The Most Important Vitamin for Good Health: Vitamin F

Sustainable Healthy Living, by Sheila Mullen – May 19, 2012

I had the chance to travel to see an old friend. Her husband had been on extended travel. I thought my purpose was to give her an extra set of hands to clean, feed, hold and entertain her children and maybe squeeze in a pampering pedicure. I have known and admired my friend for over 20 years. She is beautiful, fabulous, brilliant, quick witted, compassionate, loving, determined and (of course my favorite) a bit mischievous. We were fast friends and have remained so despite the many miles between us. 

My “do good” sojourn (and quite frankly, a selfish escape from my seemingly never-ending to-do list) turned into an unforgettable lesson about the meaning of true friendship: to laugh together during the joys and celebrations of life and comfort during life’s challenges. I know a little rain must fall in everyone’s life, but upon arrival I began to understand the tsunami that had just swept through her life. I witnessed her unwavering strength to hold her world together. I realized quickly that my true mission was to be a place of peace, solitude, reinforcement, non-judgment, knowing when to speak and when to just listen. During our visit, I saw the color come back to her face, her shoulders relax a bit and glimpses of peace begin to twinkle back in her eyes.  She had never been more beautiful to me.

As a health coach I spend lots of time with my clients discussing the importance of our relationships and how they relate to our well-being. We don’t pick our family, but we do choose our friends and they choose us. Without question good friends are good for our health.   

Dr. Oz calls them Vitamins F (for friends) and counts the benefits of friends as essential to our well-being. Research shows that people in strong social circles have less risk of depression and terminal strokes. If you have a steady stream of Vitamin F it can take up to 30 years off your real age. The warmth of friendship stops stress and even in your most intense moments it decreases the chance of a cardiac arrest or stroke by 50%. I am blessed to have an abundant flow of Vitamin F! Each of my Vitamin Fs are wildly different, but all extremely important at different times and purposes. Most of all I am privileged to be a friend to many amazing people who allow me to join them on different parts of their journey.

Reach out today; give one of your very special Vitamin Fs a big hug and truckloads of love and gratitude. Like good health, don’t take your Vitamin Fs for granted; they need to be taken often. In return you will be healthier, wiser and infinitely more peaceful. 

Be well. 

About Sheila Mullen – The founder of Continuous Motion Consulting, Sheila is passionate about engaging friends, family and community in improving their lives and the lives of those around them. Sheila spent more than 20 years in technology sales, marketing and development. She also has a background in organizational development, innovation and executive wellness coaching.