| By :
Mark Ramos
Many people already are aware that omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants will improve their overall health, but did you know that having good friendships will also improve your total wellness? Recent research has revealed that people with strong friendships will recover quickly from illness, age better, have a stronger immune system, and live longer. Mayo Clinic released recent research that showed that healthy and happy friendships reduce stress, improve your confidence, decrease the risk of mental illness, and offer a long-term support system during the peaks and valleys of life. Additionally, a Harvard study from 2008 showed that having a booming social life delayed mental impairment and memory loss in elderly Americans. When you couple that with the fact that coffee is also full of antioxidants that have been scientifically proven to prevent Alzheimer's disease and impaired mental function caused by age, there is no reason not to grab a cup of Joe with a long-lost friend today! A 10 year study in Australia also showed that elderly adults who have strong social connections lived longer than those who did not. Additionally, researchers from Brigham Young University revealed in 2010 the results of evaluating over 148 studies on how relationships affect your health. These studies followed more than 308,000 people, and they showed that it was as harmful to the health to have little or no social interaction as it was not to exercise! In fact, not having strong friendships was twice as detrimental to the health as being obese! This health benefit comes from the true connection of friendship, even more so than in marriage or family relationships. Rebecca G. Adams, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, confirmed that friendship has a large impact on psychological well-being, even more so than strong family ties. So what are some quick ways to improve your health by strengthening your friendships? Call up your bestie for a coffee date right now, or invite an old friend over to catch up for some coffee at home. (Remember that coffee is also full of healthy antioxidants that have been scientifically proven to reduce the risk of stroke, cirrhosis of the liver, type II diabetes, and even gallstones. Bonus!) Keep in mind that not everyone has to be your best friend. You can have different friends for different purposes, like play dates with your children, working out, or going out in a larger group, yet this connection will still give you health benefits. Give a friend a call. In this day and age where social media websites like Facebook are highly prevalent, we are often missing out on face time with our friends. Even if your friend doesn't live in the same area of the country as you, you can still connect voice to voice over the phone to strengthen your relationship. Get out and about. If you are interested in making new friends, you can volunteer, join a sports team, hang out at a local cafe with a cup of Joe, and try new activities to meet new people and improve your health!
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