laughter Archives - Amazing Health Advances

The Healing Power of Laughing At Yourself

AHA Publisher — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 07:00:19 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #394) and blog, I talk about the benefits of laughing at yourself. Laughter neutralizes situations, and a neutral situation is a safe space where deep meaningful relationships are made and strengthened. Laughing at oneself shows vulnerability, honesty and humility. It tells your loved ones that you know you are not perfect. Laughing, instead of getting upset or defensive, can form a bond of trust with the people in your life. In my own life, this has become even more important as my four children have grown into young adults. It is a way to reflect back on the past, which allows me to make sense of some of the good, and the bad, decisions my husband and I made as parents. Listening, apologizing, laughing and even doubling over in awe at some of these reflections has helped us as a family make sense of what in some cases really didn’t make sense. By laughing at ourselves we have created a safe space within which to hear our children’s needs and for us to explain our motivations. Something I would always tell the parents of the patients in my private practice is that we need to earn our children’s respect. And this is true for any relationship! Laughing at our own mistakes makes us accessible, real and open, which are necessary for relationships that bring healing and success in life. Laughing at ourselves send the message that “it is ok, we all make mistakes and everything can be resolved in some way.” And, of course, there are wonderful mental and physical benefits to laughing at yourself! Forgiveness and joy can improve the immune system, balance neurochemicals, activate the brain’s natural pain relievers and make stress work for us and not against us. It stimulates blood and oxygen circulation in the brain and body and relaxes our muscles, which allows for more clarity of thought and more wisdom. In fact, studies have shown that laughter can have a similar effect on the brain as antidepressants. Laughing can activate the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, the same brain chemical affected by the most common types of antidepressants, which helps regulate our mood and causes the release of oxytocin. Often called the empathy hormone, oxytocin helps individuals bond and form groups and communities. Laughter can also alter dopamine activity, while the endorphins secreted when we laugh can help us when we feel uncomfortable or depressed. Laughter can also reduce the level of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, which can make us more resilient to the impacts of toxic stress. And the best thing about laughter is that it is free! To read the original article click here.

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One of the Best & Most Easily Accessible “Anti-Depressants”

AHA Publisher — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 08:00:38 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #358) and blog I talk about something we all do: laughing! Have you ever thought about why emitting sounds from our mouths gives us so much joy? Even when those sounds can sometimes come out like a cackle, grunt, wheeze or even a snort? When we do this, we are most likely filled with joy, although there are times when people laugh out of discomfort, shock, anger, and/or sadness. In almost all these situations, however, there is something about laughing that relieves us—it releases tension and can improve our mood in tangible ways. But what even is laughter? Physiologically, laughter is a sound that comes from our lungs with an exhalation of air. Our facial muscles contort when we laugh, and this is considered a somewhat involuntary or automatic response to some kind of stimulation. And if you think of it, laughter is literally a form of communication. It’s an intrinsic part of our language; it is part of how we understand and connect with other humans. There are even some studies that show humans laugh 17 times a day! Many of us love to laugh, which makes sense because it activates several reward systems in the brain. Studies have shown that laughing is heavily involved with the limbic system. The limbic system is the part of the brain involved in our behavioral and emotional responses. It responds to the energy of the mind by facilitating memory storage and retrieval, and in establishing our emotional states. The limbic system also becomes very active when we self-regulate (by paying focused attention to what the nonconscious mind is sending us up through the conscious mind), and links our conscious, intellectual functions of the cerebral cortex to the unconscious, autonomic functions of the brain stem. Essentially, the limbic system is involved in our emotional and behavioral responses, like laughing, that we need to live our lives. Indeed, the limbic system is connected to feeding, reproduction, caring for our young, and our “fight, flight, freeze or fawn” response. This suggests that laughing is literally one of our most intrinsic human behaviors! Laughter changes the neurochemicals in the brain, especially in the frontal lobe, which is associated with our emotions but also affects other parts of the brain. So, its impact is quite widespread! Studies have shown that laughter can have a similar effect on the brain as antidepressants. Laughing can activate the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, the same brain chemical affected by the most common types of antidepressants, which helps regulate our mood and causes the release of oxytocin. Often called the empathy hormone, oxytocin helps individuals bond and form groups and communities. Laughter can also alter dopamine activity, while the endorphins secreted when we laugh can help us when we feel uncomfortable or depressed. Laughter can also reduce the level of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, which can make us more resilient to the impacts of toxic stress. Laughing literally increases the amount of oxygen we have in our lungs. This, in turn, increases the amount of oxygen that flows throughout our body (in our blood), which goes to the heart and lungs and can increase the level of endorphins in our brain. This, in turn, helps us feel good and regulates our mood. The increased oxygen and blood flow can also help relieve muscle tension and help us think more clearly in the moment and make better decisions. Laughter can even act as a pain reliever by increasing blood and oxygen flow and releasing tension. Some studies have shown that laughing can result in a release of neuropeptides. These are short strings of amino acids that are synthesized in and released by neurons or glia, and can affect the function of the nervous system in the body. Neuropeptides can be extremely beneficial in fighting toxic stress, and can even increase our immune system functionality. If we think about the mind-brain-body connection, we know that what we think and feel will also affect our physical health. Negative thoughts can potentially affect our health if left unmanaged because thoughts are real structures in the brain. The neuropeptides that are released when we laugh can help us manage any toxic stress we have and can potentially make us more resilient. Laughter can even keep our telomeres healthy, which, as we observed in our recent clinical trials and I discussed in my book Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess, plays an important part of managing our mental health and resilience. Laughter is also good exercise! Some researchers estimate that laughing 100 times is equal to 10 minutes on the rowing machine or 15 minutes on an exercise bike. Indeed, many times people feel exhausted after laughing because of all the muscles it activates—it really is like a workout! We all know that when we laugh at something humorous, we tend to feel better. When something makes us laugh, like a funny video or silly joke, we essentially give our mind and body a break, which is also great for our wellbeing. A therapist friend of mine recently told me how she uses laughing to manage the stress of their job and not feel broken by listening to people’s deepest pains and fears all day long. She said that every morning while she gets ready and drives to work she listens to a podcast that makes her laugh. She uses this time to focus her mind on funny things and give her brain an opportunity to rest before starting the day. By doing this every day, she gives herself time to prepare herself mentally for the day ahead and not feel worn out by the time she gets to work. We should all try to laugh more, regardless of what we do for a living. As mentioned above, all the neurochemicals and endorphins that begin to flow in our brains when we laugh can help with feelings of depression, sadness and anxiety we all experience. Even in situations when we are angry or sad, laughing can help ease our pain and frustration. No wonder more and more psychologists and mental health professionals are promoting different types of “laughing therapy”. The idea behind laughing therapy is to teach people how to use humor as a healthy coping mechanism. Laughing is cathartic, it makes us feel joy, and it relieves our tension. It is an emotional release, so laugh more! It’s a fun kind of therapy! I recommend finding out what makes you laugh and incorporating that into your daily schedule. I personally love watching my dogs play with each other, which never fails to make me laugh, or watching silly animal videos online! Read funny memes, watch funny TV shows, go to comedy shows, spend more time with funny people—whatever you love best! Check out this helpful link to find more things to make you laugh. To read the original article click here.

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Stressed? 11 Surprising Tools to Combat Daily Stress

AHA Publisher — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 07:00:48 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – “Stressed” seems to be the baseline state for many modern adults. It’s no wonder. Lives have become more stressful in the last couple years. Seemingly normal everyday decisions and life, from healthcare to kids’ schooling to taking care of aging parents weigh heavy. It is vital that we proactively combat daily stress throughout each day. Why? Stress isn’t just an uncomfortable feeling. It’s actually a progression of reactions in your body that can have devastating health consequences both directly and indirectly. Directly, chronic elevated cortisol (the “stress hormone”) wreaks havoc on body systems. Indirectly, stress can lead us to long lasting feelings of depression, unhealthy eating, isolation, reduced motivation and more. How Stress Affects Your Health High levels of mental stress can be devastating to your brain, your health, your relationships, and your immune system. Chronically elevated cortisol levels can affect all our body’s systems. Cortisol is a hormone that’s released by the adrenal glands when the body faces stress. In modern times, this stress is often more mental than physical and usually has no outlet. For many, it’s chronic. It builds. And, it does damage. High blood cortisol levels are correlated with weight gain and impaired loss, altered blood pressure, negative impacts on mood, sleep and energy, an increased incidence of blood sugar and heart health issues, and potentially lower brain volume and memory challenges (1). What can you do? Try our 10 Effective Tools to Combat Daily Stress! 11 Surprising Tools to Combat Daily Stress 1. ADD NATURE’S BEST STRESS RELIEF EACH DAY Did you know there’s an all-natural oil that is effective against stress? Hemp oil, specifically nano-particle oils like those in Dr. Colbert’s Nano-Science Hemp Oil, promotes health across the body’s systems. It is a broad-spectrum hemp oil that is organically grown, vegan, and GMO-free. In terms of health, it have been shown to: Support healthy, stable moods (2) Promote stress relief and normalized cortisol levels Support comfortable, healthy joints (3) Encourage healthy sleep habits (4) Promote healthy skin with fewer irregularities and blemishes (5) Support healthy brain and nervous system functions (6) Encourage healthy cardiovascular functions and normalized inflammatory actions (7) Why it’s surprising: Hemp oil is more effective than most plant compounds at combating stress! 2. CALMLY BREATHE IN AND OUT Did you know you can combat stress with your lungs? It’s true. You can calm your heart, your brain, and your body by breathing calmly. Try this: While pressing your tongue strongly against the roof of your mouth, breathe in slowly. Then, allow your tongue to completely relax and lower, even allowing your mouth to hang open if you want, and slowly breathe out. Do this for an entire minute. Why it’s surprising: Breathing is one of the most simple human function. Controlling it can help you control your stress. 3. EXERCISE, OUTDOORS IF POSSIBLE When you exercise, you release your body’s own ability to combat stress. In fact, studies suggest that exercise can improve anxiety symptoms or stressed moods especially in those who have a history of dealing with chronic stress (15). It’s interesting. Exercise can actually increase stress hormones acutely. However, these hormones quickly decrease back to healthy levels and long-term stress outcomes improve (8). What’s more, moods improve when you get outside. If you don’t know where to start, start walking. Here are 10 Amazing Benefits of Walking! Why it’s surprising: We all know exercise is good for you. You can double your stress reduction by getting outside while exercising! 4. LAUGH ANY CHANCE YOU GET, ESPECIALLY WITH FRIENDS & LOVED ONES If life doesn’t seem pleasant, fun, or funny at the moment, you’ll have to go out of your way to proactively laugh. It may seem silly. But, if you prioritize laughter, you will reduce stress. Start by reading your favorite funny author, spending time with a great friend, listening or watching a favorite comedian or show, or hanging out with children. Amazingly, laughter is considered a scientific, effective, non-invasive therapy for improved mental health and mood. In fact, it’s been found that laughter alters dopamine and serotonin activity, and causes an increase in endorphins. These chemicals decrease discomfort, cortisol (9), and depressed moods (10). Why it’s surprising: Laughter is such a gift in the human experience. Indulge in it for a free stress-buster. 5. STAY HYDRATED WITH A STRESS-BUSTING TEA Did you know that dehydration can increase cortisol? Dehydration is linked to increased saliva and blood cortisol. Amazingly, multiple studies have found that dehydrated athletes have more circulating cortisol than hydrated ones (11). Of course, water is a great choice for hydration. But, you can take it a step further and drink cortisol-reducing black and/or green tea. Tea is a health-promoting drink that you can use as a tool to combat stress daily. In studies, tea consumers reported a higher “sense of relaxation,” lower blood platelet activation, better heart health indicators, brain health, oral health, and a fiery metabolism (14). Take it one step further and flavor your tea with Organic Fermented Green Supremefood®. Why it’s surprising:Many think tea itself is dehydrating. It’s only a very gentle diuretic and can be used for stress-busting hydration. 6. GET INTO THE KETO ZONE® TO EAT HEALTHY FOODS THROUGHOUT THE DAY You can also combat daily stress by improving your diet. A haphazard diet, a high-sugar diet, or an ultra-processed diet can be detrimental to your health and stress levels. Here’s how to improve your diet : Ditch the low-calorie, high-carb diets. Often, dieters following these strategies are left feeling hungry. Hunger promotes feelings of overwhelm and stress. Increase foods that promote satiety and satisfaction like healthy fats. Remove processed sugars and carbohydrates from your diet as much as possible. Sugars lead to energy crashes and increased feelings of stress. How? The best way to get started is to get the book: Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet Book. You will find how to cut carbs and get into ketosis. Then, continue to follow our posts, recipes, Facebook groups, and more to keep going. You can also join our FREE 21-Day Keto Zone Challenge! Why it’s surprising: Many people eat without thinking it affects their mental health. What you eat matters when it comes to stress. 7. PRAY WITH GRATITUDE No matter the conflicts you’re facing, the practice of daily gratitude and prayer can change everything. In fact, practicing gratitude has been proven to support decreased cortisol and stress levels. Moreover, prayer is a wonderful gift for spiritual health. Prayer is thought to increase the secretion of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine. These compounds decrease cortisol while promoting relaxation, focus, and motivation. Of course, for believers, prayer and gratitude to God goes beyond mental health. Our spiritual health is the foundation of everything else! Why it’s surprising: Gratitude and prayer are available to you all day, every day. You can choose them and thereby choose to reduce your stress. 8. CLEAR THE CALENDAR Some stress is self-induced. Sometimes, we say “yes” to too many activities. Sometimes, we are required to live within a busy schedule. As much as it’s dependent on you, clear your schedule to combat daily stress. It’s okay to spend time at home with little to do. It’s okay to allow kids to play without a “formal class or structure.” Give yourself a break. Why it’s surprising: While we often feel like stress is heaped onto us, many times we simply over-schedule ourselves and our families. It’s okay to do less. Slow and simple lives have a lot of health benefits. 9. USE POSITIVE LANGUAGE AND THOUGHTS TO SOOTHE STRESS Your words can shape your world. In fact, you have a lot of power to combat daily stress with your language. In fact, even when patients are recovering from chronic illness, optimistic language and optimism have been shown to improve outcomes (12). How? Use the word “challenges” rather than “problems.” Talk about difficult or new situations as opportunities to grow and learn. Acknowledge stressful situations and discuss helpful actions such as prayer, talking, and habits to address them. Avoid using absolute terms like “always” and “never,” and acknowledge difficult seasons with hopefulness. Talk to yourself with love and care, just as you would to a friend. Capture and replace negative self-talk with positive. What’s more, optimism is thought by some to be a fountain of youth! That’s some great news. Something that won’t cost you a dime can help you reduce stress while increasing youthfulness! Why it’s surprising: You can change your entire day by changing the way you talk to yourself and think. Start “capturing” the negative and flipping it to the positive. 10. PUT DOWN THE PHONE AND THE REMOTE Sure, we all need to “tune in” to know what is happening in the world. However, increasingly, we’re tuning in too much. We are now inundated with news nonstop. We see struggles from every corner of the world, sometimes truthfully and sometimes grossly exaggerated. What’s this doing to our stress levels? Recent studies suggest more media consumption means more feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety (15). Instead of tuning into a device for countless hours, get your news in small doses from a trusted source. Then, proactively put it down and tune into your physical world and the people present in your life. Why is this surprising? For many, stress actually increases media consumption, which can then exacerbate stress. It takes proactive action to stop this negative cycle. 11. PRIORITIZE SLEEP No matter the situation, you can combat daily stress and improve mental health with adequate sleep. In fact, adults should all aim to get 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night. While adequate sleep is not always easy or even feasible, it’s a crucial health habit. The alternative, lack of sleep, can impair melatonin levels and cortisol, increase the risk of metabolic issues and weight gain, and generally deteriorate well-being. What’s more, an overload of stress can be the cause of poor sleep (13), making the sleep-stress cycle a potential threat to health. Aim for more sleep and less stress this week! Why it’s surprising: Sleep is not a waste of time. In fact, it may be the most important activity when it comes to mental health. Bottom Line Life is not easy, and it feels like it’s getting tougher in many ways. Decide today that your health is priceless to you. Combat daily stress with our tools. Every other part of your life will benefit from less cortisol. Take action today! To read the original article click here.

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Benefits of Laughing + How to Laugh More Often

AHA Publisher — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Jillian Levy, CHHC via Dr. Axe – What’s one way you can hack your brain chemicals to boost your happiness? It’s as simple as laughing more. Not only does it feel good to laugh out loud, but it also makes you more attractive, can lead to stronger friendships, and is even considered “natural medicine” for both your physical and mental health. Why do we laugh, and what does a laugh mean biologically? Let’s dive in to the science of laughter below, including why having a sense of humor might help you live a longer, more fulfilling life. Benefits of Laughing How do you describe laughter? Laughing is defined as “showing emotion (such as mirth, joy or scorn) with a chuckle or explosive vocal sound.” Is laughter an emotion? Most experts consider it to be. In fact, it’s often called a “contagious emotion” because it tends to spread from person to person. In terms of what takes place in our bodies when we laugh, there’s actually still a lot of unknowns. According to Psychology Today, “Although laughter is one of the distinguishing features of human beings, little is known about the mechanisms behind it.” We know that people tend to laugh in several scenarios, including: To communicate to others we think something is funny Due to embarrassment and social discomfort To facilitate bonding and understanding across groups of people Is laughing a sign of happiness? Laughing tends to occur more among people who are already happy, and it can also make you feel happier too. In humans and primates, laughing releases endorphins and other “feel good” chemicals that help strengthen social bonds, reduce pain and increase motivation, all of which contribute to overall mental/emotional well-being. Laughing even burns calories, although not as much as most types of moderate exercise. When you laugh, you naturally buffer yourself against some of the damaging effects of stress, since laughing puts the brakes on your defensive stress responses, including our “fight or flight” response. Laughing also draws others closer to you, since the happier you appear, the more those around you feel happy too. What are the benefits of laughing? Laughter has been shown in studies to contribute to dozens of health benefits. In fact, laughing more often may even help you live longer. One study done in 2016 found that people with a strong sense of humor had a longer life expectancy than those who didn’t laugh often due to reduced risk for issues like heart disease and infections. Laughing is associated with some of the following health benefits: Improves your mood, reducing anxiety symptoms, anger, resentment, depression and sadness Boosts your immune system by decreasing circulating stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies Relaxes muscles and relieves tension Increases blood flow/circulation and can help protect against heart disease Improves mental and physical resilience (some even compare it to exercise in this regard!) Decreases pain Boosts social bonds between friends and attraction between men and women; in fact, women are sometimes called greater “laughter appreciators” because they tend to laugh over 120 percent more on average than men do Helps you to forgive sooner and gives you new perspective when dealing with challenges Improves alertness, productivity and memory, including in the workplace Gives you a generally more positive, optimistic outlook, which you bring to new and challenging situations How to Bring More Laughter Into Life Robert Provine, Ph.D. at the University of Maryland, believes that laughter isn’t necessarily just about humor, but also highly tied to communication and relationships. His research has shown that people actually laugh more in conversation and through interactions, rather than when watching or reading something funny while alone. Some studies have even shown that we’re about 30 times more likely to laugh at something when we are with other people! As HelpGuide.org puts its: Sharing humor is half the fun—in fact, most laughter doesn’t come from hearing jokes, but rather simply from spending time with friends and family. And it’s this social aspect that plays such an important role in the health benefits of laughter. Drawing upon what we know about how laughing usually occurs and how it benefits us, here are some ways to bring more laughs into your everyday life: Pay attention to what other people in your social circle think is funny. Laughing together is a great way to build stronger relationships, which is powerful at reducing loneliness-related stress. While socializing, put your phone away and try to avoid distractions. The more present you are with others, the more you’ll relish in other people’s jokes and senses of humor. When you hear laughter, seek out the source and feel free to ask about what others find to be funny. Spend more time with funny, playful, happy people. Some simple ways to increase opportunities for laughing with others include hosting game nights, going to comedy shows together, sharing jokes and stories, or making time for fun activities like playing board games or non-competitive sports. Seek out funny shows, books, podcasts, etc. Purposefully making an effort to bring more humorous content into your life is a great way to lift your mood. Attend comedy shows or watch them online. Try using humor to manage conflicts, in a respectful way of course. When you have a disagreement with someone, you can bring some humor to the situation to reduce tension, decrease defensiveness and anger, and put things into perspective. Make an effort to smile more often. Smiling is “the beginning of laughter” and is usually equally as contagious as laughing is. You’re more likely to smile more often if you pay attention to people while in face-to-face situations, so try making better eye contact and avoiding looking away or other distractions. Practice gratitude to boost your mood. The more grateful you feel, the higher the chances are that you’ll feel happy and in a good enough mood to laugh often. You can boost gratitude by keeping a journal/list or writing other people letters of appreciation. If you’re religious, you may be wondering, “What does the Bible says about laughter?” Laughter has been said to be a “gift from God” and a great way to cope with sadness — plus it can help you “count your blessings” by shining the light on joys in your life. Try “simulated laughter” by taking a laugh yoga or laugh therapy class. Developing a Sense of Humor Maybe you hold the belief that you’re not naturally a very humorous person. If you want to work on bringing more laughter into your life, here are tips from comedians and researchers who study laughter on boosting your sense of humor: Be more silly and spontaneous. You’ll find more opportunities to laugh when you take yourself less seriously. Build your self-esteem, and let go of judgment. If you tend to be insecure, defensive and critical of others and yourself, it’ll be hard to laugh at different situations, including at yourself. The more you can approach life with a non-judgmental, self-assured attitude, the more humor you’ll be able to find. Become emotionally intelligent and self-aware. People who are in tune with their feelings, who can manage stress and who are empathetic to others’ feelings are better able to connect and laugh together. Look for the humor in different situations, even those that seem bleak or frustrating at first. Risks and Side Effects Is laughing a lot a bad thing? For example, have you ever wondered: Can too much laughing kill you? Overall, laughing is completely natural and a healthy thing to do. It poses very minimal risks and benefits your well-being in numerous ways — such as by improving blood vessel function and reducing stiffness of the arteries. If you laugh hysterically for a long period of time, you may potentially become winded, and some people even tear up or pee themselves when they laugh very hard. For most people, however, adding more laughs to their days is a very wise thing to do. Conclusion Laughter is capable of supporting both physical and emotional health, as well as enhancing your relationships. Studies have found that people who laugh often benefit from stronger immune systems, more social support, boosts in their happiness and mood, diminished pain, protection against many diseases tied to stress, and even a longer life expectancy. People who incorporate humor and play into their daily lives tend to be more attractive to others, have higher self-esteem and have better coping skills when faced with challenges. You can bring more laughter into your life by seeking out funny people, consuming humorous content, socializing more in groups, becoming more self-assured and less judgmental, and practicing more gratitude. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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Easy Lifestyle Habits for Healthy Immune Function

AHA Publisher — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 07:00:32 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Today, tomorrow, and forever, it’s imperative that you take care of your immune system. Believe it or not, you can use lifestyle habits for healthy immune function right where you are. There’s never been a better time to build these healthy habits into your daily life. These healthy habits are science-backed methods to support immune function. Here’s how you can use each one to lift your mood, your faith, and your immune system today. 8 Easy Lifestyle Habits for Your Immune System’s Health 1. LAUGH AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE Let’s start with a joyful habit. Laughter. Have you ever wondered why we laugh? Why did God give us this gift? It is an amazing health-promoting habit. The more you can build laughter into your daily life, the more you’ll reduce cortisol, improve your mood, and decrease depression. These, in turn, will encourage healthy immune function. Interestingly, multiple studies show that the benefits of smiling and laughter are experienced whether its real or fake. So, fake it if you need to, and get in a good belly laugh each day. 2. SLEEP AT LEAST 7 HOURS PER NIGHT Sleep is one of the strongest immune-boosters available to you. It can support your immune function through your lymph system and help your body restore itself each day. How is sleep one of the strongest lifestyle habits for healthy immune function? It allows your body and brain to recoup, restore, and fight disease. During sleep, your immune system releases cytokines which both promote sleep and fight disease. When you are awake, your body must do the work of being awake, moving, and maintaining an active brain. This takes most of its resources. When you are asleep, it can do maintenance on your body. What’s more, sleep deprivation is well-documented as a factor in decreased immunity and increased illness, decreasing immune cells in number and strength (1). One study of 1,654 participants aged 20-74 years looked at sleep and its effects on those with various illnesses. It followed these participants for 20 years (2). The results indicated that participants with existing high blood pressure or impaired blood sugars, who slept less than 6 hours per night, were 1.8 times likely to die of heart disease or stroke. 3. MAINTAIN HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS God has created us for relationships, and they are important for overall health and healthy immune function. Positive relationships can improve your mood and decrease stress. This, in turn, can promote a strong immune system (see more below). To maintain relationships even when you can’t always be with each other in-person: Invest in the relationships within your household and neighborhoods. Find new games to play, movies to watch, routes to walk, and other ways to make great memories together. Stay in touch with loved ones however you can. Use technology to video-call, send videos to friends, and keep in touch. Social media can be a negative addiction if left unchecked, but it can also be a great way to feel a sense of community if you’re away from loved ones. Maintain the relationships that are important to you. It’s good for your health and immune function! 4. LET GRATITUDE AND OPTIMISM PREVAIL It’s always the perfect time to allow gratitude and optimism to prevail. You can get your gratitude journal going again. You may have started one during the Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season last year. Or, this idea may be new to you. Gratitude journals, focusing on small daily blessings, are powerful. Being grateful is associated with better mental, emotional, and physical health and immunity. To start a gratitude journal, first simply get a pen and a paper, or a journal. Next, write 5-10 “gratitudes” per day. They can be big or small things. You can write them throughout the day, or at the beginning or end. Just choose to focus on simple gratitudes each day as one of your lifestyle habits to support healthy immune function and more. 5. EXERCISE EVERY DAY Right now, you might feel like you don’t have many options for exercise. But actually, you have 2 great options: exercise in your home OR outside. In fact, if you look online for free yoga, aerobic, or other classes, you’ll likely find some great ones. Some gyms and studios are offering online class streams. Or, get outside! Whether it’s just a short walk or a ride on a bike, God has given us a huge gift in the mood-elevating outdoors. Not only is any activity good for our muscles, hearts, and brains, outdoor-activity specifically has been shown to improve mood and depression (3). What’s more, if the sun is shining, your body will make Vitamin D, an immune-stimulated vitamin. And there’s even more good news: When you exercise, a group of immune cells called myokines are produced and released by the skeletal muscles. These promote immune function and whole-body health benefits (4). 6. PRAY CONTINUALLY Prayer is not a last-ditch effort for health and immune function, but a foundation for your relationship with God, your mental health, physical health, and entire well-being. In fact, prayer releases control from you and gives it to God. It helps change your heart towards any stressful situation, even if the situation itself doesn’t change. And lastly, it allows you to focus on truth. God’s truth is that He is with you in any circumstance. That nothing is too big. And, that He will walk with you through it. The act of prayer has shown to increase certain helpful neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, which help promote a state of relaxation, focus, motivation, and well-being. God has given us prayer as an amazing cortisol-releasing activity that brings us closer to Him while improving our health. As stress goes down, the efficacy of the immune system increases. 7. ENGAGE IN STRESS-RELEASE ACTIVITIES DAILY All of the above activities, from exercise to laughing to sleep, are stress-releasing activities. They all reduce cortisol, and this has a direct impact on your immune system. They are all stress-reducing, lifestyle habits for a strong immune system. But, you may know of some others to work great to reduce your own stress. What are they? Reading? Talking on the phone to a loved one? If needed, think of 1-3 more activities you can do each day to decrease stress and cortisol. As you do, you’ll promote immune health. High blood cortisol levels are correlated with increased blood pressure, poor immunity, negative moods, reduced sleep and energy, memory issues, and an increased incidence of diabetes and heart disease (5). Stress-reducing activities can help! 8. DETOX FROM UNHEALTHY EATING AND FLOOD YOUR BODY WITH NUTRIENTS SEVERAL TIMES PER YEAR Your body is constantly bombarded with unhealthy compounds, toxins, and chemicals. Every day. Every hour. Some of these are ingested, some are inhaled, and others are byproducts of your body’s processes. What can you do? You can detox, fast, and cleanse your body from foods that harm it, and flood your body with nutrients that promote healthy immune, liver, digestive, lymph, and kidney function. Interested? Learn more and sign up for Dr. Colbert’s 21 Day Detox and Fast today! Bottom Line You can use easy strategies to support your immune function and whole-body health. Get started now: laugh, sleep, maintain relationships, pray, reduce stress, exercise, and detox. Support your immune system in every way you can. Learn more about Dr. Colbert’s 21 Day Detox and Fast today. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Colbert click here.

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