I think I know why women outlive men usually

[Inaut]

Intended as more of a joke but there may be some truth to this as I ponder on this thought... Besides progesterone production and a host of other protective aspects, I think women generally live longer than men because they cry more frequently.... I know that may sound stupid but the action is clearly cathartic. It’s like the soul is shedding dirt.... I’d compare it to a soul shower. Thoughts???I guess this is more of a philosophical question or just complete nonsense...either way

 

[opethfeldt]

Holding in emotions is definitely detrimental. I always feel light after a good cry (very manly crying, obviously). Not sure if it'd lead to a longer life expentancy but surely keeping emotions in is stressful and we all know what stress does for longevity.

 

[baccheion]

I'd guess it's due to menopause. Sex hormones oppose thymus/immune function and such. Same with eunuchs living longer: lower sex hormones.

 

[InChristAlone]

I'd guess it's due to menopause. Sex hormones oppose thymus/immune function and such. Same with eunuchs living longer: lower sex hormones.

I'd disagree menopause makes us live longer. That lack of estrogen turns a woman into a very needy, crabby old lady no one wants to be around. But she can maintain a youthful air about her by really embodying what it means to be a woman. Feeling and receiving love and expressing her heart. If she goes over to her masculine side she probably won't live as long.

 

[YourUniverse]

Your tears are full of stress - cortisol, prolactin. You are crying into better times. Deep, uncontrollable sobs are the real magic.

 

[Inaut]

Your tears are full of stress - cortisol, prolactin. You are crying into better times. Deep, uncontrollable sobs are the real magic.

Well(s) put ?

 

[Doc Sandoz]

Your tears are full of stress - cortisol, prolactin. You are crying into better times. Deep, uncontrollable sobs are the real magic.

Precisely

 

[Explorer]

Your tears are full of stress - cortisol, prolactin. You are crying into better times. Deep, uncontrollable sobs are the real magic.

So tears when exiting the body through crying can actually get rid of those stress hormones?

 

[Riesensackteil]

I think it is Endotoxin in - Endotoxin out
When you eat more, you likely ingest more Endotoxins.

Peat:
“The maladaptive sequence, starting from stress or hypothyroidism, would typically involve increased absorption of endotoxin, leading to interference with mitochondrial respiration, a shift to fat oxidation, inflammation, and the increase of a wide range of stress hormones. Each of these happens to interfere with the production of progesterone, leading to increased LH.”

“Another process with potentially deadly results that increase with aging and stress, is the passage of bacteria from the intestines into the blood stream.”

“The intestine is source of toxins,, and some studies have found considerable life extension by keeping the intestine free of bacteria. At the beginning of the 20th century, Elie Metchnikof (The Nature of Man, 1894, Prolongation of Life; Optimistic Studies, 1907) believed, basing his ideas on comparative biology, that intestinal toxins caused aging by disrupting the immune and endocrine systems’ functions in tissue maintenance and renewal. He noticed that the intestine of short-lived herbivore such as rabbits had a strong odor of putrefaction and a great variety of bacterial species, but that the intestines of long-lived birds such as parrots and ravens had no unpleasant smell, even when he had fed the ravens with rotting meat, and contained only a few species of bacteria.

Metchnikof’s ideas about intestinal toxins as a source of sickness and aging were widely attacked in the US medical journals. In 1907 he wrote “Even at present there are critics who regard me as incapable of sane and logical reasoning.””

Ever noticed the common phenotype people who bald early have? Bloated belly, skinny fat, eyebags, sparse brows, bad bone structures, problems with plaque, tartar and dandruff. In general prematurely aged

 

[YourUniverse]

So tears when exiting the body through crying can actually get rid of those stress hormones?

Ya, this is my understanding.

 

[Explorer]

Ya, this is my understanding.

I guess I will have a new practice to do from now on ?

 

[YourUniverse]

I guess I will have a new practice to do from now on ?

I think prolactin and its combined effect with "female" or emotional hormones like estrogens, make crying easier, which echoes @Inaut 's original sentiment that women cry more. I'm not sure forced or fake crying would have the same effect.

 

[Explorer]

I think prolactin and its combined effect with "female" or emotional hormones like estrogens, make crying easier, which echoes @Inaut 's original sentiment that women cry more. I'm not sure forced or fake crying would have the same effect.

So when the Prolactin goes up too high it could be a body's natural response mechanism to induce crying to detoxificate it perhaps

 

[YourUniverse]

So when the Prolactin goes up too high it could be a body's natural response mechanism to induce crying to detoxificate it perhaps

I think prolactin rises during severe stress and probably specifically emotional turmoil, which in turn allows for easier access to these emotions. When allowed to flow freely and naturally, results in tears - access and reset.

 

[Jennifer]

I practice some form of releasing daily (besides digestively lol) and think many forms of release can be health promoting such as crying, laughing, singing, bag breathing, dancing around like a maniac, hitting a pillow or punching bag, even speaking our truth. For me, often stuffing down my words and feelings or saying yes when I meant no or even worse, when I meant “H*ll no!”, had me accumulating a lot of damaging energy. It was like a form of self-imposed oppression. I believe there is truth to the expression of getting something off one’s chest. For years, I’ve wondered if chronically stuffing down words is an energetic assault to the thyroid or “throat chakra.”

 

[Beastmode]

I'd disagree menopause makes us live longer. That lack of estrogen turns a woman into a very needy, crabby old lady no one wants to be around. But she can maintain a youthful air about her by really embodying what it means to be a woman. Feeling and receiving love and expressing her heart. If she goes over to her masculine side she probably won't live as long.

Explain the lack of estrogen if you don't mind. I'm a bit confused. I always thought it was a lack of progesterone that occurs and the inability to oppose the estrogen becomes it's own vicious circle.

 

[Nebula]

Intended as more of a joke but there may be some truth to this as I ponder on this thought... Besides progesterone production and a host of other protective aspects, I think women generally live longer than men because they cry more frequently.... I know that may sound stupid but the action is clearly cathartic. It’s like the soul is shedding dirt.... I’d compare it to a soul shower. Thoughts???I guess this is more of a philosophical question or just complete nonsense...either way

Seems more a symptom of something else, but anecdotally my grandma who grew up during the great depression without a mom held her emotions in her whole life to an unhealthy level yet she still lived to almost 90.

I think male hormonal balance can be more fragile because the gonads are external. Temperature fluctuations causing them to overheat, so optimal progesterone and androgen production can start to crash as an adult. Maybe because primates evolved in the tropics male gonads are best adapted to an outdoor temperature of constantly around 80 and no clothing trapping heat.

Male gonads may also acquire deficiencies easier than female gonads due to frequent ejaculations when under a suboptimal metabolism and blood flow, also affected by temperature.

 

[TheSir]

I'd guess it's due to menopause. Sex hormones oppose thymus/immune function and such. Same with eunuchs living longer: lower sex hormones.

From what I understand, eunuchs live longer not because sex hormones are harmful, but because sperm production is a very taxing process. Whereas to women sexual loss happens once a month, men often waste away their sexual essence daily. Highly androgenic celibates on the other hand are known to live long lives comparable to the eunuch.

So tears when exiting the body through crying can actually get rid of those stress hormones?

I agree. When I was withdrawing from substance abuse, I would experience waves of anxiety which would build up gradually, until eventually the tightness would transform into flowing sadness and bouts of crying, after which I would feel relieved.

 

[Ben.]

Maybe this is just another random idea but ...

do you guys know the saying "it takes a village to raise a kid"?

What if chronically ill people need a village to become healthy? In the sense of having alot of people around being empathetic and show genuine interest and effort in a person getting healthy again.

One of the most difficult things on my health journey other than some realy bad symptoms, is that noone believes me. No friends, no families, no doctors.
The moments where i am vulnerable and manage to talk with someone and feeling understood can lift the mood and the mental state insanely well. On the other hand being percieved and treated like a wierdo or outsider or being met with annoyance in times of desperation realy worsens the condition (obviously).

---

One could assume crying or having a shoulder to cry on can defenietly upregulate mechanisms (like the opposite of a traumatic event - a satisfied event?) helpful to both health and longevity. Woman are better at this as they are in general more social, maybe because they need it more for survival? From a hormonal standpoint they are also less inclined to take risks/show aggresive behaviour if we would compare it on a statistical scale.

I like how cjm put it:

Empathy is a nutrient!

 

[Inaut]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the perspectives :)

my grandmother who lived through WW2 and walked across Europe always said that when you are alone in a quiet place, it’s good to cry. It’s always stuck with me but I’ve become so emotionally cut off from years of self induced trauma that it’s a hard thing to do...I almost balled my eyes out yesterday ending a 2 1/2 year addictive relationship with my girl. I felt better after it but still need an uncontrolled version of it...sorry if this is tmi