Mind Over Matter, Placebos,Holistic Health, and 1/2 Marathons

Part two

Yesterday Secretariat and I attended a Sons in Retirement luncheon.  I showed our book trailer video to the group, and spoke about my anti aging pill ride and tie, meeting Secretariat in 1997, and about our competition.  I talked about mind-body and the power of expectations .I made the point that expectations had to be reality-based.  On our training runs, I do not expect to beat Secretariat based on 15 years of history –as that is the reality.  Hopefully ,I made that point to the group. Secretariat took the opportunity and talked about his competitiveness, and why he runs.

Today, Secretariat and I will run to the arena, help Linda saddle her horse, and assist her in mounting.  Then we will continue on our trail run, and all told, will travel about 15 miles.  We both have entered a half marathon on the 29^th in Marin County.

A study published in New England Journal of Medicine included 46 asthma patients.  They were put into four types of experimental treatment groups: no treatment at all; supplied with an albuterol inhaler; supplied with a placebo inhaler; and subjected to sham acupuncture. In this study, the research team induced an asthma attack, and then measured lung function, as well as a perception of symptoms. One interesting finding is that the real inhaler, improved lung function better than the placebo inhaler.  However, the patients in both inhaler groups reported feeling good   regardless of whether they used a real or a placebo inhaler.  The placebo inhaler worked just as well-how’s that for mind over matter.

  2,703 menopausal patients with hot flashes were given either a real or sham acupuncture treatment and evaluated after five weeks.  At the end of this five week treatment procedure, only some 60% of participants in both groups reported that hot flashes.  Seven weeks later, 55% of the patients in the sham acupuncture reported hot flashes, compared with 73% in the real acupuncture group.  Hooray for sham acupuncture.

Okay, these findings are impressive- even more so when patients are told they are receiving a placebo.  Placebos, in some cases, seem to work better than actual, real medication.  One explanation is that expectations play a significant role along with the perceived meaning of the medical treatment situation.  These patients find themselves in an environment where the setting is positive and official; they are given personal attention, and coupled with an innovative approach – like a daily pill taking ritual.   These factors likely created and resulted in an openness to change or to get well.

  We have a mind-body self-healing process that suggests that the placebo or our mind changes conditions, and not the underlying biology of an illness.  In other words, the way a person experiences or reacts to an illness is an important key. Just think if we did not have HM Os and managed care systems and the medical profession spent more one-on-one time with the patient just like in the old days; and the doctors were trained in some of these other adjunct procedures; and the drug companies had less hold on the medical profession-the doctor’s did not have to write prescriptions, we might have different and healthier outcomes.

Another element to consider is what if insurance companies reimbursed the providers who actually work one-on-one with patients? As long as insurance companies are in the business for profit, it is unlikely they will reimburse many of the holistic treatments. Insurance companies and the prescription drug companies have the lobbyists to keep things the way they are. You might ask who does not want a single-payer.

Placebos,Mind Body,Expectancy, Depression, and Trail Running

A couple of comments about Saturday’s trail run “to Cool and Back. “First and for most there is disagreement about the number miles for our run.  Secretariat seems to think we ran about 18 ½, while I believe that the distance was at least 20 miles if not more.  In any event, it was a fun run.  As it turned out Secretariat, Chris Turney a.k.a. Alpha Schnauzer, and I did the running.  Lucky for us, Linda and Michele met us In Cool, for our aid station.  It was great to see them there.  I thank you both for coming to Cool and being there for us.

  On this particular day, there was a lot of self analysis as Secretariat exposed many childhood memories.  There was lots of laughter, in hearing the stories and it was much fun.  Secretariat had to be home in the early afternoon so that gave him an excuse to run hard and fast as if he needs an excuse.  As it turned out, Secretariat and the Alpha Schnauzer got out in front, for good, after crossing Highway 49.  Eventually, l lost sight of them but I kept my pace and I was okay with the reality.

While I was walking up Maine bar (a nasty steep climb) a young 31-year-old runner - Heidi caught up to me.  We chatted until we reached the recycling center, and from there, she headed home on a different trail.  From the recycling center the distance to my house was approximately a mile.  Just prior to reaching my house, I caught the   Alpha Schnauzer, out of water and trashed.  Secretariat said he was about half an hour ahead of us, and he was smiling as he told me. Of course he was smiling because he is so happy. Let me add that I was happier than Alpha Schnauzer.

 I have some more information pertaining to last week’s blog regarding the powerful mind-body connection.  Previously, I gave examples of how mind-body influences behavior.  From my research on expectancy to present-day studies regarding placebo, the data and findings are impressive.  I commented that, in my research, the “expectancy” held by the individual predicted how that student was going to perform on arithmetic task.  If the student expected to do well on the task, he did just that.  By the same token, another finding of significance is that the use of positive feedback resulted in better performance on arithmetic task compared with the use of negative feedback. We believe that positive feedback can influence attitude, and belief resulting in better performance compared to negative input and feedback.  That is not to say that negative feedback never works.  However, I would rather have a steady diet of positive feedback than daily negative complaining. How about you – what do you prefer to hear?

Research studies –Parkinson’s disease, published in 2001 found that a placebo was effective at improving Parkinson’s disease symptoms.   In that study, the placebo actually induced the brain to produce greater amounts of the dopamine neurotransmitter known to be useful in treating the disease.   In studies related to depression, it is estimated that 30 to 45% of patients responded very well to a placebo.    Fertility rates have been found to improve in women getting the placebo. .  One study, a recent randomized trial of women with poly cystic ovarian syndrome, found that five of 33 Pregnant while taking a placebo over a six-month period, got pregnant, compared with 7 of 32 that received medication.  In essence, there were no statistical differences between the two groups. One explanation was that the women given the placebo likely experienced a decrease in stress.  Other studies have demonstrated pregnancy rates as high as 40% in placebo groups.

Additional research findings will be presented on mind-body in tomorrow’s blog.

On another note, Secretariat, and I are attending a luncheon presentation for the Sons in Retirement.  I have been invited to give a talk.  The talk today will be on Anti-aging Secrets.