Disease Proof

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that feeling good is an important part of good health. Don’t believe me? Dr. Fuhrman explains:

Humans are complicated creatures, and our minds have powerful effects on healing and wellness. A positive purpose, loving relationships, self-respect, and the power to control our destiny have beneficial effects on our physiological—and ultimately physical—well-being.

Now, get a load of this new report. New research has determined that upbeat people have lower levels of the “stress” hormone cortisol. Amy Norton of Reuters reports:

In a study of nearly 3,000 healthy British adults, lead by Dr. Andrew Steptoe of University College London, found that those who reported upbeat moods had lower levels of cortisol -- a "stress" hormone that, when chronically elevated, may contribute to high blood pressure, abdominal obesity and dampened immune function, among other problems.


In the study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, women who reported more positive emotions had lower blood levels of two proteins that indicate widespread inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is believed to contribute to a range of ills over time, including heart disease and cancer.

Researchers have long noted that happier people tend to be in better health than those who are persistently stressed, hostile or pessimistic. But the reasons are still being studied.

One possibility is that happier people lead more healthful lifestyles, but not all studies have found this to be the case, explained Steptoe.

So, how do you go about staying happy and healthy? Dr. Fuhrman points out that it’s all about how you react to occurrences in your life. Take a look:

A healthy emotional response to life hinges on your ability to grant value and importance to things that are deserving of it. This ability and desire to interact in a fair and equitable way with the world around you forms the basis of your emotional contentment and self-esteem.

Okay, so I guess banging your head against the wall when your football loses isn’t a “healthy emotional response.”