Good Relationships - The Key to Longer Lives

In addition, stressful partnerships may actually have the opposite effect and cause people to deteriorate, according to one specialist.

Paula Hall, a relationship psychotherapist who works with couples and individuals with relationship and sexual problems, said that a healthy relationship is central to the psychological, emotional and physical health of many people with medical insurance.

Her comments come on the back of recent research published by the American Cancer Society health journal, Cancer, which suggested the anxiety and upheaval involved in marriage separation can have significant effects on cancer survival rates.

Experts in the US conducted studies which revealed that people who were diagnosed with cancer while going through a separation with their partner were more likely to die from the condition, even more so than people who had already been divorced.

In contrast, those who were happily married at the time of diagnosis had the best outcomes over five and ten years after being told they had the disease and this is because their home lives had an effect on their physical well being, Ms Hall stated.

"A secure environment is essential for wellbeing. When we feel secure we feel free and motivated to explore and expand into the world and seek fulfillment," she explained.

According to the specialist, this instinct is related to evolution, as survival is in the basic psychology of health cover holders.

"Human beings primary instinct is to find safety in secure groups, once that's fulfilled, we can search out other pleasures in life," she stated.

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Exercise Your Relationship and Live Longer

The research has spoken: You know you should eat your vegetables, but did you know that being in a committed relationship or marriage is also good for you? There are proven health benefits to being in a stable relationship:

You'll increase your opportunities for happiness
You'll increase the odds that you'll live longer
You'll lower your risk for depression and anxiety
You'll be less susceptible to heart disease
You'll lower your risk for high blood pressure
You'll decrease the chances of dying from cancer

Don't you think that being in a committed relationship offers some extraordinary benefits? However, there's a catch: The quality of your relationship or marriage and the level of commitment are key factors in enjoying these relationship benefits. That's why it is so important to work on your relationship--each and every day.

Healthy Relationship Program: Exercise your Relationship

Why do people begin an exercise program? It usually isn't because they love sprinting on a big, circulating rubber band. It's because exercise offers a myriad of health-related benefits. Since your relationship can offer you similar benefits, doesn't it make sense to develop a Healthy Relationship Program? Starting such a program isn't as difficult as you might think.

The first step in your Healthy Relationship Program is to become mindful of all the things that are good about your intimate relationship. That's right, begin with the positive. People are generally drawn to what isn't working in their relationship and this can obscure what already is working.

Your first exercise involves making adjustments to your attention. Each day for one month try to notice everything positive your partner does (even the smallest things, such as a smile, a pat on your back, a word of encouragement). Acknowledge these instances to yourself. If it feels helpful, jot some of them down from time to time. This may feel unnatural at first and your focus may wander back to the negatives. Not to worry. The more you exercise your attention toward focusing on the positives, the easier it will become. Remember, all new exercises feel unnatural at first. After the month passes, note the impact this has on you and your relationship.

Rich Nicastro, Ph.D. is a relationship coach and psychologist. To receive the Relationship Toolbox Newsletter and two free reports on how to strengthen your relationship, visit Rich?s website at http://StrengthenYourRelationship.com/

A Longer Life and Greater Health: The Rewards of Marriage

The health benefits of being married are huge.

Studies have shown that if you are a single man you have an increased risk of dying at an earlier age than if you had been married. If you are married however you have a much higher chance of living a healthier and happier life.

A recent study showed that a married male had a 9% lower risk of dying in any given year than a single male. For females the figure was 3%.

Why is this? It could be the social support of the partner, or having someone to look out for them. Or it could be that a single person has a more excessive lifestyle.

Married men are more likely to exercise, eat breakfast and have regular health check ups and be less likely to smoke. Single people are more likely to suffer mental health problems such as depression and loneliness.

The positive effects of marriage are dependent however on having a good marriage. An unhappy relationship actually increases your blood pressure when with your spouse. Your blood pressure then goes down when you are away from your spouse. In a good marriage the opposite is true.

Marital stress doubles the chance of diabetes, or a heart attack. A good marriage boosts your immune system and reduces your risk of heat disease by reducing your stress levels. The benefits are better physical health, more resistance to infection, fewer infections, and a reduced likelihood of dying from cancer, from heart disease, from all major killers. All this results in a longer and happier life.

If you have a good marriage you will have less depression, less anxiety disorders, less phobias, and fewer injuries due to accidents.

So if being happily married is good for you, what can you do to make sure it is good, and that it stays that way? Here are a few tips.

(1) Communicate. E.g. talk to each other every day, setting aside time to do this without distractions.

(2) Say nice, complementary things to your spouse, showing them that they are appreciated.

(3) Remind yourself each day why you are so lucky to be with your partner.

(4) Plan a long term future together. Make this something that you are really both very excited about. E.g. "retiring in 7 years time, and retiring to a beach front villa in Miami, where we will both scuba dive together, fully explore the everglades, and become expert dancers on the local salsa scene".

(5) Avoid rejecting your partner. Watch out for when your partner is making a particular point of reaching out to you, and make sure you respond positively.

(6) Develop your own little couple habits, words, and actions. Like calling your partner "My Gorgeous."

(7) Be open and honest with your spouse.

Being married is better for you in the following ten ways. (1) It's safer, (2) It can save your life, (3) It can save your kid's life, (4) You will earn more money, (5) You will get much richer, (6) There is less chance of promiscuity, (7) You'll have better mental health, (8) You'll be happier, (9) Your kids will love you more, and (10) You'll have better and more frequent sex.

While being in a good healthy married relationship is best for you, being in a good and healthy non-married long term relationship also has similar health benefits. BUT most of the studies done have all shown that the health benefits of being married are much greater than the health benefits of cohabiting.

So do you want to be happy and healthy? What do you do? Simple. Go and find a great husband or wife! What could be simpler!

How do you find a great husband or wife? Well, that topic deserves a whole article to itself!

Damian Miles is a writer of ezine articles an ebooks, on the five key elements of any successful life: health, wealth, happiness, love, and security. Through his website http://dlmiles.co.uk he runs his weekly ezine and sells his ebooks and eproducts. His ezine "Think Yourself Fitter in Thirty Days." His ezine teaches how to develop the right attitude to health and fitness, an attitude that will almost guarantee you set and achieve your health and fitness goals. Damian is currently developing a workshop on Happiness, and training to run the 2007 London Marathon.