“When we live in the spirit of gratitude, there will be much happiness in our life.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
Five Years After Cancer: A Moment of Reflection
I am at my 5-year anniversary of a breast cancer diagnosis following two successful surgeries and radiation treatment in 2021. My oncologist and I talked about the changes I have been making in my lifestyle that include exercising more, hydrating, and practicing meditation on a daily basis.
She reflected back to me that my attitude seems to have a lot of gratitude and explained that gratitude can improve health in many ways, inspiring me to learn more.
What Research Says About Gratitude and Health
Here is what I found about the effects of gratitude on health:
A four-year study of nearly 50,000 female nurses with a median age of 79 produced some compelling findings showing that gratitude enhances well-being and improves health as we age.
More specifically, as reported in JAMA Psychiatry:
- Participants with gratitude scores in the highest third had a 9% lower risk of death compared to those in the lowest third (HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.84–0.99).
- The finding remained significant after adjusting for other sociodemographic characteristics that affect mortality, including social activity, religious involvement, physical health, lifestyle factors, cognitive function, and mental health.
- Gratitude appeared to have the most significant effect on deaths related to cardiovascular disease (HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73–0.995).
Practicing Gratitude in Everyday Life
Mindfulness practices such as meditating or journaling can include a focus on gratitude. There are also simple steps we can take, such as:
- Writing a gratitude list — things, events, and people that you are grateful for
- Writing a thank-you card
- Showing appreciation with a smile and a verbal thank you
Gratitude is a skill that we can build upon when we practice it regularly.
A Valuable Approach in Dementia Care
I am truly grateful for the powerful caregiving techniques developed by the remarkable Teepa Snow, OT.
I have attached a link to one of her podcasts because it discusses a useful caregiving approach: using substitution rather than subtraction when assisting a loved one living with dementia.
Podcast:
Substitutions vs. Subtractions
345: How to Preserve Dignity and Purpose in Dementia Care
Resources and News This Month
Here are a few resources that crossed my path this month:
🔎 Research on Gratitude and Health
Leading evidentiary articles on the connection between gratitude and health — Google Search
🧠 New Alzheimer’s Research
Recent research on Alzheimer’s treatment using a well-known drug:
Low dose of lithium reverses Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice
🎧 End-of-Life Care Podcast
Another helpful and deeply compassionate podcast with Barbara Karnes, RN:
Seeing Death Clearly Podcast