Dear Patient and Friend,
A new study from the University of North Carolina showed that our genes respond to kindness. The research included three groups of people – one group that learned to meditate, one group that learned a special loving-kindness meditation, and a control group that did not meditate at all.
The results were startling. The group that learned and practiced the loving-kindness meditation had measurable changes in their genetic material – specifically, the protective end caps on each chromosome, called telomeres, showed decreased wear and tear.
Why is that important? The wear and tear on the telomeres is a sure sign of aging – in other words, those who practiced the kindness meditation actually slowed their aging process! That means that there is a direct relationship between being kind and living longer.
So, there’s more to kindness than just being a nice person, though that is, of course, a good thing to be. It turns out that looking for ways to express kindness is good for you as well as those you are kind to – it extends your life, makes your body work better, and it feels really good, too!
Practice kindness – it will make this world a better place, and also give you more years to live and enjoy.
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For Your Health,
Dr. Wendy Lanser, DC