NEW Book now available in paperback! Click here to purchase

  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
My Account
  • Podcast
    • All Podcasts
    • Ask Kimberly
  • Meditation
  • Blog
    • All Blogs
    • Health
    • Nutrition
    • Beauty
    • Meditation
    • Kimberly’s Corner
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • The Glowing Green Smoothie
    • Smoothies & Beverages
    • Salads
    • Entrées
    • Desserts
    • Snacks
  • About
    • About Solluna
    • About Kimberly
    • Solluna Circle
    • Kimberly’s Books
    • Press & Media
  • Contact
  • Shop
    • Recommended Products
    • Shop All Products
    • Supplements
      • All Supplements
      • Feel Good SBO Probiotics+
      • Feel Good Detoxy 2.0
      • Feel Good Digestive Enzymes
      • Feel Good Starter Kit
    • Skincare
      • All Skincare
      • Feel Good ASC2P Vitamin C Serum
      • Feel Good Cleanser
      • Feel Good Eye Cream
      • Feel Good Moisturizer
      • Feel Good Skincare System
    • Courses
      • All Courses
      • Cooking Course + Recipes
      • 30 Day Roadmap to Healthy Weight Loss
      • The Solluna Circle
      • The Beauty Detox Power Yoga Series
      • 7 Day Meditation Series
    • Manifesting Kits
      • Manifesting Your Goal Kit
    • Charity
      • We Are One Charity T-Shirt
  • Shop
    • Recommended Products
    • Shop All Products
    • Supplements
      • All Supplements
      • Feel Good SBO Probiotics+
      • Feel Good Detoxy 2.0
      • Feel Good Digestive Enzymes
      • Feel Good Starter Kit
    • Skincare
      • All Skincare
      • Feel Good ASC2P Vitamin C Serum
      • Feel Good Cleanser
      • Feel Good Eye Cream
      • Feel Good Moisturizer
      • Feel Good Skincare System
    • Courses
      • All Courses
      • Cooking Course + Recipes
      • 30 Day Roadmap to Healthy Weight Loss
      • The Solluna Circle
      • The Beauty Detox Power Yoga Series
      • 7 Day Meditation Series
    • Manifesting Kits
      • Manifesting Your Goal Kit
    • Charity
      • We Are One Charity T-Shirt
  • Podcast
    • All Podcasts
    • Ask Kimberly
  • Meditation
  • Blog
    • All Blogs
    • Health
    • Nutrition
    • Beauty
    • Meditation
    • Kimberly’s Corner
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
    • The Glowing Green Smoothie
    • Smoothies & Beverages
    • Salads
    • Entrées
    • Desserts
    • Snacks
  • About
    • About Solluna
    • About Kimberly
    • Solluna Circle
    • Kimberly’s Books
    • Press & Media
  • Contact

Valentine’s Day Special: 7 Little-Known Health Benefits of Love

Picture of little boy kissing a heart balloon

Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it. -Rumi

Happy Valentine’s Day! Love is in the air! Beneath the commercial aspect of Valentine’s Day, which centers around flowers, chocolates (check out this delicious DYI truffles recipe!), jewelry, fancy dinners and other gifts, we can all connect to what Valentine’s Day is REALLY about…love!

Since we’re all sprung from Divine Consciousness, which is pure love, the very essence of our entire being is Love. It is our natural state to feel love in every cell in our body.

Love is important to access not just in a romantic sense, or even just for family and friends, but for yourself. When we experience alternative emotions- hate, jealousy, anger, etc., we are out of tune with our true selves and disharmony arises.

Love is an uplifting energy. Since it is our natural state, as always is the case with nature, when we return back to our natural state then everything flows in a more efficient and powerful way.

When you truly love yourself, everything in your life starts to work better- work, relationships, even your body…and you can achieve higher levels of health!

It is well documented how stress (which can stem from feeling out of tune, or even having small annoyances/angers add up, in an unresolved way), can lead to nervous system, cardiovascular and other health issues (more below).

Besides all the emotional, mental and spiritual benefits of love, it can also have significant tangible health benefits.

How Love Benefits Health

1. It reduces stress

In a 2011 study published in the journal, Emotion, researchers found that couples in a new love relationship showed far fewer stress responses to negative stimulus. These results suggest that love can benefit a number of stress-caused health issues.

When you experience stress, your body releases hormones including cortisol. With the busy and often crazy lives we lead these days, many of us are under near-constant stress, which can keep the cortisol flowing throughout our bodies.

While cortisol is essential for our body’s “fight or flight” response that protects us from imminent danger, we aren’t meant to have it flowing through us at all times.

Picture of woman doing yoga and man in the background doing yoga

According to the Mayo Clinic, being in a constant, mild state of stress can lead to a number of health problems including:

  • Obesity
  • Heart disease
  • Sleep issues
  • Depression
  • Decreased immunity
  • Digestive upset

None of this want to experience these things. We can start cultivating more love by starting to be more aware of it all around- through yoga, meditation, new relationships, and practicing self love.

Be gentle with yourself- how you talk to yourself, what you say to yourself.

2. It affects your mental health

Researchers have studied mental health in married and unmarried people. In general, the consensus of such research seems to indicate that married people often self-report lower rates of depression.

This does NOT mean that you have to get married to be happy (I have many happy, unmarried friends), but I take the study as showing that having a good support network- which can come from friends, family, members of societies you belong to, etc. can mitigate psychological distress.

Picture of group of happy people having fun outdoors

The bottom line? Cultivate loving friendships and relationships, which can make you happier and mentally healthier.

3. It can help you live longer

Loving friendships and relationships can also affect your longevity. Researchers at Brigham Young University looked at how social relationships affect longevity and found that having adequate social relationships improved the chance of survival by 50 percent – a number that is similar to improved longevity from not smoking!

A Michigan State University Study also showed similar results.

4. It can reduce pain

A University of California study demonstrated that women holding hands with or looking at a picture of their loved one experienced an anesthetic affect that reduced their levels of pain when exposed to painful stimulus.

Experiencing love can also release a rush of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine that can temporarily reduce pain levels.

5. It can protect heart health

Researchers at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill found that when women receive frequent hugs, their body releases oxytocin. 

This release of the hormone corresponded with a drop in blood pressure and heart rate. Frequent hugs and touches with loved ones and partners can help protect your heart health.

Pets can be very helpful in this regard as well, as a source of unconditional love. So get snuggling!

6. Relationships can protect overall health

A 2009 study at Johns Hopkins assessed health at midlife, and found those that have had major life stresses such as divorce or death of a spouse have more chronic conditions, mobility limitations, self-rated health, and depressive symptoms.

We are all exposed to stress- in relationships and life in general.

Again, the one thing we can control is our love of ourselves, and our relationship with ourselves. Instead of beating yourself up, starting saying and thinking positive things when you look in the mirror.

Do something nice for yourself! Get a a massage, a pedicure, take a nice bath and give yourself a mask, etc…

7. Parental Love Affects Wellbeing

Early loving relationships with children are essential in development of good mental and physical health. In some cases, a mother’s love is the most important factor in future well-being.

Picture of a dad holding his son on his shoulders

One study showed that a mother’s love can counteract the negative health effects associated with childhood poverty by providing a buffer against damaging health effects such as risk of developing type 2 diabetes or heart disease.

This buffering of a mother’s love most likely arises by protecting young children from the physiological effects of stress, including elevated stress hormone levels that can cause the long-term damage a lifetime of stress can cause.

But If you did not have an ideal childhood, then you can move past that and create love in your life by choosing your own life’s path and relationships that you want to foster and cultivate!

I know it may not seem fair, but you have so much inner power that I believe you can move past anything negative that might have happened in your past.

You are unique and amazing…let your love and light shine!

As you can see, love does more than make you feel good. It affects you physiologically and psychologically, as well.

So get out and spread the love- starting with yourself!

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Love,

Kimberly

36 Comments

  1. Dave
    Dave on February 14, 2013 at 10:53 am

    Thank You!

    The inner Love will forever start flowing!!

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:56 pm

      Wonderful!

      Reply
  2. Natasha Zeligs
    Natasha Zeligs on February 14, 2013 at 10:55 am

    Hi Kimberly,

    That quote is actually from A Course in Miracles, not Rumi.

    It is at the beginning of the Text.

    Namaste,
    Natasha

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:56 pm

      The source I found it in lists it as a Rumi quote. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Regina
    Regina on February 14, 2013 at 11:19 am

    What a sweet and thought-provoking post.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:55 pm

      Thank you Regina!

      Reply
  4. Zulema
    Zulema on February 14, 2013 at 11:39 am

    Love it !! Thanks so much for the information we are definitely meant to love others and be loved.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:55 pm

      Yes Zulema, we are already pure love. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Eleanor Johnson
    Eleanor Johnson on February 14, 2013 at 11:41 am

    You’d love The Compassionate Mind by Paul Gilbert

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:54 pm

      I will add to the list, thank you!

      Reply
  6. Heather Major
    Heather Major on February 14, 2013 at 11:55 am

    Hi Kimberly, you are my inspiration , i enjoy your e-mails so much and just love all of your recipes. Wish you were here in New Zealand i would love to met you although i feel like you are already my best friend. Thanks heaps, love Heather

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:54 pm

      Hi Heather,
      That is so sweet! I have been to your beautiful country an I adored it.
      I will be in that part of the world again. Til then, we are always connected in spirit and energy, which surpasses limitations of time and space. 🙂
      Love, Kimberly

      Reply
  7. Sanja
    Sanja on February 14, 2013 at 12:20 pm

    I like the quote above a lot. 🙂

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:52 pm

      Ah yes. Wisdom from the great ones!

      Reply
  8. Diane Willis
    Diane Willis on February 14, 2013 at 12:32 pm

    What a beautiful article. Thank you for the reminder, the love in our lives is precious and we should treat it that way.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:51 pm

      Yes and remember that every day we have is a gift!

      Reply
  9. kaylin
    kaylin on February 14, 2013 at 12:40 pm

    Wonderful article Kimberly 🙂

    xoxo

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:51 pm

      Thank you Kaylin!

      Reply
  10. Tracy Flaherty
    Tracy Flaherty on February 14, 2013 at 1:18 pm

    Love this! Thank you so much for such great information.
    xoxox Tracy

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:51 pm

      You’re welcome Tracy, take care and keep in touch! xx

      Reply
  11. Julie Schofield
    Julie Schofield on February 14, 2013 at 2:48 pm

    Beautiful! Blessings and Love to you too Kimberly

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:50 pm

      Blessings to you too Julie!

      Reply
  12. Wendy
    Wendy on February 14, 2013 at 3:59 pm

    Kim Snyder I love you! I am greatful for the sound reminders you spread. You have probably heard of The Secret and What the Bleep do We Know. Both movies point out how powerful our thoughs are, I highly recommend watching them again and again. If only everyone in the world could or would drink a ggs every morning and just eliminate junk food and eat a whole food diet , just eat real food, grown and raised properly what a different world this would be. However, one person at a time. Its wonderful that you use your power for good Kim. Keep it up.

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:50 pm

      Thank you Wendy! I do appreciate that. We are all here to help one another along. This info has helped me a lot as well. I have read The Secret and I do believe that our thoughts create our reality.
      Keep in touch and take care! xx

      Reply
  13. Jacqueline
    Jacqueline on February 14, 2013 at 5:16 pm

    Dear Kimberly,

    Thank you for your powerful message. You are changing my life! I have enjoyed reading your Beauty Detox Solution, and I look forward to integrating positive thinking into all aspects of health. I’m finally loving my body!

    Be well!

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:49 pm

      Wonderful Jacqueline! That makes me really happy to hear. Keep taking care, and loving yourself. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Bethany
    Bethany on February 14, 2013 at 5:50 pm

    Hi Kim!!!
    I have been following the bds for a little over a month now and am really loving it! I’m having a couple issues and have scoured the blog to avoid bugging you but I couldn’t find any clearcut answers! I am having horribly tummy troubles and gas in the afternoons into the evenings. I have a ggs in the am, (about 1 he after my coffee with almond milk–guilty!) and then a large romaine and veggie salad with avocado and lemon juice for dressing. Usually about an hour after this I start getting really gassy, especially if I’ve had a bite of anything else (1 piece of dried fruit for example). My skin has also not quite cleared. I don’t think it’s a candida issue as fresh fruits don’t seem to bother me. I’ve been eating lots of the enzyme salad so I’m not sure what else to do! Thank youfor all you do 🙂

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:48 pm

      Hey Bethany,
      It can take a while for the system to rebuild, and the introduction of lots of raw veggies can create gassiness (I’m not sure what your diet was like before or what your medical background is). Have you tried taking digestive enzymes and probiotic supplements? They can also be helpful.
      Make sure you are chewing your GGS really well and not chugging. Try having some steamed veggies at lunch instead of the salad, since you’re having a lot of raw greens in the GGS, and see if that helps. You can build up your digestion gradually, and may be better able to handle more raw greens in the future.
      Take care and keep in touch with the Beauty Detox community here! xx

      Reply
  15. Bethany
    Bethany on February 14, 2013 at 5:52 pm

    ***have the salad for lunch not with the ggs!

    Reply
  16. Jen Colombo
    Jen Colombo on February 14, 2013 at 6:12 pm

    Beautiful!

    Reply
  17. dilshad
    dilshad on February 14, 2013 at 10:31 pm

    it is true

    Reply
  18. Marie Cooney
    Marie Cooney on February 15, 2013 at 12:37 am

    I so enjoyed reading this, and had a few light bulb moments and feel good feelings in my heart, thanks ever so much for your interesting and from the heart information that you share, god bless x

    Reply
    • Kimberly Snyder
      Kimberly Snyder on February 18, 2013 at 3:43 pm

      Thank you Marie! I am so happy to hear that. 🙂
      God bless xo!

      Reply
  19. Elsa
    Elsa on February 18, 2013 at 6:12 pm

    Dear Kimberly

    I am so grateful that I know you with your book. I feel like you are talking to me everyday!! I am doing the Beauty Detox Solution face one and this is my 3rd week. I have a really important question. I am naturally thin but I have a hard time loosing my stomach fat. I eat healthy and never eat processed food. I am from Ethiopia and I know how fresh food test like. Also, can I have some of the left over food for the next day lunch and dinner? will it mess it up with the diet? Also, i am having a hard time finding a time to do all the food that is offer on the phase one..if I eat left over for two to three days will that be bad? I don’t really see any change but I lost 6 ponds in 3 weeks of trying phase one., but my hair is getting dry and my lips also dry. I love all the food though. It is awesome. Thank you for taking your time to do all this for us. Thank you for your honesty. Most people don’t do that. I hope I am making sense to you:) English is not my first language …:) I am looking forward for you next book!! I have been doing your book over a year now but I was not following the phase as i do now. I really want to do phase one for 3 month because I have a bad sugar craving. Thanks again for your time

    Elsa

    Reply
  20. Gledis
    Gledis on February 18, 2013 at 9:59 pm

    Wonderful words Kimberly!

    You are truly inspirational! I am so happy i found your blog last year! I have never felt better in my life, inside and out. I always used to think that being a vegan was extreme until i began reading your blog posts and started realizing that this actually makes sense.
    We truly do have to find our own way back to our natural state; love.
    This year has turned out to be as it needed to be, i stopped trying to control the outcome of things and started truly understanding what its like to just be.

    Thank you for your inspirational posts.

    Lots of love!

    Namaste

    Reply
  21. Nichole
    Nichole on February 26, 2013 at 9:25 pm

    Nice post!

    Reply

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Sign Up To Get Weekly Tips, Videos, and Recipes and 10% Off Your First Order!

About Solluna

  • Our Story
  • Kimberly Snyder
  • Four Cornerstone Philosophy
  • Glowing Green Smoothie®
  • Press & Media
  • Feel Good Podcast

Shop

  • Supplements
  • Skincare
  • Wellness Courses
  • Manifesting Your Goal Kit
  • Kimberly’s Books
  • Recommended Products

Customer Service

  • Contact
  • Shipping Policy
  • Return Policy
  • FAQs
  • Track Your Order

Resources

  • Feel Good Podcast
  • Meditation
  • Ask Kimberly
  • Solluna Circle
  • Blog
  • Recipes

Follow us

  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow

© 2022 Solluna By Kimberly Snyder. All rights reserved. All content on this site or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the site owner for the use of brief quotations in an appropriately linked review. We use technologies, such as cookies, to customize content and advertising, to provide social media features and to analyze traffic to the site.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Service

Order Now!

Select a bookseller below to purchase your copy!

  • <!--
  • -->