NATURE AND ART: EFFECTIVE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Supplements against inflammation
Look at the Grand Canyon, the Sistine Chapel, or listen to the Ave Maria by Schubert helps the immune system, according to new research from the University of Berkeley.
Researchers have linked positive emotions - especially those we feel when we come in contact with the beauty of nature, art and spirituality - with lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, proteins that signal the immune system the need to work harder.
"Our results show that positive emotions are associated with markers of good health," said Jennifer Stellar, lead author of the study, conducted at the University of Berkeley.
Cytokines transmit the signal to the cells of the body to fight infections: high levels of cytokines are associated with worse health conditions and disorders such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and even Alzheimer's disease and clinical depression.
It has long been established that a healthy diet, good sleep and exercise strengthens the body's defenses against physical and mental illness. But the study of Berkeley, whose results have just been published in the journal Emotion, is one of the first to look at the role of positive emotions.
"Beauty promote healthy levels of cytokines. The things we do for a living these emotions - a nature walk, get lost in the music, contemplate the art - has a direct influence on the health and quality of life," said psychologist Dacher Keltner, a co-author of the study. "The nature and art are the best anti-inflammatory of life," he concluded.
Source: Worldhealth
Supplements against inflammation