There is no denying that an optimistic mental attitude towards life, together with social interaction, has been found to positively affect your physical and mental health. Individuals with a strong network of friends and confidants live healthier and longer lives.
The beneficial effects of friends on your physical and mental health, and longevity seem to help carry us through tough times such as personal losses due the death of a spouse, child or parent, the relocation of close friends moving far away, or a child leaving to go to college or join the armed forces.
Although it is not fully understood why friends more than family seem to help us live healthier and longer lives, it is theorized that friends seem to encourage us to engage in more healthy and positive behaviors like not over eating, making better diet choices, not smoking or drinking to much. Friends more than family seem to boost our self-esteem and are less critical of our emotional upheavals.
As for the lack of physical and mental health or longevity within familial relationships, it has been suggested that it may be because there is a tendency in some people to rely to heavily on family members when their physical health has begun to fail.
Love is the strongest emotion that we can possibly feel and whether it comes from friends, family, or somewhere else, it is one of your greatest health and longevity tools. The fact that friends more than family may help you to lead a healthier and longer life may suggest that family or intimate relationships are not always the centers of love that we want and wish them to be. Close friends however, may be better for us because they are portals of love outside of the bickerings, resentments, and subtle abuses that occur all to often within families.
It is highly possible to improve your physical health by losing and maintaining a normal body weight, adopt healthier eating and drinking habits that will help you avoid premature aging and disease. This will dramatically increase energy levels and moods, and thus improve your ability to succeed in having healthier relationships. You will be a more caring, loving nurturing beacon of light to attract more positive relationships to you.
The advantages of healthy, loving, and nurturing relationships on your physical and mental health are well understood, but unhealthy ones should not be given excuses to make you unhealthy.
An unhealthy personal relationship be it with a friend, family member, child, or spouse that involves any form of abuse such as verbal or emotional, physical, sexual, substance abuse or addictions affects your general overall well-being. Not only is it unacceptable, it clearly should not be allowed to continue. Unless the person who is doing the abusing wants to change their behavior and get help to end this negative cycle, then letting go and leaving the relationship may be your best or only choice.
The decision process can be a long time coming and very difficult and unique to you Chances are you already know what you need to do. When you do choose to take that next step towards your physical and mental happiness, remember it's about moving yourself forward and not letting yourself be used as someone else's door mat. Leave the problem with them and do not own any part of it with them any longer. It could very well be the last critical step you need to take in achieving total well-being.
Brenda Skidmore has spent the last three years researching natural health care alternatives. She can attest to the many benefits of natural practical cures and preventive strategies for human health.
Along with the many medical professionals whose published works she has studied. It is her sincere desire to bring forth this knowledge for the betterment of mankind. To improve your life today visit mywater4life.com | |
