Optimism...

Looking on the bright side is more than a tool for taking life’s ups and downs in stride. An optimistic outlook is also good for your health, according to new research.

“Thought patterns and mindsets are the most intimate parts of our experience,” said Dr. Alan Rozanski, lead author of a meta-analysis on optimism.   "We have known for a few decades now that there's a relationship between psychological factors and heart disease.”

The new meta-analysis, which examined 15 studies on optimism and health and utilized data from 229,391 individuals, found that a person’s tendency to think positively about the future was linked with a 35% lower risk for heart disease, and a lower risk of death.

Rozanski, a cardiologist in New York, thinks a better application of the new optimism research might be to offer pessimism treatment as part of cardiac rehab programs.

Here it is. Just a thought.