Do you realize that loneliness and social isolation can be as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day?

Nowadays we watch what we put into our bodies, what we eat and if we exercise, a lot more than we pay attention to the people we let into our lives. Why?

We think what we eat affects our biochemistry more than the things we experience externally. That’s not true, the people that surround us influence our physiology just as much as the things we consume.

As humans, social interaction is essential to every aspect of our health and it’s in our nature to form social relationships.

We require one another for survival.

Having a strong network of support enhances both emotional and physical health and is an extremely important component of adult-hood.

3 facts that you must be aware of:

· Having friends and other social connections is good for your health and wellbeing.
· Being lonely or isolated can affect your mental and physical health.
· Older people who remain connected with others and have strong relationships are likely to have a better quality of life

How’s your social health? Let’s test it: