{"data":{"id":"20bd54f9-709d-4dce-a33b-9fc46566200f","updated_at":"2024-10-09T13:30:58Z","template_id":"73046548-86ec-431a-aca0-75b53bc936f3","localized":{"blocks":[{"id":"aaad849d-89ce-40fa-9db1-6381c5117649","author":null,"kind":"quote","template_id":null,"quote_html":""Take two friendships and call me in the morning."","quote_text":"\"Take two friendships and call me in the morning.\""},{"id":"bfc12bd4-7ab7-451a-b48e-68afd6625a28","kind":"richtext","template_id":null,"content_html":"

That is the remedy that Dr. Paul Tang prescribes to his lonely patients. Dr. Tang, a national expert on health care quality is among a growing number of professionals touting the benefits of social bonds.

For years, psychologists, scholars and medical doctors have sounded the alarm bells around loneliness, arguing that it should be recognized as an epidemic and a national health crisis.

And it is indeed a crisis.

Loneliness ravages the brain and body and causes some major harm. Did you know;

Obesity increases your odds of an early death by 20 per cent but loneliness increases your odds by 45 per cent
Social isolation is as bad for your health as is smoking 15 cigarettes a day or being an alcoholic.

And if you think you’re covered because loneliness only happens to isolated seniors, think again.

Loneliness effects everyone. It does not discriminate. It takes both the young and old hostage. And it doesn’t care much about gender, sex, race or ethnicity.

Interestingly, you are not inoculated from loneliness because you are surrounded by people.

In fact, it’s possible to feel lonely even when you're around people. If you don't feel those around you understand you, or if you fear that they wouldn't like or accept you if they knew the 'real' you, then being in a room full of people, or having 500 Facebook friends won’t make your lonely feelings go away.

And it’s that prolonged feeling that places the brain and body at risk.

The late John Cacioppo, the world’s foremost authority on loneliness, equated feeling lonely with feeling hungry. We compromise our survival and well-being when either is ignored. We are biologically hardwired to respond to our environment. When we experience low blood-sugar levels, we crave food. When we feel lonely, we desire connection.

So, what is the antidote to loneliness?

Seek out connection: We all need a tribe!

Loneliness is an evolutionary signal that something is going wrong, and it presents as a painful pang to get our attention. Just as hunger is a sign to seek out food, loneliness is a sign to seek out connection.

Because the desire for contact can be so overwhelming, lonely people tend to dominate conversations, speak more than they listen and neglect to show interest, concern or empathy for others. The lonely brain has difficulty engaging in mutual exchange because it’s terribly occupied with its own needs.

The key here is to appreciate that loneliness is best solved by engaging in interactions that benefit both parties. And to ensure that we don’t make these interactions one sided, start by seeking out experiences in which you serve others.

For example, think about volunteering at a soup kitchen. The experience of helping others and the gratitude expressed by the recipients of your assistance will in turn result in what researchers refer to as the helper’s high. That is helping another person has the added benefit of making us feel that our lives matter and have purpose!

To your health and longevity.

Dr. Gill

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If yes, join us on an 8-week journey into the world of brain science and successful aging!","seo":{"description":null,"title":null},"subtitle_text":null,"title_text":"Join Us for the Brain Booster Challenge!"},"_links":{"template":"/api/public/docs/v2/templates/73046548-86ec-431a-aca0-75b53bc936f3","_self":"/api/public/docs/v2/contents/719c7b33-8c73-442f-993c-7f45ce3e66d2"},"canonical_domain":"boomingencore.com","published_at":"2024-09-01T22:58:00Z","category_ids":[],"visibility":null,"canonical_url":null,"show_published_at":false}},"categories":{"1515aa8b-b46d-4cbf-8635-ecbddf1f34e2":{"id":"1515aa8b-b46d-4cbf-8635-ecbddf1f34e2","updated_at":"2024-03-06T16:55:39Z","localized":{"name":"CONTRIBUTORS","locale":"en"},"svg_icon":null}},"templates":{"73046548-86ec-431a-aca0-75b53bc936f3":{"id":"73046548-86ec-431a-aca0-75b53bc936f3","key":"article-with-sidebar","updated_at":"2025-07-09T18:51:23Z","localized":{"name":"News with sidebar","locale":"en"},"_links":{"_self":"/api/public/docs/v2/templates/73046548-86ec-431a-aca0-75b53bc936f3"},"enabled_fields":["title_html","subtitle_html","lead_html","visual","authors","blocks"]}},"block_templates":{},"profiles":{"02f24fa6-c7a7-48fd-992e-c189d38cbec7":{"id":"02f24fa6-c7a7-48fd-992e-c189d38cbec7","kind":"person","updated_at":"2024-09-21T00:09:23Z","other_name":null,"localized":{"locale":"en","description_html":"

Susan Williams is the visionary founder of Booming Encore. With over 28 years of experience in corporate senior leadership and executive roles, she realized there was a significant gap in resources for those seeking a purposeful and healthy later life. Driven by her passion to make a difference, she decided that if she couldn't find it, she would create it and launched Booming Encore in 2013.

Since then, the Booming Encore has organically grown into a globally recognized authority on retirement, aging, and longevity. Susan’s commitment to empowering individuals is further reflected in her co-authorship of Retirement Heaven or Hell: Which Will You Choose? and her contributions to Longevity Lifestyle by Design.

An engaging speaker and advocate, Susan passionately shares the importance of all the aspects that can help people positively live, embrace and contribute in their later years. Today, she’s not just helping others create their own “booming encore”—she is actually living hers. Join her on this inspiring journey and also live your best booming encore!

","description_text":"Susan Williams is the visionary founder of Booming Encore. With over 28 years of experience in corporate senior leadership and executive roles, she realized there was a significant gap in resources for those seeking a purposeful and healthy later life. Driven by her passion to make a difference, she decided that if she couldn't find it, she would create it and launched Booming Encore in 2013.Since then, the Booming Encore has organically grown into a globally recognized authority on retirement, aging, and longevity. Susan’s commitment to empowering individuals is further reflected in her co-authorship of Retirement Heaven or Hell: Which Will You Choose? and her contributions to Longevity Lifestyle by Design.An engaging speaker and advocate, Susan passionately shares the importance of all the aspects that can help people positively live, embrace and contribute in their later years. Today, she’s not just helping others create their own “booming encore”—she is actually living hers. Join her on this inspiring journey and also live your best booming encore!","summary_html":"

Founder, Booming Encore

","summary_text":"Founder, Booming Encore"},"profile_type_id":"9822821d-c96a-4ece-a318-c42ca4715c88","first_name":"Susan","last_name":"Williams","pronoun":null,"avatar_image_url":"https://assets.boomingencore.omerloclients.com/community/ed43bb2b-6424-4ae7-b162-7f389c6f1f20.jpg"},"8439f42f-e0ec-4401-b650-79a1f91163f1":{"id":"8439f42f-e0ec-4401-b650-79a1f91163f1","kind":"person","updated_at":"2024-09-11T17:40:00Z","other_name":null,"localized":{"locale":"en","description_html":"

Gillian Leithman, PhD specializes in soft skills training – that is the people side of business. She has facilitated programs for some of Canada's premiere businesses and organizations such as Bell Canada, TD Canada Trust, Telus, Business Development Canada, SAP, Moody's, the RCMP and Exxon Mobil.

Gillian is passionate about translating scientific research findings into practical everyday skills and strategies that people can use to become more effective, successful and happy humans!

Her expertise and research lie in helping employees’ transition from work to retirement. Both her Master's and PhD focussed on the aging workforce, and the retirement transition. She has extensively interviewed and surveyed pre-retirees and retirees, and has first hand knowledge of their experiences, which led her to create a pre-retirement program for those transitioning out of work and into retirement (don't be fooled she doesn't necessarily think you should retire!). Gillian is also the co-creator of The Certified Professional Retirement Coach Designation, which certifies people to become retirement coaches.

Gillian's groundbreaking pre-retirement programs feature the latest social science research, combined with practical and proven coaching methods to help those nearing or newly retired successfully adjust to a new life phase.

","description_text":"Gillian Leithman, PhD specializes in soft skills training – that is the people side of business. She has facilitated programs for some of Canada's premiere businesses and organizations such as Bell Canada, TD Canada Trust, Telus, Business Development Canada, SAP, Moody's, the RCMP and Exxon Mobil.Gillian is passionate about translating scientific research findings into practical everyday skills and strategies that people can use to become more effective, successful and happy humans!Her expertise and research lie in helping employees’ transition from work to retirement. Both her Master's and PhD focussed on the aging workforce, and the retirement transition. She has extensively interviewed and surveyed pre-retirees and retirees, and has first hand knowledge of their experiences, which led her to create a pre-retirement program for those transitioning out of work and into retirement (don't be fooled she doesn't necessarily think you should retire!). Gillian is also the co-creator of The Certified Professional Retirement Coach Designation, which certifies people to become retirement coaches.Gillian's groundbreaking pre-retirement programs feature the latest social science research, combined with practical and proven coaching methods to help those nearing or newly retired successfully adjust to a new life phase.","summary_html":null,"summary_text":null},"profile_type_id":"9822821d-c96a-4ece-a318-c42ca4715c88","first_name":"Gillian","last_name":"Leithman","pronoun":"Dr.","avatar_image_url":"https://assets.boomingencore.omerloclients.com/community/c38b3d2d-61f3-42f9-b8fc-d7fa3f545567.jpeg"},"b3931b21-70c3-40f1-848b-a9d092c202b4":{"id":"b3931b21-70c3-40f1-848b-a9d092c202b4","kind":"person","updated_at":"2024-01-10T18:56:10Z","other_name":null,"localized":{"locale":"en","description_html":null,"description_text":null,"summary_html":null,"summary_text":null},"profile_type_id":"18fe8bf4-3b27-47cc-a692-a20265164868","first_name":"Nancy","last_name":"Argus","pronoun":null,"avatar_image_url":null}},"profile_types":{"18fe8bf4-3b27-47cc-a692-a20265164868":{"id":"18fe8bf4-3b27-47cc-a692-a20265164868","key":"author","kind":"person","updated_at":"2024-06-19T00:48:19Z","localized":{"name":"Author","locale":"en"}},"9822821d-c96a-4ece-a318-c42ca4715c88":{"id":"9822821d-c96a-4ece-a318-c42ca4715c88","key":"contributors","kind":"person","updated_at":"2024-02-27T21:26:34Z","localized":{"name":"Contributors","locale":"en"}}}}}