Many of you may wonder why my blog, with a focus on nutrition and whole body health and wellness, focuses so strongly on helping others. When I think of “whole body health”, I don’t just think of the physical body. My motto is “Food for the body, mind, and soul.” Therefore, my blog focuses on three aspects of health.
- Physical health – Whole food nutrition/recipes, nutrients, avoid processed food/toxins, yoga, fitness
- Mental health – Stress relief, inspiration, motivation, joy, laughter
- Spiritual health – meditation, mindfulness, prayer
This may be considered a broad scope for a blog, however, for an individual to be truly healthy, attention should be paid to all three. Thus, my blog covers all three, in an effort to bring these important issues to your attention. What affects one, affects the others. For example, some of the things on the list above, fall into multiple categories: stress relief, also falls under physical health; meditation falls under all three, as does laughter and mindfulness. Poor nutrition and toxic foods can also affect our mental health to a strong degree. I consider all three areas intertwined. You cannot separate them. For a body to be healthy and balanced, you need all three.
So, where does helping others fall on this list? What if I told you it falls into all three? An article, published on Mental Floss, discusses 7 scientific benefits of helping others. These include:
- Helps you live longer – People who volunteer/help others have shown an increased ability to manage stress, fend off disease and have reduced rates of depression.
- It’s contagious – Research has found that people are more likely to express generosity, after seeing others perform similar tasks
- Makes us happy – Some scientists tracked 2000 people for 5 years. They found that people who described themselves as “very happy” volunteered an average of 5.8 hours per month.
- Reduces chronic pain – One study revealed that chronic pain was relieved in people who became peer volunteers.
- Lowers blood pressure – Scientists studied a group of older individuals who volunteered 200 hours per year. They found these individuals decreased their risk of high blood pressure by 40%.
- Promotes positive behavior in teens – One researcher found that teens who volunteer have a positive self-image and improved grades.
- Gives us a sense of purpose – Studies show this is particularly true with “empty nesters,” and “retirees”.
So, the next time you see me posting inspiring articles about non-profits, or amazing individuals who help others, keep these 7 things in mind. When you help others, you not only help them, but you help yourself and all of society.
Until next time…Namaste my friends.
For the complete article from Mental Floss, follow the link below.
Source: 7 Scientific Benefits of Helping Others | Mental Floss
