By Connie Colbert
Director, Canyon Health and Wellness Clinic
It may sound like a cliché to talk about gratitude around Thanksgiving, but practicing gratitude is not only good for our minds and our relationships, it is good for our bodies as well.
A study by Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at the University of California, Davis, found that people who routinely practice gratitude have:
- Stronger immune systems
- Lower blood pressure
- Are less bothered by aches and pains
- Exercise more and take better care of themselves
- Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking
The Bible also mentions thanksgiving and the practice of being thankful at least 140 times, and it is a main theme throughout God’s word. Something that is mentioned that many times should have us take notice.
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” -- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
So start today by cultivating gratitude and then make it a daily practice! Start a gratitude journal and regularly record the things you are grateful for. It will provide you with a boost to your physical, emotional and social health.
