Skip to content (Press enter)
logo-medifast-blog

Medifast Weight Loss Blog | Tips, Tools, Stories & Support for Losing Weight

From delicious recipes to inspiring stories and more, our weight loss blog offers tips, tools, stories & support to help you achieve your weight loss goals!

Primary
Close

Welcome to the Medifast Blog!

Here, you’ll find interesting and relevant content that helps you on your weight-loss and maintenance journey and highlights you, the reader, on our path to regaining health. So, sit back, grab a bag of Medifast Bites, and enjoy! Visit Medifast to learn more about our delicious products, innovative program,and multiple support options!

Visit Medifast

  • Facebookicon-facebook
  • Twittersocial-twitter
  • Pinterestsocial-pinterest
  • Youtubesocial-youtube
  • Google Plussocial-google-plus
  • Fitness
  • Health
  • Maintenance Support
  • Recipes
  • Success Stories
  • Weight-Loss Tips
Sub Sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Shop
  • Submit Your Story!
  • Contact
  • Powered By Medifastpowered-by-medifast
Visit Medifast
« Back to Posts Next Post » « Prev Post

How Can Random Acts of Kindness Improve Your Health?

February 17, 2015 by Nick Frye, LCPC, NCC, DCC |

How Can Random Acts of Kindness Improve Your Health?
Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day, so it’s the perfect time to talk about how kindness, compassion, and altruism can positively affect your health.

Research has shown that simple acts of kindness like holding open a door for someone, buying lunch for a friend, and even letting other cars merge onto the highway can have significant impacts on our overall health and well-being. Being courteous and generous are proven to foster positive moods, increase  relationship satisfaction, decrease anxiety and depression, and lower our blood pressure. In other words, having a heart protects our hearts.

These cardio-protective effects occur because acts of kindness release a hormone in our body called oxytocin (otherwise known as the cuddle hormone, which is possibly the greatest nickname for a hormone ever), which dilates blood vessels and therefore reduces blood pressure. (This hormone, released during labor, facilitates childbirth and maternal bonding, too.) Oxytocin appears to have a number of other health benefits, including the ability to reduce glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and levels of cortisol (otherwise known as the stress hormone, which is a less fun nickname).

In addition to the health benefits we can receive, there really isn’t anything better than knowing that we have made someone’s day a bit easier—whether we helped in a small way or just made someone smile. Winston Churchill said it best: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

What random act of kindness can you perform today? Here are a few ideas:

  • Leave a bouquet of flowers for a patient at your local hospital.
  • Carry your neighbor’s groceries.
  • Pay for the person behind you in line at the coffee shop or the toll booth.
  • Donate time or money to a charity.
  • Hug a loved one for no particular reason.
  • Write a letter of appreciation.

Now go out there and commit a random act of kindness!

Health altruism, compassion, kindness, random acts of kindness, random acts of kindness day

« Back to Posts Next Post » « Prev Post
Nick Frye, LCPC, NCC, DCC

author Nick Frye, LCPC, NCC, DCC

Medifast’s resident Behavioral Specialist, Nick is a licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, and Distance Credentialed Counselor specializing in addictions, disordered eating, motivation, and health behavior change. He develops behavior modification content for training... Read More

View Full Profile
Primary
  • Powered By Medifastdark-powered-by-medifast

FIND MEDIFAST ON

  • Facebookicon-facebook
  • Twittersocial-twitter
  • Pinterestsocial-pinterest
  • Youtubesocial-youtube
  • Google Plussocial-google-plus

Medifast recommends you consult with a physician before starting a weight-loss program. Medifast is the brand recommended by more than 20,000 doctors since its founding.