The Thanksgiving holiday is upon us! While Thanksgiving has recently become the official start of the Christmas shopping season, it remains an opportunity to recognize and acknowledge the many blessings that we enjoy. Being grateful and appreciative is something that should be part of our daily lives, and not just brought out once a year next to the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. In fact, researchers have found many positive health benefits linked to an optimistic outlook on life, so adopting a thankful attitude all year round is something from which we can all benefit.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, gratitude is, “the quality of being thankful, readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”. From a social perspective, gratitude offers a sense of community and belonging – we feel connected to people and want to do nice things for them as a show of goodwill or as repayment for things we have received. As individuals, we recognize that even in the face of adversity or unfortunate events, that there is good in the world and we want to foster and keep that goodwill alive. It is a common theme to hear how people are grateful for the support they have received following natural disasters or health crises. The appreciation and thankfulness that people feel when they receive an outpouring of support is an important component of their ability to deal with the resulting stress that always accompanies such calamities.
Research has found that optimism and gratefulness can boost the immune system. Persons with an optimistic outlook on life tend to have lower stress levels than pessimistic persons who often focus on the negative aspects of a situation. A study from the University of Utah learned that students who categorized themselves as optimistic maintained a higher level of the blood cells that protect the immune system. This boosted immune system can help protect our bodies against stress. Stress can make us sick, especially when the stress levels become too much for us to handle. It is linked to several causes of death, including cancer and heart disease.
While life-threatening medical conditions cannot be healed by a positive outlook alone, gratitude and thankfulness as a personality trait can have a major effect on how our bodies and brains deal with the resultant stress from these diagnoses. Studies have shown that people going into surgery with a positive outlook have better health outcomes than those who do not feel optimistic.Overall, people who are grateful all the time (rather than just when things are going swimmingly) take better care of themselves with regular exercise routines, healthy eating habits and preventative medical examinations.
If you feel you could benefit from more gratitude in your life, start this Thanksgiving by making a commitment to foster a feeling of appreciation for the positive aspects of your life. You can keep a journal with a daily note about what happened that day to make you thankful. If you tend to have a pessimistic outlook, make a conscious effort to see the other side of the coin when negative thoughts arise. You have nothing to lose and only positive benefits to gain!
All year round, and not just at Thanksgiving, the team members at our Evergreen Senior Living communities feel gratitude each and every day because they have the opportunity to work with amazing seniors. Activities and outings are thoughtfully planned to embrace the wonderful talents and experiences of our residents. The Evergreen team shows their gratitude by providing health and wellness services with compassion to the seniors who have entrusted their care to us. Learn more about services and why the team at Evergreen is grateful by visiting our website.
