Our ancestors had the same needs and desires as people in the modern age, the only difference is how we achieve them. People have always gotten sick, needed comfort, tried to push the limits, and understand the world they live.The tricks, practices, and intentions of purpose that societies practiced hundreds, or thousands of years earlier paved the way for this generation to build on.

Some of these ideas and methods are still practiced today, in the same or similar fashion they started out in. That is an indicator of something that not only works but is worth holding onto. In this modern age of a ‘prove it’ mentality, the explanations by men and women in lab coats are the only ones taken seriously. Now, finally after years of research, the good people in coats have moved these techniques from the list of holistic, to helpful.

Helping OTHERS Can Help YOUR Health

Giving factual substance to the golden rule of being a good person, a study compared two philosophies of happiness. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s study compared the effectiveness of hedonic and eudaemonic philosophies of happiness. Hedonic well-being is based on the notion that increased pleasure and decreased pain leads to happiness.

Hedonic concepts are based on the notion of subjective well-being. Eudaemonic happiness is based on the premise that people feel happy if they experience life purpose, challenges and growth.

Using phone interviews, questionnaire,s and blood samples, the study explored how the philosophies effected people on a genetic level. Participants with more hedonic and less eudaemonic well-being were found to have a lower production of virus-attacking antibodies, while those with more eudaemonic well-being experienced an increase in antibody production.

Acupuncture Can Restore Health And Balance the Body

Originating out of China, addresses energy, blood and chemical imbalances in the body through manipulation of chi. Chi is the energy found in all living beings. The National Institutes of Health funded a study into the benefits of acupuncture, currently thought to be used by 3 million Americans a year.

Analyzing data collected from 18,000 subjects, researchers found that acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture and standard western care when treating various types of pain, including migraines and chronic back pain.

We Need the Support Of A Community In Order To Thrive

Every community has proven it’s worth. Support is a must for survival and growth. Without a healthy and productive social life, we physically start to fail. Brigham Young University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers confirmed this belief in 2010.

Analyzing the 148 studies, spanning more than 300,000 individual participants, available on the subject, researchers discovered that those with stronger social relationships maintained a 50 percent increased likelihood of survival.

The effect of social relationships on mortality risk is even greater than the effect of exercise or obesity.

Tai Chi Alleviates A Number Of Health Conditions

A very old martial art that stresses balancing mental and physical discipline to achieve spiritual harmony and peace. It has been long held that this practice provides a longer life.
A report summarized several studies confirming that this “moving meditation” practice can help prevent and treat many age-related health problems, alongside standard treatment in older adults. A number of studies in the past decade have found tai chi to be helpful for those suffering from arthritis, low bone density, and heart disease.

Meditation Reduces Stress

A form of meditation can be found in every society and is not always attached to a religion. Meditation aids the mind in building awareness and focus. A team of researchers from Harvard Medical School reveals how this practice can affect genes linked to stress control and immune function.

Utilizing neuro imaging and genomics technology to measure the physical potential for change. After regimented yoga and meditative practices, they viewed the before and afters.

There was a dramatic increase in mitochondrial energy production, utilization, and resiliency, which help to reduce the stress linked to health conditions like hypertension and infertility.

Compassion Is The Key To A Meaningful Life

Tibetan Buddhism includes a practice of ‘metta’ of the formation of loving kindness. Emory University released a study specifically marking how this practice boosted an individual’s ability to to empathize via their facial expressions.

A similar study on the same subject revealed that  participants’ positive emotions allowed them to find a deeper sense of mindfulness, their purpose in life, the network of support surrounding them, and their health. These components helped increase their overall life satisfaction.

Acceptance Is Key

Deakin University showed that facing the realities of assisted living, and therefore losing a degree of independence, helps seniors live longer and feel happier. The study compared feelings of life satisfaction and perceived control of older adults living with assistance and those living in the community.

All You Need Is Love

One constant in every era for every society is the understanding that love propagates longevity, health, and productivity. The Harvard Grant study, conducted over 75 years, gathered empirical evidence to back that up.

268 males were followed over this time and their lives were dissected to find how love motivated and changed them. Love was the most powerful and consistent element for positive change in all their lives.