Want some simple ways using diet, exercise, sleep, stress management and sex to revitalize your life now and for the vital years on the horizon?
Dr. Roizen has them... in his new book, This Is Your Do-Over, he explains how to reverse your mistakes, optimize your health, and live a life filled with energy and happiness. After all, nobody is too old, too out of shape, or too unhealthy to start their Do-Over today.
Dr. Roizen's Do-Over Tip for the Week: Share Some Warm Fuzzies
Do something nice (and unexpected) for someone in your life, or even a stranger! Be creative. Do it “just because.”
In 2014, sociologists from Notre Dame University published The Paradox of Generosity, a book based on a study of over 2,000 individuals tracked over five years from a range of socioeconomic classes and races. They found that Americans who met measures for being generous were “generally more compassionate, forgiving, in tune with others’ needs, empathetic, and more likely to see the world in terms of abundance.” And get this: giving of your time, your money, and your emotional self all significantly increase not only your happiness, but also your physical health.
Among Americans who give away 10 percent or more of their income, 47 percent are in excellent or very good health, compared with 39 percent among those who do not contribute as freely. Similarly, Americans who volunteer are in excellent or very good health (50 percent), compared with those who don’t (37 percent). And, those who volunteer the most hours have the highest levels of wellness. Perhaps most provocatively, those who practice the greatest “relational generosity” -- by giving of themselves in relationships and being emotionally accessible -- are more likely to be topping the vitality charts: 48 percent have excellent health versus only 31 percent for those who don’t invest in their relationships.
So, what does this mean for you? By engaging in the communities around you, whether as a financial benefactor, a community servant, or a giving member of your relationships, you not only contribute to others, but you too get to reap the benefits in your personal health and happiness.
Stumped about what ways to participate in your community? Try out areas you might be curious about or that you never even considered doing before: help out at a food shelter, be a mentor for young people, follow up with that neighbor who trains community members in relationship counseling, or that friend who runs a community urban garden. Make time to explore the world immediately around you; try new things, experiment.
The same applies to your most intimate relationships: if your relationship needs healing or work (or even if it doesn't), this is an opportunity to take off in a new and fulfilling direction. Have fun, get curious, and be vulnerable: ask what would make a difference to your partner on a daily basis and in the long term. For starters, simply do something nice for someone you care about, partner or otherwise… the rewards for you both are greater than meets the eye.
Thanks for reading,
Mike Roizen MD, FACP (AKA The Enforcer)
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