Sally Duplantier, a philanthropist, gerontologist, and expert in healthy aging, shared the science of why giving makes us and our communities healthier at a special event hosted by the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Bay Area. Sally is the founder of Zing, a wellness education and coaching company that helps build healthier nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress habits. “When you give to someone, when you are kind to someone, when you do something out of the goodness of your heart to help people, it feels good,” Sally added.
Beyond simply feeling good, however, Sally shared scientific evidence about how giving provides positive health benefits. Sally’s perspective on giving is holistic and grounded in her work to inspire people to live a healthy, meaningful life.
First, giving makes us happier from a physiological perspective. “Giving increases hormone levels of serotonin and oxytocin, which are our feel-good hormones. It also increases levels of dopamine, which is tied to the reward center.” In addition, increases in these hormones improve our self-esteem. The increase in serotonin and oxytocin is the physiological reason why giving feels good. When we donate to RMHC Bay Area to support sick children, it improves our health, too, through these increased feel-good hormones and self-esteem.
Second, true giving from the heart decreases stress by reducing cortisol levels in the bloodstream. Stress has numerous adverse effects on the body, including muscle tension, chronic headaches, hypertension, increased cholesterol levels, and more. Thoughtful, heartfelt giving can reduce your chances of experiencing the adverse physical effects of stress on the body.
Third, giving has a “multiplier” health effect. While giving produces health benefits at the individual level, Sally explains that it’s more impactful than that. Sally explains, “Through giving, we help the staff give to the families accessing Ronald McDonald House services. We help parents give to their children. So, it’s this multiplier health effect, which I think is quite powerful.” Thus, the impact of a single gift reaches far beyond the individual. It can help hundreds of families seeking services through Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area, which makes for a healthier community.