LOVE YOUR PARTNER, LOVE YOUR GUT
LOVE YOUR PARTNER, LOVE YOUR GUT
By James E. Foster, Jr., MA, LMFT
Ah yes, Valentine’s Day. ‘Tis the season of love. Flowers, chocolates, waxing poetic, and…whispering sweet nothings about gastrointestinal disorders to your partner by the fire? Ok, maybe not; but while you’re thinking about that special someone, perhaps it’s time to consider the nexus between your interpersonal relationships and your gut health.
Numerous studies have linked quality relationships with longevity. You’ve likely heard that married people live longer, for example. Or, maybe you’ve read that the presence of quality relationships in your life is a better predictor of longevity than your cholesterol levels. One of the longest and most comprehensive studies of its kind, the Harvard Study of Adult Development (www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org), tracked and continues to track the lives of over 700 men since 1938. Thousands of pages of data have been collected from every aspect of these men’s lives, including health and well-being, for nearly 80 years. The study’s director, Dr. Robert Waldinger, shared the three main lessons gleaned from the results in his Ted talk, which has over 25 million views:
- Social connections and relationships are good for us, and “loneliness kills.”
- The quality of close relationships matters. Warm, loving, supportive relationships are “preventative.” Dr. Waldinger states that relational satisfaction at age 50 was the best predictor of being alive at 80. Let that sink in.
- Securely attached relationships later in life keep our brains sharper.
Northwestern University Medicine’s website lists: less stress, better healing, healthier behaviors, greater sense of purpose, and a longer life as the 5 benefits of healthy, long-term relationships.
And finally, a recent article in Healio Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, researchers studying the effect of marital discord and depression on the gut found that MARITAL STRESS AND ARGUMENTS CAN LEAD TO INCREASED INFLAMMATION AND PERMEABILITY IN THE GUT, which often accompanies IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME. Since we know that anxiety and depression can also exacerbate IBS symptoms (and vice versa), it stands to reason that troubled relationships and/or loneliness can wreak havoc on our guts.
So, use the Valentine’s Day season to take an inventory on the quality of your relationship. Communicate. Listen. Empathize. Problem solve. Love your partner. Love your gut.
Comprehensive Gastrointestinal Health’s Behavioral Therapist, James E. Foster, Jr., MA-LMFT is a member of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and offers gut-directed hypnotherapy both on-site and through video telemedicine sessions. He is happy to answer any questions you have about this incredibly effective treatment protocol. Please call 224.407.4400 or visit www.compgihealth.com to schedule an appointment or learn more.