Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 32

,2 Friday, Decemhor 16, 2011 St, Petersburg Timos PSC OPINION 1xls) Times Port Richey Office: 11321 U.S. 19, Port Richey, FL 34608 Wesley Chapol Office: 26240 Golden Mnple Loop, Wosley DELIVERY Call to subscribe, report delivery problems, for billing inquiries, vacation hold or other customer service. For redelivery of papor call 6 a.m.-10 a.m. andSun.7a.m.-11a.m. Port RichoyW.

Pasco (727) 849-4338 Wosloy Ch(iNl Toll-froe 1-800-333-7505 tampabay.comopinion Guest column I Rao Musunuru, M.D. Faith deserves a place in science of medicine immm NEWS W. Pasco News (727) 869 6238 Wesley Chapel Bureau (813)909-4606 Port Richey FAX(727) 869 6233 Wesley Chnpel FAX (813)909-4611 What if Tim Tubow was a phy-sicim? Think about it and about his remarkable streak and the power of positive thinking. Think about the word association between mum to the power of the pulpit. Simple old-fashioned prayer or meditation may do just as much good as the new powerful medications to cope with daily stress.

The benefits may occur even in patients with infections and cancer by boosting the natural immunity. Would somebody else praying for you help? You may be a nonbeliever all your life, but suddenly when you are struck with an illness and suffering, you tend to cling to the hope that others' prayers may benefit you. That just may be enough to alter the chemical balance in your body, to give positive results through positive thinking. The medical establishment in this country has been slow over the decades to incorporate this aspect into mainstream health care, even though we see a current trend to involve chaplains more and more into patient-care teams. Faith can certainly heal (or propel a touchdown pass?) whether the ailment is physical, mental or social especially when used in the right dosage, for the right reasons and in the right combinatioa Dr.

Rao Musunuru, a practicing car-diohgist, isa member of National Leadership Committee of Clinical Cardiofogy Council of tlie American Heart Association. "all in your mind," but most definitely your mind has a lot of control over the cause and relief of those symptoms. Faith or trust in the physician, medical treatment or divine intervention is as important for positive results as is the medicines a person tikes. A sugar pill, a saline injection or a sham surgery may cause similar symptom relief in a trusting patient as the real medicine. It's called the placebo effect Similarly, a certain percentage of patients will experience bad side effects by a simple suggestion that the same sugar pill or sidine injection may cause untoward effects.

This is called the nocebo effect. These are perfect examples of mind over matter. A kind word, a gentle touch, an extra minute of explanation, an expression of encouragement, a small dose of passion and compassion and an extra ounce of sympathy and empathy from the healthcare provider, friends and family may do as much good as medications to heal the patient A 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found regular churchgoers live longer than their counterparts. The benefit may include multiple factors like social interaction, social support, joy of giving, pleasure of forgiving and health screenings in addition i in mi i i li'ff in' 'laltinntliliiiiliiii 1 Save with Save more GIFTS KELNfi Bonus Box NG 4 HANDLING C-AU SHIPPING Includes All Discounts GET CASH FOR I CHRISTMAS "faith" and "religion." It is so strong that we often tend to forget that faith refers to a confident belief in the truth, value or trustworthiness of i Musunuru any person, idea or thing, sometimes notwithstanding the lack of logical proof or materia evidence. I am the last person on Earth that is qualified to talk about any religion, but I am a strong believer in all kinds of positive effects of all kinds of faith.

Trust is the fuel that powers the engine of faith. Science is based on abstract evidence of physics and chemistry hormones, receptors and genes, for example and is the backbone of mainstream medicine. Faith is a function of the mind or brain that one cannot easily access, asses or interpret by simple known measures. However, they do not contradict each other. They coexist and complement one another.

Medicine deals with the symptoms of a sickness. It may not be Your letters Water trails lack financial support Re Class helping paddlers find purpose Dec. 14 article David Rice did a nice job on the presentation by the Florida Paddling Trails Association, but given the current course Pasco County will never become a paddling destination. Full disclosure, I am a member of that association but do not speak for it I was at the meeting. I have also paddled professionally as a kayak tour guide for the past 15 years in the U.S.

and Mexico. Werner-Boyce Salt Spring Park is nearly 12 years old and has yet to open to the public because it has had no money for basic sanitary facilities such as rest rooms. It is a park conceived as a water-oriented nature experience, but still has no launch site for canoes and kayaks. Paddlers are advised to launch at near by Brasher Park which has a dilapidated bathroom. None of this is the fault of park staff present or past They have not been given the money needed to open the park much less have it as anchor, combined with coastal areas to the south and north, what could make the entire area apaddling destination.

Also lacking is any concrete support from elected county officials other men occasional lip service. Until money replaces lip service and strong political action on the local and state levels becomes a reality, Pasco County will be non- 5ver t5 Coins. I TOP pa int ADVERTISING CUuifml ftetaM Wn.Ch.iP(H (81i)W9-4603 (8I3i909-4W)3 PoftRKtwy (727)869-6272 727)869-6219 Intwnet (727)892-2237 Obituaries (800)333-7505 ext8518 SWITCHBOARD Port RicheyW. Pasco (727)849-0044 Wesley Chapel (813)909-4600 Telecommunications Device for the hearing impaired (727)869-6205 STArr Budge! Hall Grumet Pasco TimoB cdnor Bill Stevons C.T. Bowon Undn Raab JtmL Thompson LubySidofl Columnist Editor of editorials North Suncoflot markalingniannijer Regional circulation manager North Suncoast Pasco advertising managw EMAIL THE PASCO TIMES pascosptimes.com jjy tampabay.com Dozens of deHcious recipes.

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It is important to get comfortable with the curriculum as well as the response and impression you get when asking specifically about the goals of the school in relation to state standards. Any facility can simply collect payment from the state for providing a child a place in a classroom under the VPK program. However, it takes a different level of provider to ensure your child will get the focused attention to detail that is necessary for optimal results. When choosing a facility the obvious factors are cleanliness of the school, curriculum, staff appearance and security. Additionally, the parent needs to ask what makes that specific center stand out among its peers.

Most centers will have this information readily available. Our children are faced with an increasingly demandingand competitive environment Their ability to stay on course in later years has a direct correlation to the foundation that is created during their preschool experience. Our children deserve to be afforded with every opportunity available to them and our state has given us a wonderful tool when used to its full potential. Amanda I Iart, Port Richey Family Restaurant Mow Upen iw uinncr Share your opinions You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our website at tampabay.comletters, or by faxing it to (727) 869-6233, or by mailing it Pasco Richey, FL 34668, You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

existent when it comes to water-oriented tourism while counties to the north and south of us continue to count those dollars by the millions. John Ennis, I Iudson Research helps preschool choice In the state of Florida, our children have the opportunity to be better prepared for kindergarten with no expense to the parent Many parents are unaware that voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) providers are measured on performance in the same manner as elementary schools. The VPK program is measured according to how children perform on readiness tests in the first 30 days of kindergarten. Areas such as color and shape recognition, the alphabet socialization skills, handwriting and phonological awareness Serving Breiiktast Lunch ALL YOU CAN EAT North Atlantic Haddock FISH FRY Food i Friendly FIGHT BACK! REPEAL the changes to the sinkhole insurance law, changes that increase rates, lower coverage, and hurt Pasco homeowners. Go to http:wvn7.hpdem0crats.com to see how the law impacts homeowners and sign a repeal petition.

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