“I mind my own business and I don’t eat junk food.” (1)

It seems like good practical advice, especially when the source is someone who has just turned 116. The Guinness Book of World Records has certified a Georgia woman, Besse Cooper, as the world’s oldest person. Cooper is one in a billion, according to Robert Young, a consultant on gerontology to Guinness. (2)

The number of people living past the century mark has been increasing. A study by the Danish Aging Research Center is projecting that half of the babies born in the U.S. today are likely to live past 100. Dr. Kaare Christensen, the study’s lead author notes that this gives a very different perspective on an individual’s life plan.(3)

While Besse Cooper followed two cardinal rules in her life, she also incorporated another component: daily Bible study. According to the North Georgia Advocate, Mrs. Cooper attended church into her 90’s and until a couple of years ago read her Bible daily.(4)

Mrs. Cooper’s life demonstrates what studies have been finding. The benefits of spiritually are: longevity, better health, lower levels of depression and anxiety and improved ability to cope with everyday life.(medicinenet.com)

It isn’t longevity alone people are seeking but also the desire to put more “life” in the years. Media commercials show more and more images of active seniors.

And the 2012 Olympics included a 71 year old dressage competitor from Japan. Hiroshi Hoketsu first competed in 1964 Tokyo Games. Since then, he continued training and competing at the sport’s highest levels. While working in corporate management, he would ride before work every morning. One publication noted Hoketsu,”embod[ied] many of the best attributes of the Games – stamina, discipline, consistent athletic excellence, and, most important, an uncanny ability to defy the perceived limits of age.” (5)

As the executive director of the Japan Equestrian Federation, Hideki Yamauchi, observed, “He has a strong will to improve himself and is never self-satisfied.” Asked about his key to his competition longevity, Hoketsu said, “Keep the motivation and you will keep young.”(6)

More than anomalies, these outliers crack open the possibilities of active living no matter how many trips around the sun.

(1) “Walton Woman is 116,” The Atlanta Journal Constitution, 28 August, 2012, B2.

(2)www.ngumnc.org/news

(3)www.newsmaxhealth.com

(4) www.ngumn.org/news

(5)www.csmonitor.com/world/

(6)http://sports.yahoo.com

March 29, 2013 Stormy Becker Falso Life in General No comments

The audience excitement was palpable as they agreed to participate in a test on the Dr. Oz show.

The subject of the show was energy drinks, and audience members were all asked to sample one of the drinks. A few minutes after they downed the various colored liquids offered by the staff of the show, Dr. Oz asked if anyone had felt any effects from the drink. Hands shot up. He interviewed two women who stated the drink had produced a positive effect. They felt energized and mentally sharper. But then a third woman said the drink had not produced any effect. Dr. Oz paused, smiled, and let the audience in on a secret. What his staff had served them was seltzer water. (see note 1)

The placebo effect was at work.

Recognition of the placebo effect is nothing new. In the mid-18th century a British ship’s doctor wrote about experimenting with placebos. Even the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the U.S. Health department, hosted a 2001 conference of experts to consider the effects of placebos and their role in healing. Two components of the NIH brought together more than 500 researchers to map the treatment value of placebos.(see note 2)

Some patients, even when told they are receiving placebos, still experience positive results. On Dr. Oz’s show, for instance, he returned to the two women who had reported more energy and increased mental sharpness. He asked if they wanted to change their response. They didn’t. They insisted on the positive effects they were feeling.

In a 2010 medical study patients were either given a placebo or no treatment. Those given a placebo were informed it was a placebo. There was a remarkable outcome: 59% of the patients – even though they knew they were taking a placebo – still experienced some relief from symptoms.(see note 3)

Physicians and others are increasing research into the mind-body connection, but a growing number of people are expanding the bandwidth. These individuals are incorporating spirituality and even prayer to improve their health. According to a National Interview survey, prayer accounts for close to half of the increased use of Complementary and Alternative Methods (CAM). The survey found more than one-third of adults use one or more CAM therapies “to treat their most serious illnesses.” (see note 4)

Few people have understood the relationship between thought, spirituality, prayer and health better than Jesus. His record of healing was so exceptional that people continue to study his life, teachings and practices 2,000 years later. His teachings encouraged listeners and those who were healed to take care to keep their thought God-centered because there was a direct effect on their health and well-being.

1 http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/energy-drinks-do-they-work-pt-1

2http://nihrecord.od.nih.gov/newsletters/01_23_2001/story03.htm)

3http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/22/health/la-he-placebo-effect-20101223

4Integrative Health Care and Medicine | RAND (David Eisenberg)

March 29, 2013 Stormy Becker Falso Life in General No comments

I  heard the rhythmic footfalls quickly approaching from behind. I was running my fastest, but I could hear them overtaking me. A runner, tall and lithe, effortlessly passed me. I watched as he disappeared into the distance. As I continued my steady gait, I thought about his efficient movement and grace.

Instead of feeling impatient with my own plodding pace, I spent time thinking about how this runner’s example of effortless speed, revealed possibilities for my own improvement. I see the same possibilities  when I read about people who has been healed of illness through prayer. I find these reports of healing not only in religious and spiritual literature but also in popular non-fiction. For example, have you read the incredible story of Louis Zamperini in “Unbroken”? He left PTSD and raging alcoholism behind virtually overnight as a result of a spiritual experience.

Prayer is a practice that has been in use for centuries. It would not have continued if those involved in the practice didn’t feel they derived some benefit from it. Almost half of Americans feel there is a place for prayer in addressing their health problems.

Some people have experienced what could be called miraculous outcomes. Many of those instances have been carefully documented and verified.

The National Institutes of Health have found that 43 percent of Americans pray for their own health and 24 percent have asked for the prayers of others.   Instead of straggling outliers, prayer and spiritual practices are making their way into mainstream health institutions. Research projects investigating prayer and it’s health effects have doubled since 2000.

Astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson says, “We don’t know what’s driving 96% of the universe.”  Being open to possibilities has brought many things into our everyday life. For centuries, people observed birds flying and never considered the possibility that a vehicle could be constructed that would carry people thousands of miles through the sky. It took observation and perseverance to discover the principle that makes air travel an accepted and relied upon mode of travel.  New discoveries are continually being made. Let’s keep the door open on prayer and it’s possibilities in daily life and health.

July 27, 2012 Stormy Becker Falso Life in General No comments

Turns out the Whos down in Who-ville had it right. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” by Dr. Seuss spins the story of the Grinch, who decides to deprive the Whos of their Christmas celebration by stealing their presents and decorations. But, to the Grinch’s surprise, the Whos continue their observance without the gifts. This prompts the Grinch to experience a change of heart, return the Whos Christmas gifts and even join their celebration.

While this holiday classic points out that Christmas is more than all the commercialization, it also illustrates that bitterness melted away brings health. After all, the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes. It’s not just fiction though. Dr. Charles Raison, association professor of psychiatry at Emory University School of Medicine and CNNHealth’s Mental Health expert doctor, observes, “Bitterness is a nasty solvent that erodes every good thing.” Research included in a new book, “Embitterment: Societal, psychological, and clinical perspectives,” surveys current embitterment research and draws the line between mental outlook and health. And, that health can change for the better when bitterness is rooted out.

Additionally, a study conducted by psychologist Dr. Glen Affleck at the University of Connecticut found that, “cardiac patients who blamed their heart attacks on others were more likely to suffer another heart attack within the next eight years. On the other hand, perceiving benefits and gains from an initial heart attack, including becoming more appreciative of life, was related to a reduced risk for subsequent attack.”

To get rid of bitterness requires a change of perspective, a change of thought. People have found prayer works to alleviate bitterness and its effects. Someone once shared with me that holding on to bitterness or resentment was like letting it have free rent in your home. Sometimes evicting these thoughts is like trying to unstick duct tape. A solvent is needed to remove the adhesive. A recent study found gratitude can act as that mental solvent. The question then becomes, how do you find genuine gratitude? Admittedly this is a very individual process. I start with things like a shared moment with a loved one or a laugh with a stranger. Then I try to look outside of myself to find things to be grateful for, like watching the children in my neighborhood playing and appreciating their lightheartedness, exuberance and joy. I feel like it keeps my gratitude honest to look beyond myself. It also helps in those times when gratitude may be difficult to feel.

The Whos understood it. Even without all the accouterments of Christmas, they still felt love, appreciation and joy. It was so strong, it even grew the Grinch’s heart! What Dr. Seuss observed and wrote, has now been observed, tried and proved.

The Whos knew!

November 29, 2011 Stormy Becker Falso Current Events, Life in General 8 comments

Sometimes funny situations teach great lessons.

It was the usual schedule: up at 4:30 am, out the door by 5 am to take my son to ice hockey practice, pickup another hockey team mate on the way to the rink, dash home, get ready for work and head out the door again. On this morning though, I realized Thanksgiving was just days away and I had not done the grocery shopping. At this point, I had cooked on Thanksgiving for so many years I knew the menu and the grocery list by heart. So as I drove the boys to hockey practice I realized I’d be very close to a grocery store that was open 24 hours a day. So I made a mental shopping list and heading straight to the grocery store from the ice rink.

There were only a few shoppers in the store, but the aisles were full of staff stocking the shelves for the rush of grocery purchases. I zipped along. My shopping basket brimming with the fixings for our feast. The last aisle was the frozen food section. As I stood in front of the glass door contemplating the frozen vegetables, I noticed my reflection in the frame of the freezer door. I WAS IN MY PAJAMAS!! I laughed out loud!

As I drove home with my groceries I decided I needed to rediscover the thankful part of Thanksgiving. I realized that in my hurry, hurry life I was not living graciously. I was like the plate spinner at the circus. Recognizing that something needs to change and actually doing it can be a true challenge. In my daily prayer practice, I changed something. Instead of listing all of the day’s activities and then asking for help to accomplish them, I took a different approach. I began my prayer with gratitude that God was an ever-present, all power of good; I listened more. This change wasn’t just for a day or a week, it became my regular daily prayer. And life became less frenetic and more joyful.

There are researchers who have been focusing on the beneficial effects of gratitude. One study (sited in a Harvard Health News Letter) found that, “gratitude…helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals.” Another effect was, “fewer visits to physicians.”

Each year as I get ready to enjoy this holiday with family and friends I think of this story and laugh. But I continue to be grateful for the lesson learned.

Gratitude is sweetest when it is shared. Please leave your Thanksgiving moment!

November 20, 2011 Stormy Becker Falso Life in General 9 comments

It’s a phrase I hear often, “I’ll keep you in my prayers!” It comes with an expectation of good, not just nice words. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (part of the National Institutes of Health), prayer for oneself and prayer for others are the two most common forms of complementary and alternative therapies.

U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords continues an ongoing remarkable recovery from gunshots wounds suffered on January 8, 2011. Her hard work and determination have been documented, along with the diligent support of her husband and his advocacy on Giffords behalf. Her mother, Gloria Giffords, has also been a constant presence in the Congresswoman’s recovery.

In an interview with the Arizona Daily Star, Gloria Giffords illustrates how she is actively praying for her daughter. She is described by her son-in-law Mark Kelly as a raging optimist. But it goes deeper than that. She is accustomed to turning to God in prayer and expecting a positive outcome. From the very beginning she maintains she was not afraid of the situation.While Giffords was in surgery, she describes her focus, “ I knew that she was God’s child, perfect. I knew that she was never going to change.” And, has ,”…a thought process where I don’t dwell on recrimination and anger.” Her prayer continues, she expects her daughter’s recovery and says, “Being with [Gabby] at any stage in her progress has been a joyous experience for me.” Watching Gabby’s improvement, she observes, “…I think it’s probably going to be better than we imagined.”

As a nation expectantly watches Congresswoman Giffords’ recovery, it’s important to consider a 2002 study of patients in intensive care. The study followed 39 patients and found the patients treated with prayer were able to leave the hospital sooner than the patients who were not treated with prayer.

If you’d like to read the full article about Gloria Giffords, it’s available at:

November 16, 2011 Stormy Becker Falso Current Events 6 comments

Have you ever searched the internet to see what information is available about you? If you have, you would be among the fifty-seven percent of American internet users who say they have looked themselves up on the internet. An even larger number of people say they look for information about health on the internet. The Pew Research Center has found that eighty percent of American internet users have searched for health information. That’s 113 million adults!

Another trend is worth noticing, too. About half of Americans say they pray about their health. This number has been steadily rising over the past decade. In 1999 less than fifteen percent of adults reported that they prayed about their health.

I’ve seen for myself the positive effects of prayer on health. In my twenties I started a regular practice of praying about my health. I applied for a job that required a physical exam before I could start work. During the exam, the doctor found a growth on my back his preliminary diagnosis was that it was cancerous. He refused to pass me on the physical exam until I was examined by an oncologist and a course of treatment was determined. I left his office scared and worried. As I sat in my car for a few moments to gather myself so I could drive, I began to think about what I had been learning about God and my relationship with Him through my daily practice of prayer. By the time I arrived home I was no longer afraid of the doctor’s diagnosis. I felt very sure that God’s love, protection and guidance were active at that very moment and that I could depend on God not only for comfort, but expect healing as well.

I called an oncologist and made an appointment. I continued to pray. Every time my thought would drift to the preliminary diagnosis or the outcomes described by the doctor, I would turn to God, affirming what I had been learning and experiencing through prayer. Within a week, the growth fell off. All that remained was completely smooth skin, not even a mark.

I called the doctor who had performed the original exam, told him what had happened and asked if he would reexamine me. He did and confirmed the healing. He rated my health as excellent. Before I left his office I called to cancel the appointment with the oncologist.

Turning to God in prayer doesn’t mean there will never be problems. But through my regular practice of turning to God through prayer I have found reliable solutions.

November 14, 2011 Stormy Becker Falso Life in General 13 comments

Yup! I know where I was – my neighbor and I were out walking our dogs and just heading home, when we walked by a pickup truck. The door was open, the driver was listening intently and called us over to tell us that something very horrific was happening at the World Trade Center in New York City. When I arrived home, my husband was already watching the news on the television. He was getting ready to go to the airport to catch a flight, but didn’t even bother to finish packing. We have traveled quite a bit since that day, and every trip through airport security is a reminder that the person standing next to me may be an enemy.

It reminded me of Abraham Lincoln’s words, “The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.” That’s a tall order! It requires putting aside my own fear and beyond trusting a person, trusting God. But I’ve learned it must begin with me, in my own heart and my own actions. And, I’ve been working at it.

A few months ago I was in a downtown parking lot when a man approached me as I putting stuff in my car. He wasn’t asking for a handout, he was agitated and demanding. I stood there for just a moment and thought, how can I help this man? I calmly asked him what he wanted. He became quiet and spilled out a laundry list of problems. When he finished I realized I was standing there with my lunch bag and a bag of candy. I asked him if this would be helpful to him. He calmly and gratefully took the bags from me, shook my hand and smiled as we parted company.

As I thought about this incident, it occurred to me that as I put aside my fear, the anger level dropped. And the outcome was good.

I realize September 11th is an indelible picture, but to let it grow hatred will never solve the problem.

September 9, 2011 Stormy Becker Falso Life in General No comments

Early this morning I went out for a run. The sun had not yet peeked over the horizon, so the early morning coolness still hung in the air. The birds were chirping their announcement of the coming day as the dew gently painted the grass and leaves with its delicate brush. Perhaps, these words bring to thought an idyllic visual image of the morning mist rising, as the sun reveals the new day.

To be honest, today, I ran at a track that is in a field adjacent to a school. It is a field track that undulates with the natural topography of the land. As I ticked off the laps it occurred to me that there is a difference between visualizing or imagining something and experiencing it.

Usually, visualizing begins with the question, what would it be like…? Then imagination takes over and constructs an image in thought that defines what the experience should look and feel like. Here’s an example: I was reading a cookbook and came across a recipe that sounded delicious. I carefully followed the instructions, savored the aromas as it cooked…and it was awful! I couldn’t order out pizza fast enough! So my experience didn’t live up to my imagining or expectation.

So…what’s the difference? In a word – gratitude. When my life doesn’t live up to my expectations or my ideals, I’ve found it’s because of that little word “my.” By exercising an active practice of prayer I’ve come to look for God’s presence, even when life has a dire picture. So…gratitude. I look out at God’s creation and it’s easy to see beauty or joy. So, if I can see it in nature and I believe that I am God’s creation also, then I should see these qualities in my life and in those around me. It is gratitude that God is the source of these qualities and expression, not my imagination. Another facet to this idea is that I can see the beauty and grandeur of God right now. I don’t have to wait for another place or time.

When I have looked past myself and truly looked for the presence of God I have felt greater peace than any imagining could produce. Those are my moments of gratitude.

August 3, 2011 Stormy Becker Falso Life in General 1 comment

Spring has arrived bringing it’s profuse palette of color and texture.

The buds of Bradford pear trees burst in flower to announce the fulfillment of the promise that winter’s cold and harshness are chased away.

To me,spring is the re-forming of the vitality that always been there. Dormancy gives way to unfolding beauty.There is a natural, active peace and orderliness to this process.

As I walked by one of these trees, the wind came up, blowing the petals of the blossoms off the trees like a snow flurry. Unlike the snows of winter that bury everything in a white blanket; this “snow flurry” reveals the next phase of vitality and purposefulness.

Surprisingly, this made me think about health and specifically healthfulness and healthcare. Healthfulness is normal! Healthcare like the process of spring, is a re-forming of innate vitality.

The leaves on the Bradford pear tree must follow the blossoms, the order cannot be reversed. To me, healthfulness & healthcare are the natural outcome of my practice of Christian Science. So, universal healthcare as a national issue must include spiritual care or it’s like expecting a Bradford pear tree to leaf, without first enjoying the beauty of the blossoms.

March 22, 2011 Stormy Becker Falso Life in General 1 comment