In research studies a type of hands-on-healing, or energy healing called “Therapeutic Touch” (TT) has proven to grow bone cells in petri dishes.  For the study, a Therapeutic Touch practitioner sent healing energy to bone fragments in some kind of growth medium in a petri dish.  A faux healer performed the same movements on other cultures, but did not send healing energy.

Gloria Gronowicz, Professor of Surgery at U-Conn reports that, “The TT-treated cells grew faster than the other cells.  In fact in one test, cells treated with TT grew at double the rate of untreated cells.”

In addition to seeing increased cell division under the microscope, Gronowicz observed that the bone cell cultures treated with Therapeutic Touch also absorbed more calcium, the essential mineral for growing strong bones.

Interestingly, similar experiments using TT on bone cancer cells produced different results. Unlike the healthy cells, the bone cancer cells did not appear to be stimulated by TT.

“Therapeutic Touch appears to increase DNA synthesis, differentiation, and mineralization in normal bone cells, and decrease differentiation and mineralization in a bone cancer derived cell line,” says Gronowicz.

I am not a certified TT practitioner, but I have taken several classes in this modality.  After my 84 year old mother fell last August and sustained 16 fractures to her pelvis, spine and ribs,  I performed Therapeutic Touch on her weekly.  Her fractures completely healed in 16 weeks and she experienced no more bone pain. He doctors said her results were remarkable.  My mother attributed her phenomenal healing to Therapeutic Touch treatments.

Here are links to the U-Conn study and to the Therapeutic Touch website.

Click to access gronowicz-theraputic-touch-study.pdf

http://www.therapeutictouch.org/what_is_tt.html

A mosaic from the Lincoln Center subway station in NYC

I have been invited to be a part of an exciting new research study on exercise and osteoporosis.  Dr. Chang and Dr. Stokes are researching the use of cutting edge high resolution MRI’s to study the possibility of reversing osteoporosis through exercise. Using before and after images from the very high resolution MRI machine, the doctors will study the effect of weight lifting on bone growth over a 3 month period.

I am thrilled to be a part of this study and look forward to using these extraordinary, synchronistic opportunities to help the doctors help all osteoporosis patients.   Aligned with their goals, I hope we’ll prove that, despite conventional wisdom, osteoporosis CAN be reversed!

Eckhart Tolle writes, in THE NEW EARTH, “Whenever there is inspiration, which translates as “in spirit” and enthusiasm, which means “in God,” there is a creative empowerment that goes far beyond what a mere person is capable of.”

In osteoporosis there are fewer of the little interior walls. Those gaps cause weakness in the bone.

I am continuing to stand for strength and resilience, no matter what!
Today I had my first appointment for special testing. I was chosen to
be part of a study using the latest MRI technology–super high
resolution MRI so that we can see the microstructure of the bones.
It’s so new, the doctors were test driving the machine as we went.  I
was wishing I had a camera–the machine was so cool and space age.
But I couldn’t keep anything metal around.

They took MRI’s of my knee, hip and wrist.  Although my original bone
density test showed a very poor score, the high resolution MRI’s gave a less dire picture.
Although still showing osteoporosis, the MRI’s gave more info about
specifically where the problems are.  Dr. Greg Chang from the NYU Medical Center was so kind!  He sent me a powerpoint
presentation explaining what’s going on in my bones.

Went to the gym and lifted weights again this morning–just because I
gave my word, not because I wanted to!  Saw so many middle aged women
like myself there, alongside the beefcake young men.  One woman had an
adorable pink workout outfit on.   She said wearing cute clothes helps
keep her going–I am liking that idea, and think I will splurge a
little.

I want to post several of my MRI images but I’m having technical difficulties with uploading. So, I included the example image above from INTERNAL MEDICINE NEWS.  In case you are interested, here’s their excellent article about High Res MRI’s and how they sometimes tell a different story than the traditional bone density tests.

http://www.internalmedicinenews.com/index.php?id=2049&type=98&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=12226&cHash=da03e20e36

Leonardo anatomy drawing

In the course I am taking, Living Powerfully, (the course that got me moving on the osteoporosis situation) we are encouraged to create an “empowering context” for what we are doing in life.  Right now I am taking care of this osteoporosis problem, so the empowering context I created for myself is that “I am the possibility of strength and resilience”.

I’ve been feeling panicked this evening.  That pain in my neck–is it muscular or is it my spine degenerating?  Those yoga exercises–I read they are dangerous for osteoporosis. I started catastrophising, visualizing my mother’s suffering, imagining myself unable to work, dependent. I began to despair.

During a phone call with my class mates, Eileen said something very powerful.  She said, “When you are having a breakdown, remember your empowering context”.

From my position of fear, I remembered that I am the “possibility of strength and resilience”. It was immediately heartening. Telling myself those words is encouraging.  This is another reminder of the power of words.

I signed up for a fitness club today and have an appointment with a trainer in the morning. This club is normally too expensive for my budget but this week they are offering a deep discount for teachers–I am only paying 1/3 of the normal fee!  It is a miracle.  The need was there and suddenly the solution appeared, almost effortlessly.  Thank you, Guardian Angels!

Two weeks ago I started taking a 10 week seminar course called “Living Powerfully”. Landmark Education promised that, “In this seminar, you’ll find yourself generating the stakes to a new or expanded game, based in what matters most to you. You’ll clear up past issues that may have stopped or limited you, and experience a new ability to meet and take on challenges, to get and stay on track with what you know is possible.”

During the first class, the instructor, Maryanne asked, “What would your life be like if you didn’t have “X” hanging over your head?”  For me, “X” was the question: “Do I have Osteoporosis?” I had been living with this fear for years but I was paralyzed, unable to deal with it.  I bought books about osteoporosis that I could not bear to read. My fear was so great, and of course, living in fear and denial created a self fulfilling prophecy.  I would end up like my mother.

I imagined my life without that doubt hanging over my head, without fear.  I felt light, free.  A whole big space would be empty in my heart, ready to be filled with something positive.  I was inspired and the next morning, I phoned the Osteoporosis Center at the Hospital for Joint Diseases and made an appointment to get checked out.