The death of the former Brazilian first lady, Marisa Letícia, earlier this year has brought to attention in the country the risks of cerebrovascular accident, or stroke. In the following interview, doctor José Henrique Rubim de Carvalho (photo), president of the Medical Spiritist Association in the city of Nova Friburgo (Rio de Janeiro state), says anxiety is one of the causes of stroke, quoting the works of the Spirt, André Luiz.
What are the different types of cerebrovascular accident (CVA)?
There are two main types of cerebrovascular accident, or stroke: an ischemic stroke, which is caused by a blockage, accounts for up to 87% of the cases; a hemorrhagic stroke is caused by the rupture of a blood vessel. It accounts for 13 to 20% of cases. Both types of stroke deprive part of the brain of blood and oxygen, causing brain cells to die. The main causes of CVA are therefore bad formation in the brain (aneurisms, which are genetic), hypertension, cardiology problems, thromboembolism, irregular heart beats, the use of contraceptive pills, and smoking, which according to the Brazilian Health Ministry is the cause of 25% of all vascular illnesses, including CVA.
How does anxiety influence the incidence of CVA?
We have noticed in recent years an increase in the number of CVA cases among young people. If you exclude organic causes, such as genetic alterations, irregular heart beats and the use of contraceptive pills, we believe CVAs are caused by psychological and emotional factors. We live in a world dominated by competition, rivalries and disputes that encourage egocentrism and generate anxiety, stress and anguish. The effect is felt both on the physical and the spiritual body.
The stress hormone is produced in the periventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (central limbic zone). It works on the pituitary gland triggering the production of ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), which will work on the endocrinal glands and mainly on the suprarenal gland, where two important hormones are produced: cortisone and adrenaline. Cortisone acts on the immunological system, while adrenaline plays an important role on the cardiovascular system. That is the chain that accounts for stress and anxiety. Anxiety is, therefore, linked to the skeletal and smooth muscle system. Smooth muscle fibres line the walls of the blood vases. That explains the link between anxiety and the contraction of the smooth muscle fibres, causing alterations that may lead to a stroke. Arteriosclerosis is the rigidity of the arteries to contract on older people, but in some people that process starts when they are younger.
We must bear in mind that all material and organic problem has its genesis in the spiritual zones and in the spirit. The rigidity of the physical body or the arteries is connected to the rigidity in the behaviour of the Spirit, who is still in a phase of moral development. Spiritual rigidity, with its characteristic mental fixations, with standardised, frozen images, leads to insecurity and fears when their high standards are not met. The anxiety and instability generated is expressed through muscle contractions that trigger serious conditions and affect the blood system, which will be also damaged by negative alterations in the vital fluid. André Luiz explains that the vital fluid, or ectoplasm, is closely linked to our mind. In the next phase, fat begins to accumulate in the endothelium, forming atheroma plaques in arteries affected by rigidity (arteriosclerosis). That plaque will break, through a number of mechanisms, forming clots, which will cause a stroke if and when they completely block an artery.
Anxiety is very common these days in all social groups, age groups and genders. How should we address that to prevent more serious problems?
As Neuroscience says, we cannot avoid stress and anxiety, which are inherent to imperfect beings living in a world of trials and tribulations. But we can make a concerted action to rein our bad tendencies and predispositions, as The Gospel According to Spiritism suggests. In other words, we need to know ourselves and to accept ourselves, producing that way an antagonistic hormone, oxytocin (the love hormone). It will minimise the effects of corticotrophin and its disastrous impact on our bodies. Meditation is very effective as an anxiolytic and as a self-knowledge tool.
What does the Spirits, André Luiz, write about anxiety and its links to to CVA or stroke?
On Chapter 7 of his book, Missionaries of the Light, the Spirit Justina, mother of the septuagenarian Antônio seeks help for her son through the Benefactor, Alexandre. She says: “Today he brought to his bed so many absurd preoccupations, so much unnecessary anguish that his mental creations turned into real torture… unfortunately, he is so imbalanced spiritually that my attempt to help has failed, and his brain remains under the threat of a deadly stroke”. André Luiz also tells us that Antônio “looked like a 70-year-old and displayed all the signs of someone with a serious arteriosclerosis condition”. Those who worry too much and anguish too much become stressed out and struggle with anxiety, with very clear impact on their physical bodies.
What can a stroke teach to doctors and families from an emotional and spiritual perspective?
CVAs or strokes, like other illnesses, provide us the opportunity to learn a great deal if you approach it from a new perspective, that of Spiritual Medicine. It guides us to look at the immortal Spirit, who is going through a process of depuration, instead of focusing on the actual illness, which is the result of the moral imbalances and bad choices of the past. They leave indelible marks on our physical bodies, so that we can go through the inexorable process of correction and atonement. André Luiz, the moderniser, updates the Spiritist Teachings with valuable new information, amalgamating science and spirituality. This is the rendition of orthodox and Cartesian religions, which are bowing to the scientific evidence that lays its foundations on logic, reason and inexorable evidence.
