Heart Health and Emotional Issues Having a positive attitude toward life and optimism about your health can improve your health. Researchers suggest that these four qualities are particularly beneficial: • A sense of enthusiasm and hopefulness • A feeling that good things will happen – and that you can make them happen • Supportive networks of friends and family • Being able to bounce back from stressful times It is also possible that people with positive attitudes may just take better care of themselves: exercise more, eat a more healthful diet, and be better about taking necessary medications. It’s hard to know which came first: the healthy lifestyle or the positive attitude. In fact, researchers in the Netherlands found that heart patients with positive attitudes were more likely to exercise and had less chance of dying during a five-year follow-up study. But it’s not always easy to change your approach from glass half empty to glass half full. It’s not like your doctor will tell you to take two jokes and call him in the morning. Alas, it is a little bit more complicated. Sometimes changing your approach is just a matter of what the American Heart Association calls “positive self-talk.” Instead of saying to yourself, “I can’t do this,” try “I’ll do the best I can.” Instead of thinking, “I’ll never get healthy,” try telling yourself, “I’m doing a little better every day.” It also helps to inject some giggles into your daily life. Watch a favorite movie or TV show, read a humorous novel or enjoy some cartoons (whatever makes you laugh), hang out with friends who don’t hesitate to be silly, or play charades with your kids. Whatever improves your mood – and your attitude. And do it regularly. Depression
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 13:47:09 +0000
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