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A Happy Heart Works Like Medicine · WholeHeart Conversations

• 0:00
  Constance: What comes to your mind when you hear the word medicine?
• 0:04
  Constance: What comes to my mind is I think of something that helps you to heal, side effects, cost, and long-term consequences.
• 0:16
  Constance: According to the Oxford Online Dictionary, medicine is defined as the science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.
• 0:32
  Constance: And that usually involves some type of drug that we have to ingest, and those drugs have a cost.
• 0:39
  Constance: In a research article published in Demography Research Journal on October 1, 2023, Jessica Hull, a PhD, cited that newborns in 2019 could be expected to take prescription drugs for roughly half of their lives.
• 1:07
  Constance: And in addition, by 2026, prescription drug spending is projected to hit $875 billion or 15.4% of national health expenditures.
• 1:30
  Constance: That's a lot of people taking a lot of drugs for a significant period of time at a huge cost.
• 1:38
  Constance: But did you know that the Bible has a medicine that doesn't cost a thing?
• 1:46
  Constance: You're listening to Wholeheart Conversations, a podcast especially for women to receive biblical encouragement that fosters resilience through the practical application of God's Word.
• 2:01
  Constance: I'm your host, Constance Lavonice.
• 2:04
  Constance: Proverbs chapter 17, verse 22, says a cheerful heart is good medicine.
• 2:14
  Constance: In some translations, it has a merry heart or a joyful heart.
• 2:21
  Constance: But this is a happy heart.
• 2:24
  Constance: A happy heart is good medicine.
• 2:29
  Constance: And how do we have a happy heart?
• 2:33
  Constance: Remember, our heart is our mind, will, and emotions.
• 2:39
  Constance: How do we have a happy heart?
• 2:42
  Constance: We immerse ourselves in good things that God has in your life, things that make you laugh, things that make you smile, those things that create feelings of happiness and joy.
• 2:56
  Constance: Do you have a pet?
• 2:58
  Constance: Who are the people that make you smile or laugh?
• 3:03
  Constance: What activities do you enjoy or used to enjoy that made you laugh and smile?
• 3:10
  Constance: Think of the games that you used to enjoy when you were younger.
• 3:16
  Constance: Happiness is a state of mind and you can intentionally implement it in your life.
• 3:24
  Constance: Also, remember that you have the fruit of the spirit.
• 3:30
  Constance: So if you have a relationship with Jesus Christ and He is your Lord and Savior, you already have the fruit of the Spirit, and one of those fruits is joy.
• 3:47
  Constance: So all you have to do is appropriate it so that you can have a joyful heart.
• 3:56
  Constance: And how is a happy heart good medicine?
• 4:00
  Constance: Every thought and emotion that we have carries a chemical reaction, and chemical reactions affect our bodies and our nervous system.
• 4:12
  Constance: Happiness releases dopamine and other feel-good neurotransmitters and hormones.
• 4:20
  Constance: They activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the calming, rest and digest part of our autonomic nervous system, which decreases inflammation in the body and creates a sense of calmness and peace, the peace that God wants you to have in relation to Him.
• 4:43
  Constance: So, one of the ways to avoid stress and stress-related health conditions is to have a cheerful, happy heart.
• 4:53
  Constance: Engage in activities and with people that bring joy and laughter intentionally.
• 5:01
  Constance: And don't forget your spirit.
• 5:04
  Constance: Immerse yourself in the Word of God.
• 5:07
  Constance: Joy comes from the Lord when we know Him and have a relationship with Him, which permeates into your soul, your mind, will, and emotions, which is your heart, and it has a positive impact on our body.
• 5:26
  Constance: So this week I want to encourage you to engage in an activity or with a person or thing that makes you laugh or smile and experience joy intentionally because in God's omniscience, a joyful heart is good medicine and is absolutely free.
• 5:54
  Constance: And if you've heard anything helpful, please subscribe and share with a friend and text the show to let me know what's on your heart.
• 6:06
  Constance: Research Reference:
• 6:06
  Constance: https://read.dukeupress.edu/demography/article/60/5/1549/382305/Life-Course-Patterns-of-Prescription-Drug-Use-in