spiritual or religious practice fights depression
*According to a new study, spiritual or religious practice may fight off depression and keep other illness at bay.* If you are a religious or a spiritual person and pray every day, there is now proof that you might be doing your brain and body a huge favour. *According to a new study spiritual or religious practice may fight off depression – particularly in people who are predisposed to the disease – by thickening the brain cortex.* The study conducted by *Lisa Miller, professor and director of Clinical Psychology and director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University*, included 103 people who were at a high risk of depression. Their level of risk was based on their family history. On mapping their brain activity and structure using an MRI, Lisa found that people who valued their religion more and regularly prayed had thicker cortices when compared to those who did not. The thinning of the cortice, especially in certain areas of the brain is a