The Science of Healing

In this PBS-aired documentary, physician and medical researcher Dr. Esther Sternberg helps viewers understand the brain's role in emotional and physical healing, with filmmaker Renard Cohen focusing on Sternberg's personal experience, including the death of her mother and the onset of inflammatory arthritis. A chance opportunity takes Sternberg to a small cottage on the Greek island of Crete, where she learns to relax and enjoy the enticing fragrances and picturesque views. In this sense-stimulating setting, she begins a routine that includes meditation, gentle exercise, and a healthy Mediterranean diet, and finds that her pain is slowly reduced. Back home, Sternberg tests her insights against research being done at children's hospitals that are designing facilities in a visually attractive manner with the intention of reducing stress and promoting recovery. Other topics covered include the beneficial effects of music (called a “stress buffer”) and the role of thoughts and belief in helping the immune system (surprisingly, the positive effects of love are not mentioned), while a visit to a Greek temple of healing suggests that the ancients were well aware of the mind-body connection. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)