The Power of a Hug

We are all born with a hunger for the touch of another human.

 

Of course you know babies have a need for touch. Nurtured in the womb, and held close to feel mother’s beating heart, babies are soothed and nourished by hugs and human touch.

 

Children, too have a physical need for hugging and closeness. A hug or a touch stops bad dreams, helps heal injuries, frightens away the ‘boogieman’, and helps to instill a sense of calm and self worth.

 

Studies show that orphans who are not hugged or touched on a regular basis, actually grow less, have weaker immune systems, get sick more often and have more physical and emotional health problems than children brought up in a home with affectionate parents.

 

These children actually suffer from something called ‘failure to thrive’ when they are lacking the human touch. They have malnutrirtion, lose weight and even die. All from a lack of being touched and held.

 

Hugs can calm a stressful day, relieve tension and turn a bad day into a good day.

 

But physical closeness—touching, hugging, is just as important a need as we get older, but it is often neglected or overlooked.

 

Nothing compares to the loving hugs of a mother or a bear hug from your dad. An embrace from your loved one or spouse can instantly calm a stressful day and relieve tension. And for those who are sad, or mourning a difficult loss, a heartfelt hug does so much more than any well-chosen words.

 

Our skin is the largest organ on our body. Our skin not only protects our insides, but it contains our very important sense of touch. While we know that our sense of touch can protect us from injury, our sense of touch also has the real need to feel closeness from others.

 

 

We are all programmed by nature to want to touch and receive touch from others.


 

Did you know that without physical closeness, relationships will

not progress? Not just between lovers, but also between parent and child.

 

 

Many emotional problems stem from a lack of closeness and bonding between parent and child. Did you know that most failing marriages are lacking in touch and physical closeness? Think of what the power of touch could do…

 

For many who live alone, days and weeks may go by without a touch or the feel of a human, or being physically close to anyone. The elderly, the disabled, and the very ill are at greatest risk of touch deprivation.

 

Touch can do so much:

 

·      It helps loved ones feel more lovable

·      It can forgive or soothe tension

·      Reduces pain

·      Relieves loneliness, frustration, anxiety and depression

·      Overcomes fear

·      Gives one a sense of connection and belonging

·      Transfers energy

·      Strengthens the immune system

·      Lowers the blood pressure and the heart rate


 

We all tend to live in our own little personal technological bubbles now…we text, we email, we talk on our cell phones, we visit on Facebook, we Twitter, but our face-to-face contact is limited, and physical contact, even more so.


It seems that we retreat into our personal space more and more, even though our physical world has become more crowded.

 

For a person to survive, it has been said that we need at least 4 hugs a day, and 12 hugs to feel good and improve our emotional state.

 

While we feed our bodies and eat healthy foods, we need to also feed our spirits and care for our emotional health.

 

Lift your head up and look around. Reach out your hand to shake someone else’s hand, touch someone on the arm when you speak to them, or better yet, give your friends and loved ones a heartfelt hug next time you see them.

 

Till next time,

Stay healthy, lean and happy!

 


Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled "The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation" that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

       Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

 

 

 


How to Find Happiness

Did you know that YOU have the power to make yourself happier?  


I know, everyone wishes for things like lots of money and a mate that looks like Brad Pitt, or Megan Fox.

But do these things bring about happiness? And even if we did have those things, would we be happy?

For some of us, happiness may be more harder to find.

When we are stuck in the middle of dreary weather (or blazing hot weather), a bad economy, no job, little money, and rising prices, it can all be very overwhelming. 

Although happiness is the one emotion we all seek, it also is one of the least understood.  

While scientists, doctors and researchers have studied in depth the negative emotions of anger, anxiety, fear, and depression–and how to get rid of these emotions–they have spent little time studying happiness, and how to increase this positive emotion. 

It's been found that over half of a person's tendency for happiness, hopefulness, and positive emotion is based on nature or purely genetic makeup. But that leaves the other half–which has to do with experiences, emotions, upbringing and one's own ability to MAKE oneself happy.

Just making a habit of looking for the good side in people, events or circumstances can actually make one more optimistic.

Happiness is a learned behavior.

Many people, including myself are able to maintain optimism and confidence–in spite of everything.

This ability to survive and even thrive in the face of stress and adversity is the process of 'coping'. Seemingly negative events can be turned into a positive as we become even more resiliant and resourceful. 

Happiness, is a biological need born out of necessity. It is something our brains crave, seek out and create. 

Did you know that happiness is contagious?
Yes, it is true. The more happy people you know, the more likely you are yourself to be happy. The key here is to surround yourself with happy people and to stay in contact with friends, spouses, loved ones, neighbors and other acquaintances. The more social connections you have, the happier you will be.
 
Happy people not only have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is at least partially responsible for illness and disease, but they have higher levels of immune function.

So you see, happiness has an effect not only on your mental health, but your physical health as well.

Happiness has important positive effects on pain reduction, lower blood pressure, improved cardiac function and reduced mortality.

We can train ourselves to be happy, by practicing certain ways of thinking and behaving;  expressing gratitude, following life goals, being true to ourselves, practicing optimism, investing in healthy relationships, and paying attention to those little things that make us smile. Surround yourself with happy people, and stay in touch with your loved ones.

Don't forget to hug, touch and laugh often! A human touch can lift spirits, relax tension and create a positive outlook like nothing else can.

And one last thing– don't forget to smile.

Smiling, even if you are not happy, will actually make you FEEL happier.


To Your Happiness!  🙂


For more tips on mood and the effects of diet, go to www.simplesmartnutrition.com
 


Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled "The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation" that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

       Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.     Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

 

Sources:

Reuters; Maggie Fox,"Happiness is Contagious",  Health and Science Editor, December 5, 2008.

Amy Ellis Nutt, "How to be Happier-Research Shows We have the Power to Change", New Jersey Star-Ledger , October 09, 2008,