God and science: Can they just get along?

University of Illinois psychology professor Jesse Preston wondered if God and science can really coexist within an individual's belief system. What she found is that the two fundamentally conflict and may have little hope for resolution.
“When God isn’t being used to explain much," Dr. Preston said, "people have a positive attitude toward science. But when God is being used to account for many events – especially the things that they list, which are life, the universe, free will, these big questions – then somehow science loses its value.”
“On the other hand, people may have a generally positive view of science until it fails to explain the important questions. Then belief in God may be boosted to fill in the gap,” she said.
Read more about this study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign website.

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Thankfully, you can be happy

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude, as they say in 12-step circles, is a key to recovery from addiction. Beyond that, reserchers have found that being thankful produces a treasure trove of benefits, from increasing your viral resistance to reducing your stress hormones. Grateful people, they say, live longer, feel happier, and have more successful lives. According to Dr. Robert Emmons, author of Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier, any of us can develop gratitude. Some of the ways we can do this:

Keep a daily gratitude journal in which you make note of all the good things and the gifts that have come your way that day.

Promise yourself to practice gratitude regularly.

Focus on the good things that others have done for you. This makes us realize how interdependent we are and makes us realize that we are loved.

Learn to develop a language of gratitude rather than a language of complaint. Ask your friends and family to help you. It's often hard to see for ourselves how much we're complaining.

Use your senses to come into the present and appreciate the small gifts in the moment – the smile of a child, the smell of your first cup of coffee in the morning, the beauty of a sunset.

Take grateful actions. Smile, perform random acts of kindness, help a stranger.


I might add to the list that we give thanks for the challenges we face every day, too, for in them we can learn how to improve our lives.
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Laughter yoga will bring a smile to your face

When times are tough, try some laughter yoga. This technique combines yogic breathing, belly laughs, waddling around like a penguin, or dancing in a conga line. This is hardly downward facing dog, is it?
This particular form of yoga, developed in 1995 by Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria, relies on our ability to act our way to new feelings. Combining yogic breathing and simulated laughter, participants eventually experience genuine, joyful laughter. And it's contagious, too: Dr. Kataria's first group had five participants and there are now 6,000 laughter clubs in 60 countries around the world. For more information on this delightful practice, visit Laughter Yoga International.
PHOTO: William Vermeulen

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Puzzles and games may reduce anxiety

If you suffer from anxiety, working out Sudoku puzzles or a good game of chess may be just what the doctor ordered. According to research published in the journal Nature Neuroscience online December 14, people with anxiety need stimulation, not sedation. In an anxious state, people may have difficulties staying focused on less challenging tasks such as wathing TV, but can get relief through engaging activities like crossword puzzles. Read more about this in today's San Francisco Chronicle. For the complete study, visit Nature Neuroscience online.
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The link between IQ and mental illness explored by researchers

Researchers have hypothesized that people with lower IQs may have a higher risk of adult mental disorders, but few studies have looked at the relationship between low childhood IQ and psychiatric disorders later in life. In a new, long-term study covering more than three decades, researchers at Harvard School of Public Health ( HSPH ) found that children with lower IQs showed an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders as adults, including schizophrenia, depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Lower IQ was also associated with psychiatric disorders that were more persistent and an increased risk of having two or more diagnoses at age 32.
The results showed that lower childhood IQ predicted an increased risk of a variety of adult mental disorders. “Lower childhood IQ predicted increased risk of schizophrenia, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. Individuals with lower childhood IQ also had more persistent depression and anxiety and were more likely to be diagnosed with two or more disorders in adulthood,” said lead author Karestan Koenen, assistant professor of society, human development, and health at HSPH.
No association was found between lower childhood IQ and substance dependence disorders, simple phobia, panic disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The mechanism through which lower childhood IQ might lead to increased risk of adult anxiety disorders is not known, but the authors suggest some possible explanations. They write that lower childhood IQ might reveal a difference in brain health that makes an individual more vulnerable to certain mental disorders. Another possible mechanism is stress--individuals with lower childhood IQs are less equipped to deal with complex challenges of modern daily life, which may make them more vulnerable to developing mental disorders.
The findings may be helpful in treating individuals with mental health disorders. “Lower childhood IQ was associated with greater severity of mental disorders including persistence over time and having two or more diagnoses at age 32,” said Koenen. “Since individuals with persistent and multiple mental disorders are more likely to seek services, cognitive ability may be an important factor for clinicians to consider in treatment planning. For example, individuals with lower cognitive ability may find it harder to follow instructions and comply with treatment regimens. By taking clients’ cognitive ability into account, clinicians may improve treatment outcome,” she said.
The results may also be helpful in prevention planning. “Educators and pediatricians should be aware that children with lower cognitive ability may be at greater risk of developing psychiatric disorders. Early detection and intervention aimed at ameliorating mental health problems in these children may prevent these problems from carrying over into adulthood,” said Koenen.
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