The older I grow the more I appreciate the value and edification of good relationships.  Relationships are an additional factor to augment your anti aging diet.  Good relationships have been shown to relieve stress and boost the immune system whereas isolation or bad relationships increase stress and decrease immune system effectiveness.  The writer of the Proverbs was correct when he stated:  "Two are better than one and a three-fold cord is not easily broken."  Everyone among us needs the support that relationships provide.  So be sure that each day you work to increase your diet of relationships.

Relationships are an important additional factor in any diet, let alone your anti aging diet.  Isolation can lead to depression and result in poor eating habits which can then worsen depression.  Proper rest, exercise, dietary supplements, stimulating relationships, pondering the meaning of life and your life purpose, or a combination of these factors can break the cycle of depression and get you back on the road to proper balance in your life.

Many routes exist to increase the number of relationships that you have.  Finding something that interests you and joining a like-minded club or association of people is just one way to do this.  Joining a church is another.  Saying "hello" to people you meet each day is still another.  Look beyond yourself and you may well find yourself.  As discussed under the "Spiritual Life" post, pondering the nature and character of God is a good place to start if you need a boost to look beyond yourself.  If God is love–and He is–and if He did actually send His only son Jesus to provide a way for us to relate to Him–and He did–then maybe He wants us to learn more about His love and pass it on to others through healthy day-to-day relationships.

Below are a number of hyper-linked images that provide further information on building healthy relationships.

	Marriages may be made in heaven, but they must be nurtured here on earth. Dr. Chapman explains how people communicate love in different ways, and shares the wonderful things that happen when men and women learn to speak each other’s language. LEARN MORE
	Designed for college students, young adults, singles, and dating couples, this book teaches the basics of healthy relationships including friendship, dating, sexuality, and relating to God. It is accompanied by a 48 page workbook. LEARN MORE
	How do you cope with impossible people? The author offers clear and direct answers for dealing with relationships that give so little but demand so much. LEARN MORE
	Modern changes in the ways we interact with one another have led scientists and laypeople alike to take renewed interest in the workings of interpersonal relationships. This volume, first published in German and later revised for an American audience, takes a contemporary, interdisciplinary approach to the dynamics of interpersonal relationships. In five clearly defined sections, including those covering familial, romantic, and professional relationships, distinguished contributors address numerous examples of human interaction. This is an ideal text for graduate students in courses on human interaction and social psychology. LEARN MORE