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5 Scientific Reasons Your GAL PALS Are Good For you!

 

Hello Gal Pals! 

One thing I know for sure is that I would not be the same person today if it wasn’t for my dear girlfriends.  In fact, the Mayo Clinic notes that people who have close friends are generally healthier and enjoy a better quality of life. This is obvious to me.

Whether we realize it or not, our friends have played a large role in shaping who we are today. We are even the product of friends who have influenced us in your childhood.

Unite- Inspire- Empower Eachother

KINDRED SPIRITS- Loyal Friends

Since I was little, I have always saw value in collecting loyal friends. Maybe because my parents got divorced when I was very young and I leaned on my friends for support. Some of my childhood friends are the same adult friends that continue to support me as we navigate life together. I am truly blessed to have these kindred spirits in my life. These special pals have been a pillar of strength during dark  and difficult times. We have cried and laughed our way through life.  Having dear girlfriends is a very special kind of sisterhood.

Friends are like sisters- share the same DNA!

Have you ever felt like one of your closest friends is like a sister to you? Guess what?  BFF’s often times have similar DNA. According to a study conducted by Yale University and the University of California at San Diego, good friends are often genetically similar and share as much as one percent of the same gene variants. This is why some friends are really family!

“This gives us a deeper accounting of the origins of friendship,” says Nicholas Christakis, professor of sociology, evolutionary biology, and medicine at Yale, who co-authored the study with James Fowler, professor of medical genetics and political science at UC San Diego. “Not only do we form ties with people superficially like ourselves, we form ties with people who are like us on a deep genetic level. They’re like our kin, though they’re not.”

Cherish your pals

With that said, life is a wonderful chaotic mess; appreciate the good and the bad. Be thankful for the time with your close friends, life is short. We all have lost friends (who have passed) along the way and if given the opportunity, we would let them know how important and magical they made our life.

Women in general have deep connections with pals they trust. Women with these solid relationships are happier humans. Keep in mind that special friendships like these need nourishment so they can continue to grow and give back.

Multiracial women with different skin color - Concept of friendship and happiness
Multiracial women with different skin color – Concept of friendship and happiness

 

So, call a Gal Pal and make a date to get together. If you can’t meet in person, reach out and call them. Plan a girls trip.  You never know what a friend may be going through and being present in their lives could be a game changer for them. Cherish your pals for sure.

 5 Scientific Reasons Your Gal Pals Are Good For You

1. Extends Our Life  

A study conducted by a group of psychologists from the University of Chicago found that people who have strong social networks LIVE LONGER compared to people who feel isolated and alone.  A 2010 meta-analysis of 148 studies including 300,000 people who were tracked for 7 1/2 years after completing surveys of their social connected-ness confirmed those who have a circle of friends live longer with :

    • Lower rates of heart disease
    • Less infectious illness because of a stronger immune system
    • Lower blood pressure
    • Less abnormal inflammatory responses to stress
    • Lower rates of dementia.

2.  Stress Relief

Experts believe that having strong and stable friendships can help us to manage stress, which can  have dramatically impact on our physical health. Think about it, who do you call when you are stressed?

3.  Sharper Minds

In fact, studies have shown people with larger social networks were far less likely to develop dementia in old age compared to those people with fewer friends. This is because regularly conversation with others can help maintain many different parts of the brain, keeping us thinking more clearly.

4.  Learn More Lessons

Surrounding yourself with friends allows us to learn from each other. We can assimilate from our friend’s mistakes and from the times they made a difference in this world. We can inspire to be more like them all while being our good old self.

5.  It’s Who You Know

Like your Mom always told you… “It’s all who you know”. She was right, if you have authentic friends, they are always willing to help you. If your college kid is looking for a job, there is a good chance that someone you know may be a good contact for your child to speak to. If you need a lawyer or a doctor, your friends are always the best references.

6.  Friends Can Give You A Reality Check

Who but your closest friends will tell you that your newest designer bag was a ridiculous purchase? Because friends know us so well, they are able to see things that we can’t, and aren’t afraid to share their dose of reality with you.

Take Away:

There is a million reasons I appreciate my friends. Each GAL PAL contributes in a distinctive way. Having close Gal Pals gives you a stable foundation where you will find strength and stability during the good and bad times. Please share any stories you have that a GAL PAL has helped or changed your life for the better. 
Cheers,

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