The Surprising Health Benefits of Thanksgiving
Posted by Jen Conroy on
You don’t have to pass on the mashed potatoes and stuffing to reap the health benefits of turkey day. It turns out that Thanksgiving offers a bevy of revitalizing rewards that have nothing to do with the food you eat.
Here’s a look at 3 positive side effects of America’s beloved feast day.
Better Mind-Body Health
Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks, but we’d all be wiser to practice thankfulness every day of the year. Gratitude is a mega health booster! According to numerous studies, people who frequently feel thankful are more likely to get job promotions and make new friends. An attitude of gratitude is also linked to a higher sense of well-being and happiness, lower blood pressure, less stress, better sleep, slower neurodegeneration, and fewer trips to the doctor.
Bonding
Family meal times and traditions like Thanksgiving are about so much more than just the food. Sitting down with relatives and exchanging updates about each other’s lives fosters a sense of connectedness and serenity among participants, according to psychologists, which may be due to the body’s increased production of the “bonding hormone,” oxytocin. Family gatherings may also boost a sense of well-being, resilience, and confidence in life. Not bad for a meal at mom’s!
A slimmer waistline?
People who frequently express thankfulness can experience up to a 10 percent reduction in systolic blood pressure and also decrease their dietary fat intake by up to 20 percent, according to research by gratitude pioneer Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the University of California, Davis, in his book, Gratitude Works!: A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity.
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