The Power of Friendship

January 5, 2017
Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Award-winning nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author.

Why your bond benefits your health.

A crucial component of any Fat Flushing journey is acknowledging the mind-body connection. Repressed emotions and self-sabotaging patterns can become embedded in the cells, triggering behavior that can impede your weight-loss progress.

I firmly believe that seven out of ten women fail their diets due to a lack of support. Support empowers individuals to cope with the emotional, social, and spiritual issues associated with foods. I have seen this time and time again on my Fat Flush Nation Facebook community where one of my members wrote, “I would have never in my wildest imagination conceived that I could be so fed, so fortified, so supported, so connected to an online community.”

Nurturing Support

Women, in particular, benefit from the support of others in achieving not only their-weight loss goals but in being able to handle all aspects of life. A landmark study from UCLA proves something my Fat Flush Nation community members have already suspected: a unique friendship forms between women. Your circle of friends always makes life brighter, funnier, and the tough times easier.

The researchers at UCLA have demonstrated that women who are under stress produce brain chemicals that open them up to making and maintaining friendships with other women. One of the study’s leading researchers, Laura Cousin Klein, PhD, explains that before this study, it was generally assumed that when a person experiences stress, the hormones released created a fight-or-flight response. But women have a different response to stress.

“In fact,” says Dr. Klein, “it seems that when the hormone oxytocin is released as part of the stress response in a woman, it buffers the fight-or-flight response and encourages her to tend children and gather with other women instead.” Men do not have this response because of the high amounts of testosterone they produce when they are under stress. So when men are stressed they tend to go off by themselves, and when women are stressed they gather other women around them.

Friends may be helping us to live longer and better. And, when it comes to weight loss, there’s no reason to do it alone, anymore. My Fat Flush Nation community is one of the most nurturing, supportive, and encouraging places to call home. I invite you to visit Fat Flush Nation and see for yourself just how wonderfully supportive and encouraging these Fat Flushers can be.

Plus, now couldn’t be a better time to join our supportive community! Our Fat Flush Challenge begins January 9th. This will be a 14 day challenge that is not your average weight loss competition—or a competition at all! Click here to learn more and sign up.

Related Articles and Podcasts

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books including The Fat Flush Plan series and her latest book, Radical Metabolism. She’s been rewriting the rules of nutrition for more than 40 years and is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of diet, detox and women’s health issues. 

For a FREE daily dose of tips and strategies for maintaining healthy weight, conquering insomnia, and much more…check out my Radical Health Tips.

I’d like to meet and greet you on my Facebook groups, so won’t you check us out at the Radical Metabolism RevolutionFat Flush Nation, or my Inner Circle!

2 Comments

  1. Nancy Collisi

    I’ve used the plan lost 50 lbs and need encouragement as I have 80 to go I’ve purchased the new book very pleased with changes especially use of coconut and avacados.

    Reply
  2. Serena

    This is a very great article in theory. But trying finding a real friend the older you get. Speaking from several experiences of getting the short of the stick from so -called friends. From those who only want to use you, to those harboring jealousy, to those always giving backhanded compliments. It’s near impossible to find a real friend. The “friends” I have now, I have to constantly act the fool-so as to make peace reign or avoid when I cannot be bothered.

    Reply

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