The Immune System & Kindness – Day 18

The Immune System Hormones & Kindness – 30 Day Kindness Challenge

The Immune System produces Hormones & Immune-System Antibodies in response to kindness. Just witnessing kindness boosts production. Welcome to Day 18 of our 30-Day Kindness Challenge. Today, we’re talking about Kindness and The Immune-System.

If you’re just joining us or listening for the first time, let me tell you what we’ve been doing. Every day in November, I’m doing a short podcast about kindness. I will talk about some kindness facts and give you a kindness challenge.
Today is Day 18. Kindness has a profound impact on our health.

Listen to Today’s Podcast

Kindness has a profound impact on our health. Witnessing acts of kindness can boost the production of immune-system antibodies, and practicing kindness helps alleviate the impact of stressful events.
To Listen Click Here!

Decrease Inflammation and Free Radicals

It can reduce stress, anxiety, and fear by releasing hormones in the brain. These hormones also decrease inflammation and free radicals in the cardiovascular and immune systems. In one study, immune cells showed a significant 57% reduction in inflammation after being exposed to kindness-related words.

Immune-System Antibodies

Witnessing acts of kindness can boost the production of immune-system antibodies, and practicing kindness helps alleviate the impact of stressful events. For example, simply witnessing acts of compassion and kindness, similar to those performed by Mother Teresa, can boost the production of immune-system antibodies by 50%. Practicing kindness also helps alleviate the impact of stressful events.

Does Being Kind Help the Immune System?

Kindness and stress affect our bodies in opposite ways. Stress weakens the immune system, while kindness reduces stress and helps the immune system work better. Acts of kindness, like those done by Mother Teresa, have been proven to improve immune function. Similarly, empathy and compassion also have positive effects on the immune system. 

Kindness and The Immune System – Dr. David Hamilton

Dr. David Hamilton explains how being kind to others has many benefits for you. It makes you happier, boosts your immune system, slows down aging, improves heart health, and strengthens relationships. Kindness is also contagious, so one act of kindness can spread to over 100 people.

Kindness and Empathy Can Affect the Immune System

Research shows that patients treated by caring doctors tend to get better faster and have stronger immune systems. Kindness and empathy can create positive emotions that affect the immune system through biochemical substances. Put another way, being kind can boost the immune system.

Slow Down the Aging Process

Being kind can also slow down aging. Kindness releases hormones that protect the immune system and make it work better. Kindness is valuable and has anti-aging benefits that align with our natural inclinations. Being kind to others can have a positive impact on your own health and well-being. In fact, studies have shown that kindness can actually slow down the aging process.

Three Ways That Being Kind Can Help You Age More Gracefully:

1. Kindness counteracts the effects of stress. Stress speeds up aging, both physically and psychologically. Kindness, on the other hand, triggers the release of hormones like oxytocin, which have been shown to reduce stress and inflammation. Oxytocin also helps to maintain healthier skin, heart, immune system, brain, and overall aging.

2. Kindness protects telomeres. Telomeres are protective caps on DNA that shorten with age. A study with high school students showed that kindness and support prevented telomere shortening. Kindness-based meditation, such as Loving Kindness meditation, also preserves telomere length, especially in females.

3. Kindness and compassion tone the vagus nerve and reduce inflammation. The vagus nerve is a major nerve that helps to regulate the body’s response to stress. The activity of the vagus nerve, known as vagal tone, helps to alleviate inflammation. Compassionate and kind individuals tend to have a higher vagal tone. 

Practicing kindness and compassion, like in loving-kindness meditation, increases vagal tone and improves the anti-inflammatory response. So next time you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, try to do something kind for someone else. It might just be the best thing you can do for your health and well-being.

Kindness Improves the Immune System

Prosocial behaviors such as altruism, cooperation, compassion, empathy, and building social connections, positively affect health. For example, volunteering is linked to lower mortality rates and increased lifespan. Communities with higher prosocial behavior had lower COVID-19 death rates.

Acts of kindness can trigger physiological changes in the body. Kindness increases oxytocin, promoting social bonding, cardiovascular health, and reducing blood pressure. It lowers cortisol and reduces stress-related health risks and potentially slowing aging.

Increases Immune System Antibodies

Being kind not only warms our hearts, but also has positive effects on our immune system. Studies have shown that kindness can increase levels of a key immune system antibody known as “secretory immunoglobulin A” (s-IgA). It is also believed that this effect can be amplified by simply observing kindness! As a result, kindness has immune-boosting effects that aid in stress reduction. Well that’s all for today. 

Here is Todays Kindness Challenge

1. Print Out / Hand Out “You Matter” Cards
2. Leave a kind note for someone to find. It can be a post-it on a public bulletin board or a note left in a library book.
3. Take a moment to appreciate the beauty of a kind word. Speak with kindness and uplift others with your words.
4. Be kind to others by practicing empathy. Show understanding and support, validating their experiences and emotions.
5. Be kind to others by practicing acts of inclusivity. Embrace diversity, celebrate differences, and promote a sense of belonging.
6. Be kind to animals by supporting animal shelters, adopting, or volunteering your time. Show compassion and make a positive impact on their lives.
7. Organize a book drive to collect books for underprivileged communities. Spread the joy of reading and open doors to new worlds and possibilities
8. Share inspiring book quotes that have touched your heart. Spread the wisdom and encourage others to embark on transformative reading journeys
9. A kind word can change someone’s entire day. Be mindful of the impact your words have and choose to spread love, encouragement, and positivity wherever you go. 
10. The power of a kind gesture can never be underestimated. Offer a helping hand to someone in need, and together, let’s be a world where compassion and empathy thrive.
11. You have the power to make a difference in someone’s life. Be intentional about spreading kindness, whether it’s through a smile, a kind word, or a small act of generosity.
12. Be kind to yourself.

What Is Self Care?

According to Merriam-Webster, self-care is defined as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.” It includes activities and habits that are done to maintain physical, mental, and emotional health. 

Self-care can include things like eating well, getting enough sleep, regular exercise, stress management, maintaining social connections, and seeking professional help when needed. It is a way to take care of oneself, promote well-being, and prevent burnout. 

The idea behind self-care is to recognize the importance of taking care of oneself in order to be able to fully function and be there for others. It’s not self-indulgence but a discipline to make sure we can function at our best.

Here Are a Few Ideas for Self Kindness

1. Hug yourself.
2. Eating a well-balanced diet: Eating nutritious foods can help boost energy levels, improve mood, and support physical health. To carry this out, it can be helpful to plan meals in advance, keep healthy snacks on hand, and avoid skipping meals.
3. Getting enough sleep: Adequate sleep is essential for physical and mental health. To ensure good sleep, establish a regular sleep schedule. Create a comfortable sleep environment by avoiding screens for an hour before bed.
4. Stress management: Stress can have a negative impact on physical and mental health. To manage stress, practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or tai chi.
5. Maintain social connections. Having strong social connections provides support, reduces stress, and improves wellbeing. To carry this out, it can be helpful to schedule regular social activities, make an effort to reconnect with friends and family, and seek out new social connections through community groups or clubs.

Seeking Professional Help

Self-care also includes seeking professional help when needed. If you’re experiencing mental health concerns or struggling to manage symptoms of ADHD, it can be helpful to seek out a therapist, counselor, or coach.

1. When negative thoughts cloud your mind, challenge them with positive affirmations. Replace “I can’t” with “I am capable” and watch how kindness and self-belief transform your journey. 
2. Be patient with yourself as you navigate through challenges. Remember that growth takes time, and each step forward, no matter how small, is a testament to your resilience.
3. Be kind to yourself by setting realistic goals and celebrating progress. Break your aspirations into manageable steps and honor each milestone along the way. You are making progress. 
4. To those battling mental health challenges, know that you are not alone. Seek support, share your story, and let others rally around you with compassion and understanding. You matter
5. Self-expression can be a powerful healing tool. Explore creative outlets like writing, painting, or music to give a voice to your emotions and experiences. Art has the ability to touch hearts and connect souls.
6. Self-care is different for everyone.One size doesn’t fit all. It’s always best to experiment to find out what works best for you.Make self-care a regular part of your routine, not just something you do sometimes. It’s a discipline that requires commitment and consistency to be effective.

Well, that’s all for today, come back tomorrow for another Kindness Challenge!