Health Benefits of Hugging

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“I have learned that there is more power in a good hug than in a thousand meaningful words.”  Ann Hood

Did you know that the simple act of hugging someone, holding someone in your arms, is not only a crucial part of human development but also creates positive effects in the body?

It’s true. Hugging raises the energy level in the participants as it promotes wellbeing.

Check out these eight health benefits of hugging…and then embrace a friend or loved one.

Health Benefits of Hugging title

20 Second Hug

According to psychotherapist Virginia Satir, we all need four hugs a day for survival, eight hugs a day for maintenance and 12 hugs daily for growth.

On average, when people hug the embrace lasts for three seconds or less. And while a short hug is better than no hug at all, those longer hugs bring the most benefits. Strive for at least 20 seconds. The feel good hormone oxytocin is released during a sustained hug, which strengthens connection and heightens the health benefits.

What are the benefits? Here they are.

Oxytocin Reduces Anxiety and Stress

Oxytocin released through hugging reduces anxiety and stress in both participants. That’s why we instinctively gather up a hurt child or embrace a friend who is struggling. That act of holding another…and being held…comforts while also demonstrating compassion and support.

Hugging also stimulates dopamine, another feel good hormone that helps boost mood and combat depression. Serotonin is released as well, easing sadness and pain and even prolonging life.

Health Benefits of Hugging goodbye
A hug goodbye as a child begins college.

Hugs Protect Against Illness

The stress reducing effects of hugging help to promote overall health.

In a study of 400 adults, researcher found that hugging reduced the likelihood of the participants becoming sick. Those who felt the most supported experienced greater health and fewer illnesses. And those who felt most supported who did get sick displayed less severe symptoms than those with little or no support.

Hugging also decreases autoimmune disease symptoms and lowers glucose levels in children with diabetes.

Improves Heart Health

An affectionate relationship with another, that includes frequent hugs, is good for heart health.

In a study, scientist divided 200 adults into two groups.

In he first group, romantic partners held hands for 10 minutes followed by a 20 second hug.

During time together in the second group, romantic partners sat in silence for 10 minutes and 20 seconds.

Those in group one showed greater reductions in blood pressure levels and heart rates than those in group two.

Health Benefits of Hugging Day and Fin
Health Benefits of Hugging – improved health

 

Hugs Lessen Fears

Hugging helps to reduce anxiety in those with low self esteem along with fears about their existence. It helps to calm other fears as well. Even hugging an inanimate object such as a stuffed animal has a beneficial effect.

Hugs Make Us Feel Happier

Oxytocin is sometimes called the cuddle hormone because levels rise when we hug. Women seem to experience this boost to feelings of happiness the most, especially when receiving hugs from their partners and when they hug and cuddle their babies.

Health Benefits of Hugging couple
Health Benefits of Hugging – greater feelings of happiness

Pain Reduction

Hugging and other forms of touch can help to reduce pain.

In a study with fibromyalgia patients, people received six therapeutic touch treatments that included hugging and light touching of the skin. Participants reported less pain and an increased quality of life.

Hugging Improves Communication

Communication occurs verbally and also through facial expressions and through touch. Hugging for at least 20 seconds is a way to communicate love, acceptance, support and comfort through physical touch. During an extended hug, both participants experience relaxation in addition to slower breathing and heart rates. The pair often begin to breath in sync as they embrace.

Strengthens the Immune System

A hug puts gentle pressure on the sternum, stimulating the thymus gland which regulates the body’s production of white blood cells. These cells help keep the body healthy and free from disease, boosting the immune system and creating a greater sense of wellbeing.

Health Benefits of Hugging cousins
Health Benefits of Hugging – strengthened immune system

Be a Love Pharmacist…Dispense Hugs

Have you had a dozen 20 second hugs today?

In our oft times busy lives, with school, work and appointments, we call out a quick “I love you” and give a peck on the cheek as we dash out the door or before collapsing exhausted onto the sofa at the end of a long day.

What if we intentionally gave hugs throughout the day, taking time for a full contact, 20 second embrace? If 12 hugs a day seems too many at first, start with four and then increase to eight and finally, to a dozen.

How might that not only improve our health and wellbeing but shift the energy of our days? And how might the recipients of our hugs respond and feel?

I’m willing to find out. Are you?

Health Benefits of Hugging group hug
Group hug!

 

Free Hugs T Shirt…click photo to order.

 

 

Journey With Healthy Me is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate program provides a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, all at no extra cost to you.

 

I am not a medical practitioner. I study health and wellness related topics and share experiences from my own personal healing journey.

 

 

Cultivate a Sense of Wonder for Better Health

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Do you remember, as a child, seeing your first firefly or full moon? And do you recall the sense of wondrous amazement you felt playing in falling snow or feeling an ocean wave lap at your feet?

Wonder, or awe, is defined as a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by experiencing something beautiful, unexpected or unfamiliar. I also love another definition that I saw that describes wonder as an emotion “somewhere between the upper reaches of pleasure and the boundary of fear”.

As adults we experience wonder over the birth of children and grandchildren, beauty in nature and unexpected sights such as a double rainbow arched over the sea. Researchers are discovering that the more we experience that sense of awe and wonder, the happier we feel. And, we are healthier.

I’m here to help you cultivate a sense of wonder for better health.

Cultivate a Sense of Wonder for Better Health title meme

Cultivate a Sense of Wonder for Better Health

It turns out wonderment has a range of emotional and physical benefits. Experiencing awe and wonder frequently makes us feel happier and contributes to a greater sense of life satisfaction. Those feelings also foster compassion for others and increase our humility as we realize the grandeur of the universe.

Wonder makes us think more expansively, expands our perception of time and may lead to less materialism. It can even help those who cope with post traumatic stress syndrome.

For these benefits and the health boosts listed below, we want wonder to be a daily occurrence. Here are ways to increase those moments of awe and wonder.

Experience New Things

One of my favorite ways to up the wonderment is by trying new experiences. When we experience something new, the “wonder” circuits in the brain are activated. We gain pleasure and a sense of satisfaction. There are BIG new experiences such as climbing a mountain and standing at its peak. However, we can create mini wonder moments by experiencing smaller new experiences.

Try drawing or painting with your non-dominant hand. Or roll out a sleeping bag and star gaze in the middle of the night. Take a walking tour in a new to you city. Or eat a food you’ve never tried before.

Whatever you try, push yourself a bit…or a lot…beyond your comfort zone. My grandson and I traveled to St Louis to attend our first huge Comic Con. It pushed us both to put ourselves out there. And it culminated with meeting and talking to two of the actors, the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors, from one of our favorite television shows, Doctor Who.

Cultivate a Sense of Wonder for Better Health tardis
Cultivate a Sense of Wonder for Better Health – try new experiences

Play

Wonder is a playful quality. So it makes sense that to experience wonder more frequently, play more. Children excel at inventing games and playing spontaneously. We can learn from their example.

Play in the garden sprinkler. Make a blanket fort and color in it. Roast marshmallows over a fire. Count fireflies or stars as they appear. Collect sea shells or rocks. Start a game of tag with strangers on the beach.

Whatever brings out your playful nature and that sense of wonderment, do more of that.

Slow Down and Be Present

When we say that we love experiencing the world through a child’s eyes, what we really mean is that we love their sense of wonder. Children are great observers of the world around them. They pause to study a ladybug crawling up a leaf or marvel at a dandelion in the grass.

As adults we need to slow down, pause, and be present in the moment. We can then observe the world around us too and all of its wonders. Sometimes that means we need to quiet our minds and stop thinking about our to-do list or the work waiting for us.

Savor the moments. Look for the wonders. When we look, we find them.

Cultivate a Sense of Wonder for Better Health spider
Cultivate a Sense of Wonder for Better Health – slow down and be in the moment

Shift Mindset

How we view the world, and the wonders in it, depends greatly upon mindset.

Those who tend toward negative thoughts will see the world as a fearful place and may miss the wonders in it. Additionally, negative thoughts lead to negative experiences in life. Simply put, it’s all about the energy we dwell in. Expect that life or the world is bad and the brain does its best to prove it by pointing out all that’s wrong.

To experience more awe in life, do a mental check to see what kind of thoughts run through your mind during the day. If most are negative learn to shift those toward the positive. Meditation, yoga, walking in nature, counseling, journaling and self help books are powerful ways to shift mindset.

The more positively we view the world the more open we are to experiencing the abundant wonders there.

Spend Time with Children and Grandchildren

Children are expert wonder finders. Spend time following your toddler around the yard, and experience the wonders of insects, leaves and rocks. Talk to your child about what inspires wonder in them. Create shared experiences such as watching meteors streak across the sky or catching a full lunar eclipse or watching a wonder inspiring documentary on dolphins.

And is anything more wonderous than holding a newborn baby or grandbaby? Be there for those moments.

Snuggling Finley
Cultivate a Sense of Wonder for Better Health – Finley Grace

Experience Nature

One of the best places to experience awe and wonder is outdoors, in nature.

How amazing to watch a powerful thunderstorm roll in. What wonder to see the woods awaken in the spring. And there’s magic in the hummingbird as it flits from flower to flower.

Whether you live near the desert, a mountain or the ocean, or have a park nearby in your city, get outside and stay present to see what wonders appear. Enjoy a gorgeous sunrise or end the day with a breathtaking sunset.

I cultivate wonder by planting flowers and herbs in my backyard. That beautiful space is a constant source of magic and wonder for me. You can create wonder with fairy gardens or patio container gardens. Hang art outside or decorate a porch with strings of lights and baskets of plants. Create your own outdoor space and invite wonder in.

Appreciate Art and Music

Art and music inspire wonder as well by filling us with deep appreciation.

Attend art exhibits or travel to see those iconic pieces of art you’ve always read about. When I visited Florence, Italy, and saw Michelangelo’s David statue for the first time, I was overcome with such strong, wonderous emotions.

Attend concerts. Discover new music. Put that favorite song on repeat and let it move you. Two of my grandsons participated in school bands. Attending those concerts and hearing those performances always induced awe as I watched those students come together to create beautiful music.

David Statue
Cultivate a Sense of Wonder for Better Health – view amazing art

Ways Wonder Improves Health

Now we know how to experience wonder more frequently. Here are the ways that such experiences improve health.

  • reduces inflammation – this one is the biggie. Chronic inflammation in the body leads to many diseases including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s. Frequently experiencing awe and wonder, which is a high level vibrational emotion, reduces inflammation in the body, which helps to prevent those diseases.
  • lowers stress – higher levels of stress means higher levels of inflammation
  • boosts immunity to help fight off invading illnesses including viruses and allergens
  • lowers blood pressure which helps protect the cardiovascular system
  • improves sleep – primarily because we feel happier and less stressful
  • shifts attitude opening us up to receive more wonder in our lives
  • lowers risk for depression
  • enhances overall sense of wellbeing
  • reduces risk for type 2 diabetes
  • inspires creativity which improves sense wellbeing

Be the “Oh Wow” Person

In my family, I’m the “Oh Wow” person. My kids laugh at me, in a good natured way, because one of my most frequent expressions is “Oh wow!” I say it often because I do see the wonder in so many things.

I not only look for the wonder, I’m open to receiving it so that when something unexpected happens, I see it. And I continually seek out new experiences. Many of those inspire awe and wonder in me as well.

I’ve also discovered that fulfilling dreams creates a sense of wonder. Standing on a bridge over the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy inspired awe. And the first time I visited Thirlestane Castle, in Lauder, Scotland, I had to sit on a bench for a while outside and just look at it. I’d heard about our ancestral castle my whole life. Seeing it, experiencing it through an inside tour, created a range of emotions, including profound wonder.

I hope this post gives you ideas about how you can create more wonderment in your life. And that it motivates you to want to, for the betterment of your health and wellbeing.

Where can you find wonder today?

Thirlestane Castle
Cultivate a Sense of Wonder for Better Health – fulfilling a dream by visiting Thirlestane Castle

Items to Help Inspire Wonder

 


 

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7 Fun Health Tips to Try This Week

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With all the serious emphasis placed on health, mine included, it felt like time to write up a fun post. Daily I appreciate the miraculous way that the body functions. And I am deeply grateful for the role that healthy, highly nutritious foods play to support that body. I continue to learn and grow in the area of health and wellness.

For today’s post, I chose to feature a collection of tips that can boost health in minutes a day, and spark fun too.

Here are 7 fun health tips to try this week.

7 Fun Health Tips Title Meme

A Week of Health Tips to Try

An easy way to incorporate these tips, without feeling overwhelm or obligation, is to add one activity to each day of the week. None of the 7 fun health tips to try take more than a few minutes and yet the rewards are great.

And of course, feel free to change up these suggestions! Do three of the tips in one day. Stretch on Wednesday instead of Sunday. Make up your own fun list. These activities are meant to inspire and encourage and raise awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle…at any age.

7 Fun Health Tips Stretch

Sunday – Stretch

We can learn much from watching cats! When they wake up, they stretch. Gentle stretches stimulate the muscles, increasing blood flow and easing tightness. Stretches are a great way to wake up the body. And regularly stretching keeps muscles limber and reduces the risk of injury.

Before getting out of bed, spend five minutes stretching arms and legs. Stretch…hold…release the muscles. Be very gentle.

7 Fun Health Tips Try Something New

Monday – Try Something New

Learning something new, whether it’s a language or a musical instrument or a hobby, boosts the brain by creating fresh pathways. American researchers coined the phrase “neurobics” for tasks that activate the brain’s biochemical pathways and create new ones that help to strengthen or preserve existing circuits.

Spend a few minutes learning something new. Download a language app and practice for five minutes a day. Learn a new game. Paint with your non-dominant hand. Drive to work a different way. Mixing things up fires up the brain and that helps to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

7 Fun Health Tips Berries

Tuesday – Eat Berries

On this day, replace a dessert or even a meal with a big bowl of berries. Include strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. These superfoods contain nutrients called anthocyanidins, which are powerful antioxidants. And blueberries are high in resveratrol, the antioxidant compound found in grapes. Resveratrol helps to protect against heart disease, cancer and the effects of aging.

Grab a bowl of berries and savor them. Resist the urge to cover them in sugar or toss them over a scoop of ice cream. Appreciate the natural flavor of the juicy berries and the role they play in keeping the body healthy.

7 Fun Health Tips Walk

Wednesday – Walk Outside

On this day, head outdoors. Walk in a park, through the woods, across a field or around the track at a school. Just get outside and walk for 15 to 30 minutes.

We know that walking tones the body, burns calories, strengthens muscles, helps to maintain a healthy weight and gets the heart pumping. In addition, walking outdoors also reduces negative thoughts, clears the mind and boosts self confidence.

7 Fun Health Tips Read

Thursday – Read

Among the 7 fun health tips to try, this one may come as a surprise. It’s a delightful one, I hope! Studies have shown that reading for just 6 to 10 minutes can reduce stress. Losing yourself in a book lowers the stress hormone cortisol by 67%.

Grab a favorite book, or one you’ve never read before, and find a place to relax for a few minutes while you read. The mental distraction frees the mind from anxiety and thoughts that keep circling around. Bonus health tip: brew a cup of herbal tea to sip on while you enjoy your book.

7 Fun Health Tips Breathe Deeply

Friday – Breathe Deeply

Pausing to take long deep breaths improves circulation, reduces stress, calms the mind and body and lowers high blood pressure.

During the day, be aware of stress or feeling overwhelmed. Pause and take three deep breaths, breathing in through the nose for a count of four, holding the breath for a count of four and slowly releasing the breath through the mouth. Deep breathing can be practiced anywhere, at anytime…while at the office, sitting in traffic or during a bathroom break.

7 Fun Health Tips Laughter

Saturday – Belly Laugh

Talk about a fun health tip! Laughter truly does the body good. It increases blood flow by 20%, relaxing and expanding the lining of blood vessels. That increase of oxygen rich blood is good for heart health. Laughter also lifts mood and boosts the immune system. Feel a cold coming on? Laugh as your first line of defense.

Spend a few minutes on this day working up to a good belly laugh. Watch YouTube funnies. Recall a favorite scene from a comedy and watch the entire movie when you can. Read jokes from a book. Watch kids or pets play. Energetically open up the chest and stomach areas (the heart and solar plexus chakras) and allow genuine laughter to flow. You’ll feel better and so will those around you. Laughter is contagious.

Use these activities as a launching pad and create more fun health tips to enjoy. I promise you, the more you look for ways to bring health and wellness into your life, the more ideas will show up.

I’d love to hear about the 7 fun health tips you come up with!

 

Check out these fun health finds:

 


 

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Four Drinks that Help Fight a Cold

We are in the middle of cold season. And while not life threatening, the sniffles make us miserable while the bug runs its course. There are many over the counter cold remedies available, however these products can create side effects such as drowsiness, dry mouth and eyes, and digestive distress. 

I’ve discovered four natural alternatives to cold medicine. These powerful drinks not only help me in my fight against colds and allergies, they support and strengthen my immune system so that I am less likely to catch what’s going around next time. 

Four drinks to help to fight a cold
Banana Orange Pineapple Smoothie

We typically think of hot drinks when fighting a cold. However, this nutrient packed fruit smoothie is a great drink to boost the immune system and increase vitamin C. 

Bananas are a powerful antiviral food that also soothes sleep disorders and reduces anxiety. Oranges are high in vitamin C and bioactive calcium. They help combat the strep virus and a host of other disorders. Pineapple is anti inflammatory and supports the immune system as well. 

In a blender, combine 1 banana, 2 oranges and 1 cup frozen pineapple chucks. Add 3/4 cup water and blend well. 

Sipping on a banana orange pineapple smoothie is a great way to start the day, boost the immune system, and soothe a sore or scratchy throat. 

Four drinks to help to fight a cold
Spiced Apple Cider 

This fragrant hot drink not only tastes great, it also smells wonderful as it simmers on the stove. And the spiced cider is full of health benefits. 

Apple cider is a great digestive aid and is very soothing to the digestive tract sipped before or after a meal. It also helps to reduce stress damage and keep the body energized and active. Cloves and ginger are especially good for warding off respiratory ailments and any cold or flu symptoms. They also help relieve headaches, nausea, muscle spasms, tension, and nerve pain. Cinnamon is very good for reducing inflammation. Star anise is highly beneficial in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and sinus infections. (Recipe and info from Anthony William, the Medical Medium).

Four Drinks to Help Fight a Cold
This warming drink is soothing, easing a sore throat and clearing a stuffy nose. Save the left overs in the fridge and drink cold or reheat. Drink spiced apple cider often to ward off cold symptoms and strengthen the body’s immune system. 

Four Drinks to Help Fight a Cold
Big Magic Chai

I discovered this hot drink via Elizabeth Gilbert’s Facebook page. Full of anti inflammatory spices, this hot drink is a great end of the day treat. Liz swears that it will cure anything! 

Ginger is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds with powerful antioxidant and anti inflammatory effects. Cardamom is a pungent spice, related to ginger, that helps alleviate cold symptoms. Cinnamon also has antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties. 

Four Drinks to Help Fight a Cold

This is another aromatic drink that makes me feel better just by inhaling the spicy scent. 

Four Drinks to Help Fight a Cold
Nettle Tea

This tea can be purchased in tea bag form, or it is simple to brew from loose dried leaves, purchased in bulk, at a health food store. 

Nettle leaves have anti inflammatory properties that work with the body in relieving and preventing cold and allergy symptoms. I brew a pot of tea and keeping it warm under a tea cozy, sip on it all day. 

Place 3-4 teaspoons of dried nettle leaves into a large mesh tea ball. Steep in teapot, in very hot water, for 15 minutes. Add a spoonful of raw honey to each cup of tea, as a sweetener, if desired. 

A single cup of tea can be prepared by adding 1 teaspoon of dried nettle leaves to a small mesh tea ball or mesh basket and steeping for 15 minutes in a cup of very hot water. 

I start drinking nettle tea as soon as I feel a cold coming on. It not only feels great to my throat, it soothes my body and clears my head. 

Four Drinks to Help Fight a Cold
The next time a cold threatens to bring you down, try one, or all, of these natural drinks. Your body will thank you.