“The body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed.“ As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen
Today the gold standard in medical research is what is known as a double-blinded study that utilizes placebos. The reason placebos are used is because it is a known fact that 33% of all medical or surgical procedures’ positive outcomes are due to the placebo effect. It is important to note that NO treatment is NOT the same as a placebo treatment. To determine if improvement in the treated group is due to drug effects rather than the act of being treated, a placebo must be used.
Two studies shown below demonstrate just how common this placebo effect is:
Revealing outcomes were found in a 2002 study evaluating the long-term effect on 108 people with osteoarthritis of the knees, where a placebo was used vs arthroscopic knee surgery. The study divided the patients up into 3 groups. One group had arthroscopic lavage, another group arthroscopic debridement, and the third group had a placebo procedure (while the patient was under anesthesia an incision was made on the skin of the knee to indicate arthroscopy was performed then sewn closed). What they found was that at the end of 2 years all three groups had the same level of improvement!
Another study in 2008 found that when patients were given the antidepressant Venlafaxine for dyspepsia vs a placebo those receiving the placebo had a 39% improvement whereas the Venlafaxine group saw only 37% improvement.
If this placebo effect is that strong why are we not utilizing this power to heal ourselves?
“Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express themselves in a sickly body…“As a Man Thinketh” by James Allen
I have seen many times that people who believe they are sick will develop the symptoms of the illness. I have also seen that sick people who believe there is no hope will remain ill, almost no matter what I do.
The converse of these negative thoughts is also true. “Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace.”
Dr. Terry Pfau D.O., D.M.D in West Las Vegas Nevada.