social networks and health

I think a lot about the effect my lifestyle choices have on my health, the food you eat, the water you drink, the air you breathe, the stress you feel, the weather you experience, etc. etc. And this leaves out one big area, relationships.

Relationships are everywhere, with family, friends and with all the people you interactive with online and offline. The real thing I had under appreciated or not appreciated enough was the emotional impact of relationships. I listened and have read about this time and time again last year. It makes so much logic and sense. One example, food has an emotional impact as well as nutritional impact, just think of the reaction we may have to chocolate. But it's a two way emotional cause and effect, pre eating and post eating, our emotions come into play.

Relationships with your family. I was 8,000km from my family when a new member of the clan came into the world. I was in the middle of a cold at the time but for the day of the birth I felt no symptoms of the cold. I could not explain this to myself at the time but now with reflection I realise the power of the family relationship, it provides vast amounts of positive energy. We are social beings and a lack of social interaction leads to ill health. Friends provide a high level of relationship health. I recall hearing about the term 'friends syndrome' the 'friends' being from the TV sitcom. Someone had observed how modern friend networks modelled the size of the friend group on the series, more like they producers knew about this trend and created the format to appeal to the world. Friends are in the physical world and the online world. Are the relationship any less important online or over distances. My view is that just like the baby being born, relationship across great distance can be equally intense and beneficial. Sure, you can not wait to meet but the health power flows regardless.