5 Ways Happiness Affects Your Cellular Structure

PREVENT DISEASE . COM

MARCH 25, 2016 by DR. MARIANNA POCHELLI

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preventdisease.com...
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There is an irrefutable argument in favor of happiness: Happiness and good health go hand-in-hand and scientific studies have been finding that happiness can make our hearts healthier, our immune systems stronger, and our lives longer through enhancements of our cellular structure.
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"And yet there is mounting evidence that happiness might be at least as powerful a predictor, if not a more powerful predictor than some of the other lifestyle factors that we talk about in terms of cigarette smoking, diet, physical activity and those kind of things."
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1) Protects Our Heart . . . The initially happiest participants had a lower heart rate on follow-up (about six beats slower per minute), and the happiest participants during the follow-up had better blood pressure.
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2) Enhances Our Immune System . . .
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. . . After five days in quarantine, the participants with the most positive emotions were less likely to have developed a cold.
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3) Combats Cortisol and Stress
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. . . happiness releases a protein called BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) which has a protective and also reparative element to memory neurons . . .
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4) More Prone To Optimistic Thought Patterns
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5) Lengthens Our Lives
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I think this article is quite accurate and informative. If you know someone who is not aware of such factors, this is a great introductory article with a wealth of substantive facts.
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And, there's a fair list of sources at the end.
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Each of the above numbered items has at least 2 paragraphs of elaboration and explanation that are easy to read and understand.
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I no longer think there's any doubt. As The Book says: A merry heart does good, like a medicine; but a broken spirit dries the bones. Prov 17:22.
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We can learn from such facts and improve the quality of our lives. Or, we can go our clunky ways and suffer accordingly.
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a reply to: BO XIAN I believe this wholeheartedly simply because I have experienced this on a personal level.
In my twenties I became very ill for a long time. I had test after test done to figure it out. I was very sick and had to struggle through eight hour days, feeling as though I was going to collapse, I was incredibly tired and lost a lot of weight do to severe nausea and well, loose bowels.
Normally I would have been bitter and angry about things that had happened to me, but I was so sick... all I could do was find fleeting bit's of happiness and cling to them. Any small act of kindness towards me was a heavenly gift. I had to change my whole way of thinking.
Finally, the doctor said my illness was Psychosomatic from the stress I was experiencing in my life.
Eventually I got better(studying nutrition along the way...just for my health) and I learned a valuable lesson in positive thinking and coming to the realization that happiness is a choice we make... easy to forget at times... but I truly believe we can choose to be happy and change negative thinking into positive, which will change the way you interact in the world for the better and in my personal experience, choosing happiness played a major role in getting better.

originally posted by: peppycat
a reply to: BO XIAN I believe this wholeheartedly simply because I have experienced this on a personal level.
In my twenties I became very ill for a long time. I had test after test done to figure it out. I was very sick and had to struggle through eight hour days, feeling as though I was going to collapse, I was incredibly tired and lost a lot of weight do to severe nausea and well, loose bowels.
Normally I would have been bitter and angry about things that had happened to me, but I was so sick... all I could do was find fleeting bit's of happiness and cling to them. Any small act of kindness towards me was a heavenly gift. I had to change my whole way of thinking.
Finally, the doctor said my illness was Psychosomatic from the stress I was experiencing in my life.
Eventually I got better(studying nutrition along the way...just for my health) and I learned a valuable lesson in positive thinking and coming to the realization that happiness is a choice we make... easy to forget at times... but I truly believe we can choose to be happy and change negative thinking into positive, which will change the way you interact in the world for the better and in my personal experience, choosing happiness played a major role in getting better.

ABSOLUTELY INDEED.

Abe Lincoln was right: '. . . most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.' . . . paraphrase from memory.

It can take a significant amount of practice over 90 days to 3 years to rewire one's brain in the new mode.

And it does NOT matter what one's circumstances are.

Most people have some major struggles in their lives. Even the wealthiest and most powerful.

The key issue is HOW WE RESPOND within ourselves--particularly in our minds, our emotions and our choices, related thereto.

Thanks for your wonderful reply.

a reply to: BO XIAN

A great thread! I can't add but a s/f. Thank you.

a reply to: Quantum12

Thanks for your kind words.

May your happiness grow by leaps and bounds as you learn to make lemonade out of any lemons that come your way.

a reply to: BO XIAN

Thank you, now I need to make apple juice out of a pear.

originally posted by: Quantum12
a reply to: BO XIAN

Thank you, now I need to make apple juice out of a pear.

Apple juice out of a pear?

Never heard that one before. LOL.

I hope and pray your life is getting more and more workable, hopeful and overcoming for you.

Cheers.

a reply to: BO XIAN

Life is great, I am breathing again!