The Incredible Health Benefits of Gratitude!!

Aloha my friends, and Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

I hope everyone who celebrated it had an incredible day yesterday.

In honor of the holiday, I wanted to re-share a short list I created of some of the incredible health benefits that come from simply having an “attitude of gratitude”, which I first shared in this newsletter exactly two years ago (when it was brand new).

Here it is!

“Thanks-Giving” Health Facts!

Did you know that simply feeling and expressing gratitude on a regular basis significantly improves a multitude of physiological and psychological health factors?? For example, studies have shown that gratitude can:

• Lead to 23% lower levels of stress hormones (i.e. cortisol).
• Lead to a 7% reduction in biomarkers of inflammation in patients with congestive heart failure.
• Reduce the risk of depression by 41% over a six month period.
• Slow the onset and effects of neurodegeneration.
• Reduce blood pressure (16% lower diastolic blood pressure and 10% lower systolic)
• Lead to 9-13% lower levels of Hemoglobin A1c, a key marker of glucose control that plays a significant role in the diagnosis of diabetes.
• Lead to 16% less depression and 20% less fatigue in patients with Stage B asymptomatic heart failure
• Reduce feelings of hopelessness in 88% of suicidal inpatients and increased levels of optimism in 94% of them.
• Lead to a 10% improvement in sleep quality in patients with chronic pain, 76% of whom had insomnia

Application: Let’s try to take a little more time each day to feel and express gratitude — even your own body will thank you in return!!

Relevant Previous FTF Tips (for All-Access Members):

1) Week 65  | 10 Thanksgiving Health & Fitness Facts! 

Relevant Research Article(s):

1) The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis