When people think about health and wellness they usually think about eating healthy and exercising. While those things are certainly part of being a healthy person, there is so more to it. Healthy relationships can help make for a healthier overall life.

When my husband and I got married we had “The Team” engraved on the inside of our wedding rings. We knew as a team we would respect each other, support each other physically and emotionally, fight fairly, listen to each other, make each other laugh, communicate with compassion and empathy, trust each other implicitly, and have love as the foundation.

Being part of a team can be challenging, rewarding, confusing, and exhilarating — sometimes all at the same time.

Why are healthy relationships important to your overall health?.

• The support of a partner or caring friend can help protect us against the effects of stress.  

• Research shows that physical affection between loving partners, parents and children, and close friends can help the brain, heart and other body systems.

• When we know how to heal relationships and keep them strong, they make us resilient. Connection with people who love and value us is a safety net in life.

• Healthy relationships set the perfect tone for an overall healthy lifestyle. It’s a lot easier to take on healthy behaviors when you surround yourself with people who are doing the same.

• Being in a loving relationship, no matter what kind, can give a person a sense of well-being and purpose. In fact, it’s possible that having a sense of purpose can actually add years to your life.

Relationships require effort and attention. As with most things in life, the effort and attention pay off tenfold. Loving relationships make us happy, but they also keep us healthy. From improving our immune system and blood pressure to helping us lower stress and enjoy life longer, a happy relationship is life’s greatest medicine.