Health Benefits of ...
Friendship accounts for approximately 70% of overall marital satisfaction. “The quality of a couple’s friendship” was found to be five times as important as “physical intimacy.”
- Tom Rath, Vital Friends: The People You Can’t Afford to Live
The more friends women had, the less likely they were to develop physical impairments as they age, and the more likely they were to be leading a joyful life.
- Gale Berkowitz based on The Nurses Health Study, Harvard Medical School
The actions of hugging, listening, sharing, connecting and celebrating life with friends decreases the stress hormone cortisol and, in women, increases the feel-good hormone and “friendship elixir,” oxytocin.
- Shelley E. Taylor, author, The Tending Instinct
“Loneliness is a major contributor to premature death in this country.”
- Dr. James J. Lynch, author, The Broken Heart: The Medical Consequences of Loneliness
Forty-two percent of dog owners say companionship or friendship is the main reason why they own a dog.
- Gallup Poll, Companionship and Love of Animals Drive Pet Ownership
Just the anticipation of mirth reduces the levels of three stress hormones, cortisol, epinephrine and dopac.
- Dr. Lee Berk
One hundred laughs is the aerobic equivalent of ten minutes spent rowing.
- Dr. Stephen Post, Why Good Things Happen to Good People
Laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, increases muscle flexion, and boosts immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being.
-Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan, Loma Linda University in California
The average person laughs 15 times a day.
- American Averages
Stress-related health problems improve after performing kind acts. Helping reverses feelings of depression, supplies social contact, and decreases feelings of hostility and isolation that can cause stress, overeating, ulcers, etc. A drop in stress may, for some people, decrease the constriction within the lungs that leads to asthma attacks.
- Luks, Allan, The Healing Power of Doing Good
Generous behavior reduces adolescent depression and suicide risk. Teens who are giving, hopeful, and socially effective, are also happier, more active, involved, excited, challenged and engaged than their teen counterparts.
- Dr. Stephen Post, Why Good Things Happen To Good People
“Seeing a smile creates what is termed as a ‘halo’ effect, helping us to remember other happy events more vividly, feel more optimistic, more positive and more motivated.”
- Dr. David Lewis, author, One Minute Stress Management
A smile gives the same level of stimulation as eating 2,000 chocolate bars!
- The British Dental Health Foundation
“There is a link between optimistic attitudes and good health. It has been measured in a variety of ways. Overall, we have found that optimistic people are healthier. Their biological makeup is different. They have a more robust immune system.”
- Christopher Peterson, Ph.D., Editor, Coaching Towards Happiness Newsletter
Dog owners walked an average of 300 minutes a week compared to 168 minutes for those without a dog.
- HealthyWomen.org
Interacting and petting animals creates a hormonal response in humans that can help fight depression.
- News-Medical.net
Pet owners have fewer minor health problems.
- Friedmann, 1990, Serpel, 1990
70% of families surveyed reported an increase in family happiness and fun after getting a pet.
- Cain, 1985
A pet can serve as an emotional refuge, a patient listener and a connective tissue that gives the family, no matter its trials, a sense of purpose and belonging.
- Dr. Marty Becker with Danelle Morton, The Healing Power of Pets
Heart attack sufferers who owned pets had a four times better chance of surviving one year.
- Lynch, Katcher and Friedmann
Celebrate friendship by giving your friends something to laugh, giggle, sigh and feel GREAT about receiving and you’ll give yourself something to smile BIG about too. To order Friendship Card Packs for yourself, or as gifts for your friends, go to http://dogcaptions.photium.com/otheritems.html
Packs are also available to use as fund-raisers for your favorite organization. For more information, please contact Viveca Stone-Berry via e-mail at: VSB@DogCaptions.com Put "Fund-raiser" in the subject line.
25% of the sales of DogCaption Cards is designed to be an affiliate fundraising program for animal rescue. For more information and to sign up as an affiliate, please visit:
http://www.DogCaptionsCards.com/howto.html
