Ever open the door for a complete stranger, let somebody go ahead of you in the grocery store line? How did it make you feel? That little act of generosity or kindness probably felt good, right!? In the fifth and final summertime health tip from Dr. Chad Larson is to do something generous for someone else. Although obvious that it is a good thing to do, it also has some significant overall health benefits for you personally.
Cortisol is a hormone in the body that is released during times of stress…When researchers asked the people in the study how they felt about their decision to donate or keep the money given, those who chose to keep the money felt shameful and had a spike in their cortisol levels, indicating that not being generous increased their levels of stress. Numerous studies prove that stress is something that can significantly worsen chronic and acute health conditions. DR. CHAD LARSON
In Episode 35, Dr. Larson discusses:
- To recap, five small summertime tips can make a big impact on your health
- They are, (1) Increase your Vitamin D by getting sun exposure, (2) Increase your intake of antioxidant to decrease free radical damage, (3) Make one small and continual change to your dietary habits daily, (4) Take cold baths and showers, (5) Do something generous for someone else
- Doing nice things for other people is obviously a good thing, but there are many health benefits for you personally
- A study done recently gave 128 participants $40 a week for three weeks and told them that they were allowed to either spend the entire amount on themselves or they spend it on someone else
- After the people in the study made their choice and spent their money, they measured the individual’s blood pressure
- When the participants spent the money on themselves, what researchers found was that their blood pressure went up
- When they spent the money on someone else, their blood pressure went down
- What they also found was that when the participants used the money to buy something for a family member, then the health benefits were even greater
- In another study, researchers used an economic game to examine the health benefits of generosity
- They gave each participant in the study cash, and the participants were told that they could either keep the money or they could donate it
- After the participants had made their decision, researchers measured the amount of cortisol hormone through taking salivary samples
- Cortisol is a hormone in the body that is released during times of stress
- When they asked the people in the study how they felt about their decision, those who chose to keep the money felt shameful and had a spike in their cortisol levels, indicating that not being generous increased their levels of stress
- Numerous studies prove that stress is something that can significantly worsen chronic and acute health conditions
- Therefore, being generous isn’t just about making the world a better place, it is about making a healthier new you
- If you want to gain some simply health benefits to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and help to increase your overall well being, be kind to someone on a daily basis
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