What You Give, Not What You Get Affects Longevity

There are dozens of things including regular exercise and good nutrition that Bigwigs say can help us live longer and better. But a couple of other behaviors are proving equally as important when it comes to fostering well being and longevity: optimism and social connection.

That’s no surprise. Just think about how good you feel when you have a sense that everything will work out. Or when you have time to connect with close friends.

Yet the potency and power of these two qualities isn’t all about feeling gleeful or gregarious every time out.

In the Longevity Project, researchers Leslie Martin and Howard Friedman found that people who were over-the-top optimistic were unprepared, and therefore more stressed and unhealthy, when it came to dealing with the drama life can serve up.

In other studies, people who possess a solid dose of grounded optimism – which means they believe things can improve, so they are more likely to take action to make them better – were healthier than pessimists or those off-the-charts optimists.

Bigwigs theorize that pessimists focus on failure and therefore aren’t willing to make necessary life changes that could help them live better longer.

In other words, if you think you can do nothing to change things why even try. Whereas, a steady dose of grounded optimism helps you prepare for the worst, while your working to make the worst a little better.

Recent research has also shifted our perspective of social connection. Solid relationships and social interaction have long been shown to boost immune function, ease stress, lower blood pressure, and decrease the risk of depression. Plus, good friends are part of the fun in life.

But, now new evidence shows that it’s not hanging out, but helping out, that s gives us a boost.

People who help out their buddies, do a good deed for a neighbor, or offer support and advice when asked, lived the longest.

Clearly receiving support yourself,  from a social group is important, but the biggest bang comes from what you give to your friends, not what you get.

It’s not enough to maintain a healthy body for a billion years to live a long life. How you feel about your life experience, what you bring to it, and what you contribute to others matters too.

**A couple of friends of mine, Daniel and Julie Jesse,  have got the contributing to others part down. They are always taking on a fundraiser or volunteering for causes they believe in and now they are about to embark on another — one that matters a lot to me personally.

In September they will ride along the Oregon Coast as part of a fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation. I’ve lived with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis since I was three-years-old and know first-hand how arthritis can change your body and therefore change your life.

More than 50 million people suffer from some form of this chronic disease. That results in an estimated $128 billion of losses to the U.S. economy in the form of sick time, disability payments and other expenses.

Nearly 10,000 people die each year die from arthritis related causes and another 992,000 are hospitalized.

Fundraisers, like the one Daniel and Julie, are participating in, aid research and support programs coordinated by the Arthritis Foundation,  including camps where kids who are living with the disease gain valuable support and inspiration to help them cope.

If you want to learn more or contribute to the cause, hit this link.

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