Healthy eating and living a daily movement are essential for a robust life, but another important aspect of healthy living is connecting socially.
Let us digress here for a moment. Dan Buettner wrote the book, The Blue Zones: Live Better, Longer, where he describes The Power 9 which are 9 commonalities residents of the “blue zones” (areas where people regularly live to be 100) have in common that lead to longer, healthier, happier lives.
These are the 9 powers:
Loved ones first (commit to a life partner and care for parents), belong to a faith-based community, move naturally, have purpose, down shift, eat until 80% full, chose a plant-slanted diet, have wine at 5, and surround yourself with the right tribe.
We will talk more about these 9 powers in another article, because today we want to focus on having the right tribe.
What do we mean “a tribe?”
Maintaining meaningful social connections boosts overall health by strengthening the immune system, improving physical health, and maintaining psychological well-being. Social connectedness helps people maintain a healthy body weight, manage blood sugars, improve cancer survival, reduce cardiovascular mortality, alleviate depression, decrease posttraumatic stress disorder, and improve overall mental health.
Connection with others who feel what we feel, understand how we think, and who can relate to us on a heart-to-heart level is one of life’s most important skills and needs.
As you might guess, those who are disconnected reap the opposite results, such as physical and emotional disease and isolation. In the United States, social isolation is becoming increasingly prevalent, with 40% of Americans indicating they are lonely.
Social isolation weakens and shortens our lives, and its negative effects are comparable to things like smoking, obesity, substance abuse, and violence. We need human connections for physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Those who feel connected have lower rates of anxiety and depression because their involvement in a social network provides the giving and receiving of trust and empathy. If you find it difficult to connect with people, adopting a furry friend may be the path for you. Pet owners show similar benefits in terms of well-being compared to non-pet owners.
Belonging is an irresistible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong. When that does not occur, our health suffers.
Be courageous and take the initiative! Foster, nurture, and build your social connections. In addition to following a healthy diet and exercising, cultivating meaningful relationships is a crucial aspect of your well-being.