Everyone knows that for good health it's important to watch your diet, exercise, reduce stress, and avoid alcohol and tobacco. And there's now compelling evidence that prayer and attending weekly worship services significantly reduce your risk of serious diseases, even death. Of the things you can do to protect your health, faith plays a significant role. The healing power of faith is demonstrated over and over in numerous studies that followed thousands of people.
Religious people live longer.
A Powerful Benefit Believing in a God or higher power is good for your heart and your life expectancy. A 1997 study published in the American Journal of Public Health analyzed the long-term relationship of attending religious services and death rates. More than 5,000 people in Alameda, Calif., were followed for 28 years. Researchers found that the people who attended weekly worship services were 36 percent less likely to die. Females in the study did even better.