April is for… hugging!

What is April all about? Everyone knows April 15 is Income Tax day, but we wanted something a bit more cheerful. Our search was rewarded.

For starters, there’s Earth Day on April 22. In fact, much of April is devoted to celebrating nature. This is National Garden Month and Keep America Beautiful Month. Then there’s Arbor Day, which is usually celebrated on the last Friday in April.

But perhaps even more important to your health and welfare – we found that April 26 is “Hug a Friend Day.”  It won’t help you much if you only hug on one day a year, but if it starts a hugging habit, you’ll boost your health.

A study at the University of North Carolina found that when you are involved in a hug lasting for at least 20 seconds your body releases a hormone called oxytocin, and the health benefits are significant.

A good hug can:

• Lower your blood pressure
• Lower your heart rate
• Reduce your level of stress hormones
• Improve your mood

You get positive, non-toxic, absolutely free hormone therapy with a simple 20 second hug.

So don’t wait – hug someone today!

Happy April,

P.S. Combine this with “An apple a day” and you may never need to see a doctor.