The idea was to block the rabbits' arteries, duplicating the effect this diet has on human arteries.
Consistent high-cholesterol results began to appear in all the rabbit groups (poor bunnies!), except one group - which seemed strangely protected from heart disease and stroke. Nothing in this group of rabbits' physiology could account for why they had such a high tolerance to the toxic diet, until the lead scientist discovered that the student in charge of feeding this particular group, had been cuddling the bunnies.
Before the student fed each rabbit, she would cuddle and pet it for a few minutes. Astonishingly, this alone seemed to enable her “cuddle bunnies” to overcome the effects of their toxic diet.
Repeat experiments, in which one group of rabbits was treated neutrally, while the others were loved, had similar results.
“The mechanism that causes such immunity is quite unknown - it is baffling to think that evolution has built into the rabbit mind an immune response that needs to be triggered by human cuddling.”
So, apart from making sure you cuddle your bunny before feeding it a Big Mac, what is the importance of this “psychological immunological mechanism”? And could this mechanism, in fact, be love?
Many recent studies have shown that kindness, connection and happiness are key to our health and cellular ageing*. That chronic loneliness increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and premature death.
We often put a lot of emphasis on what we eat and how we exercise to stay healthy. But I wonder if perhaps - up front and centre - should be how we love? Perhaps love is our greatest power of all?
“Where there is love there is life"
"All you need is love"
Love, Jo x
* Check out The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer by Nobel Prize winner Dr Elizabeth Blackburn and health psychologist Dr Elissa Epel, for the latest ground-breaking science at the heart of ageing.
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