Isn't reiki marvelous!

Reiki Improves Mild Dementia

An American study involving 24* participants from an Indian Reservation suggests that reiki treatments may help to improve certain behaviour and memory problems in people with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease. The participants, aged 60 – 80, were split between two groups, a control group and an experimental group. The experimental group received one reiki treatment a week for four weeks. The two groups were scored/compared pre and post reiki treatments. Those that had received the reiki treatments showed a significant statistical improvement in the relevant tests.
*24 is rather a small number. The study needs to be much larger and from other groups and areas to discount the placebo effect.

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez

A reiki treatment is extremely relaxing and a possible explanation for the above may be found in the following. When the body is relaxed the breathing rate and heart beat slow down, the bronchi of the lungs dilate, blood pressure drops and the production of stomach acid is reduced. No stress hormones are released into the blood stream. Even with the subject in a light trance scientists have observed white blood cells clinging more firmly to blood vessels, this is thought to increase the body’s immune efficiency. The body also seems to produce more of these immune-enhancing lymphocytes.

Help me Fade Away!

Who ate all the Pies? I'm afraid I did!
To reverse the damage I am going on a sponsorsed slim with all proceeds going to Scope (formally the Spastic Society) in Milton Keynes. Any contribution would be gratefully accepted and the more that is pledged the guiltieer I will feel if I don't lose weight.
My target loss is 28 pounds - wish me luck.