Happy Labor Day and Fall Equinox to all! I know for many this is a time of OMG! Summer is gone…back to the grid/grind. But many of those who have young children are thrilled to see them return to school and continue growing up. Others who have decided to commit to their own education begin the process anew each fall, while newbies are determined to finally make it happen.
I am personally reminding myself about the wonders of fall since it’s the end of those luscious tomatoes in my Northeast garden!
A friend of mine whom I’ve known for most of my life sent me the email below. I felt strongly to share it with all of you. It arrived at a perfect time for me since my mother has just had open heart surgery, and the message couldn’t have been more welcome. My friends who have “been there,” and I’m happy to say that this includes some wonderful men, know what this is about. Everyone else will be able to relate, I’m sure. What is so cool is that the lecture being described was given by a professor at Stanford University.
Lecture by a Professor at Stanford University
In an evening class at Stanford, the last lecture was on the
mind-body connection-the relationship between stress and disease. The speaker (head of psychiatry at Stanford) said, among other things, that one of the best things that a man can do for his health is to be married to a woman; whereas for a woman, one of the best things she can do for her health is to nurture her relationships with her girlfriends. At first everyone laughed, but he was serious.
Women connect with each other differently and provide support systems that help each other deal with stress and difficult life experiences. Physically, this quality “girlfriend time” helps create more serotonin-a neurotransmitter that helps combat depression and can create a general feeling of well-being. Women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. We women share from our souls with our sisters/mothers/girlfriends, and evidently that is very GOOD for our health.
The professor said that spending time with a friend is just as important to our general health as jogging or working out at a gym. There’s a tendency to think that when we are exercising, we are doing something good for our bodies, and that is true. But it is also sometimes said that when we are hanging out with friends, we are wasting our time and should be more productively engaged-NOT true. In fact, the professor advised that the failure to create and maintain quality personal relationships with other humans is as dangerous to our
physical health as smoking!
So every time you hang out to schmooze with a gal pal, just pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself for doing something good for your health!
On that note, I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive of what I love to do and have had the privilege of doing for over 30 years now. So many of you have offered wonderful kind words on how I’ve changed your lives. You are most welcome.! Please know that you have changed my life as well, providing me healing, love, and a livelihood.
Looking forward to seeing so many of you this fall in New Hampshire, Chicago, Denver, New York, Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Toronto and…California, here I come! Please visit my website for details.
