Moody Immunity

In my opinion, happiness is one of the most underrated contributors to health and well-being. When something joyous occurs, your brain receives the message to send happy chemicals throughout the body, affecting how your body functions all the way down to every individual cell! Of the trillions of cells that make up your body, each and every single one of them feels and operates on your every thought and emotion. How insanely incredible is that!?

Your responses to stressful happenings in life dictate more than just mental resolve. How you’re feeling emotionally is intimately involved in the initiation and progress of disease and illness. T-cells and Natural Killer cells, which are important players of the immune system that fight invaders, actually increase when you’re feeling happy and optimistic! When your body is able to adequately fight off daily environmental invaders, whether its pollutants, germs, or self-limiting thoughts, you are literally walking in the opposite direction of acute and chronic illness.

Laughing and spending time around those who make you feel alive and well truly increases your health and wellness, and resist illness. We all have a million things to do in a day, especially those who care for their health. Cooking nutritious meals, exercising, and getting to bed at a decent time are key players to increasing health and vitality. It’s time to start viewing happiness as one of these necessities. Look at dancing, laughing, and smiling as though they will fight disease…BECAUSE THEY WILL!

With all of this being said, there are times in life when happiness is shoved aside for other emotions because unfortunately life is real and isn’t always sunshine and giggles. These are the times when you must change your perspective and trick your mind into happiness. A smile, even if forced, has the ability to elevate mood, decrease your heart rate, and reduce stress! Forcing a smile might sound a little odd, but give it a try! Next time you really don’t feel like smiling, do it anyway! See what happens!

Life is filled with so many lovely things and far too little time. Make the activities, people, and places that bring you joy a priority because your health and future depend on it.

Laughter may really be the best medicine after all!