Have you ever been really stressed out for a few months, then you get sick? Maybe you develop a cold you just can’t shake or your doctor diagnoses you with high blood pressure. The link between that stressful experience and your change in health might be more than co-incidence.

There is growing research showing that the emotions-inflammation connection might explain how our emotions can get “under our skin” and increase our disease risks. Stress and other negative feelings aren’t the only ones that can impact our health. Watch the video below to see how.

If you want to join next week’s #PhyteWellWednesday workshop, but you’re not getting daily texts, text TEXT to 1(866)717-1919 to get Daily Wellness Lessons and the invite to our Wednesday sessions. Or click here to register.

Discussion Question

Discussion Question:

• What are you grateful for?  Answer can be as specific or as general as you want.

For the last few months, we looked at the ways that chronic stress (a negative feeling) sets off a chain reaction of beta-adrenaline (our fight-or-flight hormone) and cortisol (our stress hormone). That chain reaction triggers inflammation in our bodies. If this process happens on a daily or weekly basis, it can eat away at our health.

We concluded that, as Black folks (and Black women, especially), in order to counteract the bodily effects of the stressors we’re constantly exposed to we need to make our everyday habits as anti-inflammatory as possible. That means sleeping, de-stressing, moving and eating in anti-inflammatory ways.

We called these our 4 Wellness Superpowers. We talked about deep breathing, meditative physical exercise like tai chi/yoga, aerobic exercise, socializing with loved ones as ways to cut stress. But, research suggests there’s another dimension to the “stress management” Superpower we can use to counteract the inflammation-causing effects of stress: Feeling Good

In other words, stress isn’t the only feeling that can change our physiology. Positive Feelings can change our Physiology, too (for the better).

Check the video above to see how 16 different positive feelings could help us counteract the negative bodily effects of stress by lowering inflammation in our bodies.

Here is the breadth of 16 positive emotions that are linked to lower inflammation in a 2023 research study:

enthusiastic ● interested ● determined ● excited ● amused ● inspired ● alert ● active ● strong ● proud ● attentive ● happy ● relaxed ● cheerful ● at ease● calm

In this week’s #PhyteWellWednesday workshop, Dr. Bridgette mentions the scientific experiments around laughter as stress-fighting medicine and highlights the tool she uses to take advantage of the healing power of amusement. (Hint: it involves Kevin Hart).

What are some of the different positive feelings you had this week? How can you spend more time feeling those?

Happy Healthy Living,

Dr. Wuse