When your mother told you to be nice and not say anything unless you had something good to say, she was looking out for your health. Researchers at Ohio State University studied married couples who had had an argument that provoked strong emotions. The study used a suction device that created tiny blisters on the couple’s arms. When they were asked to simply talk about the disagreement, the blisters took 40% longer to heal. Researchers proposed that a half-hour argument with a lover could reduce your body’s ability to heal by a day. If you’re a couple who argues all the time, the reduction in your healing time is doubled again. This is due to a surge in cytokines which are immune-molecules that cause inflammation. Chronic and sustained high levels of cytokines are linked to arthritis, diabetes, heart-disease and cancer.

Being under stress or constant pressure causes your body to remain in a state of fight-or-flight. This comes as no surprise, but few of us realize what that rally does to our bodies. It releases cortisol which causes your body to stop all of its long term healing, renewing and rebuilding processes. Basically, allowing yourself to remain in situations that stress you out causes your body to go into survival mode. This affects your ability to sustain memory and to be accurate in daily tasks. You’re tired and unable to fight invaders that make you sick. This leads to depression and lowered reproduction ability. Ultimately this results in cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Is what’s stress you out suppressing how you really feel about irritating or degrading interactions with others? If so, this should help convince you to seek out a change in your life and do it quick. A long-term study in Michigan looked at reactions to authority figures who yelled at subjects for something they didn’t do. Girls are really hit hard on this one, women who suppressed their anger in confrontations had twice the risk of dying from conditions such as heart attack, stroke or cancer. The phrase “Life and death is in the power of the tongue” is so true. An angry or frustrated outburst may only last a minute, but it can cause massive surges in adrenaline, blood pressure and heart rate, raising the risk of heart attack or stroke by up to five times in people over 50. Even subtle forms of anger, including impatience, irritability and grouchiness can damage your health by causing anxiety and higher infection risk due to depressed immunity.

Don’t be too depressed! There are good things you can do to boost your mood and your health. Have a good laugh! Scientists at the University of California have discovered that laughter relaxes tense muscles, reduces production of stress-causing hormones, lowers blood pressure, and helps increase oxygen absorption in the blood. The University of Maryland Medical Center found laughing can actually reduce the risk of heart attack by curbing unwanted stress, which can destroy the protective lining of blood vessels.

Want this to be your healthiest year ever? Fall in love. Studies from the University of Pavia, in Italy, found that falling in love raises levels of Nerve Growth Factor for about a year. This hormone-like substance helps to restore the nervous system and improves memory by triggering the growth of new brain cells. It is also associated with the feeling of being loved and contented which creates a calming effect in the body and mind.  

Related Articles
	5 Little Ways to Love Your Life Happiness is something we all aspire to whether we already have it in spades or we search high and low for just a bit. Whatever your present state-of-mind, you can spruce up your outlook on what you already have and enjoy yourself, your home and your family more than ever with these 5 tips that let   ...Read more		How to Improve the Health of Your Home You wash your hands often. You keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in your desk drawer at the office. And you certainly use a paper towel as a barrier between your and any public restroom door. But what about at home? Your house or apartment is your primary environment. You spend more hours there than   ...Read more