Blogs By Health Topic
Read the latest blog posts from lifestyle medicine experts at Stanford University covering health topics related to healthy aging.
What is Social Health and How Does it Impact Longevity?
By Sharon Brock, MEd, MS Last year, the U.S. Surgeon General published an advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community. This advisory was based on decades of research on the impact of social connection on mental and physical health and brought nationwide awareness to the importance of creating and maintaining relationships for a long, healthy life. "Most of us recognize that exercise and healthy eating are important for our longevity; however, if you're doing those things by...
Practice of the Month: How to Foster our 5 Most Important Relationships
By Nikki Molumphy and Sharon Brock The "epidemic of loneliness" has exacerbated feelings of disconnect and isolation, especially within the past five years. Among US adults, 53 percent say they have between one and four close friends and 8 percent say they have no close friends. Undoubtedly, the digital age has posed threats to in-person interactions resulting in shallower connections and increased isolation. Driven by his commitment to nurturing meaningful relationships, Bruce Feldstein, MD, BCC, head of the Gratitude and...
How to Host a Gathering to Foster Meaningful Relationships
By Nikki Molumphy Reflect on the last time you formed a genuine friendship. It's perfectly fine if it feels like it has been a while--the average US adult hasn't made a new friend in 5 years. However, 45 percent of them said they would go out of their way to make new friends if only they knew how. To meet this desire to make new friends, we've created a checklist and recommendations to help you offer gatherings where people can...
What is Social Prescribing and Why is it Important?
By Yasaman Nourkhalaj and Sharon Brock, MEd, MS Research has shown that social isolation not only negatively impacts our mental health but can also take a toll on our physical health. This association has piqued the attention of healthcare professionals, leading some to participate in social prescribing. Social prescribing is the act of healthcare professionals recommending that their patients put effort into engaging in more social activities, such as reaching out to family members for phone calls, striking up conversations...
Volunteering as a Way to Make Friends
By Tanya Thakur, MBBS and Sharon Brock, MEd, MS Making new friends in midlife and beyond can be challenging with our busy lives. Studies show that over a third of adults aged 45 and older often feel lonely, and nearly a quarter of adults 65 and older are socially isolated. These studies also show that social media use is not as effective as in-person interactions to reduce the experience of loneliness. Luckily, volunteering is an activity that can increase our...