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Human love, often regarded as both an essential means toward human prosperity and crucial to human fulfillment, has been largely passed over in the history of evolutionary science. In the last several decades, however, biological sciences and evolutionary theory have seen an increase of interest in altruism and other forms of love. On a biological level, the detrimental effect of stress on an individual's health is well known and documented. Cardiovascular, hormonal and immune systems are important to a person's well-being, and stress can negatively affect these pathways. Similarly, it has been surmised by some scientists, that the mechanism by which altruistic love affects health, occurs through stopping the stress response, or, on a scientific level, through activating positive neurotransmitter pathways in the brain. For example, the benefits of a healthy romantic union
have been carefully studied for decades. It has been
a widely known fact, that statistically, those who
are happily partnered, live longer than their single
counterparts. The health benefits include lower rates
of heart failure, cancer and other diseases, due, in
part, to the development of a stronger network of emotional
support. For example, in a healthy romantic union, two people share maintenance tasks, and have twice as many resources to deal with daily demands. Conversely, a single head of household is more likely to confront an overload of too many demands without sufficient resources – the common definition of stress. Just as healthy romantic unions provide a multitude
of benefits, unhealthy relationships can have negative
health consequences, such as a higher degree of depressive
symptoms, all of which contribute greatly as a source
of an enormous source of stress. Many aspects of healthy romantic unions contribute
to stress reduction, such as: Cohabitation provides economic benefits in that partnered
couples can live more cheaply by sharing rent or mortgage
costs, utilities, groceries and household expenses,
as well as health insurance, than can single persons.
In these ways, coupledom may enhance health by improving
financial stability. The results of the positive behavioral changes on health include non-smoking, lower incidence of alcoholism, and behavior that leads to sexually transmitted diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) study in 2004, the only exception to general
health benefits, appeared to be weight control. Studies
have shown that partnered adults, particularly men,
weigh more and have higher rates of obesity than do
single adults. People who have never been partnered
are the least likely to be obese.
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