Dr Lissa Rankin writes in her book “Mind Over Medicine – Scientific Proof That You Can Heal Yourself” that loneliness poisons the body.
“Loneliness can make you sicker than smoking cigarettes……..being part of a supportive community can increase you life expectancy.”
Sociologist studies (as reported in Outliers, John Bruhn) into a community of Italian immigrants living in Roseto, Pennsylvania in 1961 began when it was revealed that in Roseto there was no suicide, no alcoholism, no drug addiction, very little crime, no-one on welfare and no-one had peptic ulcers. Yet, 41 percent of their calories came from fat and the Italian-American Roseto folk were mostly obese, smokers and not physically fit.
Ruling out diet, geography, genes or quality of health care, it was concluded by Dr. Wolf that “a supportive, tight-knit community (Roseto in the 60s for example) was a better predictor of heart health than cholesterol levels or tobacco use.” It’s also been found in other studies, for example, that those with more social connections were found to have lower rates of cancer.
Dr Lissa Rankin concludes that social health and healthy relationships AND the support of a spiritual community, affect not just your happiness, but your physiology. Loving communities relax you – being relaxed affects the mind and the body. The degree of social support you experience even affects the likelihood of cure if you do become sick.
The mind has powerful effects on the physiology of the body, according to Dr Rankin. However, connection with community is NOT about being socially acceptable or staying on top of trends or adhering to artificial standards of conformity. Its about stripping off your masks and letting your inner radiance shine forth and allowing the opportunity of deep connection (as opposed to owning the latest shiny new Jeep).
Is it time to think about your health strategy and start treating yourself with the medicine of positive relationships?