The power
of positive
relationships
they are more likely to exercise, eat better,
take their medications, and quit smoking.
“There’s a bit of inner pride there, too,”
she says. “If you have someone you care
about that cares about you, you tend to
want to look better for them, be more
active, keep yourself healthier for them.
And you tend to want them to be healthier
because you love them.”
The buddy system.
“There’s no
question: If you’re trying to accomplish
a goal, it’s easier to do with a buddy,”
Dr. Norton says. “If I have a couple, and
they try to make life changes together,
they’re much more likely to succeed,
whether they’re supporting each other
or competing with each other in a
positive way.”
There’s
no question that our
relationships play a significant role in
our lives. Research shows they play a
significant role in our health, as well.
When we have positive relationships —
a strong marriage, close friendships, tight
families, even appreciative employers —
our bodies will benefit. Here are just a
few ways:
Less stress.
Positive relationships can
improve your emotional state of mind and
reduce production of stress hormones, says
Carol Norton, MD, FACOG, OB-GYN
at Methodist Richardson Medical Center.
“For women especially, emotions and
physical well-being are very intertwined,”
she says. “Women will translate stress,
sometimes from negative relationships,
into a physical ailment. But once the
problem in the relationship is fixed, all
of a sudden the physical problem is gone.”
Some research suggests that positive
relationships might help with depression
by increasing production of the “happiness
hormone” serotonin.
Heart help.
Research has connected im-
proved heart health to healthy relationships.
One explanation points back to stress.
“Stress increases levels of the hormone
cortisol, which promotes body fat,”
Dr. Norton says.
So people with lower stress levels —
often those people with positive, healthy
relationships — have less body fat and,
consequently, a lower risk for heart
disease and heart attack than their
stressed-out counterparts.
Better choices.
Dr. Norton says
positive relationships can motivate people
to make better choices. Studies show that
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
Sometimes our emotional problems can take a physical toll. To find
a primary care provider to get to the root of your physical concerns,
visit
Methodist Richardson Medical Center
•
❁
Spring 2014
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