Martha Zaraska wrote an online article for the BBC in which the author shares the results of ongoing research on the health effects of kindness. The woman is a science journalist whose work has been published in numerous journals, including the Atlantic, Discover, and others. The article was published a little more than a year ago; therefore, it can be assumed that the published data are still reliable and up-to-date. In the source, the journalist describes how doing volunteer work contributes to the fact that people’s health is improving. The data analyzed in this article suggest that kindness as a part of positive thinking, contributes to a happier and longer life.
The BBC’s online article “Why Being Kind to Others is Good for Your Health,” by Martha Zaraska, discusses the positive effects of acts of kindness on people’s longevity. The author describes that even when those people whose health was initially good were excluded from the experiment, the impact of volunteering on well-being remained strong. Marta Zaraska writes about an experiment in a Canadian school that found that volunteering lowers blood cholesterol. Evidence is given that the activity of leukocyte genes associated with inflammation is lower in those who perform simple acts of kindness.
In the article, Martha Zaraska mentions how good deeds can affect how people tolerate COVID-19. She writes that those who regularly volunteer “have lower levels of two markers of inflammation” (Zaraska para. 20). In turn, high interleukin 6 and C-reactive protein levels cause severe covid outcomes. The journalist suggests methods that require minimal time to show kindness. These include “taking care of pets and reading emotionally-charged books” (Zaraska para. 24). These techniques have been proven to improve people’s emotional well-being and health.
I absolutely agree with the conclusions Martha Zapaska came to in her article. Indeed, science is gaining evidence that altruism contributes to well-being and longevity, from volunteer work and monetary donations to the occasional everyday good deed. It is important to note that the health-promoting effects of volunteering can be seen in every corner of the world. In my life, I have not infrequently encountered examples where kindness and good spirit have contributed to better health.
A friend of mine once told a story of how she worked in a coffee shop. Because the concept of the café was to provide free lunches to people in need, the employees were paid almost no wages – it was a volunteer project. She spent about three months there and said that during that time period, her health improved. Her cholesterol was high, so she had to see a cardiologist from time to time. After three months of volunteering, when the doctor came to see her, she was very happy that her cholesterol levels were back to normal. She did not know about the research on the positive effects of altruism on health, but she saw for herself that it worked.
A person to whom someone has done a good deed usually smiles and thanks for the favor or gift. This kind of gratitude can bring pleasure and trigger a rush of happiness hormones. The brain of the individual who has done the kind act seems to copy the emotion of someone to whom the act was done (Bernard). I do good things regularly, and I think this is why I consider myself a healthy and happy person.
Works Cited
Bernard, Rebekah. “Use Psychology to Defuse Emotionally Charged Situations.” Medical Economics, Web.
Zaraska, Marta. “Why Being Kind to Others is Good for Your Health.” BBC, 2020, Web.