Regularly taking time to do your favorite happiness-boosting activities—such as boating, reading, watching movies or strolling the neighborhood—isn’t just fun, it’s good medicine. Carnegie Mellon University researchers report that when happy people are exposed to cold and flu viruses, they’re far less likely to get sick than anxious or down-in-the-dumps volunteers exposed to the same viruses. The connection? “Positive feelings halt the flow of the cortisol, a stress hormone that weakens the immune system, making you more susceptible to illnesses,” explains Toronto-based naturopathic physician Vanessa Lee, N.D.
[photo: timparkinson]
