious in adhering to Old World values and customs. Family relationships were very close and mutually supportive, and this cohesive quality extended to neighbors and to the community as a whole. When these traditional values and relationships were abandoned by the rising generation, the death rate from heart disease climbed toward the American norm. The study concluded that unconditional interpersonal support counteracts life stress and thus preserves life.
"John G. Bruhn is Adjunct Professor of Sociology at Northern Arizona University and Adjunct Professor of Health Sciences at New Mexico State University. He is a U.S. Fulbright Scholar, a World Health Organization Fellow, and a John E. Fogarty Health Sciences Fellow." -- Publisher

Childre, Doc Lew, and Howard Martin, The HeartMath Solution: The Institute of HeartMath's Revolutionary Program for Engaging the Power of the Heart's Intelligence, ISBN: 0062516051 9780062516053 006251606X 9780062516060.
"The Intelligent Heart. Access the power of your heart's intelligence to improve your focus and creativity, elevate your emotional clarity, lower your stress and anxiety levels, strengthen your immune system, promote your body's optimal performance, and slow the aging process." -- Publisher
"THE HEARTMATH SOLUTION may easily be written off as a book too eccentric for widespread public consumption, and that's unfortunate. The title's a bit misleading -- it's not about cardiac care and it's not about calculus, but rather how 30 years of research have shown that the heart's 'intelligence' affects emotions and physical health -- especially when it comes to handling stress -- and specifically what you can do to balance heart rhythms, reduce stress hormones, and boost your immune system. Yes, it sounds complicated, especially when you read that cardiologists worked with physicists and psychiatrists to develop the HeartMath program. But it's worth brushing off your skepticism and exploring the concepts in the Solution, as many employees of Fortune 500 companies have already done.
"The 'intelligence' that the authors focus on refers to both the heart's 'brain,' or the 40,000 neurons found in the heart (the same number in the brain itself), and the intuitive signals the heart sends, including feelings of love, happiness, care, and appreciation. When such positive emotions are felt, they 'not only change patterns of activity in the nervous system; they also reduce the production of the stress hormone cortisol.' When there's less cortisol, there's more DHEA, the so-called fountain of youth hormone known to have anti-aging effects on many of the body's systems.
"The HeartMath Solution outlines 10 steps for harnessing the power of the heart's intelligence, including ways to manage your emotions and keep energy levels high. One of the most important is the 'Freeze-Frame' technique for calming the nervous system, improving clarity of thought and perception, and boosting productivity (which is one of the many appealing features for those Fortune 500 companies). Each step includes references to data proving its effectiveness, with handy summaries of the key points to remember at the end of each chapter. This is a book that takes a bit of scientific understanding and a lot of time to wade through, but one that could help you prevent stress from ruling your existence." -- Erica Jorgensen
"Is the heart the missing link in the mind-body connection? By combining age-old philosophy with modern science, Childre and Martin make a compelling case for the idea that good health is really a triumph of heart, not mind, over matter. Citing the Institute's research on the heart's role in human health, they demonstrate that the so-called metaphorical condition of the heart -- which has long been associated with love, wisdom, courage, and happiness -- may play as important a role in mental well-being as its physical function. The HeartMath solution lies in developing what Childre and Martin call the core heart feelings (such as love, Forgiveness of sin, appreciation and care), which trigger physiological responses resulting in less stress, better brain function and a stronger immune system. Although this book is about the heart, it's written with cool intelligence and intelligibility for the head. Despite slightly off-putting names (Freeze-Frame, Cut-Thru and Lock-In), the relaxation exercises, which are being taught at corporations and at schools, are simple to do, although perhaps already too familiar to anyone who has tried other kinds of meditative techniques. Nevertheless, in presenting a clear argument for following one's heart, this book certainly breaks new ground in the holistic approach to health." -- Publishers Weekly
"Ancient cultures believed that the heart rather than the brain was the seat of emotions, vestiges of which are still apparent in descriptive phrases such as 'broken hearted,' 'cold hearted,' and many others. Recent research confirms the existence of complex communication links between these two organs as well as other systems responsible for maintaining homeostasis, and unanticipated electrical energy pathways that may mediate these activities. This book describes cutting edge approaches that can not only tune into such conversations, but also reduce stress and promote physical and mental health by influencing the dialogue." -- Paul J. Rosch, President, The American Institute of Stress
"HeartMath has had a profound influence on the lives of patients, staff, and administrators at our hospital. Specific health problems such as hypertension and arrhythmias have improved in several patients through interventions with HeartMath tools. Communication and creativity among staff members trained in these tools has taken a quantum leap. They have noticed a completely different way of looking at problems and interacting with those around them." -- Bruce Wilson, M.D., Former Director, University of Pittsburgh Heart Institute, Chairman, Medical Education Committee, Columbia Hospital, Milwaukee, WI

*Davies, Samuel (1723-1761, editor), et al., The Godly Family: A Series of Essays on the Duties of Parents and Children, ISBN: 1877611735 9781877611735.
"Gary Ezzo has collected 16 essays and sermons from 17th and 18th century pastors on ordering a godly home. The book is divided into four section: 1) The Importance of Family Religion, 2) The Duties of Parents, 3) The Duties of Children, 4) The Eternal Family. . . . All of these have been retypeset and updated for easier reading." -- Publisher
"The necessity and excellence of family religion / by Samuel Davies -- The great duty of family religion / by George Whitefield -- A plain and serious address on the important subject of family religion / by Philip Doddridge -- Parental duties illustrated / by Samuel Worcester -- The duties of parents towards their children / by Henry Venn -- Disciplining children / by Arthur Hildersham -- On the method of instructing children / by Henry Venn -- Four sermons on the religious education of children / by Philip Doddridge -- Blessings consequent upon parental fidelity / by Thomas Houston -- The duties of children to their parents / by Samuel Stennett -- The duties of children / by Henry Venn -- Heaven considered as a family / by Samuel Stennett."

Dean, Carolyn, Death by Modern Medicine, 379 pages, ISBN: 0973739207 9780973739206.
"Carolyn Dean, MD, ND is a powerful and clear writer who exposes the deep corruption in our medical and food industries with passion and conviction. She backs up her outrageous claims with deeply researched citations from the standard medical literature and government databases. She shows that despite medical error being underreported by a factor of 20, it is STILL the number ONE cause of death in America (and almost surely Canada). Hospital error, hospital-acquired infection, adverse drug reactions, nursing homes, all come in for their share of the total death toll. Why this atrocity is allowed to continue unabated and unnoticed is a question we all have responsibility for." -- Reader's Comment
Death by Medicine
This is an 18,491 word article in Life Extension magazine that includes many of the statistics from the 2001 study included in Dean's book. Documented with 151 endnotes.
"Until now, Life Extension could cite only isolated statistics to make its case about the dangers of conventional medicine. No one had ever analyzed and combined ALL of the published literature dealing with injuries and deaths caused by government-protected medicine. That has now changed.
"A group of researchers meticulously reviewed the statistical evidence and their findings are absolutely shocking. These researchers have authored a paper titled Death by Medicine that presents compelling evidence that today's system frequently causes more harm than good.
"This fully referenced report shows the number of people having in-hospital, adverse reactions to prescribed drugs to be 2.2 million per year. The number of unnecessary antibiotics prescribed annually for viral infections is 20 million per year. The number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures performed annually is 7.5 million per year. The number of people exposed to unnecessary hospitalization annually is 8.9 million per year.
"The most stunning statistic, however, is that the total number of deaths caused by conventional medicine is an astounding 783,936 per year. It is now evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and injury in the US. (By contrast, the number of deaths attributable to heart disease in 2001 was 699,697, while the number of deaths attributable to cancer was 553,251.5)
"We placed this article on our website to memorialize the failure of the American medical system. By exposing these gruesome statistics in painstaking detail, we provide a basis for competent and compassionate medical professionals to recognize the inadequacies of today's system and at least attempt to institute meaningful reforms."
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/mar2004_awsi_death_01.htm

Desbois, Patrick, and Paul A. Shapiro (foreword), The Holocaust by Bullets: A Priest's Journey to Uncover the Truth Behind the Murder of 1.5 Million Jews, ISBN: 0230617573 9780230617575.
"In this very personal and affecting account of his gradual discovery of the events of the Holocaust in the Ukraine Patrick Desbois, a French priest, gives us a widened perspective of the extraordinarily complex manipulation of the local population by the Nazis, who forcibly requisitioned Ukrainian citizens of all ages to assist in the killings. In village after village, more than 60 years after the horrific events, the inhabitants, many of whom had been children at the time, came forward to bear witness. From the many interviews in the text, it is clear that the personal trauma of forced involvement in the mass executions has never diminished. And indeed, the stories of what they saw takes one's breath away. This is a significant addition to the history of the Holocaust that sheds new light on events in the Nazi occupied areas of the former USSR." -- Lynn H. Nicholas, author of Cruel World: The Children of Europe in the Nazi Web and The Rape of Europa: Europe's Treasures in the Third Reich and the Second World War

Dubos, René J., Mirage of Health, Utopias, Progress, and Biological Change, ISBN: 0813512603 9780813512600.
"Dubos in MIRAGE OF HEALTH points out 'the futility of relying on medicine to cure the ills created by social and physical environments.' (p. 235)
"Dubos makes it clear that the doctrine of specific etiology (that is the notion that all medical problems can be traced to a certain, physical cause) has contributed more to medicine in the last century than probably any other idea. Yet Dubos also stresses the limitations of this mindset. He emphasizes that with physical ailments, there are many causes at work and it is difficult or impossible to determine the most significant among these. By emphasizing the multitude of factors that determine our health, Dubos makes it clear that balance with our environment is of utmost importance to maintenance of health." -- Reader's Comment

*Finley, Martha (aka Martha Farquharson, 1828-1909), Book 2: Elsie's Holidays at Roselands, ISBN: 9781888306323 1888306327.
"When Elsie's father becomes ill, she takes on the job of nurse-companion, and all goes well until Elsie, because it is the Sabbath, as a matter of conscience refuses to read to him from a secular book. The battle of wills that ensues nearly causes first her father's death, and then Elsie's. Lonely Elsie -- punished, ostracized, and then abandoned by her father -- turns to her heavenly Father for comfort and assurance. Will her father realize that Elsie's obedience to God must be paramount, and submit himself to the same Divine Authority?" -- Publisher
On an even more serious note, one moral of this story is the broader life and death struggle between Truth and Falsehood (See: Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality], Epistemology of Theology, The Theory of Knowledge, and Christian Scholarship.) The consequence of conflict of will is death of the "One," or war of the "Many" (see Rushdoony, THE ONE AND THE MANY: STUDIES IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF ORDER AND ULTIMACY. Conflict of will (see Will and Recalcitrance, Rebellion and Lawlessness: Wickedness, Demonic Possession, Abnormal Behavior, Insanity, Mental Illness, Mental Retardation,) may begin when one individual (see The Doctrine of Man [Human Nature, Total Depravity],) or the corporate body (see Corporate Faithfulness and Sanctification), tries to usurping authority over others (see Power, Authority) -- tries to control and possess the other (see Tyranny, Slavery, Our Systems of Enslavement, Economic Enslavement.) The means of control may be either outward or occult (see The Occult, Spiritism, Witchcraft), deceit, repression or suppression of the truth, replacing moral and ethical absolutes with relativism (see Ethics, Computer Ethics, Cyberethics, Medical Ethics, Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality], unfaithfulness to the highest ethical standards (see The Ten Commandments: The Moral Law, The Holy Bible), Heresy and Apostasy (Apostacy, Old English), Spiritual Adultery [Spiritual Whoredom/Harlotry,] (see Idolatry, Syncretism, Jeremiah and Lamentations,) invocation of the demonic, Oaths, Ensnaring Vows, Promises, and Covenants, Bonds With the Ungodly (see Carnality and Flesh Pleasing: Desires, Pleasure, Justice, Judgment, God's Final Judgment, The Great White Throne Judgment, The Day of the Lord,) attempts to take authority over another politically or by mental malpractice (see Selection of Covenant Heads for Positions of Leadership, making up their own rules (see Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality],) ignoring or changing constitutional or creedal documents, unjust laws for the accumulation of wealth and power, indebtedness, disenfranchisement, (see denial of freedom,) Priestcraft, Pharisaism, Soul-stealing, possessiveness, physical seduction and whoredom, political economic or sexual enslavement (see Sexual Relationship,) and so forth, and so on.
This abuse, this soul-violence, quenches the Holy Spirit (see Owen, God's Presence With a People the Spring of Their Prosperity; With Their Special Interest in Abiding in Him.) If either side is immovable, then death is the consequence (see Soteriology, Atonement, The Blood of Christ, Hell, and Heaven.)
How are conflicts of will resolved? By submission to the Absolute Truths of God's word, the great common denominator, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6)
All this bears a strain of the Gospel (see Book-length Presentations of the Free Offer of The Gospel Message of Salvation and the Life to Come: The Means of Grace, The Westminster Confession of Faith.)
Book 2: Holidays at Roselands
http://archive.org/details/holidaysatrosel00finlgoog
Holidays at Roselands (Gutenberg text)
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=14280
Mantle Ministries (Elsie Dinsmore Series and Mildred Series)
http://www.mantlemin.com

Fitzpatrick, Elyse M., and Jody Hogan (foreword), Because He Loves me: How Christ Transforms our Daily Life, ISBN: 158134905X.
"Simply speaking, love changes people. Christians, then, by definition, should exhibit the greatest transformation of all because, rightly understood and cherished, God's love makes them increasingly more like the One who has lavished his love on them.
"This truth is meant to tell believers who they are, their purpose and destiny, and how to faithfully persevere in their struggles against all opposition. But sometimes people lose sight of this. BECAUSE HE LOVES ME restores that vision, reminding Christians of their true identity as beloved children of God-adopted by the Father, espoused to the Son, and empowered by the Holy Spirit." -- Edward T. Welch, Counselor and Faculty Member, Christian Counseling and Education Foundation

*Foxe, John (1516-1587), and Thomas Freeman (prefatory material), John Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Actes and Monuments of Matters Most Speciall and Memorable (unabridged). Alternate title: THE UNABRIDGED ACTS AND MONUMENTS ONLINE or TAMO (HRI Online Publications, Sheffield, 2011). Available from: http://www.johnfoxe.org. Implemented by the Humanities Research Institute, University of Sheffield, England, and published by HRI Online Publications, Sheffield, 2011, Version 2.0, ISBN: 9780954260864. A Christian classic.
"You can browse and compare the unabridged texts of the four editions of this massive work published in John Foxe's lifetime (1563, 1570, 1576, 1583). Each edition changed significantly as Foxe sought to incorporate new material, answer his critics, and adjust its polemical force to the needs of the moment. . . .
"TAMO is both an instrument of scholarship and a tool for anyone who wants to explore this remarkable work, a milestone in the history of the English printed book and a signal achievement of its printer, John Day."
John Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Actes and Monuments of Matters Most Speciall and Memorable, ISBN: 0197262252 9780197262252.
"This CD-ROM combines readable and printable images of 2,200 pages of text and woodcut engravings from the 1583 edition, the last for which Foxe was personally responsible."
Other editions: Acts and Monuments or Foxe's Book of Martyrs, 1554, 1843-49 edition, 8 volumes. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
" 'No book ever inflicted a wound so deep and incurable on the Romish system of superstition and bloody persecution . . . it was placed in . . . all churches and chapels throughout the kingdom, by order of Queen Elizabeth.' (Smith, Select Memoirs, p. 245). Contains much information not found in any of the liberally edited and severely shortened editions of this classic work which are in print today. Covering martyrs from the early church through to Foxe's day, it was one of the most influential books of the sixteenth century! It overflows with faith building testimony of the power of God to overcome the most cruel and barbarous acts of human depravity and demonic cruelty. 6890 pages. A very rare set, now back in print after 150 years!" -- Publisher
"After the Bible itself, no book so profoundly influenced early Protestant sentiment as the BOOK OF MARTYRS. Even in our time it is still a living force. It is more than a record of persecution. It is an arsenal of controversy, a storehouse of romance, as well as a source of edification." -- James Miller Dodds, English Prose
"When one recollects that until the appearance of the PILGRIM'S PROGRESS the common people had almost no other reading matter except the BIBLE and FOX'S BOOK OF MARTYRS, we can understand the deep impression that this book produced; and how it served to mold the national character. Those who could read for themselves learned the full details of all the atrocities performed on the Protestant reformers; the illiterate could see the rude illustrations of the various instruments of torture, the rack, the gridiron, the boiling oil, and then the holy ones breathing out their souls amid the flames. Take a people just awakening to a new intellectual and religious life; let several generations of them, from childhood to old age, pore over such a book, and its stories become traditions as individual and almost as potent as songs and customs on a nation's life." -- Douglas Campbell, The Puritan in Holland, England, and America
"If we divest the book of its accidental character of feud between churches, it yet stands, in the first years of Elizabeth's reign, a monument that marks the growing strength of a desire for spiritual freedom, defiance of those forms that seek to stifle conscience and fetter thought." -- Henry Morley, English Writers
"John Foxe was a prince among believers. He had his printing press on a cart, and had often to print at night, moving his press before dawn to escape capture and burning at the stake. He never faltered in his purpose to leave a voluminous written witness to the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to keep His saints in love and peace." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
Text Encoding Initiative (TEI), John Foxe's Book of Martyrs Variorum Edition Online
http://www.tei-c.org/Activities/Projects/jo01.xml

Ganz, Richard (editor), Thou Shalt not Kill: The Christian Case Against Abortion, ISBN: 0870004069 9780870004063.
"Collected essays dealing with various facets of the struggle against abortion." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)

*Geisler, Norman L., The Christian Ethic of Love, ISBN: 031024921X 9780310249214. Alternative title: THE ETHIC OF CHRISTIAN LOVE, and THE CHRISTIAN LOVE ETHIC. Completely revised by Dr. Geisler in 2012, and forthcoming 2019.
"Argues that love is an absolute which everything can be measured against. Found this a good response to the situational ethics . . . This book had a great influence on my thinking. . ." -- Reader's Comment
"Jesus summarized our entire moral duty in two commands: Love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-40). Taking these words seriously, this book constructs the whole Christian Ethic on life-and-death issues in terms of these commands. This book was first published in 1973 as THE CHRISTIAN ETHIC OF LOVE." -- Publisher

*Graglia, F. Carolyn, Domestic Tranquility: A Brief Against Feminism, ISBN: 0965320863 9780965320863 1890626090 9781890626099.
"It is the definitive refutation of modern feminism. At 418 pages, including endnotes, it is a comprehensive exposé of the modern feminist movement; if the reader is not persuaded by the extensive evidence Graglia presents, he (she!) is most likely devoted to the ideology of feminism in a way which cannot be shaken by overwhelming, cogent evidence." -- Andrew Sandlin
The Coup de Grace to Feminism, Rev. P. Andrew Sandlin
http://www.chalcedon.edu/cgi-bin/PrintPage.asp?REF=/report/99may/sandlin1.shtml

Gurian, Michael, Nurture the Nature: Understanding and Supporting Your Child's Unique Core Personality, ISBN: 078798633X 9780787986339.
"Negative stress, in contrast, is something we need to be very careful about, especially with our children. In the most general terms, as experts at the University of Maryland Medical School wrote recently, 'When these symptoms persist, you are at risk for serious health problems. This kind of stress can exhaust your immune system. Recent research demonstrates that 90 percent of illness is stress-related.' When stress goes beyond the stimulating (positive stress) and becomes debilitating (negative stress), symptoms fall into three categories: physical, emotional, and relational." -- Publisher
Resist the Latest Parenting Fads, Says New Book NURTURE THE NATURE Encourages Parents to Determine Their Child's Core Personality
"Increasingly, the minds of our children are growing up to be antisocial. Children diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder now number in the millions. As the Carnegie-Mellon survey notes, our primary social response to the new antisocial nature of children has not been to rethink how we raise them, but rather to expand punishment and incarceration systems. A Department of Justice study reports that at our present rates of incarceration, one in twenty babies born in the United States today will spend some part of life incarcerated. As of 2004, 1 in every 138 U.S. residents was in prison."
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/NewYearNewYou/story?id=3119291&page=1

Hackett, David A., Allied Forces. Supreme Headquarters. Psychological Warfare Division. Intelligence Team., The Buchenwald Report, ISBN: 0813317770 9780813317779 0813333636 9780813333632 0827604998 9780827604995.
Extreme evil may be an excellent negative guide to correct theology, the righteousness which is of God, redemption, and immortality.
"After their liberation in April 1945, the inmates of Buchenwald told their stories to a special team of U.S. Army intelligence officers. One of the most important and unique documents of the Holocaust, this priceless eyewitness account was nearly lost forever and appears here in published form and in English for the first time." -- Publisher

Holt-Lunstad, Julianne, Timothy B. Smith, and J. Bradley Layton, Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review, PLoS Medicine, July 2010.
"Data across 308,849 individuals, followed for an average of 7.5 years, indicate that individuals with adequate social relationships have a 50 percent greater likelihood of survival compared to those with poor or insufficient social relationships. The magnitude of this effect is comparable with quitting smoking and it exceeds many well-known risk factors for mortality (e.g., obesity, physical inactivity)."
http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000316

*Howie, John (1735-1793), The Scots Worthies. Biographia Scoticana: or, A Brief Historical Account of the Lives, Characters, and Memorable Transactions of the Most Eminent Scots Worthies . . . Also, an Appendix, Containing a Short Historical Hint of the Wicked Lives . . . of the . . . Apostates and . . . Persecutors in Scotland . . . 2nd edition, corrected and enlarged, 1781. A Christian classic. Available (PDF and MP3 audio files) on the Puritan Hard Drive. Available (PDF file) on Reformation Bookshelf CD #1, #10. Available (22 MP3 audio files) on Reformation Bookshelf CD #1-30 and at AudioSermons.com.
"Most commonly known as SCOTS WORTHIES, this edition contains Howie's footnotes (defending the Covenanters), and Howie's appendix titled 'The Judgment and Justice of God' (which chronicles God's judgments upon Reformation apostates and those who persecuted the Covenanters). It is the only edition in print which contains both these sections intended for publication by the author (as later editors often removed either one or both of these parts of this book). BIOGRAPHIA SCOTICANA covers the history of 'noblemen, gentlemen, ministers and others from Mr. Patrick Hamilton, who was born about the year of our Lord 1503, and suffered martyrdom at St. Andrews, Feb., 1527, to Mr. James Renwick, who was executed in the Grass-market of Edinburgh, Feb. 17, 1688. Together with a succinct account of the lives of other seven eminent divines, and Sir Robert Hamilton of Preston, who died about, or shortly after the Revolution.' This is one of our best history books (over 700 pages), covering all of the major Scottish Reformers. Howie summarizes his book as follows: 'The design of the following was to collect, from the best authorities, a summary account of the lives, characters, and contendings, of a certain number of our most renowned SCOTS WORTHIES, who, for their faithful services, ardent zeal, constancy in sufferings, and other Christian graces and virtues, deserve honourable memorial in the Church of Christ; and for which their names have been, and will be savoury to all the true lovers of our Zion, while Reformation principles are regarded.' Furthermore, the momentous nature of the struggles chronicled in this book are succinctly noted when Howie writes: 'the primitive witnesses had the divinity of the Son of God, and an open confession of Him, for their testimony. Our reformers from Popery had Antichrist to struggle with, in asserting the doctrines of the Gospel, and the right way of salvation in and through Jesus Christ. Again, in the reigns of James VI. and Charles I., Christ's REGALIA, and the divine right of Presbytery, became the subject matter of their testimony. Then, in the beginning of the reign of Charles II. (until he got the whole of our ancient and laudable constitution effaced and overturned), our Worthies only saw it their duty to hold and contend for what they had already attained unto. But, in the end of this and the subsequent tyrant's reign, they found it their duty (a duty which they had too long neglected), to advance one step higher, by casting off their authority altogether, and that as well on account of their manifest usurpation of Christ's crown and dignity, as on account of their treachery, bloodshed, and tyranny . . . which may be summed up. The Primitive martyrs sealed the prophetic office of Christ in opposition to Pagan idolatry. The reforming martyrs sealed His priestly office with their blood, in opposition to Popish idolatry. And last of all, our late martyrs have sealed His kingly office with their best blood, in despite of supremacy and bold Erastianism. They indeed have cemented it upon His royal head, so that to the world's end it shall never drop off again.' Moreover, the importance of this book can be clearly seen when Johnston, in TREASURY OF THE SCOTTISH COVENANT, reports that, Walter Scott refers to Howie as 'the fine old chronicler of the Cameronians'. . . Howie's book has been for upwards of a century a household word, occupying a place on the shelf beside THE BIBLE and THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS.' Written for God, country and the covenanted work of Reformation. Stirring history!" -- Publisher
An alternative edition that also contains the appendix, Biographia Scoticana: or, A Brief Historical Account of the Lives, Characters, and Memorable Transactions of the Most Eminent Scots Worthies, Noblemen, Gentlemen, Ministers and Others . . . With an Appendix, Containing a Short Historical Account of the Wicked Lives and Miserable Deaths of Some of the Most Bloody Persecutors in Scotland, 1836.
An Appendix, Containing a Short Historical Hint of the Wicked Lives and Miserable Deaths of Some of the Most Remarkable Apostates and Bloody Persecutors in Scotland From the Reformation to the Revolution
This is the Appendix to THE SCOTS WORTHIES. BIOGRAPHIA SCOTICANA, 2nd edition, corrected and enlarged, 1781.
http://archive.org/details/biographiascotic28272gut
See also: A CLOUD OF WITNESSES FOR THE ROYAL PREROGATIVES OF JESUS CHRIST BEING THE LAST SPEECHES AND TESTIMONIES OF THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED FOR THE TRUTH IN SCOTLAND SINCE . . . 1680 and JOHN FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS. ACTES AND MONUMENTS OF MATTERS MOST SPECIALL AND MEMORABLE. Available from: http://www.johnfoxe.org. Implemented by the Humanities Research Institute, University of Sheffield, England, and published by HRI Online Publications, Sheffield, 2011, Version 2.0, ISBN: 9780954260864.

Mack, Wayne A., Maximum Impact: Living and Loving for God's Glory, ISBN: 9781596382046 159638204X.

Mack, Wayne A., Personal and Interpersonal Problems.

Mack, Wayne A., You can Resolve Interpersonal Conflicts, ISBN: 0801061032 9780801061035.

Marshall, Stephen (1594?-1655), The Sinne of Hardnesse of Heart: The Nature, Danger, and Remedy of it. Opened in a Sermon, Preached to the Honorable House of Commons, July 28. 1648. being the day of their solemne monethly fast. By Stephen Marshall, B.D. minister of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Essex. Published by order of that House, 1648. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.

*Ornish, Dean, Love and Survival: The Scientific Basis for the Healing Power of Intimacy, ISBN: 0060930209 9780060930202.
"Many people know Dean Ornish as the doctor who proved that symptoms of heart disease can be reversed with a regimen of a low-fat diet, exercise, and stress reduction. In LOVE AND SURVIVAL, he concentrates on the less tangible aspects of a healthful life. Through anecdotes and dozens of scientific studies, Ornish demonstrates that personal intimacy and other aspects of emotional well-being -- all the elements that make up what we call 'love' -- are as important to our physical condition as to our mental health. Not only do these positive emotions motivate us to make better lifestyle choices, Ornish argues, they also have a powerful direct effect on our bodies, giving us stronger immune systems, better cardiovascular functioning, and longer life expectancies. But the benefits of opening our hearts to others go beyond curing our bodies of disease; it's also the first step toward healing our entire lives." -- Publisher

*Spurgeon, C.H. (1834-1892), Faith's Checkbook. Alternate title: THE CHEQUE BOOK OF THE BANK OF FAITH: BEING PRECIOUS PROMISES ARRANGED FOR DAILY USE (1893), ISBN: 0938453025.
"A promise from God may very instructively be compared to a check payable to order. It is given to the believer with the view of bestowing upon him some good thing. It is not meant that he should read it over comfortably and then have done with it. No, he is to treat the promises as a reality, as a man treats a check. He is to take the promise and endorse it with his own name by personally receiving it as true." -- C.H. Spurgeon
"In the Preface of his devotional volume containing 365 brief, experimental comments on the promises which Spurgeon has chosen, the renowned preacher tells us that so many of these promises are true because they were fulfilled in his own experience during a time of 'wading in the surf of controversy,' and also when 'sharp bodily pain succeeded mental depression, accompanied both by bereavement, and affliction in the person of one dear as life. Never were the promises of Jehovah so precious to me as at this hour.' Thus it was to help other sufferers that Spurgeon prepared this comforting book." -- Publisher
Faith's Checkbook, a daily devotional by C.H. Spurgeon
http://archive.org/details/thechequebookoft00purguoft

*Thomson, John Henderson (editor), John McMain, and David Scott (introduction) A Cloud of Witnesses for the Royal Prerogatives of Jesus Christ Being the Last Speeches and Testimonies of Those who Have Suffered for the Truth in Scotland Since, 1680. Alternate title: THE FIFTEENTH EDITION, ENLARGED AND CORRECTED: A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, FOR THE ROYAL PREROGATIVES OF JESUS CHRIST: OR, THE LAST SPEECHES AND TESTIMONIES OF THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED FOR THE TRUTH IN SCOTLAND, SINCE THE YEAR 1680: WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING THE QUEENSFERRY PAPER; TORWOOD EXCOMMUNICATION; A RELATION CONCERNING MR. RICHARD CAMERON, MR. DONALD CARGIL, AND HENRY HALL; AND AN ACCOUNT OF THOSE WHO WERE KILLED WITHOUT PROCESS OF LAW, AND BANISHED TO FOREIGN LANDS: WITH A SHORT VIEW OF SOME OF THE OPPRESSIVE EXACTIONS, ISBN: 0873779231. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"With the Testimonies of John Nisbet the Younger, John Nisbet of Hardhill, Robert Miller, Thomas Harkness, &c. A Letter of John Semple's and of Archibald Stewart's. The Paper found upon Mr. Cameron at Airsmoss, and an Acrostick upon his name. The Testimony of John Finlay in Kilmarnock. The Epitaphs upon the Grave Stones of Mr. Samuel Rutherford, Mr. John Welwood, and the noble Patriots who fell at Pentland-hills, &c.
"Also includes THE TESTIMONY OF SOME PERSECUTED PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL, UNTO THE COVENANTED REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, AND TO THE PRESENT EXPEDIENCY OF CONTINUING TO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN THE FIELDS, AND AGAINST THE PRESENT ANTI-CHRISTIAN TOLERATION IN ITS NATURE AND DESIGN, &C. GIVEN IN TO THE MINISTERS AT EDINBURGH, BY MR. JAMES RENWICK, UPON THE 17TH JAN. 1688. AND MR. RICHARD CAMERON'S LAST SERMON; PREACHED ON KYPE WATER IN EVANDALE, JULY 18TH, 1680, THREE DAYS BEFORE HE WAS KILLED AT AIRS-MOSS. (Pittsburgh: Printed for David Reed, by Eichbaum & Johnston, 1824), 1884 edition.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1,2)
"Presbyterian Covenanter martyrs of Scotland, their last speeches and testimonies. The first edition appeared in 1714, and as more material was collected it was added to the 15 editions that were printed over the next 100 years.
"An amazing book compiled to show how -- and especially why (from their own dying testimonies) -- the Covenanters suffered, bled and died. These brave martyrs for Christ laid the foundation for liberty and truth in both church and state. They have much to say to us today . . . . Though the issues and ferocity of persecution (by the Popes, prelates, and Erastians) were more obvious during the times covered in this book, the message to contemporary Christians could not be clearer: we are involved in a life and death struggle. Few books are this moving or this edifying -- a real treasure! (658 pp., 1884 ed.)." -- Publisher
The 1871 edition was praised by Spurgeon.
A Cloud of Witnesses
https://archive.org/details/cloudofwitnesses00thom
A Cloud of Witnesses, 1871 edition, free online e-text.
http://books.google.com/books?id=4vMCAAAAQAAJ&dq=thomson+a+cloud+of+witnesses&ie=ISO-8859-1

*Van der Kolk, Bessel A., The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma, ISBN: 9780670785933 0670785938 9780143127741 0143127748.
"An astonishing amount of information on almost every aspect of trauma experience, research, interventions, and theories is brought together in this book, which . . . has a distinctly holistic feel to it. The title suggests that what will be explored is how the body retains the imprints of trauma. However, it delivers much more than this, delving into how the brain is impacted by overwhelming traumatic events, and is studded with sections on neuroscience which draw on the author's own numerous studies as well as that of his peers. In addition, it investigates the effects of adverse childhood attachment patterns, child abuse, and chronic and long-term abuse. . . . This book is a veritable gold mine of information." -- European Journal of Psychotraumatology
"Dr. van der Kolk . . . has written a fascinating and empowering book about trauma and its effects. He uses modern neuroscience to demonstrate that trauma physically affects the brain and the body, causing anxiety, rage, and the inability to concentrate. Victims have problems remembering, trusting, and forming relationships. They have lost control. Although news reports and discussions tend to focus on war veterans, abused children, domestic violence victims, and victims of violent crime suffer as well. Using a combination of traditional therapy techniques and alternative treatments such as EMDR, yoga, neurofeedback, and theater, patients can regain control of their bodies and rewire their brains so that they can rebuild their lives. The author uses case histories to demonstrate the process. He includes a resource list, bibliography, and extensive notes. This accessible book offers hope and inspiration to those who suffer from trauma and those who care for them. It is an outstanding addition to all library collections." -- Medical Library Association, Consumer Connections

Wilder-Smith, A.E., The Basis of True Fellowship, an audio file.

Wolf, Stewart, and John Bruhn, The Power of Clan: The Influence of Human Relationships on Heart Disease, new edition, ISBN: 0765804492 9780765804495.
"The notion that the quality of our social relationships may have a profound effect on our health and longevity has a long history but a short scientific past. A much publicized study that set out to show an association between social cohesion in the community and coronary heart disease mortality was begun in 1962 by Drs. Bruhn and Wolf. Their focus was on the town of Roseto, a cohesive and relatively stable Italian-American community in Pennsylvania. There the death rate from heart attacks was substantially lower than that of nearby towns. However, Roseto has changed over the years and so have its mortality statistics.
"THE POWER OF CLAN is a sequel to THE ROSETO STORY: AN ANATOMY OF HEALTH (1979). It includes the results from a follow-up survey that was done in collaboration with the Center for Social Research at Lehigh University. The authors intended to document the changes in Roseto as its people have adapted to an American lifestyle that is characterized by individualism, competitiveness, and materialism. One of the authors, Stewart Wolf, virtually acted as a participant-observer, contributing to a vivid and lively account of these changes that is supported by many anecdotes and an additional 22 pages of photographs. The book includes many tables showing demographic and health characteristics of Rosetans and their controls, and discusses potential mechanisms linking social change to increased death rates from myocardial infarction. This wealth of information provides a rich source of hypotheses and should encourage the development of sound psychometric instruments to test more rigorously the link between mutually supportive attitudes, cooperation, and health outcomes.
"THE POWER OF CLAN will stimulate and revive discussion on the effects of personal relationships on health. We are reminded of the work by J.J. Groen that urged us to adopt a more comprehensive approach to our understanding and, ultimately, control of coronary heart disease in both women and men." -- Gerdi Weidner
"Stewart Wolf was really one of the pioneers of psychosomatic medicine," noted Paul Rosch, president of the American Institute of Stress, in The Lancet. "His book on stress and hypertension is still considered a classic in the field . . . He was a marvelous cultured person who was able to bring a broad background in the humanities to his approach to patients and to teaching." -- Publisher

See also: The sovereignty of god, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Glory in iniquity, the temptation of vainglory, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, Repentance the key to salvation and change, Justification, Justifying faith, Reconciliation of relationships, Eternal life, immortality, Prayer, Intercessory prayer, Forgiveness of sin, Unforgiveness, Abuse, dysfunctional families, Resentment and bitterness, Rebellion and lawlessness: wickedness, demonic possession, abnormal behavior, insanity, mental illness, mental retardation, Parenting, Women and parenting, Child abuse and pedophilia, Sexual relationship, Covetousness, greed, and selfishness, Emotions and health, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Abortion and the sanctity of life, Abuse, Child abuse and pedophilia, Adultery, Anger,

Churches that abuse, Unfaithful reformed ministries, Priestcraft and soul-stealing, Secret societies, ungodly alliances, voluntary associations, Tyranny, The counter-reformation, Problem solving in marriage, Feminism, Fear and anxiety, Depression, Stress, Spiritual aspects of health, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Emotions and health, The history of martyrs, A redneck resolution against self-destruction, Psychosomatic illness, Pseudo-christian movements: a selection of works, The occult, Unforgiveness, Persecution, Envy, jealousy, Rebellion and lawlessness: wickedness, demonic possession, substance abuse, abnormal behavior, insanity, mental illness, mental retardation, Hostility and violence, War, Suicide, Soul-violence (the whole catalog of sin), House churches, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, The limits of modern medicine, The failure of the american medical system,

The free offer of the gospel message of salvation and the life to come: the means of grace, the covenant of eternal salvation, Book-length presentations of the free offer of the gospel message of salvation and the life to come: the means of grace, The blood of christ, Justifying faith, Forgiveness of sin, Sanctification, Reconciliation of relationships, Justice, judgment, god's final judgment, the great white throne judgment, the day of the lord, and so forth, Healing of the mind, Prayer, Bible promises, Loving and obeying God, Small groups as healing agents, and so on.
TCRB5: 276-279, 1137, 1138, 2003, 2004, 2210, 2211, 4102

Related Weblinks

Angry People 'Risking Heart Attacks,' Michelle Roberts
"In the two hours immediately after an angry outburst, risk of a heart attack increased nearly five-fold, and risk of stroke increased more than three-fold, the data from nine studies and involving thousands of people suggests."
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-26416153

Brain, Mind and Body in Healing From Trauma, The People's Pharmacy Radio Program, show 980, February 7, 2015.
"To help people heal from trauma, the best approaches find ways to reconnect brain and body with a feeling of safety. . . .
"We often associate the term 'Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder' with military veterans. Indeed, war creates many traumatic experiences, but it is not the only source of reactions that may cause people to shut down or blow up. Car, train or plane crashes, a life-threatening illness episode, family violence, or other events can create a dysfunctional reaction that may be largely out of conscious awareness.
"Treating PTSD
"One of the world's leading experts on PTSD explains how such reactions are rooted in the body's response to threat, and how it can be successfully treated. . . .
"Dr. van der Kolk is co-director of the Complex Trauma Treatment Network of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, established by Congress to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities. His website is http://www.BesselvanderKolk.com
"His book is THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE: BRAIN, MIND AND BODY IN THE HEALING OF TRAUMA (2014)."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2015/02/04/show-980-brain-mind-and-body-in-healing-from-trauma/

Childhood Sexual Abuse, Gender, and Depression Among Incarcerated Youth, Angela R. Gover University of Florida Center for Studies in Criminology and Law
http://ijo.sagepub.com/content/48/6/683.abstract

Depressed Adolescents Face Increased Heart Disease Risk, Will Boggs, MD
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/10/us-health-kids-depression-heart-idUSKCN0QF24320150810

Classic Christian Fiction by Martha Finley
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrr11ch.html#cfbmf

Depressive Characteristics of Physically Abused Children, Denise M. Allen, Kenneth J. Tarnowski
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2926018

The Effects of Violence in the Home on Children's Emotional, Behavioral, and Social Functioning: A Review of the Literature
"I find this very interesting and think it has application to myself and most everyone I have known over the years. There is documented research proving the thesis that child abuse (emotional, physical, sexual, or spiritual, etc.) results in disturbances in learning, and disturbances in adjusting emotionally and socially, regardless of 'differences in age, sex, race, gender, IQ, or socioeconomic status.'
"In other words, the implications are that child abuse has the effect of making it difficult for a child to learn (grow in knowledge of the truth and understanding, have an open mind, be teachable), and of making it difficult to relate to the world (relationships, spouses, family, church, workplace, government), regardless of the child's innate capabilities and gifts. So, even the gifted child, if abused, will in later life suffer, however subtle, learning disabilities/blocks/blind spots or abnormal behavior. 'If a parent and child love each other, then the parent can teach the child anything.' But emotional scars can be as hard to heal as chronic disease.
" 'Physically abused and non-abused children were compared on child-completed measures of depression, hopelessness, self-esteem, and locus of control. Results indicated that, in comparison with non-abused controls, abused children evidenced more depressive symptoms, heightened externality, lower self-esteem, and greater hopelessness about the future. Group differences in depressive symptomatology were not accounted for on the basis of differences in age, sex, race, gender, IQ, or socioeconomic status.'
"This thesis certainly is connected with the question of who we associate with and the impact of good and evil on our lives.
"So, it could be of interest, directly or indirectly, to practically every person I know, or have known." -- compiler
http://ebx.sagepub.com/content/6/2/94.abstract

Healthy Connections
"Humans are sociable creatures, by and large. New research techniques allow scientists to analyze our networks of family, friends and acquaintances. How do the friends of our friends affect our emotions -- and our health?
"Guest: Nicholas Christakis, MD, Ph.D., is a professor at Harvard University with joint appointments in the Departments of Health Care Policy, Sociology and Medicine. He is the author, with James Fowler, Ph.D., of CONNECTED: THE SURPRISING POWER OF OUR SOCIAL NETWORKS AND HOW THEY SHAPE OUR LIVES."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/12/11/794-healthy-connections/

How Abuse Changes a Child's Brain, Brandon Keim
"The brains of children raised in violent families resemble the brains of soldiers exposed to combat, say psychologists."
http://www.wired.com/2011/12/neurology-of-abuse/

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
"The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) is the world's premier trauma organization dedicated to trauma treatment, education, research and prevention. Through this organization, professionals share information about the effects of trauma, seeking to reduce traumatic stressors and their immediate and long-term consequences."
http://www.istss.org/

National Center for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
"The National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was created within the Department of Veterans Affairs in 1989, in response to a Congressional mandate to address the needs of veterans with military-related PTSD. Its mission was, and remains: To advance the clinical care and social welfare of America's veterans through research, education, and training in the science, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD and stress-related disorders. This website is provided as an educational resource concerning PTSD and other enduring consequences of traumatic stress."
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/

National Stroke Association
Learn the signs of stroke.
http://www.stroke.org/

Rebellion and Lawlessness: Wickedness, Demonic Possession, Abnormal Behavior, Insanity, Mental Illness, Mental Retardation,
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrrappd.html#rlinsane

Reconciliation of Relationships
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrr2chb.html#reconorel
The most important relationship is, of course, vertical, between the individual and God.
The second most important relationship is horizontal, between the individual and society.
How the individual handles these relationships determines the outcome of their life, both temporal and eternal, and is interrelated with all other spheres of life. Learn more about these interrelationships at the following website.
Repentance the key to Salvation and Change
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrr2cha.html#rtktsac
Justification
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrr6ch.html#jstfctn
The Shorter Catechism With Scripture Proofs (Carlisle, PA [P.O. Box 621, Carlisle 17013, USA]: The Banner of Truth Trust).
Arguably the greatest tract ever created, all factors considered.
http://www.reformed.org/documents/WSC_frames.html
Westminster Shorter Catechism Project: Body of Divinity Contained in Sermons Upon the Assembly's Catechism by the Rev. Thomas Watson
http://www.shortercatechism.com/resources/vincent/wsc_vi_001.html?page_id=205
Westminster Shorter Catechism Project
"Click on any of the individual questions below to get the answer and Biblical references, as well as links to works by John Flavel, Thomas Watson, Thomas Boston, James Fisher, and John Whitecross, and others."
http://www.shortercatechism.com/
See also: The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646), (The Westminster Standards), and Related Works: A Study Guide
http://www.lettermen2.com/suggest.html

Social Interaction Helps Heart
"Recent research suggests that social relationships have a profound impact on longevity. Investigators analyzed nearly 150 human trials and concluded that isolation and loneliness are as dangerous as well-established risk factors such as smoking, physical inactivity and obesity."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/09/02/social-interaction-helps-heart/

Stressful Relationships may Raise Risk of Death, Shereen Jegtvig, May 26, 2014
"Conflicts, especially, were associated with higher mortality risk regardless of whom was the source of the conflict," the authors write. 'Worries and demands were only associated with mortality risk if they were related to partner or children. . . .'
"People who always or often experienced worries or demands because of their partners had double the risk of dying compared to those who seldom had those experiences."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/26/us-relationships-stress-death-idUSKBN0E61PD20140526

U.S. Abortion Statistics
"In 2011, approximately 1.06 million abortions took place in the U.S." [56 million American babies from 1973 to 2014, annual rate continues at 1.2 million babies a year].
http://www.abort73.com/abortion_facts/us_abortion_statistics/

The Wrong Relationship Cause of Health Problems, Karl Loren
A secular site.
"There are AGREEMENTS between you and this person -- usually unspoken, but at some time you shared a common moral code on something that was important to both of you. . . . If someone close to you is violating one or more parts of this moral code, YOU will be the one to get sick. This is serious business . . . ."
http://www.oxygentimerelease.com/A/Therapies/p1.htm

Forgiveness of Sin

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Healing of the Mind

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Joy, Cheerfulness, Happiness, Merriment

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Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22)

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. (Proverbs 15:13)

The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat. (Proverbs 15:30)

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 15:7)

And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give [it] you.
Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (John 16:22,24)

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 10:20)

Feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving . . . my warrant is the Word of God; naught else is worth believing; So, though my heart and flesh should fail, for want of some sweet token . . . I'll put my trust in Him alone, whose word cannot be broken. -- Martin Luther (1483-1546)

To have our names written in heaven is the greatest mercy, and first, and chiefly, and only for itself to be rejoiced in; which so puts the estimate of all inferior mercies, that further than they refer to this they are not to be the matter of our joy. -- Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

*Brooks, Thomas (1608-1680), Heaven on Earth: A Treatise on Christian Assurance, ISBN: 0851513565 9780851513560. A Christian classic. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"All saints shall enjoy a heaven when they leave this earth; some saints enjoy a heaven while they are here on earth. That saints might enjoy two heavens is the project of this book." -- Joseph Caryl.

Burroughs, Jeremiah (1599-1646), Saint's Treasury Holding Forth 1. The Incomparable Excellency and Holiness of God, 2. Christ's All in All 3. The Glorious Enjoyment of Heavenly Things by Faith 4. The Natural Man's Bondage to the law, and the Christian's Liberty by the gospel 5. A Preparation for Judgement. and Libertinism, wherein is proved that: Society is the genus of a church, not congregations, A national church under the New Testament, The visible church is God's Temple, The infallible note of a true church, Learning is needful for the discharge of the ministry, Toleration of all religions is contrary to God's Word, No communion with the wicked in their sin, etc. Delivered in two sermons, 1653. Alternate title: THE SAINTS TREASURY: BEING SUNDRY SERMONS PREACHED IN LONDON. A Christian classic. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
Burroughs, Jeremiah (1599-1646), The Saints Treasury: Being Sundry Sermons Preached in London (1654)
http://archive.org/details/saintstreasuryb00burrgoog

*Davies, Samuel (1723-1761), The Divine Government the Joy of the World. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"Expands upon the reign and rule of King Jesus and the great blessings that this entails." -- Publisher
The Divine Government the Joy of the World, Samuel Davies
http://books.google.com/books?id=q2msGwAACAAJ&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), Enjoying the Presence of God, ISBN: 0892837578 9780892837571.

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), Joy Unspeakable: Power and Renewal in the Holy Spirit, ISBN: 085476514X 9780854765140.
"The world is not going to pay much attention to all the organized efforts of the Christian church. The one thing she will pay attention to is a body of people filled with a spirit of rejoicing. 'When the Holy Spirit is operating, this is the inevitable result, a joy which is unspeakable and full of glory,' so writes 'the Doctor!' J.I. Packer states that 'anyone who is spiritually alive will gain enormously from this magisterial and challenging recall to the inner realities of true Christian experience'." -- GCB

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), Life of Joy: An Exposition of Philippians 1 and 2, [Philippians 2] ISBN: 0801056586 9780801056581.
"In his own inimitable style the author deftly weaves exegetical and theological insights with practical applications. Though these sermons were first preached in 1947 and 1948 they still speak to us today and address us in our present critical situation." -- GCB

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), The Sovereign Spirit: Discerning His Gifts, ISBN: 0877886970 9780877886976.
"This is the sequel to JOY UNSPEAKABLE and contains scriptural examinations of the gifts of the spirit. 'The Doctor,' heralded as perhaps the greatest expository preacher of the 20th century, never ceases to gain the well-earned attention of GCB members. If you have read JOY UNSPEAKABLE already, you will want this one!" -- GCB

*Lockyer, Herbert, All the Promises of the Bible, ISBN: 0310281318.
"A devotional expositional compilation of all the promises [about 3,300 of the approximate 8,810 promises -- compiler], that are found in Scripture." -- Publisher
"Lockyer's in-depth look at the scope of God's promises arranges them in categories that cover the full array of human concerns, from the spiritual to the material and the corporate to the personal. As you come to understand God's promises and how they apply to every aspect of your life, you'll gain a trust in God that will sustain you through the worst of times and be your source of rejoicing in the best.
"Dr. Herbert Lockyer was born in London in 1886, and held pastorats in Scotland and England for 25 years before coming to the United States in 1935. In 1937 he received the honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Northwestern Evangelical Seminary. In 1955 he returned to England where he lived for many years. He then returned to the United States where he continued to devote time to the writing ministry until his death in November of 1984." -- Publisher

Love, Christopher (1618-1651), The Soul's Cordial, 1653. Alternate title: THE SOULS CORDIALL IN TWO TREATISES. I. TEACHING HOW TO BE EASED OF THE GUILT OF SIN. II. DISCOVERING ADVANTAGES BY CHRISTS ASCENSION. BY THAT FAITHFULL LABOURER IN THE LORDS VINEYARD MR. CHRISTOPHER LOVE, PASTOR OF LAWRENCE JURY, THE THIRD VOLUME. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"Part one is titled "Teaching How To Be Eased of the Guilt of Sin" and consists of 191 pages. Part two, "The Saints Advantage, By Christ's Ascension," deals (in 194 pages) with our Lord's words comforting 'his disciples both against their fears of persecution in the world, as also against their sorrows.' (p. 1). Many subjects are touched upon, including numerous very helpful practical applications following from the assurance of the believer's freedom from the guilt of sin, the truth of Christ's ascension, and the comfort and joy that both these topics bring to the followers of the Lamb. Indexed." -- Publisher

*Spurgeon, C.H. (1834-1892), Jesus Christ Himself (Ephesians 2:20). A sermon by C.H. Spurgeon delivered on Lord's-day morning, December 9, 1877, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, Sermon no. 1388.
"Beyond all argument or miracle, Jesus Christ Himself is the proof of His own Gospel. And as He is the proof of it, so, Beloved, He is the marrow and essence of it. When the Apostle Paul meant that the Gospel was preached, He said, Christ is preached, for the Gospel is Christ Himself! If you want to know what Jesus taught, know Him! He is the incarnation of that Truth of God which by Him and in Him is revealed to the sons of men. Did He not, Himself say, I am the way, the truth, and the life?
"You have not to take down innumerable books, nor to pore over mysterious sentences of double meaning in order to know what our great Teacher has revealed. You have but to turn and gaze upon His countenance, behold His actions and note His spirit and you know His teaching. He lived what He taught. If we wish to know Him, we may hear His gentle voice saying, Come and see. Study His wounds and you understand His innermost philosophy. To know Him and the power of His Resurrection is the highest degree of spiritual learning. He is the end of the Law and the soul of the Gospel -- and when we have preached His Word to the fullest, we may close by saying, Now, of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum -- we have an High Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens." -- C.H. Spurgeon
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols22-24/chs1388.pdf

See also: The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Praise, Thanksgiving, gratitude, The Heart and the Mind, the Mind/Body Relationship, Happiness, holiness, The promises of Christ, Eternal life, immortality, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Bible promises, Living and obeying God, Holy spirit, Fruit of the spirit, Music, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 982-985, 1123-1125, 1359-1363, 1667, 1926-1930, 1934, 3900, 4175, 4206

Related Weblinks

Nave's Topical Bible -- Joy
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Concordances/naves-topical-bible/ntb.cgi?number=T2891

Words of Christ Appearing in The Web Edition of Biblical Counsel: Resources for Renewal
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrrappa.html

Humor

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*Bonham, Tal D., Humor: God's Gift, ISBN: 0805457208 9780805457209.
"You will laugh while you read this book, but more important than that, you may decide that laughter can be a life-style." -- Calvin Miller

Bonham, Tal D., The Treasury of Clean Children's Jokes, ISBN: 080546364X 9780805463644.

Bonham, Tal D., The Treasury of Clean Church Jokes, ISBN: 0805463631 9780805463637.
"This book offers hundreds of hilarious stories, puns, and riddles that are appropriate for any audience. All jokes are conveniently listed by subject for quick reference or preparation on the run. Good for speakers, teachers, preachers, and jokesters." -- Publisher

Carlson, Ron, Common Sense, Nonsense, or Church Sense: Hilarious, Hard-Hitting Stories Full of God's Truth, ISBN: 1892435071 9781892435071.

Cousins, Norman, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient, ISBN: 0393041905 9780393041903 0393326845 9780393326840.
"This book revolutionized the way Americans think about health and healthcare. Diagnosed with a life-threatening and incurable condition, Cousins checked himself out of the hospital and basically healed himself with laughter, rest, and Vitamin C. A few years later, he recovered from a major heart attack on his own and wrote about that, too.
"These books jump-started the whole field of mind-body medicine. Hundreds of books have followed in its tradition, including mine, THE ART OF GETTING WELL: MAXIMIZING HEALTH WHEN YOU HAVE A CHRONIC ILLNESS. ANATOMY OF AN ILLNESS holds up well. I just re-read it and it's still relevant.
"Not everything here will apply to most readers, because Cousins was a major cultural figure with many physicians among his friends. Not everyone would have his self-confidence or his sources of support. But his ideas and his approach are more needed than ever today." -- David Spero, RN, www.art-of-getting-well.com
Cousins "describes his battle with cancer and how he laughed his way to recovery. His hypothesis and the subject of many studies suggests that there are positive effects to be gained from laughter as a great tension-releaser, pain reducer, breathing improver, and general elevator of moods. It sounds miraculous, is not proven, but studies continue. Groups such as the International Conference on Humor and many hospitals use positive emotion rooms and humor carts. In short, humor therapy is valuable and it helps us through difficult or stressful times."

Ingram, William Ray, and Charles Goodman, Church Humor Digest, ISBN: 0916693155 9780916693152.

Siegel, Bernie S., Humor and Healing, ISBN: 1564550702 9781564550705.

Related Weblinks

Some Pretty Funny Stuff
http://www.freemaninstitute.com/funnyIndex.htm

Psychosomatic Illness

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Adolph, Harold P., with Dave Bourne, Stop Making Yourself Sick: A Physician Explores the Connection Between Spiritual Health and Physical Health, ISBN: 0896933253 9780896933255.

Charnock, Stephen (1628-1680), The Sinfulness and Cure of Thoughts. In PURITAN SERMONS 1659-1689: BEING THE MORNING EXERCISES AT CRIPPLEGATE, ST. GILES IN THE FIELDS, AND IN SOUTHWARK BY SEVENTY-FIVE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL IN OR NEAR LONDON WITH NOTES AND TRANSLATIONS BY JAMES NICHOLS. (2:386-420)
The Sinfulness and Cure of Thought, Biblical Sanctification, a sermon by Stephen Charnock. Available in Charnock and M'Cosh, THE COMPLETE WORKS OF STEPHEN CHARNOCK (1865),
The Sinfulness and Cure of Thought, Biblical Sanctification
http://digitalpuritan.net/stephen-charnock/

Dallas, Joe, Desires in Conflict: Answering the Struggle for Sexual Identity, ISBN: 0736912118 9780736912112.
"This book offers a workable approach to sexual and emotional sanctification illuminating the power of God's Grace at work in the sincerely repentant soul." -- GCB
Joe Dallas operates Genesis Counseling in Orange County, California, and is president of Exodus International, an organization that has helped countless thousands out of homosexuality. For more information write to the "Truths That Transform" radio program and ask for the "Joe Dallas Actions Sheet."

Dunbar, Helen Flanders, Emotions and Bodily Changes: A Survey of Literature on Psychosomatic Interrelationships, 1910-1953, ISBN: 0405074263 9780405074264.

Dunbar, Helen Flanders, Mind and Body: Psychosomatic Medicine, ISBN: 0394436210 9780394436210.

*Justice, Blair, Who Gets Sick: How Beliefs, Moods and Thoughts Affect Health, ISBN: 0960537678 9780960537679.
"This is a revised, expanded edition of the 1988 classic that won a prestigious Ben Franklin Award for the best book on health. It was one of the first to give the public an understanding of how beliefs and attitudes affect the body.
"Blair Justice, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology and a longtime researcher in mind/body medicine at the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, School of Public Health, where he also served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. A clinical psychologist, he is the author of numerous papers in the scientific literature and five other books (two with his wife, Dr. Rita Justice). His most recent book (1998) is A DIFFERENT KIND OF HEALTH: FINDING WELL-BEING DESPITE ILLNESS. His 1988 book, WHO GETS SICK: HOW BELIEFS, MOODS AND THOUGHTS AFFECT HEALTH has been published in four languages. A revised, expanded edition was published in 2000. Dr. Justice is a Visiting Scholar at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Dr. Justice works once a week at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center helping patients cope. He and his wife are avid hikers and mountain climbers, along with their Tibetan dogs Tashi and Bodhi. Blair and Rita do animal assisted therapy volunteer service at Methodist Hospital at the Texas Medical Center. -- Publisher
"This book tells it like is, no holds barred. Anyone who has Chronic Fatigue Immune Deregulation Syndrome (CFIDS), Fibromylagia, Gulf War Syndrome, MS, etc., this is a must have for their bookshelf and reference library. Our thoughts become images thus resulting in chronic illnesses passed on to generations. One might think themselves sick and become sick. The scary part is that it is all true. What we think, we become. -- Reader's Comment

McMillen, S.I., None of These Diseases, ISBN: 080075719X 9780800757199.
Revised and expanded in 2000 by D.E. Stern. "This epochal work, when first published in 1963, drew attention to the Biblical teaching on health and the care of the body. Now updated with information on modern diseases, it is even more valuable than when it broke new ground two decades ago." -- Cyril J. Barber
"Good insights into the relation between your attitudes and your physical health." -- Robert B. Somerville

See also: The heart and the mind, the mind/body relationship, The sovereignty of god, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, Covetousness, greed, and selfishness, Stress, Persecution, The counter-reformation, Hostility and violence, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Depression, Fear and anxiety, Worry and anxiety, Homelessness, Loneliness, Conspiracy, corruption, organized crime, and so forth, and so on, through the catalog of sin.

The Heart and the Mind, the Mind/Body Relationship

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The Christian life is not a matter of the tongue but of the inmost heart
And this is the place to upbraid those who, having nothing but the name and badge of Christ, yet wish to call themselves "Christians." Yet, how shamelessly do they boast of his sacred name? Indeed, there is no intercourse with Christ save for those who have perceived the right understanding of Christ from the word of the gospel. Yet the apostle says that all those who were not taught that they must put on him have not rightly learned Christ, as they have not put off the old man, who is corrupt through deceptive desires [Eph. 4:22,24], [Ephesians 4:22,24]. Therefore, it is proved that they have falsely, and also unjustly, pretended the knowledge of Christ, whatever they meanwhile learnedly and volubly prate about the gospel. For it is a doctrine not of the tongue but of life. It is not apprehended by the understanding and memory alone, as other disciplines are, but it is received only when it possesses the whole soul, and finds a seat and resting place in the inmost affection of the heart (1 Cf. III. ii. 36, note 53). Accordingly, either let them cease to boast of what they are not, in contempt of God; or let them show themselves disciples not unworthy of Christ their teacher. We have given the first place to the doctrine in which our religion is contained, since our salvation begins with it. But it must enter our heart and pass into our daily living, and so transform us into itself that it may not be unfruitful for us. The philosophers rightly burn with anger against, and reproachfully drive from their flock, those who when they profess an art that ought to be the mistress of life, turn it into sophistical chatter. (Seneca, Moral Epistles cviii. 23; xlviii. 4, 12 [LCL Seneca, III. 244; I. 316 i, 3S0 f.]). With how much better reason, then, shall we detest these trifling Sophists who are content to roll the gospel on the tips of their tongues when its efficacy ought to penetrate the inmost affections of the heart, take its seat in the soul, and affect the whole man a hundred times more deeply than the cold exhortations of the philosophers! -- John Calvin in Institutes of the Christian Religion, (McNeill/Battles edition), 3.6.4 and context

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
The mind from vanity, the understanding from error, the will from perverseness, the conscience clear of guilt, the affections from being inordinate and set on evil objects, the thoughts from being employed on bad subjects; and the whole from falling into the hands of the enemy, or being the possession of Satan: great diligence had need be used in keeping it, since it is naturally so deceitful and treacherous; a strict eye is to be kept upon it; all the avenues to it to be watched, that nothing hurtful enters, or evil comes out; it is to be kept by all manner of means that can be thought of, by prayer, hearing, reading, meditation; and, above all, by applying to Christ for his grace and Spirit to sanctify, preserve, and keep it. Or, above all keeping, keep thine heart; though other things are to be kept, and care taken of them, as kingdoms and cities, and towns and families, and treasures and riches; yet the heart above all: for out of it [are] the issues of life; of natural life: it is the seat of it, from whence all actions of life are derived; it is, as philosophers say, the first that lives, and the last that dies; and it is the seat of spiritual life the principle of it is formed in it; from whence all spiritual and vital actions flow, and which lead unto and issue in eternal life: as is a man's heart, such is his state now, and will be hereafter; if the heart is quickened and sanctified by the grace of God, the man will live a life of faith and holiness here, and enjoy everlasting life hereafter: and if the heart is right, so will the actions of men be; they are regulated and denominated by it; they will then spring from right principles, and be directed to right ends, and performed with right views; great care therefore should be taken of the heart, since so much depends upon it, and it is so well known to God the searcher of it. -- John Gill (1697-1771), commenting on Proverbs 4:23

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. (Proverbs 15:13)

The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat. (Proverbs 15:30)

There are 40,000 neurons found in the heart (the same number in the brain itself). (Childre/Martin)

The most tremendous judgment of God in this world is the hardening of the hearts of men. -- John Owen (1616-1683)

Satan can afflict the body by the mind -- for these two are so closely bound together that their good and bad estate is shared between them. If the heart be merry the countenance is cheerful, the strength is renewed, the bones do flourish like an herb. If the heart be troubled, the health is impaired, the strength is dried up, the marrow of the bones wasted, etc. Grief in the heart is like a moth in the garment, it insensibly consumeth the body and disordereth it. -- Richard Gilpin

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2,3)

David describes the symptoms of a broken heart quite literally in Psalm 38. It is thought to have been written followed Shimei's stoning and cursing of David in 2 Samuel 16:5-14.

Verse 3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger. Mental depression tells upon the bodily frame; it is enough to create and foster every disease, and is in itself the most painful of all diseases. Soul sickness tells upon the entire frame; it weakens the body, and then bodily weakness reacts upon the mind. . . .
Verse 8. I am feeble. The original is "benumbed, "or frozen, such strange incongruities and contradictions meet in a distracted mind and a sick body -- it appears to itself to be alternately parched with heat and pinched with cold. Like souls in the Popish fabled Purgatory, tossed from burning furnaces into thick ice, so tormented hearts rush from one extreme to the other, with equal torture in each. A heat of fear, a chill of horror, a flaming desire, a horrible insensibility -- by these successive miseries a convinced sinner is brought to death's door. And sore broken. Crushed as in a mill, pounded as in a mortar. The body of the sick man appears to be all out of joint and smashed into a palpitating pulp, and the soul of the desponding is in an equally wretched case; as a victim crushed under the car of Juggernaut, such is a soul over whose conscience the wheels of divine wrath have forced their awful way. I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Deep and hoarse is the voice of sorrow, and often inarticulate and terrible. The heart learns groanings which cannot be uttered, and the voice fails to tone and tune itself to human speech. When our prayers appear to be rather animal than spiritual, they are none the less prevalent with the pitiful Father of mercy. He hears the murmur of the heart and the roaring of the soul because of sin, and in due time he comes to relieve his afflicted.
The more closely the preceding portrait of an awakened soul is studied in the light of experience, the more will its striking accuracy appear. It cannot be a description of merely outward disorder, graphic as it might then be; it has a depth and pathos in it which only the soul's mysterious and awful agony can fully match. . . .
Verse 10. My heart panteth. Here begins another tale of woe. He was so dreadfully pained by the unkindness of friends, that his heart was in a state of perpetual palpitation. Sharp and quick were the beatings of his heart; he was like a hunted roe, filled with distressing alarms, and ready to fly out of itself with fear. The soul seeks sympathy in sorrow, and if it finds none, its sorrowful heart throbs are incessant. My strength faileth me. What with disease and distraction, he was weakened and ready to expire. A sense of sin, and a clear perception that none can help us in our distress, are enough to bring a man to death's door, especially if there be none to speak a gentle word, and point the broken spirit to the beloved Physician. As for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. Sweet light departed from his bodily eye, and consolation vanished from his soul. Those who were the very light of his eyes forsook him. Hope, the last lamp of night, was ready to go out. What a plight was the poor convict in! Yet here, we have some of us been; and here should we have perished had not infinite mercy interposed. Now, as we remember the lovingkindness of the Lord, we see how good it was for us to find our own strength fail us, since it drove us to the strong for strength; and how right it was that our light should all be quenched, that the Lord's light should be all in all to us. . . .
Verse 10. My heart panteth. The verb which David here uses signifies to travel or wander hither and thither, but here it is taken for the agitation or disquietude which distress of heart engenders when we know not what to do. According as men are disquieted in mind, so do they turn themselves on all sides; and so their heart may be said to turn round, or to run to and fro. John Calvin.
Verse 15. David committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, and so in patience was able to possess his soul. Hope in God's intervention, and belief in the power of prayer, are two most blessed stays to the soul in time of adversity. Turning right away from the creature to the sovereign Lord of all, and to him as our own covenant God, we shall find the richest solace in waiting upon him. Reputation like a fair pearl may be cast into the mire, but in due time when the Lord makes up his jewels, the godly character shall shine with unclouded splendour. Rest then, O slandered one, and let not thy soul be tossed to and fro with anxiety. -- C.H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) commenting on Psalm 38 in The Treasury of David

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. (James 4:7,8)

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6,7)

The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! -- The Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:22,23)

Grant, O Almighty God, since thou hast counted us worthy of enjoying the privilege of daily listening to thy word, that it may not find our hearts of stone and our minds of iron, but may we so submit ourselves to thee with all due docility, that we may truly perceive thee to be our Father, and may be confirmed in the confidence of our adoption, as long as thou perseverest to address us, until at length we enjoy not merely thy voice, but also the aspect of thy glory in thy heavenly kingdom, which thine only begotten Son has acquired for us by his blood. -- Amen. -- John Calvin, Calvin's Commentary on Ezekiel

Charnock, Stephen (1628-1680), The Sinfulness and Cure of Thoughts. In PURITAN SERMONS 1659-1689: BEING THE MORNING EXERCISES AT CRIPPLEGATE, ST. GILES IN THE FIELDS, AND IN SOUTHWARK BY SEVENTY-FIVE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL IN OR NEAR LONDON WITH NOTES AND TRANSLATIONS BY JAMES NICHOLS. (2:386-420)
The Sinfulness and Cure of Thought, Biblical Sanctification, a sermon by Stephen Charnock. Available in Charnock and M'Cosh, THE COMPLETE WORKS OF STEPHEN CHARNOCK (1865),
The Sinfulness and Cure of Thought, Biblical Sanctification
http://digitalpuritan.net/stephen-charnock/

Childre, Doc Lew, and Howard Martin, The HeartMath Solution: The Institute of HeartMath's Revolutionary Program for Engaging the Power of the Heart's Intelligence, ISBN: 0062516051 9780062516053 006251606X 9780062516060.
"The Intelligent Heart. Access the power of your heart's intelligence to improve your focus and creativity, elevate your emotional clarity, lower your stress and anxiety levels, strengthen your immune system, promote your body's optimal performance, and slow the aging process." -- Publisher
"THE HEARTMATH SOLUTION may easily be written off as a book too eccentric for widespread public consumption, and that's unfortunate. The title's a bit misleading -- it's not about cardiac care and it's not about calculus, but rather how 30 years of research have shown that the heart's 'intelligence' affects emotions and physical health -- especially when it comes to handling stress -- and specifically what you can do to balance heart rhythms, reduce stress hormones, and boost your immune system. Yes, it sounds complicated, especially when you read that cardiologists worked with physicists and psychiatrists to develop the HeartMath program. But it's worth brushing off your skepticism and exploring the concepts in the Solution, as many employees of Fortune 500 companies have already done.
"The 'intelligence' that the authors focus on refers to both the heart's 'brain,' or the 40,000 neurons found in the heart (the same number in the brain itself), and the intuitive signals the heart sends, including feelings of love, happiness, care, and appreciation. When such positive emotions are felt, they 'not only change patterns of activity in the nervous system; they also reduce the production of the stress hormone cortisol.' When there's less cortisol, there's more DHEA, the so-called fountain of youth hormone known to have anti-aging effects on many of the body's systems.
"The HeartMath Solution outlines 10 steps for harnessing the power of the heart's intelligence, including ways to manage your emotions and keep energy levels high. One of the most important is the 'Freeze-Frame' technique for calming the nervous system, improving clarity of thought and perception, and boosting productivity (which is one of the many appealing features for those Fortune 500 companies). Each step includes references to data proving its effectiveness, with handy summaries of the key points to remember at the end of each chapter. This is a book that takes a bit of scientific understanding and a lot of time to wade through, but one that could help you prevent stress from ruling your existence." -- Erica Jorgensen
"Is the heart the missing link in the mind-body connection? By combining age-old philosophy with modern science, Childre and Martin make a compelling case for the idea that good health is really a triumph of heart, not mind, over matter. Citing the Institute's research on the heart's role in human health, they demonstrate that the so-called metaphorical condition of the heart -- which has long been associated with love, wisdom, courage, and happiness -- may play as important a role in mental well-being as its physical function. The HeartMath solution lies in developing what Childre and Martin call the core heart feelings (such as love, Forgiveness of sin, appreciation and care), which trigger physiological responses resulting in less stress, better brain function and a stronger immune system. Although this book is about the heart, it's written with cool intelligence and intelligibility for the head. Despite slightly off-putting names (Freeze-Frame, Cut-Thru and Lock-In), the relaxation exercises, which are being taught at corporations and at schools, are simple to do, although perhaps already too familiar to anyone who has tried other kinds of meditative techniques. Nevertheless, in presenting a clear argument for following one's heart, this book certainly breaks new ground in the holistic approach to health." -- Publishers Weekly
"Ancient cultures believed that the heart rather than the brain was the seat of emotions, vestiges of which are still apparent in descriptive phrases such as 'broken hearted,' 'cold hearted,' and many others. Recent research confirms the existence of complex communication links between these two organs as well as other systems responsible for maintaining homeostasis, and unanticipated electrical energy pathways that may mediate these activities. This book describes cutting edge approaches that can not only tune into such conversations, but also reduce stress and promote physical and mental health by influencing the dialogue." -- Paul J. Rosch, President, The American Institute of Stress
"HeartMath has had a profound influence on the lives of patients, staff, and administrators at our hospital. Specific health problems such as hypertension and arrhythmias have improved in several patients through interventions with HeartMath tools. Communication and creativity among staff members trained in these tools has taken a quantum leap. They have noticed a completely different way of looking at problems and interacting with those around them." -- Bruce Wilson, M.D., Former Director, University of Pittsburgh Heart Institute, Chairman, Medical Education Committee, Columbia Hospital, Milwaukee, WI

*Bernard of Clairvaux, and J.M. Houston (editor, abridger), The Love of God and Spiritual Friendship, ISBN: 0880700173 9780880700177. A Christian classic.
"Houston provides his readers with a careful introduction to the times of Bernard and his importance in the history of the Christian church. He then furnishes a carefully edited version of this greatest devotional treatise on the love of God . . ." -- Cyril J. Barber
Bernard, of Clairvaux (Saint, 1090(1)-1153), Saint Bernard on the Love of God (1884)
http://archive.org/details/saintbernardlove00bernuoft
On Loving God, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
http://www.ccel.org/bernard/loving_God/loving_God.html

*Flavel, John (1628-1691), Keeping the Heart, ISBN: 1573580775. A Christian classic. Alternate title: A SAINT INDEED OR THE GREAT WORK OF A CHRISTIAN OPENED AND PRESSED. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"One of the most endearing Puritan works.
This "is an extensive treatment of Proverbs 4:23, Keep thy heart, for out of it flow the issues of life. This book has been completely retypeset and updated for easier reading; and there is also a helpful introduction and added study guide which makes this book suitable for study by individuals and groups. -- Publisher
Flavel, John, A Treatise on Keeping the Heart. Selected From the Works of the Rev. John Flavel. The style adapted to the present state of improvement (1813)
http://archive.org/details/treatiseonkeepin00flav
On Keeping the Heart, John Flavel
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-10/web/flavel-keeping.html

*Welch, Edward T., Blame it on the Brain? Distinguishing Chemical Imbalances, Brain Disorders, and Disobedience, ISBN: 0875526020 9780875526027.
"Dr. Welch has a Ph.D. in psychology as well as theology degrees, and has been a counselor for years. His doctoral work was on brain physiology, so BLAME IT ON THE BRAIN is the fruit of 20 years of reflection on the subject.
"Welch wonders if the brain 'has been given too much credit.' (p. 12). Many have held the brain responsible for some bad behavior: 'My disease did it!' (p. 13). While the observations of the rapidly expanding field of brain sciences can be very helpful, when interpreted through a biblical lens they can be put in a more modest and helpful perspective. How do these discoveries illustrate biblical truths that can be applied to people's lives? Instead, too often sin problems are mislabeled as solely brain problems, and thus the true cause is left unaddressed. (p. 25)
"Four very practical principles emerge from this approach to mind-body issues: 1. The brain cannot by itself 'make' a person sin. (p. 49f). 2. Each person's abilities (brain strengths and weaknesses) are unique. (p. 53f). 3. Brain problems can expose heart problems. (p. 56f). 4. Sinful hearts can lead to physical illness; upright hearts can contribute to good health. (p. 58f)
"In part two of the book these principles are then concisely but thoughtfully applied to a series of examples. First are apparently physical issues: Alzheimer's disease (p. 67f), and head injury (p. 85f). Next are more psychiatric issues: depression (p. 115f), 'A.D.D.' (p. 131f), homosexuality (p. 151f), and alcoholism. (p. 183f)
"Welch's treatments of these problems abound with practical, sensitive insight. In the process he clearly defines the deeper issues at stake: what is the soul?; what is the body?; what is sin?
"For me, a crucial component of the book is the section on the mind-body relationships, especially pp. 43-48. Welch is careful to distinguish the heart from the body, but without separating them. Drawing upon rich Trinitarian analogies, he is careful to outline a model that seeks not to over-emphasize either the duality or the unity. This understanding enables us to try to distinguish between sin and sickness. As Welch ably defines it: 'any behavior that does not conform to biblical commands or any behavior that transgresses biblical prohibitions proceeds form the heart and is sin.' (p. 43). Conversely, 'any behavior that is more accurately called a weakness proceeds from the body and is sickness or suffering.' (p. 44). We are to repent of sin. But things that reflect only our creaturely limitations are not immoral, but proceed from our fallen bodies.
"The example Welch uses of hallucinations is illustrative. The Bible does not prohibit them, so we can not admonish someone for experiencing them. We are called to compassion for them. The hallucination may have been caused by a prior sinful choice, and the hallucinatory may respond to them with sin, but the hallucination itself is not sinful. A helpful chart on p. 45 lists out some examples of body problems (broken bones, mental retardation, feelings of depression, hallucinations) and heart (mind) problems (anger, pride, drunkenness). Of course, many problems involve both the body and the heart or mind, and in unequal and obscured proportions. How do we separate out the differences? And why is it helpful to try?
"Each summer during high school and college I worked in a nursing home. The changes I witnessed in particular residents after being away from them for almost a year were often shocking and tragic. I think of a seemingly kind and affable man named D., who in a few months seemed to transform into an unrecognizably profane and lewd bore. Welch demonstrates convincingly that such brain or body problems as D.'s Alzheimer's can expose what is in the heart. The brain appears to have led the person into bad behavior, when it is more accurate to say that the brain problem allowed certain otherwise hidden parts of their heart to be uncovered. Welch contends, 'In some case brain problems function like truth serum for the heart.' (p. 58)
"Welch's treatment of the subject is fairly comprehensive but far from exhaustive. Questions of application remain. If meds can only, at their best, address the body issues and not the heart, how do we know which needs addressing? Welch addresses this in a wise, but frustratingly brief section in pp. 125-127. Adopting Welch's guidelines is easy enough, but applying them to real life situations, I know from experience, is another matter. What about the person who meets some but not all of the criteria listed on p. 127 (they are over forty; have had no prior history of problems with depression; are taking prescription drugs, etc.)? This is not a flaw in Welch's treatment of the topic, just a limitation of its brief explication here.
"I have known a person, for example, who had his first bout with depression at age 62. But it was extremely serious. He became despondent and delusional and was checked into a residential treatment facility. His case meets the first of the two criteria listed by Welch, but not the last two. Clearly, his depression was triggered by some circumstances in his life (some the direct result of some horrible choices, others not). Yet, just as clearly it seems that the depression, while largely originating from his sinful behavior, now had a physical component. His medications, while wrought with multiple serious side effects, did seem to successfully contribute to his ability to function. Yet, if I were given a decision making role in his 'treatment,' I would want to somehow know: were the drugs really helpful, or was it their placebo effect? And if they did reduce his anxiety, is that all necessarily good? Did he not need discomfort to drive him to make changes in his absolutely horrendous behavior? And if so, how much and what type of discomfort?
"Anyway, Welch's book wrestles with some deep issues and presents them in a lucid and readable format." -- Raymond Cannata
" 'What is needed is not necessarily more sophistication in understanding the brain. Instead, what is needed is a more in-depth and practical examination of Scripture that is relevant to these questions.' (pp. 19-20). In this chapter, he remains resolute in affirming the supreme authority of God's Word in understanding and applying the deluge of information which our secular society is bent on giving us. . . .
'Heart and body are both two and one. They are two in that the body cannot be reduced to heart or spirit, and heart cannot be reduced to body. But they are mutually independent. They need each other. Human life cannot even be imagined without both the inner and the outer person. . . .' (p. 47)
"In chapters 4 and 5, we read about legitimate brain dysfunctions which are the result of Alzheimer's disease (and dementia) or serious head injury stemming from an accident. Here, Welch wants the reader to understand that there are indeed cases where the brain can suffer illness or injury to the extent that the behavior and mental capacity of the individual will be directly affected. He is quick to point out that though these conditions may harm the outer man, they do not necessarily mean that the inner man will also begin to dissipate.
"In chapters 7 and 8, we read about psychiatric problems such as depression and attention deficit disorder (ADD) which may or may not be the result of the brain's alleged deficiencies. . . . He is also quick to point out that the depression or ADD may be the result of a spiritual problem and that the care of the individual and their relation to God ought to factor in the treatment every bit as much as medicinal treatments.
"In chapters 9 and 10 we read about two areas of human behavior which the brain is often held responsible for -- homosexuality and alcoholism. In both cases, Welch is insistent that the brain cannot the cause of one's sinful behavior. As he says so plainly, " 'The ultimate cause of sin is always the human heart,' (p. 169). He argues that when these behaviors are seen as proceeding directly from the brain's activity, then the connection that exists between human beings as morally accountable agents and a holy and righteous God is severed. What needs to take place is repentance from such sinful behavior in light of the promise of God's gracious provision of forgiveness which can be found in Jesus Christ. Though these sins present particularly strong forms of bondage, God's mercy can break even their stronghold." -- Daniel Mark Donovan

Wilson, Bruce C., and Doc Lew Childre, The Heartmath Approach to Managing Hypertension: The Proven, Natural way to Lower Your Blood Pressure (Heartmath), ISBN: 9781572244719 1572244712.
"High blood pressure is a national epidemic. It's a silent killer, a dangerous condition that affects one in four Americans, most of whom have no idea they are at risk for higher rates of heart disease, stroke, and other life-threatening problems. Conventional treatments for hypertension involve drugs, and these can have considerable side effects and may not be ultimately succeed in getting those numbers down. Fortunately there are many things that people with hypertension can do to reverse the condition and improve their health. The researchers at the renowned HeartMath Institute have researched techniques for managing stress and hypertension for more than fifteen years. Now, at last, their highly effective techniques for regulating blood pressure safely and effectively are available to readers in this simple and easy-to use format. Using a series of unique techniques like the Freeze Frame and the Heart Lock-In, this book allows you to literally regulate your blood pressure at the source -- the heart level -- and reduce the stress that causes your high blood pressure. In as little as ninety days, you can "reset" your baroreceptive systems and lower blood pressure levels. The approach is drug-free safe, effective, and clinically validated.
"From the leaders of the renowned HeartMath Institute comes this application of the HeartMath techniques for natural, drug-free management of hypertension: Engage the heart to bring emotions, body, and mind into balance, and help lower high blood pressure.
"Doc Childre is the founder and chairman of the scientific advisory board of the Institute of HeartMath, the chairman of HeartMath LLC and the chairman and CEO of Quantum Intech. He is the author of seven books, including Transforming Anger, Transforming Stress, Transforming Anxiety, and The HeartMath Method.
"Bruce C. Wilson, MD, is a cardiologist who gives lectures and teaches seminars on the HeartMath tools for stress reduction and better health. He helped develop the HeartMath Health Care Division." -- Publisher
"Written in an understandable and interesting style, this book explains breathwork in a modern way with modern research. I was recommended the HeartMath technique by my dentist to reduce my parasympathetic response so my major dental work would heal better. HeartMath techniques effect the whole body and offer those who suffer from staying in their 'flight or fight' nervous system a way to easily access their 'feed and breed' one more often." -- Reader's Comment

See also: Psychosomatic illness, The love and justice of God, The incarnation of our lord (the deity of the lord jesus christ), Fruit of the holy spirit, Love and truth, Bad relationships a cause of disease and death, Reconciliation of relationships, Love and obedience, Healing of the mind, Mind control, Rest, Sleep, and so forth, and so on.

Related Weblinks

Connecting the Heart and Mind, Part 1 of 2, a sermon by Ravi Zacharia
"God designed the heart and mind to work together. But it's not always easy to do that. As Christians, how do we connect both?"
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/let-my-people-think/listen/connecting-the-heart-and-mind-part-1-of-2-232393.html
Connecting the Heart and Mind, Part 2 of 2, a sermon by Ravi Zacharia
http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/let-my-people-think/listen/connecting-the-heart-and-mind-part-2-of-2-232394.html

Marks of a Right Heart Before God, J.C. Ryle
"4) A right heart is a PURIFIED heart (Acts 15:9; Matthew 5:8). It loves holiness, and hates sin. It strives daily to cleanse itself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1). It abhors that which is evil, and cleaves to that which is good. It delights in the law of God, and has that law engraved on it, that it may not forget it (Psalm 119:11). It longs to keep the law more perfectly, and takes pleasure in those who love the law. It loves God and people. Its affections are set on things above. It never feels so light and happy as when it is most holy; and it looks forward to heaven with joy, as the place where perfect holiness will at length be attained."
http://www.jcryle.info/2016/10/7-marks-of-right-heart-before-god.html

The Mysterious Matter of Mind
"In the end I conclude that there is no good evidence, in spite of new methods, such as the employment of stimulating electrodes, the study of conscious patients, and the analysis of epileptic attacks, that the brain alone can carry out the work that the mind does. I conclude that it is easier to rationalize man's being on the basis of two elements than on the basis of one."
http://www.custance.org/Library/MIND/chapter5.html

Worship: A Clue to Meaning in Life, Ravi Zacharias
"Man is by nature a religious entity. He finds objects or persons to worship and will ultimately reflect that object. It is for this reason that authentic worship is pivotal for the Christian's life. True worship pulls together my conscience, heart, mind, imagination, and will. When these coalesce in unified expression, life finds its meaning."
https://www.christianbook.com/worship-clue-to-meaning-in-life/ravi-zacharias/pd/DA21549-CP?event=ESRCG

Heart Disease and Stroke

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My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. (Psalm 73:26)

Heart disease is the third leading cause of death among women aged 25-44 years, the 2nd leading cause of death among women aged 45-64 years, and the leading cause of death among women aged 65 years and older. -- ScienceDaily, Jan. 11, 2008

Dean, Carolyn, MD, ND, The Magnesium Miracle: Discover the Essential Nutrient That Will Lower the Risk of Heart Disease, Prevent Stroke and Obesity, Treat Diabetes, and Improve Mood and Memory, ISBN: 9780345494580 034549458X.
"More than seventy-five years ago, medical scientists declared magnesium to be an essential nutrient, indispensable to life. When this mineral is part of your diet, you are guarding against -- and helping to alleviate -- health threats such as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, diabetes, depression, arthritis, and asthma. But while research continues to reaffirm magnesium's irreplaceable contribution to good health, many Americans remain dangerously deficient.
"In THE MIRACLE OF MAGNESIUM, Dr. Carolyn Dean, an authority on this mineral who has used it with dramatic success in her own practice, explains the vital role that magnesium plays in the control of many serious ailments -- from painful muscle spasms and bladder problems to traumatic brain injury and complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Inside you will discover:

• How diets and lifestyles can create a dangerous magnesium deficiency
• Which magnesium-rich foods keep your vital organs healthy and which to avoid
• Why other nutrients, including calcium, need magnesium to become potent
• What vitamins and minerals work with magnesium to treat specific ailments
• Why prescription medicines, such as birth control pills, can deplete magnesium
• Which magnesium supplements are best for you

*Nissen, Steven, MD, and Mark Gillinov, MD, Heart 411: The Only Guide to Heart Health You'll Ever Need, ISBN: 9780307719904 0307719901.
"The definitive guide to heart health from two of America's most respected doctors at Cleveland Clinic, the #1 hospital for heart health in America. Are you one of the eighty-two million Americans currently diagnosed with cardiovascular disease -- or one of the millions more who think they are healthy but are at risk? Whether your goal is to get the best treatment or stay out of the cardiologist's office, your heart's health depends upon accurate information and correct answers to key questions. In HEART 411, two renowned experts, heart surgeon Marc Gillinov and cardiologist Steven Nissen, tackle the questions their patients have raised over their decades of practice: Can the stress of my job really lead to a heart attack? How does exercise help my heart, and what is the right amount and type of exercise? What are the most important tests for my heart, and when do I need them? How do symptoms and treatments differ among men, women, and children? Backed by decades of clinical experience and up-to-the-minute research, yet written in the accessible, down-to-earth tone of your trusted family doctor, HEART 411 cuts through the confusion to give you the knowledge and tools you need to live a long and heart-healthy life." -- Publisher

Ozner, Michael D., The Great American Heart Hoax: Lifesaving Advice Your Doctor Should Tell you About Heart Disease Prevention (But Probably Never Will), ISBN: 9781933771540 1933771542.
"Addressing the importance of preventative measures over uncertain surgeries, this groundbreaking study reveals the secret to cardiovascular health. Illustrating the disturbing realities about the heart industry and how undependable bypass surgery can be, this survey argues the alternative -- know the majority of people can employ much simpler methods, such as a change in diet, to achieve better results. Also featured is a 12-step program to improve heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease, including dieting advice, tips on exercise and stress management, methods for controlling cholesterol and blood pressure, and recommended vitamins and medicines.
"Michael Ozner, MD, is medical director of the Cardiovascular Prevention Institute of South Florida and a clinical assistant professor of medicine and cardiology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He is the author of THE MIAMI MEDITERRANEAN DIET. He lives in Miami." -- Publisher
"HEART HOAX is horrifying because it reveals many troubling facts about America's cardiac surgery industry. As a longtime medical advocate and critic of our healthcare system, I've known that too many heart surgeries are being performed in America; I just didn't know how many too many! In his book, Dr. Ozner reveals that, of the more than 1.5 million angioplasties and coronary bypass surgeries performed annually in the U.S., fully 70-90 percent are not only unnecessary, but are also detrimental -- and in some cases, even cause death. I knew that many diagnostic tests expose patients to radiation, but I didn't know that the 64-slice CT scan -- so often used to detect clogged arteries -- gives a patient the equivalent of the radiation from FIVE HUNDRED X-RAYS. And while I had known that the simple cholesterol test, which doctors routinely use as a predictor of cardiac risk, does NOT give the full picture, I did not know that it correctly predicts risk IN ONLY 40 percent of cases -- AND that there is another blood test (which doctors normally do NOT use), which can correctly predict cardiac risk in 90 percent of patients. All of these facts -- and more -- add up to what Dr. Ozner refers to as the GREAT AMERICAN HEART HOAX. The truth, writes Dr. Ozner, is that invasive cardiologists HAVE KNOWN many of these 'dirty secrets' for years, but have chosen to ignore them, in the unholy goal of 'following the money.'
"So, why do I say that this book is also empowering? Because, the exposé takes up only one part of the book. In the second half, Dr. Ozner gives us the 'good news,' by laying out his solution: a 10-step prevention program he has used successfully with his patients for nearly 30 years. It combines the Mediterranean Diet -- with lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and healthy fats -- with nutritional supplements, exercise, stress reduction, and lots more. After reading this book, you will know how to prevent a heart attack and, if you have already had one, how to greatly reduce your chances of ever having another." -- Reader's Comment

Sinatra, Stephen T., and James C. Roberts (introduction), The Sinatra Solution: New Hope for Preventing and Treating Heart Disease, ISBN: 1591201608 9781591201601 1591201586 9781591201588 9781591202165 1591202167.
"Dr. Stephen Sinatra is the preeminent metabolic cardiologist." Joe Graedon, "The People's Pharmacy," Show #553.
Dr. Sinatra prescribes the following nutriceuticals for heart health: Magnesium, Co Q-10, Acetyl L-Carnitine, D-Ribos, fish oil, B Vitamins (a good B multi-vitamin), and Vitamin C.
"There's new hope for preventing and treating heart disease. If you suffer from heart disease, Dr. Stephen T. Sinatra has the solution you've been looking for: Maximize the amount of oxygen your heart extracts from your bloodstream by accelerating the rate at which your cells convert nutrients to energy. This can be achieved by following Dr. Sinatra's energy-enhancing nutritional approach. This approach focuses on the supplemental use of three amazing bioenergetic nutrients: Coenzyme Q10, L-carnitine, and D-ribose. The synergistic combination of these nutrients essentially charge up every body cell to function at optimal capacity. So, not only will you experience renewed heart health with all that energy, you'll also gain a greater sense of overall well-being.
"Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., is a board-certified cardiologist, a certified bioenergetic psychotherapist, and a certified nutrition and anti-aging specialist. At his practice in Manchester, Connecticut, Dr. Sinatra integrates conventional medicine with complementary nutritional and psychological therapies to help heal the heart. He is an assistant clinical professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and is the author of several books, including OPTIMAL HEALTH, HEARTBREAK AND HEART DISEASE, HEART SENSE FOR WOMEN, and EIGHT WEEKS TO LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE." -- Publisher
"Dr. Stephen Sinatra has been an outspoken leader among physicians in the country on raising awareness of the relationship of supplements to cardiac health, especially Carnitine and Coenzyme Q-10. He has continued his campaign to raise awareness among physicians and the public, bringing nutrition, a real understanding of physiology and the generation of energy necessary for cardiac function back into the discussion of heart disease and cardiac rehabilitation. For too long medical discussions have centered only on which pharmaceutical drug might one use to reduce symptoms after the damage has occurred . . . and still, at most medical conferences, that is all that is discussed. Dr. Sinatra's preventive cardiology gives you an understanding of what it takes to keep your heart and circulation functioning at the 'prime of life' level well into your advanced age. He has a holistic and compassionate understanding of all of the factors that make for a 'sick heart' from dietary influences to environmental toxins, to the impact of unavoidable stress on our lives, and how we choose to deal with it.
"Dr. Sinatra is also a contagious optimist, and a brilliant doctor. You will learn a lot from his book, and he writes as he speaks, very personably, very warm. I, as a physician, seize every opportunity I can to hear him speak, and quote his advice to my patients often.
"Modern medicine is not really on the side of us staying healthy. We have to take responsibility for this ourselves. We have to learn from the masters who are generous enough to deeply study preventive medicine and give us the tools we need to heal and treat ourselves. This book is one of those indispensable tools." -- Dr. Tedde Rinker, Anti-Aging Physician, Redwood City, California, www.stress-medicine.com

Sinatra, Stephen T., Jan Demarco Sinatra, and Roberta Jo Lieberman, Heart Sense for a Woman: Your Plan for Natural Prevention and Treatment, ISBN: 0452282713 9780452282711.
Heart disease presents different symptoms in women than in men. Because of gender specific symptoms it can go unrecognized in women. It has been said that within the next decade (written in 2005), gender specific physicians will become commonplace in healthcare.
"In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Stephen Sinatra reveals why heart disease is the #1 killer of women in America today. HEART SENSE FOR WOMEN shatters the myths that keep this a hidden epidemic and outlines a prescriptive plan for natural prevention and treatment. In this valuable resource, women will discover:

• How to recognize early warning signs of heart attacks
  
• 15 key risk factors and how to protect yourself
  
• How being in touch with your emotions can lower your risk of heart disease

Tricoci, P. (Pierluigi), J.M. Allen, J.M. Kramer, R.M. Califf, and S.C. Smith Jr., Division of Cardiology and Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, Scientific Evidence Underlying the ACC/AHA [American College of Cardiologists/American Heart Association -- compiler] Clinical Practice Guidelines, JAMA. 2009 Feb 25;301(8):868-9.
"ACC provides exclusive benefits and services designed specifically for cardiologists, including advocacy, education and access to information." -- from the ACC website
"More than a million people get an angioplasty, stent, or bypass surgery each year. How many of these costly procedures are really essential?"
"RESULTS: Among guidelines with at least 1 revision or update by September 2008, the number of recommendations increased from 1330 to 1973 (+48 percent) from the first to the current version, with the largest increase observed in use of class II recommendations. Considering the 16 current guidelines reporting levels of evidence, only 314 recommendations of 2711 total are classified as level of evidence A (median, 11 percent), [emphasis added, that is, only 11 percent of the ACC/AHA recommended guidelines provided to cardiologists were based upon solid scientifically evidence -- compiler] whereas 1246 (median, 48 percent) are level of evidence C [medical opinion -- compiler]. Level of evidence significantly varies across categories of guidelines (disease, intervention, or diagnostic) and across individual guidelines. Recommendations with level of evidence A are mostly concentrated in class I, but only 245 of 1305 class I recommendations have level of evidence A (median, 19 percent).
"CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations issued in current ACC/AHA clinical practice guidelines are largely developed from lower levels of evidence or expert opinion. The proportion of recommendations for which there is no conclusive evidence is also growing. These findings highlight the need to improve the process of writing guidelines and to expand the evidence base from which clinical practice guidelines are derived."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19244190?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Wilson, Bruce C., and Doc Lew Childre, The Heartmath Approach to Managing Hypertension: The Proven, Natural way to Lower Your Blood Pressure (Heartmath), ISBN: 9781572244719 1572244712.
"High blood pressure is a national epidemic. It's a silent killer, a dangerous condition that affects one in four Americans, most of whom have no idea they are at risk for higher rates of heart disease, stroke, and other life-threatening problems. Conventional treatments for hypertension involve drugs, and these can have considerable side effects and may not be ultimately succeed in getting those numbers down. Fortunately there are many things that people with hypertension can do to reverse the condition and improve their health. The researchers at the renowned HeartMath Institute have researched techniques for managing stress and hypertension for more than fifteen years. Now, at last, their highly effective techniques for regulating blood pressure safely and effectively are available to readers in this simple and easy-to use format. Using a series of unique techniques like the Freeze Frame and the Heart Lock-In, this book allows you to literally regulate your blood pressure at the source -- the heart level -- and reduce the stress that causes your high blood pressure. In as little as ninety days, you can "reset" your baroreceptive systems and lower blood pressure levels. The approach is drug-free safe, effective, and clinically validated.
"From the leaders of the renowned HeartMath Institute comes this application of the HeartMath techniques for natural, drug-free management of hypertension: Engage the heart to bring emotions, body, and mind into balance, and help lower high blood pressure.
"Doc Childre is the founder and chairman of the scientific advisory board of the Institute of HeartMath, the chairman of HeartMath LLC and the chairman and CEO of Quantum Intech. He is the author of seven books, including Transforming Anger, Transforming Stress, Transforming Anxiety, and The HeartMath Method.
"Bruce C. Wilson, MD, is a cardiologist who gives lectures and teaches seminars on the HeartMath tools for stress reduction and better health. He helped develop the HeartMath Health Care Division." -- Publisher
"Written in an understandable and interesting style, this book explains breathwork in a modern way with modern research. I was recommended the HeartMath technique by my dentist to reduce my parasympathetic response so my major dental work would heal better. HeartMath techniques effect the whole body and offer those who suffer from staying in their 'flight or fight' nervous system a way to easily access their 'feed and breed' one more often." -- Reader's Comment

Wolf, Stewart, and John Bruhn, The Power of Clan: The Influence of Human Relationships on Heart Disease, new edition, ISBN: 0765804492 9780765804495.
"The notion that the quality of our social relationships may have a profound effect on our health and longevity has a long history but a short scientific past. A much publicized study that set out to show an association between social cohesion in the community and coronary heart disease mortality was begun in 1962 by Drs. Bruhn and Wolf. Their focus was on the town of Roseto, a cohesive and relatively stable Italian-American community in Pennsylvania. There the death rate from heart attacks was substantially lower than that of nearby towns. However, Roseto has changed over the years and so have its mortality statistics.
"THE POWER OF CLAN is a sequel to THE ROSETO STORY: AN ANATOMY OF HEALTH (1979). It includes the results from a follow-up survey that was done in collaboration with the Center for Social Research at Lehigh University. The authors intended to document the changes in Roseto as its people have adapted to an American lifestyle that is characterized by individualism, competitiveness, and materialism. One of the authors, Stewart Wolf, virtually acted as a participant-observer, contributing to a vivid and lively account of these changes that is supported by many anecdotes and an additional 22 pages of photographs. The book includes many tables showing demographic and health characteristics of Rosetans and their controls, and discusses potential mechanisms linking social change to increased death rates from myocardial infarction. This wealth of information provides a rich source of hypotheses and should encourage the development of sound psychometric instruments to test more rigorously the link between mutually supportive attitudes, cooperation, and health outcomes.
"THE POWER OF CLAN will stimulate and revive discussion on the effects of personal relationships on health. We are reminded of the work by J.J. Groen that urged us to adopt a more comprehensive approach to our understanding and, ultimately, control of coronary heart disease in both women and men." -- Gerdi Weidner
"Stewart Wolf was really one of the pioneers of psychosomatic medicine," noted Paul Rosch, president of the American Institute of Stress, in The Lancet. "His book on stress and hypertension is still considered a classic in the field . . . He was a marvelous cultured person who was able to bring a broad background in the humanities to his approach to patients and to teaching." -- Publisher

See also: Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, The heart and the mind, the mind/body relationship, Hypothyroidism, Depression, Stress, Exercise, Rest, Nutrition, nutriceuticals, Healthcare horror stories, and so forth, and so on.

Related Weblinks

Angry Outbursts Harm the Heart, May 16, 2013
"Research has suggested that hostility and anger increase the risk for heart disease. A new study published in the American Journal of Cardiology confirms that losing your temper could trigger a heart attack."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/05/16/angry-outbursts-harm-the-heart/

Angry People 'Risking Heart Attacks,' Michelle Roberts
"In the two hours immediately after an angry outburst, risk of a heart attack increased nearly five-fold, and risk of stroke increased more than three-fold, the data from nine studies and involving thousands of people suggests."
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-26416153

Antibiotics and Sudden Death, May 18, 2012
"A little known fact is that the class of antibiotics called macrolides (including clarithromycin and erythromycin as well as azithromycin), can increase the risk for serious irregular heart rhythms and sudden cardiac death. These dangerous arrhythmias have been noted in the medical literature for more than a decade. For reasons that are not entirely clear to us, doctors thought that azithromycin did not share this class effect. . . .
"this study gives a glimpse at another secret that many health professionals prefer to keep under wraps: a surprising number of drugs can cause serious heart rhythm abnormalities. These arrhythmias can lead to stroke or sudden death. These medications are taken by tens of millions of Americans every day! . . ."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/05/18/antibiotics-and-sudden-death/

Are Your Vitamin D Levels bad Because of BPA and Phthalates?
"When vitamin D levels are low, people are at greater risk of dying prematurely. Could common environmental chemicals be contributing to lower vitamin D levels in the population? A new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (Sept. 20, 2016) suggests that exposure to BPA and phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) may be a bigger problem than previously thought."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2016/09/22/are-your-vitamin-d-levels-bad-because-of-bpa-and-phthalates

CDC Issues Alarming Report on Diabetes Statistics, June 12, 2014
"The CDC has announced worrisome statistics regarding diabetes. In 2012, 9 percent of American adults had the disease, which increases the risk of cardiovascular complications such as kidney failure, stroke or heart disease and premature death.
"An estimated 29 million of us now have diabetes, although at least one in four have not been diagnosed with it. An additional 86 million are at risk of developing diabetes. That means one in three adults are currently considered pre-diabetic."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2014/06/12/cdc-issues-alarming-report-on-diabetes-statistics/

Chocolate as a Cost-Effective way to Fight Heart Disease, June 7, 2012
"Australian researchers estimate that investing about $40 a year in dark chocolate could be a cost-effective strategy for reducing the risk of heart disease. This conclusion is the result of a complex mathematical model based on data from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle study and from the medical literature. Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids that can relax blood vessels, lower blood pressure, help prevent blood clots and lower insulin resistance."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/06/07/chocolate-as-a-cost-effective-way-to-fight-heart-disease/

CoEnzyme Q10 Fights Heart Failure, December 20, 2012
"The antioxidant Coenzyme Q10 has been promoted for years as a way to treat heart failure. Studies gave conflicting results, but a new meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials shows modest benefit in the ejection fraction, a measure of how well the heart pumps blood."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/12/20/coenzyme-q10-fights-heart-failure/

CoQ10 has Heart Benefits, June 24, 2013
"Coenzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinol, is a natural compound made by the body. It is essential for mitochondria, the energy factories of our cells.
"Statin-type drugs deplete this crucial nutrient and many doctors now recommend it for patients on such medications (Nutrition Reviews, March, 2013). A new study presented at the European Society of Cardiology in May showed that Coenzyme Q10 reduced heart failure mortality by about half. The lead author encouraged his cardiology colleagues to add Coenzyme Q10 to standard heart failure therapy."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/06/24/coq10-has-heart-benefits/

Depressed Adolescents Face Increased Heart Disease Risk, Will Boggs, MD
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/10/us-health-kids-depression-heart-idUSKCN0QF24320150810

Drug Dangers, May 19, 2012
"We'd like to imagine that the drug the doctor prescribed will do exactly what it should and not have any negative consequences. But that is probably an unrealistic expectation. Medications such as the arthritis drug Vioxx and the antibiotic Zithromax can have dangerous effects on the heart. How can we find out about the potential adverse reactions associated with our medicines?"
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/05/19/858-drug-dangers/

Fasting for a Healthy Heart, April 7, 2011
"Fasting on a regular basis is encouraged by many religions. New evidence from Utah suggests that it may have physical as well as spiritual benefits. The researchers questioned 200 people undergoing angiography to detect heart disease. The patients, mostly Mormons, were asked about fasting. Those who reported fasting once a month were 58 percent less likely to have diseased coronary arteries than those who did not."
[American College of Cardiology, April 3-5, 2011]"
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/04/07/fasting-for-a-healthy-heart/

The Great Cholesterol Myth
"What is the optimal diet to reduce your risk of heart disease? (And why don't you need to worry about the cholesterol in your breakfast eggs?) Our guests give surprising -- but evidence-based -- advice on healthy living."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/03/09/895-the-great-cholesterol-myth/

Heart-Healthy Choices, March 2, 2013
"Some 7,500 Spaniards volunteered for a study that has shown quite clearly that the Mediterranean diet can save lives. In fact, those consuming a Mediterranean diet with either extra-virgin olive oil or walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds providing extra fat were 30 percent less likely to die of a heart attack during the study than those assigned to a low-fat diet."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/03/02/894-heart-healthy-choices/

How to Mobilize the Immune System to Fight Cancer
"So how can the immune system recognize cancer and put up protection against it? Immunologists are coming up with new treatments that can help mobilize the immune system to get cancers under control. Learn how they work, and why they might even work better than surgery, chemotherapy or radiation for certain types of cancers." http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2016/03/24/show-1029-how-to-mobilize-the-immune-system-to-fight-cancer/

Hypertension Heresy: Are we Overtreating High Blood Pressure? August 15, 2012
"Physicians have come to believe that aggressive treatment of patients with high blood pressure will lead to better outcomes. Everything changed on August 15, 2012, when the Cochrane Collaboration published its analysis: "Benefits of antihypertensive drugs for mild hypertension are unclear." The Cochrane Collaboration represents the highest level of scientific scrutiny of available studies. The experts who analyze the data are independent and objective and have come to be regarded as the ultimate authority on the medical interventions they evaluate. As far as we can tell, there is no better organization for assessing the pros and cons of pharmaceutical and alternative therapies than Cochrane."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/08/15/hypertension-heresy-are-we-overtreating-high-blood-pressure/

Is Your Pain Reliever Causing an Irregular Heart Rhythm? July 20, 2011
"The subjects in the Danish study were matched with 325,918 control patients to compare the use of pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, etc.), celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), ketoprofen (Orudis), meloxicam (Mobic) and naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, etc.). The investigators reported that, "In this large population based case-control study, we found that patients starting treatment with non-aspirin NSAIDs were at increased risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter compared with those not using NSAIDs. The relative risk increase was 40-70 percent -- equivalent to approximately four extra cases per year of atrial fibrillation per 1,000 new users of non-selective NSAIDs and seven extra cases per year of atrial fibrillation per 1,000 new users of COX 2 inhibitors. The risk appeared highest in older people."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/07/20/is-your-pain-reliever-causing-an-irregular-heart-rhythm/

Keeping Your Heart Healthy, October 20, 2012
"When it comes to heart disease, wouldn't prevention be better than cure? One of the country's leading cardiologists, Dr. Steve Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic, tells us how we can keep our hearts healthy."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/10/20/877-keeping-your-heart-healthy/

A Little Exercise is Better Than None
"A new meta-analysis of 33 studies of exercise and coronary heart disease risk shows that people who exercised 150 minutes a week did lower their risk by about 14 percent compared to those who sat on the couch. People who exercised even more -- 300 minutes a week -- lowered their risk by about 20 percent. But the most important finding from this study is that people who exercised at all, even though they might not have gotten half an hour a day, were able to reduce their risk of heart disease too. According to the authors, their study offers support to the adage, "some physical activity is better than none." The biggest improvement was among people who went from no physical activity to exercising just 10 or 15 minutes a day, an amount that is well within reach for most folks."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/08/04/a-little-exercise-is-better-than-none/

Munching on Sugary Treats Adds to Cardiovascular Risk, February 6, 2014
"Sugar is turning out to be more dangerous than previously thought. That's the conclusion of a large epidemiological study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. More than 30,000 people were questioned in detail about their health and their diets between 1988 and 2010. Approximately 11,000 adults were included in a study that linked mortality to diet. The conclusions are pretty chilling. As added sugar makes up a greater proportion of the diet, the risk of dying from heart disease or stroke climbs. People who got 25 percent or more of their calories from sugar, whether in soft drinks, desserts, or candy or cereal, were almost three times more likely to die during the study from cardiovascular causes. For those eating 2,000 calories a day, 25 percent translates into 500 calories from sugar or roughly 31 teaspoons."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2014/02/06/munching-on-sugary-treats-adds-to-cardiovascular-risk/

National Stroke Association
Learn the signs of stroke.
http://www.stroke.org/

Old-Fashioned Drug Colchicine Shows Promise as a Treatment for Pericarditis, April 3, 2014
"A medicine that was used by the ancient Egyptians is finding a new use for heart inflammation. Colchicine is derived from crocuses, and the pharaohs were using it to treat sore, swollen joints. In modern times, it has been used to ease the pain of gout."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2014/04/03/old-fashioned-drug-colchicine-shows-promise-as-a-treatment-for-pericarditis/

Open-heart Profiteering?
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/06/eveningnews/main552636.shtml

Quick Expert Treatment Best for Stroke, January 27, 2011
"Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the U.S. right after heart attacks and cancer. Survival often depends upon early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Where you are treated can also make a difference. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that some medical centers are better equipped to treat strokes than others. People who go immediately to a hospital that has a specialized stroke center are more likely to get brain-preserving care in a timely fashion. Although the overall death rates are not dramatically different with other hospitals, outcomes were statistically significant. Ultimately, though, getting prompt care is the most important factor in a good stroke outcome, so getting to a hospital quickly is paramount." [JAMA, online Jan. 25 2011]
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/01/27/quick-expert-treatment-best-for-stroke/

Save a Person's Life: The Fourth Sign of a Stroke
https://boingboing.net/2016/03/16/save-a-persons-life-the-f.html

Social Interaction Helps Heart
"Recent research suggests that social relationships have a profound impact on longevity. Investigators analyzed nearly 150 human trials and concluded that isolation and loneliness are as dangerous as well-established risk factors such as smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2010/09/02/social-interaction-helps-heart/

Stroke, May 7, 2011
"What symptoms signal a possible stroke? Find out how to minimize your risk of a stroke as well as what to do if you suspect one."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/05/07/812-stroke/

Studies Link Cancer Patients' Survival Time to Insurance Status
"But regardless of cancer type, patients with private insurance had a survival advantage."
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/09/16/494139538/studies-link-cancer-patients-survival-time-to-insurance-status

What Should you Know About Controversies in Cardiology? Feb. 24, 2018
"Steven Nissen, MD, is chairman of the Robert and Suzanne Tomsich Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. He is the co-author, with Mark Gillinov, MD, of HEART 411: THE ONLY GUIDE TO HEART HEALTH YOU'LL EVER NEED." You can listen to previous People's Pharmacy interviews with Dr. Nissen . . . .
"The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association issued guidelines on blood pressure control in 2017 (Hypertension, online Nov. 13, 2017). These cardiology groups recommend that anyone with blood pressure above 130/80 should be considered hypertensive. That means about 46 percent of American adults fall into that category. While not everyone should be prescribed medication to lower their blood pressure into the target range, far more people will be on antihypertensive drugs than previously. What are the pros and cons of this policy?
"Every year, more than half a million people in North America and Europe get a stent in a coronary artery. Most of these patients expect that a stent will significantly improve their quality of life. But a recent study, called ORBITA (for Objective Randomised Blinded Investigation with optimal medical Therapy of Angioplasty), calls this assumption into question (The Lancet, Jan. 6, 2018). This study was unusual because it had a control group of people who received sham angioplasty. The actual stent was no more effective than the placebo at improving exercise. The topic of stents is one of the current controversies in cardiology."
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2018/02/21/show-1111-what-should-you-know-about-controversies-in-cardiology/

Will Higher Bad LDL Cholesterol Help Older People Live Longer?
"Contrary to expectations, no link was found between bad cholesterol and premature deaths. In this older population (people over 60) there was a surprising discovery. The higher the subjects' LDL cholesterol, the longer they lived and the less heart disease they seemed to experience. This is exactly the opposite of what conventional cardiology would have predicted.
"As if the cholesterol and saturated fat problem were not trouble enough, along came a large salt study published in the journal The Lancet (online May 20, 2016). The authors reported that a low salt diet like the one recommended by the American Heart Association (less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day) was associated with an increased risk for heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and death."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2016/06/16/will-higher-bad-ldl-cholesterol-help-older-people-live-longer/

Stress

---

Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-30)

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6,7)

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Word: "disease"; Meaning; "disturb"; Sample location: "Luke 8:49" -- from the "Glossary," 1599 Geneva Bible, Tolle Lege edition

DISEASE, n. Dizeze. [dis and ease].
1. In its primary sense, pain, uneasiness, distress, and so used by Spenser; but in this sense, obsolete.
2. The cause of pain or uneasiness . . . disorder; any state of a living body in which the natural functions of the organs are interrupted or disturbed . . . The first effect of disease is uneasiness or pain, and the ultimate effect is death. . . .
3. A disordered state of the mind or intellect, by which the reason is impaired.
4. In society, vice; corrupt state of morals. Vices are called moral diseases. A wise man converses with the wicked, as a physician with the sick, not to catch the disease, but to cure it.
5. Political or civil disorder, or vices in a state; any practice which tends to disturb the peace of society, or impede or prevent the regular administration of government.
The instability, injustice and confusion introduced into the public councils have, in truth, been the mortal diseases under which popular governments have every where perished. -- 1846 edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language
DISEASE, v.t. dizeze.
1. To interrupt or impair any or all the natural and regular functions of the several organs of a living body [i.e. robbing a neighbor of sleep -- compiler]; to afflict with pain or sickness to make morbid . . .
2. To interrupt or render imperfect the regular functions of the brain, or of the intellect; to disorder; to derange.
3. To infect; to communicate disease to, by contagion.
4. To pain; to make uneasy. -- 1828 edition of Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language

Abolition of individual income taxes would remove substantial stress from American society. Restored personal income would allow individuals to better provide for the needs of their families.

*Adams, Jay E. (1929-2020), The Practical Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling, 202 pages, ISBN: 1889032468 9781889032467.
See the subject "Stress," "Pressure," and so forth, and so on.
"THE PRACTICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CHRISTIAN COUNSELING is designed to afford Christian counselors quick reference as well as comprehensive access to the chief principles and practices of biblical counseling. It is called an 'encyclopedia' because a counselor interested in surveying the gamut of those principles and practices will find in this volume a wider variety of subjects than may be located in any other book of biblical counseling. The counseling described here is truly 'Christian' with method and content firmly rooted in careful biblical exegesis. At the same time it is 'practical' because articles consist not merely of definitions and descriptions, but also of application of the material useful to Christian counselors. Although not necessarily the only way these biblical principles can be applied, they are the fruit of years of study and experience in biblical counseling. In short, the book is designed as an aid to the working counselor who needs a quick reference guide. We trust that God will use it to His glory and to the blessing of His people." -- Preface
Some subject include: Abortion | Abuse | Admonition | Adultery | Adversity | Affliction | Aggravation | Anger | Answers | Apology | Assurance | Attitude | Authority | Balance | Behavior | Bizarre behaviour | Breakdown | Christ | Church | Commandments | Confession | Confidentiality | Contentment | Correction | Corruption | Counseling | Crises | Data gathering | Deceit | Dependence | Discipling | Divorce | Doctrine | Drugs | Education | Empathy | Evangelism | Example | Foolishness | Forgetfulness | Forgiveness | Godliness | Gospel | Gossip | Habit | Heresy | Hope | Hostility | How-to | Idolatry | Jesus | Joy | Justification | Legal matters | Legalism | Lying | Marriage | Promises of god | Put on/put off dynamic | Quickening | Radical amputation | Rage | Reconciliation | Referral | Rejuvenation | Repentance | Sanctification | Scripture | Sex | Sin | Teaching | Temptation | Testing | Think list | Thought | Training.

Blaiklock, David A., Release From Tension.

Carlson, Richard, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff -- And it's all Small Stuff: Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things From Taking Over Your Life, ISBN: 0786881852 9780786881857. Alternate title: DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF -- AND IT'S ALL SMALL STUFF.
A secular author.

Childre, Doc Lew, and Howard Martin, The HeartMath Solution: The Institute of HeartMath's Revolutionary Program for Engaging the Power of the Heart's Intelligence, ISBN: 0062516051 9780062516053 006251606X 9780062516060.
"The Intelligent Heart. Access the power of your heart's intelligence to improve your focus and creativity, elevate your emotional clarity, lower your stress and anxiety levels, strengthen your immune system, promote your body's optimal performance, and slow the aging process." -- Publisher
"THE HEARTMATH SOLUTION may easily be written off as a book too eccentric for widespread public consumption, and that's unfortunate. The title's a bit misleading -- it's not about cardiac care and it's not about calculus, but rather how 30 years of research have shown that the heart's 'intelligence' affects emotions and physical health -- especially when it comes to handling stress -- and specifically what you can do to balance heart rhythms, reduce stress hormones, and boost your immune system. Yes, it sounds complicated, especially when you read that cardiologists worked with physicists and psychiatrists to develop the HeartMath program. But it's worth brushing off your skepticism and exploring the concepts in the Solution, as many employees of Fortune 500 companies have already done.
"The 'intelligence' that the authors focus on refers to both the heart's 'brain,' or the 40,000 neurons found in the heart (the same number in the brain itself), and the intuitive signals the heart sends, including feelings of love, happiness, care, and appreciation. When such positive emotions are felt, they 'not only change patterns of activity in the nervous system; they also reduce the production of the stress hormone cortisol.' When there's less cortisol, there's more DHEA, the so-called fountain of youth hormone known to have anti-aging effects on many of the body's systems.
"The HeartMath Solution outlines 10 steps for harnessing the power of the heart's intelligence, including ways to manage your emotions and keep energy levels high. One of the most important is the 'Freeze-Frame' technique for calming the nervous system, improving clarity of thought and perception, and boosting productivity (which is one of the many appealing features for those Fortune 500 companies). Each step includes references to data proving its effectiveness, with handy summaries of the key points to remember at the end of each chapter. This is a book that takes a bit of scientific understanding and a lot of time to wade through, but one that could help you prevent stress from ruling your existence." -- Erica Jorgensen
"Is the heart the missing link in the mind-body connection? By combining age-old philosophy with modern science, Childre and Martin make a compelling case for the idea that good health is really a triumph of heart, not mind, over matter. Citing the Institute's research on the heart's role in human health, they demonstrate that the so-called metaphorical condition of the heart -- which has long been associated with love, wisdom, courage, and happiness -- may play as important a role in mental well-being as its physical function. The HeartMath solution lies in developing what Childre and Martin call the core heart feelings (such as love, Forgiveness of sin, appreciation and care), which trigger physiological responses resulting in less stress, better brain function and a stronger immune system. Although this book is about the heart, it's written with cool intelligence and intelligibility for the head. Despite slightly off-putting names (Freeze-Frame, Cut-Thru and Lock-In), the relaxation exercises, which are being taught at corporations and at schools, are simple to do, although perhaps already too familiar to anyone who has tried other kinds of meditative techniques. Nevertheless, in presenting a clear argument for following one's heart, this book certainly breaks new ground in the holistic approach to health." -- Publishers Weekly
"Ancient cultures believed that the heart rather than the brain was the seat of emotions, vestiges of which are still apparent in descriptive phrases such as 'broken hearted,' 'cold hearted,' and many others. Recent research confirms the existence of complex communication links between these two organs as well as other systems responsible for maintaining homeostasis, and unanticipated electrical energy pathways that may mediate these activities. This book describes cutting edge approaches that can not only tune into such conversations, but also reduce stress and promote physical and mental health by influencing the dialogue." -- Paul J. Rosch, President, The American Institute of Stress
"HeartMath has had a profound influence on the lives of patients, staff, and administrators at our hospital. Specific health problems such as hypertension and arrhythmias have improved in several patients through interventions with HeartMath tools. Communication and creativity among staff members trained in these tools has taken a quantum leap. They have noticed a completely different way of looking at problems and interacting with those around them." -- Bruce Wilson, M.D., Former Director, University of Pittsburgh Heart Institute, Chairman, Medical Education Committee, Columbia Hospital, Milwaukee, WI

Clowney, E., Biblical Principles of Rest (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation).
Audio cassette WW203 [audio file].

*Finley, Martha (aka Martha Farquharson, 1828-1909), Book 2: Elsie's Holidays at Roselands, ISBN: 9781888306323 1888306327.
"When Elsie's father becomes ill, she takes on the job of nurse-companion, and all goes well until Elsie, because it is the Sabbath, as a matter of conscience refuses to read to him from a secular book. The battle of wills that ensues nearly causes first her father's death, and then Elsie's. Lonely Elsie -- punished, ostracized, and then abandoned by her father -- turns to her heavenly Father for comfort and assurance. Will her father realize that Elsie's obedience to God must be paramount, and submit himself to the same Divine Authority?" -- Publisher
On an even more serious note, one moral of this story is the broader life and death struggle between Truth and Falsehood (See: Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality], Epistemology of Theology, The Theory of Knowledge, and Christian Scholarship.) The consequence of conflict of will is death of the "One," or war of the "Many" (see Rushdoony, THE ONE AND THE MANY: STUDIES IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF ORDER AND ULTIMACY. Conflict of will (see Will and Recalcitrance, Rebellion and Lawlessness: Wickedness, Demonic Possession, Abnormal Behavior, Insanity, Mental Illness, Mental Retardation,) may begin when one individual (see The Doctrine of Man [Human Nature, Total Depravity],) or the corporate body (see Corporate Faithfulness and Sanctification), tries to usurping authority over others (see Power, Authority) -- tries to control and possess the other (see Tyranny, Slavery, Our Systems of Enslavement, Economic Enslavement.) The means of control may be either outward or occult (see The Occult, Spiritism, Witchcraft), deceit, repression or suppression of the truth, replacing moral and ethical absolutes with relativism (see Ethics, Computer Ethics, Cyberethics, Medical Ethics, Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality], unfaithfulness to the highest ethical standards (see The Ten Commandments: The Moral Law, The Holy Bible), Heresy and Apostasy (Apostacy, Old English), Spiritual Adultery [Spiritual Whoredom/Harlotry,] (see Idolatry, Syncretism, Jeremiah and Lamentations,) invocation of the demonic, Oaths, Ensnaring Vows, Promises, and Covenants, Bonds With the Ungodly (see Carnality and Flesh Pleasing: Desires, Pleasure, Justice, Judgment, God's Final Judgment, The Great White Throne Judgment, The Day of the Lord,) attempts to take authority over another politically or by mental malpractice (see Selection of Covenant Heads for Positions of Leadership, making up their own rules (see Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality],) ignoring or changing constitutional or creedal documents, unjust laws for the accumulation of wealth and power, indebtedness, disenfranchisement, (see denial of freedom,) Priestcraft, Pharisaism, Soul-stealing, possessiveness, physical seduction and whoredom, political economic or sexual enslavement (see Sexual Relationship,) and so forth, and so on.
This abuse, this soul-violence, quenches the Holy Spirit (see Owen, God's Presence With a People the Spring of Their Prosperity; With Their Special Interest in Abiding in Him.) If either side is immovable, then death is the consequence (see Soteriology, Atonement, The Blood of Christ, Hell, and Heaven.)
How are conflicts of will resolved? By submission to the Absolute Truths of God's word, the great common denominator, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6)
All this bears a strain of the Gospel (see Book-length Presentations of the Free Offer of The Gospel Message of Salvation and the Life to Come: The Means of Grace, The Westminster Confession of Faith.)
Book 2: Holidays at Roselands
http://archive.org/details/holidaysatrosel00finlgoog
Holidays at Roselands (Gutenberg text)
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=14280
Mantle Ministries (Elsie Dinsmore Series and Mildred Series)
http://www.mantlemin.com

Gelet, James, Eric Holmberg, Jerry Johnson, and Apologetics Group, The Marks of a Cult: A Biblical Analysis, DVD, ISBN: 1573411507 9781573411509.
"In today's religiously diverse and relativistic culture, labelling a group a cult may seem extreme to many people, not to mention rude. Even people who believe in absolute Truth and further believe that Jesus is the only way to eternal life can get confused about just what constitutes real Christianity. Just why are Baptists properly considered Christians, but Mormons are not? Or why is the Jehovah's Witness religion classified as an anti-Christian cult while Presbyterians or Wesleyans or Pentecostals are simply seen as denominations within the Christian faith?
"With the explosion of different sects that claim to honor and follow Jesus, how does one differentiate between true Biblical Christianity and an aberrant religious movement? Just what are 'the marks of a cult?'
"Join us for a journey into the heart of Biblical revelation and the constant struggle of truth against lies, the apostolic faith against the 'doctrines of demons.'
"This documentary from ApologeticsGroup.com does more than simply point fingers. It explains in great detail the absolute essentials of the Faith, and just how and why Christians can properly and necessarily refer to certain sects as 'cults.' Not only a tool for recognizing and understanding false teaching -- and for reaching people held captive to it -- The Marks of a Cult is also a powerful apologetic on the need for Christians to become more rooted in the Biblical historic faith, with its creeds and confessions, and to be better prepared to give 'a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you'." (1 Peter 3:15) -- Publisher

Gurian, Michael, Nurture the Nature: Understanding and Supporting Your Child's Unique Core Personality, ISBN: 078798633X 9780787986339.
"Negative stress, in contrast, is something we need to be very careful about, especially with our children. In the most general terms, as experts at the University of Maryland Medical School wrote recently, 'When these symptoms persist, you are at risk for serious health problems. This kind of stress can exhaust your immune system. Recent research demonstrates that 90 percent of illness is stress-related.' When stress goes beyond the stimulating (positive stress) and becomes debilitating (negative stress), symptoms fall into three categories: physical, emotional, and relational." -- Publisher
Resist the Latest Parenting Fads, Says New Book NURTURE THE NATURE Encourages Parents to Determine Their Child's Core Personality
"Increasingly, the minds of our children are growing up to be antisocial. Children diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder now number in the millions. As the Carnegie-Mellon survey notes, our primary social response to the new antisocial nature of children has not been to rethink how we raise them, but rather to expand punishment and incarceration systems. A Department of Justice study reports that at our present rates of incarceration, one in twenty babies born in the United States today will spend some part of life incarcerated. As of 2004, 1 in every 138 U.S. residents was in prison."
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/NewYearNewYou/story?id=3119291&page=1

Horwitz, Allan V., Jerome C. Wakefield, and Robert L. Spitzer (Foreword), The Loss of Sadness: How Psychiatry Transformed Normal Sorrow Into Depressive Disorder, ISBN: 9780195313048 0195313046.
"Depression has become the single most commonly treated mental disorder, amid claims that one out of ten Americans suffer from this disorder every year and 25 percent succumb at some point in their lives. Warnings that depressive disorder is a leading cause of worldwide disability have been accompanied by a massive upsurge in the consumption of antidepressant medication, widespread screening for depression in clinics and schools, and a push to diagnose depression early, on the basis of just a few symptoms, in order to prevent more severe conditions from developing. In THE LOSS OF SADNESS, Allan V. Horwitz and Jerome C. Wakefield argue that, while depressive disorder certainly exists and can be a devastating condition warranting medical attention, the apparent epidemic in fact reflects the way the psychiatric profession has understood and reclassified normal human sadness as largely an abnormal experience. With the 1980 publication of the landmark third edition of the DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS (DSM-III), mental health professionals began diagnosing depression based on symptoms -- such as depressed mood, loss of appetite, and fatigue -- that lasted for at least two weeks. This system is fundamentally flawed, the authors maintain, because it fails to take into account the context in which the symptoms occur. They stress the importance of distinguishing between abnormal reactions due to internal dysfunction and normal sadness brought on by external circumstances. Under the current DSM classification system, however, this distinction is impossible to make, so the expected emotional distress caused by upsetting events -- for example, the loss of a job or the end of a relationship -- could lead to a mistaken diagnosis of depressive disorder. Indeed, it is this very mistake that lies at the root of the presumed epidemic of major depression in our midst. In telling the story behind this phenomenon, the authors draw on the 2,500-year history of writing about depression, including studies in both the medical and social sciences, to demonstrate why the DSM's diagnosis is so flawed. They also explore why it has achieved almost unshakable currency despite its limitations. Framed within an evolutionary account of human health and disease, THE LOSS OF SADNESS presents a fascinating dissection of depression as both a normal and disordered human emotion and a sweeping critique of current psychiatric diagnostic practices. The result is a potent challenge to the diagnostic revolution that began almost thirty years ago in psychiatry and a provocative analysis of one of the most significant mental health issues today.
"Allan V. Horwitz is Professor of Sociology and Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Rutgers University. He is the author of many articles and a number of books on various aspects on mental illness, including THE SOCIAL CONTROL OF MENTAL ILLNESS, THE LOGIC OF SOCIAL CONTROL, and CREATING MENTAL ILLNESS. Jerome C. Wakefield is University Professor and Professor of Social Work at New York University, and he has also taught at the University of Chicago, Columbia University, and Rutgers University. He is an authority on the intersection between philosophy and the mental health professions and the author of many articles on diagnosis of mental disorder." -- Publisher
"Depression is the mental health problem of our generation. In this important and penetrating book, Horwitz and Wakefield show that psychiatry no longer clearly differentiates between normal sadness and depressive disorder. A must read for anyone who wants to understand how so much 'depression' has become medicalized." -- Peter Conrad, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Brandeis University, and author of The Medicalization of Society
"With superb scholarship and crisp prose, Horwitz and Wakefield examine the fatal flaw at the core of depression diagnosis. This book describes, with devastating clarity, why the DSM went off track and how the resulting scientific train wreck slows research and distorts our experience of our own sadness. If the DSM was based on biology, this book would signal a new beginning." -- Randolph Nesse, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, and author of Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine
"Not another hackneyed anti-psychiatry polemic, THE LOSS OF SADNESS is a brilliant analysis of how mental health professionals can avoid pathologizing normal, emotional responses to life's stressors while accurately identifying those suffering from genuine depressive disorders. Erudite and engagingly written, THE LOSS OF SADNESS is destined to have a major impact on our field." -- Richard J. McNally, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of Remembering Trauma

Howard, J. Grant, Balancing Life's Demands: A New Perspective on Priorities, ISBN: 155513565X 9781555135652.
"An innovative approach that dispenses with stereotypes and seeks instead to review the Biblical teaching on priorities in ways that make sense to harried men and women today." -- Cyril J. Barber

*Justice, Blair, Who Gets Sick: How Beliefs, Moods and Thoughts Affect Health, ISBN: 0960537678 9780960537679.
"This is a revised, expanded edition of the 1988 classic that won a prestigious Ben Franklin Award for the best book on health. It was one of the first to give the public an understanding of how beliefs and attitudes affect the body.
"Blair Justice, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology and a longtime researcher in mind/body medicine at the University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center, School of Public Health, where he also served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. A clinical psychologist, he is the author of numerous papers in the scientific literature and five other books (two with his wife, Dr. Rita Justice). His most recent book (1998) is A DIFFERENT KIND OF HEALTH: FINDING WELL-BEING DESPITE ILLNESS. His 1988 book, WHO GETS SICK: HOW BELIEFS, MOODS AND THOUGHTS AFFECT HEALTH has been published in four languages. A revised, expanded edition was published in 2000. Dr. Justice is a Visiting Scholar at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Dr. Justice works once a week at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center helping patients cope. He and his wife are avid hikers and mountain climbers, along with their Tibetan dogs Tashi and Bodhi. Blair and Rita do animal assisted therapy volunteer service at Methodist Hospital at the Texas Medical Center. -- Publisher
"This book tells it like is, no holds barred. Anyone who has Chronic Fatigue Immune Deregulation Syndrome (CFIDS), Fibromylagia, Gulf War Syndrome, MS, etc., this is a must have for their bookshelf and reference library. Our thoughts become images thus resulting in chronic illnesses passed on to generations. One might think themselves sick and become sick. The scary part is that it is all true. What we think, we become. -- Reader's Comment

Kelly, William E. (editor), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the War Veteran Patient, ISBN: 0876303866 9780876303863.
"Provides counselors and therapists with a comprehensive blueprint for conceptualizing and treating war veterans' stress disorders. Concludes with the most comprehensive reading list on this subject yet assembled. Excellent coverage." -- Cyril J. Barber

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), The Life of Peace: Exposition of Philippians 3 and 4, [Philippians 4] ISBN: 0801056780 9780801056789.
"This volume follows THE LIFE OF JOY which is on Philippians 1 and 2, thus completing the study on the Book of Philippians. Examples of expository excellence!" -- GCB

*Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), Spiritual Depression, ISBN: 0551025492 9780551025493.
"A physician turned preacher deals with the scriptural causes of spiritual depression and show how it may be cured. Aims at developing an effective, healthy Christian life." -- Cyril J. Barber
"Believing that Christian joy was one of the most potent factors in the spread of Christianity in the early centuries, Lloyd-Jones not only lays bare the causes that have robbed many Christians of spiritual vitality, but also points the way to the cure." -- Publisher

Lush, Jean, and Pam Vredevelt (contributor), Women and Stress: A Practical Approach to Managing Tension, ISBN: 0800716752 9780800716752.
"Jean Lush and Pam Vredevelt examine troublesome emotions and show you how to manage your own 'storage pot' of tension with practical, tried and true methods gained from research, their own experiences, and pertinent case studies." -- Publisher

Petty, James C., When the Money Runs out: Hope and Help for the Financially Stressed, ISBN: 9781935273059 1935273051.

Rassieur, Charles L., Christian Renewal: Living Beyond Burnout, ISBN: 0664246117 9780664246112.
Religious aspects of stress and burnout.

Rassieur, Charles L., Stress Management for Ministers, ISBN: 0664243975 9780664243975.

Rush, Myron, Burnout, ISBN: 0896932427 9780896932425.
"Learn what causes burnout and how it affects believers spiritually. Also here are practical tips for conquering burnout."

Wilson, Bruce C., and Doc Lew Childre, The Heartmath Approach to Managing Hypertension: The Proven, Natural way to Lower Your Blood Pressure (Heartmath), ISBN: 9781572244719 1572244712.
"High blood pressure is a national epidemic. It's a silent killer, a dangerous condition that affects one in four Americans, most of whom have no idea they are at risk for higher rates of heart disease, stroke, and other life-threatening problems. Conventional treatments for hypertension involve drugs, and these can have considerable side effects and may not be ultimately succeed in getting those numbers down. Fortunately there are many things that people with hypertension can do to reverse the condition and improve their health. The researchers at the renowned HeartMath Institute have researched techniques for managing stress and hypertension for more than fifteen years. Now, at last, their highly effective techniques for regulating blood pressure safely and effectively are available to readers in this simple and easy-to use format. Using a series of unique techniques like the Freeze Frame and the Heart Lock-In, this book allows you to literally regulate your blood pressure at the source -- the heart level -- and reduce the stress that causes your high blood pressure. In as little as ninety days, you can "reset" your baroreceptive systems and lower blood pressure levels. The approach is drug-free safe, effective, and clinically validated.
"From the leaders of the renowned HeartMath Institute comes this application of the HeartMath techniques for natural, drug-free management of hypertension: Engage the heart to bring emotions, body, and mind into balance, and help lower high blood pressure.
"Doc Childre is the founder and chairman of the scientific advisory board of the Institute of HeartMath, the chairman of HeartMath LLC and the chairman and CEO of Quantum Intech. He is the author of seven books, including Transforming Anger, Transforming Stress, Transforming Anxiety, and The HeartMath Method.
"Bruce C. Wilson, MD, is a cardiologist who gives lectures and teaches seminars on the HeartMath tools for stress reduction and better health. He helped develop the HeartMath Health Care Division." -- Publisher
"Written in an understandable and interesting style, this book explains breathwork in a modern way with modern research. I was recommended the HeartMath technique by my dentist to reduce my parasympathetic response so my major dental work would heal better. HeartMath techniques effect the whole body and offer those who suffer from staying in their 'flight or fight' nervous system a way to easily access their 'feed and breed' one more often." -- Reader's Comment

See also: The sovereignty of god, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Covetousness, greed, and selfishness, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, Trusting god, Love and obedience, Justice, judgment, god's final judgment, the great white throne judgment, the day of the lord, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Depression, Fear, anxiety, Worry, Affliction, adversity, trials, suffering, chastisement, Hostility and violence, Grief, Prayer, Reconciliation of relationships, Resentment, Sabbath, Rest, Sleep, Healing, The heart and the mind, the mind/body relationship, Exercise, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 851, 859, 3021, 3022, 3731-3735

Related Weblinks

America's Number one Health Problem and Job Stress
http://www.stress.org/job.htm

The Brain Fitness Program, DVD (Michael Merzenich)
A PBS documentary.
"This program presents a workout to help viewers get their brains in better shape. The Brain Fitness Program is based on neuro-plasticity, the ability of the brain to change and adapt -- even rewire itself. In the past two years, a team of scientists has developed computer-based stimulus sets that drive beneficial chemical, physical and functional changes in the brain. Dr. Michael Merzenich of the University of California San Francisco and his colleagues around the world have been leading this effort; he brings the research findings, along with a scientifically based set of brain exercises, to PBS viewers in this innovative and life-altering program. Peter Coyote narrates." -- Publisher
http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=2966842&siteID=m4l4q2SmprQ-NDN5uceDVUeJkLbMXBtqIA

Brain, Mind and Body in Healing From Trauma, The People's Pharmacy Radio Program, show 980, February 7, 2015.
"To help people heal from trauma, the best approaches find ways to reconnect brain and body with a feeling of safety. . . .
"We often associate the term 'Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder' with military veterans. Indeed, war creates many traumatic experiences, but it is not the only source of reactions that may cause people to shut down or blow up. Car, train or plane crashes, a life-threatening illness episode, family violence, or other events can create a dysfunctional reaction that may be largely out of conscious awareness.
"Treating PTSD
"One of the world's leading experts on PTSD explains how such reactions are rooted in the body's response to threat, and how it can be successfully treated. . . .
"Dr. van der Kolk is co-director of the Complex Trauma Treatment Network of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, established by Congress to raise the standard of care and improve access to services for traumatized children, their families and communities. His website is http://www.BesselvanderKolk.com
"His book is THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE: BRAIN, MIND AND BODY IN THE HEALING OF TRAUMA (2014)."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2015/02/04/show-980-brain-mind-and-body-in-healing-from-trauma/

Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF)
1803 East Willow Grove Avenue
Glenside, PA 19038
Telephone: 215.884.7676
http://www.ccef.org/

Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation Resources Audio Archives
http://www.wts.edu/resources/login.html/

Classic Christian Fiction by Martha Finley
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrr11ch.html#cfbmf

Exploring the Hard Science of Self-Healing
"One way to manage stress is to invoke the relaxation response. How does that work? Studies demonstrate that the relaxation response can change blood sugar, blood pressure, immune system activity, and digestion. What are the implications of this research? Our guest describes how we can optimize our bodies' abilities for self-healing."
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2018/07/26/show-1130-exploring-the-hard-science-of-self-healing/

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
"The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) is the world's premier trauma organization dedicated to trauma treatment, education, research and prevention. Through this organization, professionals share information about the effects of trauma, seeking to reduce traumatic stressors and their immediate and long-term consequences."
http://www.istss.org/

Living in Balance November 28, 2009
Subjects: Stress management, Exercise, Weight loss, Sleep, Healthy eating, Wine, Chocolate, Glycemic load, Social support, etc.
"In stressful times, people often take short cuts that may ultimately undermine their health. They snack on junk or comfort food, skimp on sleep and do without exercise. But this won't help develop the resilience we need to cope with challenges.
"Dr. Tieraona Low Dog is one of the country's leading experts on the evidence base behind herbal medicine and alternative therapies. She has some solid advice on keeping your head and your health, even when adversity strikes. Her Website is www.drlowdog.com."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2009/11/28/716-living-in-b/
Living in Balance, MP3 download
https://store.peoplespharmacy.com/716-living-in-balance-2-28-09-mp3.html

Medical Debt Among People With Health Insurance, Karen Pollitz, et al., (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation), Jan 07, 2014
"Medical bills are a leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S., contributing to 62 percent of personal bankruptcies in 2007. Most who filed for medical bankruptcy that year were well educated, owned homes, and had middle-class occupations. Three quarters had health insurance." (David Himmelstein, et al., "Medical Bankruptcy in the United States, 2007: Results of a National Study," The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 122, Issue 8, August 2009)
http://kff.org/report-section/medical-debt-among-people-with-health-insurance-consequences-of-medical-debt/

National Center for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
"The National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), was created within the Department of Veterans Affairs in 1989, in response to a Congressional mandate to address the needs of veterans with military-related PTSD. Its mission was, and remains: To advance the clinical care and social welfare of America's veterans through research, education, and training in the science, diagnosis, and treatment of PTSD and stress-related disorders. This website is provided as an educational resource concerning PTSD and other enduring consequences of traumatic stress."
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/

PTSD Resources for Veterans and First Responders
"On average about 7-8 percent of the United States population will have a PTSD diagnosis. Roughly 8 percent of the US population has an SUD [substance use disorder] diagnosis at any given time. These figures jump significantly when correlated to veterans and first responders. Anywhere from 11-20 percent of veterans will be diagnosed with PTSD and 20 percent with PTSD will also have SUD. One in 10 veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who were seen in the VA were diagnosed with a problem with alcohol and/or other drugs. Substance use and mental health needs are often underreported by both the civilian population and the military/first responders. There are a variety of reasons that contribute to this, including shame, guilt, fear of job loss, etc. The reality is that our first responders and veterans are struggling at higher rates than others and need a safe space to receive appropriate treatment."
https://definingwellness.com/resources/veterans-first-responders/

A Resolution That Walmart Stores, Inc. Disprove the Modern Myth That Sunday Work Maximizes Profits
http://http://www.lettermen2.com/wmresol1.html

Spiritual Abuse
Extensive resources.
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/8006-spiritual-abuse

Spiritual Abuse
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_abuse

Sound Word Associates Library of Biblical Counselors
http://www.soundword.com/ccon.html

Stress, Suicide, and Female Physicians
"It is estimated that three times as many physicians take their own lives compared to the population at large. Up to 130 commit suicide each year, which is about the size of the Harvard Medical School graduating class.
"This has generally been attributed to the increased stresses doctors are now subjected to, including: Practice pressures and demands that leave little time to attend to family or personal needs, Government regulations that are increasingly restrictive, Third party intrusions and interference, Increase in malpractice litigation and insurance costs, Pressure to practice defensive medicine, Erosion of the doctor-patient relationship, Diminished public image of physicians, Fear of serious injury from a violent patient or protest group, Managing the business aspects of medical practice in a climate of decreasing compensation at the same time expenses continue to escalate, Lack of access to support systems."
http://www.stress.org/pubsmultimedia/essays-and-articles/#sthash.5kUNLRpJ.dpuf

The Temperate Life, Sherman Isbell
http://www.westminsterconfession.org/godly-living/the-temperate-life.php

Warning Signs of Destructive Cults and Satanism
http://www.lettermen2.com/warncult.html

Exercise

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Exercise is more powerful than any wonder drug at preventing disease and promoting optimum health. -- Jordan Metzl, MD

Exercise is all around good -- giving you the positive effects of increased endorphins and a reduced waistline. It makes your heart stronger by pumping more blood with less effort, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, prevents and controls diabetes, strengthens bones and muscles and controls weight. . . .
To make the walls of your arteries twice as flexible as those of a couch potato, just walk briskly for 30 minutes, five days a week. That's what Hirofumi Tanaka, Ph.D., an associate professor of kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas, advises after tracking the elasticity of people's blood vessels using ultrasound. . . .
With age, blood vessel walls tend to stiffen up like old tires -- the main reason two-thirds of people older than age 60 have high blood pressure. Exercise keeps vessels pliable. Mild exercise also reduces the risk of diabetes, certain cancers, depression, aging of the skin. . . .
Everyone knows cardio exercise is key to slowing the advance of time and how to look younger. More surprising: Strength-training is crucial, too. That's because after their mid-40s, people lose a quarter pound of muscle mass a year, gaining fat in its place.
But, says Miriam E. Nelson, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University, "For a couple of decades, you don't have to lose any muscle, if you do the appropriate exercises." Even people well into their 90s can regain muscle, she's found. Just lift weights two or three days a week, for a minimum of 30 minutes.
The payoff: more endurance, stronger bones, less risk of diabetes -- and better sleep and thinking. -- Hirofumi Tanaka, Ph.D., an associate professor of Kinesiology and Health Education at the University of Texas

A walk in any season's wood will sing your heart alive. -- John Muir

Hiking twice a week for 3 to 5 hours, along with daily walks of about 45 minutes, has greatly benefited my overall health.
I would highly recommend it to seniors, or to anyone else who can find the time in a busy work schedule.
It seems that it is not only the exercise, but also the "getting away from it all" and the "communing with nature" which is, in part, responsible for the enlivening, rejuvenating, and curative effects.
See the National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps.

When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. -- John Muir (1848-1914)

"As little as 5 to 10 minutes of aerobic or anaerobic exercise reduces anxiety."

"Daily exercise is also effective against depression."

John Calvin (1509-1564) described creation as "the theatre of God's glory." Accordingly, Calvin writes, "There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world, that is not intended to make us rejoice." While Calvin made few references to the beauties of Lake Geneva and its surrounding mountains in his writings, he enticed his friend, Pierre Viret, to visit him with the prospect that "we'll take a visit to Monsier de Falais; then, crossing the lake, we'll enjoy the pleasures of the country together at the home of our friends Pommier and Delisle, and we shan't return until Thursday." Preaching on Job 39:22-25, Calvin said, "If a small portion of God's works [in nature] ought to ravish us and amaze us, what ought all his works to do when we come to the full numbering of them?" -- Matthew Miller in A Plea for Pastors to Get Outdoors

Healthy living is not just for women. Men can benefit too! A study of 20,000 male physicians over more than 20 years found that those who maintained a normal body weight, did not smoke, got regular exercise, ate breakfast cereals and a diet rich in vegetables and fruits, and drank moderately were significantly less likely to develop heart failure. Those who followed at least four of these practices had half the lifetime risk of heart failure as those who didn't follow any of them. Heart failure is a serious condition that can be disabling and hard to treat, so it is good to know that it may be preventable. -- Journal of American Medical Association, July 22/29, 2009

Bagshaw, Chris (editor), Alan Hinkes (foreword), The Ultimate Hiking Skills Manual, ISBN: 0715322540 9780715322543.
"Tells the keen walker how to get the most out of a day in the hills. It has vital information on dealing with emergencies as well as advice on buying equipments, guidance on maintaining fitness and lessons in route planning and navigation. It is practical and has an appealing style with colour photographs." -- Publisher

Goldman, Connie, and Richard Mahler, Tending the Earth, Mending the Spirit: The Healing Gifts of Gardening, ISBN: 0585271828 9780585271828.

Hinch, Stephen W., Outdoor Navigation With GPS, ISBN: 0899976506 9780899976501.
"For outdoor adventurers who hike, fish, kayak, cross-country ski, or mountain bike in the backcountry, a GPS receiver can help them reach their destination and return safely -- but only if they know how to use it! Here is the guide to getting the most out of a GPS receiver, from basic consumer advice to advanced techniques. It even includes fun solo and team games that utilize GPS. Starting with essential definitions and moving on to creating waypoints, and using your GPS with a computer, this succinct book teaches the basics of navigation and outdoor GPS use. Advanced techniques are covered, such as creating custom maps, and new technologies are discussed, including using GPS-enabled mobile phones, and how to use GPS with Google Earth and Google Maps. With years of experience as a GPS instructor, Hinch is well-versed in all aspects of navigation and GPS use, and he covers them in a jargon-free, easy-to-follow style. . . .
"Stephen Hinch has taught courses in GPS navigation to police and fire personnel, park rangers, search-and-rescue staff, and recreational outdoor enthusiasts since 1998. When he was young, his avid rockhound parents would pack up the family and head out to remote desert locations in search of semi-precious stones nearly every weekend. These desert explorations honed his navigational skills and taught him the importance of not getting lost." -- Publisher

Molloy, Johnny, Day and Overnight Hikes, Shenandoah National Park, ISBN: 0897326342 9780897326346.

Moore, Raymond S. and Dorothy N. Moore, Home Made Health: A Family Guide to Nutrition, Exercise, Stress Control, and Preventive Medicine, ISBN: 0849906067 9780849906060 084993172X 9780849931727.
"A dozen medical specialists from various fields acted as advisers for this book. The principles are built on common sense, the Bible, proven research, and the author's own experience. They show how pure water and air, sunshine, sleep, regularity, cleanliness, exercise, and trust in God lead to good health." -- GCB

Potterfield, Peter, Classic Hikes of the World: 23 Breathtaking Treks, ISBN: 0393057968 9780393057966.
"Inspiration and information to help you plan (and dream about), your next big trek.
"This book will help you realize your dreams of hiking among the world's highest peaks and most scenic canyons, discovering wilderness far from the clamor of civilization, encountering rare birds and animals, glorying in sunsets over glacier-clad ranges, and feeling the joy and achievement of hiking some of the world's most spectacular trails.
"Peter Potterfield has selected the great hikes of the world from personal experience, having hiked and photographed hundreds of trails to arrive at this selection. The adventures described range from weekend overnights to four-day hut trips to epic journeys that take a few weeks out and back. None requires technical mountaineering skill. Features include details on trail conditions, levels of difficulty, best seasons, approach strategies, hazards, and maps. Hikes include: John Muir Trail, California; Wonder Lake to McGonagall Pass, Alaska; Tour de la Vanoise, French Alps; Kungsleden, Swedish Lapland; K2 Base Camp; Grand Canyon rim to rim; Mount Kilimanjaro; Cerro Fitz Roy, Argentina; and Shackleton's Crossing, South Georgia. 115 illustrations.
"About the Author
"Award-winning author Peter Potterfield is the author of High Himalaya, In the Zone, and other books. The former editor and publisher of MountainZone.com, his work appears in Condé Nast Traveler, Outside, Backpacker, and Reader's Digest. He lives in Seattle." -- Publisher

Reader's Digest Association, Scenic Walks of the World. Alternate title: "READER'S DIGEST SCENIC WALKS OF THE WORLD." Box set of 6 DVDs, February 12, 2008, run time: 570 minutes, ISBN: 9781594643330 1594643334.
Contents:

1. Our Dramatic Planet (c. 70 min.)
2. Romance With Nature (c. 67 min.)
3. Historic Pathways; The Great Wall of China (c. 120 min.)
4. Wonders Sacred and Mysterious; Wonders of Man's Creation (c. 140 min.)
5. Incredible Journeys, part I and II (c. 124 min.)
6. Incredible Journeys, part III (c. 64 min.).

Stewart, Gwen Nyhus, The Healing Garden: A Place of Peace: Gardening for the Soil, Gardening for the Soul, ISBN: 0973308508 9780973308501.

Trails Illustrated, National Geographic, National Geographic Trails Illustrated Shenandoah National Park: Virginia USA, ISBN: 0925873861 9780925873866.
"This map is part of the Trails Illustrated series covering many national parks and forests. These are all sturdy and convenient.
"If you're backpacking, or doing long day hikes, the "Trails Illustrated" map is absolutely essential because the USGS topographic maps are outdated." -- Publisher

*Wenk, Elizabeth, and Kathy Morey, John Muir Trail: The Essential Guide to Hiking America's Most Famous Trail, ISBN: 9780899974361 0899974368.
"Running from Mount Whitney to Yosemite Valley in the Sierra Nevada, the 212 mile John Muir Trail passes through some of the most dramatic mountain terrain in the United States. Each year, thousands of backpackers traverse some or all of the trail, relying on Wilderness Press's JOHN MUIR TRAIL. The completely updated edition of this Sierra classic includes significant information found nowhere else. The new JOHN MUIR TRAIL meticulously describes the entire trail and is written for today's hikers. The book includes GPS coordinates, not only for every junction, but also for every established campsite, bear box, and mountain pass that the trail crosses. The guide has separate descriptions for northbound and southbound hikers; for each direction, a junction chart shows all the trail's ups and downs." -- Publisher

Related Weblinks

Don't Just Sit There! July 12, 2012
"Sitting may shorten your life. A recent analysis of data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey concluded that if we could reduce the time we spend sitting at work or at home to less than three hours a day we might live as much as two years longer. Watching less than two hours of television daily could also stretch life expectancy by more than a year. A majority of the respondents in the survey sat at least 6 hours a day, and most people also watched TV for more than two hours daily. The authors point out that these estimates apply to Americans as a whole, rather than to individuals. The evidence keeps accumulating, however, that sitting less and moving more is likely to be better for your health. [BMJ Open, July 9, 2012]"
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/07/12/dont-just-sit-there/

How Does Being in Nature Make you Healthier? June 2017
"How do humans respond to nature? Why are we wired that way? Williams spoke with neuroscientists and forest rangers from Japan and Korea to Utah to find out about the emerging science of immersion in nature. The more we pay attention to our electronic screens, it seems, the more we need to take in sky and horizons, running water or blowing breezes. Find out if you should go for a walk after listening to the show or perhaps plan a camping trip soon.
"Florence Williams is a journalist and contributing editor to Outside magazine. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic and elsewhere.
"Her books include BREASTS: A NATURAL AND UNNATURAL HISTORY and her most recent, THE NATURE FIX: WHY NATURE MAKES US HAPPIER, HEALTHIER, AND MORE CREATIVE. She hosts a podcast for Audible, Breasts Unbound. Her website is www.florencewilliams.com."

How to Find Time to Exercise
"Experts agree that exercise is crucial for good health, especially when it comes to preventing chronic diseases. Movement helps every bodily system function better. . . .
"Dr. Jordan Metzl says it doesn't have to take a lot of time to get enough exercise to benefit both your body and your mind. Short bursts of intense activity could be just as good as longer, sustained periods of moderate activity. In some case, the high intensity intervals may be even better. He also recommends working non-exercise activity into your day, like taking the stairs or walking the dog."
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2018/01/18/show-1106-how-to-find-time-to-exercise/

Living in Balance, November 28, 2009
Subjects: Chocolate, Exercise, Glycemic load, Sleep, Social support, Stress management, Weight loss, Wine, etc.
"In stressful times, people often take short cuts that may ultimately undermine their health. They snack on junk or comfort food, skimp on sleep and do without exercise. But this won't help develop the resilience we need to cope with challenges.
"Dr. Tieraona Low Dog is one of the country's leading experts on the evidence base behind herbal medicine and alternative therapies. She has some solid advice on keeping your head and your health, even when adversity strikes. Her Website is www.drlowdog.com."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2009/11/28/716-living-in-b/

The Number of Steps per day, not Speed, is Linked to Mortality Rate, Aimee Cunningham, March 24, 2020
"A new study of nearly 5,000 people finds an association between the total number of steps per day and the risk of dying for any reason. Among the 655 participants who took fewer than 4,000 steps per day, the mortality rate was 76.7 per 1,000 people per year. (In distance, 4,000 steps is roughly 3 kilometers.) But among the 1,727 people who managed 4,000-7,999 steps per day, the death rate plummeted to 21.4 per 1,000 people.
"It got even better for the next group: Among the 1,539 people taking 8,000 to just under 12,000 daily steps, the annual death rate was 6.9 per 1,000 people, researchers report online March 24 in JAMA."
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/number-steps-per-day-not-speed-linked-mortality-rate

Your Exercise Prescription for Good Health, April 5, 2014
"Exercise is more powerful than any wonder drug at preventing disease and promoting optimum health." -- Jordan Metzl, MD
"Guest: Jordan Metzl, MD, is a nationally known sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. He completed his fellowship in sports medicine and dance medicine at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital. He is the author of THE ATHLETE'S BOOK OF HOME REMEDIES and THE EXERCISE CURE. His website is: http://www.drjordanmetzl.com/."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2014/04/05/942-your-exercise-prescription/

Rest

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Sleep

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I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)

The Treasury of David, Psalm 121, C.H. Spurgeon
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. (Psalm 121:3)
http://archive.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps121.php

"He [David] concludes, by stating, that as he is protected by the power of God, he enjoys as much security and quiet as if he had been defended by all the garrisons on earth. Now, we know, that to be free from all fear, and from the torment and vexation of care, is a blessing to be desired above all other things. . . . In short, David boasts that the protection of God alone was sufficient, and that under it he sleeps as securely, although destitute of all human guardianship, as if he had had many to keep watch and ward continually over him, or as if he had been defended on all sides by a great company. Let us therefore, learn from his example, to yield this honor to God -- to believe, that although there may appear no help for us from men, yet under his hand alone we are kept in peace and safety, as if we were surrounded by a great host." -- John Calvin commenting on Psalm 4:8

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:1)

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14)

Watchfulness is more important for the Christian soldier than any other. In temporal battles soldiers fight against men who need sleep the same as themselves, but the saint's enemy, Satan, is always awake and walking his rounds. Since the devil never sleeps, the Christian puts himself in grave danger by falling asleep spiritually -- that is, by becoming secure and careless. Either the unregenerate part of his nature will betray him, or grace will not be alert to discover the enemy and prepare for the assault. Satan will be upon him before he is awake enough to draw his sword. You should be aware that the saint's sleeping time is Satan's prime tempting time.
Even a fly dares to creep on a sleeping lion; unless he wakes up, there is nothing to fear. The weakest temptation is strong enough to foil a Christian who is napping in security. While Samson slept, Delilah cut his locks. While Saul slept, his spear was taken from his side and he was none the wiser. A drunken Noah slept and his graceless son took pleasure in seeing his father's nakedness. Eutychus slept, nodded, and fell from the third loft, and was taken up for dead. Thus the Christian sleeping in false security may be taken by surprise. He may lose much of his spiritual strength -- be robbed of his spear or armor (graces, I mean)-- or have his nakedness uncovered by graceless men, and bring shame to his profession.
Sleep steals upon the soul as quietly as it does on the body. The wise virgins fell asleep along with the foolish ones, though not so soundly. Take heed that you do not indulge yourself in laziness; stir yourself to action, as we tell someone who is drowsy to stand up and walk around. Yield to idleness and sloth and they will grow upon you; busy yourself in your Christian duties and spiritual drowsiness will flee. -- William Gurnall in The Christian in Complete Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare, May 25, Stand, Do Not Sleep

The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. (Ecclesiastes 5:12)

Sleep is not to be understood as implying slothfulness, but a placid labor, to which true believers subject themselves by the obedience of faith. . . . The faithful, on the other hand, although they lead a laborious life, yet follow their vocations with composed and tranquil minds. -- John Calvin commenting on Psalm 127:2 and context

Rest is often all that is needed to heal the body. It allows the body to concentrate its healing functions. If we do not feel well, then the first thing we should do is rest.
Therefore, getting an adequate amount sleep, on a regular basis, prevents disease, as well a healing it once it gets a foothold.
Practicing good sleep hygiene is a must for good health.

O ye saints, how you should love the Word, for by this you have been converted. . . . Tie it about your neck, write it upon your hand, lay it in your bosom. When you go let it lead you, when you sleep let it keep you, when you wake let it talk with you. (Proverbs 6:21-22). You that are unconverted, read the Word with diligence; flock to where it is powerfully preached. Pray for the coming of the Spirit in the Word. Come from your knees to the sermon, and come from the sermon to your knees. -- Joseph Alleine (1634-1668)

Chronic poor sleep, particularly if it begins after a severe illness, injury, or emotional trauma, may be a sign of sleep apnea. Typically the patient no longer feels refreshed when awakening in the morning and may awaken at about the same time every night, or may complain of only being able to sleep four or five hours or less at a time, night after night. If this is the case, then one should seek medical care. Treatment is available.

Buchman, Dian Dincin, Complete Guide to Natural Sleep, ISBN: 0517222388 9780517222386.
"Learn about the many influences upon sleep ability and quality; from the influence of foods and natural substances to solutions to typical problems. Unlike many titles on insomnia, this also considers problems specific to different age groups, providing charts and solutions which go beyond dietary adjustments." -- Midwest Book Review
"This self-help guide to getting the proper rest includes a thorough discussion of sleep needs, obstacles, and natural solutions for all ages. Divided into three parts, the first is devoted to adults, ranging from teenagers to advanced age. The second part of the book is devoted to children and their unique sleep problems, with a special section on infants -- whose parents are probably sleep-deprived! Lastly the book includes safe, nondrug, natural therapies to achieve sleep regardless of your age or sleeping problem.
"I wasn't terribly hopeful when I purchased this book that I was going to find any new information in it. After all, I had spent countless sleepless nights for the past two years researching my mysterious new sleep disorder and I thought I had read about or tried every "natural" remedy out there . . .
"Thank God I gave it one more go and bought this book!
"While it does contain lots of info you've probably found in other sources, the author includes extensive information on a subject I had never read about -- homeopathic tissue salts. These amazing little compounds have worked wonders!!! The charts in the book make it easy to match your specific sleep symptom with a salt that should give you relief.
"After a week and a half of experimenting with different salts, I think it's safe to proclaim I may be cured!!!
"If you're suffering from a chronic sleep problem, I highly recommend getting this book and then running down to your healthfood store to buy the tissue salt that matches your symptom. (You'll need the book because the packaging on the individual salt probably won't even mention anything about sleep problems.)
"The one that did the trick for me -- Kali Carbonicum -- said, "for pain and feeling of weakness in the lower back." The people at the healthfood store are liable to be a bit clueless about these salts, too.
"Anyway, hope this information was of some help." -- Reader's Comment

Charnock, Stephen (1628-1680), The Sinfulness and Cure of Thoughts. In PURITAN SERMONS 1659-1689: BEING THE MORNING EXERCISES AT CRIPPLEGATE, ST. GILES IN THE FIELDS, AND IN SOUTHWARK BY SEVENTY-FIVE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL IN OR NEAR LONDON WITH NOTES AND TRANSLATIONS BY JAMES NICHOLS. (2:386-420)
The Sinfulness and Cure of Thought, Biblical Sanctification, a sermon by Stephen Charnock. Available in Charnock and M'Cosh, THE COMPLETE WORKS OF STEPHEN CHARNOCK (1865),
The Sinfulness and Cure of Thought, Biblical Sanctification
http://digitalpuritan.net/stephen-charnock/

Clowney, E., Biblical Principles of Rest (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation).
Audio cassette WW203 [audio file].

*Dement, William C., and Christopher Vaughan, The Promise of Sleep: A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection Between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night's Sleep, ISBN: 0440509017 9780440509011.
"Sleep better, live longer with the groundbreaking information and step-by-step program in this revolutionary book.
"Healthful sleep has been empirically proven to be the single most important factor in predicting longevity, more influential than diet, exercise, or heredity. And yet we are a sleep-sick society, ignorant of the facts of sleep -- and the price of sleep deprivation. In this groundbreaking book, based on decades of study on the frontiers of sleep science, Dr. William Dement, founder and director of the Stanford University Sleep Research Center, explains what happens when we sleep, when we don't, and how we can reclaim the most powerful -- and underrated -- health miracle of all.
"Taking us on a fascinating tour of our sleeping body and mind, Dr. Dement reveals the price we have paid for ignoring sleep -- an epidemic of heart disease, 33 percent of traffic-fatigue-related accidents, and immeasurable mental and psychological disadvantages. And he offers a hands-on prescription for vibrant good health and longevity, including . . . self-tests to determine how much sleep you really need . . . the role of prescription and over-the-counter sleeping aids . . . the latest research on how sleep affects the immune system . . . how to combat insomnia, snoring, and jet lag . . . plus information on sleep disorder clinics nationwide, Websites, and more." -- Publisher

Edlund, Matthew, The Power of Rest: Why Sleep Alone is not Enough: A 30-day Plan to Reset Your Body, ISBN: 9780061862762 0061862762.
"Explains the importance of sleep and rest in every person's life and lays out a month-long plan to get readers on the right track to a more rested regimen, one that will lead to better overall health." -- Publisher

Goldberg, Philip, Natural Sleep: How to get Your Share, ISBN: 0553128922 9780553128925.
Includes bibliography and index.

Linde, Shirley Motter, and Louis M. Savary, The Sleep Book, ISBN: 0060652497 9780060652494.

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), The Life of Peace: Exposition of Philippians 3 and 4, [Philippians 4] ISBN: 0801056780 9780801056789.
"This volume follows THE LIFE OF JOY which is on Philippians 1 and 2, thus completing the study on the Book of Philippians. Examples of expository excellence!" -- GCB

*Maas, James B., David J. Axelrod, Barbara R. Hogan, and Jennifer Bloomin, Power Sleep: The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your Mind for Peak Performance, ISBN: 0060977604: 9780060977603.
"Do your eyelids feel heavy during afternoon meetings? Do you sleep extra hours on weekend mornings? Do you use caffeine to stay alert? An alarm to get out of bed?
"These are all symptoms of sleep deficiency -- signals that you are operating below your peak performance and beneath your mental capacity. Despite popular perceptions, sleep is not a luxury -- it is a necessity. More than seventy million Americans are sleep-deprived, and make crucial business and personal decisions in an impaired state. In Power Sleep, Dr. James B. Maas, a pioneer of sleep research at Cornell University, has created an easy, drug-free program to improve your body and mind for an alert and productive tomorrow. In Power Sleep, you'll find:

• The golden rules of sleep
• Twenty great sleep strategies
• Dos and donts of sleeping pills and over-the-counter remedies
• How to combat travel fatigue, including jet lag and drowsy driving
• Tips for exhausted parents of newborns, infants, and toddlers
• How to overcome sleep disorders, including insomnia
• An important and practical book, Power Sleep will help you get the sleep you need to improve your mental and physical well-being quickly and dramatically and to become a peak performer.

Soth, Connie, Insomnia: God's Night School, ISBN: 0802726542 9780802726544.

See also: Stress, Exercise, The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Prayer, Emotions and health, Praise, Forgiveness of sin, Reconciliation of relationships, Depression, Love and counseling problems, Soul-violence, The Battle for the mind, Mind control, Hypothyroidism, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 3376-3382
TETB: "Sleep"

Related Weblinks

Sleep Solutions
"Medicare-approved Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (IDTF) providing healthcare services to any patient, anytime, anywhere."
http://www.sleep-solutions.com/

SleepNet
http://www.sleepnet.com

Talk About Sleep
http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/

Wake up Australia: The Value of Healthy Sleep
"In the United States, the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research in 1993 identified priorities for a national sleep health agenda and called for action from Congress to recognize sleep-related problems as an important public health issue by:

1. establishing a National Center for Research and Education on Sleep;
2. expanding basic, clinical, epidemiological, health services and prevention research;
3. providing cross-departmental links within all affected Federal departments/agencies;
4. increasing Federal support for research workforce training and career development;
5. broadening awareness of and training in sleep and sleep disorders across all health professionals, particularly at the primary care level; and
6. a major public awareness and education campaign about sleep and sleep disorders."

Vaccination

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"The general population believes vaccinations are totally effective, totally safe, and everyone has to have them. The truth is, however, they are not totally safe and effective, and not mandatory.
"Vaccinations are not absolutely mandatory. There are three types of exemptions available to parents: Medical, Religious, and Philosophical. . . . Most states allow at least two of the three."

Over my lifetime I have recovered from Maleria and Tick bite fever, lived among and have been exposed to people in refugee camps suffering from tuberculosis, cholera, hepatitis B and diphtheria, polio, and survived the Asian Flu pandemic, the Hong Kong Flu pandemic, the HIV/Aids pandemic and the Swine Flu pandemic. I am well aware of medical risks and realities . . . [Montagnier]
"Professor Luc Montagnier, French virologist and Nobel Prize winner, predicted a potential outcome of mass vaccinations, he said:" Mass vaccinations are a scientific error as well as a medical error. It is an unacceptable mistake . . .

The first flu vaccines in use will be nasally-administered Flumist [Swine Flu outbreak of 2009 -- compiler], which utilizes 'live' viruses. Flumist-vaccinated individuals will shed viruses for 5 days following inoculation and are likely to spread the virus to family members. This will predictably accelerate infection rates. Look for health authorities to liken an upsurge in flu cases to the late-season return of the 1918 Spanish flu rather than viral shedding from the nasal-instilled vaccine." -- Bill Sardi in "The American Flu Charade" (see link below)

Before anyone gets a COVID-19 shot, they should verify that the health care providers administering the vaccine have access to epinephrine and antihistamines in the event of a reaction. Anyone who does experience an anaphylactic reaction to the vaccine will be advised to skip the second dose. (March 2021) -- "Volunteers Describe Covid Vaccine Side Effects"

Cave, Stephanie, and Deborah Mitchell (contributor), What Your Doctor may not Tell you About Children's Vaccinations, ISBN: 0446677078 9780446677073.
"This book encourages parents 'to be equal partners with doctors in deciding which vaccines their children should get and when they should get them.' The way this book achieves this goal is by offering important medical information in easy to understand terms. WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL YOU . . . provides detailed info on the various vaccines currently required/suggested by state and federal governments; reviewing in depth the history of the diseases and related vaccines, ingredients used to make and preserve the vaccines, background studies and recent research available on a variety of the vaccines, and also a risk/benefit analysis per vaccination. What this book offers (that your doctor's office may not), is a look at both sides of the vaccination issue, and gives YOU a well-rounded resource package so you can best decide when/what vaccines to give your child. Factors that can influence your decision include any known allergies, reactions to previous vaccinations, family history of autoimmune diseases and more. Also a help to parents is a list of precautions parents can take when their children get vaccinated, and also a recommended schedule (that differs from the government's), for childhood vaccinations. This alternative vaccination timeline allows you to operate within the guidelines of the government mandate that all children receive a certain number of shots prior to entering school, but attempts to spread out the vaccinations for minimum exposure to risk and negative side effects. Did you know many vaccines used today include ingredients such as mercury, formaldehyde, ethylene glycol (a main ingredient in antifreeze), and more? Would you consume those poisons? Of course not, but vaccine manufacturers (and the CDC and FDA), seem to think it's okay for our kids to receive these poisons ad nauseam. Fortunately, each of today's required vaccinations come with a mercury-free alternative, but many doctors are still using those with mercury, and you must request the safer alternative. Research and vaccination injury reporting systems indicate possible and/or obvious links to multiple adverse effects including irreparable diseases and death, but many doctors, educators and government institutions refuse to consider those possibilities, as it may endanger the successful mass-vaccination programs currently employed in this country. Included in this book is a discussion of the possible exemptions available to parents, which may include religious, medical or philosophical, depending upon the state in which you live. If you're not willing to trust this author's approach, there's a list of multiple resources at the end of the book allowing you to do your own research and form your own further educated opinion.
"Stephanie Cave, M.D., is a family practitioner in Baton Rouge who specializes in children with autism and related disorders. She has been featured on CNN regarding children and vaccinations and testified in Congressional hearings in July 2000." -- Publisher

Sylvia Engdahl, Sylvia Engdahl, Vaccines, ISBN: 9780737741506 0737741503 9780737741513 0737741511.

Williamson, Stanley, The Vaccination Controversy: The Rise, Reign, and Fall of Compulsory Vaccination for Smallpox, ISBN: 9781846310867 1846310865 9781846310874 1846310873.

See also: The limits of modern medicine, The failure of the american medical system, Correct diagnosis, Medicine as social control, Prevention of disease, Medical ethics, Healthcare reform, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 1811, 1505

Related Weblinks

The American flu Charade: News Media Maintains Undeserved Public Confidence in flu Vaccination Program -- Millions of Doses of flu Vaccine may go Unused This Season, Bill Sardi
"The first flu vaccines in use will be nasally-administered Flumist which utilizes 'live' viruses. Flumist-vaccinated individuals will shed viruses for 5 days following inoculation and are likely to spread the virus to family members. This will predictably accelerate infection rates. Look for health authorities to liken an upsurge in flu cases to the late-season return of the 1918 Spanish flu rather than viral shedding from the nasal-instilled vaccine.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi124.html

Avoid flu Shots, Take Vitamin D Instead, Donald W. Miller, Jr., MD
"Randomized controlled trials are the most reliable way to determine the efficacy -- and safety -- of a given treatment. No randomized trials show that flu shots reduce mortality from influenza or flu-related pneumonia. Some do show that the flu vaccine is somewhat effective in preventing influenza. In one widely quoted study, 1838 volunteers age 60 and over were randomized to receive a flu shot or placebo (a shot of saline). The flu shot reduced the relative risk of contracting (serologically confirmed, clinical) influenza by a seemingly impressive 50%. The incidence of influenza in the unvaccinated people in this study was 3%. In the vaccinated group it was 2% (JAMA 1994;272:1661 -- 5). Flu shots reduced the absolute risk of contracting influenza by a meager 1% (not 50%, as the "relative risk" portrays it). In actuality, for every 100 people that have a flu shot only one will benefit from it -- this, in medical parlance, is the "number needed to treat" (NNT) in order to achieve any benefit from the treatment. A flu shot provides no benefit for the other 99 people -- 2 of them will get influenza anyway -- and all 100 risk being harmed by the vaccine."
http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller27.html

Citizens for Healthcare Freedom
http://www.citizensforhealthcarefreedom.org/

Is the Covid Vaccine Safe and Effective? Russell L. Blaylock, MD, June 27, 2021
"When it was suggested that these findings -- i.e., the deficiencies in safety testing as well as the ongoing appearance of potentially harmful signals (medical problems) that were detected -- should be published in the medical and scientific literature, proponents of the vaccines stated that this information should be kept out of journals as it would discourage further vaccination acceptance by the public. Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine proponent, suggested that we should withhold this information until we get a lot more data because we don't want to 'scare people.' So, I would ask Offit -- just how many people have to continue dying or becoming medical cripples for life before you decide to stop this atrocity?
"If Mr. Kincaid wants to trust Pfizer, Moderna, J&J or AstraZeneca, so be it. But we all deserve informed consent -- that is, full knowledge as to what is known about these vaccines, the dangers, the risks, and especially that there are safe alternatives that have shown almost 100 percent protection when used prophylactically -- such as ivermectin. That ivermectin has had such a profound beneficial effect on infected patients, at every level of seriousness (very few deaths and quick recovery) indicates that no vaccine is even necessary. Certainly, vaccine passports, forced vaccinations for employment or school attendance, and especially talk of mandatory vaccinations, should be immediately ended.
"With all the proof that Dr. Anthony Fauci was openly working with the CCP and PLA, and worse, that he repeatedly and publicly defended the Communist Party of China, should raise suspicion that not only was the release and distribution of this virus worldwide by China designed as a bioweapon against the West, but that we must also consider the real possibility that the ultimate weapon is the vaccine. If this is indeed true, then promoting the vaccines would be the actual betrayal, even if inadvertent, in that it aids China in destroying any resistance by the Western nations to eventual Chinese communist rule of the world."
https://haciendapublishing.com/is-the-covid-vaccine-safe-and-effective-by-russell-l-blaylock-md/

Dispelling Vaccination Myths
http://chetday.com/vaccinationmyths.htm

Don't get Jabbed: Powerful Video on 'Killer Vaccine' That Needs to be Watched by Everyone, JRickey Productions, July 29, 2021
https://www.globalresearch.ca/video-people-get-jabbed-watching-video-they-beyond-saving/5751364

Flu Shot Fell Short for Seniors This Year, March 10, 2013
"The CDC has analyzed the flu vaccine for this year and found that it was only about 27 percent effective for people over 65. Of course, these are precisely the folks who most need the protection that a flu shot might offer.
"Even worse, the most virulent strain of influenza virus that caused problems this winter, the H3N2, was hardly affected by the vaccine at all. The match was good, but the shot was only 9 percent effective at preventing H3N2 among the elderly."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/03/10/flu-shot-fell-shoryt-for-seniors-this-year/

How bad is the flu? How Good is the Shot? January 12, 2013
"If the match between circulating flu and vaccine is so very good this year, why are so many people still getting sick? Well, the dirty little secret that is never mentioned when people are urged to get their shot is that flu vaccines are far from 100 percent effective. When researchers have reviewed the medical literature for influenza immunization studies published between 1967 and 2011, they've concluded that effectiveness ranges from 16 percent at the bottom to 76 percent at the top with "pooled efficacy" of about 59 percent (The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Jan. 2012). "
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/01/12/how-bad-is-the-flu-how-good-is-the-shot/

How Effective is a flu Shot? October 26, 2011
"Of those top-notch investigations, there were 10 randomised, controlled trials that could be analyzed for overall efficacy. What Dr. Osterholm and his colleagues found was that together, the benefit was 59 percent. In other words, 41 percent of the people who got a flu vaccine experienced no protection against influenza.
"In our opinion that's disappointingly low. If your toaster only toasted your bread a little more than half the time you would demand your money back. Perhaps even more disheartening is the observation that there were no good trials for children between the ages of 2 and 17 or adults over the age of 65. Those are precisely the groups that are most vulnerable to complications from influenza."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/10/26/how-effective-is-a-flu-shot/

*National Vaccine Information Center
"MedAlerts offers an alternative to the official VAERS search engine, CDC Wonder. Both are built from the government's raw data, but MedAlerts has a better user interface, more powerful search capabilities, and more extensive reporting, making it the best VAERS search facility."
https://medalerts.org/

National Vaccine Information Center
"The general population believes that vaccinations are totally effective, totally safe and everyone has to have them. The truth is, however, they are not totally safe and effective, and not mandatory.
"Vaccinations are not absolutely mandatory. There are three types of exemptions available to parents: Medical, Religious, and Philosophical. . . . Most states allow at least two of the three."
For more information on the myth of 'No shots, no school' visit:
http://www.909shot.com
Or call: National Vaccine Information Center: 1-800-909-SHOT.

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
https://vaers.hhs.gov/

Vaccine Information Resource Center
http://www.mercola.com/2001/aug/18/vaccine_myths.htm

Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated: Guess who is Sicker? May 4, 2017
A pilot study of 666 homeschooled six to 12-year-olds from four American states published on April 27th in the Journal of Translational Sciences, compared 261 unvaccinated children with 405 partially or fully vaccinated children, and assessed their overall health based on their mothers' reports of vaccinations and physician-diagnosed illnesses. What it found about increases in immune-mediated diseases like allergies and neurodevelopmental diseases including autism, should make all parents think twice before they ever vaccinate again:

• Vaccinated children were more than three times as likely to be diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum (OR 4.3)
• Vaccinated children were 30-fold more likely to be diagnosed with allergic rhinitis (hay fever) than non-vaccinated children
• Vaccinated children were 22-fold more likely to require an allergy medication than unvaccinated children
• Vaccinated children had more than quadruple the risk of being diagnosed with a learning disability than unvaccinated children (OR 5.2)
• Vaccinated children were 300 percent more likely to be diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder than unvaccinated children (OR 4.3)
• Vaccinated children were 340 percent (OR 4.4) more likely to have been diagnosed with pneumonia than unvaccinated children
• Vaccinated children were 300 percent more likely to be diagnosed with an ear infection than unvaccinated children (OR 4.0)
• Vaccinated children were 700 percent more likely to have surgery to insert ear drainage tubes than unvaccinated children (OR 8.01)
• Vaccinated children were 2.5-fold more likely to be diagnosed with any chronic illness than unvaccinated children

The Very Real Prospect of Victory Over Communism, December 10 2020
"We discussed: . . . . the nauseating governmental and mainstream media propaganda regarding the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine; the numerous reasons why we should not take the vaccine; and many other topics."
https://andrewcarringtonhitchcock.com/2020/12/10/ach-1404-dr-peter-hammond-the-very-real-prospect-of-victory-over-communism/

What are Hospitals Trying to Hide? February 8, 2014
"Whatever your stance on the politics of healthcare insurance, everyone agrees that high healthcare costs are a problem. One patient was shocked to learn that his emergency treatment with anti-venom for snakebite came to nearly $90,000."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2014/02/08/934-what-are-hospitals-trying-to-hide/

Which Supplements can you Trust? April 15, 2013
"We were appalled to read the research published in JAMA Internal Medicine (online Feb. 11, 2013), showing wide variations in compounded and OTC vitamin D pills. The scientists found that potency ranged from 9 percent to 146 percent of the dose listed on the label.
You are right that the FDA does not have the resources to check the quality of most supplements. You mention USP, the United States Pharmacopeia. This nongovernmental scientific organization has set quality standards for medicines for nearly 200 years."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/04/15/which-supplements-can-you-trust/

White Coat Conspiracy Covers up Medical Tragedy, April 29, 2013
"I used to think that doctors were the innocent victims of ambulance-chasing attorneys and litigious patients. I now realize that physicians have also contributed to any malpractice crisis that exists, because as a group they cover up mistakes all the time."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/04/29/code-of-silence-covers-up-medical-tragedy/

Why Pharmacists are Wrong About Generic Drugs, April 11, 2011
"Most (but not all), pharmacists routinely tell patients that generic drugs are identical to brand name medications. That is hardly surprising. This is what pharmacy students are told during their education process. It is also what the FDA states on its website:

A generic drug is identical -- or bioequivalent -- to a brand name drug in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use. Although generic drugs are chemically identical to their branded counterparts, they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price.

1. Similar or alike in every way; 2. being the very same; 3. agreeing exactly. Related words for 'identical': Indistinguishable, one and the same, selfsame.
Medical Dictionary definition of the word 'identical':
1. Exactly equal and alike; 2. Of or relating to a twin or twins developed from the same fertilized ovum and having the same genetic makeup and closely similar appearance; monozygotic.

Will the flu Shot Protect you From Influenza Infections This Year? September 30, 2013
"Last year's flu vaccine was an especially good match for the influenza viruses that were circulating during the epidemic. Experts had anticipated correctly which strains would predominate and there was a 92 percent match with what actually showed up. In theory, this should have provided superb protection.
"In reality, however, when the CDC did its post-season analysis, it found that the vaccine was only about 27 percent effective for people over 65. This is a high-risk group that is more vulnerable to flu complications such as pneumonia.
"Worse, the most virulent form of the flu last year, H3N2, was hardly deterred by vaccination. Only 9 percent of vaccinated older people were protected from this bug."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/09/30/will-the-flu-shot-protect-you-from-influenza-infections-this-year/

Will Vaccines Protect us Against New Variants? [of COVID, March 2021]
"Here's what I would like to see [Joe's Dream]. First, we need rapid COVID tests that are as reliable as pregnancy tests. Every household in the country should have access to such tests. They should provide easy-to-interpret, accurate results within 10-15 minutes.
"As soon as COVID is detected, pills should be widely available in every pharmacy in the country. They should be able to snuff out COVID-19 before the virus does damage or becomes infectious. If people are treated early with medications that cure the virus and prevent spread, we would be on our way to true recovery.
We know of one drug under development that might be promising. It has been called EIDD-2801, MK-4482 or molnupiravir. You can listen to Dr. Ralph Baric (the Coronavirus Hunter) describe it on our podcast.
"Older drugs that are already available should be tested with the same resources and enthusiasm that was directed towards vaccine discovery."
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/will-vaccines-protect-us-against-new-variants

Sickness

---

Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. (Psalm 91:9,10)
This was encouragement to Spurgeon during the cholera outbreak of 1854,

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him. (Job 13:15)

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and If he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:13-16)

And he said unto me, My Grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. [1]Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may [2]rest upon me.
Therefore I take [1]pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. -- Paul quoting The Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 12:9,10)
12:9 [1] He concludeth, that he will only see his miseries against the vain brags of the false apostles, and therewith also excuseth himself, for that by their importunity, he was constrained to speak so much of these things as he did: to wit, because that if his Apostleship were subverted his doctrine must needs fall.
12:9 [2] That I might feel the virtue of Christ more and more: For the weaker that our tabernacles are, the more doth Christ's virtue appear in them.
12:10 [1] I do not only take them patiently and with a good heart, but also I take great pleasure in them.-- 1599 Geneva Bible Notes

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us. (2 Corinthians 1:9,10)

Word: "disease"; Meaning; "disturb"; Sample location: "Luke 8:49" -- from the "Glossary," 1599 Geneva Bible, Tolle Lege edition

DISEASE, n. Dizeze. [dis and ease].
1. In its primary sense, pain, uneasiness, distress, and so used by Spenser; but in this sense, obsolete.
2. The cause of pain or uneasiness . . . disorder; any state of a living body in which the natural functions of the organs are interrupted or disturbed . . . The first effect of disease is uneasiness or pain, and the ultimate effect is death. . . .
3. A disordered state of the mind or intellect, by which the reason is impaired.
4. In society, vice; corrupt state of morals. Vices are called moral diseases. A wise man converses with the wicked, as a physician with the sick, not to catch the disease, but to cure it.
5. Political or civil disorder, or vices in a state; any practice which tends to disturb the peace of society, or impede or prevent the regular administration of government.
The instability, injustice and confusion introduced into the public councils have, in truth, been the mortal diseases under which popular governments have every where perished. -- 1846 edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language
DISEASE, v.t. dizeze.
1. To interrupt or impair any or all the natural and regular functions of the several organs of a living body [i.e. robbing a neighbor of sleep -- compiler]; to afflict with pain or sickness to make morbid . . .
2. To interrupt or render imperfect the regular functions of the brain, or of the intellect; to disorder; to derange.
3. To infect; to communicate disease to, by contagion.
4. To pain; to make uneasy. -- 1828 edition of Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language

Without a due sense of predestination, we shall lack the surest and the most powerful inducement to patience, resignation, and dependence on God under every spiritual and temporal affliction. How sweet must the following considerations be to a distressed believer:
1. There most certainly exists an almighty, all-wise, and infinitely gracious God. 2. He has given me in times past, and is giving me at present (if I had but eyes to see it), many remarkable intimations of his love to me, both in a way of providence and grace. 3. This love of his is immutable; he never repents of it nor withdraws it. 4. Whatever comes to pass in time is the result of his will from everlasting. 5. Consequently, my afflictions were a part of his original plan, and are all ordered in number, weight, and measure. 6. The very hairs of my head are (every one), counted by him, nor can a single hair fall to the ground but in consequence of his determination. 7. Hence, my distresses are not the result of chance, accident, or a fortuitous combination of circumstances, but 8. The providential accomplishment of God's purpose, and 9. Designed to answer some wise and gracious ends. 10. Nor shall my affliction continue a moment longer than God sees meet. 11. He who brought me to it has promised to support me under it and to carry me through it. 12. All shall, most assuredly, work together for his glory and my good. 13. Therefore, The cup which my heavenly Father has given me to drink: Shall I not drink it? -- a passage from Jerome Zanchius' book Absolute Predestination, quoted by John W. Robbins in "Providence and Thanksgiving," Trinity Review, November 2006

You need not be cast down by sickness. The eternal part of you is safe and provided for, whatever happens to your body. You may well look calmly on death. It opens a door between you and your inheritance.
You may well not sorrow exclusively over the things of the world -- over partings and bereavements -- over losses and crosses. The day of gathering is before you. Your treasure is beyond reach of harm. Heaven is becoming every year more full of those you love, and earth more empty. Glory in your inheritance. It is all yours if you are a children of God. "If we are children, then we are heirs." (Romans 8:17a) -- J.C. Ryle (1816-1900)

Many blessings are promised to our outward man, here in this life; and hereafter it is to be made a glorious and incorruptible body, like unto the glorious body of our Lord Jesus Christ: it is to be clothed with light and crowned with rays, never more to suffer injuries without or diseases within. -- Ezekiel Hopkins

Adams, Lane, How Come it's Taking me so Long to get Better? ISBN: 084231511X: 9780842315111.

Adolph, Harold P., with Dave Bourne, "Holyistic" Attitudes: God's Prescription for Your Good Health, ISBN: 0929292162: 9780929292168.

Adolph, Harold P., with Dave Bourne, Stop Making Yourself Sick: A Physician Explores the Connection Between Spiritual Health and Physical Health, ISBN: 0896933253 9780896933255.

Fintel, William A., and Gerald R. McDermott, A Medical and Spiritual Guide to Living With Cancer: A Complete Handbook for Patients and Their Families, ISBN: 0849935040: 9780849935046.

Johnson, Paul, Conquering Cancer: An Invitation to Hope, ISBN: 0310537819 9780310537816.
"This book tells the person with cancer just what he or she can expect at each stage of diagnosis and treatment, explores medical discoveries that gives people real hope of recovery from cancer, and includes excerpts from Dr. Paul Johnson's cancer diary and selected readings on a dozen topics designed to build a cancer patient's confidence." -- Publisher
"A doctor with 40 years service in medicine, a weekly medical radio program . . . now offers hope to those suffering with cancer. If you have cancer or know someone who does GET THIS BOOK." -- GCB

Margotta, Roberto, and Paul Lewis (editor), The Story of Medicine: Man's Struggle Against Disease -- From Ancient Sorcery to Modern Miracles of Vaccines, Drugs, and Surgery, ISBN: 0600600920 9780600600923.

McMillen, S.I., None of These Diseases, ISBN: 080075719X 9780800757199.
Revised and expanded in 2000 by D.E. Stern. "This epochal work, when first published in 1963, drew attention to the Biblical teaching on health and the care of the body. Now updated with information on modern diseases, it is even more valuable than when it broke new ground two decades ago." -- Cyril J. Barber
"Good insights into the relation between your attitudes and your physical health." -- Robert B. Somerville

Merritt, James, God's Prescription for a Healthy Christian, ISBN: 0896935396 9780896935396.

Ryle, J.C. (1816-1900), Thoughts on Sickness for Invalids and Their Friends.

Watson, David, Fear no Evil: One man Deals With Terminal Illness, ISBN: 0802725406 9780802725400.
"FEAR NO EVIL is the conquest of death -- not by looking away from it, nor by being shielded from it, but by facing it squarely and going down into it knowing that for a believer it is the vestibule of glory. Watson died peacefully one month after completing this book." -- GCB
"David Watson candidly shares his journey from "life to life" in a comforting and encouraging manner. With the Lord as his travelling companion, Watson reveals the most important pursuit given to humanity -- to seek God's face." -- Reader's Comment

*Wenhe, Mary, How to Pray for Healing, ISBN: 0800707419 9780800707415.

Wilde, Gary (editor), Bible Promises to Treasure for People in Recovery: Inspiring Words for Every Occasion, ISBN: 0805493905 9780805493900.

Wilde, Gary (editor), Bible Promises to Treasure for Tough Times: Inspiring Words for Every Occasion, ISBN: 155819715X 9781558197152.

See also: Prayer, The promises of Christ, Intercessory prayer, Small groups as healing agents, Bible promises, Sleep, Rest, Loving and obeying God, Hope, Forgiveness of sin, Prayer, Reconciliation of relationships, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Job, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Sexually transmitted diseases, Patient advocacy, Prevention of disease, What your doctor may not tell you, Correct diagnosis, Prescription Drugs With Dangers, The pharmaceutical industry, big pharma, Healing, Women's health, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 1522, 1523, 1539, 1540, 1969, 3397, 4011

Related Weblinks

Justifying Faith
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrr1cha.html#justfaith

Nine (9) Lessons From Sickness
"Come now, and let me show you a few of the lessons which He by sickness would teach us.
"1. Sickness is meant to make us think -- to remind us that we have a soul as well as a body -- an immortal soul -- a soul that will live forever in happiness or in misery -- and that if this soul is not saved, we had better never have been born.
"2. Sickness is meant to teach us that there is a world beyond the grave -- and that the world we now live in is only a training-place for another dwelling, where there will be no decay, no sorrow, no tears, no misery, and no sin.
"3. Sickness is meant to make us look at our past lives honestly, fairly, and conscientiously.
"Am I ready for my great change -- if I should not get better?
"Do I truly repent of my sins?
"Are my sins forgiven and washed away in Christ's blood?
"Am I prepared to meet God?"
https://www.gracegems.org/18/Ryle-%20Sickness.htm

The Sleep Foundation
http://www.sleepfoundation.org

SleepNet
http://www.sleepnet.com

Fasting

---

Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 17:21)

Fasting is also an ordinance of God to be used for the same purpose and end and is commended to us under the New Testament (Matt. 9:15; 17:21 [Matthew 9:15; Matthew 17:21]; 1 Cor. 7:5 [1 Corinthians 7:5]). And we have examples of it (Acts 13:2,3; 14:23 [Acts 14:23]). Under the Old Testament there were frequent commands for it and examples, chiefly upon occasion of extraordinary afflictions (1 Sam. 7:6 [1 Samuel 7:6]; Neh. 9:1 [Nehemiah 9:1]; Dan. 9:3 [Daniel 9:3]; 10:2,3 [Daniel 10:2,3]; 2 Sam. 12: 16 [2 Samuel 12:16]; Ps. 35:13 [Psalm 35:13]; 2 Sam. 3:31,35 [2 Samuel 3:31,35]; Joel 2:12,13); besides the anniversary great day of atonement (Lev. 16: 29,31 [Leviticus 29,31]), when everyone was to fast on pain of being cut off. There is a prophecy of the same for the times of the New Testament (Zech. 12:12 [Zechariah 12:12]). It was used most on extraordinary occasions, and it is a help to holiness by faith, because it is a meet help for extraordinary prayer and humiliation (Joel 1:14; 2:12 [Joel 2:12]). But the great matter is to use it rightly, as follows. -- Walter Marshall in The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification

By fasting, the body learns to obey the soul; by praying, the soul learns to command the body. -- William Secker

Boston, Thomas (1676-1732), Personal and Family Fasting and Humiliation. Alternate title: A MEMORIAL CONCERNING PERSONAL AND FAMILY-FASTING AND HUMILIATION, PRESENTED TO SAINTS AND SINNERS. Available (THE WORKS OF THOMAS BOSTON, VOL. 11), on the Puritan Hard Drive. Available (THE WORKS OF THOMAS BOSTON, VOL. 11), on Reformation Bookshelf CD #6.

Chambers, Humphrey, and Samuel Man, A Divine Ballance to Weigh Religious Fasts in: Applyed to Present vse, in a Sermon Preached Before the Honourable House of Commons, in S. Margarets Westminster at their Publique Fast, Sept. 27. 1643, James 3:18.

Colbert, Don, Toxic Relief: Restore Health and Energy Through Fasting and Detoxification, ISBN: 1591852137 9781591852131.
"Here is a proven program to cleanse your body in 30 days!
"Your body may be so overwhelmed that it's sending you distress signals: | Learn why you are at risk for suffering from cancer, heart disease and diabetes. | Discover why you don't feel well and why you're always tired. | Examine the Sick Building Syndrome. | Explore spiritual and physical aspects of fasting.
"Dr. Don Colbert provides an easy-to-understand and comprehensive explanation of the toxic battle you're in. He also exposes risk factors and provides alternative solutions for living free from cancer, heart disease, liver disease, diabetes and more. You may be an average American who is overfed and undernourished, which means you are probably toxic, but there is hope. Detoxify your body with Dr. Colbert's medically sound and proven program of juice fasting.
"Deep cleansing your body right down to the cellular level will renew your vitality, restore your energy, reclaim your health, shed toxic fat, lengthen your life and give you a healthy glow you haven't had in years. Let Dr. Colbert escort you to healthier living-body, mind and spirit, and experience toxic relief today! Get ready to experience powerful relief!" -- Publisher

*Marshall, Walter (1628-1680), The Gospel-Mystery of Sanctification: Growing in Holiness by Living in Union With Christ, ISBN: 189277724X. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
The Reformation Heritage Books edition is a reprint of the 1954 edition set by Oliphants and includes an introduction by Joel R. Beeke. Also includes the author's famous sermon on "The Doctrine of Justification Opened and Applied."
See the WorldCat record for various foreign language editions.
Other editions:
Marshall, Walter, The Gospel-Mystery of Sanctification, ISBN: 1597520543 9781597520546.
"This is by far the best book on the doctrine of Sanctification in print. It was originally written in the 17th century, but has been put into modern English with this edition. This book will help you better understand the Gospel and its power not only for our Justification, but our Sanctification as well." -- Reader's Comment
Marshall, Walter, The Gospel-Mystery of Sanctification, ISBN: 1589600630 9781589600638.
"Here you will read the most closely reasoned defense of scriptural sanctification to be found anywhere. . . . Fourteen directions are given to the reader, all perfected with the aim of explaining to sincere souls what sanctification is, what it is not, and how to attain a holy walk before God. . . ." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
Marshall, Walter, The Gospel-Mystery of Sanctification, Opened, in Sundry Practical Directions: Suited Especially to the Case of Those who Labor Under the Guilt and Power of Indwelling Sin. To Which is Added a Sermon on Justification (1859)
http://archive.org/details/gospelmysteryofs02mars

Miller, Samuel (1769-1850), Personal and Family Piety in Presbyterian Heritage Publications, Library of Presbyterian Heritage Publications and Protestant Heritage Press CD-ROM Library and Library of Presbyterian Heritage Publications and Protestant Heritage Press CD-ROM Library (Dallas, TX [Presbyterian Heritage Publications, P.O. Box 180922, Dallas, 75218]: Presbyterian Heritage Publications, 1999).
"Miller gives warm exhortations regarding personal and family piety. He describes "The Duty, the Benefits, and the Proper Method of Religious Fasting." He treats "The Importance of Domestic Happiness," and "The Means of Domestic Happiness." An illuminating discussion on the role of women is found in "The Appropriate Duty of the Female Sex.

Palmer, Herbert (1601-1647), Memorials of Godliness and Christianity: In two Parts. Part I. Containing Mediations [sic]. 1. Of Making Religions Ones Businesse. 2. An Appendix Applyed to the Calling of a Minister. Part II. Containing 1. The Character of a Christian in Paradoxes and Seeming Contradictions. 2. A Proof or Character of Visible Godliness. 3. Some General Considerations to Excite to Watchfulness, and to Shake Off Spirituall Drowsinesse. 4. Remedies Against Carefulnesse. 5. The Soul of Fasting.

Palmer, Herbert (1601-1647), The Soul of Fasting, or Affections Requisite in a day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation According to the Pattern of Neh. 9:5 [Nehemiah 9:5], 1644. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.

Spurstowe, William (1605?-1666), England's Patterne and Duty in its Monthly Fasts: Presented in a Sermon, Preached to Both Houses of Parliament Assembled, on Friday the 21. of July, 1643. Being an extraordinary day of publicke humiliation appointed by them, throughout London and Westminster, that everyone might bitterly bewaile his owne sinnes, and crie mightily unto God for Christ his sake, to remove his wrath, and heale the land. Isa. 22:12-14 [Isaiah 22:12-14], 1643.

Various, Robin Jeffs (notes), G.R. Elton, Puritan Fast Sermons, 34 volumes. Alternate title: FAST SERMONS TO PARLIAMENT REPRODUCTIONS IN FACSIMILE WITH NOTES BY ROBIN JEFFS, ISBN: 071913000X 9780719130007 0719130042 9780719130045.
"This remarkable set [the above link apparently is not to the whole set of 34 volumes -- compiler] of rare Puritan sermons comprises facsimile copies of sermons preached before parliament on appointed fast days between 1640 and 1653. These sermons were individually published at the time, but finally issued as a multi-volume set only in 1972. Five hundred (500) sets in facsimile were then printed but complete sets are now extremely rare to find." -- Publisher

See also: Prayer, Intercessory prayer, Evangelistic praying, Evangelism, Christ our example, Prevention of disease, Toxic and harmful substances, cancer, Oncology (cancer treatment), Physical health, Summary and research index of key information in chapter 8: physical health and healthcare, Rest, Exercise, Sickness, Healing, Ministering to the sick, Obesity, gluttony, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 2710, 3212-3214

Related Weblinks

Healing

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Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)

If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. (Exodus 15:26b)

In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. (Isaiah 30:15a)

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. -- (Mark 9:24)

See the Theological Notes: "Salvation," at Acts 4:12 in The Reformation Study Bible.

The Treasury of David, Psalm 116, C.H. Spurgeon
The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. (Psalm 116:6)
http://archive.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps116.php

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21)
"By the using the tongue well or evil, comes the fruit of it either good or bad." -- Geneva Bible Notes

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (John 6:63)

More and more Americans are using The Internet to access health information. A new survey from the Pew Internet Project and California HealthCare Foundation reveals that health is the third most popular topic Americans look for online. Two-thirds of Internet users look for information about a specific condition or problem. More than half of Internet users seek out data about treatments. Over 40 percent check out doctors or other healthcare professionals and over one third of Internet users use the Web to find out more about hospitals and other medical facilities.
The Pew Internet Project has been tracking how people use The Internet for more than a decade. It is striking that eight out of ten Internet users go online for health information. Many are using the Web as a de facto second opinion, according to Susannah Fox, associate director of Digital Strategy for the Pew Internet and American Life Project. -- Susannah Fox, Health Topics

Bailey-Rug, Cynthia, Lessons From the Heart: What Animals Have Taught me About Life and Love, ISBN: 1300991097 9781300991090.
"There is much more to our animal companions than meets the eye. They are far wiser than the casual observer realizes, and can teach humans a great deal about life. In this book, the author details some valuable life lessons she learned from her own pets over the years that have helped her to live a happier, more fulfilling life." -- Publisher

Bailey-Rug, Cynthia, Pawprints on our Hearts, ISBN: 1300987995 9781300987994.
"Animals are God's special gift to humanity. This book will show you the many things that the Bible has to say about animals, such as their purpose on Earth, what they need from human beings, whether or not they go to heaven and more. Personal experiences by the author and pictures of her own pets are included as well. PAWPRINTS ON OUR HEARTS is designed to give you an entirely new perspective on our animal friends -- to help you view them as God does -- and to improve your experiences with our animal companions. May this book bless you and yours!" -- Publisher

Bonar, Horatius (1808-1889), Christ the Healer, ISBN: 0801007127 9780801007125.

*Brown, Colin, Miracles and the Critical Mind, ISBN: 0802835902 9780802835901 0802819699 9780802819697 0853643857 9780853643852.
"This is the fullest and clearest survey of the debate that has yet been written. Dr. Brown's analysis of 19 centuries of discussion is a major enrichment of both apologetics and theology." -- J.I. Packer

Charnock, Stephen (1628-1680), The Sinfulness and Cure of Thoughts. In PURITAN SERMONS 1659-1689: BEING THE MORNING EXERCISES AT CRIPPLEGATE, ST. GILES IN THE FIELDS, AND IN SOUTHWARK BY SEVENTY-FIVE MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL IN OR NEAR LONDON WITH NOTES AND TRANSLATIONS BY JAMES NICHOLS. (2:386-420)
The Sinfulness and Cure of Thought, Biblical Sanctification, a sermon by Stephen Charnock. Available in Charnock and M'Cosh, THE COMPLETE WORKS OF STEPHEN CHARNOCK (1865),
The Sinfulness and Cure of Thought, Biblical Sanctification
http://digitalpuritan.net/stephen-charnock/

Colbert, Don, Toxic Relief: Restore Health and Energy Through Fasting and Detoxification, ISBN: 1591852137 9781591852131.
"Here is a proven program to cleanse your body in 30 days!
"Your body may be so overwhelmed that it's sending you distress signals: | Learn why you are at risk for suffering from cancer, heart disease and diabetes. | Discover why you don't feel well and why you're always tired. | Examine the Sick Building Syndrome. | Explore spiritual and physical aspects of fasting.
"Dr. Don Colbert provides an easy-to-understand and comprehensive explanation of the toxic battle you're in. He also exposes risk factors and provides alternative solutions for living free from cancer, heart disease, liver disease, diabetes and more. You may be an average American who is overfed and undernourished, which means you are probably toxic, but there is hope. Detoxify your body with Dr. Colbert's medically sound and proven program of juice fasting.
"Deep cleansing your body right down to the cellular level will renew your vitality, restore your energy, reclaim your health, shed toxic fat, lengthen your life and give you a healthy glow you haven't had in years. Let Dr. Colbert escort you to healthier living-body, mind and spirit, and experience toxic relief today! Get ready to experience powerful relief!" -- Publisher

Cousins, Norman, Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient, ISBN: 0393041905 9780393041903 0393326845 9780393326840.
"This book revolutionized the way Americans think about health and healthcare. Diagnosed with a life-threatening and incurable condition, Cousins checked himself out of the hospital and basically healed himself with laughter, rest and Vitamin C. A few years later, he recovered from a major heart attack on his own and wrote about that, too.
"These books jump-started the whole field of mind-body medicine. Hundreds of books have followed in its tradition, including mine, THE ART OF GETTING WELL: MAXIMIZING HEALTH WHEN YOU HAVE A CHRONIC ILLNESS. ANATOMY OF AN ILLNESS holds up well. I just re-read it and it's still relevant.
"Not everything here will apply to most readers, because Cousins was a major cultural figure with many physicians among his friends. Not everyone would have his self-confidence or his sources of support. But his ideas and his approach are more needed than ever today." -- David Spero, RN, www.art-of-getting-well.com
Cousins "describes his battle with cancer and how he laughed his way to recovery. His hypothesis and the subject of many studies suggests that there are positive effects to be gained from laughter as a great tension-releaser, pain reducer, breathing improver, and general elevator of moods. It sounds miraculous, is not proven, but studies continue. Groups such as the International Conference on Humor and many hospitals use positive emotion rooms and humor carts. In short, humor therapy is valuable and it helps us through difficult or stressful times."

Duke, James A., Dr. Duke's Essential Herbs: 13 Vital Herbs You Need to Disease-Proof Your Body, Boost Your Energy, Lengthen Your Life, ISBN: 1579541836 9781579541835 1579543405 9781579543402.
"Dr. Duke is the unchallenged leader in the field of herbs. In Dr. Duke's Dozen, he shares the secrets behind the special herbs on his top-twelve herb list. Not merely the most popular supplements on the market, these herbs are the personal prescription of 'America's herbal laureate' -- and he'll tell you why. Much of Jim Duke's internationally-recognized authority stems from his three decades with the United States Department of Agriculture. He has been much sought-after for features appearing in Time magazine, People magazine, USA Today, The New York Times, among others. Now, Dr. Duke opens the door to his own herbal medicine cabinet providing information, herbal combinations, stories and native lore, and dosages for the 12 herbs he trusts for himself. In Dr. Duke's Essential Herbs, the preeminent herbalist offers valuable guidance for incorporating herbs into the ultimate plan for healthy living." -- Publisher

Duke, James A., The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook: Your Comprehensive Reference to the Best Herbs for Healing, ISBN: 1579541844 9781579541842.
"Truly the world's leading authority of medical plants and herbs, James Duke writes frankly on buying, growing, organizing, and using botanical plants in this book that has already established THE GREEN PHARMACY as the ultimate herbal reference with more than 800,000 copies in print. Dr. Duke has appeared in more than 16 cities, was a guest on CNN, NPR, and "Inside Edition," and was featured in the New York Times and USA Today, turning THE GREEN PHARMACY into a national phenomenon. Practical healing advice and an A-to-Z list of health conditions illustrate the natural way to relieve arthritis, back pain, heart problems, migraines, mood swings, osteoporosis, and many more ailments." -- Publisher

Duke, James A., Herbs of the Bible: 2000 Years of Plant Medicine, ISBN: 1883010667 9781883010669.

*Foster, David Kyle, Sexual Healing: God's Plan for the Sanctification of Broken Lives: A Reference Manual for Ministering to Those Trapped in Sexual sin and Brokenness, ISBN: 0830737154 9780830737154 0830737340 9780830737345.
This is a unique work and the best resource known to the compiler offering biblical counsel for healing sexual brokenness. See: "Foundations" and "Divine Intent for Sexuality" for a biblical explanation of the spiritual significance of sexuality. These two chapters alone make the purchase of the book worthwhile. Includes chapters, study guides, and exercises for Root sources for improper sexual development, Sexual identity confusion, Child sex abuse, Sexual addition, Pornography, Masturbation, voyeurism and exhibitionism, Why people remain in sexual sin and bondage, Failure and self-condemnation, A comprehensive game plan for sexual healing, and so forth.
Includes bibliography and index.
Mastering Life Ministries
http://www.MasteringLife.org

Gibson, James E., Healing Wisdom From the Bible: Spiritual Guidance, Inspiration, and Comfort for Everyday Life, ISBN: 044021016X 9780440210160.
"This important book harnesses the healing powers of one of our oldest and most inspiring guides. Whether it's dealing with anger or dealing with each other, overcoming family conflicts or achieving happiness, Gibson uses Scriptures to provide enlightening and practical solutions." -- Publisher

Griffin, G. Edward, World Without Cancer: The Story of Vitamin B17, ISBN: 0912986190 9780912986197.
"A clear and revolutionary insight into both the science and politics of cancer therapy." -- Dean Burk, Ph.D., Former Head of Cytochemistry, National Cancer Institute
"Mr. Griffin marshals the evidence that cancer is a deficiency disease like scurvy or pellagra aggravated by the lack of an essential food compound in modern man's diet. That substance is vitamin B17. In its purified form developed for cancer therapy, it is known as Laetrile.
"Why has orthodox medicine waged war against this non drug approach? The author contends that the answer is to be found, not in science, but in politics and is based upon the hidden economic and power agenda of those who dominate the medical establishment.
"This is a new edition of the book. It is the most complete and authoritative treatise ever produced on Laetrile. It explains the theory by which Laetrile is believed to work. Case histories are included." -- Publisher
"Mr. Griffin is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he majored in speech and communications. He is a recipient of the Telly Award for excellence in television production.
"He is the founder of the Cancer Cure Foundation and has served on the board of directors of the National Health Federation and the International Association of Cancer Victims and Friends. He is a Contributing Editor for The New American magazine, president of American Media and founder of the Reality Zone." -- Publisher
Cancer Cure Foundation: Free Advice On Over 100 Alternative Treatments For Cancer
http://www.cancure.org/

*Gross, Edward N., Miracles, Demons and Spiritual Warfare, ISBN: 0801038359 9780801038358.
"Encouraged by GCB to publish this book, Baker Book House has given us a sound and reliable study on such questions as: Are miracles for today? Does anyone have the gifts of healing today? Is tongue speaking an evidence of Spirit-baptism? Can believers be demon-possessed? While everyone may not agree on Dr. Gross' conclusions, this book is, nevertheless, one of the most readable, comprehensive, and thoughtful studies on these subjects of vital concern to Christians today." -- GCB

Kyle, William H. (editor), Healing Through Counseling: A Christian Counseling Center, 1964.
Consists largely of lectures originally given as part of the training program at the Counseling Center, Highgate Methodist Church. Includes bibliographical footnotes and bibliography.

Lawrence, Roy, The Practice of Christian Healing: A Guide for Beginners, ISBN: 0830819606 9780830819607.
"In THE PRACTICE OF CHRISTIAN HEALING, Roy Lawrence guides the reader through the biblical principles and practices he and others have used in years of ministry. Readers will learn about laying on of hands with prayer, anointing with oil, exercising the ministry of deliverance, conducting healing services, pursuing Christian counseling and cooperating with medical professionals. Lawrence also explains how the Bible, prayer, forgiveness, giving, service, fellowship and suffering all play their part in God's healing work in our lives. In addition, Lawrence addresses the tough issues of when healing fails to take place. THE PRACTICE OF CHRISTIAN HEALING shows clearly that Christian healing is not magical or occultish, not limited to special gifts, not dependent on superholiness, not a form of alternative medicine, not faith healing, not weird and not theologically unorthodox. Rather, quite simply, Christian healing is the difference Jesus Christ makes in the body, mind, spirit, and life of those who take Him seriously." -- Midwest Book Review

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), Healing and the Scriptures, ISBN: 0840790112 9780840790118.
"The ten chapters in this book are excerpts from messages given by the Doctor to medical students and practicing M.D.'s. The subjects covered are many, among which are: The Supernatural in medicine, On treating the whole man, The doctor as counselor, Fullest care, Medicine in modern society, Body, mind, and spirit, How to combat the demonic, Identifying psychosomatic illnesses, and The moral law. . . ." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)

Lloyd-Jones, D. Martyn (1899-1981), The Miracle of Grace and Other Messages, ISBN: 0801056365 9780801056369.
"Fourteen (14) sermons published together for the first time as a book. These sermons originally appeared in the periodical The Christian World Pulpit. They cover a wide variety of topics such as hope, discipleship, suffering, sin, the Cross, the Resurrection, and more." -- GCB

*Lockyer, Herbert, All the Promises of the Bible, ISBN: 0310281318.
"A devotional expositional compilation of all the promises [about 3,300 of the approximate 8,810 promises -- compiler], that are found in Scripture." -- Publisher
"Lockyer's in-depth look at the scope of God's promises arranges them in categories that cover the full array of human concerns, from the spiritual to the material and the corporate to the personal. As you come to understand God's promises and how they apply to every aspect of your life, you'll gain a trust in God that will sustain you through the worst of times and be your source of rejoicing in the best.
"Dr. Herbert Lockyer was born in London in 1886, and held pastorates in Scotland and England for 25 years before coming to the United States in 1935. In 1937 he received the honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Northwestern Evangelical Seminary. In 1955 he returned to England where he lived for many years. He then returned to the United States where he continued to devote time to the writing ministry until his death in November of 1984." -- Publisher

Martin, Bernard, and A.A. Jones (translator), Healing for You.

Masters, Peter, The Healing Epidemic, ISBN: 1870855000 9781870855006.
"This book traces the origins of the upsurge of healing ministries, then takes each of the main arguments used by healers in support of their methods, and shows how each is mistaken. Important facts are provided about demonology, showing just what demons can and cannot do. It is then proved from Scripture that the sign-gifts have ceased. A chapter describes how James 5 should be implemented in churches today. Two important chapters present the biblical commands that the conscious mind should always be alert and rational for all worship and spiritual service. Included is an assessment of miraculous healing by a leading British doctor who was for many years a professor at Leeds University Medical School, the late Professor Verna Wright. This book has been translated into a number of languages including Chinese and Russian.
"Dr. Peter Masters has been Minister of the Metropolitan Tabernacle (Spurgeon's) in central London since 1970. His weekly television and radio sermons are aired in the UK (Sky-UCB), and in the USA." -- Publisher

McMillen, S.I., None of These Diseases, ISBN: 080075719X 9780800757199.
Revised and expanded in 2000 by D.E. Stern. "This epochal work, when first published in 1963, drew attention to the Biblical teaching on health and the care of the body. Now updated with information on modern diseases, it is even more valuable than when it broke new ground two decades ago." -- Cyril J. Barber
"Good insights into the relation between your attitudes and your physical health." -- Robert B. Somerville

Merck and Company, Merck Manual, ISBN: 0911910182 9780911910186.
" 'For years, THE MERCK MANUAL has been consulted by physicians as a reliable source of basic information and has become a staple of medical publications,' said Dr. Michael DeBakey, director of the DeBakey Heart Clinic at the Baylor College of Medicine, a pioneer in heart bypass surgery and an advocate for putting consumers in touch with quality medical information. The free, interactive version, as an educational tool, helps patients become more informed partners in their health care.
"Examples of the multimedia elements include animations of how the heart functions, video of how an egg is fertilized, and the sound of a fetal heartbeat. Additionally, there is an option to hear the pronunciations of medical terms.
"THE MERCK MANUAL OF MEDICAL INFORMATION -- HOME EDITION was published in 1997 to help the public in its search for medical information. It quickly became a best seller with 2 million copies sold worldwide. Merck and Co., Inc., made available the text-based version free on the Web in March. . . .
"Merck's family of medical references also includes THE MERCK MANUAL OF GERIATRICS, THE MERCK VETERINARY MANUAL, and THE MERCK INDEX (an encyclopedia of chemicals, drugs, and biologicals), all of which are available as books and on CD-ROM. All these references are published as a non-profit service to the scientific community by Merck and Co., Inc. . . ." -- Publisher
Merck Manual
http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/appndxs/app5_1.htm

*Michaelsen, Johanna, The Beautiful Side of Evil, ISBN: 0890813221 9780890813225.
"The last 15 years have witnessed an unprecedented explosion of interest in psychic phenomena. Johanna Michaelsen shares an extraordinary story about how she became a personal assistant to a psychic surgeon and witnessed miraculous healings, yet realized the true occultic source behind THE BEAUTIFUL SIDE OF EVIL. Over 235,000 sold!" -- Publisher
"I read this book years ago and never forgot it! I was so inspired by Johanna's courage. The truth about what can happen when one gets involved in the occult without knowledge of the consequences. I have recommended this book to people since then. Truly amazing testimony of the Power of Good vs. Evil!" -- Reader's Comment
A significant work in spiritual discernment. Includes bibliography.

Murren, Doug, and George Barna (introduction), Churches That Heal: Becoming a Church That Mends Broken Hearts and Restores Shattered Lives, ISBN: 1582290709 9781582290706.
"Many churches are struggling to find a way to reach the people of their community. This book reminds us that the focus should be on ministering to the broken. Doug provides practical advice on how to accomplish this. Our local church is in disarray and searching for a new pastor. I found this book to provide some practical insight as to the characteristics that we should strive for in rebuilding our church and selecting a pastor. It should be prayerfully read by every pastor and deacon. It describes the focus that the local church needs to be relevant to the 21st century." -- Reader's Comment

Neal, John W., The Prayer for Help: A Biblical Theological Critique and Reconstruction of the Healing Memories Methodology (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Theological Seminary, D.Min. thesis, 1986).
Includes bibliography.

Payne, Franklin E., Biblical Healing for Modern Medicine: Choosing Life and Health or . . . Disease and Death, ISBN: 0962987611 9780962987618.
"Seeks to offer a comprehensive biblical philosophy of medicine. 'Christians continue to consider that medicine and faith are separate moral categories. This book aims to correct that false conception.' Initial chapters lay out biblical perspectives on life, death, illness, and healing. Subsequent chapters discuss the modern medical profession, financing of medical care, psychology, death and dying, abortion, infertility, birth control, the role of the state and the church in medical issues, and self-help medicine. 'I am convinced that everything that physicians do must be subjected to close scrutiny'." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)
Contents: True wholistic medicine: a sound mind and a sound body -- The Bible and the practice of medicine -- Physician, heal thyself? (the goals of medicine) -- Why does medical care cost so much? -- The Trojan horse of Christianity: psychology and psychiatry -- "It is appointed for men to die once" -- Abortion: the killing fields -- Who are my mother and father? -- "World overpopulation" and birth control -- "No admittance, healing in progress" -- Medicine and the civil government -- The church and the practice of medicine -- Health starts with the individual and family -- A Bible study: health, healing, and medicine -- A special message to physicians and medical students.

Robbins, John W. (1949-2008), Pat Robertson: A Warning to America, ISBN: 0940931249 9780940931244.
"One of the distinctive marks of a cult is its reliance on revelation from sources other than the Bible. . . .
"If the Bible's claim is true (2 Timothy 3:16,17); then the claims of the Charismatic movement, the Roman Catholic church, the Mormon church, the Christian Science church, the Muslim religion, the Unification church, and many other religions to have direct revelations and oral messages from God are false. God has given men of God all the information they need in the Bible. It is only men who are not of God who desire such additional 'revelations'.
"The evidence from Scripture that Satan and his ministers can perform miracles is abundant and overwhelming. . . . (Galatians 1:6-9). The final test of a prophet, or of an angel, or of an ordinary preacher, the test that separates the true from the false, is, What does he teach? Moses in Deuteronomy 13 states the doctrinal test; Isaiah repeats it (Isaiah 8:19-20); Christ in Matthew emphasizes it; and Paul in Galatians makes it unmistakably clear. The test is not, Does he perform miracles. . . . (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). It follows that Pat Robertson's claim to have witnessed or performed thousands of miracles is worthless either in establishing his claim to be a prophet or in getting him into Heaven. . . .
"Miracles are the stock in trade of every false religion, Roman, Greek, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Persian. . . .
"Robertson's basic agreement with the cultic positive confession movement is but one more indication of how much he opposes Biblical Christianity. What he advocates, and what the positive confession movement teaches, is indistinguishable from sorcery. . . .
"Contents: The origin and destiny of the charismatic movement, Wesleyanism, American revivalism and the holiness movement, The pentecostal movement, The trend toward rome, The neo-pentecostal, or charismatic movement, The charismatic movement and rome."
Endnotes, Sources, Scripture Index, and Index.

*Sibbes, Richard (1577-1635), The Bruised Reed, A Christian classic. Available (THE WORKS OF RICHARD SIBBES), on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"Richard Sibbes, one of the most influential figures in the Puritan movement during the earlier years of the seventeenth century, was renowned for the rich quality of his ministry. THE BRUISED REED shows why he was known among his contemporaries as 'the sweet dropper.'
"If you have ever been (or are), discouraged in any way this is a book that will bring great encouragement and joy!" -- Publisher
"Sibbes never wastes the student's time, he scatters pearls and diamonds with both hands." -- C.H. Spurgeon
"A poor peddler came to the door . . . and my father bought of him Sibb's BRUISED REED . . . It suited my state . . . and gave me a livelier apprehension of the mystery of redemption and how much I was beholden to Jesus Christ . . . Without any means but books was God pleased to resolve me to himself." -- Richard Baxter (1615-1691)
"Speaking of the preacher's need to suit his reading to the varying conditions he finds within, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says in his PREACHING AND PREACHERS:
'You will find, I think, in general that the Puritans are almost invariably helpful . . . I shall never cease to be grateful to one of them called Richard Sibbes who was balm to my soul at a period in my life when I was overworked and badly overtired, and therefore subject in an unusual manner to the onslaughts of the devil. In that state and condition . . . what you need is some gently, tender treatment for your soul. I found at that time that Richard Sibbes, who was known in London in the early seventeenth century as 'the heavenly Doctor Sibbes', was an unfailing remedy. His books THE BRUISED REED and THE SOUL'S CONFLICT quieted, soothed, comforted, encouraged and healed me.'
"This is one of the best Puritan books to read if you are feeling down or depressed or if you are facing struggles and trials. It is also very useful if you are struggling with assurance. Great encouragement for Christians here!" -- Publisher
The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax, A. Beith (introduction, 1878)
http://archive.org/details/bruisedreedands00sibbgoog

Siegel, Bernie S., Love, Medicine and Miracles: Lessons Learned About Self-Healing From a Surgeon's Experience With Exceptional Patients, ISBN: 0060919833 9780060919832.
Includes bibliography.

Soth, Connie, Insomnia: God's Night School, ISBN: 0802726542 9780802726544.

*Storms, C. Samuel, Healing and Holiness: A Biblical Response to the Faith Healing Phenomenon, ISBN: 087552446X 9780875524467.
"J.I. Packer says 'Sam Storms' book . . . impresses me as soundly Biblical in its perspective and pastorally wholesome in its thrust. Not everyone will love him for writing in these terms, but everyone will benefit from weighing his arguments. I commend HEALING AND HOLINESS most heartily.' Praised by Dr. Ed Payne, founder of the Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine. Dr. Storms sheds light on a topic clouded by controversy, and examines the Biblical teaching on suffering, divine healing, and holiness." -- GCB

Various, The Merck Manual Home Health Handbook, ISBN: 9781118115428 1118115422.
"THE MERCK MANUAL OF MEDICAL INFORMATION -- HOME EDITION was published in 1997 to help the public in its search for medical information. It quickly became a best seller with 2 million copies sold worldwide. Merck and Co., Inc., made available the text-based version free on the Web in March. . . .
"Merck's family of medical references also includes THE MERCK MANUAL OF GERIATRICS, THE MERCK VETERINARY MANUAL, AND THE MERCK INDEX (an encyclopedia of chemicals, drugs, and biologicals), all of which are available as books and on CD-ROM. All these references are published as a non-profit service to the scientific community by Merck and Co., Inc. . . ." -- Publisher
http://www.merckhomeedition.com/

*Warfield, B.B. (1851-1921), Counterfeit Miracles: The Cessation of the Charismata, Patristic and Medieval Marvels, Roman Catholic Miracles, Irvingite Gifts, Faith Healing, Mind Cure, ISBN: 085151166X (Unicoi, TN: The Trinity Foundation).
"This book is based on a series of lectures on counterfeit miracles that Professor Benjamin Warfield of Princeton Theological Seminary delivered in 1918; they are as relevant and as important today as they were ninety years ago.
"Warfield, one of the most accomplished theologians of the twentieth century, a Professor at Princeton Seminary for more than 30 years, and a prolific systematic theologian, defends and expresses once again the skepticism commanded by Christ in Scripture.
"There are demonic miracles in the modern world; there are unscrupulous impostors; there are weak-minded and gullible churchgoers; there is the power of suggestion; but there are no divine miracles. Divine miracles had a specific purpose, and when that purpose was accomplished, divine miracles ceased.
"The present fascination with miracles, no longer restricted to the superstitions of the Roman Catholic Church-State, but now spread throughout the world by the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements, is not a sign of resurgent Christianity, as so many have said, but a sign of resurgent paganism. The sort of religion that pervaded ancient Rome and medieval Rome has returned, just as, and because, Christianity is fading from the modern mind." -- The Trinity Foundation
"Warfield carefully examines the claims of Roman Catholics, Christian Science, and others. Such alleged miracles as tongue-speaking, faith-healing, etc. are considered and catalogued. Then he sets out a carefully worded (does Warfield know any other way to word), defense of the view of Christianity of the nature, function, and cessation of certain spiritual gifts -- and of course he equates this with what the Bible says, and quotes appropriate places." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
"It is well and good to say (with fingers in ears, repeating like a mantra), "Miracles happen every day . . . I've seen them . . . everybody's seen them . . . God never changes . . . etc., etc." But when one gets down to brass tacks, the complete dearth of evidence for -- as an example -- miracles of regeneration or resurrection is embarrassingly obvious. Does anyone think that if Benny Hinn had more to offer than mind-cures, suggestion, and cures of psychosomatic illnesses that he would not FLOOD the airways with footage to prove it? TBN would be ALL MIRACLES, ALL DAY. I was raised in a charismatic home and fully believe that God gives special providences and that our prayers ARE answered. But the special apostolic gifts are, whether you gauge it by quality or quantity, not with us anymore. I understand the worldview of the charismatic; but charismatics need to learn that whether or not the last regenerative miracle was in 70 AD or yesterday actually has no bearing on the truth of Christianity. Warfield's excellent exegesis not only answers questions of charismata that endure to this day, but also reminds us that there is nothing new under the sun. Read this 80 year old tome, change the names, and you have a scathing indictment of the modern practitioners of faith healing. Bravo to a scintillating intellect." -- Reader's Comment

*Wenhe, Mary, How to Pray for Healing, ISBN: 0800707419 9780800707415.

Wilde, Gary (editor), Bible Promises to Treasure for People in Recovery: Inspiring Words for Every Occasion, ISBN: 0805493905 9780805493900.

Wolf, Stewart, and John Bruhn, The Power of Clan: The Influence of Human Relationships on Heart Disease, new edition, ISBN: 0765804492 9780765804495.
"The notion that the quality of our social relationships may have a profound effect on our health and longevity has a long history but a short scientific past. A much publicized study that set out to show an association between social cohesion in the community and coronary heart disease mortality was begun in 1962 by Drs. Bruhn and Wolf. Their focus was on the town of Roseto, a cohesive and relatively stable Italian-American community in Pennsylvania. There the death rate from heart attacks was substantially lower than that of nearby towns. However, Roseto has changed over the years and so have its mortality statistics.
"THE POWER OF CLAN is a sequel to THE ROSETO STORY: AN ANATOMY OF HEALTH (1979). It includes the results from a follow-up survey that was done in collaboration with the Center for Social Research at Lehigh University. The authors intended to document the changes in Roseto as its people have adapted to an American lifestyle that is characterized by individualism, competitiveness, and materialism. One of the authors, Stewart Wolf, virtually acted as a participant-observer, contributing to a vivid and lively account of these changes that is supported by many anecdotes and an additional 22 pages of photographs. The book includes many tables showing demographic and health characteristics of Rosetans and their controls, and discusses potential mechanisms linking social change to increased death rates from myocardial infarction. This wealth of information provides a rich source of hypotheses and should encourage the development of sound psychometric instruments to test more rigorously the link between mutually supportive attitudes, cooperation, and health outcomes.
"THE POWER OF CLAN will stimulate and revive discussion on the effects of personal relationships on health. We are reminded of the work by J.J. Groen that urged us to adopt a more comprehensive approach to our understanding and, ultimately, control of coronary heart disease in both women and men." -- Gerdi Weidner
"Stewart Wolf was really one of the pioneers of psychosomatic medicine," noted Paul Rosch, president of the American Institute of Stress, in The Lancet. "His book on stress and hypertension is still considered a classic in the field . . . He was a marvelous cultured person who was able to bring a broad background in the humanities to his approach to patients and to teaching." -- Publisher

See also: The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Forgiveness of sin, Spiritual aspects of health, Joy, cheerfulness, happiness, merriment, Small groups as healing agents, Reconciliation of relationships, Spiritual discernment, The occult, spiritism, witchcraft, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Healing of the mind, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Prayer, Intercessory prayer, Small groups as healing agents, The free offer of the gospel message of salvation and the life to come: the means of grace, the covenant of eternal salvation, Book-length presentations of the free offer of the gospel message of salvation and the life to come: the means of grace, The promises of Christ, Medical aspects of pastoral counseling, Bible promises, and Women's health, Toxic and harmful substances, cancer, Oncology (cancer treatment), Prevention of disease, Correct diagnosis, Prescription Drugs With Dangers, The pharmaceutical industry, big pharma, Healthcare reform, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 1538-1541, 4162

Related Weblinks

Because Healing the Sick is Illegal. . . Gary North
"I firmly believe that there are electrical ways to treat diseases effectively. The best book for laymen that I have read on electrical-magnetic therapies was written by a physician: Robert Becker's THE BODY ELECTRIC, which has been available for quite a while. But this approach to health comes into conflict with the three main accepted medical methodologies: drug, cut, and burn, all of which must be licensed by the state to be medically acceptable. So, the best way to get yourself Rifed is to promote electricity-based cures."
http://www.lewrockwell.com/north/north373.html

Cancer Answer
http://www.canceranswer.com/

Cancer Cure Foundation: Free Advice on Over 100 Alternative Treatments for Cancer
http://www.cancure.org/

Christian Medical Fellowship
http://www.cmf.org.uk/

Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation for Treatment of Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia, Daniel L. Kirsch, Ph.D., Francine Nichols, RN, Ph.D.
"Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration -- approved, prescriptive, noninvasive electromedical treatment that has been shown to decrease anxiety, insomnia, and depression significantly.
"A trial treatment in the office or clinic can identify those individuals who readily respond to CES treatment. CES can also be used during psychotherapy sessions and with medications, hypnosis, and biofeedback to decrease patient anxiety."
http://www.stress.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Cranial-Electrotherapy-Stimulation-for-Treatment-of-Anxiety-Depression-and-Insomnia.pdf

Depression
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrr2chb.html#dprsn

Doctor's Guide to The Internet
http://www.docguide.com/

Dr. Lorraine Day
http://www.drday.com

Dr. Whitaker: Alternative Medicine for Healing
http://www.drwhitaker.com/conditions-concerns/

Exploring the Hard Science of Self-Healing, July 26, 2018
"We have remarkable capacities for self-healing. Learn about the serious research on the connections between our bodies and our minds and how we can put them to work. . . .
"The placebo effect is frequently misunderstood. People sometimes take it to mean that when a placebo makes you feel better, it's 'all in your head.' To them, the placebo effect seems very soft and squishy, unsupported by genuine evidence. On the contrary, improvement from placebo treatments can be shown to be real. Moreover, our expectations also contribute to the effectiveness of pharmaceuticals as well. What should we know about the placebo effect, and how can we put it to good use? What do rigorous scientific studies tell us about the placebo effect? . . .
"Dr. Jeremy Howick is the author of DOCTOR YOU, INTRODUCING THE HARD SCIENCE OF SELF-HEALING. . . .
He is also Director of the Oxford Empathy Program at the University of Oxford. He was recently awarded the British Medical Association Dawkins and Strutt award to pursue research on the health benefits of empathic care. His website is http://www.jeremyhowick.com/"
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2018/07/26/show-1130-exploring-the-hard-science-of-self-healing/

Free Medicine Foundation
"Established by volunteers, Free Medicine Foundation has helped countless families across the nation completely eliminate or substantially reduce their prescription drug bills. Last year, these programs helped an estimated 7.6 million patients fill more than 11 million prescriptions . . . with an estimated value of over $2.3 BILLION! YOU or a loved one could be part of this year's statistics . . ."
http://www.freemedicinefoundation.com/

Free Medicine Program
"Most drug manufacturers sponsor what's called Patient Assistance Programs. These programs are intended to help those who can't afford their prescription drugs obtain them absolutely FREE! The ever-changing requirements and the application process to qualify for patient assistance programs are tedious, confusing and very time-consuming. You may contact the drug manufacturer(s) directly to find out more about specific patient assistance program(s). The information is available free of charge. We, at Free Medicine Program found that some people might have difficulty navigating the application process and need help. In addition, a large number of people, including qualified doctors, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals, are not aware that these programs even exist."
http://www.freemedicineprogram.com/index.html

Getting Help With Drug Bills, Newspaper Columns, Pharmacy Q&A February 25, 2009
"You may qualify for assistance from the pharmaceutical companies that make your drugs. Go to www.helpingpatients.org to find out.
"We are sending you our GUIDE TO SAVING MONEY ON MEDICINE for more information about free medications and other tips for saving money such as ordering from legitimate Canadian Websites."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/pharmacy_qa/getting_help_with_drug_bills.php

Hippocratic Oath
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath

How you can get Relief From Chronic Pain, January 13, 2018
"Learn how a skeptical patient whose years of crushing back pain started with a bad fall from horseback reluctantly put Dr. Hanscom's expressive writing advice into practice. What happened next was astonishing. The principles Dr. Hanscom uses in his practice apply not only to back pain, although that is his specialty, but to any form of chronic pain.
"David Hanscom, MD, is a board certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in complex spine problems in all areas of the spine. He has expertise in adult and pediatric spinal deformities such as scoliosis and kyphosis. A significant part of his practice is devoted to performing surgery on patients who have had multiple prior spine surgeries.
"His book is BACK IN CONTROL: A SURGEON'S ROADMAP OUT OF CHRONIC PAIN, 2nd edition."
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2018/01/10/show-1071-how-you-can-get-relief-from-chronic-pain/

Laetrile: Another Suppression Story
http://educate-yourself.org/cancer/laetrileandcancer27jun04.shtml

Mastering Life Ministries
http://www.MasteringLife.org

Mayo Clinic Health Information
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health-information/

Mayo Clinic Health Oasis
http://www.icdri.org/Medical/mayo_clinic_health_oasis.htm

Natural Christian
http://www.livrite.com/nc/

NewsRx.net
NewsRx, a Sugar Hill, Georgia, company, is the world's largest scientific and medical publisher, both in number of titles and articles published each year.
"The company has long been recognized as one of the most prolific news organizations, and was called 'the world's largest producer of weekly health information' by the New York Times News Service."
http://www.newsrx.net/

Pfizer Helpful Answers
"If you need assistance paying for your medicine, Pfizer Helpful Answers may be able to help. Pfizer Helpful Answers is a family of patient assistance programs providing medicines free of charge or at a savings to uninsured and underinsured patients who qualify. Some programs even offer reimbursement support services for patients with insurance."
http://www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com/pages/misc/Default.aspx

Take a Walk in the Woods. Doctor's Orders.
" 'Forest bathing,' or immersing yourself in nature, is being embraced by doctors and others as a way to combat stress and improve health.
Clifford, Amos, Your Guide to Forest Bathing, (Shinrin-Yoku-inspired forest therapy)
"John Muir once said 'between every two pine trees is a doorway leading to a new way of life.' Now Amos Clifford has given us a beautiful and inspiring guide inviting us to seek out the trees and let the healing happen, both for us and for our beleaguered ecosystems. Grab this book and head outside." -- Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix
http://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/

Trust for America's Health
"Georgetown University's Health-Track, which is Pew-funded, continues to raise awareness. Its Website offers downloadable research reports, links to national organizations and updates on local environmental conditions."
http://healthyamericans.org/

Unconventional Cancer Treatments: Index (OTA Report)
http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/OTA/ota16.html

University of Michigan Health System
http://www.med.umich.edu/1welcome/index1.htm

Counseling the Sick

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Adams, Jay E. (1929-2020), Role-Play and Critique (part 2); Wife Won't Speak; Homosexuality; Wife With Cancer (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation).
Audio cassette JA211 [audio file].

Albers, Gregg R., RCC, Vol. 20: Counseling the Sick and Terminally ill, ISBN: 0849906938 9780849906930.

Albers, Gregg R., RCC, Vol. 24: Counseling and AIDS, ISBN: 0849906954 9780849906954.

*Finley, Martha (aka Martha Farquharson, 1828-1909), Book 2: Elsie's Holidays at Roselands, ISBN: 9781888306323 1888306327.
"When Elsie's father becomes ill, she takes on the job of nurse-companion, and all goes well until Elsie, because it is the Sabbath, as a matter of conscience refuses to read to him from a secular book. The battle of wills that ensues nearly causes first her father's death, and then Elsie's. Lonely Elsie -- punished, ostracized, and then abandoned by her father -- turns to her heavenly Father for comfort and assurance. Will her father realize that Elsie's obedience to God must be paramount, and submit himself to the same Divine Authority?" -- Publisher
On an even more serious note, one moral of this story is the broader life and death struggle between Truth and Falsehood (See: Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality], Epistemology of Theology, The Theory of Knowledge, and Christian Scholarship.) The consequence of conflict of will is death of the "One," or war of the "Many" (see Rushdoony, THE ONE AND THE MANY: STUDIES IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF ORDER AND ULTIMACY. Conflict of will (see Will and Recalcitrance, Rebellion and Lawlessness: Wickedness, Demonic Possession, Abnormal Behavior, Insanity, Mental Illness, Mental Retardation,) may begin when one individual (see The Doctrine of Man [Human Nature, Total Depravity],) or the corporate body (see Corporate Faithfulness and Sanctification), tries to usurping authority over others (see Power, Authority) -- tries to control and possess the other (see Tyranny, Slavery, Our Systems of Enslavement, Economic Enslavement.) The means of control may be either outward or occult (see The Occult, Spiritism, Witchcraft), deceit, repression or suppression of the truth, replacing moral and ethical absolutes with relativism (see Ethics, Computer Ethics, Cyberethics, Medical Ethics, Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality], unfaithfulness to the highest ethical standards (see The Ten Commandments: The Moral Law, The Holy Bible), Heresy and Apostasy (Apostacy, Old English), Spiritual Adultery [Spiritual Whoredom/Harlotry,] (see Idolatry, Syncretism, Jeremiah and Lamentations,) invocation of the demonic, Oaths, Ensnaring Vows, Promises, and Covenants, Bonds With the Ungodly (see Carnality and Flesh Pleasing: Desires, Pleasure, Justice, Judgment, God's Final Judgment, The Great White Throne Judgment, The Day of the Lord,) attempts to take authority over another politically or by mental malpractice (see Selection of Covenant Heads for Positions of Leadership, making up their own rules (see Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality],) ignoring or changing constitutional or creedal documents, unjust laws for the accumulation of wealth and power, indebtedness, disenfranchisement, (see denial of freedom,) Priestcraft, Pharisaism, Soul-stealing, possessiveness, physical seduction and whoredom, political economic or sexual enslavement (see Sexual Relationship,) and so forth, and so on.
This abuse, this soul-violence, quenches the Holy Spirit (see Owen, God's Presence With a People the Spring of Their Prosperity; With Their Special Interest in Abiding in Him.) If either side is immovable, then death is the consequence (see Soteriology, Atonement, The Blood of Christ, Hell, and Heaven.)
How are conflicts of will resolved? By submission to the Absolute Truths of God's word, the great common denominator, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6)
All this bears a strain of the Gospel (see Book-length Presentations of the Free Offer of The Gospel Message of Salvation and the Life to Come: The Means of Grace, The Westminster Confession of Faith.)
Book 2: Holidays at Roselands
http://archive.org/details/holidaysatrosel00finlgoog
Holidays at Roselands (Gutenberg text)
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=14280
Mantle Ministries (Elsie Dinsmore Series and Mildred Series)
http://www.mantlemin.com

McColley, D., Physical and Spiritual Care of the Terminally ill.

McMillen, S.I., None of These Diseases, ISBN: 080075719X 9780800757199.
Revised and expanded in 2000 by D.E. Stern. "This epochal work, when first published in 1963, drew attention to the Biblical teaching on health and the care of the body. Now updated with information on modern diseases, it is even more valuable than when it broke new ground two decades ago." -- Cyril J. Barber
"Good insights into the relation between your attitudes and your physical health." -- Robert B. Somerville

Orr, Robert, David L. Schiedermayer, and David B. Biebel, Life and Death Decisions, ISBN: 080105270X 9780801052705.
"Designed to help readers make informed decisions about emotionally charged issues, LIFE AND DEATH DECISIONS sorts through the facts, concerns, and options that are integral to each issue. Biblically based and medically reliable, this single volume will help you evaluate the latest medical technologies in the light of Christian ethics." -- Publisher

*Owen, John (1616-1683), The Death of Christ, volume 10 of WORKS, ISBN: 0851510647 9780851510644. Alternate title: SALUS ELECTORUM, SANGUIS JESU: OR THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST. BEING A TREATISE OF THE REDEMPTION AND RECONCILIATION THAT IS IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST; WHEREIN THE WHOLE CONTROVERSY ABOUT UNIVERSAL REDEMPTION IS FULLY DISCUSSED: IN FOUR PARTS; . . . BY JOHN OWEN, D.D. A Christian classic. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive. Available on Reformation Bookshelf CD #20.
"Greatest Biblical apologetic on the specific and limited nature of the atoning work of Christ in print. Contains discussions on Arminianism, the death of death in the death of Christ, Divine justice, and also discusses, in detail, many views of the atonement that certain men and groups held (and still hold)." -- Publisher
"THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST is a polemical work, designed to show, among other things, that the doctrine of universal redemption is unscriptural and destructive of the gospel. . . . Those who see no need for doctrinal exactness and have no time for theological debates which show up divisions between so-called Evangelicals may well regret its reappearance. Some may find the very sound of Owen's thesis so shocking that they will refuse to read his book at all. . . . But . . . there are signs today of a new upsurge of interest in the theology of the Bible: a new readiness to test traditions, to search the Scriptures and to think through the faith. It is to those who share this readiness that Owen's treatise is now offered, in the belief that it will help us in one of the most urgent tasks facing evangelical Christendom today -- the recovery of the Gospel.
"It is safe to say that no comparable exposition of the work of redemption as planned and executed by the Triune Jehovah has ever been done since Owen published his in 1684. None has been needed.
"Owen's interpretation of the texts . . . is sure; his power of theological construction is superb; nothing that needs discussing is omitted, and . . . no arguments for or against his position have been used since his day which he has not himself noted and dealt with. . . . Owen's work is a constructive, broad-based biblical analysis of the heart of the gospel, and must be taken seriously as such. . . Nobody has a right to dismiss the doctrine of the limitedness . . . of the atonement as a monstrosity of Calvinistic logic until he has refuted Owen's proof that it is part of the uniform biblical presentation of redemption, clearly taught in plain text after plain text. And nobody has done that yet." -- J.I. Packer, from the Introduction
"Packer's well balanced definition of Calvinism in the introduction to that volume [John Owen's THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST], is by far the best we have seen in 42 years of intensive reading." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ: Being a Treatise of the Redemption and Reconciliation That is in the Blood of Christ; Wherein the whole controversy about universal redemption is fully discussed: In four parts (1792)
http://archive.org/details/deathofdeathinde00owen
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, including J.I. Packer's Introduction by John Owen
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/packer_intro.html
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ: Redemption and Reconciliation That is in the Blood of Christ (Limited Atonement), 1 of 33, [audio file]
An audio file reading by Still Waters Revival Books from THE WORKS OF JOHN OWEN. Currently (October 2018), there are 77 readings of John Owen by SWRB and Reformed Baptist of Holland (Michigan), (Thomas Sullivan), at SermonAudio.com available for listening online, downloading as MP3 files, [audio file], and listening on iPhone, mobile phones, and MPE players.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=47081639571

Sharp, William Donald, Medicine and the Ministry: Medical Basis for Pastoral Care.
"This is a useful statement of a modern physician's point of view; it provides a guide for pastors with its wealth of information about physical conditions, emotional states and psychosomatic ailments. It also discusses problems of youth, young adults, sexual deviants, those with troubled marriages, the aged and the dying. . . ." -- Gorman/Matthews

Smith, Robert D., The Christian Counselor's Medical Desk Reference, ISBN: 1889032263 9781889032269.

Terrell, Hilton P. (editor), and Franklin E. Payne (editor), Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine, Volumes 1-4: 1987-1990, ISSN: 1050-3404. Available from Covenant Enterprises, P.O. Box 14488, Augusta, GA 30919-0488.
"The JBEM was founded to bring biblical thinking to bear on medical issues. This book collects the first four years worth of articles, and includes a general index and an index of Scripture references. (A second volume, containing the next 4 years, is forthcoming). Many articles are relevant to matters that come up in counseling ministry, matters about which counselors will want to offer informed advice." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)
Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine
http://capo.org/jbem/intro_pa.htm

Wilde, Gary (editor), Bible Promises to Treasure for People in Recovery: Inspiring Words for Every Occasion, ISBN: 0805493905 9780805493900.

See also: Prayer, Bible promises, Loving and obeying God, Intercessory prayer, Praying for the sick, Small groups as healing agents, Ministering to the sick, Hope, Affliction, adversity, trials, suffering, chastisement, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Eternal life, immortality, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Healing, Medical aspects of counseling, Small groups as healing agents, Physiological problems, and Women's Health, Medical ethics, Patient advocacy, and so forth, and so on.

Related Weblinks

Praying for the Sick

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Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. (James 5:14,15)

Grantham, Rudolph E., Lay Shepherding: A Guide for Visiting the Sick, the Aged, the Troubled and the Bereaved, ISBN: 0817008632 9780817008635.
"Beginning with a look at authority issues and the context for lay ministry, Grantham explores ways the Biblical, humanistic, and broadly spiritual perspectives relate to each other and looks at specific ministries lay people can engage in: crisis intervention, bereavement counseling, hospital/nursing home visiting, etc. Considers, too, the dynamics of healing, how to be an effective listener and to pray with the sick and personal lay evangelism of beneficial and destructive kinds. Appendix includes discussion questions and additional study resources." -- Publisher

MacNutt, Francis, The Prayer That Heals: Praying for Healing in the Family, ISBN: 0340280794 9780340280799 034026411X 9780340264119.

Montgomery, Robert Bruce, Training Elders in a Biblical Philosophy and Practical Methodology of Praying for the Physically Sick.

Packer, J.I. (1926-2020), Gary S. Greig, Kevin Springer, et al., The Kingdom and the Power: Are Healing and the Spiritual Gifts Used by Jesus and the Early Church Meant for the Church Today?: A Biblical Look at how to Bring the Gospel to the World With Power, ISBN: 0830716343 9780830716340.

See also: Prayer, Intercessory prayer, Small groups as healing agents, Spiritual aspects of healing, Small groups as healing agents, Ministering to the sick, Sickness, The aged, The all-sufficiency of christ, Eternal life, immortality, Patient advocacy, Preventing disease, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 13, 38, 439, 1003-1005, 1071, 1072, 1089, 1671, 1783-1785, 2197, 2517, 2816-2841, 3607, 3841, 4082, 4193
MGTP: Prayer (extensive listing)

Ministering to the Sick

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But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have not hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

If a physician that feels not what you feel, shall yet upon your speeches and other evidences, tell you that he is confident your disease is not mortal, nor containeth any cause of fear, you may rationally be much encouraged by his judgement . . . (your faithful pastor), is able to pass a far sounder judgement of your life or death than yourselves can do, for all your feeling; for he knows better what those symptoms signify . . . -- Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

Truth obeyed, said the Puritans, will heal. The word fits, because we are all spiritually sick -- sick through sin, which is a wasting and killing disease of the heart. The unconverted are sick unto death; those who have come to know Christ and been born again continue sick, but they are gradually getting better as the work of grace goes on in their lives. The church, however, is a hospital in which nobody is completely well, and anyone can relapse at any time. Pastors no less than others are weakened by pressure from the world, the flesh, and the devil, with their lures of profit, pleasure, and pride, and, as we shall see more fully in a moment, pastors must acknowledge that they the healers remain sick and wounded and therefore need to apply the medicines of Scripture to themselves as well as to the sheep whom they tend in Christ's name. All Christians need Scripture truth as medicine for their souls at every stage, and the making and accepting of applications is the administering and swallowing of it. The ability to apply God's truth therapeutically implies the prior ability to diagnose spiritual ill-health, and diagnostic ability is learned as much by discovering and keeping track of one's own sins and weaknesses as by any other means. The frequency with which Puritan pastors lament their own sinfulness should not be dismissed as a trivial cultural convention; it is in fact an assurance to us, as it was to their own first hearers and readers, that they know what they are talking about when they rip up our consciences (their phrase), diagnose our spiritual diseases, and prescribe a regimen of biblical directives for our cure. Their own self-examination and self-acquaintance before God is a large part of the secret of the skill with which they probe hearts, nail sins, and show us how Christ's healing power may rescue us from moral and spiritual evil. -- J.I. Packer

Babbit, Edmond H., The Pastor's Pocket Manual for Hospital and Sickroom.

Belgum, David Rudolph, When it's Your Turn to Decide: A Hospital Chaplain Helps you Make Medical Decisions, ISBN: 0806616164 9780806616162.

Bostridge, Mark, Florence Nightingale: The Making of an Icon, ISBN: 9780374156657 0374156654.
"The common soldier's savior, the standard-bearer of modern nursing, a pioneering social reformer: Florence Nightingale belongs to that select band of historical characters who are instantly recognizable. Homeschooled, bound for the life of an educated Victorian lady, Nightingale scandalized her family when she found her calling as a nurse, a thoroughly unsuitable profession for a woman of her class. As the 'Lady with the Lamp,' ministering to the wounded and dying of the Crimean War, she offers an enduring image of sentimental appeal. In the first major biography of Florence Nightingale in more than fifty years, Mark Bostridge draws on a wealth of unpublished material, including previously unseen family papers, to throw new light on this extraordinary woman's life and character. Disentangling elements of myth from the reality, Bostridge has written a vivid and readable account of one of the most iconic figures in modern history." -- Publisher

*Flavel, John (1630-1691), The Fountain of Life Opened up, or, A Display of Christ in his Essential and Mediatorial Glory. Available (JOHN FLAVEL'S WORKS), on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"If my pen were both able, and at leisure, to get glory in paper, it would be but a paper glory when I had gotten it; but if by displaying (which is the design of these papers), the transcendent excellency of Jesus Christ, I may win glory to him from you, to whom I humbly offer them, or from any other into whose hands providence shall cast them, that will be glory indeed, and an occasion of glorifying God to all eternity. It is not the design of this epistle to compliment, but to benefit you; not to emblazon your excellencies, but Christ's; not to acquaint the world how much you have endeared me to yourselves, but to increase and strengthen the endearments between Christ and you, upon your part." -- John Flavel
"Wherein the impetration [1. to obtain by entreaty 2. to entreat; to ask for -- compiler] of our redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded, as it was begun, carried on, and finished by his covenant-transaction, mysterious Incarnation, solemn call and dedication, blessed offices, deep abasement, and super-eminent Advancement. In all which the great supernatural mystery of the wisdom and love of God, in his . . . salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ, is distinctly explicated, . . . as well as generally applied for the winning of unbelievers to him, and the confirmation of all that do believe in him." -- Publisher
The Fountain of Life
http://archive.org/details/TheFountainOfLife
The Fountain of Life
http://www.ccel.org/flavel/fountain/flavfoun.txt

Kavar, Louis F., Pastoral Ministry in the AIDS Era: Focus on Families and Friends of Persons With AIDS, ISBN: 0934104077 9780934104074.

*Kuyper, Abraham, In the Shadow of Death: Meditations for the Sickroom and at the Death-Bed, ISBN: 0963255746 9780963255747.

Mitchell, Kenneth R., Hospital Chaplain, ISBN: 0664209467 9780664209469.
"This brief, lively book reveals the typical experience of the hospital chaplain, making clear to both clergy and medical professionals what his role is." -- Gorman/Matthews

Nightingale, Florence, Notes on Hospitals: Two Papers Read Before the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science, at Liverpool in October, 1859 with evidence given at the Royal Commissioners on the state of the Army in 1857, ISBN: 9780486803050 0486803058.
"The founder of modern nursing expressed her revolutionary ideas of hospital reform in these two essays, published in 1859 and presented the previous year at the Social Science Congress. During the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale achieved renown as 'The Lady with the Lamp,' the tireless caretaker of wounded soldiers. Afterward, Nightingale searched Europe for innovations to help the army improve its hospital care. This report of her findings and suggestions had a profound effect on the medical community and reestablished the author as an international healthcare authority. Despite the advances in medical knowledge since Nightingale's era, her common-sense approach continues to form a solid foundation for nursing. In these essays she voices the importance of hygiene -- fresh air and water, cleanliness, proper drainage, and ample light -- as well as ongoing consideration for patients' feelings. Nightingale's ability to effectively articulate her ideas impressed her contemporaries and continues to influence modern readers. This volume serves as a companion to Nightingale's classic of nursing literature, NOTES ON NURSING: WHAT IT IS, AND WHAT IT IS NOT." -- Publisher

Nightingale, Florence, Notes on Nursing: What it is, and What it is not; Notes on Hospitals: Being two Papers Read Before the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science, at Liverpool, in October, 1858; with Evidence given to the Royal Commissioners on the State of the Army in 1857.

*Owen, John (1616-1683), The Death of Christ, volume 10 of WORKS, ISBN: 0851510647 9780851510644. Alternate title: SALUS ELECTORUM, SANGUIS JESU: OR THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST. BEING A TREATISE OF THE REDEMPTION AND RECONCILIATION THAT IS IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST; WHEREIN THE WHOLE CONTROVERSY ABOUT UNIVERSAL REDEMPTION IS FULLY DISCUSSED: IN FOUR PARTS; . . . BY JOHN OWEN, D.D. A Christian classic. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive. Available on Reformation Bookshelf CD #20.
"Greatest Biblical apologetic on the specific and limited nature of the atoning work of Christ in print. Contains discussions on Arminianism, the death of death in the death of Christ, Divine justice, and also discusses, in detail, many views of the atonement that certain men and groups held (and still hold)." -- Publisher
"THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST is a polemical work, designed to show, among other things, that the doctrine of universal redemption is unscriptural and destructive of the gospel. . . . Those who see no need for doctrinal exactness and have no time for theological debates which show up divisions between so-called Evangelicals may well regret its reappearance. Some may find the very sound of Owen's thesis so shocking that they will refuse to read his book at all. . . . But . . . there are signs today of a new upsurge of interest in the theology of the Bible: a new readiness to test traditions, to search the Scriptures and to think through the faith. It is to those who share this readiness that Owen's treatise is now offered, in the belief that it will help us in one of the most urgent tasks facing evangelical Christendom today -- the recovery of the Gospel.
"It is safe to say that no comparable exposition of the work of redemption as planned and executed by the Triune Jehovah has ever been done since Owen published his in 1684. None has been needed.
"Owen's interpretation of the texts . . . is sure; his power of theological construction is superb; nothing that needs discussing is omitted, and . . . no arguments for or against his position have been used since his day which he has not himself noted and dealt with. . . . Owen's work is a constructive, broad-based biblical analysis of the heart of the gospel, and must be taken seriously as such. . . Nobody has a right to dismiss the doctrine of the limitedness . . . of the atonement as a monstrosity of Calvinistic logic until he has refuted Owen's proof that it is part of the uniform biblical presentation of redemption, clearly taught in plain text after plain text. And nobody has done that yet." -- J.I. Packer, from the Introduction
"Packer's well balanced definition of Calvinism in the introduction to that volume [John Owen's THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST], is by far the best we have seen in 42 years of intensive reading." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ: Being a Treatise of the Redemption and Reconciliation That is in the Blood of Christ; Wherein the whole controversy about universal redemption is fully discussed: In four parts (1792)
http://archive.org/details/deathofdeathinde00owen
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, including J.I. Packer's Introduction by John Owen
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/packer_intro.html
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ: Redemption and Reconciliation That is in the Blood of Christ (Limited Atonement), 1 of 33, [audio file]
An audio file reading by Still Waters Revival Books from THE WORKS OF JOHN OWEN. Currently (October 2018), there are 77 readings of John Owen by SWRB and Reformed Baptist of Holland (Michigan), (Thomas Sullivan), at SermonAudio.com available for listening online, downloading as MP3 files, [audio file], and listening on iPhone, mobile phones, and MPE players.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=47081639571

*Pink, Arthur W. (1886-1952), Comfort for Christians, ISBN: 0585074860 9780585074863.
"A timely work full of consolation. A valuable addition to the other books treating suffering. . . ." -- Cyril J. Barber
"Those shocked into wakefulness by Pink's book on THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD will be amazed at the different tone he displayed in this book. It is heart-warming." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
Comfort for Christians, by Arthur W. Pink
http://www.ccel.org/p/pink/comfort/comfort.html

Platt, Nancy V., Pastoral Care to the Cancer Patient, ISBN: 0398040516 9780398040512.

Power, Philip Bennett, A Book of Comfort for Those in Sickness, ISBN: 0851512038 9780851512037.
"When we are sick we are many times at our weakest. This book is perfect for those who are sick and suffering." -- GCB

Rosenberg, Charles, E., The Care of Strangers: The Rise of America's Hospital System, ISBN: 0801850827 9780801850820.

Rushford, Patricia H., Caring for Your Sick Child, ISBN: 0800752112 9780800752118.
"A practical handbook discussing prevention of illnesses and diseases. Deals alphabetically with a variety of ailments from 'Abdominal Pain' to 'Whooping Cough.' Provides practical counsel on the symptoms, home treatment, and when to call the doctor. Recommended." -- Cyril J. Barber

*Spurgeon, C.H. (1834-1892), Faith's Checkbook. Alternate title: THE CHEQUE BOOK OF THE BANK OF FAITH: BEING PRECIOUS PROMISES ARRANGED FOR DAILY USE (1893), ISBN: 0938453025.
"A promise from God may very instructively be compared to a check payable to order. It is given to the believer with the view of bestowing upon him some good thing. It is not meant that he should read it over comfortably and then have done with it. No, he is to treat the promises as a reality, as a man treats a check. He is to take the promise and endorse it with his own name by personally receiving it as true." -- C.H. Spurgeon
"In the Preface of his devotional volume containing 365 brief, experimental comments on the promises which Spurgeon has chosen, the renowned preacher tells us that so many of these promises are true because they were fulfilled in his own experience during a time of 'wading in the surf of controversy,' and also when 'sharp bodily pain succeeded mental depression, accompanied both by bereavement, and affliction in the person of one dear as life. Never were the promises of Jehovah so precious to me as at this hour.' Thus it was to help other sufferers that Spurgeon prepared this comforting book." -- Publisher
Faith's Checkbook, a daily devotional by C.H. Spurgeon
http://archive.org/details/thechequebookoft00purguoft

Watson, David, Fear no Evil: One Man Deals With Terminal Illness, ISBN: 0802725406 9780802725400.
"FEAR NO EVIL is the conquest of death -- not by looking away from it, nor by being shielded from it, but by facing it squarely and going down into it knowing that for a believer it is the vestibule of glory. Watson died peacefully one month after completing this book." -- GCB
"David Watson candidly shares his journey from "life to life" in a comforting and encouraging manner. With the Lord as his travelling companion, Watson reveals the most important pursuit given to humanity -- to seek God's face." -- Reader's Comment

*Wenhe, Mary, How to Pray for Healing, ISBN: 0800707419 9780800707415.

Wilde, Gary (editor), Bible Promises to Treasure for People in Recovery: Inspiring Words for Every Occasion, ISBN: 0805493905 9780805493900.

Wilde, Gary (editor), Bible Promises to Treasure for Tough Times: Inspiring Words for Every Occasion, ISBN: 155819715X 9781558197152.

See also: Psychosomatic illness, Healing of the mind, Fasting, Healing, Reconciliation of relationships, Medical aspects of pastoral counseling, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Prayer, Small groups as healing agents, Counseling the sick, Healing, Intercessory prayer, Praying for the sick, Medical ethics, Patient advocacy, Healthcare horror stories, Healthcare reform, and so forth, and so on.

Related Weblinks

AIDS

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Physical Health

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Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. (Proverbs 3:7,8)

*Davis, John Jefferson, The Christian's Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth: Choosing the Best for You and Your Baby From Conception to Delivery, ISBN: 0891073914 9780891073918.
"A needed book! An important book! Nothing else like it from a distinctly Christian position. Covers what to expect, prenatal diagnosis, nutrition and beauty tips, delivery methods, hospital procedures, family size, contraception, infant bonding, breast feeding, and more." -- GCB

Graedon, Joe, and Teresa Graedon, Best Choices From the People's Pharmacy: What You Need to Know Before Your Next Visit to the Doctor or Drugstore, ISBN: 9781594864070 1594864071.
"We are pleased to announce a new edition of our book, Best Choices from The People's Pharmacy. BEST CHOICES is filled with natural healing approaches for dozens of common conditions including:

arthritis

high blood pressure

constipation

insomnia

diabetes

leg cramps

headaches

menopause

heartburn

nail fungus

high cholesterol

osteoporosis

Graedon, Joe and Teresa Graedon, Dangerous Drug Interactions, ISBN: 0312968264: 9780312968267.s
"What you don't know can hurt you!
"Every time you combine any kind of drug with another -- prescription medicines, over-the-counter products, vitamins, minerals, herbs, alcohol, even food -- you expose yourself to the risk of a potentially hazardous interaction. DANGEROUS DRUG INTERACTIONS can help you navigate the treacherous waters of medicine/vitamin/food combinations with confidence. This life-saving reference includes:

• Over 200 easy-to-understand charts with information on medications for pain relief, allergies, asthma, arthritis, heart problems, depression, diabetes, contraception, ulcers, and much more
  
• Detailed descriptions of the symptoms of dangerous interactions
  
• Specific concerns for women, children, and older adults
  
• Vital information on Viagra, Propulsid, Lanoxin, Vasotec, Adalat, Prozac, Mevacor, Zocor, Lipitor, Tagamet, Coumadin, Dilantin, Prilosec, Synthroid, Procardia, and scores of other commonly prescribed medicines." -- Publisher

Graedon, Joe, and Teresa Graedon, The People's Pharmacy, ISBN: 0312964161 9780312964160.
"This book could save your life or the life of a loved one.
"The FDA isn't protecting you adequately . . . Doctors and pharmacists are making errors . . . over 125,000 people die each year from prescription drug mistakes . . .
"The People's Pharmacy will help protect you and your loved ones from the tragedy of adverse drug reactions. Bestselling authors and brand-name medication experts Joe and Teresa Graedon bring you the most comprehensive guide to commonly used prescription drugs, over-the-counter medication, and other drugstore products. Entirely revised to include the most up-to-date medical research, The People's Pharmacy gives you the power to protect yourself at the doctor's office and in the drugstore. It includes:

1. Dangerous drug interactions and serious side effects
2. Essential facts you need to know about prescription drugs
3. Home remedies that you can replace more harmful medications
4. Up-to-the-minute information on Premarin, Synthroid, Prozac, Vasotec, Lanoxin, Zoloft, Coumadin, Prilosec, Cardizem CD, Procardia XL., Norvasc, Claritin, Zestril, Zocor, Mevacor, and
5. much more!" -- Publisher

Graedon, Joe and Teresa Graedon, The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies, ISBN: 0312981392 9780312981396.
"The Graedons, both respected authors (The People's Pharmacy), and speakers, offer advice on the safe use of home and herbal remedies. The first section combines tested scientific research and accumulated folk wisdom to provide the health consumer with treatment suggestions for common ailments. Also included are possible causes and symptoms for selected conditions, as well as contact information for product manufacturers. The second section lists the 50 most commonly used herbs, including their ingredients and information on usage, dose, adverse effects, and drug interactions. By combining herbal and folk remedies, clearly highlighting dangerous herb-drug interactions, and summarizing consumer issues, the Graedons have created a consumer resource that is entertaining (favorite home remedies include coconut macaroons for diarrhea), and easy-to-use. However, more comprehensive medicinal herb reference resources include the COMPLETE GERMAN COMMISSION E MONOGRAPHS (American Botanical Council, 1998), and the PDR FOR HERBAL MEDICINES (LJ 3/1/99), among others. Still, this is recommended for smaller public library collections that don't own the other titles." -- Andy Wickens, Univ. of Washington Health Sciences Lib., Seattle

Graedon, Joe, and Teresa Graedon, The People's Pharmacy Quick and Handy Home Remedies, ISBN: 9781426207112 1426207115.
"A compilation of reader feedback of remedies, plus a list of 24 foods the authors suggest can help with health problems such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. The foods list includes coffee, blueberries, green tea, beets, and chocolate." -- Publisher

Janse, Allison, and Charles Gerba, The Germ Freak's Guide to Outwitting Colds and Flu: Guerilla Tactics to Keep Yourself Healthy at Home, at Work and in the World, ISBN: 0757303277 9780757303272.
"Allison Janse is a professional book editor and writer who became a Germ Freak soon after the birth of her two children, a hilarious story retold in this book. She lives in Pompano Beach, Florida. Charles Gerba, Ph.D., is an internationally renowned environmental microbiologist who made his reputation a quarter of a century ago by opening scientists' eyes to the dangerous things lurking in our groundwater. His lab created the first test to detect the parasite cryptosporidium in water, changing the way municipalities treat tap water. He is a professor at the University of Arizona where he oversees cutting-edge experiments in the department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science. He has performed thousands of studies on everything from water quality in our homes to urine levels in community pools, from the germs present in airline bathrooms to pathogens in home hot tubs. His quick wit has endeared him to American audiences as Dr. Germ, and he appears regularly on Good Morning America, Dateline, CNN News and 60 Minutes as well as national magazines and newspapers. He lives with his wife in Tucson, Arizona." -- Publisher

Lawrence, Roy, Christian Healing Rediscovered: A Guide to Spiritual, Mental, Physical wholeness, ISBN: 0877846219 9780877846215.
"Christian resources of worship, the power of the resurrection, the extent of salvation, and possible sources of suffering are given insightful, Biblical, practical treatment; well balanced approach to the interrelationships of spiritual, emotional, and physical health." -- Mark Branson

McIlhaney, Joe, and Susan Nethery, 1,001 Health-Care Questions Women ask, ISBN: 0801058104 9780801058103.
"The doctor is in! And Dr. McIlhaney, frequently heard on 'Focus on the Family' broadcasts, has time to provide women with up-to-date answers to their health-care questions. Now in a third edition, this respected resource continues to provide solid medical advice, reliable information about treatment options, and the latest innovations in obstetrics and gynecology." -- Publisher
"Dr. McIlhaney, an experienced OB/GYN, is the only Christian physician to address such a wide range of questions -- from general health concerns to specific situations such as infertility, abortion, and marital sexual relationships. Every aspect of female physical development is discussed in a straightforward, sensitive manner.
"Joe S. McIlhaney Jr., M.D., is president of the Medical Institute for Sexual Health. He practiced medicine, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, for thirty years. Dr. McIlhaney is the author of SEX: WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW CAN KILL YOU and several other books. He and his wife live in Austin, Texas. Susan Nethery has written several books and lives in Milam, Texas." -- Publisher

McMillen, S.I., None of These Diseases, ISBN: 080075719X 9780800757199.
Revised and expanded in 2000 by D.E. Stern. "This epochal work, when first published in 1963, drew attention to the Biblical teaching on health and the care of the body. Now updated with information on modern diseases, it is even more valuable than when it broke new ground two decades ago." -- Cyril J. Barber
"Good insights into the relation between your attitudes and your physical health." -- Robert B. Somerville

Mendelsohn, Robert S., How to Raise a Healthy Child: In Spite of Your Doctor, ISBN: 0345342763 9780345342768.
"This book explodes many of the medical myths that get passed on from doctors to parents (it also explodes the myth of doctor as all-knowing and all-powerful). It also is a source of support for parents who want to avoid constant trips to the pediatrician. Dr. Mendelsohn advocates homebirth, extended breastfeeding and questions many of the standard vaccination practices. A real voice in the wilderness concerning current medical practices!" -- Publisher

Mendelsohn, Robert S., Male [Mal]practice: How Doctors Manipulate Women, ISBN: 0809259745 9780809259748.
"A lot of practical advice is given regarding questions to ask the doctor when he suggests surgery. Includes the chapter 'Fifty Drugs Every Woman Should Think Twice About Before Taking'." -- Publisher

Moore, Raymond S. and Dorothy N. Moore, Home Made Health: A Family Guide to Nutrition, Exercise, Stress Control, and Preventive Medicine, ISBN: 0849906067 9780849906060 084993172X 9780849931727.
"A dozen medical specialists from various fields acted as advisers for this book. The principles are built on common sense, the Bible, proven research, and the author's own experience. They show how pure water and air, sunshine, sleep, regularity, cleanliness, exercise, and trust in God lead to good health." -- GCB

Russell, Rex, What the Bible Says About Healthy Living: Three Biblical Principles That will Change Your Diet and Improve Your Health, ISBN: 0800717686 9780800717681.
"A must read for every Christian who is serious about living a healthy and vigorous life that pleases God." -- Dennis Rainey

Siegel, Bernie S., Love, Medicine and Miracles: Lessons Learned About Self-Healing From a Surgeon's Experience With Exceptional Patients, ISBN: 0060919833 9780060919832.
Includes bibliography.

Sneed, Sharon, and David Sneed, Prime Time: A Complete Health Guide for Women 35 to 65, ISBN: 0849932653 9780849932656.
"This refreshingly upbeat handbook addresses matters of vital concern to women age 35 to 65, and offers practical tips for making those mid years and beyond truly prime time." -- Publisher

Various, Work and Rest in Review (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation).
A 4-tape audio cassette [audio file], series including the following:

Historical/Biblical Perspective on Rest by Mike Bell, audio cassette WW201 [audio file],
How God Measures Vocational Success by James Petty, audio cassette WW202 [audio file], and
Biblical Principles of Rest by David Clowney, audio cassette WW203 [audio file].

See also: Spiritual aspects of health, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Stress, Depression, Emotions and health, Faith, Medical aspects of counseling, Physiological problems, Praying for the sick, Small groups as healing agents, Fasting, Rest, Sleep, Humor, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 1505-1543, 4162

Related Weblinks

National Stroke Association
Learn the signs of stroke.
http://www.stroke.org/

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
"The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, makes funds available to states that have in place federally approved programs providing health insurance coverage to uninsured children. This program gives each state permission to offer health insurance for children, up to age 19, who are not already insured. SCHIP is a state administered program and each state sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility and services."
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/medicarehealthinsurance/a/schip.htm
Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services. Maternal and Child Health Programs
http://www.dmas.virginia.gov/ch-home.htm
The Virginia Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan (FAMIS)
"Virginia with its Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan program, FAMIS is Virginia's program that helps families provide health insurance to their children. Health insurance is important to make sure that kids are able to get all the help they need to grow up healthy. FAMIS stands for Family Access to Medical Insurance Security.
"Working together, we will make sure your children get the high quality health insurance they need."
http://www.famis.org/

Physiological Problems

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According to a study funded by Knoll Pharmaceutical Co, ten percent of Americans may suffer from thyroid disease but most cases go undiagnosed by physicians. Researchers who conducted the study took blood samples from 26,000 visitors to a health fair. Almost 12 percent of the people who participated showed evidence of thyroid disorder and almost 90 percent of them said they were not being treated. Over- or under-production of thyroid hormones can lead to hyper- or hypothyroidism, respectively. Weakness, fatigue, and anxiety are some early signs of thyroid dysfunction. Left untreated, thyroid disease can contribute to cardiovascular disease and interfere with the proper function of major organs. Individuals who exhibited hypothyroidism showed higher levers of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. -- Reuters, Oct. 17, 1997

If a reader thinks they may have hypothyroidism, or knows someone who may have hypothyroidism, then the best thing to do is to read Ken Blanchard's book. It is written to both the patient and the physician. The book guides the patient in preparing a medical history that will expose hypothyroidism. Present the medical history to the doctor and request a two week clinical trial of levothyroxine (Synthroid) synthetic T4 hormone replacement. If you feel better during the trial, then that is the diagnosis. Keep in mind that many patients, and those advancing in years, may have sub-clinical hypothyroidism (light cases), and may benefit by hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Adams, Jay E. (1929-2020), A Personal Word to Women, 3 pages. Available in SHEPHERDING GOD'S FLOCK: A HANDBOOK ON PASTORAL MINISTRY, COUNSELING AND LEADERSHIP.
"Practical advice to women about how to handle their menstrual period and the temptations that variation in hormone levels can bring." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)

*Blanchard, Ken, and Marietta Abrams Brill, What Your Doctor may not Tell you About Hypothyroidism: A Simple Plan for Extraordinary Results, ISBN: 0446690619 9780446690614.
Foreword by Mary J. Shomon. (See also Mary Shomon's book Living Well With Hypothyroidism below.)
"Depression, fatigue, headaches, memory lapses, weight gain, constipation, cold intolerance, slowed reflexes, hair loss, menstrual abnormalities -- these are some of the vague, sometimes debilitating symptoms that, in varying combinations, plague more than 13 million patients with hypothyroidism. Unfortunately, many patients with hypothyroidism go for months to years, from doctor to doctor, from test to tests without being properly diagnosed. This is because the TSH blood test, considered the gold standard for diagnosis, is simply not an accurate indicator of hypothryoidism. Perhaps more perplexing, millions who are properly diagnosed find themselves undergoing often ineffective treatments for their disorder. At last, there is a solution: Dr. Blanchard's groundbreaking treatment program draws on emerging research, medical facts, and three decades of clinical experiences as an endocrinologist. It's an individualized program that uses questionnaires and charts to help diagnose sufferers through symptoms, not lab results -- and treats patients of all ages with the safe, but little used T3 hormone in the best combination with the more common T4 hormone, as well as with specific nutritional advice and alternative treatments that really work!" -- Publisher
The thyroid regulates metabolism and effects every organ in the body. Experts estimates that as many as 20 million Americans, or more, may be affected by hypothyroidism. Women are more often affected than men. Illnesses, exposure to toxic chemicals, physical injury of the thyroid, and heredity my cause hypothyroidism. Therefore, if you have a "condition" that has never been diagnosed, then look into the possibility of hypothroidism. Anyone who has trouble with depression should undergo a two-week diagnostic trial with thyroid hormones, because depression "is a typical misdiagnosis of hypothyroidism."
If a reader thinks they may have hypothyroidism, or knows someone who may have hypothyroidism, then the best thing to do is to read Ken Blanchard's book. It is written to both the patient and the physician. The book guides the patient in preparing a medical history that will expose hypothyroidism. Present the medical history to the doctor and request a two week clinical trial of levothyroxine (Synthroid) synthetic T4 hormone replacement. If you feel better during the trial, then that is the diagnosis. Keep in mind that many patients and those advancing in years may have sub-clinical hypothyroidism (light cases) and may benefit by hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Untangling Thyroid Confusion, April 9, 2005
"There is a little gland in your neck that can control your sex life, your weight, your energy and even your mood. But surprisingly, this gland (the thyroid) frequently gets out of whack. Of the 20 million Americans who have thyroid disorders, more than half don't realize it, according to the American Medical Women's Association. Does our diet affect the thyroid gland. Do prescription drugs or chemicals in our environment interfere with proper thyroid functioning? And how do we know when our thyroid is not working adequately? You will find out why it is important to look beyond the lab tests to the patient's symptoms to understand the story behind thyroid insufficiency. Guests: Kenneth Blanchard, M.D., Ph.D., is a board certified endocrinologist. Along with his private practice in Newton-Wellesley, Massachusetts, he also addresses many types of groups on the topic of hypothyroidism, and is considered an authority on the subject. He is the co-author of WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT HYPOTHYROIDISM: A SIMPLE PLAN FOR EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS. Mary Shomon is a patient advocate and author. Her books include LIVING WELL WITH HYPOTHYROIDISM and THE THYROID DIET: MANAGE YOUR METABOLISM FOR LASTING WEIGHT LOSS."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.org/archives/radio_shows/538_untangling_thyroid_confusion.asp

Greene, Lawrence J., Learning Disabilities and Your Child: A Survival Handbook, ISBN: 0893343242 9780893343248. Alternate title: KIDS WHO HATE SCHOOL.
"Not only does Greene explain every possible issue related to learning disorders . . . he also presents a beautifully written and extremely moving series of case studies that will break your heart at the same time they fill you with relief." -- San Francisco Chronicle
"Learning disabilities don't have to stand in the way of your child's success.
"A learning disability can be at the root of your child's resistance, failure, and low self-esteem. It's no wonder that children with learning disabilities have difficulties both at home and at school, difficulties that are reflected in poor performance records.
"Lawrence J. Greene, a pioneer in the field of learning disabilities and the Executive Director of the Developmental Learning Center in San Jose, California, for seventeen years, shares his knowledge and experience in compassionate and understanding terms. He explains how to diagnose learning disabilities ranging from dyslexia and hyperactivity to language disorders and tuning out -- and how they might affect your child. He offers helpful advice on choosing the right school or program for your child and on getting the support you need. Anecdotes, where parents and children speak out, as well as step-by-step programs that you can begin right now, make this unique book a vital guide for parents and teachers of learning disabled children." -- Publisher

Gurian, Michael, Nurture the Nature: Understanding and Supporting Your Child's Unique Core Personality, ISBN: 078798633X 9780787986339.
"Negative stress, in contrast, is something we need to be very careful about, especially with our children. In the most general terms, as experts at the University of Maryland Medical School wrote recently, 'When these symptoms persist, you are at risk for serious health problems. This kind of stress can exhaust your immune system. Recent research demonstrates that 90 percent of illness is stress-related.' When stress goes beyond the stimulating (positive stress), and becomes debilitating (negative stress), symptoms fall into three categories: physical, emotional, and relational." -- Publisher
Resist the Latest Parenting Fads, Says New Book NURTURE THE NATURE Encourages Parents to Determine Their Child's Core Personality
"Increasingly, the minds of our children are growing up to be antisocial. Children diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder now number in the millions. As the Carnegie-Mellon survey notes, our primary social response to the new antisocial nature of children has not been to rethink how we raise them, but rather to expand punishment and incarceration systems. A Department of Justice study reports that at our present rates of incarceration, one in twenty babies born in the United States today will spend some part of life incarcerated. As of 2004, 1 in every 138 U.S. residents was in prison."
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/NewYearNewYou/story?id=3119291&page=1

McLemore, Clinton W., Clergyman's Psychological Handbook: Clinical Information for Pastoral Counseling, ISBN: 0802815766 9780802815767.

O'Hara, Ann Margaret (editor), Treatment Facility Resource Manual.

Popkin, Barry, The World is Fat: The Fads, Trends, Policies, and Products That are Fattening the Human Race, ISBN: 1583333134 9781583333136.
"FAST FOOD NATION meets THE WORLD IS FAT in this eye-opening look at the obesity epidemic.
"Today, the planet's 1.3 billion overweight people by far outnumber the 700 million who are undernourished. This figure would have seemed ludicrous just fifty years ago, when hunger was the world's most pressing nutritional problem.
"In THE WORLD IS FAT, Barry Popkin argues that the fattening of the human race is not simply about that next cheeseburger; rather, it is a result of an unprecedented collision of human biology with trends in technology, globalization, government policy, and the food industry that are changing how we eat and how we live.
"Popkin, whose expertise in both nutrition and economics makes him uniquely qualified to write this book, compares our lifestyles today with those of half a century ago through the stories of five families living in the United States, Mexico, and India. He shows how increasing access to media and exposure to advertising, a powerful food industry, the rise of Walmart like shopping centers, and a dramatic decline in physical activity are clashing with millions of years of human evolution, creating a world of overweight people with debilitating health problems such as diabetes. Ultimately, Popkin contends that widespread obesity is less a result of poor individual dietary choices than about a hi-tech, interconnected world in which governments and multinational corporations have extraordinary power to shape our everyday lives.
"Barry Popkin is the Carla Smith Chamblee Distinguished Professor of Global Nutrition at the University of North Carolina and the director of the UNC Interdisciplinary Obesity Center. His research has spanned all continents over the past thirty years. His work has been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, including The New York Times, The Wall Steet Journal, USA Today, and Scientific American." -- Publisher

Shomon, Mary J., Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell you . . . That you Need to Know, revised edition, ISBN: 0060740957 9780060740955.
"The most comprehensive resource available on the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism. For millions of Americans, hypothyroidism often goes untreated . . . or is treated improperly. This book, thoroughly researched by the nation's top thyroid patient advocate -- a hypothyroidism patient herself -- provides you with answers to all your questions, including:

• What is hypothyroidism?
• What are the warning signs, symptoms, and risk factors?
• Why is getting diagnosed often a challenge, and how can you overcome the obstacles?
• What treatments are available (including those your doctor hasn't told you about)?
• Which alternative and holistic therapies, nutritional changes, and supplements may help treat hypothyroidism? -- Publisher

Sneed, Sharon, and David Sneed, Prime Time: A Complete Health Guide for Women 35 to 65, ISBN: 0849932653 9780849932656.
"This refreshingly upbeat handbook addresses matters of vital concern to women age 35 to 65, and offers practical tips for making those mid years and beyond truly prime time." -- Publisher

Stauffer, Joseph C., and Joseph Segen, The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests: Everything you Need to Know About the Tests Your Doctor Prescribes, ISBN: 081603530X 9780816035304.
"Alphabetically lists over 1000 medical tests most commonly used by physicians, hospitals and commercial labs. Each test entry includes why a test may be necessary, a non-technical description of the test, test procedures and times and the reference range and what abnormal values may signify." -- Publisher

Strydom, Jan, Susan du Plessis, and Benetta Strydom, The Bible's way to Victory Over ADHD and Other Childhood Challenges
"A free online book, providing sound answers on preventing and overcoming behavioral, emotional and learning problems, including ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), Conduct Disorder and Tourette's Syndrome."
http://www.audiblox2000.com/onlinebook/index.htm
E-mail: benetta@mweb.co.za

Sunderland, Ronald H., and Earl E. Shelp, AIDS: A Manual for Pastoral Care, ISBN: 0664240887 9780664240882.
"Designed to help pastors, chaplains, and those in the helping professions engage in a special ministry of compassion to the victims of AIDS. Covers the medical facts and points the way to helping sufferers cope with their fears." -- Cyril J. Barber

*Welch, Edward T., Blame it on the Brain? Distinguishing Chemical Imbalances, Brain Disorders, and Disobedience, ISBN: 0875526020 9780875526027.
"Dr. Welch has a Ph.D. in psychology as well as theology degrees, and has been a counselor for years. His doctoral work was on brain physiology, so Blame it on the Brain is the fruit of 20 years of reflection on the subject.
"Welch wonders if the brain 'has been given too much credit.' (p. 12). Many have held the brain responsible for some bad behavior: 'My disease did it!' (p. 13). While the observations of the rapidly expanding field of brain sciences can be very helpful, when interpreted through a biblical lens they can be put in a more modest and helpful perspective. How do these discoveries illustrate biblical truths that can be applied to people's lives? Instead, too often sin problems are mislabeled as solely brain problems, and thus the true cause is left unaddressed. (p. 25)
"Four very practical principles emerge from this approach to mind-body issues: 1. The brain cannot by itself 'make' a person sin. (p. 49f). 2. Each person's abilities (brain strengths and weaknesses), are unique. (p. 53f). 3. Brain problems can expose heart problems. (p. 56f). 4. Sinful hearts can lead to physical illness; upright hearts can contribute to good health. (p. 58f)
"In part two of the book these principles are then concisely but thoughtfully applied to a series of examples. First are apparently physical issues: Alzheimer's disease (p. 67f), and head injury (p. 85f). Next are more psychiatric issues: depression (p. 115f), 'A.D.D.' (p. 131f), homosexuality (p. 151f), and alcoholism. (p. 183f)
"Welch's treatments of these problems abound with practical, sensitive insight. In the process he clearly defines the deeper issues at stake: what is the soul?; what is the body?; what is sin?
"For me, a crucial component of the book is the section on the mind-body relationships, especially pp. 43-48. Welch is careful to distinguish the heart from the body, but without separating them. Drawing upon rich Trinitarian analogies, he is careful to outline a model that seeks not to over-emphasize either the duality or the unity. This understanding enables us to try to distinguish between sin and sickness. As Welch ably defines it: 'any behavior that does not conform to biblical commands or any behavior that transgresses biblical prohibitions proceeds form the heart and is sin.' (p. 43). Conversely, 'any behavior that is more accurately called a weakness proceeds from the body and is sickness or suffering.' (p. 44). We are to repent of sin. But things that reflect only our creaturely limitations are not immoral, but proceed from our fallen bodies.
"The example Welch uses of hallucinations is illustrative. The Bible does not prohibit them, so we can not admonish someone for experiencing them. We are called to compassion for them. The hallucination may have been caused by a prior sinful choice, and the hallucinatory may respond to them with sin, but the hallucination itself is not sinful. A helpful chart on p. 45 lists out some examples of body problems (broken bones, mental retardation, feelings of depression, hallucinations), and heart (mind) problems (anger, pride, drunkenness). Of course, many problems involve both the body and the heart or mind, and in unequal and obscured proportions. How do we separate out the differences? And why is it helpful to try?
"Each summer during high school and college I worked in a nursing home. The changes I witnessed in particular residents after being away from them for almost a year were often shocking and tragic. I think of a seemingly kind and affable man named D., who in a few months seemed to transform into an unrecognizably profane and lewd bore. Welch demonstrates convincingly that such brain or body problems as D.'s Alzheimer's can expose what is in the heart. The brain appears to have led the person into bad behavior, when it is more accurate to say that the brain problem allowed certain otherwise hidden parts of their heart to be uncovered. Welch contends, 'In some case brain problems function like truth serum for the heart.' (p. 58)
"Welch's treatment of the subject is fairly comprehensive but far from exhaustive. Questions of application remain. If meds can only, at their best, address the body issues and not the heart, how do we know which needs addressing? Welch addresses this in a wise, but frustratingly brief section in pp. 125-127. Adopting Welch's guidelines is easy enough, but applying them to real life situations, I know from experience, is another matter. What about the person who meets some but not all of the criteria listed on p. 127 (they are over forty; have had no prior history of problems with depression; are taking prescription drugs, etc.)? This is not a flaw in Welch's treatment of the topic, just a limitation of its brief explication here.
"I have known a person, for example, who had his first bout with depression at age 62. But it was extremely serious. He became despondent and delusional and was checked into a residential treatment facility. His case meets the first of the two criteria listed by Welch, but not the last two. Clearly, his depression was triggered by some circumstances in his life (some the direct result of some horrible choices, others not). Yet, just as clearly it seems that the depression, while largely originating from his sinful behavior, now had a physical component. His medications, while wrought with multiple serious side effects, did seem to successfully contribute to his ability to function. Yet, if I were given a decision making role in his 'treatment,' I would want to somehow know: were the drugs really helpful, or was it their placebo effect? And if they did reduce his anxiety, is that all necessarily good? Did he not need discomfort to drive him to make changes in his absolutely horrendous behavior? And if so, how much and what type of discomfort?
"Anyway, Welch's book wrestles with some deep issues and presents them in a lucid and readable format." -- Raymond Cannata
" 'What is needed is not necessarily more sophistication in understanding the brain. Instead, what is needed is a more in-depth and practical examination of Scripture that is relevant to these questions.' (pp. 19-20). In this chapter, he remains resolute in affirming the supreme authority of God's Word in understanding and applying the deluge of information which our secular society is bent on giving us. . . .
'Heart and body are both two and one. They are two in that the body cannot be reduced to heart or spirit, and heart cannot be reduced to body. But they are mutually independent. They need each other. Human life cannot even be imagined without both the inner and the outer person. . . .' (p. 47)
"In chapters 4 and 5, we read about legitimate brain dysfunctions which are the result of Alzheimer's disease (and dementia), or serious head injury stemming from an accident. Here, Welch wants the reader to understand that there are indeed cases where the brain can suffer illness or injury to the extent that the behavior and mental capacity of the individual will be directly affected. He is quick to point out that though these conditions may harm the outer man, they do not necessarily mean that the inner man will also begin to dissipate.
"In chapters 7 and 8, we read about psychiatric problems such as depression and attention deficit disorder (ADD) which may or may not be the result of the brain's alleged deficiencies. . . . He is also quick to point out that the depression or ADD may be the result of a spiritual problem and that the care of the individual and their relation to God ought to factor in the treatment every bit as much as medicinal treatments.
"In chapters 9 and 10 we read about two areas of human behavior which the brain is often held responsible for -- homosexuality and alcoholism. In both cases, Welch is insistent that the brain cannot the cause of one's sinful behavior. As he says so plainly, " 'The ultimate cause of sin is always the human heart,' (p. 169). He argues that when these behaviors are seen as proceeding directly from the brain's activity, then the connection that exists between human beings as morally accountable agents and a holy and righteous God is severed. What needs to take place is repentance from such sinful behavior in light of the promise of God's gracious provision of forgiveness which can be found in Jesus Christ. Though these sins present particularly strong forms of bondage, God's mercy can break even their stronghold." -- Daniel Mark Donovan

Well, Robert G., and Mary C. Well, Menopause and Mid-Life, ISBN: 0842339752 9780842339759.
"Wells clearly explains physical and emotional changes, hormonal therapy, and the various options available to mid-life women. Includes a chapter on men and their role." -- GCB

Zaret, Barry L. (editor), Peter I. Jatlow (editor), Lee D. Katz (editor), The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests, ISBN: 0395765366 9780395765364.
"In this era of rapidly changing medical practice, it's more important than ever to have objective, reliable sources of medical information. This is especially critical in the area of diagnostic tests -- the fastest-growing and most costly aspect of modern medicine. Are you unaware of tests and procedures that might save your life? Or are you undergoing a test unnecessarily? How do you know? Whom do you ask? Now, from one of the nation's highly acclaimed medical schools, comes the most complete, authoritative, and practical book for the general public on diagnostic tests and procedures. Every day, tens of thousands of Americans undergo medical tests -- everything from routine cancer screening and blood tests to the most advanced imaging scans and endoscopic examinations. All too often, patients have no idea what to expect. This book answers the questions that patients are afraid or reluctant to ask: Will it hurt? How long will it take? Who will be in charge? Are there any risks? What do the results mean? What's the next step? Each of the 29 chapters in this essential book is written by a Yale faculty member who is an authority in the area. Hundreds of the most commonly performed diagnostic tests are described in clear, understandable language and presented in concise, easy-to-follow charts. Many sections are illustrated. There's also practical advice from the doctors, nurses, and technicians who administer the tests. You'll learn what you should and should not do before the procedure and what factors may alter the results. In addition to diagnostic studies ordered or performed by doctors, this book covers test you can do at home. Some of these, such as home blood sugar (glucose), monitoring for diabetes and self-checking of blood pressure, help patients achieve better control over life-threatening diseases. This book belongs in every home health library. In it you'll find the information you need to become a more informed partner with your doctor in maintaining your own health and that of every member of your family." -- Publisher

See also: Depression, Hypothyroidism, Toxic and harmful substances, cancer, Oncology (cancer treatment), Attention deficit disorder (ADD), Correct diagnosis, Prevention of disease, Healthy life-style, Exercise, Nutrition and neutriceuticals, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd), Healthcare reform, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 500-511, 940, 1527, 1541

Related Weblinks

Dyslexia
"As youngsters across the country settle into a new school year, some parents will receive disturbing news: little Jason or Emma has dyslexia. While this difficulty in processing written words can create challenges, it can be overcome with creativity. Two extraordinarily accomplished adults relate how their struggles with dyslexia in childhood contributed to their current achievements. Learn how parents can help children confront this challenge.
"Guests: Dr. Edward (Ned) Hallowell is a child and adult psychiatrist and the founder of The Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health in Sudbury, MA and New York City. He is the author of DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION, DELIVERED FROM DISTRACTION, and 16 other books. The website is www.drhallowell.com. The photo is of Dr. Hallowell.
"Philip Schultz is an American poet, and winner of a Pulitzer Prize for his poetry. He is the founder and director of The Writers Studio, a private school for fiction and poetry writing based in New York City. The website is www.writerstudio.com. His most recent book, a memoir, is MY DYSLEXIA. His article for The New York Times is "Words Failed, Then Saved Me."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/09/17/828-dyslexia/

Psychopharmacology
http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/00213/index.htm

Hypothyroidism

---

A very common ritual experienced by many medical students at the end of their years in medical school is to hear an address by an eminent medical dean, who congratulates them and wishes them well in their internships, then says something like this: "Half of what you learned in medical school is wrong, and your challenge now is to find out which half." This may sound whimsical, but it does reflect a very basic truth about the complexity of the human body and the immensity of medical knowledge. It is also often said that the only people who are 100 percent sure about anything in medicine are medical students, malpractice lawyers, and well-compensated expert witnesses. . . . It is my deep belief that the current status of the TSH test as the absolute yes-or-no arbiter for the presence of hypothyroidism and for the status of a patient's treatment will eventually come to be regarded as one of the great mistakes of medical history. -- Ken Blanchard, MD in "A Note From Dr. Blanchard" in What Your Doctor may not Tell you About Hypothyroidism: A Simple Plan for Extraordinary Results

In 1997, there were an estimated twenty-five million people in the United States taking antidepressants. And some studies estimate that 80 percent of people on antidepressants report a variety of unresolved symptoms -- such as weight gain, lethargy, and loss of libido -- that are also very common symptoms of thyroid disease. A significant percentage of people on antidepressants could actually be suffering from an undiagnosed thyroid problem. -- Mary Shomon, Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell you . . . That you Need to Know, p. 62

Indianapolis-based thyroid and chronic fatigue syndrome expert Dr. Dale Guyer estimates that more than 90 percent of his chronic fatigue syndrome patients also have an underlying thyroid problem. (Mary Shomon, Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell you . . . That you Need to Know, p. 49)

Nearly 13 million Americans suffer from thyroid disorders, with more than half going undiagnosed. -- National Institutes of Health

Search "Direct gene analysis hypothyroidism" for find the latest research on genetic testing for hypothyroidism.

A clinical review suggests any TSH above 2 may indicate failing function (see quotation directly below).

In January 2003, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) made the announcement "Now AACE encourages doctors to consider treatment for patients who test outside the boundaries of a narrower margin based on a target TSH level of 0.3 to 3.0. AACE believes the new range will result in proper diagnosis for millions of Americans who suffer from a mild thyroid disorder, but have gone untreated until now." -- Mary Shomon, Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell you . . . That you Need to Know, p. 11

The Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee (EDSTAC) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that about fifteen thousand different chemicals that are included in common products like pesticides, cosmetics, and plastics should be analyzed to see if they act as endocrine disruptors. Internationally known health researcher and author Dr. Theodora Colborn, author of OUR STOLEN FUTURE, believes that exposure to even low doses of endocrine disruptors can be harmful to our health. -- Mary Shomon, Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell you . . . That you Need to Know, p. 470

If a reader thinks they may have hypothyroidism, or knows someone who may have hypothyroidism, then the best thing to do is educate themselves using the citations below. Ken Blanchard's book is written to both the patient and the physician. The book guides the patient in preparing a medical history that will expose hypothyroidism. Present the medical history to the doctor and request a two week clinical trial of Synthroid synthetic T4 hormone replacement. If you feel better during the trial, then that is the diagnosis. Keep in mind that many patients, and those advancing in years, may have sub-clinical hypothyroidism (light cases), and may benefit by hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
And it is probable that the consequences of neglecting hypothyroidism may be contributing to heart disease -- heart failure, arrhythmias, and heart attack, particularly in the elderly.

Mild to sever hypothyroidism, resulting in a "constellation" of symptoms. Misdiagnosis of hypothyroidism over decades of a patient's life, generates a very substantial amount of income for the healthcare industry through repeated consultations. This is somewhat analogous to the automobile industry's "engineered mechanical failures" and all manner of other practices by corporations to increase profits by unethical manipulations. "The devil is in the details." It could be argued that the AMA and the American Association of Endocrinologists should have been bright enough to settle the controversies in diagnosis 75 years ago or more, and, in keeping with the Hippocratic Oath, established guidelines for proper diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism.

If you take any prescription drug, you need to be aware that storage at high temperatures can quickly degrade the potency and stability of your medication. I spoke with Abbott Labs' consumer medical hotline today, and learned that they do not recommend taking their drug Synthroid if it's been stored at temperatures above 86 degrees.
Basically, 'controlled room temperature' for storage of most drugs tops out at 86°F. Levothyroxine drugs -- such as Synthroid, Levoxyl, Levothroid, Unithroid, and generic levothyroxine -- should be stored away from light and moisture, and at a temperature no higher than 86°F. This temperature standard also applies to Cytomel (liothyronine), Armour (desiccated thyroid), and the antithyroid drugs PTU and methimazole. (NOTE: Thyrolar (liotrix), should be refrigerated, at a temperature no higher than 46°F). -- Mary Shomon Thyroid Website

Barnes, Broda, Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness, ISBN: 069001029X 9780690010299.
"Of all the problems that can affect physical or mental health, none is more common than thyroid gland disturbance. None is more readily and inexpensively corrected. And none is more often untreated, and even unsuspected.
"Hypothyroidism -- low thyroid function -- is one of the gland disturbances that many people suffer from without even realizing it. It can be the cause of low energy or constant fatigue that is one of the most common complaints brought to doctors. It may be responsible for chronic headaches, repeated infections, unyielding skin problems, or circulatory difficulties. Even more frightening, it can be a major factor in heart disease, lung cancer, and emphysema. And it is responsible for many emotional and mental disturbances. HYPOTHYROIDISM: THE UNSUSPECTED ILLNESS explains low thyroid function in easy, understandable language. It tells how it may be affecting your health and your life.
"Dr. Broda Barnes and Lawrence Galton tell what the thyroid gland is, how it works, the problems its dysfunction can induce. They detail case histories of patients, often thought hopeless, whose problems were discovered to be related to hypothyroidism and were cured by Dr. Barnes's simple effective techniques. And they discuss whether you too may be hypothyroid, affected by a condition even a physician may not recognize.
"Included is a simple test you can make at home to discover if hypothyroidism may be the real, previously unsuspected cause of your ill health.
"If you know you are hypothyroid, HYPOTHYROIDISM: THE UNSUSPECTED ILLNESS will answer your questions about your condition. If you suspect you maybe, if you are unsure what may be causing those chronic headaches, infections, fatigue and low energy, it may help you find the answer." -- Publisher

*Blanchard, Ken, and Marietta Abrams Brill, What Your Doctor may not Tell you About Hypothyroidism: A Simple Plan for Extraordinary Results, ISBN: 0446690619 9780446690614.
Foreword by Mary J. Shomon. (See also Mary Shomon's book Living Well With Hypothyroidism below.)
"Depression, fatigue, headaches, memory lapses, weight gain, constipation, cold intolerance, slowed reflexes, hair loss, menstrual abnormalities -- these are some of the vague, sometimes debilitating symptoms that, in varying combinations, plague more than 13 million patients with hypothyroidism. Unfortunately, many patients with hypothyroidism go for months to years, from doctor to doctor, from test to tests without being properly diagnosed. This is because the TSH blood test, considered the gold standard for diagnosis, is simply not an accurate indicator of hypothryoidism. Perhaps more perplexing, millions who are properly diagnosed find themselves undergoing often ineffective treatments for their disorder. At last, there is a solution: Dr. Blanchard's groundbreaking treatment program draws on emerging research, medical facts, and three decades of clinical experiences as an endocrinologist. It's an individualized program that uses questionnaires and charts to help diagnose sufferers through symptoms, not lab results -- and treats patients of all ages with the safe, but little used T3 hormone in the best combination with the more common T4 hormone, as well as with specific nutritional advice and alternative treatments that really work!" -- Publisher
The thyroid regulates metabolism and effects every organ in the body. Experts estimates that as many as 20 million Americans, or more, may be affected by hypothyroidism. Women are more often affected than men. Illnesses, exposure to toxic chemicals, physical injury of the thyroid, and heredity my cause hypothyroidism. Therefore, if you have a "condition" that has never been diagnosed, then look into the possibility of hypothroidism. Anyone who has trouble with depression should undergo a two-week diagnostic trial with thyroid hormones, because depression "is a typical misdiagnosis of hypothyroidism."
If a reader thinks they may have hypothyroidism, or knows someone who may have hypothyroidism, then the best thing to do is to read Ken Blanchard's book. It is written to both the patient and the physician. The book guides the patient in preparing a medical history that will expose hypothyroidism. Present the medical history to the doctor and request a two week clinical trial of levothyroxine (Synthroid) synthetic T4 hormone replacement. If you feel better during the trial, then that is the diagnosis. Keep in mind that many patients and those advancing in years may have sub-clinical hypothyroidism (light cases) and may benefit by hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Untangling Thyroid Confusion, April 9, 2005
"There is a little gland in your neck that can control your sex life, your weight, your energy and even your mood. But surprisingly, this gland (the thyroid) frequently gets out of whack. Of the 20 million Americans who have thyroid disorders, more than half don't realize it, according to the American Medical Women's Association. Does our diet affect the thyroid gland. Do prescription drugs or chemicals in our environment interfere with proper thyroid functioning? And how do we know when our thyroid is not working adequately? You will find out why it is important to look beyond the lab tests to the patient's symptoms to understand the story behind thyroid insufficiency. Guests: Kenneth Blanchard, M.D., Ph.D., is a board certified endocrinologist. Along with his private practice in Newton-Wellesley, Massachusetts, he also addresses many types of groups on the topic of hypothyroidism, and is considered an authority on the subject. He is the co-author of WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT HYPOTHYROIDISM: A SIMPLE PLAN FOR EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS. Mary Shomon is a patient advocate and author. Her books include LIVING WELL WITH HYPOTHYROIDISM and THE THYROID DIET: MANAGE YOUR METABOLISM FOR LASTING WEIGHT LOSS."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.org/archives/radio_shows/538_untangling_thyroid_confusion.asp

Brabant, G., and P. Beck-Peccoz, B. Jarzab, P. Laurberg, J. Orgiazzi, I. Szabolcs, A.P. Weetman, and W.M. Wiersinga, Is There a Need to Redefine the Upper Normal Limit of TSH? Eur. J. Endocrinol., May 1, 2006; 154(5): 633 - 637, ISSN: 0804-4643 OCLC.

Colbert, Don, Bible Cure for Thyroid Disorders, ISBN: 1591852811 9781591852810.
"Ancient truths, natural remedies, and the latest findings for your health today." -- Publisher

Langer, Stephen E., and James F. Scheer, Solved: The Riddle of Illness, fourth edition, ISBN: 0071470573 9780071470575.
"Called 'The Great Masquerader,' hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) is one of the most prevalent and least diagnosed disorders by physicians, yet it can be the underlying cause of or contribute to any of 64 ailments, from obesity and chronic fatigue to fibromyalgia and cancer.
"In this new edition, you will discover how to determine if you suffer from low thyroid function; how to differentiate between low thyroid function and hypoglycemia; how to use simple, inexpensive treatments; and much more. It also includes new chapters on environmental toxins, pregnancy, obesity, and how your thyroid influences other glands.
"Stephen E. Langer, M.D., is a renowned thyroid expert and the president of the American Nutritional Medical Association.
James Scheer is the author and co-author of more than fifteen health-related books.
"One of the most important books of our time . . . a perennial bestseller [that] shows you simple ways to understand and manage your thyroid gland so that you can make the most of your life physically, emotionally, and mentally." -- Dr. Dwayne Dyer, from the Foreword

Ridha, Arem, The Thyroid Solution: A Mind-Body Program for Beating Depression and Regaining Your Emotional and Physical Health, ISBN: 0345429206 9780345429209.
"It's sometimes called a hidden epidemic: One in ten Americans -- more than twenty million people, most of them women -- has a thyroid disorder. At any given time, millions of people have an undiagnosed thyroid disorder and experience a chronic mental anguish that almost certainly arises from the very same source. Yet many primary-care doctors still don't recognize the importance of the thyroid in mind-body health -- and its especially crucial role in women's well-being." -- Publisher
"One in ten Americans suffers from thyroid dysfunction, yet most don't realize the mental and emotional components of this condition. 'This is the first book to explain the hidden suffering that many patients have difficulty expressing and the first book to provide new ways of helping address and heal this suffering,' promises author Ridha Arem, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and chief of endocrinology and metabolism at Ben Taub General Hospital, both in Houston, Texas. This book explains the link between stress and thyroid imbalance; how thyroid imbalance affects your emotions, sex life, and relationships; and how to cope with the effects of this imbalance. Because thyroid problems primarily strike women, a whole section deals with women's health issues, such as infertility, miscarriage, postpartum depression, premenstrual syndrome, and menopause. Another section provides practical tools, such as evaluating lab tests and self-diagnosis techniques, dealing with treatment problems and side effects, and preventing memory lapses and depression. The book covers lifestyle choices that affect thyroid health, such as diet, supplementation, and exercise. Frequent case studies (usually told as first-person narratives), checklists, and questionnaires help to simplify the material and make it easier to check the medical information against your own situation. Each chapter ends with 'valuable points to remember,' making review easy. If you suffer from thyroid imbalance, or think you might, this book could be a valuable resource. -- Joan Price
"Arem, a clinical endocrinologist and researcher, says that 20 million Americans (one in ten) have a thyroid disorder. He argues that millions more suffer from undiagnosed thyroid dysfunction and the resulting mental and physical symptoms. Arem clearly and extensively examines the fundamentals of thyroid disease, including diagnosis and therapy, although his focus is on the significance of the thyroid in cognition and emotion -- the mind/body connection. Arem's thesis, derived from mainstream medicine but illustrated throughout by anecdotal reports, is that abnormal thyroid hormone production and dispersal can lead to health problems that range from the psychiatric to ophthalmologic. However, he may be overstating the case when he suggests that thyroid disturbances can underlie depression, anxiety, decreased motivation, and sexual difficulties even in those with normal blood tests. Further, he asserts that thyroid hormone is a bona fide antidepressant. Although thyroid hormone regulation can be important, it isn't the answer to all problems. This book should be of interest to those with thyroid disease; for others, it provides appropriate encouragement to remind their physicians to consider thyroid issues. Recommended for libraries with large budgets. -- Linda M.G. Katz, MCP Hahnemann Univ., Philadelphia, Library Journal (may be subject to copyright)
"Could you have an overactive or underactive thyroid and not even know it? Millions of Americans -- and a high percentage of women in menopause and perimenopause (the decade or so before menopause during which hormonal, emotional, and physical changes begin) -- do. Thyroid imbalances are not always easy to recognize. Only recently have physicians even begun to accept that minimal thyroid imbalances have an important effect on mental and physical health.
"Do you have any of the following symptoms?

Always fatigued or exhausted
Irritable and impatient
Feeling too hot or too cold
Depressed, anxious, or panicky
Bothered by changes in your skin or hair
At the mercy of your moods
Inexplicably gaining or losing weight
Losing your enthusiasm for life
Sleeping poorly or insomniac

Do you feel better but still not quite your old self?
Do you have unusual flare-ups of anger?
Are you less socially outgoing than you used to be?
Are you less tolerant of the foibles of family and friends?
Do you suffer from occasional bouts of mild depression?
Do you have frequent lapses in memory?
Are you often unable to concentrate on what you're doing?
Do you feel older than your chronological age?

Shames, Karilee and Richard Shames, Feeling Fat, Fuzzy or Frazzled? A 3-Step Program to: Beat Hormone Havoc, Restore Thyroid, Adrenal, and Reproductive Balance, and Feel Better Fast! ISBN: 159463002X 9781594630026.
"From the authors of THYROID POWER (more than 60,000 copies in paperback sold), comes a practical, hands-on program for the fat, fuzzy, and frazzled among us to feel better fast.
"For the 33 million Americans who feel sluggish, spacey, and stressed out daily, FEELING FAT, FUZZY, OR FRAZZLED? is the first book to address the delicate balance among the thyroid, adrenal, and reproductive glands -- which can make the day-to-day difference between feeling awful and feeling good. Long-term, if left untreated, this imbalance can cause heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, infertility, and severe menopause.
"Authored by an expert physician/nurse team, the book offers readers: an innovative program to identify their particular hormone-related metabolic disorder; a 5-day jumpstart program to help alleviate weight gain, low energy, or frayed nerves fast; and a long-term plan to achieve optimal health." -- Publisher
"A clear, comprehensive, and integrated road map to restore and rebalance our hormones." -- Mary J. Shomon, author of The Thyroid Diet and Living Well With Hypothyroidism

Shames, Richard, and Karilee Halo Shames, Thyroid Power: Ten Steps to Total Health, ISBN: 0688172369 9780688172367.
"Richard and Karilee Shames are not only husband and wife, but doctor and nurse, AND thyroid practitioner and thyroid patient. For more than twenty-five years, the Shameses have been working with people who are 'low thyroid' -- the term they use to describe hypothyroidism -- in their new book, THYROID POWER: TEN STEPS TO TOTAL HEALTH. Karilee herself is hypothyroid, as are several of the couple's children, and these experiences have informed both authors, who have struggled to help not only their own family, but many patients they have treated for thyroid problems as well.
"In a simply written, straightforward manner, the Shameses have reorganized some basic information about hypothyroidism's causes, tests, diagnosis and treatment into a ten-step program of information for patients.
Their ten steps include:

• Step One: Consider Thyroid The Hidden Factor in Your Overall Health
• Step Two: Learn How Low Thyroid Makes Any Illness Worse
• Step Three: Use Signs, Symptoms, and Family History to Support A Diagnosis
• Step Four: Realize You May Still Be Low Thyroid Despite Normal Tests
• Step Five: Discover Your Best Dose, Brand, or Mix of Medicines
• Step Six: Re-Balance Your Reproductive System
• Step Seven: Determine if Low Adrenal Should Also Be Treated
• Step Eight: Boost Your Medication with Natural Therapies
• Step Nine: Improve the Underlying Autoimmune Condition
• Step Ten: Reach Optimal Recovery with An Empowered Lifestyle

Shomon, Mary J., Living Well With Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell you . . . That you Need to Know, revised edition, ISBN: 0060740957 9780060740955.
"The most comprehensive resource available on the diagnosis and treatment of hypothyroidism. For millions of Americans, hypothyroidism often goes untreated . . . or is treated improperly. This book, thoroughly researched by the nation's top thyroid patient advocate -- a hypothyroidism patient herself -- provides you with answers to all your questions, including:

• What is hypothyroidism?
• What are the warning signs, symptoms, and risk factors?
• Why is getting diagnosed often a challenge, and how can you overcome the obstacles?
• What treatments are available (including those your doctor hasn't told you about)?
• Which alternative and holistic therapies, nutritional changes, and supplements may help treat hypothyroidism? -- Publisher

Starr, Mark, MD, Hypothyroidism Type 2: The Epidemic, ISBN: 9780975262405 0975262408.
"Dr. Starr has written a clear and understandable explanation of why so many people today are suffering from hypothyroidism, despite normal blood tests that throw their doctors off the track. This book is a compilation of the overwhelming evidence that not only is the modern laboratory testing used to diagnose hypothyroidism completely inadequate, but also the current treatment for the illness is equally lacking efficacy.
"Dr. Starr is a Diplomate of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pain Medicine. He has studied with President Kennedy's famous pain specialist, Hans Kraus, M.D., and Lawrence S. Sonkin, Ph.D., renowned endocrinologist at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center." -- Publisher

See also: Prescription Drugs With Dangers, Prescription Drugs With Dangers, The pharmaceutical industry, big pharma, Toxic and harmful substances, cancer, Oncology (cancer treatment), Correct diagnosis, Generic drugs, Depression, Physiological problems, Hypothyroidism, Correct diagnosis, The limits of modern medicine, The failure of the american medical system, What your doctor may not tell you, Prevention of disease, Medical ethics, Healthcare reform, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Public health, Abortion and the sanctity of life, Vaccination, The aged, Patient advocacy, Vaccination, Attention deficit disorder (add), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd), and so forth, and so on.

Related Weblinks

Does Your Dental Floss Contain PFAS Chemicals That Disrupt Hormones? Joe Graedon, January 10, 2019
"PFAS are Hard to Avoid:
There are a bunch of PFASs. They're all impossible to pronounce.
Here are just a few example:
PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid)
PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid)
PFNA (perfluorononanoic acid)
PFHxS (perfluorohexanesulfonic acid)
PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)
"These PFASs are used in all sorts of places you might not suspect. They are found in nonstick cookware and stain-repellent sprays. Carpets and furniture may be coated with PFAS to prevent stains from sticking to the fibers. Grease-resistant packaging may also have PFAS. Think pizza boxes or paper containers that hold French fries. Most surprising to us, though, was the report that suggested there are PFASs in some dental floss products (Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, online, Jan. 8, 2019).
"PFAS and Thyroid Problems:
"There appears to be a link between exposure to PFASs and thyroid disease. One chemical in particular, PFOA, has been associated with both hypo and hyperthyroidism. This was the conclusion of the C8 Science Panel (July 30, 2012). These scientists evaluated exposure of residents in Parkersburg, WV, to PFOA."
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2019/01/10/does-your-dental-floss-contain-pfas-chemicals-that-disrupt-hormones/

Environmental Endocrine Disruptors: What Health Care Providers Should Know
http://www.psr.org/assets/pdfs/environmental-endocrine.pdf

Fortnightly Review: Hypothyroidism: Screening and Subclinical Disease, (BMJ 1997;314:1175 [19 April])
A clinical review that suggests any TSH above 2 may indicate failing function.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/314/7088/1175

Healthopedia.com (Hypothyroidism)
http://www.healthopedia.com/hypothyroidism/

How to Treat Common Thyroid Problems
"Dr. David Cooper, director of the Thyroid Clinic at Johns Hopkins University, describes the best treatments for common thyroid problems.
"David S. Cooper, MD, MACP is the Director of the Thyroid Clinic and Professor of Medicine and Radiology in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His website: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/endocrinology_diabetes_metabolism/index.html." https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2019/04/25/show-1162-how-to-treat-common-thyroid-problems/

Lowering Exposure to Endocrine Disruptors, July 14, 2011
"The authors conclude that sticking with fresh food limits exposure to phthalates and BPA."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/07/14/lowering-exposure-to-endocrine-disruptors/

New Study Reveals Why 1 in 6 Hypothyroid Patients Still Feels bad on Levothyroxine, January 15, 2015
"If you are intrigued by this thyroid discussion we think you will find our newly revised 25-page Guide to Thyroid Hormones of great interest. Not only does it go into much greater depth regarding treatment options, it provides information about thyroid testing that you may not find anyplace else.
"Thyroid hormones are essential for normal body functioning. Getting the balance adjusted is a little like Goldilocks and the porridge; not too hot, not too cold, not too much and not too little. We want you to get it just right. Here is a link to our new guide."
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2015/01/15/new-study-reveals-why-1-in-6-thyroid-patients-still-feels-bad-on-levothyroxine/

Suspected Endocrine Toxicants
http://www.scorecard.org/health-effects/chemicals-2.tcl?short_hazard_name=endo&all_p=t

Thyroid Controversies, April 14, 2012
"Thyroid dysfunction is extremely common, and the symptoms make a person miserable. They are often non-specific, however, and it sometimes takes a while for the big picture of thyroid disease to emerge from the details of fatigue, dry skin, constipation, heavy menstrual periods, hair loss and so forth."
Contains related bibliography.
http://edrv.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/26/5/704

Update of Newborn Screening and Therapy for Congenital Hypothyroidism
Abstract: "Unrecognized congenital hypothyroidism leads to mental retardation. Newborn screening and thyroid therapy started within 2 weeks of age can normalize cognitive development. The primary thyroid-stimulating hormone screening has become standard in many parts of the world. However, newborn thyroid screening is not yet universal in some countries. Initial dosage of 10 to 15 µg/kg levothyroxine is recommended. The goals of thyroid hormone therapy should be to maintain frequent evaluations of total thyroxine or free thyroxine in the upper half of the reference range during the first 3 years of life and to normalize the serum thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration to ensure optimal thyroid hormone dosage and compliance.
"Improvements in screening and therapy have led to improved developmental outcomes in adults with congenital hypothyroidism who are now in their 20s and 30s. Thyroid hormone regimens used today are more aggressive in targeting early correction of thyroid-stimulating hormone than were those used 20 or even 10 years ago. Thus, newborn infants with congenital hypothyroidism today may have an even better intellectual and neurologic prognosis. Efforts are ongoing to establish the optimal therapy that leads to maximum potential for normal development for infants with congenital hypothyroidism.
"Remaining controversy centers on infants whose abnormality in neonatal thyroid function is transient or mild and on optimal care of very low birth weight or preterm infants. Of note, thyroid-stimulating hormone is not elevated in central hypothyroidism. An algorithm is proposed for diagnosis and management.
"Physicians must not relinquish their clinical judgment and experience in the face of normal newborn thyroid test results. Hypothyroidism can be acquired after the newborn screening. When clinical symptoms and signs suggest hypothyroidism, regardless of newborn screening results, serum free thyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone determinations should be performed."
The Wisconsin Newborn Screening Laboratory
465 Henry Mall
Madison WI 53706
Phone: (608) 262-6547
Fax: (608) 262-5494
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/117/6/2290

Widespread Pollutants With Endocrine-disrupting Effects: Persistent Organohalogens
An annotated listing of chemicals implicated in endocrine disruption.
http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/Basics/chemlist.htm

Depression

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Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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Du Plessis, Susan, and Jan Strydom, The Creators of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) on Trial: and of Youth Violence, the Drug Culture, Teen-age Promiscuity, the Wave of Teen Suicides and Illiteracy, ISBN: 1919751076 9781919751078.
"Contents: The number of children being diagnosed with behavior disorders such as ADHD, conduct disorder and Tourette syndrome is multiplying. | Youth violence, alcohol and drug abuse, teenage promiscuity and teen suicides have become commonplace. | Learning disabilities and illiteracy are increasing at an alarming rate. | This book reveals the true causes of youth-related problems. | Parents will find that this book explains what they can do to overcome ADHD and other emotional and behavioral problems. | Biochemical imbalances or neurological disorders in the brain. | Artificial colors and flavors. | Vaccinations. | Heredity. | TV. | Peer pressure. | A frog in a pot. | The myth of ADHD. | A new interpretation of an old problem. | In search of a biological cause. | Based on a logical flaw. | The restoration of status and riddance of guilt feelings. | The smart pill. | Discouraging results. | Man must learn to be human. | The bandwagon that went to a funeral. | Man is dependent on learning. | Questions most frequently asked. | The decomposition of society. | Youth violence and delinquency -- our social toxin. | The frightening drug scene. | The epidemic of teen-age promiscuity. | The horror statistics of suicide. | The erosion of education. | The soulless roots of psychology and psychiatry. | Members of the psychological guild on the stand. | The roots of modern psychology and psychiatry. | The rise of modern psychology. | The revolt against morals. | Psychiatry helps to free man from his crippling burden. | Morality goes to pot. | Creating a drug culture. | Chaos in the classroom. | Beginning of the rising tide of mediocrity. | Affective education replaces intellectual education. | Making our sick children well. | More of the same. | The Mental Hygiene Movement joins the educational scene. | The heart of psychology and psychiatry. | The proof of the pudding. | The hidden agendas of the experts. | Man is more than an animal. | Physical needs are not man's only needs. | Freedom without limits is no freedom at all. | Nobody can replace a parent. | The three cornerstones of discipline. | Training for self-discipline and self-restraint. | The illogicalities of the humanists. | The promise of an eternal life. | The other side of the coin. | A compass for his life. | What love is and what it is not. | The gold of which the coin is made. | The keys to the Kingdom. | An alternative approach. | A pyramid of repetition must be constructed. | The stratified nature of learning. | The foundational skills of reading. | The stratified nature of concentration. | The interruption of intellectual traditions. | The road that conquers death. | Man's search for meaning. | When man's spiritual need is denied. | The religion of modern man. | The New Age Movement finds its way to America. | Questions and answers on discipline. | From theories to practice. | A program of hope. | The deterioration of our children. | A case study." -- Publisher

Du Plessis, Susan, and Jan Strydom, The Myth of ADHD and Other Learning Disabilities: Parenting Without Ritalin, ISBN: 1563841800 9781563841804.
"If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD or some other behavior disorder, be careful. This diagnosis might be false. . . . The authors of this book explain how parents can teach their children the skills of concentration and self-control without drugging them into submission. Book jacket." -- Publisher

Hallowell, Edward M., and John J. Ratey, Delivered From Distraction: Getting the Most out of Life With Attention Deficit Disorder, ISBN: 0345442318 9780345442314.
"Medication? Maybe. Marry the right person and find the right job? A must if you are an adult suffering from ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). So say psychiatrists Edward M. Hallowell and John J. Ratey, authors of the influential DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION, published in 1994. In their new book, DELIVERED FROM DISTRACTION, Hallowell and Ratey survey the current medical landscape concerning ADD, combining their own clinical observations with the latest research to paint a much more complex and, in many ways, positive picture of the condition than has generally been presented.
"Hallowell and Ratey embrace the idea that success in life comes more from playing to your strengths than overcoming your weaknesses. In the case of a person with ADD (child or adult), these strengths often include unusually high levels of creativity, charisma, intelligence, and energy. The authors insist that, while medication and other treatments can sometimes work wonders in reducing limitations, surrounding yourself with people who promote these positive traits, be they in your personal or professional life, is the single most important element to living well with ADD. As both Hallowell and Ratey are not only experts in the field, but "ADDers" themselves, the tips and stories they share for how to do so are fresh, funny, and far more helpful than tired arguments over drugs verse no drugs or whether there's even such a thing as ADD at all." -- Patrick Jennings
Hallowell Center and Hallowell Connections
The Hallowell Center was founded by Dr. Edward M. Hallowell and specializes in the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Worry/Anxiety, and Child Learning Disabilities.
http://www.drhallowell.com/

Martin, Grant L., The Attention Deficit Child, ISBN: 1564767205 9781564767202.

Martin, Grant L., The Hyperactive Child, ISBN: 0896930688 9780896930681,
"This book will identify the symptoms and causes of hyperactivity in children, improve the way you deal with your child at home, and devise appropriate educational strategies at school and home to manage this condition." -- Publisher

Payne, Kim John, The Soul of Discipline: The Simplicity Parenting Approach to Warm, Firm, and Calm Guidance -- From Toddlers to Teens, ISBN: 9780345548672 0345548671.
"Payne conducted a study in which he simplified the lives of children with attention deficit disorder. Within four short months 68 per cent went from being clinically dysfunctional to clinically functional. The children also displayed a 37 percent increase in academic and cognitive aptitude, an effect not seen with commonly prescribed drugs like Ritalin. . . .
"Brilliant, wise, informative, innovative, entertaining, and urgently needed, this timely book is a godsend for all who love children, and for children themselves. It provides a doable plan for providing the kind of childhood that kids desperately need today!" -- Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., author of The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness
Simplifying Childhood may Protect Against Mental Health Issues
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/tracy-gillett/children-mental-health_b_9400848.html

Strydom, Jan, Susan du Plessis, and Benetta Strydom, The Bible's way to Victory Over ADHD and Other Childhood Challenges
"A free online book, providing sound answers on preventing and overcoming behavioral, emotional and learning problems, including ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), Conduct Disorder and Tourette's Syndrome."
http://www.audiblox2000.com/onlinebook/index.htm
E-mail: benetta@mweb.co.za

Related Weblinks

Simplifying Childhood may Protect Against Mental Health Issues
"Payne conducted a study in which he simplified the lives of children with attention deficit disorder. Within four short months 68 per cent went from being clinically dysfunctional to clinically functional. The children also displayed a 37 per cent increase in academic and cognitive aptitude, an effect not seen with commonly prescribed drugs like Ritalin. . . ."
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/tracy-gillett/children-mental-health_b_9400848.html

Eating Disorders

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But he answered and said: It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:4)

Excess in meat and drink clouds the mind, chokes good affections, and provokes lust. Many a man digs his own grave with his teeth. -- Thomas Manton

Eagleton, Henry, Counseling and Conceptualizing the Bulimic From a Biblical Perspective (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Theological Seminary, D.Min. thesis, 1986).
Includes bibliography.

Fitzpatrick, Elyse, More Than Bread: A Workbook for Women who Struggle With Eating. Available from Institute of Biblical Counseling and Discipleship, 3495 College Ave., San Diego, CA, 92115; 619-582-5554.
"A workbook that addresses ungodly eating habits, both the obvious behaviors and the typical motives of the heart that produce such behavior. Addresses three main categories of sinful eating: overeating, anorexia, and bulimia." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)
Institute of Biblical Counseling and Discipleship (formerly CCEF West)
http://www.ibcd.org/

Vath, Raymond E., Counseling Those With Eating Disorders, ISBN: 0849905834 9780849905834.
"This is not a 'how-to-treat' book but rather one that explains the attitudes and principles that have been effective in treating over 200 eating disorder cases of anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Part I deals with the nature, causes and consequences while Part II deals with the treatment." -- GCB
Includes bibliography and index.
"Dr. Vath, who is a Psychiatrist, approaches the counseling of eating disorders from the perspective of a strong, working faith in the principles of Christian teaching. He speaks from a position of having counseled over a hundred patients in their recovery from anorexia.
"His book also deals in a lesser extent with bulimia, especially as it sometimes may be an adjunct of the recovering anorexic.
"Dr. Vath's book is very readable and insightful. I would recommend it for any person who has any family member or close acquaintance with the disorder. -- Reader's Comment

Welch, Edward T., Eating Disorders: The Quest for Thinness, ISBN: 9781934885499 1934885495.

See also: Fasting, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Carnality and flesh pleasing: lust, desires, ambition, Obesity and gluttony, Habits, Self, selfishness, self-esteem, Self-destruction, Nutrition, nutriceuticals, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 3199

Eye Care

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Related Weblinks

Dyslexia, September 17, 2011
"As youngsters across the country settle into a new school year, some parents will receive disturbing news: little Jason or Emma has dyslexia. While this difficulty in processing written words can create challenges, it can be overcome with creativity. Two extraordinarily accomplished adults relate how their struggles with dyslexia in childhood contributed to their current achievements. Learn how parents can help children confront this challenge."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/09/17/828-dyslexia/

Eye Health, October 29, 2011
"Conditions like glaucoma and macular degeneration are very common among older Americans. They often result in impaired vision and affect quality of life severely. Are there health practices that can reduce the risk of these serious problems? Dry eye is increasingly common and extremely uncomfortable. What can be done to ease the burning and irritation associated with dry eye? How well do these approaches work? The eyes offer insight into overall health. What red flags can an eye doctor detect? What are the best strategies we can adopt to preserve our vision?:
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/10/29/833-eye-health/

Mold Allergy Symptoms
"Mold allergy causes the same signs and symptoms that occur in other types of upper respiratory allergies. Mold allergy symptoms can include:
• Sneezing
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Cough and postnasal drip
• Itchy eyes, nose, and throat
• Watery eyes
"Mold allergy symptoms vary from person to person, and range from mild to severe. You may have year-round symptoms or symptoms that flare up only during certain times of the year. You may notice symptoms when the weather is damp, or you're in indoor or outdoor spaces that have high concentrations of mold."
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mold-allergy/DS00773/DSECTION=symptoms

Dental Care

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"Strict dental hygiene and the use of fluoride toothpaste will stop tooth decay." (Dental Cavities, Wikipedia)
"The old GV Black principle of 'extension for prevention' [extension of fillings into good portions of a tooth to prevent possible future decay -- compiler], is no longer valid, and natural tooth structure should be preserved and retained as far as possible." (Minimal Intervention Dentistry) Nothing is better than the natural tooth. All dental treatment should be limited to preserving the natural tooth -- no unnecessary "drilling and filling" or "pulling and implanting."

The challenge that corporate healthcare in America is unable to meet is "how to maintain ever increasing compensation for healthcare [shareholders and medical professionals -- compiler], while the population becomes healthier."

Jacobsen, Peter, Restorative Dentistry: An Integrated Approach, ISBN: 9781444309263 1444309269.

Related Weblinks

Colgate Dental Resource Center
Seems to be a good basic resources.
http://www.colgate.com/

Dental Caries
Strict dental hygiene and the use of fluoride toothpaste will stop tooth decay.
"Arrested caries describes a lesion on a tooth which was previously demineralized but was remineralized before causing a cavitation. Using fluoride treatments can help with recalcification. . . .
"A person experiencing caries may not be aware of the disease. The earliest sign of a new carious lesion is the appearance of a chalky white spot on the surface of the tooth, indicating an area of demineralization of enamel. This is referred to as incipient decay. As the lesion continues to demineralize, it can turn brown but will eventually turn into a cavitation ('cavity'). Before the cavity forms, the process is reversible, but once a cavity forms, the lost tooth structure cannot be regenerated. [citation needed]. A lesion which appears brown and shiny suggests dental caries were once present but the demineralization process has stopped, leaving a stain. A brown spot which is dull in appearance is probably a sign of active caries." -- Dental Caries Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_cavities

The Dental Fillings Cover-up and the FDA, Greg Gordon, July 27, 2015
"Senior U.S. health officials have squelched a Food and Drug Administration proposal that for the first time would have curbed dentists' use of mercury -- one of the planet's nastiest toxins, because it attacks the central nervous system -- in treating Americans' decayed teeth."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2015/07/27/the-dental-fillings-cover-up-and-the-fda/

The Dentist Reviews
http://www.thedentistreviews.com/

Healing Teeth Naturally
"There are a number of fundamental flaws and problems with the dental paradigm of drilling and filling as shown in the following (not necessarily exhaustive) list of the damage done or potentially done by these apparently self-evident everyday acts (and yes, such damage can include . . . death).
"Last but far from least -- dentists' diagnoses far more often than not are wrong. See: "Ten Dentists -- Ten Diagnoses: Studies Into Misdiagnoses or the Quality, Honesty and Reproducibility of Dentists' Treatment Plans," and "Your Dentist's Treatment Plan and Diagnosis. . . Honest and Reproducible or Influenced by Financial Interests? Further Research Into Honesty and Quality of Dentists' Treatment Decisions."
http://www.healingteethnaturally.com/drilling-filling-risks-damages-dangers.html

Is Mouth Guard a Health Menace? August 20, 2012
"BPA (bisphenol A) is an estrogen-like chemical that has been used in a variety of hard plastic products. The FDA recently ruled that children's drinking cups and baby bottles can no longer contain BPA because of concerns about the potential for hormone disruption.
"Dental night guards are designed to protect teeth from grinding during sleep (bruxism). They are often made of hard clear plastic, but it is not easy to determine if they contain BPA. Although dental associations reassure patients that there is no reason to worry about BPA exposure from dental materials, you could ask your dentist to acquire BPA-free night guards.
"Otherwise, replace your mouth guard more frequently, since BPA is released more readily from plastic that has undergone wear."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/08/20/is-mouth-guard-a-health-menace/

Minimal Intervention Dentistry
"It is now recognised that it is quite possible to heal a lesion on the enamel surface providing it has not progressed. For the enamel surface, providing it has not progressed to surface breakdown and cavitation. As long as the surface is smooth, it can be remineralised through the use of fluoride and/or casein phosphopeptides with amorphous calcium phosphate nanocomplexes (CPP-ACP). The latter will penetrate into the porosities in demineralised enamel and effectively restore the white spot lesion to the full depth of the lesion.
"For demineralised dentine, providing there is still some level of mineral attached to the collagen matrix, it is sufficient to isolate the lesion from further bacterial activity with a bioactive restorative material, and it will remineralise to a considerable degree.
"This means that the old GV Black principle of "extension for prevention" is no longer valid and natural tooth structure should be preserved and retained as far as possible.
"It must be noted that, in permanent teeth, it may take up to four years for demineralisation to penetrate the full thickness of the proximal enamel and develop surface cavitation, and a further four years to reach the pulp."
http://www.midentistry.org/grid.html

Minimal Intervention Dentistry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimal_intervention_dentistry

Minimal Intervention Dentistry
Dr. Louis Malcmacher maintains a general and cosmetic private practice in Cleveland, Ohio.

http://www.commonsensedentistry.com

National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health
"In the year 2000 Surgeon General's report: Oral Health in America where it was reported that no less than a 'silent epidemic of oral diseases is affecting our most vulnerable citizens -- poor children, the elderly, and many members of racial and ethnic minority groups.' . . .
"There are profound and consequential oral health disparities within the U.S. population."
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/oralhealth/nationalcalltoaction.html

Rate a Dentist
http://www.rateadentist.com/

Saving Your Teeth and Protecting Your Wallet. What You Need to Know About Bruxism (Teeth Grinding and Clenching), Lee Weinstein
http://StopGrinding.com/FreeBook.htm

Universal numbering system (dental)
Permanent Teeth:
upper left upper right 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
lower left lower right 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_numbering_system_(dental)

World Congress on Minimal Intervention Dentistry
Locate MI dentists.
http://www.wcmidentistry.com/index.php?type_site=2&ID=33138

Handicapped and Disabled

---

See the Theological Notes: "The Image of God," at Genesis 1:27 in The Reformation Study Bible.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27)

Adams, Jay E. (1929-2020), Accepting Retarded Children; Handling Troubles; and etc. (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation).
Audio cassette JA409 [audio file].

Dean, Chuck, NAM VET: Making Peace With Your Past, ISBN: 0967937108 9780967937106.
"Dean is executive director of Point Man International, a non-profit support organization dedicated to healing war wounds of Vietnam veterans. He was among the first combat troops to be sent to Vietnam.
"This book is a shocker. Listen to these statistics: More Vietnam veterans have committed suicide since 1975 than were killed in the war itself. The divorce rate of Nam vets is 90 percent. One out of four combat veterans make less than $7000 a year." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
"Veterans are entering the 21st century, and for many, Vietnam has never ended. Why do so many suffer from flashbacks, depression, rage, substance abuse, and nightmares? Author and Vietnam veteran Chuck Dean has helped thousands find peace and spiritual healing." -- Publisher
Point Man International Ministries (800) 877-VETS
http://www.pointmanintl.org/

Ikeler, Bernard, Parenting Your Disabled Child, ISBN: 0664240445 9780664240448.
"Assesses the process of healing that occurs 'after one is willing to share the pain with others, rather than suffer in isolation.' Anyone who has directly experienced or lived in a family with a disability will find this must reading. It provided me, as a professional, with valuable new insight into dealing with my disabled parents." -- Robin Line

Kelly, William E. (editor), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the War Veteran Patient, ISBN: 0876303866 9780876303863.
"Provides counselors and therapists with a comprehensive blueprint for conceptualizing and treating war veterans' stress disorders. Concludes with the most comprehensive reading list on this subject yet assembled. Excellent coverage." -- Cyril J. Barber

Newman, Gene, and Joni Eareckson Tada, All God's Children: Ministry With Disabled Persons, ISBN: 0310593816 9780310593812.
"Handbook for pastors, elders, ministry leaders, and lay people who want to minister to people with disabilities. This edition is extensively revised, especially the chapters on hearing-impaired persons and on getting a disability ministry started. The resource lists have been expanded and brought up to date.
"Statistics show that only 5 percent of churches have an outreach to disabled persons and that 95 percent of the people who have disabilities are not active in any church. Why not? In many cases, churches are newly coming to awareness of the need for disability ministry but have no idea how to start or what's involved. ALL GOD'S CHILDREN is a handbook for pastors, elders, ministry leaders, and laypeople who want to minister to people with disabilities. It is a book to equip churches for ministry to those who are mentally retarded, learning disabled, hearing impaired, visually impaired, or otherwise physically disabled. This edition is extensively revised, especially the chapters on hearing-impaired persons and on getting a disability ministry started. The resource lists have been expanded and brought up to date.
"Joni Eareckson Tada is the founder of Joni and Friends, an organization accelerating Christian outreach in the disability community that numbers 610 million people worldwide. This organization operates out of the new Joni and Friends International Disability Center located in Agoura, California. Joni is not only an international disability advocate, but an artist and the author of numerous best-selling books, including Diamonds in the Dust, More Precious Than Silver, the Platinum award-winning Joni, Heaven: Your Real Home, When God Weeps, and The God I Love." -- Publisher

Ryle, J.C. (1816-1900), Thoughts on Sickness for Invalids and Their Friends.

*Tada, Joni Eareckson, Choices: Changes, ISBN: 0720806453 9780720806458.
"This book covers three major choices made in the past eight years that dramatically changed Joni's life: her movie, ministry, and marriage. She has learned the sovereignty of God in her suffering. There may be no finer book on spiritual growth in the life of a person with a major physical handicap." -- GCB

*Tada, Joni Eareckson, Friendship Unlimited: How you can Help a Disabled Friend, ISBN: 0877882886 9780877882886.
"Joni gives positive guidance on building deeper, more understanding relationships with the disabled people we come in contact with each day. This important book contains sections on what to say, when to offer help, how to deal with the common fears and reservations in relationship, and how to be an encouraging friend." -- GCB

Tada, Joni Eareckson, and Steve Estes, A Step Further: Growing Closer to God Through Hurt and Hardship, ISBN: 0310239710 9780310239710.
"Joni has written candidly and simply about one of the knottiest questions of human existence, that of the meaning of suffering. Her own trust illuminates every page." -- Elisabeth Elliot

Tada, Joni Eareckson, C. Everett, M.D. (foreword), When is it Right to Die? Suicide, Euthanasia, Suffering, Mercy, ISBN: 0310585708 9780310585701.
"This book argues against the practice of euthanasia from a decidedly Christian point of view. Tada bases her arguments on the implication that euthanasia is the 'ultimate expression of selfishness' and that persons entertaining such thoughts are being tempted by the forces of evil. While Tada is undeniably self-righteous in tone, readers should note that she writes with personal authority, having been paralyzed in a diving accident in her teens. Libraries seeking to balance their euthanasia collections should consider this for purchase, along with Robert Wennberg's similarly argued TERMINAL CHOICES (LJ 11/15/89). . . . See also: David Cundiff's EUTHANASIA IS NOT THE ANSWER. . . ." -- Jennifer Amador, Central State Hospital Medical Library, Petersburg, VA, in the Library Journal
"Joni Eareckson Tada is president of Joni and Friends, a ministry to disabled people. A presidential appointee to the National Council on Disability, she has served as a political activist on disability-related issues. She explores the issues surrounding euthanasia in more depth. . . ." -- Discipleship Journal

Terrell, Hilton P. (editor), and Franklin E. Payne (editor), Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine, Volumes 1-4: 1987-1990, ISSN: 1050-3404. Available from Covenant Enterprises, P.O. Box 14488, Augusta, GA 30919-0488.
"The JBEM was founded to bring biblical thinking to bear on medical issues. This book collects the first four years worth of articles, and includes a general index and an index of Scripture references. (A second volume, containing the next 4 years, is forthcoming). Many articles are relevant to matters that come up in counseling ministry, matters about which counselors will want to offer informed advice." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)
Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine
http://capo.org/jbem/intro_pa.htm

See also: The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Physiological problems, Emotions and health, Joy, Patients, self-control, Patient advocacy, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Eternal life, immortality, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 940, 500-511, 1527, 1541

Related Weblinks

Joni and Friends
http://www.joniandfriends.org

Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine
http://capo.org/jbem/intro_pa.htm

Point Man International Ministries
(P.O. Box 339, Sheridan, MI 48884-0339)
(800) 877-VETS, (517) 831-5215, (517) 831-5216 -- FAX (800) 877-VETS - Hotline.
Counsel for military veterans.
Point Man International Ministries
http://www.pointmanintl.org/

Segway Human Transport
http://www.segway.com/

The Aged

---

And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you. (Isaiah 46:4)

They shall still bring forth fruit in old age. [Psalm 92:14] Being thus planted and watered, they shall not only bring forth the fruits of righteousness, but shall continue and go on to do so, and even when they are grown old; contrary to all other trees, which, when old, cease bearing fruit; but so do not the righteous; grace is often in the greatest vigor when nature is decayed; witness Abraham, Job, David, Zechariah, and Elisabeth, and good old Simeon, who went to the grave like shocks of corn fully ripe. -- John Gill commenting on Psalm 92:14 in a footnote on Calvin's commentary on Psalm 92:12

The truest lengthening of life is to live while we live, wasting no time but using every hour for the highest ends. So be it this day. -- C.H. Spurgeon

We are always to make progress, even unto death, for our whole life is as it were, a race. -- John Calvin, Commentary on Hebrews

Pray that thy last days, and last works may be the best; and that when thou comest to die, thou mayest have nothing else to do but die. -- Vavasor Powell

Understand well that passive obedience is that which God calleth you to in your age and weakness, and in which you must serve and honour him in the conclusion of your labour. When you are unfit for any great or public works, and active obedience hath not opportunity to exercise itself as heretofore, it is then as acceptable to God that you honour him by patient suffering. And therefore it is a great error of them that wish for the death of all that are impotent, decrepit, and bedrid, as if they were utterly unserviceable to God. I tell you, it is no small service that they may do, not only by their prayers, and their secret love to God, but by being examples of faith, and patience, and heavenly mindedness, and confidence and joy in God, to all about them. Grudge not then if God will thus employ you. -- Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him. (Job 13:15)

And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone. (Genesis 2:18a)

Finding a geriatrician may not be easy. Remember, there is a shortage, and it will only get worse over the next several years. Nevertheless, the American Geriatrics Society is a nonprofit group of health professionals 'devoted to improving the health, independence and quality of life of all older people.' The website www.americangeriatrics.org has a referral search system that will allow you to find a geriatrics healthcare provider in many communities. There is also a printed list available by calling 1-800-247-4779. -- Top Screwups Doctors Make and how to Avoid Them, page 152

Top 10 Tips for Surviving Old Age
1. Make sure your doctor likes older people.
2. Find a good geriatrician.
3. Ask about special dosing requirements.
4. Beware bad drugs (check the Beers List).
5. Avoid anticholinergic drugs if possible.
6. Minimize the number of drugs you take.
7. Seek nondrug treatment when practical.
8. Be assertive.
9. Have an advocate.
10. Stay active. -- Top Screwups Doctors Make and how to Avoid Them, page 167

Adams, Jay E. (1929-2020), Am I too old to Change? (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation).
Audio cassette JA410 [audio file].

Alexander, Archibald (1772-1851), Thoughts on Religious Experience: To Which is Added an Appendix, Containing "Letters to the Aged," ISBN: 079050846X 9780790508467, 338 pages.
Contains counsel for widows and widowers (329-38).

*Baxter, Richard (1615-1691), The Saint's Everlasting Rest: Baxter's Practical Works, Vol. 3, ISBN: 187761128X 9781877611285. A Christian classic.
"Third in the four-volume set. Includes The Saint's Everlasting Rest; Treatise of Self-Denial; The Life of Faith; Obedient Patience, and many more. Over 1000 pages." -- GCB
"This is the greatest treatment on Heaven ever to appear! . . ." -- Wilbur M. Smith.
The Saints' Everlasting Rest, (singly) Richard Baxter, edited by Benjamin Fawcett
"Discusses the nature, excellencies, design, rejection, necessity, of the Saints' rest. Calls us to live the heavenly life now." -- GCB
The Saints' Everlasting Rest, Richard Baxter, edited by Benjamin Fawcett
http://www.ccel.org/b/baxter/everlasting_rest/saints_rest.html

*Becker, Arthur H., Ministry With Older Persons: A Guide for Clergy and Congregations, ISBN: 0806621966 9780806621968.
"One of the most helpful works of its kind. Covers all of the issues in a most practical manner. Shows how those in the church may restore the dignity of the aged and help them in their declining years." -- Cyril J. Barber

Bredesen, Dale E., Kimberly Farr, and Marc Cashman, The First Survivors of Alzheimer's: How Patients Recovered Life and Hope in Their own Words, eAudiobook, audio file, ISBN: 9780593409602 0593409604.
"First person stories of patients who recovered from Alzheimer's Disease -- and how they did it. It has been said that everyone knows a cancer survivor, but no one has met an Alzheimer's survivor -- until now. In his first two books, Dr. Dale Bredesen outlined the revolutionary treatments that are changing what had previously seemed like the inevitable outcome of cognitive decline and dementia. And in these moving narratives, you can hear directly from the first survivors of Alzheimer's themselves -- their own amazing stories of hope told in their own words. These first person accounts honestly detail the fear, struggle, and ultimate victory of each patient's journey. They vividly describe what it is like to have Alzheimer's. They also drill down on how each of these patients made the program work for them -- the challenges, the workarounds, the encouraging results that are so motivating. Dr. Bredesen includes commentary following each story to help point readers to the tips and tricks that might help them as well. Dr. Bredesen's patients have not just survived; they have thrived to rediscover fulfilling lives, rewarding relationships, and meaningful work. This book will give unprecedented hope to patients and their families." -- Publisher

Bredesen, Dale E., David Perlmutter, and Marc Cashman, eAudiobook, [audio file], 10 CDs, The End of Alzheimer's Program: The First Protocol to Enhance Cognition and Reverse Decline at any age, ISBN: 9780593210420 0593210425.
"Dale Bredesen lays out a specific plan to help everyone prevent and reverse cognitive decline or simply maximize brainpower. He drills down on restorative sleep, targeted supplementation, exercise, and brain training. He also examines the tricky question of toxic exposure and provides workarounds for many difficult problems." -- Publisher

Deane, Barbara, Caring for Your Aging Parents: When Love is not Enough, ISBN: 0891095780 9780891095781.
The author is a co-founder of Christian Caregivers. "Furnishes the support and advice caregivers need to provide good care -- without burning out in the process." Helpful reference lists.
The Caregiver's Handbook
http://www.seniormag.com/caregiver-handbook.pdf

DeBardeleben, Martha Graves, and Jay Adams (foreword), Fear's Answers: Case History in Nouthetic Counseling, ISBN: 087552236X 9780875522364.
" 'It was the summer of 1970. I had already discarded my faith in psychology as the source of truth and remedy for the human dilemma. I was more and more finding in God's Word the answers. I was introduced to Jay Adams and his systematizing of Scripture as it applies to the problems of everyday living. I was thrilled to find that Dr. Adams' discoveries both paralleled and went far beyond my own.' Then in 1978 a 78 year old woman with pain, fear, depression, manipulation, hallucinations comes to live with the author. They speak biblically about pride, anger, fear, self-centeredness and lack of trust in God, instead of saying she needs her delusions and is too old for truth. 'What was most crucial in her recovery was that because she had a loving Savior, she could dare face the truth about herself'." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)

Fick, D.M., et al., Updating the BEERS Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication use in Older Adults: Results of the U.S. Consensus Panel of Experts, Arch. Intern. Med. 2003; 163:2716-2724. ISSN: 0003-9926, Unique Identifier: 4637607746.
The BEERS criteria were revised in 2003.
The American Geriatrics Association 2012 Beers Criteria
A listing of medications that should be avoided by persons over 65 years of age.
http://www.americangeriatrics.org/files/documents/beers/2012BeersCriteria_JAGS.pdf
Beers revised: Drugs not to use in older adults
"The revised 2012 Beers criteria help health professionals determine therapies for older patients."
https://www.pharmacist.com/beers-revised-drugs-not-use-older-adults

Gillies, John, A Guide to Caring for and Coping With Aging Parents, ISBN: 0840757727 9780840757722.
"A sensitive, loving, and practical approach to the issues that face the middle-aged whose parents can no longer lead independent lives." -- Cyril J. Barber

*Gordon, Burgess L., Understanding and Promoting the Resources of Aging People: A Guide to Care, Proper Environment, and Well Being.
"Describes the conditions that affect the health of the aged. Written more for those who work extensively with senior citizens, this work nevertheless brings into sharp focus the unique needs of the elderly." -- Cyril J. Barber
The Caregiver's Handbook
http://www.seniormag.com/caregiver-handbook.pdf

Grant, George, The Dispossessed: Homelessness in America, ISBN: 0891074112: 9780891074113.
"Grant has a solution to the problem of the homeless that really works. How does he know his ideas work; he practices them. He says that the Bible speaks directly to this problem. The answer is not more government control. His ideas on homelessness and social policy are really different." -- Publisher
Institute for Christian Economics Freebooks.com
http://www.garynorth.com/freebooks/

Halter, Jeffrey B., et al., Hazzard's Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, ISBN: 0071833455 9780071833455.
"The definitive treatise on the subject of geriatrics, this comprehensive text combines gerontology principles with clinical geriatrics, offering a uniquely holistic approach to this ever-expanding area of medicine. Written by some of the world's most respected geriatricians, HAZZARD'S GERIATRIC MEDICINE AND GERONTOLOGY, SEVENTH EDITION presents up-to-date, evidence-based information in a rich new full-color design. Unmatched as a textbook, this classic is also valuable to fellows in geriatric medicine. HAZZARDS'S GERIATRIC MEDICINE AND GERONTOLOGY, SEVENTH EDITION is logically divided into five parts: Principles of Gerontology, Principles of Geriatrics, Geriatric Syndromes, Principles of Palliative Medicine, and Organ Systems and Diseases. Within its pages, you will find balanced, authoritative coverage of every essential topic -- from evaluation and management to nutrition and palliative medicine" -- Publisher
"The last word in geriatrics. Each edition has gotten better." -- Reader's Comment
"Recommended. But be aware that is a very advanced medical reference, not directed to the typical layperson." -- Reader's Comment

Harris, J. Gordon, Biblical Perspectives on Aging: God and the Elderly, ISBN: 9780789035370 0789035375.
"The elderly are frequently an embarrassment to their children who do not know what to do with them. Often the responsibility for their care is placed upon one family member or they are placed in a retirement home. This book will be an important reference work and resource guide for those who seek a connection between the Biblical text and the needs of their parents." -- Cyril J. Barber

Hendricks, William L., A Theology for Aging, ISBN: 0805417125 9780805417128.
"Writing from an evangelical perspective, Hendricks discusses undergirding one's approach to death with confidence. His material is ably supported by Scripture. His conclusions are wholesome. The result is a well articulated treatise on the physical, mental, financial, and emotional pressures aging people face. Recommended." -- Cyril J. Barber

Hyer, Leon, Trauma Among Older People: Issues and Treatment, ISBN: 1583910816 9781583910818.
"This is the definitive work on PTSD with the aged. What makes this book so praiseworthy is a combination of clarity, extensiveness, and insight. By insight, I mean that the authors know when to lay out the full range of accepted diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and when to admit the limitations of what is currently accepted. What is especially refreshing here is the discernment and decision making: looking at the patient's personality and situation in order to decide what kind of treatment approach to use." -- Clinical Gerontologist, Volume 24, No. 4
"This book fills a gaping hole in the field . . . The ideas are very much mainstream, but they are also cutting edge and articulated very clearly. The emphasis on personality and individual differences is much needed, especially as applied to people who have lived with the disorder for years and years." -- Don R. Catherall, Ph.D., Northwestern University Medical School
"The elderly are often isolated by age and social biases, and this lends itself to increased trauma, violence and neglect. Until recent years we have not even had resources and laws/procedures to report elderly abuse, having to rely on the language and format of child abuse while making appropriate adjustments for age and circumstance. Experts in domestic violence cite rapidly growing numbers of victims among the elderly, often in long-term marriages." -- The World Pastoral Care Center

Koenig, Harold G., Research on Religion and Aging: An Annotated Bibliography, ISBN: 0313294275 9780313294273.

Liponis, Mark, UltraLongevity: The Seven-Step Program for a Younger, Healthier You, 304 pages, ISBN: 0316017280 9780316017282.
"Medical director of the world-famous Canyon Ranch Health Resorts, Dr. Mark Liponis presents his extraordinary new idea: that aging and aging-related diseases -- including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes -- are autoimmune problems, and that a well-managed immune system is the key to healthy aging. Cutting-edge research makes ULTRALONGEVITY the first and only book to explore aging within the context of the immune system, and it will change the way we look at health forever. Starting with a quiz -- 'How Fast Are You Aging?' -- Liponis explains the new science, lays out an accessible and proven 7-step program with an 8-day meal plan, and motivates readers to put the program into practice so that they can keep their minds sharp, become more physically fit, be more resistant to infections and disease, and feel and stay younger than they ever imagined. Through the UltraLongevity program, Liponis promises more than a long life; he promises a long, healthy life.
"Mark Liponis, MD, Corporate Medical Director of Canyon Ranch Resorts. His previous book, with Dr. Mark Hyman, was Ultraprevention." -- Publisher
"What an awesome and practical anti-aging program! Dr. Liponis's approach to longevity is based on proven technological breakthroughs supported by hundreds of studies. This is the best original thinking I have seen in decades!" -- Stephen T. Sinatra, MD, FACC, CNS, co-author of REVERSE HEART DISEASE NOW
"UltraLongevity is a treasure -- it's loaded with exactly the kind of information everyone needs to live well and vibrantly -- for as long as possible." -- Christiane Northrup, MD, author of WOMEN'S BODIES, WOMEN'S WISDOM
"An insightful, simplified, and integrated approach to achieving optimal health, wellness, and longevity." -- Richard Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS, 17th Surgeon General of the United States
"What do breathing, eating, sleeping, loving, soothing, enhancing, and dancing accomplish? They are the seven things you can do to change your life for the younger (and better).
"Recent scientific research indicates that by paying attention to your immune system, you can control the aging process. . . .
"Talk about your interesting book. It is chock full of great information that inspires you to better living. He gives just enough details to make various lifestyle changes not only reasonable, but feasible. . . .
"My chief complaint about this book is the great amount of time he spent in the netherworld of evolution. The science of the immune system was quite possibly spot on, but it was absolutely unnecessary to continue to state over and over again how it evolved over millions of years. A reference or two I wouldn't even mention, but the evolution horse was beaten dead. Regardless, there is a great amount of useful information in the rest of the book and I intend to put it to use. . . ." This is a great resource for those experiencing an overactive immune system and those who hope not to." -- Reader's Comment

Mack, Wayne A., Peculiar Problems and Blessings of old age. An audio file.

Maves, Paul B., Faith for the Older Years: Making the Most of Life's Second Half, ISBN: 0806621958 9780806621951.
"In a warm style Maves shares his knowledge and experience as a lifelong student of aging and as a senior citizen." -- William E. Hulme
Includes biography, pp. 185-189.

McColley, D., Physical and Spiritual Care of the Terminally ill.

*McCormick, Tom, and Penny McCormick, Nursing Home Ministry, ISBN: 0934688087 9780934688086.
"Previously published by Great Commission Publications. This manual for working with the institutionalized elderly is intended primarily for use by Christians who wish to carry on a Christian ministry." -- Publisher

Norris, Bill, What the Bible Says About Growing Old, ISBN: 0899002587 9780899002583.

Riekse, Robert J., and Henry Holstege, The Christian Guide to Parent Care, ISBN: 0842305440 9780842305440.
"Addresses the needs of aging parents while offering support for caretakers." -- Publisher

Rutecki, G.W., Rationing Medical Care to the Elderly Revisited: Futility as a Just Criterion, ISSN: 1050-3404.

Sherouse, Deborah L. Professional's Handbook on Geriatric Alcoholism, ISBN: 0398048282 9780398048280.

Smick, Timothy S., et al., Eldercare for the Christian Family: What to do When a Loved one Becomes Dependent, ISBN: 0849907195 9780849907197.
"This book explores all the dynamics of caregiving -- planning, financing, burnout, and blessing -- and enables grown children to select the most comprehensive care plan for their loved ones. It is full of practical advice and spiritual insights." -- GCB

Watson, David, Fear no Evil: One man Deals With Terminal Illness, ISBN: 0802725406 9780802725400.
"FEAR NO EVIL is the conquest of death -- not by looking away from it, nor by being shielded from it, but by facing it squarely and going down into it knowing that for a believer it is the vestibule of glory. Watson died peacefully one month after completing this book." -- GCB
"David Watson candidly shares his journey from "life to life" in a comforting and encouraging manner. With the Lord as his travelling companion, Watson reveals the most important pursuit given to humanity -- to seek God's face." -- Reader's Comment

Whitehouse, Peter J., and Daniel George, The Myth of Alzheimer's: What you Aren't Being Told About Today's Most Dreaded Diagnosis, ISBN: 9780312368166 031236816X 9780312368173 0312368178.
"Challenges conventional perceptions about Alzheimer's disease to offer readers alternative approaches to memory loss and aging that can be aided through simple nutritional and exercise strategies." -- Publisher

Word Publishing, God's Promises for the Golden Years, ISBN: 0849951704 9780849951701.
"It is a collection of verses from God's inspired Word, organized into topics that address the issues faced by those in mid-life and beyond. This superbly organized, thoughtful collection responds to many areas of interest and concern. . . ." -- CRM

See also: The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), Prescription Drugs With Dangers, Prescription Drugs With Dangers, The pharmaceutical industry, big pharma, Toxic and harmful substances, cancer, Generic drugs, Depression, Hypothyroidism, Correct diagnosis, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Eternal life, immortality, The limits of modern medicine, The failure of the american medical system, Medical ethics, Ethics, computer ethics, cyberethics, Sex ethics, sex education, Healthcare reform, Public health, Patient advocacy, Prevention of disease, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 2191-2195

Related Weblinks

American Heart Association Stroke Hospital Locator
Find the nearest stroke certified hospital.
http://maps.heart.org/quality/

Cardiac Stem Cells Show Promise, November 17, 2011
"There's good news and bad news in the field of stem cell research. A small, preliminary study of patients with heart failure showed that cardiac stem cells can improve the heart's ability to pump blood. Cardiac surgeons removed a bit of heart tissue during bypass surgery or biopsy. Cardiac stem cells were coaxed from that tissue and later injected into the heart. Even years after the original damage, the cardiac stem cells were able to develop new heart cells and improve overall heart function. Some experts think this discovery is a major advance in the treatment of heart failure, but much more research will be needed to see whether the results in these fourteen heart patients can be generalized to a wider population." (The Lancet, Nov. 14, 2011)
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/11/17/cardiac-stem-cells-show-promise/

The Caregiver's Handbook
http://www.seniormag.com/caregiver-handbook.pdf

The David Drew Clinic
"Providing the highest level of preventive medical diagnosis in the world today." They have opted out of Medicare. A complete physical is about $3,000 to $4,000. Primarily a service for top executives. (See: Should I be Tested for Cancer? by H. Gilbert Welch.)
Some authorities have advised against such extensive medical testing for a variety of reason: the inherent risks of many of the tests themselves, of X-rays, body CT-scans, stress tests, dyes used, and so forth and so on.
http://daviddrew.com/

ElderWeb
http://www.elderweb.org/

Family Caregiver Alliance
http://www.caregiver.org/

Healthy Aging, April 30, 2011
"Getting to a ripe old age may mean you have good genes and luck on your side, along with a healthy lifestyle. But as people accumulate birthdays, the medical system may undermine their vitality and independence.
"Ageism in healthcare may mean that older people are pigeonholed and not offered care that is best for them. Many medications that are safe for younger adults can be dangerous for an older person. How can you protect your parents (or yourself) from prescriptions that cause problems?
"Guest: Mark S. Lachs, MD, M.P.H. is Professor of Medicine and Co-Chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He is also director of Cornell's Center for Aging Research and Clinical Care and Director of Geriatrics for the New York-Presbyterian Health System. He is the author of TREAT ME, NOT MY AGE: A DOCTOR'S GUIDE TO GETTING THE BEST CARE AS YOU OR A LOVED ONE GETS OLDER. His website is www.treatmenotmyage.com.
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2011/04/30/811-healthy-aging/

Healthopedia.com (Alzheimers)
http://www.healthopedia.com/alzheimers-disease/

How to Prevent Alzheimer Disease
"A multifactorial approach, looking at many lifestyle components and biochemical markers, may offer the best chance to prevent Alzheimer disease."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2016/08/22/how-to-prevent-alzheimer-disease/

Medical Debt Among People With Health Insurance, Karen Pollitz, et al., (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation), Jan 07, 2014
"Medical bills are a leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S., contributing to 62 percent of personal bankruptcies in 2007. Most who filed for medical bankruptcy that year were well educated, owned homes, and had middle-class occupations. Three quarters had health insurance." (David Himmelstein, et al., "Medical Bankruptcy in the United States, 2007: Results of a National Study," The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 122, Issue 8, August 2009)
http://kff.org/report-section/medical-debt-among-people-with-health-insurance-consequences-of-medical-debt/

National Stroke Association
Learn the signs of stroke.
http://www.stroke.org/

PSA Screening Still Puzzling, March 15, 2012
"Prostate cancer screening with a PSA test may not save lives. The prostate specific antigen or PSA test has been controversial for years. Many doctors have relied on the PSA test to help identify men who may have prostate cancer that requires treatment. Recently, though, experts have been debating the value of this screening test. The Preventive Services Task Force recommended that healthy men forego routine PSA screening because it doesn't save lives and may lead to unnecessary interventions. Now a study from Europe shows that the test can help with prostate cancer detection and reduce deaths from the cancer. But the overall mortality rate was the same for men who were screened and those who were not."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2012/03/15/psa-screening-still-puzzling/

What can be Done to Help When the Prognosis is Poor, October 2017
"Even when a person has been diagnosed with an incurable disease, doctors can provide palliative care to help the patient live better as well as longer.
"Although lifespans have been increasing, so has the burden of chronic disease. When a person is diagnosed with a serious illness such as cancer, cirrhosis, kidney disease, heart failure or Parkinson's, medical science may not have a cure. But doctors shouldn't say, there's nothing more we can do. Instead, they should ask, how can we help this patient live better, if not longer? That is the goal of palliative care.
"Steven Pantilat, MD, is professor of medicine in the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He is the Kates-Burnard and Hellman Distinguished Professor in Palliative Care and the founding director of the UCSF Palliative Care Program. In 2007, this program received a Circle of Life Award in recognition of excellence and innovation from the American Hospital Association.
"His book is LIFE AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS: EXPERT ADVICE ON LIVING WELL WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. His website is www.lifeafterthediagnosis.com"
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2017/10/12/show-1097-what-can-be-done-to-help-when-the-prognosis-is-poor/

Death

---

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (Isaiah 25:8,9)

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. (John 11:25b-26a)

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. (Romans 14:8,9)

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:25)

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:19)

See the Theological Notes: "Salvation," at Acts 4:12 in The Reformation Study Bible.

See the Theological Notes: "The Resurrection of Jesus," at Luke 24:2 in The Reformation Study Bible.

See the Theological Notes: "Resurrection and Glorification," at 1 Corinthians 15:21 in The Reformation Study Bible.

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:12)

See the Theological Notes: "Death and the Intermediate State," at Philippians 1:23 in The Reformation Study Bible.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

The Treasury of David, Psalm 121, C.H. Spurgeon
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall keep thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in from henceforth and forever. (Psalm 121:7-8)
http://archive.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps121.php

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:1-3)

But whatsoever is the cause of the wicked's resurrection, this sufficeth to the saints' comfort, that resurrection to glory is only the fruit of Christ's death: and this fruit they shall certainly partake of. The promise is sure: All that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and come forth, John v. 28 [John 5:28]. And this is the Father's will which hath sent Christ, that of all which he hath given him he should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day, John vi. 39 [John 6:39]; and that every one that believeth on the Son may have everlasting life, and he will raise him up at the last day, ver. 40 [John 6:40] . . . . If his death immediately raised the dead bodies of many saints in Jerusalem; if he gave power to his apostles to raise the dead; then what doubt of our resurrection? And thus, Christian, thou seest that, Christ having sanctified the grave by his burial, and conquered death, and broke the ice for us, a dead body and a grave is not now so horrid a spectacle to a believing eye; but as our Lord was nearest his resurrection and glory when he was in the grave, even so are we; and he that hath promised to make our bed in sickness, will make the dust as a bed of roses. Death shall not dissolve the union betwixt him and us, nor turn away his affections from us; but in the morning of eternity he will send his angels, yea, come himself, and roll away the stone, and unseal our grave, and reach us his hand, and deliver us alive to our Father. . . . Thy sickness is not unto death, though I die, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby. Say not, then, he lifted me up to cast me down, and hath raised me high that my fall may be to the lower; but he casts me down that he may life me up, and layeth me low that I may rise the higher. A hundred experiences have sealed this truth unto thee, that the greatest dejections are intended but for advantages to the greatest dignity and the Redeemer's glory. -- Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

You cannot deny him to be the disposer of all things, without denying him to be God: it is he that loveth us, and never meant us any harm in any thing that he hath done to us; that gave the life of his Son to redeem us; and therefore thinketh not life too good for us. Our sickness and death are sent by the same love that sent us a Saviour, and sent us the powerful preachers of his word, and sent us his Spirit, and secretly and sweetly changed our hearts, and knit them to himself in love; which gave us a life of precious mercies for our souls and bodies, and hath promised to give us life eternal; and shall we think, that he now intendeth us any harm? Cannot he turn this also to our good, as he hath done many an affliction which we have repined at? -- Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

Let your thoughts of death, and preparations for it, be as serious as if death were just at hand. Though all your life be little enough to prepare for death, and it be a work that should be done as soon as you have the use of reason, yet age and weakness call louder to you, presently to prepare without delay. Do therefore all that you would fain find done, when your last sickness cometh; that unreadiness to die may not make death terrible, nor your age uncomfortable.
Live in the joyful expectation of your change, as becometh one that is so near to heaven, and looketh to live with Christ for ever. Let all the high and glorious things, which faith apprehendeth, now show their power in the love, and joy, and longings of your soul. There is nothing in which the weak and aged can more honour Christ and do good to others, than in joyful expectation of their change, and an earnest desire to be with Christ. This will do much to convince unbelievers, that the promises are true, and that heaven is real, and that a holy life is indeed the best, which hath so happy an end. When they see you highest in your joys, at the time when others are deepest in distress: and when you rejoice as one that is entering upon his happiness when all the happiness of the ungodly is at an end; this will do more than many sermons, to persuade a sinner to a holy life. I know that this is not easily attained; but a thing so sweet and profitable to yourselves, and so useful to the good of others, and so much tending to the honour of God, should be laboured after with all your diligence: and then you may expect God's blessing on your labours. Read to this use the fourth part of my "Saints' Rest." -- Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

The person who has Christ, has life. They can look around them on the temporary things and see change and decay on every side without dismay. They have got treasure in heaven, which neither rust nor moth can corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal.
They can look forward to the things eternal and feel calm and composed. Their Savior has risen, and gone to prepare a place for them. When they leave this world they shall have a crown of glory, and be forever with their Lord. They can look down even into the grave, as the wisest Greeks and Romans could never do, and say, Oh, death, where is your sting? Oh, grave, where is your victory? (1 Cor. 15:55 [1 Corinthians 15:55]). -- J.C. Ryle (1816-1900)

It should be kept in mind that "spiritual unity [the unity between persons having the same objective faith in the Gospel -- compiler], is much more intimate than physical unity can be [Spiritual unity transcends geographical distance and transcends temporal time to eternity. Therefore, a Christian funeral, while bittersweet, is also a great celebration. The spirit may have left the body, but there is a love among the faithful that transcends space and temporal time into eternity, and that oneness is felt by the Elect at a funeral. -- compiler], and that such physical analogies of spiritual unity as the Lord's Supper and marriage, rather than exaggerating the intimacy of spiritual unity, do not even approach it." -- John W. Robbins commenting on Philemon 4-7 in Slavery Christianity

Death, like a whirlwind, may blow down the tree of the body, but it cannot blast the fruit of our graces. The trees of righteousness carry their fruit with them: their works follow them (Revelation 14:13). -- Thomas Watson (1620-1686)

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. (Romans 14:7)

Abortion was the 20th century's biggest single killer of mankind worldwide, far surpassing any other cause: disease, war, governments, natural disasters, and so forth. See: "Biggest Killers of the 20th Century." Notice that abortion is not included in this diagram. The absence of information says something about the depravity of mankind (Jeremiah 17:9,10), and about the suppression and repression of truth. (Hosea 4:6,7)
The number of abortions performed worldwide in the last 50 years is estimated to be 1 to 2 billion. But try to document this fact elsewhere online.
The total abortions worldwide for the 20th century may be interpolation from available data. The calculation does not factor in incremental increases in world population since 1900. Worldwide there are an estimated 43.8 million abortions annually (2008 figures, Guttmacher Institute) X 100 years = 4.38 billion killings worldwide in the 20th century. This is compared to 1.97 billion estimated deaths worldwide for non-communicable diseases the reported biggest killer worldwide of the 20th century. Comparison may also be made with figures for genocide.
Number of Abortions -- Abortion Counters
"The most accurate set of abortion counters on the web. Number of abortions in U.S. and worldwide; Number of abortions since 1973; Number of abortions this year; U.S. abortion clock; Worldwide abortion clock; Number of abortions due to rape or incest; Planned Parenthood abortion count."
http://www.numberofabortions.com/

Adams, Jay E. (1929-2020), Fear of Death; Church Discipline; Being in the Hospital (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation).
Audio cassette JA408 [audio file].

Adams, Jay E. (1929-2020), Role-Play and Critique (part 3), (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation).
"Wife's Husband Dies; Mother's Baby Born Deformed; Pregnant Unwed Daughter."
Audio cassette JA212 [audio file].

Adams, Jay E. (1929-2020), Sex Change; Division in Eldership; Children; Suicide; Paranoia; Repression; Forgetting; Death (Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation).
Audio cassette JA506 [audio file].

Aldrich, Sandra Picklesimer, Living Through the Loss of Someone You Love: One Woman's Story of Loss, Grief, and New-found Hope, ISBN: 0830713964 9780830713967.

Bailey, Robert, Ministering to the Grieving, ISBN: 0310417619 9780310417613.

Baxter, J. Sidlow, The Other Side of Death: What the Bible Teaches About Heaven and Hell, ISBN: 0825421586 9780825421587.
"Here is a study of heaven, hell, and life beyond death that addresses the contemporary confusion over universalism, New Age spirituality, and Eastern mysticism. This intriguing study offers both guidance and spiritual comfort for readers wanting to understand God's plan for them after life on earth. Pastors will find a wealth of illustrative material for sermon preparation." -- Publisher

*Baxter, Richard (1615-1691), Dying Thoughts: Christian Hope for the Life Hereafter, ISBN: 0801006015: 9780801006012. A Christian classic.
"It deals with the Christian life, and it intends to encourage the believer to live a holy life with eternity constantly in view. It presents a challenge, developing the Scriptures that promise the joy, peace, and delight for those who go to be with Christ. It will be a help to those who are facing bereavement. . . ." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
The Saints' Everlasting Rest, Richard Baxter, edited by Benjamin Fawcett
http://www.ccel.org/b/baxter/everlasting_rest/saints_rest.html

*Baxter, Richard (1615-1691), The Saint's Everlasting Rest: Baxter's Practical Works, Vol. 3, ISBN: 187761128X 9781877611285. A Christian classic.
"Third in the four-volume set. Includes The Saint's Everlasting Rest; Treatise of Self-Denial; The Life of Faith; Obedient Patience, and many more. Over 1000 pages." -- GCB
"This is the greatest treatment on Heaven ever to appear! . . ." -- Wilbur M. Smith.
The Saints' Everlasting Rest, (singly) Richard Baxter, edited by Benjamin Fawcett
"Discusses the nature, excellencies, design, rejection, necessity, of the Saints' rest. Calls us to live the heavenly life now." -- GCB
The Saints' Everlasting Rest, Richard Baxter, edited by Benjamin Fawcett
http://www.ccel.org/b/baxter/everlasting_rest/saints_rest.html

*Boettner, Loraine, Immortality, ISBN: 0875521274.
"A clear-cut evangelical presentation of physical death, immortality, and the intermediate state. Includes a discussion of soul sleep, annihilation, purgatory, spiritism, prayers for the dead, cremation, and so on. A valuable work." -- Cyril J. Barber

Boston, Thomas (1676-1732), Death. Available in Boston's HUMAN NATURE IN ITS FOURFOLD STATE. Available (PDF, HUMAN NATURE IN ITS FOURFOLD STATE, MP3, DEATH) on the Puritan Hard Drive.
http://www.westminsterconfession.org/godly-living/death.php

Cushenberry, Donald C., Coping With Life After Your Mate Dies, ISBN: 0801057655 9780801057656.
"For Donald and Rita Cushenberry, practical wisdom for grieving and getting on with life came from personal experience. Each has lost a spouse, grieved, and eventually found new life. This book brings comfort and helps survivors face decisions." -- Publisher

Goode, William, Faith Triumphant in Death: A Funeral Sermon, occasioned by the death of the Rev. W. Romaine . . . Preached in the Parish Church of St. Dunstan, Sunday Evening, August 9th, 1795.

*Kuyper, Abraham, In the Shadow of Death: Meditations for the Sickroom and at the Death-bed, ISBN: 0963255746 9780963255747.

*Morey, Robert A., Death and the Afterlife, ISBN: 0871234335 9780871234339.
"Coming with recommendations by Walter Martin, Vernon Grounds, and Roger Nicole, this is the most comprehensive modern treatment to be found. Since the beginning of time the doctrine of eternal punishment has been fiercely attacked. This study provides answers to just about every question on the subject." -- GCB

*Owen, John (1616-1683), The Death of Christ, volume 10 of WORKS, ISBN: 0851510647 9780851510644. Alternate title: SALUS ELECTORUM, SANGUIS JESU: OR THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST. BEING A TREATISE OF THE REDEMPTION AND RECONCILIATION THAT IS IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST; WHEREIN THE WHOLE CONTROVERSY ABOUT UNIVERSAL REDEMPTION IS FULLY DISCUSSED: IN FOUR PARTS; . . . BY JOHN OWEN, D.D. A Christian classic. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive. Available on Reformation Bookshelf CD #20.
"Greatest Biblical apologetic on the specific and limited nature of the atoning work of Christ in print. Contains discussions on Arminianism, the death of death in the death of Christ, Divine justice, and also discusses, in detail, many views of the atonement that certain men and groups held (and still hold)." -- Publisher
"THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST is a polemical work, designed to show, among other things, that the doctrine of universal redemption is unscriptural and destructive of the gospel. . . . Those who see no need for doctrinal exactness and have no time for theological debates which show up divisions between so-called Evangelicals may well regret its reappearance. Some may find the very sound of Owen's thesis so shocking that they will refuse to read his book at all. . . . But . . . there are signs today of a new upsurge of interest in the theology of the Bible: a new readiness to test traditions, to search the Scriptures and to think through the faith. It is to those who share this readiness that Owen's treatise is now offered, in the belief that it will help us in one of the most urgent tasks facing evangelical Christendom today -- the recovery of the Gospel.
"It is safe to say that no comparable exposition of the work of redemption as planned and executed by the Triune Jehovah has ever been done since Owen published his in 1684. None has been needed.
"Owen's interpretation of the texts . . . is sure; his power of theological construction is superb; nothing that needs discussing is omitted, and . . . no arguments for or against his position have been used since his day which he has not himself noted and dealt with. . . . Owen's work is a constructive, broad-based biblical analysis of the heart of the gospel, and must be taken seriously as such. . . Nobody has a right to dismiss the doctrine of the limitedness . . . of the atonement as a monstrosity of Calvinistic logic until he has refuted Owen's proof that it is part of the uniform biblical presentation of redemption, clearly taught in plain text after plain text. And nobody has done that yet." -- J.I. Packer, from the Introduction
"Packer's well balanced definition of Calvinism in the introduction to that volume [John Owen's THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST], is by far the best we have seen in 42 years of intensive reading." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ: Being a Treatise of the Redemption and Reconciliation That is in the Blood of Christ; Wherein the whole controversy about universal redemption is fully discussed: In four parts (1792)
http://archive.org/details/deathofdeathinde00owen
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, including J.I. Packer's Introduction by John Owen
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/packer_intro.html
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ: Redemption and Reconciliation That is in the Blood of Christ (Limited Atonement), 1 of 33, [audio file]
An audio file reading by Still Waters Revival Books from THE WORKS OF JOHN OWEN. Currently (October 2018), there are 77 readings of John Owen by SWRB and Reformed Baptist of Holland (Michigan), (Thomas Sullivan), at SermonAudio.com available for listening online, downloading as MP3 files, [audio file], and listening on iPhone, mobile phones, and MPE players.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=47081639571

Packer, J.I. (editor, 1926-2020), Richard Baxter A Grief Sanctified: Passing Through Grief to Peace and Joy, ISBN: 0892838418 9780892838417.
"Richard Baxter, a prominent 17th-century pastor and author, was devastated when his wife, Margaret, died at the age of 45. One month after her death, he penned a lover's tribute and a believer's celebration of God's love. Beloved theologian J.I. Packer has edited Baxter's memoir for today's reader and has included it along with his own wise reflections -- offering encouragement for those who have known or are now suffering grief." -- Publisher

Pantilat, Steven, Life After the Diagnosis: Expert Advice on Living Well With Serious Illness for Patients and Caregivers, ISBN: 9780738219387 073821938X.
"An invaluable book for those struggling to live well with an incurable disease, written by a doctor's doctor -- the sort of fellow that physicians seek out for their own care." -- Abraham Verghese, MD, Professor and Vice Chair, Stanford University Department of Medicine
"During the times of uncertainty and fear that follow a serious diagnosis, this book arrives like a guardian angel. I will recommend it to all my patients, and will keep it close to hand for me and my family too." -- Diane E. Meier, MD, Director, Center to Advance Palliative Care

Parnia, Sam, What Happens When we Die? A Groundbreaking Study into the Nature of Life and Death, ISBN: 1401907105 9781401907105 1401907113 9781401907112.
"Sam Parnia, M.D., is a leading expert on near-death experiences. He now spends his time in hospitals and Cornell University in New York, where he's a Fellow in pulmonary and critical-care medicine. He founded the Consciousness Research Group and is chairman of the Horizon Research Foundation. Dr. Parnia is constantly in demand as a speaker, and he's made numerous media appearances. His groundbreaking research was recently featured in the BBC 2 and Discovery documentary, "The Day I Died." This is Dr. Parnia's first book." -- Publisher

Phipps, William E., Death: Confronting the Reality, ISBN: 080420487X 9780804204873.
"Phipps helps to dispel ambivalence and ably assesses the experiences of those facing life's exodus. It is hoped that many will acquire and read this compassionate discussion." -- Cyril J. Barber

*Spurgeon, C.H. (1834-1892), Death, ISBN: 0686230248.
A booklet.

*Spurgeon, C.H. (1834-1892), Jesus Christ Himself (Ephesians 2:20). A sermon by C.H. Spurgeon delivered on Lord's-day morning, December 9, 1877, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, Sermon no. 1388.
"Beyond all argument or miracle, Jesus Christ Himself is the proof of His own Gospel. And as He is the proof of it, so, Beloved, He is the marrow and essence of it. When the Apostle Paul meant that the Gospel was preached, He said, Christ is preached, for the Gospel is Christ Himself! If you want to know what Jesus taught, know Him! He is the incarnation of that Truth of God which by Him and in Him is revealed to the sons of men. Did He not, Himself say, I am the way, the truth, and the life?
"You have not to take down innumerable books, nor to pore over mysterious sentences of double meaning in order to know what our great Teacher has revealed. You have but to turn and gaze upon His countenance, behold His actions and note His spirit and you know His teaching. He lived what He taught. If we wish to know Him, we may hear His gentle voice saying, Come and see. Study His wounds and you understand His innermost philosophy. To know Him and the power of His Resurrection is the highest degree of spiritual learning. He is the end of the Law and the soul of the Gospel -- and when we have preached His Word to the fullest, we may close by saying, Now, of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum -- we have an High Priest who is set on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens." -- C.H. Spurgeon
http://www.spurgeongems.org/vols22-24/chs1388.pdf

Strauss, Lehman, When Loved Ones are Taken in Death.

*Thomson, John Henderson (editor), John McMain, and David Scott (introduction) A Cloud of Witnesses for the Royal Prerogatives of Jesus Christ Being the Last Speeches and Testimonies of Those who Have Suffered for the Truth in Scotland Since, 1680. Alternate title: THE FIFTEENTH EDITION, ENLARGED AND CORRECTED: A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, FOR THE ROYAL PREROGATIVES OF JESUS CHRIST: OR, THE LAST SPEECHES AND TESTIMONIES OF THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED FOR THE TRUTH IN SCOTLAND, SINCE THE YEAR 1680: WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING THE QUEENSFERRY PAPER; TORWOOD EXCOMMUNICATION; A RELATION CONCERNING MR. RICHARD CAMERON, MR. DONALD CARGIL, AND HENRY HALL; AND AN ACCOUNT OF THOSE WHO WERE KILLED WITHOUT PROCESS OF LAW, AND BANISHED TO FOREIGN LANDS: WITH A SHORT VIEW OF SOME OF THE OPPRESSIVE EXACTIONS, ISBN: 0873779231. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"With the Testimonies of John Nisbet the Younger, John Nisbet of Hardhill, Robert Miller, Thomas Harkness, &c. A Letter of John Semple's and of Archibald Stewart's. The Paper found upon Mr. Cameron at Airsmoss, and an Acrostick upon his name. The Testimony of John Finlay in Kilmarnock. The Epitaphs upon the Grave Stones of Mr. Samuel Rutherford, Mr. John Welwood, and the noble Patriots who fell at Pentland-hills, &c.
"Also includes THE TESTIMONY OF SOME PERSECUTED PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL, UNTO THE COVENANTED REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, AND TO THE PRESENT EXPEDIENCY OF CONTINUING TO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN THE FIELDS, AND AGAINST THE PRESENT ANTI-CHRISTIAN TOLERATION IN ITS NATURE AND DESIGN, &C. GIVEN IN TO THE MINISTERS AT EDINBURGH, BY MR. JAMES RENWICK, UPON THE 17TH JAN. 1688. AND MR. RICHARD CAMERON'S LAST SERMON; PREACHED ON KYPE WATER IN EVANDALE, JULY 18TH, 1680, THREE DAYS BEFORE HE WAS KILLED AT AIRS-MOSS. (Pittsburgh: Printed for David Reed, by Eichbaum & Johnston, 1824), 1884 edition.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1,2)
"Presbyterian Covenanter martyrs of Scotland, their last speeches and testimonies. The first edition appeared in 1714, and as more material was collected it was added to the 15 editions that were printed over the next 100 years.
"An amazing book compiled to show how -- and especially why (from their own dying testimonies) -- the Covenanters suffered, bled and died. These brave martyrs for Christ laid the foundation for liberty and truth in both church and state. They have much to say to us today . . . . Though the issues and ferocity of persecution (by the Popes, prelates, and Erastians) were more obvious during the times covered in this book, the message to contemporary Christians could not be clearer: we are involved in a life and death struggle. Few books are this moving or this edifying -- a real treasure! (658 pp., 1884 ed.)." -- Publisher
The 1871 edition was praised by Spurgeon.
A Cloud of Witnesses
https://archive.org/details/cloudofwitnesses00thom
A Cloud of Witnesses, 1871 edition, free online e-text. Original from Oxford University. Digitized Aug 31, 2006.
http://books.google.com/books?id=4vMCAAAAQAAJ&dq=thomson+a+cloud+of+witnesses&ie=ISO-8859-1

Watson, David, Fear no Evil: One Man Deals With Terminal Illness, ISBN: 0802725406 9780802725400.
"FEAR NO EVIL is the conquest of death -- not by looking away from it, nor by being shielded from it, but by facing it squarely and going down into it knowing that for a believer it is the vestibule of glory. Watson died peacefully one month after completing this book." -- GCB
"David Watson candidly shares his journey from "life to life" in a comforting and encouraging manner. With the Lord as his travelling companion, Watson reveals the most important pursuit given to humanity -- to seek God's face." -- Reader's Comment

Webb, Robert, The Theology of Infant Salvation, ISBN: 0873779398.

Wilde, Gary (editor), Bible Promises to Treasure for People in Recovery: Inspiring Words for Every Occasion, ISBN: 0805493905 9780805493900.

See also: The lord jesus christ, The all-sufficiency of christ, Eternal life, immortality, Heaven, Hope, Ministering to the dying, The free offer of the gospel message of salvation and the life to come: the means of grace, the covenant of eternal salvation, Book-length presentations of the gospel message of salvation and the life to come, the means of grace, Bad relationships a cause of disease and death, Affliction, adversity, trials, suffering, chastisement, Heaven, Justifying faith, Medical ethics, Ethics, computer ethics, cyberethics, Sex ethics, sex education, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 1360, 2158, 2160, 2162, 2163, 4136

Related Weblinks

Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF)
1803 East Willow Grove Avenue
Glenside, PA 19038
Telephone: 215.884.7676
http://www.ccef.org/

Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation Resources Audio Archives
http://www.wts.edu/resources/login.html/

Justifying Faith
http://www.lettermen2.com/bcrr1cha.html#justfaith

List of Wars and Anthropogenic Disasters by Death Toll, Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_and_anthropogenic_disasters_by_death_toll

A Sermon Concerning Death, Andrew Gray
http://www.truecovenanter.com/gray/gray_death.html

Sound Word Associates Library of Biblical Counselors
http://www.soundword.com/ccon.html

The Treasury of David, Psalm 90, C.H. Spurgeon
Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. (Psalm 90:1)
This is, of course, a prayer of Moses, who is considered the greatest of the prophets. He wrote the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, and Deuteronomy is the book most referred to by Christ in the New Testament.
"The 90th Psalm might be cited as perhaps the most sublime of human compositions -- the deepest in feeling -- the loftiest in theologic conception -- the most magnificent in its imagery." -- Isaac Taylor
"Verse 17 [Psalm 90:17]. And establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. Let what we do be done in truth, and last when we are in the grave; may the work of the present generation minister permanently to the building tip of the nation. Good men are anxious not to work in vain. They know that without the Lord they can do nothing, and therefore they cry to him for help in the work, for acceptance of their efforts, and for the establishment of their designs. The church as a whole earnestly desires that the hand of the Lord may so work with the hand of his people, that a substantial, yea, an eternal edifice to the praise and glory of God may be the result. We come and go, but the Lord's work abides. We are content to die so long as Jesus lives and his kingdom grows. Since the Lord abides for ever the same, we trust our work in his hands, and feel that since it is far more his work than ours he will secure it immortality. When we have withered like grass our holy service, like gold, silver, and precious stones, will survive the fire." -- C.H. Spurgeon
http://archive.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps090.php

Westminster Theological Seminary Bookstore
http://www.wts.edu/bookstore/

Ministering to the Dying

---

God shall be with you. (Genesis 48:21)

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before Him. (Job 13:15)

See the Theological Notes: "Resurrection and Glorification," at 1 Corinthians 15:21 in The Reformation Study Bible.

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. (John 11:25b-26a)

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (1 John 2:25)

And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

1 Corinthians 15

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. (Deuteronomy 33:27)

Come, then, while life remains in you. In his death alone place your whole trust; in nothing else place any trust; . . . . with this alone cover yourself wholly; and if the Lord your God wills to judge you, say: "Lord, between your judgment and me I present the death of our Lord Jesus Christ; in no other way can I contend with you." And if he shall say that you are a sinner, say: "Lord, I interpose the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between my sins and you." If he should say that you deserve condemnation, say: "Lord, I set the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between my evil deserts and you, and his merits I offer for those which I ought to have and have not." If he says that he is angry with you, say: "Lord, I oppose the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between your wrath and me." And when you have completed this, say again: "Lord, I set the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and you." -- Anselm (1033-1109), excerpt from A Tract for Dying Men, telling them what they ought to say at the Day of Judgment

Such great and wonderful things would never have been done for us by God, if the life of the soul were to end with the death of the body. Why then do I delay? Why do I not abandon my hopes of this world and devote myself entirely to the search for God and for the happy life? -- Augustine (354-430 AD), Confessions
God's love has conquered death! (1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Romans 8:31-39; Colossians 1:27; 1 John 1:7)

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2 Corinthians 5:1)

Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them. (Revelation 14:13)

Good old Jacob could no more be with Joseph, for his hour had come to die: but he left his son without anxiety, for he said with confidence, "God shall be with you." When our dearest relations or our most helpful friends are called home by death, we must console ourselves with the reflection that the Lord is not departed from us but lives for us and abides with us forever.
If God be with us, we are in ennobling company, even though we are poor and despised. If God be with us, we have all-sufficient strength, for nothing can be too hard for the Lord. If God be with us, we are always safe, for none can harm those who walk under His shadow. Oh, what a joy we have here! Not only is God with us, but He will be with us. With us as individuals; with us as families; with us as churches. Is not the very name of Jesus, Immanuel -- God with us? Is not this the best of all, that God is with us? Let us be bravely diligent and joyously hopeful. Our cause must prosper, the truth must win, for the Lord is with those who are with Him. All this day may this sweet word be enjoyed by every believer who turns to "faith's checkbook." No greater happiness is possible. -- C.H. Spurgeon in Faith's Checkbook

God made not death, but Christ overcame it, when sin had introduced it. Death is from ourselves, but life from the Author and Lord of life. The devil had the power of death till he was overcome by death, Heb. ii. 14,15 [Hebrews 2:14,15]; but he that liveth and was dead, and is alive for evermore, hath now the keys of death and hell, Rev. i. 18 [Revelation 1:18]. That the very damned live, is to be ascribed to him; that they live in misery, is long of themselves. Not that it is more desirable to them to live miserably, as there they must do, than not to live; but as God's glory is his chief, if not only, end, in all his works, so was it the Mediator's chief end in the world's reparation. They shall, therefore, live, whether they will or no, for God's glory, though they live not to their own comfort, because they would not. -- Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

The Christian may, and ought to, look forward with certain assurance to meeting again with those beloved relatives and friends who departed hence in Christ. Their spirits are not dead, not even sleeping as some erroneously assert, but have returned to God who gave them (Eccl. 12:7 [Ecclesiastes 12:7]), and are now in a state that is far better (Phil. 1:23 [Philippians 1:23]), which could not be were they deprived of all conscious communion with their Beloved. Being absent from the body they are present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8 [2 Corinthians 5:8]), and in His presence is fulness of joy (Ps. 16:11 [Psalm 16:11]). As to their bodies they await that great Day when they shall be fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body. -- Arthur Pink (1886-1952), The Life of Elijah

*Baxter, Richard (1615-1691), Dying Thoughts: Christian Hope for the Life Hereafter, ISBN: 0801006015: 9780801006012. A Christian classic. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"It deals with the Christian life, and it intends to encourage the believer to live a holy life with eternity constantly in view. It presents a challenge, developing the Scriptures that promise the joy, peace, and delight for those who go to be with Christ. It will be a help to those who are facing bereavement." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
The Saints' Everlasting Rest, Richard Baxter, edited by Benjamin Fawcett
http://www.ccel.org/b/baxter/everlasting_rest/saints_rest.html

Belgum, David Rudolph, Dealing With Dying, Death, Mourning, ISBN: 0788021591 9780788021596.
Belgum is a Lutheran.

*Boettner, Loraine, Immortality, 7th edition, ISBN: 0875521274.
"A clear-cut evangelical presentation of physical death, immortality, and the intermediate state. Includes a discussion of soul sleep, annihilation, purgatory, spiritism, prayers for the dead, cremation, and so on. A valuable work." -- Cyril J. Barber

Burnham, Richard, Pious Memorials; or, The Power of Religion Upon the Mind, in Sickness, and at Death: Exemplified in the Experience of Many Divines and Other Eminent Persons . . . By the late Mr. Richard Burnham . . . With a recommendatory preface, by . . . James Hervey . . . a new edition. To which is now added, a large appendix . . . Paisley, 1788.

*Candlish, Robert S., Life in a Risen Saviour: Being Discourses on the Argument of the Fifteenth Chapter of First Corinthians, ISBN: 0825423317 9780825423314. Alternate title: STUDIES IN FIRST CORINTHIANS 15: LIFE IN A RISEN SAVIOUR.
"Noteworthy for its clarity, careful exposition of the text, and balanced application of the truth of the passage to the life of the believer. Candlish boldly sets forth the Christian's hope, and his material is both helpful and enlightening." -- Cyril J. Barber

Durham, James, The Blessedness of the Death of These that Die in the Lord, and more especially in any evil time, excellently discoursed in seven searching, but very sweet sermons on Rev 14:13. Wherein several weighty cases relating to death in general, and to dying in the Lord in particular, are succinctly, solidly, and satisfyingly handled, 1682.

Girardeau, John L., Christ's Pastoral Presence With his Dying People a Sermon Delivered January 7th, 1872, in Zion Church, Glebe Street, Charleston, S.C.

Kopp, Ruth Lewshenia, and Stephen Sorenson, Encounter With Terminal Illness, ISBN: 0310416000 9780310416005.

Kopp, Ruth L., and Stephen Sorenson, When Someone you Love is Dying: A Handbook for Counselors and Those who Care.
"This remarkable book was first published in 1980 under the title ENCOUNTER WITH TERMINAL ILLNESS. As Haddon W. Robinson pointed out, 'All life is terminal. Some arrive at the terminal before they know it. Others hear an announcement and anticipate death's coming. For such men and women going to death themselves, or traveling with others, Dr. Kopp provides practical counsel about how to make the journey'." -- Cyril J. Barber

*Owen, John (1616-1683), The Death of Christ, volume 10 of WORKS, ISBN: 0851510647 9780851510644. Alternate title: SALUS ELECTORUM, SANGUIS JESU: OR THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST. BEING A TREATISE OF THE REDEMPTION AND RECONCILIATION THAT IS IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST; WHEREIN THE WHOLE CONTROVERSY ABOUT UNIVERSAL REDEMPTION IS FULLY DISCUSSED: IN FOUR PARTS; . . . BY JOHN OWEN, D.D. A Christian classic. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive. Available on Reformation Bookshelf CD #20.
"Greatest Biblical apologetic on the specific and limited nature of the atoning work of Christ in print. Contains discussions on Arminianism, the death of death in the death of Christ, Divine justice, and also discusses, in detail, many views of the atonement that certain men and groups held (and still hold)." -- Publisher
"THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST is a polemical work, designed to show, among other things, that the doctrine of universal redemption is unscriptural and destructive of the gospel. . . . Those who see no need for doctrinal exactness and have no time for theological debates which show up divisions between so-called Evangelicals may well regret its reappearance. Some may find the very sound of Owen's thesis so shocking that they will refuse to read his book at all. . . . But . . . there are signs today of a new upsurge of interest in the theology of the Bible: a new readiness to test traditions, to search the Scriptures and to think through the faith. It is to those who share this readiness that Owen's treatise is now offered, in the belief that it will help us in one of the most urgent tasks facing evangelical Christendom today -- the recovery of the Gospel.
"It is safe to say that no comparable exposition of the work of redemption as planned and executed by the Triune Jehovah has ever been done since Owen published his in 1684. None has been needed.
"Owen's interpretation of the texts . . . is sure; his power of theological construction is superb; nothing that needs discussing is omitted, and . . . no arguments for or against his position have been used since his day which he has not himself noted and dealt with. . . . Owen's work is a constructive, broad-based biblical analysis of the heart of the gospel, and must be taken seriously as such. . . Nobody has a right to dismiss the doctrine of the limitedness . . . of the atonement as a monstrosity of Calvinistic logic until he has refuted Owen's proof that it is part of the uniform biblical presentation of redemption, clearly taught in plain text after plain text. And nobody has done that yet." -- J.I. Packer, from the Introduction
"Packer's well balanced definition of Calvinism in the introduction to that volume [John Owen's THE DEATH OF DEATH IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST], is by far the best we have seen in 42 years of intensive reading." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/owen/deathofdeath
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ: Being a Treatise of the Redemption and Reconciliation That is in the Blood of Christ; Wherein the whole controversy about universal redemption is fully discussed: In four parts (1792)
http://archive.org/details/deathofdeathinde00owen
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, including J.I. Packer's Introduction by John Owen
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/packer_intro.html
The Death of Death in the Death of Christ: Redemption and Reconciliation That is in the Blood of Christ (Limited Atonement), 1 of 33, [audio file]
An audio file reading by Still Waters Revival Books from THE WORKS OF JOHN OWEN. Currently (October 2018), there are 77 readings of John Owen by SWRB and Reformed Baptist of Holland (Michigan), (Thomas Sullivan), at SermonAudio.com available for listening online, downloading as MP3 files, [audio file], and listening on iPhone, mobile phones, and MPE players.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=47081639571

Palmer, Samuel (Minister at Hackney, 1741-1813), The Dying Believer's Confidence and joy in Christ. A Sermon [on 2 Tim. i. 12 (2 Timothy 1:12)] Preached . . . April 12, 1778, on Occasion of the Death of the Rev. Samuel Wilton, D.D. . . . By Samuel Palmer. To which is added, an oration at his interment in Bunhill-fields, April 10, by Samuel Morton Savage, D.D.

Pantilat, Steven, Life After the Diagnosis: Expert Advice on Living Well With Serious Illness for Patients and Caregivers, ISBN: 9780738219387 073821938X.
"An invaluable book for those struggling to live well with an incurable disease, written by a doctor's doctor -- the sort of fellow that physicians seek out for their own care." -- Abraham Verghese, MD, Professor and Vice Chair, Stanford University Department of Medicine
"During the times of uncertainty and fear that follow a serious diagnosis, this book arrives like a guardian angel. I will recommend it to all my patients, and will keep it close to hand for me and my family too." -- Diane E. Meier, MD, Director, Center to Advance Palliative Care

*Perkins, William (1558-1602), and Richard Rogers (1550?-1618), A Garden of Spirituall Flowers. Alternate title: TREATISE TENDING UNTO A DECLARATION. PART 7; CONSOLATIONS FOR THE TROUBLED CONSCIENCES, and CONSOLATIONS FOR THE TROUBLED CONSCIENCES, and HOW TO LIVE WELL, AND TO DIE WELL.
An anthology. Perkins's "How to live well, and to die well," is part seven of his "A Treatise Tending Unto a Declaration," where it bears the title "Consolations for the Troubled Consciences."

Platt, Larry A. (editor), and Roger G. Branch (editor), Resources for Ministry in Death and Dying, ISBN: 0805469451 9780805469455.
"The editors have brought together the best in current literature on the subject of ministry to those facing life's terminus. Information about organizations specializing in different types of care, together with data about audiovisual materials, will prove invaluable to pastors and counselors." -- Cyril J. Barber

Soulen, Richard N. (editor), Care for the Dying: Resources of Theology, ISBN: 0804210985 9780804210980.
Includes bibliographical references.

Swinnock, George (1627-1673), The Fading of the Flesh and Flourishing of Faith, or, One Cast for Eternity With the Only way to Throw it VVell: as Also the Gracious Persons Incomparable Portion / by George Swinnock, 1662.
Psalm LXXIII, 26 [Psalm 26].

See also: The aged, Death, Eternal life, immortality, Pastoral counseling, Medical aspects of pastoral counseling, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Patient advocacy, Healthcare reform, Medical ethics, Ethics, computer ethics, cyberethics, and so on, and so forth.
TCRB5: 2606

Related Weblinks

Victory Over Death, John Love (1757-1825)
http://www.westminsterconfession.org/godly-living/victory-over-death.php

What can be Done to Help When the Prognosis is Poor, October 2017
"Even when a person has been diagnosed with an incurable disease, doctors can provide palliative care to help the patient live better as well as longer.
"Although lifespans have been increasing, so has the burden of chronic disease. When a person is diagnosed with a serious illness such as cancer, cirrhosis, kidney disease, heart failure or Parkinson's, medical science may not have a cure. But doctors shouldn't say, there's nothing more we can do. Instead, they should ask, how can we help this patient live better, if not longer? That is the goal of palliative care.
"Steven Pantilat, MD, is professor of medicine in the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He is the Kates-Burnard and Hellman Distinguished Professor in Palliative Care and the founding director of the UCSF Palliative Care Program. In 2007, this program received a Circle of Life Award in recognition of excellence and innovation from the American Hospital Association.
"His book is LIFE AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS: EXPERT ADVICE ON LIVING WELL WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. His website is www.lifeafterthediagnosis.com"
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2017/10/12/show-1097-what-can-be-done-to-help-when-the-prognosis-is-poor/

Suicide

---

Grief

---

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15)

Rebirth brings us into the Kingdom of grace, and death into the Kingdom of glory. -- Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

See the Theological Notes: "Resurrection and Glorification," at 1 Corinthians 15:21 in The Reformation Study Bible.

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

God shall be with ye. (Genesis 48:21)
Good old Jacob could no more be with Joseph, for his hour had come to die: but he left his son without anxiety, for he said with confidence, "God shall be with you." When our dearest relations or our most helpful friends are called home by death, we must console ourselves with the reflection that the Lord is not departed from us but lives for us and abides with us forever.
If God be with us, we are in ennobling company, even though we are poor and despised. If God be with us, we have all-sufficient strength, for nothing can be too hard for the Lord. If God be with us, we are always safe, for none can harm those who walk under His shadow. Oh, what a joy we have here! Not only is God with us, but He will be with us. With us as individuals; with us as families; with us as churches. Is not the very name of Jesus, Immanuel -- God with us? Is not this the best of all, that God is with us? Let us be bravely diligent and joyously hopeful. Our cause must prosper, the truth must win, for the Lord is with those who are with Him. All this day may this sweet word be enjoyed by every believer who turns to "faith's checkbook." No greater happiness is possible. -- C.H. Spurgeon in Faith's Checkbook

Jay E., The Practical Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling, 202 pages, ISBN: 1889032468 9781889032467.
See the subject "Death," and so forth, and so on.
"THE PRACTICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CHRISTIAN COUNSELING is designed to afford Christian counselors quick reference as well as comprehensive access to the chief principles and practices of biblical counseling. It is called an 'encyclopedia' because a counselor interested in surveying the gamut of those principles and practices will find in this volume a wider variety of subjects than may be located in any other book of biblical counseling. The counseling described here is truly 'Christian' with method and content firmly rooted in careful biblical exegesis. At the same time it is 'practical' because articles consist not merely of definitions and descriptions, but also of application of the material useful to Christian counselors. Although not necessarily the only way these biblical principles can be applied, they are the fruit of years of study and experience in biblical counseling. In short, the book is designed as an aid to the working counselor who needs a quick reference guide. We trust that God will use it to His glory and to the blessing of His people." -- Preface
Some subject include: Abortion | Abuse | Admonition | Adultery | Adversity | Affliction | Aggravation | Anger | Answers | Apology | Assurance | Attitude | Authority | Balance | Behavior | Bizarre behaviour | Breakdown | Christ | Church | Commandments | Confession | Confidentiality | Contentment | Correction | Corruption | Counseling | Crises | Data gathering | Deceit | Dependence | Discipling | Divorce | Doctrine | Drugs | Education | Empathy | Evangelism | Example | Foolishness | Forgetfulness | Forgiveness | Godliness | Gospel | Gossip | Habit | Heresy | Hope | Hostility | How-to | Idolatry | Jesus | Joy | Justification | Legal matters | Legalism | Lying | Marriage | Promises of god | Put on/put off dynamic | Quickening | Radical amputation | Rage | Reconciliation | Referral | Rejuvenation | Repentance | Sanctification | Scripture | Sex | Sin | Teaching | Temptation | Testing | Think list | Thought | Training.

Bailey, Robert, Ministering to the Grieving, ISBN: 0310417619 9780310417613.

*Bolton, Robert (1572-1631), A Treatise on Comforting Afflicted Consciences. A Christian classic. Available on the Puritan Hard Drive.
"I do not know of a single book published in the past twenty years that explains in depth how to respond Biblically to a grieved or wounded conscience. Here's an ideal volume to fill that gap. Few books in history have treated the subject as completely or as clearly as Robert Bolton's classic work. . . . The book remains a definitive study on the issue of dealing with guilt. Practical, Biblical, meticulously precise, carefully reasoned, it maintains a straightforward simplicity that cannot fail to touch the sensitive reader's heart." -- John MacArthur

Kuenning, Delores, Helping People Through Grief, ISBN: 0871239213 9780871239211.
"A remarkable textbook to recommend for teaching caring people how to be helpful. It is an . . . encyclopedia of information on every conceivable form of grief. But more than that, it describes simply and directly how to respond to these griefs." -- Reader's Comment
"Illness as well as misfortune or even tragedy are a part of life. At such times people turn to their families or friends. Sometimes the counsel given is helpful, sometimes not. Kuenning believes the lay person can develop skills to help people face these vicissitudes, and in this book she shows how." -- Cyril J. Barber

*Lockyer, Herbert, All the Promises of the Bible, ISBN: 0310281318.
"A devotional expositional compilation of all the promises [about 3,300 of the approximate 8,810 promises -- compiler], that are found in Scripture." -- Publisher
"Lockyer's in-depth look at the scope of God's promises arranges them in categories that cover the full array of human concerns, from the spiritual to the material and the corporate to the personal. As you come to understand God's promises and how they apply to every aspect of your life, you'll gain a trust in God that will sustain you through the worst of times and be your source of rejoicing in the best.
"Dr. Herbert Lockyer was born in London in 1886, and held pastorates in Scotland and England for 25 years before coming to the United States in 1935. In 1937 he received the honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Northwestern Evangelical Seminary. In 1955 he returned to England where he lived for many years. He then returned to the United States where he continued to devote time to the writing ministry until his death in November of 1984." -- Publisher

McGee, Harry H., Living Through Grief (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Theological Seminary, D.Min. thesis, 1987).
Includes bibliography.

Nash, Ronald H., When a Baby Dies: Answers to Comfort Grieving Parents, ISBN: 0310225566 9780310225560.

Packer, J.I. (editor, 1926-2020), Richard Baxter A Grief Sanctified: Passing Through Grief to Peace and Joy, ISBN: 0892838418 9780892838417.
"Richard Baxter, a prominent 17th-century pastor and author, was devastated when his wife, Margaret, died at the age of 45. One month after her death, he penned a lover's tribute and a believer's celebration of God's love. Beloved theologian J.I. Packer has edited Baxter's memoir for today's reader and has included it along with his own wise reflections -- offering encouragement for those who have known or are now suffering grief." -- Publisher

Rank, Maureen, Free to Grieve: Miscarriage and Stillbirth, ISBN: 0871238063 9780871238061.
"Combining her own personal experience with extensive research, Maureen Rank offers guidance to the grieving and help in looking toward the future.
"The author, herself the survivor of four miscarriages, believes that healing can begin when these basic principles are recognized:

• Grief is justifiable.
• Grief is necessary.
• Grief is individual.
• Grief will some day end.

*Spurgeon, C.H. (1834-1892), Faith's Checkbook. Alternate title: THE CHEQUE BOOK OF THE BANK OF FAITH: BEING PRECIOUS PROMISES ARRANGED FOR DAILY USE (1893), ISBN: 0938453025.
"A promise from God may very instructively be compared to a check payable to order. It is given to the believer with the view of bestowing upon him some good thing. It is not meant that he should read it over comfortably and then have done with it. No, he is to treat the promises as a reality, as a man treats a check. He is to take the promise and endorse it with his own name by personally receiving it as true." -- C.H. Spurgeon
"In the Preface of his devotional volume containing 365 brief, experimental comments on the promises which Spurgeon has chosen, the renowned preacher tells us that so many of these promises are true because they were fulfilled in his own experience during a time of 'wading in the surf of controversy,' and also when 'sharp bodily pain succeeded mental depression, accompanied both by bereavement, and affliction in the person of one dear as life. Never were the promises of Jehovah so precious to me as at this hour.' Thus it was to help other sufferers that Spurgeon prepared this comforting book." -- Publisher
Faith's Checkbook, a daily devotional by C.H. Spurgeon
http://archive.org/details/thechequebookoft00purguoft

*Wiersbe, Warren W., and David W. Wiersbe, Comforting the Bereaved, ISBN: 0802452930 9780802452931.

Wilde, Gary (editor), A Very Present Help: God's Promises for Those who are Grieving a Loss, ISBN: 0840742274 9780840742278.

See also: The sovereign grace of god: his everlasting mercy and lovingkindness, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), The promises of Christ, Bible promises, Ministering to the dying, Counseling the sick, Prayer, Intercessory prayer, Miscarriage and stillbirth (women), Abortion and the sanctity of life, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Eternal life, immortality, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 1947-1951

Related Weblinks

Medical Ethics

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I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.
I will not give a lethal drug to anyone if I am asked, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary to cause an abortion.
But I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts. . . .
In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and especially from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves.
All that may come to my knowledge in the exercise of my profession or in daily commerce with men, which ought not to be spread abroad, I will keep secret and will never reveal. -- The Hippocratic Oath, excerpts from the original text translated into English

A dispute over Christianity is a dispute about the matters of life and death.

If either side is immovable, then death is the result of conflicts of will. How are conflicts of will resolved? By submission to the truth of God's word. These observations bear a strain of the Gospel.

The corporate healthcare business model is simply incompatible with excellent healtcare. Profitability and a healthy population are economic opposites. Thus procedures cost seven times as much in the U.S. as in other developed countries, and outcomes in the U.S. are behind other countries.

It would appear that Healthcare is the biggest consumer rip-off in America, considering, among other things, the estimated annual number of iatrogenic deaths at 750,000 (approximately one patient per doctor), the "U.S. lags behind 41 nations in life span," the "US has the most expensive healthcare in the world, . . . Americans spend more for drugs than any other country in the world, . . . . and so forth, and so on. See: "The current 'lack of moral vigor' " below.
Federal, state, and local governments are not considered to be in the business sphere, as is healthcare. But, in fact, the Federal government is the biggest business in the world. Government, with a practically unlimited budget and practically no unaccountable for its actions, and is fraught with incompetence, corruption, waste, theft, and fraud, that repeatedly hemorrhages, depresses, and collapse the national economy.

A blue code of silence has protected police officers from being reported for misconduct. This unwritten rule keeps fellow officers from revealing errors or criminal activity. Now a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that a similar code of silence prevents many doctors from reporting colleagues who are impaired or incompetent.
Even though the AMA has a code of ethics that states doctors have an ethical obligation to report such behavior, a survey of nearly 3,000 physicians found that many don't comply. In this research, about one third who knew of an incompetent colleague did not report the person to the relevant authorities. Reasons for not reporting included the belief that someone else would take action, the worry that nothing would happen as a result of a report and the fear of retribution. The authors conclude that the current atmosphere results in patients being exposed to unacceptable risks. -- JAMA, July 14, 2010

The current "lack of moral vigor" in our society has resulted in an unwritten "code red." If a colleague in an organization reports incompetency or error, regardless of how tactful and respectful they are, leadership tends to unite, and to brand the "whistle-blower" as a "troublemaker."
"Code red," as practiced in the military, was dramatized in the movie A Few Good Men (1992).
In healthcare the victim of a "code red" might be either a practitioner or a patient. If practitioner who reports medical error, malpractice, misconduct, or price gouging, then he becomes the victim and may lose his job and have difficult finding another one.
Likewise a patient who reports medical error, malpractice, misconduct, or price gouging, may find that suddenly they are dropped as a patient or "given a hard time" by their previous local healthcare support group. They may be denied medical care in the future.
"Code red" may be thought of as a corollary to the "blue code of silence" that "has protected police officers [and doctors and healthcare workers], from being reported for misconduct. This unwritten rule keeps fellow officers from revealing errors or criminal activity."
The "code red" and "blue code of silence" in healthcare are just several reasons why things have gone so horribly wrong and at the same time the Medical Profession does not seem to care.

1. "The United States slipped to No. 37 [41 as of August 2007, see Ohlemacher below], in healthcare around the world, just slightly ahead of Slovenia." (World Health Organization, 2000 report, based on 1997 data.)
2. "The United States spends $6,096 a year per person, versus $229 a year in Cuba. And astronomically more money doesn't mean far better outcomes. In fact, Americans live just a little bit longer than Cubans, on average." -- Dr. Sanjay Gupta
3. "Life expectancies in Cuba are about equal to those in America despite being outspent by America 26 to 1 in healthcare"
4. "We are No. 43 in the world in infant mortality." -- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
5. "The Institute of Medicine reports that the average patient experiences at least one error every day he is hospitalized."
6. "Medical errors are a major cause of disability and death."
7. "A heart surgeon goes through seven (7) years of training."
8. "The annual death toll from medical errors is estimated at 44,000 to 98,000 Americans."
9. "About 18,000 people die each year as a result of the lack of health insurance." (Institute of Medicine, January 2004 report)
10. "We have a tragedy taking place every year now -- 18,000 people a year, these are the actual official statistics, 18,000 people a year die in this country for no other reason other than the fact that they don't have a health insurance card. That's six 9/11s every single year." -- Michael Moore
11. "Los Angeles authorities are investigating allegations that a dozen area hospitals have dumped more than 50 homeless patients downtown."
12. "Just this past week [6/29/07], the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated there are about 43.6 million uninsured people in the country. In March, the Census Bureau put the number at 44.8 million.
13. "The health insurance plans of 50 million people in this country leave them underinsured."
14. "Moore began this project [SiCKO], by advertising on the Web for tales of healthcare woe. Within a week, he had received 25,000 e-mails."
15. "It's true that the United States is the only country in the western world without free universal access to healthcare."
16. Gitmo [The U.S. detainee center for alleged terrorists on Guantonamo Bay, Cuba], is "the only place on American soil with free universal healthcare."
17. A "former British Politico . . . stated, 'If you can find money to kill people [wage war on terrorism], then you can find money to help people [universal healthcare]."
18. "Today, as Moore noted, both on Capitol Hill and in his film, there are four healthcare lobbyists in Washington for every member of Congress."
19. "Insurance and pharmaceutical companies, along with the elitest doctors who control the AMA and every hospital's board of trustees, buy politicians on both sides of the aisle. Moore does a good job of exposing this. He did a good job of bringing up how insurance companies weasel their way out of paying . . . ."
20. "Moore whacks the U.S. political system for catering to the needs of the insurance industry not the citizenry, pointing out that the healthcare lobby pumps millions of dollars into the campaigns of lawmakers."
21. "The insurance company is the one deciding whether or not the doctor can perform a procedure or a treatment on a patient. I mean, just think about that. You go to see a doctor, the doctor says, I think you need this particular operation. But the doctor just can't order the operation or send you to a specialist. He has to call someone sitting in a cubicle, maybe 1,000 miles away, who can then give permission. And as you see in my film, the doctors who work at the insurance companies, they get bonuses for denying the most number of claims."
22. "Over the past 10 years healthcare premiums have grown at four times the rate of wages and inflation, and insurance company profits have nearly tripled. . . . Insurance companies are for-profit businesses, and the way they maximize profits is by minimizing payments. . . ."
23. "Medical reviewers for one health insurance company who rendered the most denials received bonuses."
24. "Among the insurers mentioned are Humana Inc., where chief executive Michael McCallister received about $5.9 million in salary and other compensation in 2006, and Aetna Inc., where chief executive Ronald Williams last year received salary and other compensation totaling about $30.9 million. Those figures were determined by an AP analysis of company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission."
25. "Of course it [the Medicare prescription drug benefit Act, Medicare Part D], was really a bill to hand over $800 billion of our tax dollars to the drug and health insurance industry." Freking and Johnson, July 2007
26. "Who are we to let moneyed interests and powerful lobbies construct a country that best serves their needs rather than ours?"
27. "Who are we that we let insurers deny coverage to our neighbors because they are too tall, or have too many seasonal allergies?"
28. "Who are we that our hospitals push the ill and indigent into cabs, and drop them off, disoriented and clad in a paper-thin gown, on skid row?"
29. "Who are we to let national pride blind us to these better alternatives?"
30. "Moore's solution . . . is to give all Americans free universal coverage. He paints insurance companies as the villains."
31. "But the weight of evidence Moore marshals [in his documentary "SiCKO"], for taking the profit motive out of medicine is overwhelming." [America's healthcare crisis also is a violation of the human rights to life, liberty, and property (see statistics herein), and compels action by the public. -- compiler]
32. "The California Nurses Association, which supports a single-payer system, is organizing across the country in conjunction with the movie's appearance."
33. "A bill has been proposed in Congress, The United States National Health Insurance (NHI) Act (HR 676), non-profit Medicare for All, outlines a national healthcare program that will provide guaranteed affordable healthcare and prescription drugs to everyone in the country." (6/29/07), [If the citizen, voter, activist, resolution writer, petitioner, first does the arithmetic, they will see, in terms of human life and wealth (national and personal), that fixing the U.S. Healthcare Crisis is of greater importance than ending our preemptive war in Iraq. And it becomes apparent that the inertia of those in the driver's seat, the U.S. Congress, is as great in the case of reforming healthcare as their inertia is in ending the war. (United States National Health Care Act - Wikipedia)
34. "Overall, NHI would save about $350 billion annually on bureaucracy and profits, more than enough to pay for covering the uninsured and improving coverage for the tens of millions who are currently UNDER-insured." -- Background fact sheet - Physicians for a National Health Program

Job security and job performance in healthcare
"Working oneself out of a job," would be the equivalent, in healthcare, of developing a cure for, or preventing major diseases, addictions, or abnormal behaviors -- of fostering a society of healthy individuals who do not need doctors. It would be the equivalent of educating the patient so they know how to prevent disease and stay healthy.
Notice that the "fact of incurability" is built into the business model of most recovery programs (i.e., "once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.") Yet there is ample documented evidence that this fact is not true.
Not being able to trust God to provide a table before us, to provide a lifetime of employment, contributes, in part, to a whole array of unethical practices in healthcare, a few of the more egregious being: flip-flopping after taking the Hippocratic Oath and receiving a Medical License from the state (which is essentially a monopoly, and fosters lack of competition and price fixing), and then pursing the personal goal of becoming a "wealthy doctor," performing unnecessary surgery to "keep the mill running," deliberate misdiagnosis in order to perform expensive procedures, "stuffing" hospital bills with costs for "standby equipment" that is not used, recommending procedures or prescribing medicines that involve serious risks without informing the patient of the risks involved, "price fixing" through corporate monopolies and professional "trusts," the $1,000 crown and build-up, the $6,000 orthodontist treatment, the $6,000 hearing aid, $600 for 100 Prozac capsules when the generic version (though not identical and not as effective) is $4, $9,500 to $18,850 (January 2007) for prenatal care and delivery (bearing a child is a normal process) depending upon the type of delivery and the geographical location, performing unnecessary C-sections (Washington, DC has one of the highest rates of C-sections in the country) -- without insurance they can run from $14,000 to $25,000, failure to diagnose hypothyroidism which can lead to physiological depression and a constellation of symptoms, resulting in multiple doctor visits and wrong diagnose over a lifetime, and seriously degrading quality of life, public advertising of healthcare organizations, public advertising of prescription drugs, "paper-thin" health insurance, recent changes in bankruptcy laws excluding medical expenses from bankruptcy (medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcy), and so forth, and so on, and on, and on, and on -- all because leaders and professionals can not trust in God to provide them with a livelihood throughout their lives.
It is not surprising that doctors have the highest suicide rate of any professional group.
This tendency to be fearful of losing one livelihood is seen in every sphere of the economy. Similarly corrupted business models are found in the oil, the automotive, and the healthcare industries.
In the final analysis, of course, our livelihood and our competence in life depend upon trusting in God and in his commandments, laws, statutes, principles and practices -- in his word, which is the highest ethical standard known to mankind. It has been said "the only lesson we have to learn is to trust in God." Of course, this is a general statement, but it is broadly relevant.

Trusting in men instead of trusting in God results in incompetence and corruption
The unregenerate, the skeptic, regardless of their level in society, look to men for their livelihood and well-being, instead of trusting in God to prepare a table before me in the face of mine enemies, to care for them and to satisfy their needs throughout life, a lesson that King David learned and expressed in Psalm 23:5,6. They are blind to spiritual values and swallowed up by needs of the flesh.
The skeptic, who can not trust God, is more worried about loosing his job than he is worried about job duties, responsibilities, and performance. This inevitably leads to incompetence and corruption in the workplace.
This obsessive preoccupation with job security, whether conscious or sub-conscious, also applies to elected officials, from top to bottom, who make demands on subordinates to not "rock the boat," to not jeopardize their popularity with the electorate, leading to the observation that "all bureaucracies are incompetent and corrupt."
The "savvy" Washington bureaucrat is "hog-tied" because he is more interested in "covering his butt," not jeopardizing his easy, secure, well-paying, lifetime "career" with retirement and benefits, than in carrying out his responsibilities, especially regulatory or enforcement duties (i.e. the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), the Securities and Exchange Commission). The net effect is paralysis in the workplace. Friday evening rush hour in Washington, DC is said to be the most sluggish of any city in the country.
Calvin unfolds Scripture on this fact of the incompetence and corruption of the unregenerate, the blind, in their fearful pursuit of fleshly needs. See: his commentary on Proverbs 1:7, Genesis 4:7, Genesis 25:29-34, Hebrews 2:14,15, and Matthew 16:26.

The new AMA study on doctors silence regarding incompetence of fellow physicians is a joke. This code of silence has been going on for centuries. I almost died of viral pneumonia 35 years ago because of the incompetence of a physician. A friend who was a nurse told me secretly that I needed to find another doctor because the one I was going to had a very bad reputation among the hospital personnel. When I asked her why nobody ever did anything about him she told me not to ask, and never never mention what she had told me, or she'd be fired. And blacklisted every where in the city. I seriously doubt if this new study will change a thing. -- Reader's Comment

American Medical Association (AMA) Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs, Code of Medical Ethics: Current Opinions With Annotations, 2004-2005, ISBN: 1579477771 9781579477776.
"For more than 155 years, the AMA Code of Medical Ethics has been considered the most comprehensive ethics guide for physicians, covering a wide range of issues related to the patient-physician relationship, such as confidentiality and end-of-life care. It also addresses social policy issues that affect medical practice matters as well as medical records, fees and charges, professional rights and more. This edition features:

1. More than 185 ethical opinions of the AMA's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs
2. Clarification of opinions on gifts to physicians from industry and sales of goods from physician's offices 12 new opinions including those on privacy, genomic research, electronic mail, errors, health-related Websites and cloning
3. Includes the revised copy of the Principles of Medical Ethics
4. Detailed annotations of case law and journal articles to speed and assist research

*Anderson, James N.D., Issues of Life and Death, ISBN: 0340231513 9780340231517.
"In this work Sir Norman presents his 'Lectures on Contemporary Christianity,' University of London, 1975. He establishes his thesis for the development of ethical principles squarely on the sacredness of human life as presented in the Bible. While on the one hand this treatise is a valuable corrective for Ward's THE DIVINE IMAGE, on the other it is a bold attempt to provide a rational defense for a viable system of ethics. In this we believe Anderson has been most successful." -- Cyril J. Barber

Belgum, David Rudolph, Religion and Medicine: Essays on Meaning, Values, and Health.

Bersoff, Donald N., Ethical Conflicts in Psychology, ISBN: 155798591X 9781557985910 1557985995 9781557985996.

*Blanchard, Ken, and Marietta Abrams Brill, What Your Doctor may not Tell you About Hypothyroidism: A Simple Plan for Extraordinary Results, ISBN: 0446690619 9780446690614.
Foreword by Mary J. Shomon. (See also Mary Shomon's book Living Well With Hypothyroidism below.)
"Depression, fatigue, headaches, memory lapses, weight gain, constipation, cold intolerance, slowed reflexes, hair loss, menstrual abnormalities -- these are some of the vague, sometimes debilitating symptoms that, in varying combinations, plague more than 13 million patients with hypothyroidism. Unfortunately, many patients with hypothyroidism go for months to years, from doctor to doctor, from test to tests without being properly diagnosed. This is because the TSH blood test, considered the gold standard for diagnosis, is simply not an accurate indicator of hypothryoidism. Perhaps more perplexing, millions who are properly diagnosed find themselves undergoing often ineffective treatments for their disorder. At last, there is a solution: Dr. Blanchard's groundbreaking treatment program draws on emerging research, medical facts, and three decades of clinical experiences as an endocrinologist. It's an individualized program that uses questionnaires and charts to help diagnose sufferers through symptoms, not lab results -- and treats patients of all ages with the safe, but little used T3 hormone in the best combination with the more common T4 hormone, as well as with specific nutritional advice and alternative treatments that really work!" -- Publisher
The thyroid regulates metabolism and effects every organ in the body. Experts estimates that as many as 20 million Americans, or more, may be affected by hypothyroidism. Women are more often affected than men. Illnesses, exposure to toxic chemicals, physical injury of the thyroid, and heredity my cause hypothyroidism. Therefore, if you have a "condition" that has never been diagnosed, then look into the possibility of hypothroidism. Anyone who has trouble with depression should undergo a two-week diagnostic trial with thyroid hormones, because depression "is a typical misdiagnosis of hypothyroidism."
If a reader thinks they may have hypothyroidism, or knows someone who may have hypothyroidism, then the best thing to do is to read Ken Blanchard's book. It is written to both the patient and the physician. The book guides the patient in preparing a medical history that will expose hypothyroidism. Present the medical history to the doctor and request a two week clinical trial of levothyroxine (Synthroid) synthetic T4 hormone replacement. If you feel better during the trial, then that is the diagnosis. Keep in mind that many patients and those advancing in years may have sub-clinical hypothyroidism (light cases) and may benefit by hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Untangling Thyroid Confusion, April 9, 2005
"There is a little gland in your neck that can control your sex life, your weight, your energy and even your mood. But surprisingly, this gland (the thyroid) frequently gets out of whack. Of the 20 million Americans who have thyroid disorders, more than half don't realize it, according to the American Medical Women's Association. Does our diet affect the thyroid gland. Do prescription drugs or chemicals in our environment interfere with proper thyroid functioning? And how do we know when our thyroid is not working adequately? You will find out why it is important to look beyond the lab tests to the patient's symptoms to understand the story behind thyroid insufficiency. Guests: Kenneth Blanchard, M.D., Ph.D., is a board certified endocrinologist. Along with his private practice in Newton-Wellesley, Massachusetts, he also addresses many types of groups on the topic of hypothyroidism, and is considered an authority on the subject. He is the co-author of WHAT YOUR DOCTOR MAY NOT TELL YOU ABOUT HYPOTHYROIDISM: A SIMPLE PLAN FOR EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS. Mary Shomon is a patient advocate and author. Her books include LIVING WELL WITH HYPOTHYROIDISM and THE THYROID DIET: MANAGE YOUR METABOLISM FOR LASTING WEIGHT LOSS."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.org/archives/radio_shows/538_untangling_thyroid_confusion.asp

Brown, Harold O.J., Biblical Perspective: The Right to Die

Brownlee, Shannon, Overtreated: Why too Much Medicine is Making us Sicker and Poorer, 368 pages, ISBN: 9781582345796 1582345791.
"My choice for the economics book of the year -- it's the best description I have yet read of a huge economic problem that we know how to solve -- but is so often misunderstood." -- David Leonhardt, New York Times
"Our healthcare is staggeringly expensive, yet one in six Americans has no health insurance. We have some of the most skilled physicians in the world, yet one hundred thousand patients die each year from medical errors. In this gripping, eye-opening book, award-winning journalist Shannon Brownlee takes readers inside the hospital to dismantle some of our most venerated myths about American medicine. Brownlee dissects what she calls 'the medical-industrial complex' and lays bare the backward economic incentives embedded in our system, revealing a stunning portrait of the care we now receive.
"Nevertheless, OVERTREATED ultimately conveys a message of hope by reframing the debate over healthcare reform. It offers a way to control costs and cover the uninsured while simultaneously improving the quality of American medicine. Shannon Brownlee's humane, intelligent, and penetrating analysis empowers readers to avoid the perils of overtreatment, as well as pointing the way to better healthcare for everyone.
"With a new afterword offering practical advice to patients on how to navigate the healthcare system.
"Shannon Brownlee's stories and essays about medicine, healthcare, and biotechnology have appeared in such publications as the Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times Magazine, the New Republic, and Time. Born and raised in Honolulu, she holds a master's degree in biology from the University of California. She is a senior fellow at the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C. Brownlee lives in Annapolis, Maryland, with her husband and son." -- Publisher

*Cameron, Nigel, The New Age Medicine: Life and Death After Hippocrates, ISBN: 089107645X 9780891076452.
"I hope this disturbing book will be widely read." -- J.I. Packer
"With the abandonment of the 2500 year old Hippocratic oath, replacing it with ethical relativism, the medical profession increasingly sees itself not only as healers but as killers also. MUST READING!
"While Kevorkian is now languishing long-term in jail, the Netherlands end-of-life protections have been rolled back in law, and public opposition to physicians killing patients is declining. Where did today's deadly medicine come from? Where is it leading? The answers are clearly contained in this fresh edition of the acclaimed book by leading bioethicist Nigel Cameron.
"Nigel Cameron is Dean of the Wilberforce Forum in Washington, DC, and former Provost at Trinity International University in Deerfield Illinois. A consultant in bioethics and public policy issues on both sides of the Atlantic, he founded the Journal Ethics and Medicine, and has testified before the U.S. Congress. . . .
"Recent events, such as the widespread acceptance of the book, FINAL EXIT, show that the very foundation upon which all humane medical practice is based is in danger of being replaced with ethical relativism. Cameron's book could very well be a rallying point for those in the profession who know something is wrong." -- Publisher

Cheney, Darwin, Ethical Issues in Research, ISBN: 9781555720162 1555720161.
"Contents: Misrepresentation of data | US perspective | Distinguishing between error and fraud in science / Patricia K. Woolf | Misrepresentation of data and the integrity of research / Paul J. Friedman | Treatment of allegations of research misconduct by American universities / Allan Mazur | Office of scientific integrity: why, what and how / Jules V. Hallum and Suzanne W. Hadley | Authorship and illustrations: the challenge of computer manipulation / Paul J. Anderson | Credit and responsibility in scientific authorship / Addeane S. Caelleigh | Uses and abuses of scientific authorship: can and should they be controlled? / Edward J. Huth | Is being an author the key to success? / Sharon G. Boots | International perspective | Misrepresentation of data and other misconduct in science: the German view and experience / Albin Eser | Recombinant DNA revolution and the fading of the concept of pure science at the root of ethical issues in biological research / Vittorio Sgaramella | Fraud and misconduct in medical research: causes and control, a United Kingdom view / Raymond Hoffenberg. (cont) Conflict of interest | Science, scientific motivation and conflict of interest in research / Roger J. Porter | Conflict of interest: a university perspective / David Korn | Managing conflict of interest in faculty, federal government, and industrial relations / Barbara C. Hansen and Kenneth D. Hansen | Conflict-of-interest issues surrounding faculty participation in, and ownership of, technology and drug companies / William B. Neaves and Kern Wildenthal | Cooperation between academia and industry: opportunities and challenges / Barbara Mishkin | Role of conflict of interest in public advisory councils / Adil E. Shamoo | Scientific response to external pressures: research on human subjects | International ethical considerations for research on human subjects / Zbigniew Bankowski | Use of embryos and fetuses | Status and uses of early human developmental stages / Clifford Grobstein | Ethical limitations on the use of the human fetus in research / James Bopp, Jr. | Use of animals | Evolving ethical and legal norms in animal experimentation / T. David Marshall. (cont) Protests about animal research and the response from the scientific and medical communities / M.J. Matfield."

Covenant Enterprises, Forum for Biblical Ethics in Medicine, Second Annual Medical Ethics Conference.

*Day, Lorraine, AIDS: What the Government Isn't Telling you, ISBN: 0963094009 9780963094001.
Statistics show 3-5 percent of AIDS victims have no known reason to have the disease on the basis of "high risk" behavior. This book discusses some of the other ways the disease is being contacted, among other subjects. Lists safety recommendations. The author is considered by some to be the finest orthopedic surgeon in the country. The advice for avoiding AIDS -- do not allow the blood or body fluids of any other individual to get on your skin. Transmission by mosquitoes or other insects could account for the high incidence of AIDS in tropical countries. AIDS, she says in her book, is "the first massively and systematically politicized disease that has been falsified, misrepresented, and then whitewashed to the public."

DeParrie, Paul, Dark Cures: Have Doctors Lost Their Ethics? ISBN: 1563840995 9781563840999.
"This says it all!" -- Reader's Comment

*Finley, Martha (aka Martha Farquharson, 1828-1909), Book 2: Elsie's Holidays at Roselands, ISBN: 9781888306323 1888306327.
"When Elsie's father becomes ill, she takes on the job of nurse-companion, and all goes well until Elsie, because it is the Sabbath, as a matter of conscience refuses to read to him from a secular book. The battle of wills that ensues nearly causes first her father's death, and then Elsie's. Lonely Elsie -- punished, ostracized, and then abandoned by her father -- turns to her heavenly Father for comfort and assurance. Will her father realize that Elsie's obedience to God must be paramount, and submit himself to the same Divine Authority?" -- Publisher
On an even more serious note, one moral of this story is the broader life and death struggle between Truth and Falsehood (See: Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality], Epistemology of Theology, The Theory of Knowledge, and Christian Scholarship.) The consequence of conflict of will is death of the "One," or war of the "Many" (see Rushdoony, THE ONE AND THE MANY: STUDIES IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF ORDER AND ULTIMACY. Conflict of will (see Will and Recalcitrance, Rebellion and Lawlessness: Wickedness, Demonic Possession, Abnormal Behavior, Insanity, Mental Illness, Mental Retardation,) may begin when one individual (see The Doctrine of Man [Human Nature, Total Depravity],) or the corporate body (see Corporate Faithfulness and Sanctification), tries to usurping authority over others (see Power, Authority) -- tries to control and possess the other (see Tyranny, Slavery, Our Systems of Enslavement, Economic Enslavement.) The means of control may be either outward or occult (see The Occult, Spiritism, Witchcraft), deceit, repression or suppression of the truth, replacing moral and ethical absolutes with relativism (see Ethics, Computer Ethics, Cyberethics, Medical Ethics, Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality], unfaithfulness to the highest ethical standards (see The Ten Commandments: The Moral Law, The Holy Bible), Heresy and Apostasy (Apostacy, Old English), Spiritual Adultery [Spiritual Whoredom/Harlotry,] (see Idolatry, Syncretism, Jeremiah and Lamentations,) invocation of the demonic, Oaths, Ensnaring Vows, Promises, and Covenants, Bonds With the Ungodly (see Carnality and Flesh Pleasing: Desires, Pleasure, Justice, Judgment, God's Final Judgment, The Great White Throne Judgment, The Day of the Lord,) attempts to take authority over another politically or by mental malpractice (see Selection of Covenant Heads for Positions of Leadership, making up their own rules (see Absolute Truth and Relativism [Duality and Non-duality],) ignoring or changing constitutional or creedal documents, unjust laws for the accumulation of wealth and power, indebtedness, disenfranchisement, (see denial of freedom,) Priestcraft, Pharisaism, Soul-stealing, possessiveness, physical seduction and whoredom, political economic or sexual enslavement (see Sexual Relationship,) and so forth, and so on.
This abuse, this soul-violence, quenches the Holy Spirit (see Owen, God's Presence With a People the Spring of Their Prosperity; With Their Special Interest in Abiding in Him.) If either side is immovable, then death is the consequence (see Soteriology, Atonement, The Blood of Christ, Hell, and Heaven.)
How are conflicts of will resolved? By submission to the Absolute Truths of God's word, the great common denominator, Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. -- The Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6)
All this bears a strain of the Gospel (see Book-length Presentations of the Free Offer of The Gospel Message of Salvation and the Life to Come: The Means of Grace, The Westminster Confession of Faith.)
Book 2: Holidays at Roselands
http://archive.org/details/holidaysatrosel00finlgoog
Holidays at Roselands (Gutenberg text)
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=14280
Mantle Ministries (Elsie Dinsmore Series and Mildred Series)
http://www.mantlemin.com

Fredericks, Andrew (director), Money-Driven Medicine: What's Wrong With America's Healthcare and how to fix it, DVD, 86 minutes. Writers: Maggie Mahar; Producers: Peter Bull, Alex Gibney, Chris Matonti.
"MONEY-DRIVEN MEDICINE provides the essential introduction Americans need to become knowledgeable and vigorous participants in healthcare reform.
"Produced by Academy Award winner Alex Gibney (TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE, ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM), and based on Maggie Mahar's acclaimed book of the same title, MONEY DRIVEN MEDICINE offers an accessible, journalistically rigorous explanation of how the U.S. healthcare system went so terribly wrong and what it will take to fix it.
"Americans spend twice per capita for healthcare than the average rich country, one-sixth of our GDP. What do we get for that money? The U.S. ranks 29th in life expectancy and the World Health Organization ranks our health system 37th in the world, behind Slovenia and Costa Rica. MONEY-DRIVEN MEDICINE reveals how the profit-driven 'medical-industrial complex' has over-built the healthcare sector and produce a powerful, distorting incentive for billions of dollars of pointless, even risky, tests, prescriptions and procedures. This pay-per-service system drives doctors into lucrative specialities, while primary care physicians have become an endangered species; million dollar diagnostic machines stand idle while emergency rooms overflow.
"In MONEY-DRIVEN MEDICINE frustrated doctors and outraged patients testify to the often tragic consequences of fragmented, impersonal assembly-line medicine, designed more for churning out profits than life-long health management. Veteran physicians stress that change begins with the doctor-patient partnership: consistent family-centered primary care built on informed, shared decision-making. Dr. Donald Berwick of Harvard, Dr. James Weinstein of Dartmouth and other leading researchers explain the path-breaking studies (featured in Dr. Atul Gawande's recent New Yorker article), which prove that results-based rather than procedure-based medicine can pay-off in less extravagant yet more effective care.
"MONEY-DRIVEN MEDICINE alerts Americans that universal care is just the first shot in a hotly-contested, years-long battle for comprehensive healthcare reform. It will encourage the public to become savvy medical 'consumers' and empower health professionals to rescue their vocation from the corporate bottom line. It will teach students why a sound, sustainable medical infrastructure is crucial not just to their future but that of the economy and society as a whole. 'Money-Driven Medicine' makes clear that curing America's healthcare crisis is a matter of national life and death." -- Publisher

*Graedon, Joe, and Teresa Graedon, Top Screwups Doctors Make and how to Avoid Them, 1st edition, October 4, 2011, 336 pages, ISBN: 9780307460912 0307460916.
"healthcare screwups are one of the leading causes of death in America, killing as many as 750,000 people annually. That's more than heart attacks or cancer. And yet most people don't know this, including most physicians. From diagnostic disasters to deadly drug interactions, the bestselling authors of The People's Pharmacy expose the alarming epidemic of medical mistakes in America -- and offer a lifesaving prescription to make the healthcare system safe again.
"There is a culture of cover-up in medicine that has been very effective at keeping mistakes secret. A recent study found that the most sophisticated way of detecting harm in the hospital identified 100 times more problems than doctors reported. (Health Affairs, April, 2011)
"Medical mistakes happen all the time. Each year, 6.1 million Americans are harmed by diagnostic mistakes, drug disasters, and medical treatments. . . . Patient advocates Joe and Teresa Graedon came face-to-face with the tragic consequences of doctors' screwups when Joe's mother died in Duke Hospital -- one of the best in the world -- due to a disastrous series of preventable errors. The good news is that we can protect ourselves and our loved ones by being educated and vigilant medical consumers. The Graedons give patients the specific, practical steps they need to take to ensure their safety: the questions to ask before getting a final diagnosis, tips for promoting good communication with your doctor, presurgery checklists, how to avoid deadly drug interactions, and more. . . .
"In TOP SCREWUPS DOCTORS MAKE AND HOW TO AVOID THEM, the Graedons expose the most common medical mistakes, from doctor's offices and hospitals to the pharmacy counters and nursing homes. Patients across the country shared their riveting horror stories, and doctors recounted the disastrous -- and sometimes deadly -- consequences of their colleagues' oversights and errors. While many patients feel vulnerable and dependent on their healthcare providers, this book is a startling wake-up call to how wrong doctors can be. . . .
"The good news is that we can protect ourselves, and our loved ones, by being educated and vigilant medical consumers. The Graedons give patients the specific, practical steps they need to take to ensure their safety: the questions to ask a specialist before getting a final diagnosis, tips for promoting good communication with your doctor, presurgery checklists, how to avoid deadly drug interactions, and much more." -- Publisher
"Joe and Teresa Graedon have performed an enormous public service by putting this book together. Unfortunately, an epidemic of medical adverse events -- preventable lethal mistakes -- are destroying the quality of American healthcare. In all my years as a physician and an advocate for a safer, error-free healthcare system, I have never seen a more practical and readable guide to help patients become more vigilant and proactive in preventing medical errors. If you or someone you love is facing a serious illness or major surgery, defend yourself: Buy this book, read it cover to cover. No one cares more about your life than you do. If you were faced with a lethal threat, you would naturally do everything in your power to defend yourself. Put this book in your holster. Arm yourself. Take it with you to the hospital. And save your own life." -- Allan J. Hamilton, MD, FACS, professor of surgery and radiation oncology, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, author of The Scalpel and the Soul
"From my perspective, TOP SCREWUPS DOCTORS MAKE AND HOW TO AVOID THEM represents the evolution or transformation of the Graedons from strong consumer advocates to genuine full-fledged skeptics. This book is nothing like earlier Peoples Pharmacy books. This is not your father's Oldsmobile. I think it is fair to say that the Graedons are today nowhere near as sanguine about our medical system as they were for so many years.
"Some people say that some non-fiction authors keep writing the same book over and over again, only updating the evidence to support their case. In my view, this book represents a major departure from the Graedons' books in the past. I think the Graedons are now in their mid-sixties and I have no idea how many more books they intend to write. This book strikes me as their attempt to finally lay it all on the line. The Graedons accurately point out that the problem of pharmacy mistakes is horrifying and that the public largely has no idea how significant this problem is. A few years back, ABC's '20/20' did a no-holds-barred undercover investigation of pharmacy mistakes. The segment was titled 'Pharmacy Errors: Unreported Epidemic?' In my opinion that is an accurate description of the problem except that the question mark should have been replaced with an exclamation point. Search Google for 'pharmacy mistakes' if you have any doubt about how serious this problem is." -- Reader's Comment

Hadler, Nortin M., Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America, ISBN: 0807831875 9780807831878.
"At a time when access to healthcare in the United States is being widely debated, Nortin Hadler argues that an even more important issue is being overlooked. Although necessary healthcare should be available to all who need it, he says, the current healthcare debate assumes that everyone requires massive amounts of expensive care to stay healthy. Hadler urges that before we commit to paying for whatever pharmaceutical companies and the medical establishment tell us we need, American consumers need to adopt an attitude of skepticism and arm themselves with enough information to make some of their own decisions about what care is truly necessary.
"Each chapter of WORRIED SICK is an object lesson regarding the uses and abuses of a particular type of treatment, such as mammography, colorectal screening, statin drugs, or coronary stents. For consumers and medical professionals interested in understanding the scientific basis for Hadler's arguments, each topical chapter has an accompanying source chapter in which Hadler discusses the medical literature and studies that inform his critique.
"According to Hadler, a major stumbling block to rational healthcare policy in the United States is contention over the very concept of what constitutes good health. By learning to distinguish good medical advice from persuasive medical marketing, consumers can make better decisions about their personal health and use that wisdom to inform their perspectives on health-policy issues.
"Nortin M. Hadler, M.D., is professor of medicine and microbiology/immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is attending rheumatologist at UNC Hospitals. He is author or editor of numerous books, including THE LAST WELL PERSON: HOW TO STAY WELL DESPITE THE HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM." -- Publisher
"WORRIED SICK is a follow up to Dr. Hadler's THE LAST WELL PERSON. It has updated research information and written for the public at large. In this book, Dr. Hadler examines many of the common diagnoses and treatments and questions their validity and scientific basis. He shows clearly that many are not based on science, and that treatments are of questionable value, and possibly harmful.
"Here is a brief overview.

1. Heart bypass surgery and angioplasty: Dr. Hadler explains how bypass surgery has not been shown to be of any use. In fact, some patients whose chests were simply opened and closed had similar improvements in their level of pain after the surgery. However, those who had the surgery experiencing dementia (40 percent) and difficulty returning back to their regular jobs. Although, the efficacy of this treatment has never been proven, it and angioplasty continues to account for 500,000 procedures a year in the US.
2. Type 2 diabetes: He mentions that increase blood glucose level is an expected part of aging, and the effort to regulate blood sugar with medication has shown no effect in terms of preventing damage to the eyes or kidneys or preventing heart disease or stroke. In fact, ten years of intensive therapy offered no real advantage to 1000 middle aged hyperglycemic (high blood glucose level) people. So, why would anyone want to be on therapy and suffer the side effects of medications that have no real benefits? He says changes in diet, weight loss, and exercise have are a much better approach. Also what is considered a high blood glucose level? Those levels are set by committees, not necessarily based on scientific medicine, but many times based on influence by pharmaceutical companies.
3. Hypertension: Dr. Hadler also points out that high blood pressure is another area where science has not proven that by lowering the mild high blood pressure one can really make a difference in preventing heart disease or damage to organs. He recommends for people who have diabetes and hypertension and are elderly to be treated, if regular exercise, weight loss, and diet modifications do not help. But, to be focused on keeping the blood pressure at 120/80 and getting medication to those who are 140/90 and higher, and who have no symptoms and are feeling well, is not supported by research. One thing research has shown is that a cheap first generation diuretic works just as well as the latest and very expensive anti-hypertension drugs.
4. Ruptured disc: He points out that the concept of ruptured disc as cause of back and leg pain was proposed some 70 years ago and should have remained there. There is no evidence that a ruptured disc causes any harm. All the spinal changes due to age detected in an MRI or CT scan are normal. Some 200 randomized studies clearly show that all the treatments ranging from spinal manipulation, shots, and surgeries are of no benefit. All studies have shown that patients who refused treatment recovered as well or better than those who were treated. He recommends taking Tylenol for the pain and discomfort and getting back into one's regular routine and job.
5. Knee and shoulder pain: he also points out that knee pain is of the same case. The current diagnoses, such as a torn meniscus or torn rotator cuff, and treatments are of no value, and perhaps the solution is to take some Tylenol for the pain and keep going until the individual recovers, whether it's back or knee pain.
6. HRT therapy for post menopausal women: here is another area which is touted as a way of preventing heart disease and osteoporosis in women. He points out that not only this has failed, but the equipment they use for testing is not accurate most of the time, and that the medications used for it don't really work. Exercise is a better alternative. Also hip replacement surgery could easily be replaced with pinning the hip, which is less costly with a faster recovery rate.
7. Cancer screening: Like Dr. Welch, author of DO I NEED TO BE TESTED FOR CANCER, he too finds no scientific basis that screening well people for cancer has any benefit. He calls it, 'looking for a very small needle in a big hay stack.'

Heimburger, Douglas C, Whatever Happened to sin and the Soul in Medicine?

Himmelstein, David (author), Steffie Woolhandler (author), Bleeding the Patient: The Consequences of Corporate Healthcare, ISBN: 1567512062.
"The system we rely on to protect our health is seriously diseased. The structure of ownership and management creates perverse incentives that hurt patients and demoralize doctors and nurses who struggle to provide high quality care.
"We need to change this system. To do that, we need to inform as many people as possible about its failures and develop alternatives to corporate 'for profit' managed care.
"BLEEDING THE PATIENT can help us do that. It is clear, concise, full of facts and figures. It's more of a user-friendly reference book than a narrative, but that's OK. The choice of topics and level of information is excellent. It ranges from issues of prenatal care to so-called 'capitation' agreements to details regarding the hugely inefficient medical insurance bureaucracy. My only complaint is that it's sometimes difficult to figure out the references, which are abbreviated.
"Everyone who cares about the well being of our society -- as well as their personal health -- should buy several copies of this book, and hand one personally to every doctor, nurse and health practitioner that they meet. Don't leave it in the waiting room! Corporate healthcare managers do their best to keep this kind of information out of their 'clients' hands'." -- Reader's Comment

*Horwitz, Allan V., Creating Mental Illness, ISBN: 0226353818 9780226353814.
"In this timely and provocative critique of modern psychiatry, Allan V. Horwitz examines current conceptions of mental illness as a disease. He argues that this notion fits only a small number of serious psychological conditions, and that most conditions currently regarded as mental illness are cultural constructions, normal reactions to stressful social circumstances, or simply forms of deviant behavior.
"According to Horwitz, the formulation of mental illness as disease benefits various interest groups, including mental health researchers and clinicians, prescriptive drug manufacturers, and mental health advocacy groups, all of whom promote disease-based models.
"Presenting case studies in maladies such as hysteria, multiple personality disorder, and depression, he examines the major causes and treatments of mental illness, paying special attention to the use of pharmaceuticals. While biologically based causes and treatments fit some of the entities formulated, Horwitz finds that more often than not, social responses offer far more suitable remedies.
"Allan V. Horwitz is a professor in the Department of Sociology and Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research at Rutgers University." -- Publisher

Kassirer, Jerome P., On the Take: How Medicine's Complicity With big Business can Endanger Your Health, ISBN: 1423746694 9781423746690.
"We all know that doctors accept gifts from drug companies, ranging from pens and coffee mugs to free vacations at luxurious resorts. But as the former Editor-in-Chief of The New England Journal of Medicine reveals in this shocking exposé, these innocuous-seeming gifts are just the tip of an iceberg that is distorting the practice of medicine and jeopardizing the health of millions of Americans today. In ON THE TAKE, Dr. Jerome Kassirer offers an unsettling look at the pervasive payoffs that physicians take from big drug companies and other medical suppliers, arguing that the billion-dollar onslaught of industry money has deflected many physicians' moral compasses and directly impacted the everyday care we receive from the doctors and institutions we trust most. Underscored by countless chilling untold stories, the book illuminates the financial connections between the wealthy companies that make drugs and the doctors who prescribe them. Kassirer details the shocking extent of these financial enticements and explains how they encourage bias, promote dangerously misleading medical information, raise the cost of medical care, and breed distrust. A brilliant diagnosis of an epidemic of greed, ON THE TAKE offers insight into how we can cure the medical profession and restore our trust in doctors and hospitals." -- Publisher

Kauffman, Joel M., Malignant Medical Myths: Why Medical Treatment Causes 200,000 Deaths in the USA Each Year, and how to Protect Yourself, ISBN: 0741429098 9780741429094. Includes bibliographical references and index.
"A fearless exposé of mainstream medicine's most revered dogma, MALIGNANT MEDICAL MYTHS is solidly based on trusted medical and nutritional books and journals. Americans spend $2 trillion per year on healthcare, about $7,000 each, yet it buys almost the poorest healthcare among developed countries, with 200,000 deaths per year from medical treatment. Find out why advice from authorities on screening tests, drugs, diet, exercise, alcohol, radiation, radon, and water fluoridation is often wrong and commercially motivated. See how clinical trials are slanted. Understand how 'sickness' is created to sell treatments, and which government agencies support these shenanigans.
"Joel M. Kauffman obtained a B.S. in Chemistry from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, now called University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (USP), and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After 11 years of experience in the chemical industry, Dr. Kauffman joined USP in 1979, rising to Professor of Chemistry. His experience includes about 10 years of exploratory drug development at USP and 4 years at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He obtained grants and contracts from many sources including the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, the Office of Naval Research and the Army Research Office and several manufacturing companies. With 80 papers on chemical and medical topics, and 11 patents, including 2 on antituberculosis drugs, Dr. Kauffman has turned his attention to exposing fraud in medicine." -- Publisher
"In MALIGNANT MEDICAL MYTHS, he questions the following medical myths, as he calls them, put forth by health and medical 'experts:'

1. Taking an aspirin a day will make you live longer.
2. Low-carb diets are unsafe and don't work for weight loss.
3. Using statin drugs to lower cholesterol will improve health.
4. People over 50 should take medicine for hypertension.
5. A drink a day keeps the doctor away.
6. Exercise! Run for your life! No pain, no gain.
7. EDTA chelation therapy for atherosclerosis is dangerous.
8. Radiation is dangerous except when administered by an oncologist.
9. Yearly mammograms extend life.
10. Cancer treatments have cure rates of 60 percent.
11. Fluoride in the water prevents tooth decay and is safe.

Kilner, John, Nigel M. de S. Cameron, and David Schiedermayer (editor), Bioethics and the Future of Medicine: A Christian Appraisal, ISBN: 0853646740 9780853646747.

Knudsen, Robert D., Ethics and Birth Control.
Typescript (mimeographed) "The slightly revised form of a paper presented before the 16th annual convention of the American Scientific Affiliation in Houghton, New York, Aug. 22-25, 1961." Article published originally in The Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation; 14, no. 1. Description: 9 leaves; 28 cm."

Leung, Michael C.M., Misdiagnosis and Fraud.
Working paper (Chinese University of Hong Kong. Department of Economics), No. 126
https://econpapers.repec.org/paper/chkcuhked/_5f126.htm

*Levitt, Steven, and Stephen J. Dubner, Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, ISBN: 9780062132345 0062132342 9788466645775 8466645772 .
"Nothing is more powerful than information, especially when its power is abused. . . .
"Though extraordinarily diverse, these crimes all have a common trait: they were sins of information. Most of them involved an expert, or a gang of experts, promoting false information or hiding true information; in each case the experts were trying to keep the information asymmetry as asymmetrical as possible.
"The practitioners of such acts, especially in the realm of high finance, inevitably offer this defense: 'Everybody else was doing it.' Which may be largely true. One characteristic of information crimes is that very few of them are detected." -- Levitt and Dubner
"More than 4 million copies sold worldwide. Published in 35 languages. . . . Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. He studies the riddles of everyday life 'from cheating and crime to parenting and sports' and reaches conclusions that turn conventional wisdom on its head. FREAKONOMICS is a groundbreaking collaboration between Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist. They set out to explore the inner workings of a crack gang, the truth about real estate agents, the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan, and much more." -- Publisher

Mahar, Maggie, Money-driven Medicine: The Real Reason Health Care Costs so Much, ISBN: 0060765348 9780060765347.
"A straightforward, credible and comprehensive survey of contemporary American medical care. As a physician with many years of experience with our medical system, I can attest to its accuracy. Its major thrust is the elucidation of how our medical system has been taken over by those who seek profit rather than the welfare of the patient. The author explores the methods used by insurance companies, pharmaceutical houses, device manufacturers, hospitals and some physicians to capitalize on the vulnerability of the sick.
"She points out the gross inefficiencies that contribute to the high cost of medical care and suggests ways to improve that care. With information such as this we may be able to change the 'Healthcare Industry' back to the medical care of the patient." -- Reader's Comment
Fredericks, Andrew (director), Money-Driven Medicine: What's Wrong With America's Healthcare and how to fix it, DVD, 86 minutes. Writers: Maggie Mahar; Producers: Peter Bull, Alex Gibney, Chris Matonti.

Makary, Marty, Unaccountable: What Hospitals Won't Tell you and how Transparency can Revolutionize Health Care, ISBN: 9781608198368 1608198367.
"Dr. Marty Makary is co-developer of the life-saving checklist outlined in Atul Gawande's bestselling THE CHECKLIST MANIFESTO. As a busy surgeon who has worked in many of the best hospitals in the nation, he can testify to the amazing power of modern medicine to cure. But he's also been a witness to a medical culture that routinely leaves surgical sponges inside patients, amputates the wrong limbs, and overdoses children because of sloppy handwriting. Over the last ten years, neither error rates nor costs have come down, despite scientific progress and efforts to curb expenses. Why? To patients, the healthcare system is a black box. Doctors and hospitals are unaccountable, and the lack of transparency leaves both bad doctors and systemic flaws unchecked. Patients need to know more of what healthcare workers know, so they can make informed choices. Accountability in healthcare would expose dangerous doctors, reward good performance, and force positive change nationally, using the power of the free market. UNACCOUNTABLE is a powerful, no-nonsense, non-partisan diagnosis for healing our hospitals and reforming our broken healthcare system." -- Publisher

Martin, Mike W., From Morality to Mental Health: Virtue and Vice in a Therapeutic Culture, ISBN: 0195304713 9780195304718.
"In this wide-ranging, accessible book, Mike W. Martin asks: are we replacing morality with therapy, in potentially confused and dangerous ways, or are we creatively integrating morality and mental health? According to him, it's a little bit of both. He surveys the ways in which morality and mental health are related, touching on practical concerns like love and work, self-respect and self-fulfillment, guilt and depression, crime and violence, and addictions. Terming this integrative development "the therapeutic trend in ethics," Martin uses examples from popular culture, various moral controversies, and draws on a line of thought that includes Plato, the Stoics, Freud, Nietzsche, and contemporary psychotherapeutic theories. Martin develops some interesting conclusions, among them that sound morality is indeed healthy, and that moral values are inevitably embedded in our conceptions of mental health. In the end, he shows how both morality and mental health are inextricably intertwined in our pursuit of a meaningful life. This book will be of interest to philosophers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and sociologists, as well as the general reader." -- Publisher

Mendelsohn, Robert S. Confessions of a Medical Heretic, ISBN: 0809277263 9780809277261.
"I've read a lot of books on health in my life and this is one of the best. If you want to know how to avoid some of the dirty tricks doctors pull, you've got to study this. Most diseases are self-limiting, but your doctor won't tell you that. He'll drug and cut you in a heart beat. Another good series of books are by Joel Wallach, Herbert Shelton, and Cass Igram. The state of medicine today is as bad or worse than it was 20 years ago. Do yourself a favor and get this book." -- Reader's Comment

Mendelsohn, Robert S., Male [Mal]practice: How Doctors Manipulate Women, ISBN: 0809259745 9780809259748.
"A lot of practical advice is given regarding questions to ask the doctor when he suggests surgery. Includes the chapter 'Fifty Drugs Every Woman Should Think Twice About Before Taking'." -- Publisher

Mercola, Joseph, The Great Bird flu Hoax: The Truth They Don't Want you to Know About the "Next big Pandemic," 240 pages, ISBN: 0785221875 9780785221876.
"The U.S. government is now practically screaming that a new avian super-flu will likely kill millions of Americans. The mainstream media is entirely onboard, as are drug companies and other corporations poised to benefit immensely off the paranoia. But there is NO coming bird flu pandemic. It's an elaborate scheme contrived by the government and big business for reasons that boil down to power and money.
"Presenting eye-opening evidence that casts serious doubt on the truthfulness of reports about the virus's ability to transmit, and its mortality rates around the world, renowned physician Dr. Joseph Mercola reveals the secrets about the great bird flu hoax. In compelling fashion he provides you the real facts you need to know to protect you from a far greater ill -- corporate and governmental greed." -- Publisher

Michaels, David, Doubt is Their Product: How Industry's Assault on Science Threatens Your Health, ISBN: 9780195300673 019530067X.
" 'Doubt is our product,' a cigarette executive once observed, 'since it is the best means of competing with the 'body of fact' that exists in the minds of the general public. It is also the means of establishing a controversy.'
"In this eye-opening exposé, David Michaels reveals how the tobacco industry's duplicitous tactics spawned a multimillion dollar industry that is dismantling public health safeguards. Product defense consultants, he argues, have increasingly skewed the scientific literature, manufactured and magnified scientific uncertainty, and influenced policy decisions to the advantage of polluters and the manufacturers of dangerous products. To keep the public confused about the hazards posed by global warming, second-hand smoke, asbestos, lead, plastics, and many other toxic materials, industry executives have hired unscrupulous scientists and lobbyists to dispute scientific evidence about health risks. In doing so, they have not only delayed action on specific hazards, but they have constructed barriers to make it harder for lawmakers, government agencies, and courts to respond to future threats. The Orwellian strategy of dismissing research conducted by the scientific community as 'junk science' and elevating science conducted by product defense specialists to 'sound science' status also creates confusion about the very nature of scientific inquiry and undermines the public's confidence in science's ability to address public health and environmental concerns Such reckless practices have long existed, but Michaels argues that the Bush administration deepened the dysfunction by virtually handing over regulatory agencies to the very corporate powers whose products and behavior they are charged with overseeing.
"In DOUBT IS THEIR PRODUCT Michaels proves, beyond a doubt, that our regulatory system has been broken. He offers concrete, workable suggestions for how it can be restored by taking the politics out of science and ensuring that concern for public safety, rather than private profits, guides our regulatory policy.
"David Michaels is a scientist and former government regulator. During the Clinton Administration, he served as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environment, Safety and Health, responsible for protecting the health and safety of the workers, neighboring communities, and the environment surrounding the nation's nuclear weapons factories. He currently directs the Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. In 2006, he received the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award for his work on behalf of nuclear weapons workers and for advocacy for scientific integrity." -- Publisher
"Conflicts of interest among members of EPA review panels have weakened governmental safety standards on toxic chemicals in the environment and in everyday consumer products. Outrage over long-standing reliance on 'science for hire' by the chemical industry has prompted Congress to investigate EPA's procedures for reviewing toxic chemicals, including PBDE flame retardants and bisphenol A. These examples are just a small window into how great the tampering and influence of the chemical industry has been over EPA regulation of toxic chemicals. A new book by David Michaels, an epidemiologist and the director of the Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, documents a seemingly endless list of examples of mercenary scientists misleading the general public and the regulatory community about the true dangers of chemical exposures, starting from lead, asbestos, and tobacco, and continuing to chromium, berillium, perchlorate, benzene, plastics chemicals, and various other environmental and occupational health hazards.
"The book is a must-read for anyone who cares about the best application of science in the interests of promoting public health. For a great review, readers can also go to the article by Newsweek's Sharon Begley, 'Whitewashing Toxic Chemicals.'
"One stunning quote from the book describes the tricks of the trade that industry lobby and product defense firms use to derail the regulatory process: 'They profit by helping corporations minimize public health and environmental protection and fight claims of injury and illness. In field after field, year after year, this same handful of individuals and companies comes up again and again . . . They have on their payrolls (or can bring in on a moment's notice), toxicologists, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, risk assessors, and any other professionally trained, media-savvy experts deemed necessary. They and the larger, wealthier industries for which they work go through the motions we expect of the scientific enterprise, salting the literature with their questionable reports and studies. Nevertheless, it is all a charade. The work has one overriding motivation: advocacy for the sponsor's position in civil court, the court of public opinion, and the regulatory arena [where these studies benefit their sponsors], not because they are good work that the regulatory agencies have to take seriously but because they clog the machinery and slow down the process. Public health interests are beside the point. Follow the science wherever it leads? Not quite. This is science for hire, period, and it is extremely lucrative.'
"Only by discovering the facts behind the scene and by bringing to light the true motivation of profit-driven public relations campaigns can we promote and defend the health of the environment and the safety of consumer products. For a veteran in the subject who may have participated in some of the struggles described in DEFENDING SCIENCE, or for a new member of the environmental and occupational health community, this book is a great introduction to the state of the field -- and the battles ahead that still need to be fought." -- Reader's Comment

Mitchell, Janet Lynn, Taking a Stand, ISBN: 1600980015 9781600980015.
"This book is one of the biggest eye openers that I have ever read concerning Medical Malpractice Law and the American Judicial System today. Never before did I realize that so many patients suffer everyday from doctors committing an act of Medical Malpractice and yet only a small percentage of those victims actually get their case heard within their state courts. This is where Janet's book, TAKING A STAND, is so powerful. Janet takes her own personal experience and courageously writes this book, to not only help others but also to show her faith and love in God. Due to circumstances in Janet's case and her will to follow God, California Laws have been changed today and many other victims will be encouraged to follow God's will and stand up for what is right." -- Publisher
"Tips: Read your surgery authorization to find out who will do the surgery. If you allow a new doctor to operate on you be sure the attending mentor doctor is present with the new doctor in the operating room throughout the whole operation. Get second opinions before surgery. If you suspect it is necessary, go to another city for the opinion. Bring an advocate to the doctor's appointments with you and to stay with you in the hospital. Ask nurses what the medicine is, and what its purpose is. The statute of limitation for medical malpractice is seven (7) years. Medical concealment and fraud is when the patient never finds out that a medical error has been made. Only about 24 percent of families ever find out when a medical error has been made."
Janet Lynn Mitchell Website
http://www.janetlynnmitchell.com/

Moynihan, Ray, and Alan Cassels, Selling Sickness: How the World's Biggest Pharmaceutical Companies are Turning us all Into Patients, ISBN: 1560256974 9781560256977.
"Thirty years ago, the head of the drug company Merck made some remarkably candid comments about his distress that his company's market was limited to sick people. Suggesting he would like Merck to be more like the maker of Wrigley's chewing gum, the CEO said it had long been his dream to make drugs for healthy people, to 'sell to everyone.'
"That dream now drives the marketing machinery of the most profitable industry on earth. From award-winning Ray Moynihan, one of the world's top medical journalists, SELLING SICKNESS reveals how widening the boundaries of illness and lowering the threshold for treatments is creating millions of new patients and billions in new profits. This in turn is driving up personal drug bills and threatening to bankrupt national health systems all over the world. As more and more ordinary life is 'medicalized,' the industry moves ever closer to being able to 'sell to everyone'." -- Publisher

Navasky, Miri, Karen O'Connor, Mead Street Films (firm), WGBH (television station: Boston, Mass.), and WGBH Educational Foundation, The Released, DVD, ISBN: 0793670713 9780793670710. Originally broadcast on the PBS program Frontline.
Our Mental Health Policy has been a complete failure since the release of patients from mental institutions in the early 70's. Those released quickly ended up in prisons.
"In this follow up to the groundbreaking film 'The New Asylums,' Frontline examines what happens to the mentally ill when they leave prison and why they return at such alarming rates. The intimate stories of the released-along with interviews with parole officers, social workers, and psychiatrists-provide a rare look at the lives of the mentally ill as they struggle to stay out of prison and reintegrate into society." -- Publisher
http://www.shoppbs.org/sm-pbs-frontline-the-released-dvd--pi-3544620.html

Newman-Toker, David, Diagnostic Errors -- The Next Frontier for Patient Safety, JAMA, 2009 Mar 11, 301(10):1060-2
"David Newman-Toker, MD, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and co-author of "Diagnostic Errors -- The Next Frontier for Patient Safety" in the Journal of the American Medical Association."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2009/08/29/737-diagnostic-errors/

Ofri, Danielle, When we do Harm: A Doctor Confronts Medical Error, ISBN: 0807037893 9780807037898.
"Physician and author Danielle Ofri investigates how medical error could be killing 10 percent of patients and causing 33 percent of hospital deaths. These stories ask us to reconsider what happens when the medical system does us harm". -- Publisher

Olsen, Gwen, Confessions of an Rx Drug Pusher, ISBN: 9781935278597 1935278592.
"She talks about the science that is funded by the pharmaceuticals and how it cannot be trusted, due to obvious conflicts of interest. She also gives personal experiences with people she knew, who were prescribed over time of how a lethal cocktail of drugs killed many of them or led them to suicide. This occurs because researchers cannot test every possible combination of drugs -- there's simply not enough time available for this. Apparently, the body needs time to flush a drug out of the system, and doctors don't allow for that time. So, the combinations are particularly concerning.
"Long story short, if someone we love is behaving erratically, it could be because of a mixture of prescription/non-prescription drugs. Don't expect your physician to protect you because they do not have time to keep up on all the research, and they are constantly persuaded by attractive, smart-sounding drug reps, who come to their offices bringing lots of free samples, food, and gifts.
"The point of the book is get informed and take charge of your own health, rather than relying on those who consistently demonstrate that they value profit above your well-being." -- Reader's Comment

Orr, Robert, David L. Schiedermayer, and David B. Biebel, Life and Death Decisions, ISBN: 080105270X 9780801052705.
"Designed to help readers make informed decisions about emotionally charged issues, LIFE AND DEATH DECISIONS sorts through the facts, concerns, and options that are integral to each issue. Biblically based and medically reliable, this single volume will help you evaluate the latest medical technologies in the light of Christian ethics." -- Publisher

Ozner, Michael D., The Great American Heart Hoax: Lifesaving Advice Your Doctor Should Tell you About Heart Disease Prevention (But Probably Never Will), ISBN: 9781933771540 1933771542.
"Addressing the importance of preventative measures over uncertain surgeries, this groundbreaking study reveals the secret to cardiovascular health. Illustrating the disturbing realities about the heart industry and how undependable bypass surgery can be, this survey argues the alternative -- know the majority of people can employ much simpler methods, such as a change in diet, to achieve better results. Also featured is a 12-step program to improve heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease, including dieting advice, tips on exercise and stress management, methods for controlling cholesterol and blood pressure, and recommended vitamins and medicines.
"Michael Ozner, MD, is medical director of the Cardiovascular Prevention Institute of South Florida and a clinical assistant professor of medicine and cardiology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He is the author of THE MIAMI MEDITERRANEAN DIET. He lives in Miami." -- Publisher
"HEART HOAX is horrifying because it reveals many troubling facts about America's cardiac surgery industry. As a longtime medical advocate and critic of our healthcare system, I've known that too many heart surgeries are being performed in America; I just didn't know how many too many! In his book, Dr. Ozner reveals that, of the more than 1.5 million angioplasties and coronary bypass surgeries performed annually in the U.S., fully 70-90 percent are not only unnecessary, but are also detrimental -- and in some cases, even cause death. I knew that many diagnostic tests expose patients to radiation, but I didn't know that the 64-slice CT scan -- so often used to detect clogged arteries -- gives a patient the equivalent of the radiation from FIVE HUNDRED X-RAYS. And while I had known that the simple cholesterol test, which doctors routinely use as a predictor of cardiac risk, does NOT give the full picture, I did not know that it correctly predicts risk IN ONLY 40 percent of cases -- AND that there is another blood test (which doctors normally do NOT use), which can correctly predict cardiac risk in 90 percent of patients. All of these facts -- and more -- add up to what Dr. Ozner refers to as the GREAT AMERICAN HEART HOAX. The truth, writes Dr. Ozner, is that invasive cardiologists HAVE KNOWN many of these 'dirty secrets' for years, but have chosen to ignore them, in the unholy goal of 'following the money.'
"So, why do I say that this book is also empowering? Because, the exposé takes up only one part of the book. In the second half, Dr. Ozner gives us the 'good news,' by laying out his solution: a 10-step prevention program he has used successfully with his patients for nearly 30 years. It combines the Mediterranean Diet -- with lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish and healthy fats -- with nutritional supplements, exercise, stress reduction, and lots more. After reading this book, you will know how to prevent a heart attack and, if you have already had one, how to greatly reduce your chances of ever having another." -- Reader's Comment

Palmer, B.M., The Pious Physician; or, The Claims of Religion Upon the Medical Profession.

*Payne, Franklin E., Jr., Biblical/Medical Ethics: The Christian and the Practice of Medicine, ISBN: 0880620684 9780880620680.
"First half establishes a biblical basis for medical ethics, the need for an unchanging, authoritative moral standard, and the uncertain efficacy of modern medicine. 'I am advocating a realistic understanding of its limitations, as well as its potential. Medicine does not deserve the great expectations for health which many of its leaders, physicians, public press, and lay advocates claim.' Second half discusses the role of the church in healthcare and a series of ethical issues: abortion, psychotherapy, death and dying, euthanasia." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)
"Comes highly recommended by Jay Adams, Harold O.J. Brown, and R.J. Rushdoony. Written by a medical doctor who makes the issue clear and understandable. A must book for pastors, elders, deacons, counselors, and informed laymen." -- GCB

*Payne, Franklin E., Making Biblical Decisions, ISBN: 0962320404 9780962320408.
"Dr. Payne's book should be found on the shelf of every Christian home . . . it is bound to become a practical classic." -- Jay Adams
"Biblical perspective to inform a range of ethical decisions: birth control, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, genetic engineering, and death. 'We frequently overlook the fact that we live in a universe where the primary reality is supernatural.' 'My intent is to help all Christians know what is darkness and what is light within the practice of medicine'." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)

*Playfair, William L., The Useful lie: How the Recovery Industry has Entrapped America in a Disease Model of Addiction, ISBN: 1889032379 9780891076377.
"Challenges the disease concept of alcoholism, the 'useful lie' of the recovery movement. This lie underlies the widespread mistreatment of alcoholism and of other fundamentally moral problems, e.g., 'codependency.' Posits biblically based intervention that treats such problems as sins to be repented of. Opposes sending a person to the recovery industry because 'He will be told his sin is a sickness; he will never be confronted with his real and most basic moral and spiritual problem. And he will more than likely be introduced to the any god of Twelve Stepdom, who is, by Biblical criteria, a false god'." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)
"Dr. Playfair is a medical consultant to the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation/West in San Diego. He also is a board member of Family Research Institute. The theme and purpose of this book is to debunk the claims that alcoholism is a disease. This claim, says the doctor, contradicts science and medicine; it contradicts the Bible, which is more important; and it simply does not work in breaking the addiction of alcohol. . . ." -- Jay P. Green, Sr. (1918-2008)
"This book provided all the necessary evidence to blow the whistle on the recovery industry and also points toward genuine freedom from addiction." -- GCB

Poirier, T.I., An Evangelical Critique of Advance Directives, ISSN: 1050-3404.

Poirier, T.I., Ethical Issues in Pharmacy: A Biblical Perspective, ISSN: 1050-3404.

Prasad, Vinayak K. and Adam S. Cifu, Ending Medical Reversal: Improving Outcomes, Saving Lives, ISBN: 9781421417721 1421417723.
" 'Medical reversal' happens when doctors start using a medication, procedure, or diagnostic tool without a robust evidence base -- and then stop using it when it is found not to help, or even to harm, patients. The authors narrate stories from every corner of medicine to explore why medical reversals occur, how they are harmful, and what can be done to avoid them. They explore the difference between medical innovations that improve care and those that only appear to be promising. They also outline a comprehensive plan to reform medical education, research funding and protocols, and the process for approving new drugs, that will ensure that more of what gets done in doctors' offices and hospitals is truly effective." -- Publisher

Rampton, Sheldon, and John Stauber, Trust us We're Experts: How Industry Manipulates Science and Gambles With Your Future.
"Fearless investigative journalists Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber (TOXIC SLUDGE IS GOOD FOR YOU! and MAD COW U.S.A.), are back with a gripping exposé of the public relations industry and the scientists who back their business-funded, anti-consumer-safety agendas. There are two kinds of 'experts' in question ["Recent surveys show that 'national experts' are the third most trusted type of public figure (after Supreme Court justices and schoolteachers),"] -- the PR spin doctors behind the scenes and the 'independent' experts paraded before the public, scientists who have been hand-selected, cultivated, and paid handsomely to promote the views of corporations involved in controversial actions. Lively writing on controversial topics such as dioxin, bovine growth hormone, and genetically modified food makes this a real page-turner, shocking in its portrayal of the real and potential dangers in each of these technological innovations and of the 'media pseudo-environment' created to obfuscate the risks. By financing and publicizing views that support the goals of corporate sponsors, PR campaigns have, over the course of the century, managed to suppress the dangers of lead poisoning for decades, silence the scientist who discovered that rats fed on genetically modified corn had significant organ abnormalities, squelch television and newspaper stories about the risks of bovine growth hormone, and place enough confusion and doubt in the public's mind about global warming to suppress any mobilization for action.
"Rampton and Stauber introduce the movers and shakers of the PR industry, from the 'risk communicators' (whose job is to downplay all risks), and 'outrage managers' (with their four strategies -- deflect, defer, dismiss, or defeat), to those who specialize in 'public policy intelligence' (spying on opponents). Evidently, these elaborate PR campaigns are created for our own good. According to public relations philosophers, the public reacts emotionally to topics related to health and safety and is incapable of holding rational discourse. Needless to say, Rampton and Stauber find these views rather antidemocratic and intend to pull back the curtain to reveal the real wizard in Oz. This is one wake-up call that's hard to resist." -- Lesley Reed for Amazon.com
"The book is patently left-leaning. The authors are idealistic about human nature, for example, believing people would do the greatest good for the greatest number if they knew how to do it. The authors also appear to believe that government regulation is the necessary answer to inevitable government excess. This seems awfully naïve in its sheer repetition at times. In Chapter Nine, the concession is briefly made that 'public advocacy' groups will sometimes distort facts and figures to achieve their desired ends, but that assertion is ultimately deemed less important than the tendency of conservative forces to distort." -- Reader's Comment

*Robbins, John (1949-2008), Freedom and Capitalism: Essays on Christian Politics and Economics (Unicoi, TN: The Trinity Foundation, November, 2006), 650 pages, ISBN: 1891777157 9781891777158.
Contains "The Ethics and Economics of Health Care" a lecture delivered at the Evangelical Theological Society meeting at Westminster Theological Seminary in 1994. It is 36 pages in length and is documented with footnotes and in text bibliography.
We believe this is the definitive statement on "Single Payer Guaranteed, Quality National Health Insurance in the United States" and is a must-read for individuals whose lives are impacted by the unavailability of affordable healthcare in the United States. It is a must read for individuals who do not have the knowledge to make an informed decision about H.R. 676, yet recognize the profound importance of taking the right stand on the issue. -- compiler
"One can agree that there are serious problems with the present healthcare and health insurance systems in the United States [writing in 1994 -- compiler]. Nothing in this paper should be construed as a defense of the status quo. But those serious problems arose because of government interference in the insurance and care systems."
From the author's nine concluding points: "any political health-car plan is subversive of the fundamental moral values that have given the United States whatever moral authority it has in the world. Government planning is incompatible with freedom of choice in healthcare, freedom of contract, private planning, limited government, federalism, the rule of law, individual responsibility, the work ethic, and Christian charity. . . . is inimical to the Biblical ideas of sovereignty of God; the primacy of the individual; the proper function of the state; the sinfulness of theft, idleness, and envy; and the exercise of Christian charity. . . . The creation of a political-medical complex . . . is a necessary condition of a totalitarian state, as illustrated in the history of Germany. . . . involves the sinful use of force against patients, doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, drug companies, and taxpayers. . . ."
The concluding points are followed by seven suggested steps to reform the present system.
"Dr. John W. Robbins attended Grove City College (A.B. 1969) and The Johns Hopkins University (M.A. 1970, Ph.D. 1973). He has served as chief of staff for a Member of Congress [Ron Paul of Texas], editor of The Freeman magazine, Economist for The Heritage Foundation, and Professor of Political Philosophy in The Freedom School." -- Publisher

Rosenthal, Elisabeth, An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became big Business and how you can Take it Back, ISBN: 9781594206757 1594206759.
"An award-winning New York Times reporter Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal reveals the dangerous, expensive, and dysfunctional American healthcare system, and tells us exactly what we can do to solve its myriad of problems. It is well documented that our healthcare system has grave problems, but how, in only a matter of decades, did things get this bad? Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal doesn't just explain the symptoms; she diagnoses and treats the disease itself. Rosenthal spells out in clear and practical terms exactly how to decode medical doublespeak, avoid the pitfalls of the pharmaceuticals racket, and get the care you and your family deserve. She takes you inside the doctor-patient relationship, explaining step by step the workings of a profession sorely lacking transparency. This is about what we can do, as individual patients, both to navigate a byzantine system and also to demand far-reaching reform. Breaking down the monolithic business into its individual industries -- the hospitals, doctors, insurance companies, drug manufacturers -- that together constitute our healthcare system, Rosenthal tells the story of the history of American medicine as never before. The situation is far worse than we think, and it has become like that much more recently than we realize. Hospitals, which are managed by business executives, behave like predatory lenders, hounding patients and seizing their homes. Research charities are in bed with big pharmaceutical companies, which surreptitiously profit from the donations made by working people. Americans are dying from routine medical conditions when affordable and straightforward solutions exist. Dr. Rosenthal explains for the first time how various social and financial incentives have encouraged a disastrous and immoral system to spring up organically in a shockingly short span of time. The system is in tatters, but we can fight back. AN AMERICAN SICKNESS is the frontline defense against a healthcare system that no longer has our well-being at heart." -- Publisher

*Rost, Peter, The Whistle-blower: Confessions of a Healthcare Hitman, ISBN: 193336839X 9781933368399.
"A number of books critical of the pharmaceutical industry have recently been published, but none has been an exposé written by a senior executive of one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. THE WHISTLE-BLOWER is at once an unmasking of how corporations take care of malcontents and a gripping story of one man's fight to maintain his family and his sanity. Starting in 2003, the book details the illegal, even criminal business practices the author witnessed at his corporation, as well as his crusade to legalize the reimportation of drugs. It also explains how in this post-Enron world whistle-blowers can't simply be fired, and what the author's corporation did to coerce and silence him. A story of a battle that continues today, one which any American who takes or will take prescription drugs has a stake in, THE WHISTLE-BLOWER is a powerful testimony." -- Publisher
"Rost's book is about more than just himself. Much of the latter half, in fact, has nothing to do with Rost's battle with Pfizer, but is rather a litany of recent drug company corruption, and Rost argues convincingly that the FDA and America's major medical journals have been co-opted by the industry. When he moves on to examine the American economy at large, where he lays out some eye-opening statistics comparing skyrocketing CEO salaries with the static ones of American workers, we realize Rost has reached his destination.
"Ultimately, THE WHISTLE-BLOWER is an impassioned jeremiad against corporate greed, with Rost our inside man. The book's overriding theme is that the American political system is in danger of degenerating into a plutocracy [government by the wealthy -- compiler], (or 'kleptocracy,' as he dubs it) -- if it hasn't already. 'The American democracy has been stolen by our new class of robber barons -- the CEOs of our largest corporations,' he writes." -- Jake Whitney, in the article "Lone Wolf Takes on the Pharma Pack" in The Progressive Populist October 21, 2006
Question Authority, Dr. Peter Rost daily blog
Rost's blog entries suggest that the general goals, managements techniques, relationships, ways of dealing with opposition, overall results of operations, and so forth, of the drug industry are analogous to organized crime worldwide.
http://peterrost.blogspot.com/
Health Care Hitman: Peter Rost, People's Pharmacy Radio Show, April 24, 2008, No. 677
"Guest: Peter Rost, MD, former vice-president of Pfizer. Author of WHISTLE-BLOWER: CONFESSIONS OF A HEALTH CARE HITMAN and a novel, KILLER DRUG. His blog is: http://peterrost.blogspot.com/"
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/radio_shows/677_health_care_hitman_peter_rost.php

Rutecki, G.W., A Biblical Response to Baby-making: Surrogacy, Artificial Insemination, in Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer, ISSN: 1050-3404.

Rutecki, G.W., Rationing Medical Care to the Elderly Revisited: Futility as a Just Criterion, ISSN: 1050-3404.

Rutecki, G.W., and J.D. Geib, Teach us to Number our Days: Age and the Rationing of Medical Care: Use of a Biblical Valuation of Personhood, ISSN: 1050-3404.

Scranton, Pierce E., Death on the Learning Curve, ISBN: 9781600700149 1600700144.
"A hospital operating room may not be as safe as you think it is. Hiding among the sterile scrubs and gleaming instruments of an operating room is a whole lot of high drama: split-second life-and-death decisions . . . deep questions of ethics . . . roaring personality conflicts . . . the glory of saving a life-and the horror when a simple procedure goes terribly wrong.
"Renowned surgeon Pierce Scranton, Jr., kept a detailed diary of his internship year at a busy California teaching hospital. This book is a vivid, fictionalized memoir of that year in the trenches. Through the intertwined stories of teachers, students and patients, it explores issues like: What happens when teaching and healing come into conflict? When is a new treatment to prolong life a good idea, and when is it a disaster? How did lawyers and bean-counters get so much power? And when do relationships between doctors and other staff 'go too far?' This honest account is startling and sometimes shocking -- but always gripping.

• A fictionalized memoir taken from the author's own diary of his internship year at a real California hospital.
  
• Gripping scenes underscore health and political issues that are of serious relevance to reader's lives today.
  
• Both startlingly informative and an engaging read, this novel will appeal to a wide audience.

Shelly, Judith Allen, Dilemma: A Nurse's Guide for Making Ethical Decisions, ISBN: 0877846669 9780877846666.

Shelly, Judith Allen, Not Just a Job: Serving Christ in Your Work, ISBN: 0877843325 9780877843320.

Shelly, Judith Allen, and Arlene B. Miller, Called to Care: A Christian Theology of Nursing, ISBN: 0830815988 9780830815982.

Shelly, Judith Allen, and Arlene B. Miller, Values in Conflict: Christian Nursing in a Changing Profession, ISBN: 0830813306 9780830813308.

*Singer, C. Gregg (1910-1999), The Apologetics lecture series using FROM RATIONALISM TO IRRATIONALITY: THE DECLINE OF THE WESTERN MIND FROM THE RENAISSANCE TO THE PRESENT (1979) as the text, and delivered in Decatur, Georgia, beginning November, 1979, 17 MP3 files.
"So many times people in the pew and the pulpit say, well how did all this get started? How did psychology descend to its present level? . . . How did political science produce our political thought, produce the dictatorships which are engulfing the modern world? Why are we in the economic mess in which we are today? Why is sociology such a jumble of immorality? Why is education as it is today? Why is art so meaningless? . . . Why is modern music an affront to the modern ears as well as to the mind and ear of God? . . . Why are all these things!? . . .
"I would suggest to you that if you will follow this course with thought and care, you will finally come to see the answer to the questions which haunt us today in Western society." -- C. Gregg Singer, from his lecture series in 1976 complementing the recently released book.
http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=2250511453

Sloan, Don, Practicing Medicine Without a License! The Corporate Takeover of Healthcare in America, ISBN: 0974524549.
"By controlling medical services and policies nationwide, insurance conglomerates and pharmaceutical companies are literally practicing medicine without a license. Don Sloan, M.D., exposes how the medical community has fallen prey to these corporations and makes the case for the real solution: a universal, federally mandated health plan for everyone." -- Publisher

Smith, Robert D., The Christian Counselor's Medical Desk Reference, ISBN: 1889032263 9781889032269.

Smith, Wesley J., Culture of Death: The Assault on Medical Ethics in America, ISBN: 1893554066 9781893554061 189355449X 9781893554498.
"When his teenaged son Christopher, brain-damaged in an auto accident, developed a 106-degree fever following weeks of unconsciousness, John Campbell asked the attending physician for help. The doctor refused. Why bother? The boy's life was effectively over. Campbell refused to accept this verdict. He demanded treatment and threatened legal action. The doctor finally relented. With treatment, Christopher's temperature subsided almost immediately. Soon afterwards he regained consciousness and today he is learning to walk again. This story is one of many Wesley J. Smith recounts in his groundbreaking new book, CULTURE OF DEATH. Smith believes that American medicine 'is changing from a system based on the sanctity of human life into a starkly utilitarian model in which the medically defenseless are seen as having not just a 'right but a duty to die.' Going behind the current scenes of our health care system, he shows how doctors withdraw desired care based on Futile Care Theory rather than providing it as required by the Hippocratic Oath. And how 'bioethicists' influence policy by considering questions such as whether organs may be harvested from the terminally ill and disabled. This is a passionate, yet coolly reasoned book about the current crisis in medical ethics by an author who has made 'the new thanatology' his consuming interest." -- Reader's Comment -->

*Sparrow, Malcolm K., License to Steal: How Fraud Bleeds America's Health Care System, 304 pages, ISBN: 0813368103 9780813368108.
Table of Contents: Preface, Acknowledgments, Introduction, Fictitious companies, The state of the art, Control failures, Two distinct sciences: fraud detection, and utilization review, how goes the war? Counterattack, new frontiers for control, false claims, Managed care, The nature of the fraud-control challenge, The pathology of fraud control, The importance of measurement, Assessment of existing fraud-control systems, The antithesis of modern claims processing, Prescription for progress, A model fraud-control strategy, Detection systems, Conclusion, Acronyms and abbreviations, Notes, Index.
"In LICENSE TO STEAL, Malcolm K. Sparrow shows how the industry's defenses, which focus mostly on finding and correcting billing errors, are no match for such well orchestrated attacks. The maxim for thieves simply becomes 'bill your lies correctly.' Provided they do that, fraud perpetrators with any degree of sophistication can steal millions of dollars with impunity, testing payment systems carefully, and then spreading fraudulent billings widely enough across patient and provider accounts to escape detection. The kinds of highly automated, quality controlled claims processing systems that pervade the industry present fraud perpetrators with their favorite kind of target: rich, fast paying, transparent, utterly predictable check printing systems, with little threat of human intervention, and with the U.S. Treasury on the end of the electronic line. Sparrow picks apart the industry's response to the government's efforts to control this problem. The provider associations (well heeled and politically influential) have vociferously opposed almost every recent enforcement initiative, creating the unfortunate public impression that the entire healthcare industry is against effective fraud control. A significant segment of the industry, it seems, regards fraud and abuse not as a problem, but as a lucrative enterprise worth defending.
"Meanwhile, it remains a perfectly commonplace experience for patients or their relatives to examine a medical bill and discover that half of it never happened, or that; likewise, if patients then complain, they discover that no one seems to care, or that no one has the resources to do anything about it. Sparrow's research suggests that the growth of capitated managed care systems does not solve the problem, as many in the industry had assumed, but merely changes its form. The managed care environment produces scams involving underutilization, and the withholding of medical care schemes that are harder to uncover and investigate, and much more dangerous to human health. Having worked extensively with federal and state officials since the appearance of his first book on this subject, Sparrow is in a unique position to evaluate recent law enforcement initiatives. He admits the 'war on fraud' is at least now engaged, but it is far from won.
"Malcolm K. Sparrow teaches Regulatory and Enforcement Strategy, and Analytic Methods, at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Formerly a Detective Chief Inspector with the British police service, he now specializes in issues of enforcement strategy, regulatory compliance, and risk control -- he is the acknowledged national expert on the subject of Health Care Fraud. He is author of THE RISK BUSINESS: DEFINING THE REGULATORY CRAFT (2000), LICENSE TO STEAL: WHY FRAUD PLAGUES AMERICA'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM (1996), IMPOSING DUTIES: GOVERNMENT'S CHANGING APPROACH TO COMPLIANCE (1994); and co-author of BEYOND 911: A NEW ERA FOR POLICING (1990) and ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT: THE MORAL CHALLENGE FOR PUBLIC LEADERSHIP (1990)." -- Publisher
"Although he has a wealth of expertise and a scholar's background, Sparrow speaks in a narrative style about the sad state of healthcare fraud in America today. While some progress is being made, there remains a little depth and sophistication in the responses to the complex and clever fraud schemes out there. Regrettably, the many political and institutional barriers to measuring and uncovering fraud continue to allow the system to be drained of precious dollars. While it takes a large investment to begin the fight on the level Sparrow advocates, the return is immeasurably greater. Not recommended for folks who don't need their blood pressure to rise." -- Reader's Comment

*Szasz, Thomas S., Myth of Mental Illness: Foundations of a Theory of Personal Conduct, ISBN: 0060911514 9780060911515.
"A classic work that has revolutionized thinking throughout the Western world about the nature of the psychiatric profession and the moral implications of its practices. 'Bold and often brilliant'." -- Science
"I believe this is one of the most important books in the history of psychiatry. The book is ground-breaking and establishes a new paradigm and organizing concept for many 'mind' disciplines. Dr. Szasz's ideas are timeless, revolutionary and common sense -- not to be construed as a criticism. Indeed many revolutionary ideas are simple and obvious and I think that is exactly why this book and Dr. Szasz must be taken seriously. I am speaking behind the times when I say this because the book is nearly 40 years on the market. However, Dr. Szasz is as relevant today as ever. Institutionalized persecution of 'different' behaviours has evolved beyond the ridiculous to the absurd. Dr. Szasz's characterization of this as a 'war on personal responsibility' is important from a medical and a moral perspective, as a challenge to the popular notions of 'inner child,' the growing 'victim' industry (e.g. gambling and shopping 'addictions,' among many, many more) and similar conceptual garbage.
"THE MYTH OF MENTAL ILLNESS creates for the reader a reference point for cross disciplinary thinking in sociology, linguistics, philosophy of mind and science, psychology, history and or course medicine. The concepts are true to human beings as self-responsible moral agents and consistent with the North American work-ethic. Dr. Szasz is commended for his insight and understanding of a psychiatric industry gone mad." -- Reader's Comment
"Descriptive criteria aside, what is the essence of mental disorders? Are they merely physiological disorders of the brain, or, more precisely of its chemistry? If so, can they be cured by restoring the balance of substances and secretions in that mysterious organ? And, once equilibrium is reinstated -- is the illness 'gone' or is it still lurking there, 'under wraps,' waiting to erupt? Are psychiatric problems inherited, rooted in faulty genes (though amplified by environmental factors) -- or brought on by abusive or wrong nurturance?
"These questions are the domain of the 'medical' school of mental health.
"Others cling to the spiritual view of the human psyche. They believe that mental ailments amount to the metaphysical discomposure of an unknown medium -- the soul. Theirs is a holistic approach, taking in the patient in his or her entirety, as well as his milieu.
"The members of the functional school regard mental health disorders as perturbations in the proper, statistically 'normal,' behaviours and manifestations of 'healthy' individuals, or as dysfunctions. The 'sick' individual -- ill at ease with himself (ego-dystonic) or making others unhappy (deviant) -- is 'mended' when rendered functional again by the prevailing standards of his social and cultural frame of reference.
"In a way, the three schools are akin to the trio of blind men who render disparate descriptions of the very same elephant. Still, they share not only their subject matter -- but, to a counter intuitively large degree, a faulty methodology.
"As the renowned anti-psychiatrist, Thomas Szasz, of the State University of New York, notes in his article "The Lying Truths of Psychiatry," mental health scholars, regardless of academic predilection, infer the etiology of mental disorders from the success or failure of treatment modalities.
"This form of 'reverse engineering' of scientific models is not unknown in other fields of science, nor is it unacceptable if the experiments meet the criteria of the scientific method. The theory must be all-inclusive, consistent, falsifiable, logically compatible, monovalent, and parsimonious. Psychological 'theories' -- even the 'medical' ones (the role of serotonin and dopamine in mood disorders, for instance) -- are usually none of these things.
"The outcome is a bewildering array of ever-shifting mental health 'diagnoses' expressly centered around Western civilization and its standards (example: the ethical objection to suicide). Neurosis, a historically fundamental 'condition' vanished after 1980. Homosexuality, according to the American Psychiatric Association, was a pathology prior to 1973. Seven years later, narcissism was declared a 'personality disorder,' almost seven decades after it was first described by Freud.
"Szasz is the father of the 'anti-psychiatry' movement and this is his best book -- a riveting, mind boggling, scholarly read." -- Sam Vaknin, author of Malignant Self Love -- Narcissism Revisited
"This is the seminal work by the great Thomas Szasz, psychiatry's most important critic. Szasz ranks with Hayek, Mill, and Madison as one of the greatest proponents of liberty. No educated person should be unfamiliar with his writings." -- Nicolas S. Martin
Szasz is an atheist and a Libertarian.
Thomas S. Szasz Cybercenter for Liberty and Responsibility
"Liberty and responsibility are two sides of the same coin. No policy -- public or private -- can increase or decrease one without increasing or decreasing the other. Human behavior has reasons, not causes. . . .
http://www.szasz.com/
Mental Disorders are not Diseases, Thomas S. Szasz, M.D.
"Psychiatrists and their allies have succeeded in persuading the scientific community, courts, media, and general public that mental illnesses are phenomena independent of human motivation or will. . . .
"No one believes that love sickness is a disease, but nearly everyone believes that mental sickness is, and virtually no one realizes that, if this were true, it would prove the non-existence of mental illness. If mental illnesses are brain diseases (like Parkinsonism), then they are diseases of the body, not the mind." -- USA Today (Magazine) January 2000
http://szasz.com/usatoday.html

Tada, Joni Eareckson, C. Everett, M.D. (foreword), When is it Right to Die? Suicide, Euthanasia, Suffering, Mercy, ISBN: 0310585708 9780310585701.
"This book argues against the practice of euthanasia from a decidedly Christian point of view. Tada bases her arguments on the implication that euthanasia is the 'ultimate expression of selfishness' and that persons entertaining such thoughts are being tempted by the forces of evil. While Tada is undeniably self-righteous in tone, readers should note that she writes with personal authority, having been paralyzed in a diving accident in her teens. Libraries seeking to balance their euthanasia collections should consider this for purchase, along with Robert Wennberg's similarly argued TERMINAL CHOICES (LJ 11/15/89). . . . See also: David Cundiff's EUTHANASIA IS NOT THE ANSWER. . . ." -- Jennifer Amador, Central State Hospital Medical Library, Petersburg, VA, in the Library Journal
"Joni Eareckson Tada is president of Joni and Friends, a ministry to disabled people. A presidential appointee to the National Council on Disability, she has served as a political activist on disability-related issues. She explores the issues surrounding euthanasia in more depth. . . ." -- Discipleship Journal

Terrell, Hilton P. (editor), and Franklin E. Payne (editor), Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine, Volumes 1-4: 1987-1990, ISSN: 1050-3404. Available from Covenant Enterprises, P.O. Box 14488, Augusta, GA 30919-0488.
"The JBEM was founded to bring biblical thinking to bear on medical issues. This book collects the first four years worth of articles, and includes a general index and an index of Scripture references. (A second volume, containing the next 4 years, is forthcoming). Many articles are relevant to matters that come up in counseling ministry, matters about which counselors will want to offer informed advice." -- David Powlison (1949-2019)
Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine
http://capo.org/jbem/intro_pa.htm

Townsend, Don, AIDS: Moral and Theological Implications.

Tricoci, P. (Pierluigi), J.M. Allen, J.M. Kramer, R.M. Califf, and S.C. Smith Jr., Division of Cardiology and Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, Scientific Evidence Underlying the ACC/AHA [American College of Cardiologists/American Heart Association -- compiler] Clinical Practice Guidelines, JAMA. 2009 Feb 25;301(8):868-9.
"ACC provides exclusive benefits and services designed specifically for cardiologists, including advocacy, education and access to information." -- from the ACC website
"More than a million people get an angioplasty, stent, or bypass surgery each year. How many of these costly procedures are really essential?"
"RESULTS: Among guidelines with at least 1 revision or update by September 2008, the number of recommendations increased from 1330 to 1973 (+48 percent) from the first to the current version, with the largest increase observed in use of class II recommendations. Considering the 16 current guidelines reporting levels of evidence, only 314 recommendations of 2711 total are classified as level of evidence A (median, 11 percent), [emphasis added, that is, only 11 percent of the ACC/AHA recommended guidelines provided to cardiologists were based upon solid scientific evidence -- compiler], whereas 1246 (median, 48 percent) are level of evidence C [medical opinion -- compiler]. Level of evidence significantly varies across categories of guidelines (disease, intervention, or diagnostic), and across individual guidelines. Recommendations with level of evidence A are mostly concentrated in class I, but only 245 of 1305 class I recommendations have level of evidence A (median, 19 percent).
"CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations issued in current ACC/AHA clinical practice guidelines are largely developed from lower levels of evidence or expert opinion. The proportion of recommendations for which there is no conclusive evidence is also growing. These findings highlight the need to improve the process of writing guidelines and to expand the evidence base from which clinical practice guidelines are derived."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19244190?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

*Trewhella, Matthew J., The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates: A Proper Resistance to Tyranny and a Repudiation of Unlimited Obedience to Civil Government, ISBN: 1482327686 9781482327687.
"America has entered troubling times. The rule of law is crumbling. The massive expansion of Federal government power with its destructive laws and policies is of grave concern to many. But what can be done to quell the abuse of power by civil authority? Are unjust or immoral actions by the government simply to be accepted and their lawless commands obeyed? How do we know when the government has acted tyrannically? Which actions constitute proper and legitimate resistance? This book places in your hands a hopeful blueprint for freedom. Appealing to history and the Word of God, Pastor Matthew Trewhella answers these questions and shows how Americans can successfully resist the Federal government's attempts to trample our Constitution, assault our liberty, and impugn the law of God. The doctrine of the lesser magistrates declares that when the superior or higher civil authority makes an unjust/immoral law or decree, the lesser or lower ranking civil authority has both the right and duty to refuse obedience to that superior authority. If necessary, the lower authority may even actively resist the superior authority. Historically, this doctrine was practiced before the time of Christ and Christianity. It was Christian men, however, who formalized and embedded it into their political institutions throughout Western Civilization. The doctrine of the lesser magistrates is a historic tool that provides proven guidelines for proper and legitimate resistance to tyranny, often without causing any major upheaval in society. The doctrine teaches us how to rein in lawless acts by government and restore justice in our nation. 'Use this sword against my enemies, if I give righteous commands; but if I give unrighteous commands, use it against me.' -- Roman Emperor Trajan, speaking to one of his subordinates. This is the first book published solely addressing the doctrine of the lesser magistrates in over 400 years. Matthew Trewhella is the pastor of Mercy Seat Christian Church. He is a graduate of Valley Forge Christian College. He and his wife, Clara, have eleven children and nine grandchildren, and reside in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. His research and teaching on the lesser magistrate doctrine is reshaping the thinking of Americans. He was instrumental in publishing THE MAGDEBURG CONFESSION in 2012 -- the first English translation of the document since it was written in 1550." -- Publisher
"Wow! Please get this book and read it. And then read it again! And then send it to your lesser magistrates (specifically your local sheriffs, county judges, and State governors).
"The subtitle says it all: A PROPER RESISTANCE TO TYRANNY AND A REPUDIATION OF UNLIMITED OBEDIENCE TO CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
"Romans 13:1-7 has caused a great deal of confusion to modern Christian evangelicals. On the whole it tends to get interpreted as 'we must obey the government [with an implied unlimited obedience].' Of course that doesn't feel right, and we know of the passage that says 'we must obey God rather than men.' But how do we reconcile these?
"THE DOCTRINE OF THE LESSER MAGISTRATES helps us figure that out. Government has been instituted by God as His instrument to do His work. But when government ceases to do God's work in carrying out just laws, there needs to be a way to hold back the tyranny. Will revolt and riot work, or is that what Christians are called to do? No.
"Enter the lesser magistrate -- also known as the government office holder who is inferior to the one giving the orders but has a legitimate role in government nonetheless. He has the ability and the duty to resist carrying out unjust laws or orders. And he has the ability and duty to interpose on behalf of the citizens against whom the tyrannical governing authority is trying to carry out his power.
"Trewhella shows historical examples of how the application of this doctrine has worked and provides compelling Biblical exegesis of how this doctrine is clearly taught in Scripture.
"I highly recommend reading this book! It's short enough to be read in one sitting, but powerful enough to transform your understanding of how to properly resist tyranny -- in God's power and by God's prescription." -- Reader's Comment
Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate
http://www.LesserMagistrate.com
Defy Tyrants
http://www.DefyTyrants.com

*Tricoci, P. (Pierluigi), J.M. Allen, J.M. Kramer, R.M. Califf, and S.C. Smith Jr., Division of Cardiology and Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, Scientific Evidence Underlying the ACC/AHA [American College of Cardiologists/American Heart Association -- compiler] Clinical Practice Guidelines, JAMA. 2009 Feb 25;301(8):868-9.
"ACC provides exclusive benefits and services designed specifically for cardiologists, including advocacy, education and access to information." -- from the ACC website
"More than a million people get an angioplasty, stent, or bypass surgery each year. How many of these costly procedures are really essential?"
"RESULTS: Among guidelines with at least 1 revision or update by September 2008, the number of recommendations increased from 1330 to 1973 (+48 percent), from the first to the current version, with the largest increase observed in use of class II recommendations. Considering the 16 current guidelines reporting levels of evidence, only 314 recommendations of 2711 total are classified as level of evidence A (median, 11 percent), [emphasis added, that is, only 11 percent of the ACC/AHA recommended guidelines provided to cardiologists were based upon solid scientific evidence -- compiler], whereas 1246 (median, 48 percent), are level of evidence C [medical opinion -- compiler]. Level of evidence significantly varies across categories of guidelines (disease, intervention, or diagnostic), and across individual guidelines. Recommendations with level of evidence A are mostly concentrated in class I, but only 245 of 1305 class I recommendations have level of evidence A (median, 19 percent).
"CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations issued in current ACC/AHA clinical practice guidelines are largely developed from lower levels of evidence or expert opinion. The proportion of recommendations for which there is no conclusive evidence is also growing. These findings highlight the need to improve the process of writing guidelines and to expand the evidence base from which clinical practice guidelines are derived."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19244190?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Ubel, Peter A., Critical Decisions: How you and Your Doctor can Make the Right Medical Choices Together, ISBN: 9780062103826 0062103822.
"We've all been there, sitting uncomfortably in a paper gown as a doctor impassively describes our prognosis. Sometimes it's simple and treatable. Other times we get news we can't fathom and then are faced with decisions that are literally life and death. In this revolutionary book, physician, behavioral scientist, and bioethicist Peter Ubel, M.D., reveals how hidden dynamics in the doctor/patient relationship keep us and our loved ones from making the best medical choices. From doctors who struggle to explain, to patients who fail to properly listen, countless factors alter the course of our care, causing things to go seriously awry. With riveting stories of Ubel's own experience in the field, his groundbreaking research, and his personal journey walking loved ones through difficult treatment choices, CRITICAL DECISIONS will forever change the way we communicate inside hospitals and medical offices, where thoughtful decision making matters the most. Dr. Ubel has been on both ends of the stethoscope, and in this book, he shows how patients and doctors can learn to become partners and work together to make the right choices. From choosing to get surgery, to discussing the side effects of a blood pressure medication, we can finally discover the tools to improve communication, understand the issues, and make confident decisions for our future health and happiness." -- Publisher

*Welch, Edward T., Blame it on the Brain? Distinguishing Chemical Imbalances, Brain Disorders, and Disobedience, ISBN: 0875526020 9780875526027.
"Dr. Welch has a Ph.D. in psychology as well as theology degrees, and has been a counselor for years. His doctoral work was on brain physiology, so Blame it on the Brain is the fruit of 20 years of reflection on the subject.
"Welch wonders if the brain 'has been given too much credit.' (p. 12). Many have held the brain responsible for some bad behavior: 'My disease did it!' (p. 13). While the observations of the rapidly expanding field of brain sciences can be very helpful, when interpreted through a biblical lens they can be put in a more modest and helpful perspective. How do these discoveries illustrate biblical truths that can be applied to people's lives? Instead, too often sin problems are mislabeled as solely brain problems, and thus the true cause is left unaddressed. (p. 25)
"Four very practical principles emerge from this approach to mind-body issues: 1. The brain cannot by itself 'make' a person sin. (p. 49f). 2. Each person's abilities (brain strengths and weaknesses) are unique. (p. 53f). 3. Brain problems can expose heart problems. (p. 56f). 4. Sinful hearts can lead to physical illness; upright hearts can contribute to good health. (p. 58f)
"In part two of the book these principles are then concisely but thoughtfully applied to a series of examples. First are apparently physical issues: Alzheimer's disease (p. 67f), and head injury (p. 85f). Next are more psychiatric issues: depression (p. 115f), 'A.D.D.' (p. 131f), homosexuality (p. 151f), and alcoholism. (p. 183f)
"Welch's treatments of these problems abound with practical, sensitive insight. In the process he clearly defines the deeper issues at stake: what is the soul?; what is the body?; what is sin?
"For me, a crucial component of the book is the section on the mind-body relationships, especially pp. 43-48. Welch is careful to distinguish the heart from the body, but without separating them. Drawing upon rich Trinitarian analogies, he is careful to outline a model that seeks not to over-emphasize either the duality or the unity. This understanding enables us to try to distinguish between sin and sickness. As Welch ably defines it: 'any behavior that does not conform to biblical commands or any behavior that transgresses biblical prohibitions proceeds form the heart and is sin.' (p. 43). Conversely, 'any behavior that is more accurately called a weakness proceeds from the body and is sickness or suffering.' (p. 44). We are to repent of sin. But things that reflect only our creaturely limitations are not immoral, but proceed from our fallen bodies.
"The example Welch uses of hallucinations is illustrative. The Bible does not prohibit them, so we can not admonish someone for experiencing them. We are called to compassion for them. The hallucination may have been caused by a prior sinful choice, and the hallucinatory may respond to them with sin, but the hallucination itself is not sinful. A helpful chart on p. 45 lists out some examples of body problems (broken bones, mental retardation, feelings of depression, hallucinations) and heart (mind) problems (anger, pride, drunkenness). Of course, many problems involve both the body and the heart or mind, and in unequal and obscured proportions. How do we separate out the differences? And why is it helpful to try?
"Each summer during high school and college I worked in a nursing home. The changes I witnessed in particular residents after being away from them for almost a year were often shocking and tragic. I think of a seemingly kind and affable man named D., who in a few months seemed to transform into an unrecognizably profane and lewd bore. Welch demonstrates convincingly that such brain or body problems as D.'s Alzheimer's can expose what is in the heart. The brain appears to have led the person into bad behavior, when it is more accurate to say that the brain problem allowed certain otherwise hidden parts of their heart to be uncovered. Welch contends, 'In some case brain problems function like truth serum for the heart.' (p. 58)
"Welch's treatment of the subject is fairly comprehensive but far from exhaustive. Questions of application remain. If meds can only, at their best, address the body issues and not the heart, how do we know which needs addressing? Welch addresses this in a wise, but frustratingly brief section in pp. 125-127. Adopting Welch's guidelines is easy enough, but applying them to real life situations, I know from experience, is another matter. What about the person who meets some but not all of the criteria listed on p. 127 (they are over forty; have had no prior history of problems with depression; are taking prescription drugs, etc.)? This is not a flaw in Welch's treatment of the topic, just a limitation of its brief explication here.
"I have known a person, for example, who had his first bout with depression at age 62. But it was extremely serious. He became despondent and delusional and was checked into a residential treatment facility. His case meets the first of the two criteria listed by Welch, but not the last two. Clearly, his depression was triggered by some circumstances in his life (some the direct result of some horrible choices, others not). Yet, just as clearly it seems that the depression, while largely originating from his sinful behavior, now had a physical component. His medications, while wrought with multiple serious side effects, did seem to successfully contribute to his ability to function. Yet, if I were given a decision making role in his 'treatment,' I would want to somehow know: were the drugs really helpful, or was it their placebo effect? And if they did reduce his anxiety, is that all necessarily good? Did he not need discomfort to drive him to make changes in his absolutely horrendous behavior? And if so, how much and what type of discomfort?
"Anyway, Welch's book wrestles with some deep issues and presents them in a lucid and readable format." -- Raymond Cannata
" 'What is needed is not necessarily more sophistication in understanding the brain. Instead, what is needed is a more in-depth and practical examination of Scripture that is relevant to these questions.' (pp. 19-20). In this chapter, he remains resolute in affirming the supreme authority of God's Word in understanding and applying the deluge of information which our secular society is bent on giving us. . . .
'Heart and body are both two and one. They are two in that the body cannot be reduced to heart or spirit, and heart cannot be reduced to body. But they are mutually independent. They need each other. Human life cannot even be imagined without both the inner and the outer person. . . .' (p. 47)
"In chapters 4 and 5, we read about legitimate brain dysfunctions which are the result of Alzheimer's disease (and dementia) or serious head injury stemming from an accident. Here, Welch wants the reader to understand that there are indeed cases where the brain can suffer illness or injury to the extent that the behavior and mental capacity of the individual will be directly affected. He is quick to point out that though these conditions may harm the outer man, they do not necessarily mean that the inner man will also begin to dissipate.
"In chapters 7 and 8, we read about psychiatric problems such as depression and attention deficit disorder (ADD) which may or may not be the result of the brain's alleged deficiencies. . . . He is also quick to point out that the depression or ADD may be the result of a spiritual problem and that the care of the individual and their relation to God ought to factor in the treatment every bit as much as medicinal treatments.
"In chapters 9 and 10 we read about two areas of human behavior which the brain is often held responsible for -- homosexuality and alcoholism. In both cases, Welch is insistent that the brain cannot the cause of one's sinful behavior. As he says so plainly, " 'The ultimate cause of sin is always the human heart,' (p. 169). He argues that when these behaviors are seen as proceeding directly from the brain's activity, then the connection that exists between human beings as morally accountable agents and a holy and righteous God is severed. What needs to take place is repentance from such sinful behavior in light of the promise of God's gracious provision of forgiveness which can be found in Jesus Christ. Though these sins present particularly strong forms of bondage, God's mercy can break even their stronghold." -- Daniel Mark Donovan

Whitlock, Chuck, MediScams: Dangerous Medical Practices and Health Care Frauds -- And how to Prevent Them From Harming you and Your Family (St. Martin's Griffin, January 13, 2003), 304 pages, ISBN: 0312306024 9780312306021.
"Where their health is concerned, Americans want answers. Too often, what they get are false promises from medical 'professionals' more intent on lightening their patients' wallets than helping to shave off those stubborn five pounds. These medical scam artists run from the petty to the downright dangerous, and their schemes can leave you poorer but wiser, hospitalized, or much worse.
"Now journalist Chuck Whitlock tackles the seedy world of medical scams, exposing everything from bogus pills that claim to relieve symptoms of drunkenness, to questionable weight-loss programs, to bizarre plastic surgery procedures.
"Called "the nation's leading scambuster" by Oprah Winfrey, Chuck Whitlock tackles treacherous HMOs, doctors, and charlatans. Then he shows the reader how to avoid falling victim to medical scams.
"Chuck Whitlock, a renowned investigative reporter, has appeared on Oprah, Today, CNN, Extra, Inside Edition, Hard Copy, and Regis and Kathie Lee. His probes into white-collar crime and his exposes of nursing home and Medicare irregularities have garnered national recognition. Among his awards for outstanding investigative reporting are a National Headliner Award and a Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists. As a consumer advocate, he has been called 'the nation's leading scambuster' by Oprah Winfrey. Chuck provides training workshops for the public as well as government agencies such as the FBI, Secret Service, and Postal Inspection Service." -- Publisher

Williams, Ira E., First, Do no Harm: The Cure for Medical Malpractice, ISBN: 1929175396 9781929175390.
"Some specialty areas of medicine are again facing the problem of obtaining affordable liability insurance for medical negligence. Most medical providers and liability insurers blame the problem on plaintiffs' lawyers and wayward juries, whereas consumer groups and the plaintiffs' lawyers blame medical negligence and problems associated with business cycles in the insurance industry. Dr. Ira E. Williams, a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon and dental anesthesiologist, has written a thoughtful book about medical negligence and malpractice litigation. He has outlined a plan to alleviate it. Ideas in the book deserve serious consideration. There is a catch, however. Doctors will have to consider the book's premises, which will fly in the face of the current attitudes of many doctors. For instance, Williams writes, 'The great increase in medical malpractice suits has not been caused by a 'litigious' society, rapacious attorneys, inadequate liability caps or greedy patients. Negligent medical care happens, and since almost no regulation of medical negligence occurs within the profession, the courts are the only recourse a harmed patient has.' Furthermore, he states, 'Tort reforms, past, present, and future, will continue to tip the scales of justice in favor of the doctor and against the patient.' And, 'The AMA [American Medical Association], Litigation Center is seeking to curb the effect of expert witnesses who would try to upgrade a standard of care.' FIRST, DO NO HARM, a reader-friendly book, does not adequately document these premises. Nevertheless, various empirical-research studies published in reputable peer-reviewed journals are consistent with the general theme of the premises. Williams's proposed solution for reducing medical errors is to develop what he calls Individual Responsibility Peer Review, which places responsibility on the individual practitioner for self-regulation. He asserts that a line can be drawn between an iatrogenic outcome and negligence. In the individual-responsibility scheme, each medical practitioner 'should create and utilize a current and acceptable standard of care for each procedure within his or her scope of practice.' When bad outcomes occur, a committee of peers who truly act as neutral reviewers should assess the steps that were taken in the particular case and compare them with the protocol. The scheme is likened to the checklists that airplane pilots follow before starting the engines. Undoubtedly, detractors will say, justifiably, that medical treatment is more complicated and variable than flying a plane and that the development of a protocol for each medical treatment is impractical in terms of the time and details that would be required. Questions will arise about how to implement true peer review and about the willingness of doctors to sanction their colleagues. Most important is the issue of how the protocols and peer-review findings could be protected from use in legal proceedings. These are some of the serious problems with Williams's proposal, but they are not necessarily fatal to it. One of the largely ignored findings of the Harvard Medical Malpractice Study is that, although most physicians who responded to a survey were willing to admit that all doctors make mistakes, they were often unwilling to label substandard care the result of negligence. FIRST, DO NO HARM confronts this view head-on and proposes a way to start thinking seriously about how to reduce medical errors and maybe even the amount of malpractice litigation." -- Neil Vidmar, Ph.D., in the New England Journal of Medicine, February 3, 2005.

Zimmerman, Roy, Fraud, Malpractice, Pretense, and Deception in the Medical Arts and Sciences: Index of Authors, Subjects, and Investigations, ISBN: 1559142685 9781559142687.

See also: Medical ethics, Ethics, computer ethics, cyberethics, Sex ethics, sex education, Healthcare Reform, Patient Advocacy, Medical Bill Auditing and Mediation, Friendly Fascism, Bribery, Freedom and property rights: theft, stealing, and fraud, Theft: Commentary and Cases of Conscience. A Listing Excerpted From The Institutes of Biblical Law by Rousas John Rushdoony, 1973 edition, Hypothyroidism, Depression, Correct diagnosis, Prescription Drugs With Dangers, The pharmaceutical industry, big pharma, Toxic and harmful substances, cancer, Oncology (cancer treatment), Generic drugs, Stress, The limits of modern medicine, The failure of the american medical system, What your doctor may not tell you, Emotions and health, Bad relationships as a cause of disease and death, Sexual relationship, Spiritual adultery (spiritual whoredom/harlotry), Idolatry, syncretism, Sexual wholeness, Soul-violence, The government role of punishing wrongdoers, Bribery, Lying and deceit, self-deceit, Sin and its consequences, Toleration, liberty of conscience, pluralism, "religious freedom," and neutrality, Healthcare reform, Healthcare horror stories, Extortion, Conspiracy, corruption, organized crime, The veterans administration medical centers, Meltdown: the depression of 2008, The sovereignty of god, The doctrine of man (human nature, total depravity), The inspiration and infallibility of scripture (the doctrine of revelation, the doctrine of plenary inspiration, the doctrine of divine inspiration, the doctrine of verbal inspiration, theopneustia, sufficiency of scripture), Epistemology, Repentance the key to salvation and change, The covenant faithfulness of god, Covenant theology and covenanting, Bible magistracy turns back the wrath of god, The doctrine of the lesser magistrates, Selection of covenant heads for positions of leadership, Christian character, Justice, the theology of judgment, god's final judgment, the great white throne judgment, the day of the lord, Leniency, Christianity in the workplace, The ten commandments: the moral law, The words of christ, Words of christ appearing in the web edition of biblical counsel: resources for renewal, The westminster standards, The larger catechism (also commentaries on the larger catechism), Pride, ambition, self-aggrandizement, arrogance, ego, Sin and its consequence: physical and spiritual death, The decline of american society, irrationality, the decline of western thought, Conscience, casuistry, cases of conscience, Systematic theology, Ethics, computer ethics, cyberethics, Sex ethics, sex education, The westminster standards, Logic based on god's truth, Unity and uniformity in the visible church: unity in the truth, National establishment of religion: establishmentarianism, Toleration and liberty of conscience, Oaths, secret societies and ungodly alliance, Resolutions, The right to petition, Referendum votes, Patient advocacy, Prevention of disease, Nutrition, nutriceuticals, Public health, Abortion and the sanctity of life, Vaccination, The aged, and so forth, and so on.
TCRB5: 481, 1337, 1338, 1975-1985, 2148, 2527, 2798, 3054, 3077-3080, 3737, 4127, 4177
MGTP: Ethics

Related Weblinks

The American Iatrogenic Association
"The American Iatrogenic Association is devoted to the study and reporting of medical errors that lead to disease and death.
"We urge everyone to join opposition to government control and funding of healthcare. The only way to maximize medical safety is to increase consumer power through free markets, not to make physicians agents of the state." -- Nicolas Martin, Executive Director, American Iatrogenic Association
http://www.iatrogenic.org/ (broken link January 18, 2012)

American Institute for Technology and Science Education
"We are a consortium of scientists, engineers, physicians, and professionals from other disciplines working together to improve science education and increase scientific integrity, thereby unleashing a new era of scientific discovery. We offer clear, reliable, and balanced education with the goal of liberating science and technology from ideology, politics and the illusion of consensus. Our programs advance honest, ethical, and beneficial scientific progress that is responsive to the real needs of present and future generations."
http://www.americaninstitutetechnologyscienceeducation.com/

American Medical Association (AMA) Code of Medical Ethics
"The medical profession has long subscribed to a body of ethical statements developed primarily for the benefit of the patient. As a member of this profession, a physician must recognize responsibility to patients first and foremost, as well as to society, to other health professionals, and to self. The following Principles adopted by the American Medical Association are not laws, but standards of conduct which define the essentials of honorable behavior for the physician."
https://www.ama-assn.org/search?search=Code+of+Medical+Ethics

Biopsy Billing Markups: Justifiable or Abusive? Jane Antonio, May 11, 2014
"While doctors may pay a lab $40 to process and diagnose a biopsy, for example, they may bill patients or payers up to four times the lab rate for the test using anatomic pathology codes (usually 88305), The Pathology Blawg reported. This practice has lined referring physicians' pockets while contributing to what's been called the "Walmartization" of lab chains. . . .
Some physicians -- including dermatologists, gynecologists, gastroenterologists and family medicine specialists -- rely on lab service markups to compensate for Medicare payment cuts, The Post-Dispatch reported. . . .
"But Medicare, Medicaid and six states prohibit biopsy markups. And the American Medical Association discourages the practice, saying in its code of ethics that "a physician should not charge for a markup, commission or profit on the services rendered by others," the article noted."
http://www.fiercehealthpayer.com/antifraud/story/biopsy-billing-markups-justifiable-or-abusive/2014-05-11

CEO Pay: Healthy pay for Health Care CEOs, May 27, 2014
"Healthcare tops other industries for highest median CEO pay, again.
"Here's a look at median CEO pay by industry last year, as calculated by executive pay research firm Equilar and The Associated Press. For the fifth time in six years, healthcare CEOs got the most pay while CEOs at utility companies got the least.
"Healthcare: $12.3 million, up 13 percent
"Financial: $12 million, up 22 percent"
http://news.yahoo.com/ceo-pay-healthy-pay-health-071116429.html

Critically Important Information You'll Never see in Drug Advertisements, Dennis Miller, November 24, 2020
"There is a major deficiency in drug advertisements because a hugely important and relevant body of knowledge is conspicuously absent.
When drug advertisements promote drugs that treat preventable diseases of modern civilization, shouldn't drug companies have an ethical responsibility to emphasize that fact and perhaps even the broader fact that most prescriptions pharmacists fill are for preventable conditions?
"Even though various sources differ slightly, lists of preventable diseases of modern civilization typically include many of the following: 1) coronary heart disease, 2) stroke, 3) hypertension, 4) deep vein thrombosis, 5) pulmonary embolism, 6) varicose veins, 7) obesity, 8) type 2 diabetes, 9) cholesterol gallstones, 10) kidney stones, 11) osteoporosis, 12) gout, 13) colon cancer, 14) rectal cancer, 15) breast cancer, 16) prostate cancer, 17) lung cancer, 18) endometrial cancer, 19) ovarian cancer, 20) dental caries (cavities), 21) constipation, 22) appendicitis, 23) diverticular disease, 24) hemorrhoids, 25) Crohn's disease, 26) celiac disease, 27) pernicious anemia, 28) ulcerative colitis, 29) multiple sclerosis, 30) rheumatoid arthritis, 31) asthma, 32) cerebrovascular disease, 33) peripheral vascular disease, 34) alcoholism, 35) depression, 36) Alzheimer's disease, 37) arthritis, 38) atherosclerosis, 39) chronic liver disease or cirrhosis, 40) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 41) colitis, 42) irritable bowel syndrome, 43) metabolic syndrome, 44) chronic kidney failure, 45) polycystic ovarian disease, 46) vascular dementia, 47) some types of allergy, and others."
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/critically-important-information-youll-never-see-in-drug-advertisements

Death by Medicine
This is an 18,491 word article in Life Extension magazine that includes many of the statistics from the 2001 study. Documented with 151 endnotes.
"Until now, Life Extension could cite only isolated statistics to make its case about the dangers of conventional medicine. No one had ever analyzed and combined ALL of the published literature dealing with injuries and deaths caused by government-protected medicine. That has now changed.
"A group of researchers meticulously reviewed the statistical evidence and their findings are absolutely shocking.4 These researchers have authored a paper titled 'Death by Medicine' that presents compelling evidence that today's system frequently causes more harm than good.
"This fully referenced report shows the number of people having in-hospital, adverse reactions to prescribed drugs to be 2.2 million per year. The number of unnecessary antibiotics prescribed annually for viral infections is 20 million per year. The number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures performed annually is 7.5 million per year. The number of people exposed to unnecessary hospitalization annually is 8.9 million per year.
"The most stunning statistic, however, is that the total number of deaths caused by conventional medicine is an astounding 783,936 per year. It is now evident that the American medical system is the leading cause of death and injury in the US. (By contrast, the number of deaths attributable to heart disease in 2001 was 699,697, while the number of deaths attributable to cancer was 553,251.5)
"We placed this article on our website to memorialize the failure of the American medical system. By exposing these gruesome statistics in painstaking detail, we provide a basis for competent and compassionate medical professionals to recognize the inadequacies of today's system and at least attempt to institute meaningful reforms."
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/mar2004_awsi_death_01.htm

Diagnosis: Corruption, Bill Sardi
"The Federal branches of government responsible for protecting and promoting public health are in a state of moral collapse. The recent recall of the anti-inflammatory drug Vioxx, with the revelation that the continued use of the drug long after the Food and Drug Administration and its manufacturer knew it doubled the risk of heart attacks and may have caused 30,000 or so avoidable deaths, is only a small picture of what is going on inside federal health agencies today."
http://www.lewrockwell.com/sardi/sardi32.html

Doctors Admit Lying to Patients, Pat Anson, February 11, 2012
"There's an expectation that our doctors will be truthful, and most are but some are not," said Eric Campbell, the director of research at Massachusetts General Hospital, who co-authored one study of doctors that is being published in the journal Health Affairs.
"Campbell and his colleagues surveyed nearly 1,900 doctors in 2009 and found that 11 percent had told their patients something untrue in the previous year. Over a third of the doctors believed it was not always necessary to disclose a serious medical error to a patient.
"Other survey results:

• 55 percent of doctors gave a positive prognosis to a patient that was not warranted.
• 20 percent did not fully disclose a mistake because they were afraid of a lawsuit.
• 28 percent revealed to an unauthorized person private health information about a patient.
• 35 percent did not feel they should always disclose financial relationships with medical companies. . . ."

DrGreene.com
"Dr. Greene is the Chief Medical Officer of A.D.A.M., Inc., the Founder and CEO of DrGreene.com, and the Pediatric Expert for AmericanBaby.com. He is on the Clinical Faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine where he sees patients and teaches Residents. He is the President of Hi-Ethics (Health Internet Ethics) and helped URAC develop its standards for eHealth accreditation. Dr. Greene has been recognized by Advance for Health Information Executives as one of the top 25 most influential forces in healthcare IT. Dr. Greene was also named Intel's Internet Health Hero for children's health. He is an author, medical expert, and a media personality.
"Dr. Greene entered primary care pediatrics in January 1993. In 1995, he launched Dr. Greene's HouseCalls, cited by the AMA as the first physician Website on The Internet -- http://www.DrGreene.com. On his Website, Dr. Greene answers pediatric questions submitted by readers from all over the world. DrGreene.com now receives over 14 million hits per month from parents, students, and medical professionals.
"He is the author of THE PARENT'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO EAR INFECTIONS (People's Medical Society, 1997). He is the medical expert for three additional books, THE PARENT'S SOUP A-TO-Z GUIDE TO YOUR NEW BABY (Contemporary Books, 1998) THE PARENT'S SOUP A-TO-Z GUIDE TO YOUR TODDLER (Contemporary Books, 1999), THE MOTHER OF ALL BABY BOOKS (Hungry Minds, Inc., 2002), FROM FIRST KICKS TO FIRST STEPS: NURTURING YOUR BABY'S DEVELOPMENT FROM PREGNANCY THROUGH THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE (McGraw-Hill Companies: August 2004).
"Alan Greene earned a Bachelor's degree in the History and Philosophy of Science from Princeton University. He graduated from medical school at University of California at San Francisco. Upon completion of his pediatric residency program at Children's Hospital Medical Center of Northern California in 1993, he served as Chief Resident. During his Chief year, Dr. Greene passed the pediatric boards in the top 5 percent of the nation.
http://www.drgreene.com/about

Drug Testing Scandal at FDA, April 18, 2013
"The FDA has come under fire in a report from ProPublica, an independent group of investigative journalists. A whistle-blower at a large research laboratory tipped the agency off to fraudulent data manipulation.
"Over 100 drugs were involved, many of them generics. The fudging of data lasted from 2005 till 2009 and was characterized as egregious by the FDA investigators. . . . no list of affected drugs is available."
http://www.propublica.org/article/fda-let-drugs-approved-on-fraudulent-research-stay-on-the-market

Ethics Codes and Practice Guidelines for Assessment, Therapy, Counseling, and Forensic Practice
"This page presents links to therapy, counseling, forensic, and related ethics (and practice), codes developed by professional organizations (e.g., of psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, marriage and family counselors). Codes are listed only if they appear online.
"Links to related resources are listed at the end."
http://kspope.com/ethcodes/index.php

Examination of Nondisclosure Agreements in Medical Malpractice Settlements, May 13, 2015
"The authors found that during the five years of the study, the University of Texas System closed 715 malpractice claims and paid 150 settlements. In the 124 cases that met the study selection criteria, the average compensation paid by the university was $185,372. A total of 110 settlement agreements (88.7 percent) included nondisclosure provisions."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/293760.php

From 'Soak the Rich' to 'Soak the Poor:' Recent Trends in Hospital Pricing, Gerard F. Anderson, Health Affairs, 26, no. 3 (May-June, 2007): 780-789.
"In 2004, the rates charged to many uninsured and other "self-pay" patients for hospital services were often 2.5 times what most health insurers actually paid and more than three times the hospital's Medicare-allowable costs. The gaps between rates charged to self-pay patients and those charged to other payers are much wider than they were in the mid-1980s, and they make it increasingly more difficult for some patients, especially the uninsured, to pay their hospital bills. This has triggered lawsuits and some recent government efforts involving price transparency. Three specific policy options that could lower the markups are a voluntary effort by hospitals, litigation, and legislation."
http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/26/3/780

Get This Wrong and at Best you go Bankrupt
"You may have read some of these shocking statistics:

Between 2000 and 2006, wages in the United States increased by 3.8 percent, but healthcare premiums increased by 87 percent.[1]

If the U.S. healthcare system was a country, it would be the 6th largest economy in the entire world.[2]

In 1965, only one out of every 50 Americans was on Medicaid. Today, one out of every 6 Americans is on Medicaid.[3]

It is being projected that ObamaCare will add 16 million more Americans to the Medicaid rolls.[4]

In 2013, almost 58 million Americans will receive $816 billion in Social Security benefits.[5]

Nine out of ten individuals age 65 and older receive Social Security benefits.[6]

Social Security provided at least half the income for 64 percent of the aged beneficiaries in 2011.[7]

Greed and Fraud vs. Medicare: A few Changes Could Roll Back Abuse
"No one knows for sure how much of that is embezzled. But the best estimate came out in 2012, when Donald Berwick, a former head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and Andrew Hackbarth of the RAND Corporation, calculated that fraud -- and the extra rules and inspections required to fight it -- added as much as $98 billion, or roughly 10 percent, to annual Medicare and Medicaid spending, and up to $272 billion across the entire health system.
"The Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimated that in 2014, $60 billion of American taxpayer money, or more than 10 percent of Medicare's total budget, was lost to fraud, waste, abuse and improper payments. . . .
"Under a 'pay-and-chase' policy for payment, the government pays out claims first and asks questions later, after the money has already been spent. So Medicare continues to have no way of approving transactions before paying providers. The program also lacks the ability to electronically confirm when a patient actually receives care.
"Under the Obama administration, Medicare instituted a Fraud Prevention System that uses predictive analytics to identify troublesome billing patterns and outlier claims for action, similar to systems used by credit card companies. The agency has found $820 million in improper Medicare payments in the first three years. But there's still the issue of how to recover the money, which has already been paid out."

Happy Birthday to Great Britain's Increasingly Scandalous National Health Service, July 5, 2013
"Despite its much heralded presence in Britain's healthcare, the problems of the NHS are severe, notorious, and increasingly scandalous in the most fundamental attributes of any healthcare system: access and quality."
http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottatlas/2013/07/05/happy-birthday-to-great-britains-increasingly-scandalous-national-health-service/

Has the Court Made Generic Drugs too Risky? June 26, 2013
"On June 24th, in a 5 to 4 vote, the court determined that patients have very little right to sue generic drug companies for damages caused by their products. In this case a New Hampshire woman, Karen Bartlett, took a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) pain drug prescribed by her doctor. The medication, called sulindac, was once sold only by Merck under the brand name Clinoril. It was first approved by the FDA in 1978 and became available as a generic in the early 1990s."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/06/26/has-the-court-made-generic-drugs-too-risky/

Health Fraud
"Health care scams cost Americans billions of dollars each year. Taxpayer-funded programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and others are among the biggest victims. This makes healthcare fraud one of America's largest taxpayer rip-offs.
"Organized crime rings hatch many schemes. Hospital chains, individual employees and even patients also can be involved -- as victims or perpetrators.
"The scams, Real-life fraud cases, The price you pay, Fight back."
http://www.badfaithinsurance.org/reference/HL/0025a.htm

Health Insurance Profits Soar as Industry Mergers Create Near-Monopoly, Mike Hall, May 27, 2009
"Profits at 10 of the country's largest publicly traded health insurance companies rose 428 percent from 2000 to 2007, while consumers paid more for less coverage. One of the major reasons, according to a new study, is the growing lack of competition in the private health insurance industry that has led to near monopoly conditions in many markets.
"The report says such conditions warrant a Justice Department investigation and, says Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), provide compelling evidence of the need for a public health insurance plan option as part of the healthcare reform initiative President Obama and Congress are developing.
"According to the recently released HCAN report, Premiums Soaring in Consolidated Health Insurance Market:

In the past 13 years, more than 400 corporate mergers have involved health insurers, and a small number of companies now dominate local markets but haven't delivered on promises of increased efficiency. According to the American Medical Association, 94 percent of insurance markets in the United States are now highly concentrated, and insurers are thriving in the anti-competitive marketplace, raking in enormous profits and paying out huge CEO salaries.

Simply put, the private insurance companies have secured monopolies or tight oligopolies and exercised that power to put profits ahead of patients. There were no actions taken against anticompetitive conduct by health insurers in the last administration, in spite of the fact that cases by state attorneys general have secured massive fines against these insurers. A lack of antitrust enforcement has enabled insurers to acquire dominant positions in almost every metropolitan market.

The Hidden Costs of Health Care, August 10, 2013
"How do hospitals determine what to charge for their services? Steven Brill, author of a stunning exposé in Time magazine called "Bitter Pill," suggests there is very little rhyme or reason beyond what the market will bear. Under the current system, those who are least able to pay (the uninsured), end up being charged the most."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/08/10/913-the-hidden-costs-of-health-care/

Hippocratic Oath
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocratic_Oath

How a Doctor Confronts Medical Error
"Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD., is a physician at Bellevue Hospital, as well as a clinical professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine and Editor-in-Chief of the Bellevue Literary Review. She is the author of several acclaimed books, including WHAT DOCTORS FEEL, and SINGULAR INTIMACIES: BECOMING A DOCTOR AT BELLEVUE. Dr. Ofri is a regular contributor to The New York Times as well as The New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet. Her writings, TED talks, and monthly newsletter can be found at danielleofri.com and on Twitter (@danielleofri). Dr. Ofri's latest book is WHEN WE DO HARM: A DOCTOR CONFRONTS MEDICAL ERROR."
https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/show-1209-how-a-doctor-confronts-medical-error

How to Take Charge of Your Medical Care, Elizabeth Yuko, May 27, 2019
"Elizabeth Yuko is a bioethicist, writer, and adjunct professor of ethics at Fordham University. Her work has focused on the nuances of informed consent in medical decision-making, and she has acted as a patient advocate on several occasions."
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/be-a-patient-advocate

A Hospital Charged $1,877 to Pierce a 5-year-old's Ears. This is Why Health Care Costs so Much, Marshall Allen, November 2017.
"An epidemic of unnecessary treatment is wasting billions of health care dollars a year. Patients and taxpayers are paying for it.
"Experts estimate the U.S. health care system wastes $765 billion annually -- about a quarter of all the money that's spent. Of that, an estimated $210 billion goes to unnecessary or needlessly expensive care, according to a 2012 report by the National Academy of Medicine.
"ProPublica has been documenting the ways waste is baked into the system. Hospitals throw away new supplies and nursing homes discard still-potent medication. Drug makers combine cheap ingredients to create expensive specialty pills, and arbitrary drug expiration dates force hospitals and pharmacies to toss valuable drugs.
"We also reported how drug companies make oversize eyedrops and vials of cancer drugs, forcing patients to pay for medication they are unable to use. In response, a group of U.S. senators introduced a bill this month to reduce what they called 'colossal and completely preventable waste'."

The system is like a sick whale and it seems almost as if it is purposely designed to allow as many parasites to feed off of it and be sustained without killing it outright. Cost of my pacemaker, $70,000. Average for the country. In Germany and Switzerland, $5,500 to 7,500 in two of the top rated healthcare systems in the world. My double bypass cost billed at $248,000 paid for at $117,000. The care was superb but it seems that hospitals throw everything they can bill at the wall and wait to see if insurance will pay. If not - the patient is billed. At least Blue Cross stipulates that if the lower amount is accepted the patient cannot be billed for the remainder. One of the biggest problems is who, among your providers is "in network" and who is not. Don't bother asking anyone at the hospital or even in billing, because I guarantee you won't get a straight answer though the insurance company will remind you numerous times that determination is your responsibility. -- Reader's Comment

How Good are Your Supplements? February 11, 2013
"Only one-third of our compounded study pills met U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention standards, which require that compounded pills contain 90 percent to 110 percent of the active ingredient."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/02/11/are-your-vitamins-supplements-up-to-snuff/

How to Provide Universal Health Care Using This one Weird Trick, March 1, 2017
"The first sentence of Congress' ObamaCare repeal should read: 'There shall be a free market in health insurance.'
"Right there, I've solved the health insurance crisis for 90 percent of Americans. Unfortunately, no one can imagine what a free market in health care looks like because we haven't had one for nearly a century." -- Ann Coulter
http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2017-03-01.html

J.D. Power and Associates -- Healthcare Division
"There is no greater asset than trusted consumer-based information. J.D. Power and Associates Healthcare Division offers managed care organizations, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies independent and unbiased research that clearly articulates their customer perceptions, intentions, and behaviors. With this valuable insight, strategic decisions can be made, valuable resources allocated, and competitors outmaneuvered."
http://www.jdpower.com/healthcare/

Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine
http://capo.org/jbem/intro_pa.htm

Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine
http://capo.org/jbem/intro_pa.htm

Landmark Report by Surgeon General Calls Drug Crisis "a moral test for America"
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/landmark-report-by-surgeon-general-calls-drug-crisis-a-moral-test-for-america/2016/11/16/4214bf2a-ac49-11e6-977a-1030f822fc35_story.html

Medicare Struggles to pay Soaring Drug Bills, Terry Graedon December 24, 2015
"As pharmaceutical firms double or triple their prices, the budget that Medicare set for its Part D prescription drug benefit is threatened.
"The inexorable and exorbitant rise in prescription drug prices has been apparent for about the past five years. And the pace seems to be accelerating. While the pharmaceutical industry often justifies high drug prices by the need to invest in research and development, many of the medications with soaring prices are very old compounds with costs that were amortized long ago."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2015/12/24/medicare-struggles-to-pay-soaring-drug-bills-54064/

Medical Debt Among People With Health Insurance, Karen Pollitz, et al., (The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation), Jan 07, 2014
"Medical bills are a leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S., contributing to 62 percent of personal bankruptcies in 2007. Most who filed for medical bankruptcy that year were well educated, owned homes, and had middle-class occupations. Three quarters had health insurance." (David Himmelstein, et al., "Medical Bankruptcy in the United States, 2007: Results of a National Study," The American Journal of Medicine, Volume 122, Issue 8, August 2009)
http://kff.org/report-section/medical-debt-among-people-with-health-insurance-consequences-of-medical-debt/

New Study: U.S. Ranks Last Among Other Industrialized Nations on Preventable Deaths. 101,000 Fewer Americans Would die Annually if the U.S. Improved its Preventable Death Rate to That of the Three top Performing Nations, January 08, 2008
"Bethesda, The United States places last among 19 countries when it comes to deaths that could have been prevented by access to timely and effective healthcare, according to new research supported by The Commonwealth Fund and published in the January/February issue of Health Affairs. While other nations dramatically improved these rates between 1997-98 and 2002-03, the U.S. improved only slightly. . . .
"If the U.S. had performed as well as the top three countries out of the 19 industrialized countries in the study there would have been 101,000 fewer deaths in the U.S. per year by the end of the study period."
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/newsroom/newsroom_show.htm?doc_id=641071

The Nobel Prize is a reminder of the outrageous cost of curing cancer. Cancer's most promising therapies come with $100,000-plus price tags, Julia Belluz
"But these incredible advances and the promise of cancer cures also come with eye-popping price tags that reach well past $100,000 per patient. People who need cancer immunotherapies too often hit a cost wall and can't afford to pay for them -- and it's a problem that's growing worse, Ezekiel Emanuel, a professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, told Vox."
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/10/1/17923720/immunotherapy-cancer-cost

The Non-duality of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother: A Profile
http://www.lettermen2.com/syncret.html

ObamaCare is a Government Created Monopoly
"In 2017, an estimated 21 percent of people will only be able to choose an exchange plan from a single insurer. This problem is particularly acute in rural counties. As a result of the ACA, at least five states—Alaska, Alabama, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wyoming -- will only have a single insurer offering coverage in the individual market. In other states, a single insurer will only offer coverage in many parts of the state. For example, in North Carolina, people in 95 of the state's 100 counties will only have a choice of plans from a single insurer."
http://www.forbes.com/…/another-obamacare-problem-mass-in…/…

Open-heart Profiteering?
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/05/06/eveningnews/main552636.shtml

Pharmaceutical Firm Queried Over High Price of Hepatitis C Drug, March 27, 2014
"A new medicine to treat hepatitis C is creating a lot of controversy because of its price tag. The maker of Sovaldi, Gilead Sciences, is planning to charge as much as $84,000 for a course of treatment.
"This drug is the first in a new generation of oral anti-viral therapies for hepatitis C and it is being hailed as a breakthrough. The cure rate is higher and side effects are fewer than with other treatment.
"It is estimated that as many as 3 million Americans are infected with this virus, so sales could quickly add up to billions of dollars annually for the company. Congress and insurance companies are questioning the high price, especially since the company will be selling the drug for substantially less in other countries."
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2014/03/27/pharmaceutical-firm-queried-over-high-price-of-hepatitis-c-drug/

Prescription Drug Prices Skyrocketing, April 4, 2011
"Popular brand name drugs are already expensive and getting pricier. Despite the sluggish economy and low rate of inflation, top-selling medications have soared in price.
"The cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor is up more than 11 percent over last year. According to Thomson Reuters MarketScan, a day's supply went from $3.17 in 2009 to $3.53 in 2010.
"Lipitor is not alone. The anti-clotting drug Plavix rose in price by more than 13 percent, so a month's supply runs about $195. The psychiatric drug Seroquel jumped 16.5 percent over last year. And the price of the leukemia drug Gleevec went up more than 20 percent, to over $4,800 for a bit less than a month's supply.
"Why are drug prices climbing so quickly? Big brand name manufacturers point to the high cost of research and development for new medications. The trouble with this argument is that many companies have been cutting back on their R&D budgets. [see: Marcia Angell, THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DRUG COMPANIES: HOW THEY DECEIVE US AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. "Most of the R&D work is done by colleges and universities funded by the government" thus the drug companies receive windfall profits from public research. -- compiler]. They also have very little to show for their investment over the last decade. Breakthroughs for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's or other hard-to-treat conditions have been few and far between.
"Many analysts blame the dramatic price increases on coming generic competition. Both Lipitor and Plavix will soon lose their exclusive patents. That means insurance companies are likely to encourage patients to take atorvastatin instead of Lipitor and clopidogrel instead of Plavix.
"Insurance companies have created penalties for patients who want brand name medications. Many health insurance plans use tiers to discourage brand name use. Generic versions, when available, are usually tier 1 with low co-pays of $10 to $15. Brand name drugs not on the formulary may not be covered at all or require a co-pay over $100.
"Take the popular sleeping pill Ambien, for example. It is now available as generic zolpidem. If you had to pay out of pocket for the brand, the cost could be as high as $190 for a month's supply. The generic is often around $10 to $20.
"If generic drugs were always identical to the brand name products, as FDA maintains, this would be only good news for consumers. There are questions, however. Experts estimate that 80 percent of active ingredients now come from countries like India, China, Brazil and Mexico. There is very little oversight of manufacturing plants.
"Many readers of this column have reported problems with zolpidem, as this story demonstrates: 'Ambien worked great for me. I fell asleep within 30 minutes and stayed asleep for eight hours. I was excited about generic zolpidem when it became available. Money in my pocket! The first generic I tried did not work at all. No sleep! A different generic zolpidem resulted in only four hours of sleep and it took me more than an hour to fall asleep'."
People who would like to learn about saving money on brand name drugs from online pharmacies may find useful information at http://www.pharmacychecker.com/. We have also prepared a 'Guide to Saving Money on Medicine'."