Support Your Immune System with...Gratitude

By Lydia Wallie, Nutrition Director

We all encounter varying degrees and forms of stress throughout our lives. It’s a part of everyone’s life and how it is managed can make an enormous difference in our lives...and those around us. One significant way chronic stress can negatively impact us is by lowering the function of our immune system.

“Chronic or excessive stress has a deleterious affect on immunity. This is illustrated in studies showing that psychological stress delays the wound healing process, increases severity and duration of infectious disease, promotes reactivation of latent viruses, and may even be a cofactor for tumor development and progression.” (1)

There are many healthy ways to manage and cope with chronic and overwhelming stress. And here is one of them: Gratitude. It’s free, available to all, and we have so much to be grateful for!

Gratitude has been shown in research to lead to “higher levels of perceived social support, and lower levels of stress and depression.” And, “Gratitude is associated with making positive attributions, and these attributions may protect people from becoming stressed and depressed, particularly during turbulent life events.” (2)

How many times have you demonstrated gratitude today? Add this to your priorities and watch how your health and wellbeing improve over the next 3 months!

Need more ideas and accountability with healthy habits like gratitude? We have a Nutrition Challenge beginning in January and one of the healthy habits we’re tracking is gratitude! Join here.

Sources:

(1) doi: 10.1007/s11481-006-9036-0

(2) doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2007.11.003