Something as simple as a human touch can make all the difference when it comes to healing. Of course, married couples, particularly the happier ones, enjoy this and many other health benefits just by being together.

These results certainly support a study I posted last year about one's healing properties being slowed, in part, due to marital conflicts. Just a great example of your body's ability to adjust the way it reacts to pain.

Stress is a key factor in any illness and it plays a major role in the health of nearly every patient I see. To completely eliminate stress from your life is virtually impossible. Yet, if you don't learn how to deal with stress in a healthy way, a recent study shows how your brain may actually "rewire itself," altering its connections in such a way so it affects the way the brain functions.

So what can you do about it? The key is not to eliminate the stress itself but rather adjust your body's ability to tolerate it. I've found energy psychology tools, like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), can be very useful to battle the dual effects of stress and depression.

And, there's no questioning the power of prayer either. So many studies have documented it and the science that proves its healing power is very solid. So solid, I believe it's criminally negligent for physicians not to recommend it.