Gratitude as Medicine: What the Science Really Shows

What if one simple daily practice could improve your mental clarity, emotional resilience, and even your physical health—without costing a dime or carrying any risk?

Gratitude may be one of the most overlooked—and most powerful—tools for improving our overall health. In this timely holiday episode of Wellness Connection MD, Dr. Jim McMinn and Coach Lindsay Mathews take a deep, evidence-based look at gratitude as a practical, accessible wellness practice. With no cost, no equipment, and no downside, gratitude is something anyone can begin today—yet research shows it can meaningfully improve mood, resilience, relationships, sleep, stress physiology, long-term health outcomes, and so much more. 

Together, they explore:

• What gratitude really is (and what it’s not)
• The science behind gratitude and brain function
• Research linking gratitude to lower anxiety, depression, inflammation, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and cardiovascular risk
• How gratitude can help people cope more effectively with chronic illness, stress, and loss—even when it can’t “cure” disease
• The powerful overlap between gratitude, spirituality, meaning, and resilience
• Practical ways to build a gratitude practice that actually sticks

Dr. McMinn also shares a personal reflection on how an intentional gratitude practice helped him cope with his own health challenges. Dr. McMinn and Coach Lindsay are not preaching a belief system, but instead, they are sharing solid science and lived experience.

You’ll walk away with clear definitions, real research, and practical tools including gratitude journaling, meditation, prayer, acts of loving kindness, gratitude letters, mindful walks, and guided resources—plus tips on how even a few minutes a day can begin to shift perspective and well-being.

This episode is especially meaningful during the holiday season, a time when stress, loneliness, grief, and depression often increase beneath the surface of “holiday cheer.”

Whether you’re thriving or struggling, healthy or facing illness, gratitude can become a powerful addition to your personal wellness toolbox.

👉 Additional gratitude resources, apps, and guided practices are available at McMinnMD.com (Documents → Gratitude Resources).

Wellness Connection MD remains a commercial-free, evidence-based conversation designed to empower you to become a better captain of your own health.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Today’s Focus
• 2:15 Why Gratitude Matters Now
• 4:08 Defining Gratitude And Practice
• 5:09 A Personal Story Of Change
• 5:45 Mental And Emotional Benefits
• 8:16 Awe, Wonder, And Relationships
• 8:43 Brain Changes And Neurobiology
• 9:11 Physical Health And Longevity
• 11:13 Sleep, Stress, And Biomarkers
• 12:18 Gratitude And Spiritual Wellbeing
• 15:16 Coping With Illness And Caregiving
• 17:33 Practical Tools And Daily Rituals
• 20:08 Journaling Tips That Actually Stick
• 22:05 Letters, Meditation, And Kindness
• 24:09 Make It A Lifestyle, Not A Task
• 26:13 Honest Gratitude Amid Hard Times
• 28:01 Final Takeaways And Resources
• 31:16 Closing Thoughts And Next Steps

Transcript

SPEAKER_02: 0:00

Hello and welcome to the Wellness Connection D podcast. I'm Dr. Jim McNan. What if I told you there's a tool that is totally free with no side effects and can lower your risk of death, improve your heart health, help you sleep better, reduce anxiety and depression, lower your cholesterol, improve your blood sugar, and literally rewire your brain, as well as so many other benefits. On this episode of our podcast, Coach Lindsay and I dive into the science behind the practice of gratitude and why it might be the most underutilized tool in healthcare. We'll bring you the solid scientific evidence to support the benefits of a gratitude practice in your life, and as always, we keep it practical. We'll share with you techniques and resources to start or improve your own gratitude practice. This simple yet powerful tool can radically change your outlook on life and improve your health in mind, body, and spirit. So stay tuned and enjoy the show.

SPEAKER_00: 0:49

Welcome to the Wellness Connection MV Podcast with Dr. McMahon and Coach Lindsay, where we bring you the latest up-to-date evidence-based information on a wide variety of health and wellness topics, along with practical take-home solutions. Dr. McMahon is a registered and i and certified health coach. Together, optimize your health and wellness.com to our podcast player. And now, on to the show with Dr. McMahon and Coach Lindsay.

SPEAKER_02: 1:44

Hello and welcome to the Wellness Connection MD Podcast. Thank you so much for joining us today. I'm Dr. Jim McMahon. I'm here with our very own amazing coach Lindsay Matthews. Today we bring you the evidence-based podcast with honest, commercial-free, unbiased, up-to-date information about functional integrative lifestyle and wellness medicine. Our goal is to empower you with practical solutions to help you become a better captain of your ship when it comes to your health. Well, good morning, coach. It's great to see you again.

SPEAKER_01: 2:13

Good morning, good morning. Good to see you. Good to be back with all you listeners. Today, we're talking about a simple but powerful concept, and that is gratitude. I think this topic has been greatly undervalued and underutilized as a tool in mind, body, and spirit health. It has no risk associated with trying it. It has proven benefits. It's accessible to everyone anytime. You don't have to buy any equipment or join a gym. And in fact, it's completely F-R-E-E-free, all of our favorite word, and it doesn't cost a single penny. What more can one ask for, Dr. Mack?

SPEAKER_02: 2:57

Yeah, it's pretty amazing, isn't it, Coach? Uh yeah, regular gratitude practice can improve our lives in so many ways in good times, and also gratitude helps us focus and cope better in bad times, like when we're facing illness. And coach, I want to make a point here that on this podcast, I'm not trying to preach a belief system to anybody. We're coming at this from a very scientific, evidence-based point of view. However, as we move forward, we'll see that gratitude does overlap with spirituality.

SPEAKER_01: 3:23

Yes, absolutely. We feel that this topic is especially important during the holidays. The holidays are framed as a joyful time, but the research consistently shows that in reality, that's not always the case. The data reveals that during the holidays, we have more stress and anxiety, more depression, grief, loneliness, feelings of loss, and the suicide rates are even higher during the holiday season. So we bring this podcast to you in a timely fashion, right between the gratitude holiday, of course, Thanksgiving, and here we go, right before Christmas. We hope that this will brighten your mood and keep you healthier during the holidays and into the new year.

SPEAKER_02: 4:08

So let's make sure we're all on the same page by starting with a couple of just simple definitions. Gratitude itself may be defined as recognizing and appreciating the good things in life, both uh big and small. It's more than just saying thank you, it's a deeper awareness of what you've received and whether that kindness comes from others, experiences that shaped you, or even challenges that helped you grow. A gratitude practice includes structured, repeated actions we take to notice, record, acknowledge, appreciate, and express the things that we're grateful for. It's about turning gratitude into a regular habit and being acutely mindful of it rather than leaving it as an occasional afterthought or ignoring it altogether. It's about being intentional, about pausing to notice the positives, even the little things in life, and to feel more appreciation for them.

SPEAKER_01: 4:54

The research is crystal clear and it reveals that gratitude practice can genuinely transform our mental, emotional, spiritual, and even our physical health. We're gonna lay it all out for you on the show today.

SPEAKER_02: 5:07

Well, coach, this topic is a bit personal to me. I've not discussed this on the show before because my health is not what the show is about. But for the past few years, I've been dealing with some of my own health issues, which uh quite frankly have significantly affected my life. I really struggle with it, especially mentally and emotionally. And uh, however, I started an intentional gratitude practice last year, and I can tell you unequivocally, it has helped me cope with my situation, and I think it's really given me a better outlook on life in general. So I'm excited to share that uh with others on this podcast today.

SPEAKER_01: 5:37

I know our listeners appreciate your vulnerability in that, Dr. Mack, and your personal testimony that gratitude works. We're gonna cover a lot of basis in this episode, but let's start with some of the mental and emotional benefits of a gratitude practice. And as we always do, we're gonna keep it evidence-based. So, in that vein, a large review of 64 randomized controlled trials found that gratitude interventions, like journaling, gratitude letters, or other practices consistently led to improved mood, reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression, and overall better mental health.

SPEAKER_02: 6:15

Other studies have revealed additional benefits, including better relationships, increased social support, more pro-social behavior, better emotional regulation, improved resilience, more generosity and willingness to help others, increased subjective happiness and healthier lifestyle choices, such as a better diet, more exercise, and more restful sleep, all of which synergize to support better overall health.

SPEAKER_01: 6:41

It seems like we sometimes fall into that trap of nitpicking and focusing on what's wrong with our loved ones, friends, or coworkers around us. But instead, when you really intentionally focus on what you appreciate in that person and what you're grateful for in that relationship, you're literally training your brain to see and reinforce the good in that relationship. And that tends to show up in how we treat that person too, which can then significantly improve the whole quality of the relationship.

SPEAKER_02: 7:16

You know, because just thinking about gratitude and taking folks for granted, just the simple stuff. Like I walked into the kitchen this morning and there's my wife. We've talked about her before, Dr. Show. We can take that for granted. But I I've had a couple of good friends lately who have lost their wives. And so it really puts things in perspective. When you appreciate that, you don't take them for granted anymore, right? You really appreciate, okay, it's just such a a a blessing to have her there in my life. And that kind of speaks to the fact that many of us don't stop to appreciate the awe and wonder of the everyday little things in life until we don't have them anymore. We take them for granted. One of my all-time favorite musicians, Joni Mitchell, wrote a song about this called Big Yellow Taxi, where she says, Don't always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone. We've paved paradise and put up a parking lot. Well, isn't that true? I'd love to sing it for you, coach, but I'm afraid we'd lose all of our listeners, so I'll spare you today. You know, coach, it's easy to stand at the edge of the Grand Canyon or look up at Mount Everest and feel awe and wonder, but if you just allow your mind to shift gears and look at the world through the gratitude lens, you can find awe and wonder in the everyday stuff of life. You know, coach, who was great at the awe and wonder stuff was one of the smartest dudes ever, and that was Albert Einstein. He believed that awe and wonder are essential to truly living and thinking. He stated that it was the source of both science and art, warning that those who lose the ability to pause and wonder are as good as dead, their eyes are closed. Anyway, in another major study, the folks who participated in a gratitude practice had a follow-up brain scan, which showed heightened activation of the medial prefrontal cortex, the area involved in emotional decision making.

SPEAKER_01: 8:55

So what's happening here is that gratitude literally changes the architecture of our brain. It's like gratitude is to the mind as exercise is to the muscles. Pretty powerful, Doc.

SPEAKER_02: 9:09

Yeah, that's pretty cool, isn't it? Yeah. So now that we've talked about some of the mental and emotional things, let's move on to some of the bodily benefits of gratitude. And let me start with a caveat by saying that gratitude is not a magic cure, but mounting research shows that it can be a potent adjunct to our health care plan by influencing how we respond to stress, chronic disease, pain, and the wear and tear of life. Now, coach, when it comes to health, uh there are a few things that are more important than life or death. Would you agree?

SPEAKER_01: 9:36

Agreed.

SPEAKER_02: 9:37

So a 2024 study found that those with the highest gratitude scores had a roughly 9% lower risk of death in the next three years compared with those with the lowest gratitude scores. The reduction was most marked in those deaths from cardiovascular disease. Uh so wow, coach, 9%. That's nothing to sneeze at.

SPEAKER_01: 9:54

Absolutely. And just to think, again, a free practice that is accessible to everybody can have that kind of an impact on death. So gratitude appears to actually influence heart and stress physiology. Regular gratitude practices correlate with lower blood pressure, improved heart rate variability, and slower breathing, which is an index of calmness in the nervous system. A recent study found that even a few minutes of gratitude journaling daily improved heart rate variability within just three weeks' time, meaning gratitude directly supports a calmer, more resilient nervous system. Studies also show that people who engage in a regular gratitude practice tend to fall asleep more easily, sleep longer, and wake up feeling more rested. Sign me up, right?

SPEAKER_02: 10:48

I could use some of that, coach. For sure. Other studies suggest that a regular gratitude practice tends to lower risk from some diseases, improve immunity, improve disease progression, and can result in better recovery trajectories, less fatigue, lower markers of inflammation, lower cortisol levels, lower cholesterol levels, better blood sugar control, reduce chronic pain, lower hospitalization rates, and improve overall quality of life. Well, coach, that's a mouthful.

SPEAKER_01: 11:15

It sure is. A lot of good benefits. You know, on our podcast, we're all about mind, body, and spirit health. And we've just talked about some of the mind and body benefits of a gratitude practice. So let's touch on the relationship between gratitude and spiritual health. Nearly all major religions emphasize gratitude. And gratitude often acts as both a gateway to spiritual awareness and a practice that really sustains and deepens spiritual growth. Most traditions recognize that gratitude shifts you from that ego-centric place where you're thinking, what do I lack? What do I need? to more of a grace-centered awareness. What have I been given? Opening our hearts really to awe and wonder. And by appreciating blessings, even the small everyday stuff, even amid the challenges, gratitude really can reframe suffering and it deepens resilience, which is a hallmark of spiritual growth. So often our greatest growth happens in challenge. So resilience goes hand in hand with that. The relationship between spirituality and gratitude is bi-directional. Spirituality opens the door to gratitude, and then gratitude deepens the spiritual experience. Here's kind of a quote to sum it up from Meister Eckhart. And he said, if the only prayer you said in your whole life was thank you, that would suffice. We'll talk about how to find a gratitude-based spiritual practice here in just a minute.

SPEAKER_02: 12:51

Well, Coach, I'm curious. Uh I know you're a very spiritual person. What do you think about that quote? Does that uh bring true to you?

SPEAKER_01: 12:57

Yes, I think in many ways it does. I think thank you is to me an acknowledgement of who God is and then who I am. And when I have that proper perspective, it aligns me with my purpose in life in a really meaningful way.

SPEAKER_02: 13:19

Yeah, I like that little the stuff you're talking about earlier about the how it changes perspective from a ego-centered thinking to a grace-centered thinking. I think sometimes in our prayers, for instance, we might see say things like, uh, we're ask for stuff like uh, Lord, please help Alabama beat Auburn this year, right? So we're asking about stuff, but you know, stopping to to say thank you before we start asking for stuff uh might be might be a better way to go there. I don't know. Uh but uh anyway, yeah, you mentioned awe and wonder in the everyday simple stuff around us coaching. Um I think it's a really a big part of what we're talking about here. And to me, the opposite of gratitude is just taking things for granted. And sometimes if you just pause and bring some mindfulness into a certain situation, a person, event, then or it or they stop being routine and humdrum and they become something worthy of awe and wonder. For instance, coach, I've done a bit of photography over the years, and um I find that when I walk through the woods with a camera in my hand, I have a heightened awareness of light, shapes, contrast, detail, beauty, interest, whatever. And it sometimes makes something really interesting that otherwise I would have taken for granted and passed right by without even noticing it, if I had not had that camera in my hand. So our goal is to bring some of that same mindfulness, awe, and wonder to our everyday life. So as you're going through your life and through your day, uh pretend that you have a camera in your hand or a recorder in your life. Love that idea. There we go. And it might make things a little bit more interesting and and bring a bit of awe and wonder to those everyday events. Beautiful. So, coach, who benefits from a gratitude practice? Well, we all do, in good times and bad, every day, in every stage of life, and in good times and bad. Gratitude can also be a powerful coping tool when life presents challenges, especially during times of illness, both for the patient, the caregiver, and the loved ones. And during those times of health challenges, even if gratitude can't cure illness, it can influence how we live with it. And it can be an important part of an overall wellness or treatment plan.

SPEAKER_01: 15:26

You know, anecdotally, Dr. Mack, when Tyler was really sick, before we really had a handle on how to manage things and listeners, we've done two different podcasts on my husband's recovery journey. And Dr. McMahon was so instrumental during that time period. So those ones are disautonomia-related podcasts. You can go back and check them out. But I remember just before we really kind of started figuring out how to his path to recovery. One of the things, first things that we really did that started to make an impact for both of us walking through that time was a simple practice of at night naming three things we were grateful for. And like you mentioned, Dr. Mack, it drew our attention to the things we would have passed by in the moments of dealing with so much unknown and heaviness. I just, I literally remember laying there in bed and both of us being so emotionally overwrought with the unknowns and feeling like life as we know it was totally changed. But just looking back, okay, what are you grateful for about today? Let's like name three things. And that was really huge in how we just were able to manage the whole course of his illness.

SPEAKER_02: 16:33

So because you you you did that before you went to bed at night. I tend to uh front load my day before I ever get out of bed in the morning. Yeah, uh, before I put my feet on the ground, I say uh I call it a gratitude prayer. I do it every single day, and I think it kind of helps set the tone for the day.

SPEAKER_01: 16:49

I love it. It's beautiful. Let's get back to some of that research. A report from the National Institutes of Health notes that gratitude, even in the context of serious illness like cancer, diabetes, and HIV, may help patients and caregivers by promoting emotional stability, enabling better coping with stress and loss, and help to find a sense of meaning despite ongoing suffering.

SPEAKER_02: 17:18

A Cleveland clinic study has shown that gratitude can indirectly improve resilience by reducing stress, improving sleep, lowering blood pressure, and encouraging healthier behaviors, such as better diet, more movement, stronger social support, et cetera. And these changes can make a big difference in disease progression, recovery trajectories, and overall quality of life.

SPEAKER_01: 17:38

So it's easy for us to say, go be grateful. But how do you actually do a gratitude practice? It's like your doctor telling you to go home and reduce stress without giving you a stress reduction plan. Well, as always on the Wellness Connection MD podcast, we always give you practical solutions. So some classic tools that one can use in a gratitude practice include the following gratitude journaling, writing down things you're thankful for daily or weekly, prayer, where you're expressing gratitude to a higher spiritual source or power, meditation, which is mindfulness or loving-kindness meditations that are focused on appreciation. Guided meditation focused on gratitude may be particularly helpful too, so that you can really sit in that seat and just receive and focus on the gratitude instead of trying to think it through. Gratitude letters are another great tool. Writing a letter of thanks to someone important in your life. Thank you notes, sending short notes of appreciation to others, and then of course, verbal expressions, saying thank you sincerely and often in life.

SPEAKER_02: 18:56

And some other tools include uh gratitude walks, like taking a mindful walk and noticing and appreciating your surroundings. Like yesterday evening, uh coach, I was out and about and I noticed this beautiful sort of pink and blue sky at sunset. Uh and and just stopping to notice it created just a moment of you know awe and wonder that we're talking about earlier that could have easily been missed. And visualization, mentally picturing people, events, and blessings that you're grateful for. Affirmations, repeating gratitude-focused statements uh to shift your mindset. There's something called a gratitude jar or box where you write notes of gratitude, then you collect them, and then you review them every now and then. Worksheets and prompts, which are structured exercises to support reflection, sharing gratitude with others, discussing what you're grateful for with family, friends, and groups, acts of kindness, which means expressing gratitude through service or generosity, and then things like photography and art where you capture images or create art that represents gratitude.

SPEAKER_01: 19:52

Some additional tools that you can use are daily rituals where you're incorporating gratitude into routines. For instance, like Dr. Mackie said, when you first wake up, you have the routine before meals, or for example, like Tyler and I, before bedtime, gratitude meditation apps, which have guided sessions that combine mindfulness and gratitude, making gratitude lists, which are quick bullet points of daily blessings. Simply making perspective shifts, reflecting on challenges and then what they're teaching you, what you're growing out of those challenges. And then, of course, seasonal practices, which is of course beautiful to mention at this time of year. There's a lot of great gratitude traditions around holidays, a classic one being Thanksgiving.

SPEAKER_02: 20:42

So you don't have to spend a lot of time on this. I know we're all busy people, but even just a few minutes can really rewire your perspective. And consider that expressing gratitude outwardly through things like loving kindness, expressions of kindness, love or support, strengthen relationships, as well as changes your own internal mindset. And I might say that it feels pretty good for those on the receiving end of those positive expressions. Sometimes you might be thinking some positive thoughts about whoever, your coworker, your spouse, uh whatever. But taking the next step and expressing those thoughts can make a big difference for you and for the recipient of that kindness.

SPEAKER_01: 21:17

Agreed. We're not going to bore you here with a long list of resources on the podcast, but we have put together tons of material for you that you can turn to help you get started to either get started or to improve your gratitude practice. So if you'll go to McMinnMD.com and look in the documents section, you will see lots of great info on this subject. Just look for the listing gratitude resources. We'll have lots of information on apps, podcasts, videos, books, and just about everything else that you can think of to help you get started with a gratitude practice.

SPEAKER_02: 21:54

Yeah, coach, I've got about eight pages of resources there for you. I mean, everything you can imagine. So it's really a valuable resource. And again, we're not going to list those for you today, but please do check them out. However, let's do just comment briefly on a few of those tools that we recommend. In a landmark study of gratitude, participants simply wrote down three things they were grateful for each week, and the outcomes were pretty striking. They had higher levels of optimism, lower rates of depression, more joy in their life, and better ability to handle life's challenges.

SPEAKER_01: 22:21

It's interesting that what the participants actually wrote down, it was very simple things like my dog greeted me when I got home, or the sunlight on my kitchen table. Again, gratitude awareness, it helps us notice those small moments, the simple things in life, the things that make life meaningful day to day that we often just take for granted and otherwise wouldn't notice. I think it's kind of like a childlike approach to life in many ways, Dr. McMahon. You know, we love being around children because they focus on these little things that bring them so much joy. And I think in many ways, gratitude is inviting yourself to be like a child again.

SPEAKER_02: 23:03

There you go. I agree. You know, the thing you mentioned about my dog greeted me when I got home. Uh, we are uh keeping my daughter's dog for her, and he's a doodle. You have a doodle as well. And uh he's just such a joyful dog. And every time I come home, it's like I'm the greatest hero in the world.

SPEAKER_01: 23:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_02: 23:19

So we're gonna give him back to my daughter in a couple weeks. And uh, that was happening so soon. We're we're gonna miss him. I'm counting down the days. And so it's it's really precious to have that kind of greeting every time you come home. Some other studies suggest that journaling can be more effective if we get a little bit more specific. For instance, instead of just writing down family that you're grateful for, if you kind of get into more detail, like say, I'm grateful for my sister calling me today, I felt seen and supported, and it reminded me that I'm not alone in what I'm going through. And that more detailed process helps your nervous system better register the positive experience.

SPEAKER_01: 23:57

Another tip is that you don't have to journal every day. Studies actually suggest that writing in a gratitude journal three times per week might have a greater impact on our happiness than journaling every day. Interesting.

SPEAKER_02: 24:13

That's really interesting. So again, you don't have to spend a whole lot of time on this. The discussion reminds me of a classic jazz melody, uh, coach. You you know what jazz is? You ever heard of jazz? I mean you guys are probably into it. What are you into these days, Taylor Swift or whatever? I don't know. Uh but anyway, uh, it's an old melody that I I I love and I play on my violin. It's called My Funny Valentine. Have you ever heard of it, Coach?

SPEAKER_01: 24:33

I have not. No. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02: 24:35

You gotta go back and check it out. But anyway. It's really a beautiful tune. And in the song, the crooner states that uh every day is Valentine's Day with you. It's a sweet thought. Anyway, I'm going, I don't know, I'm here to coach, to by letting folks know that I helpless romantic at heart. And I might lose my macho credentials over this. But anyway, uh the cat's out of the bag now. So what's that got to do with gratitude? Well, well, similar to every day is Valentine's Day with you, when you go through your world every day looking at the world through gratitude glasses, every day becomes Thanksgiving Day. You don't just pause one day a year to be thankful. You become thankful in every moment of every day. It's kind of cool and it's sort of a joyous mindset to to be in, and it's accessible to everyone. I'm just saying, coach, it's powerful.

SPEAKER_01: 25:20

Yes, I love that. Everyday Thanksgiving Day. That's good. Gratitude letters can also be very helpful. You choose someone who's made a difference in your life but whom you've never really thanked properly. You might choose a teacher, mentor, parent, friend, or healthcare worker who showed up for you in a key moment. You write them a letter describing what they did, how it affected you, and why you're grateful. Then you send it to them, or even better, you read it to them in person or over the phone. Trials show that this kind of exercise can create a significant boost in happiness and decrease depressive symptoms, sometimes lasting weeks or longer. Interestingly, even if you never deliver the letter, the act of just writing it can be therapeutic.

SPEAKER_02: 26:11

And to don't you know how meaningful that will be for the recipient also. Guided gratitude meditation, we talked on that earlier, but that can also be very beneficial. And the nice thing about it, you just have to kick back and listen, and they'll guide you through the whole process.

SPEAKER_01: 26:24

Easy peasy. Another important tool is performing acts of kindness or helping others. Our sense of gratitude grows when we reach outward, helping others, volunteering, supporting someone less fortunate, or just purposefully making the world a better place.

SPEAKER_02: 26:41

And yes, coach, a grateful heart and compassionate actions often go hand in hand. I think there's a big overlap between loving kindness and gratitude.

SPEAKER_01: 26:49

Agreed. And let me just say a bit about a gratitude prayer and the spiritual side of this discussion. One simple strategy is to dedicate a specific part of your daily prayer time to gratitude. Before asking for anything, spend time naming specific people, experiences, opportunities, or even challenges that you're grateful for, almost like a spiritual inventory of blessings. Some people keep a gratitude psalm or section in their prayer journal where they record answered prayers or moments of grace. And it's good to move slowly enough to actually feel the appreciation in your body. Some studies show that people who cultivate both gratitude and spiritual well-being often report more meaning, more hope, and a better coping with illness, which in turn connects to better mood and even some biological markers like lower inflammation. The research shows that spiritual well-being and gratitude tend to rise together, and that combination is linked to better mood and resilience during illness or stress.

SPEAKER_02: 27:57

So we've listed a few tools here for you, and there are many more in the uh gratitude resources document that I have on the web for you. But which one is best for you? It's the one that you'll actually use and enjoy and stick with for the long haul. That's the key. Gratitude is not a one-time flash in the pan, fix it type of thing. Gratitude ideally over time becomes a way of life. One thing that can help you stick with it is having a daily ritual or anchor point, like we talked about earlier, the first thing in the morning or when you go to bed at night. And that can sort of help you stick with it. And it also, once again, can set the tone for the day.

SPEAKER_01: 28:31

Great. I think a lot of habit forming always often teaches you to pair habits together. So, like you're saying, before you get out of bed before your feet hit the ground, you have that connection. Or, you know, for for us, it was before we go to bed. And we've been teaching our kids that too. Like right at bedtime, we we do our gratitude practice with them. So pairing it with something that you're already doing regularly.

SPEAKER_02: 28:54

Yeah, and that that's a good word, uh, coach, a gratitude practice, because uh I think for gratitude is not just for religious people. And there are a lot of people who are what I call spiritual, but not necessarily belonging to an organized religion. So I think that the word gratitude practice may be a better uh word there.

SPEAKER_01: 29:09

Yeah. A few final pearls as we wrap this up. Gratitude works best when it's honest, heartfelt, and grounded. Gratitude doesn't mean ignoring hard truths, it means recognizing flickers of good even amid darkness. It means acknowledging the small stuff that brings meaning and grace to our lives.

SPEAKER_02: 29:31

Nick Coach read a great book about Steve Jobs, uh, of course, the founder of Apple. He said one of the greatest things that ever happened to him was getting fired from Apple. I don't know if you know that story or not, but it's really interesting. On the one hand, it was devastating for him to be fired from the company that he created. And it was also very challenging at the time. But when he looks back on it, he said this really liberated him and allowed him that opportunity to reinvent himself. And this resulted in the most creative, productive, and happiest time of his life. So even in our darkest times and greater challenges, if we look at the situation through a gratitude lens, we can often find hope and meaning. Now, if Mr. Jobs had been with my wife, Dr. Cheryl, she would have told him, things always turn out for the best. She used to say that to me all the time, even on my darkest days, used to drive me crazy and make me all grumpy. But I just want to bite her head off when she said it. But anyway, over the years, I hate to admit it, but I've learned that she's usually right on this issue and also just about everything else, Coach.

SPEAKER_01: 30:34

Dr. Cheryl is a fountain of wisdom. So, whatever stage of life you're in, and whether you are healthy or dealing with illness or stress, we encourage you to give gratitude a try. Add it to your therapeutic toolbox. Start small, pick one of the practices we described: journaling, meditation, prayer, whatever works for you. The main thing is to be consistent and stick with it. Just commit to trying it for 30 days. Then at the end of the month, do an inventory and see how you feel. See if it shifts your mood, your resilience, your relationships, and maybe even helps your sleep and reduces your stress levels. The results may be subtle, but hopefully you will see some movement in the right direction.

SPEAKER_02: 31:21

You know, coach, uh, it's pretty simple. If you stick with it, and if you're like most folks, you'll find it brings more joy, calmness, appreciation to your life and those around you. And the evidence suggests it might even make you a bit uh healthier physically along the way. You know, coach, uh, I've learned a couple of things from playing playing the violin and also from learning Spanish. You know, sometimes from day to day you can't see a difference. Like if you if you start a gratitude practice, and let's say you you list three things you're grateful for when you go to bed at night, you may not notice like the next day, wow, things are better. It's but you have to just sort of trust the process. If you kind of stick with it and keep doing it, then then at some point you'll look back on and say, uh, gee, yeah, I'm feeling a lot better these days. And like with my violin, I I I I may not notice if I practice today that I'm better tomorrow, but over six months I've noticed, yeah, I've improved. Or with Spanish, I've six months I'm better. So you have to just, as I said, trust the process and stick with it, be consistent, and eventually you notice it can have profound effects on your life. So, coach, let me close our discussion of gratitude with a quote from the great Roman philosopher Cicero. He said, quote, gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, it is the parent of all the others, end quote.

SPEAKER_01: 32:34

I'm gonna have to think on that nugget for a while, Dr. McMahon. The parent of all other virtues. That's pretty profound.

SPEAKER_02: 32:42

It is, it is.

SPEAKER_01: 32:43

Um well, with that, we'll wrap up this edition of the Wellness Connection MD. Thank you so much for listening. I hope that we were able to share something with you that informed and inspired you.

SPEAKER_02: 32:56

And if you like the show, please help us out by taking a moment to rate us on iTunes. These reviews really do help make a difference for us.

SPEAKER_01: 33:03

Also, if you like the podcast, then take a moment today to let a friend know about it and help us spread the word about evidence-based, holistic, functional, lifestyle, and integrative medicine.

SPEAKER_02: 33:14

We're trying to build a tribe of people who are passionate about this type of medicine, and we hope you'll join the tribe.

SPEAKER_01: 33:20

If you'd like to reach out to us to comment on the show or to make recommendations for future topics, then you may do so at drmcmin at yahoo.com.

SPEAKER_02: 33:30

And if you'd like to view a transcript of the show, then you can go over to McMinn Md.buzzsprout.com. That's B-U-Z-Z-S-P-R-O-U-T dot com, and you'll find the uh complete transcript right there. And now, coach, can you leave us with one of your wonderful coach, Lindsay Pearls of Wisdom?

SPEAKER_01: 33:49

Well, listeners, if you leave with something today, I would encourage you to think about the idea we mentioned earlier that gratitude is a workout for the brain. Every time you pause to notice something good, you're strengthening the neural circuits that support calm, resilience, and emotional balance. And just like exercise shapes your body, gratitude shapes your biology, shifting your nervous system out of stress, lowering inflammation, improving sleep, and even supporting longevity. It's simple, it's free, and with a little daily practice, you literally train your brain and body toward healthier, more resilient living.

SPEAKER_02: 34:28

Well, thank you, Coach. I love your pearls of wisdom. I always learn so much from you. And that should do it. Until next time, stay curious, stay informed, keep it real, and remember small actions can lead to big changes. Take the first step towards better health.

SPEAKER_01: 34:42

In closing out our gratitude podcast, I would like to let you know that we are so very grateful to our listeners, and we wish you all a joyful and meaningful holiday season. This is Coach Lindsay signing out.

SPEAKER_02: 34:57

And this is Document Men. Take care and be well.