“Give more” –live longer

What would you give to live longer and better? Try giving of yourself.  All the great spiritual teachings agree that it is better to give than receive, and now science agrees.

According to an article in Psychology Today (July 2003), a team of researchers at the University of Michigan found that giving enhances life and promotes longevity. The form of giving is not important, say the researchers. It can be in the form of emotional, physical, spiritual, or financial support.

Examples from the researcher team included supportive activities such as driving a friend to the doctor, volunteering to deliver meals to the housebound, helping a sick or elderly neighbor with shopping, or caring for a chronically ill family member. Giving, in the form of emotional support, included making the other person feel loved, cared for, and listened to.

Giving to and helping others was shown to increase overall positive emotions in the giver which promoted cardiovascular health, boosted immunity, lowered the frequency of colds and other infections, and speeded wound healing.

The flip side of this research showed that the act of receiving had no influence on longevity. In fact, being too often on the receiving end can create feelings of dependency on other people and lead to sense of guilt and anxiety.

Balance is the key.

Another “positive emotion” for longer life:

Letting go of emotional baggage is one part of treating cancer holistically.

The authors of an article published in Scientific World Journal (Oct 2004) state that, from a holistic perspective, cancer develops as a result of deep, unresolved emotional trauma. The authors suggest this type of strong emotional impact produces a disturbance or “dis-ease” in the cells, which leads to a blockage and malfunctioning cell activity. Releasing emotional blockages opens pathways to healing.