As you're cutting valentines, wrapping chocolates, or buying roses (hint, hint) consider this research proving that love:

1. Boosts immune system - People in love are less likely to get flu and cold viruses, plus their wounds heal faster.
 

2. Reduces stress - When we're in a loving relationship, our adrenaline glands produce dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) hormone, a stress reducer.

3. Promotes mental health - The calming effect of DHEA helps restore nerve growth, which improves memory recall. (Maybe I need to love even more!)

4. Reduces pain - Love activates the pain control part of the brain.

5. Fights cancer - Cancer patients with loving relationships develop more white blood cells, which help fight cancer.

6. Lowers blood pressure - Happily married people have better blood pressures than singles or those unhappily married.

7. Reduces heart diseases - People who express feelings of affection have significantly lower cholesterol levels, lowering risk of cardiovascular diseases.

8. Increases life span - Lack of love can cause social isolation which increases the risk of early death by nearly five times. Married people live longer, have shorter hospital stays and fewer doctor's visits!

9. Keeps us young - DHEA also acts as an 'anti-aging' hormone, producing feelings of youth and vitality. Endorphins produced by a body in love increase blood flow to the skin, helping to reduce wrinkles. (Aha!)

10. Blesses our spirits - All major religions extol the importance of loving God, our neighbors, and, yes, ourselves.

So What Does Love Have to Do With It? Apparently everything! Love is good medicine! Perhaps it's true. All You Need is Love.

For all the love you give and the good you do with your loving hands and hearts, I want to thank you this Valentine's Day. For that I sincerely say,

"I Honestly Love You!"