Whether or not faith and prayer can aid in healing has been a topic of debate in the medical community for decades. Doctors have done studies on the subject, and many in the health community, from nurses to surgical technicians to countless others are interested in the results. No matter salary, education or beliefs, these studies remain fascinating. Some studies seem to show that faith and prayer can have a positive effect on healing, while others seem to show that there is no benefit at all to these types of intercessions.

It may seem strange to devote so much time to looking for the connection between faith and medicine, but there are plenty who devote their time, talents and intellect to answering such questions. Here are 25 intriguing scientific studies about faith, prayer and healing:

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If you swim in fresh water during the summer, drink unfiltered water or travel to Africa or Asia for any length of time, you may have picked up a few worms or amoebas. While some parasites show no symptoms, others can prove deadly within weeks. In some cases, surgery is an option to help eliminate some organisms. In other cases, vaccines or medicines may help. In all cases, prevention — such as washing hands, maintaining sanitary cooking conditions, wearing shoes when outside and cooking meat or fish thoroughly — can keep you somewhat safe from the invasion of these human parasites. [click to continue…]