From HealthRhythms of Central Pennsylvania Facebook page:
The Nobel Peace Prize for Medicine was awarded this week to two scientists for finding a breakthrough in cancer treatment by enhancing the body’s own immune system. This is called immunotherapy, and works by increasing the number of natural killer (NK) cells.
NK cells have this definition. “A type of immune cell that has granules (small particles) with enzymes that can kill tumor cells or cells infected with a virus. A natural killer cell is a type of white blood cell. Also called NK cell and NK-LGL.”
This is great breakthrough and is hailed as a new direction in cancer care, and requires drug intervention. At this time, this has not been proven to work in all cancers. More work will continue.
While this is great news, another study published in 2007, also found a way to significantly increase NK cells through drumming. Specifically following the HealthRHYTHMS recreational music making (RMM) protocol for six months.
Here is a quote from the conclusion of that research paper by Wachi, et. al..
“Additionally, gene expression of the stress-induced cytokine, IL-10, decreased and NK cell activity increased. This finding suggests that RMM elicits reversal of the expected stress influence. This ameliorative effect on stress warrants further investigation of RMM as an effective new means of job stress management”
.
Other research work on group drumming and other mindful practices has demonstrated a reduction in stress and a boost in the body’s immune system. All this at a much lower cost that treatments requiring drugs and with no side effects.
The Wachi paper and other research works on the effects of drumming and mindful practice on the immune system can be found in RRR at:
https://www.rhythmresearchresources.net/drum-therapy-immune-system.html
https://www.rhythmresearchresources.net/mindfulness-links-research.html
Sustaining Rhythms Music Circles 