How Your Mind Controls Your Immune System

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Today’s Health Upgrade

• If you didn’t win the genetic lottery

• A funny treatment for dry eyes

• How you mind controls your immune system

Longevity 
So, You Didn’t Win The Genetic Lottery

Genetics plays a significant role in how long you might live. But suppose you didn’t win the genetic lottery. The multi-billion dollar longevity industry will push you towards “biohacks” and expensive products while avoiding the one thing most likely to help you add years or decades to your life.

A worldwide study found that building strength is the best-kept secret to living longer.

The new study analyzed participants from 28 countries and found that muscle strength in older adults is directly linked to a lower risk of early death. This adds to a growing body of evidence that resistance training and strength is the ultimate anti-aging tool.

Researchers investigated the association between muscle strength and all-cause mortality in adults over 90, the oldest age group often excluded from longevity studies.

Instead of thinking of strength as lifting a certain amount of weight, the research suggests that maintaining strength — and continuing to exercise into old age — is significantly linked to a lower risk of mortality from all causes. 

Even when you adjust for usual variables like health conditions, strength has a protective effect against death. 

This aligns with prior research, which found that those with lower muscular strength have a potential 30 to 50 percent increased risk of mortality compared to those with higher muscle strength.

If you want to age well, any resistance works, whether bodyweight exercises, bands, or weights. Aim for 2 to 3 sessions a week to build and maintain muscle. And remember, it’s never too late to start—research suggests you can build strength into your 90s, which will give you the resilience to stay active and independent longer and improve your life expectancy.

If you need help, try the Pump app. When you sign up for an annual membership within the next week, you’ll receive a $100 gift card to Momentous and a free copy of The Pump Diet ($19.99). This offer ends in one week. Every membership includes a 7-day trial, so you can try it out risk-free. 

Health
On Our Radar: A Funny Treatment For Dry Eyes

If you’re having trouble with dry, itching, or burning eyes, there might be something as good or better than eye drops. 

A recent clinical trial found that a little bit of laughter is all it takes to make your eyes feel a little better — and it has an additional long-term upside.

In the study, researchers assigned 299 people with dry eyes to perform a modified type of laughter therapy or use standard eye drops for 8 weeks. For the laughter therapy, participants were told to repeat the following phrases: “Hee hee hee, hah hah hah, cheese cheese cheese, cheek cheek cheek, hah hah hah hah hah hah” 30 times while exaggerating their facial expressions. It's not exactly hard science, but the goal was to replicate the facial movements of laughter — if not get people to laugh outright at the sheer goofiness of it all.

Researchers found that laughter therapy improved symptoms of dry eyes by 28 percent, which is the same improvement as the eye drop treatment. And unlike the eye drops, these improvements continued for 4 weeks after the laughter therapy was stopped.

It appears that laughter stimulates the glands in the eye responsible for making tears, and these glands are often under-stimulated in people with dry eyes. If you have eye pain or no access to eye drops, making yourself laugh is all it takes.

Mindset 
How Your Mind Controls Your Immune System

We’ve all heard the saying, “mind over matter,” but putting the cliche into practice might help you avoid sickness.

Research suggests that your thoughts and feelings influence your immune system’s ability to function properly and keep you healthy. 

The study examined how emotional experiences, such as stress, joy, and sadness, are tied to immune responses. Researchers found that negative emotions, especially chronic stress, can suppress immune function, leading to higher susceptibility to illness. 

On the flip side, positive emotions—like happiness, gratitude, and a sense of purpose—can boost immune markers, improving your body’s natural defenses.

The study is just one in a long line of research that connects your thoughts to your health. For example, chronic stress is linked to elevated cortisol levels, a hormone that suppresses immune function over time. And people who reported higher levels of joy and satisfaction have stronger T-cell activity (critical for fighting infections) and better-regulated inflammatory responses.

This doesn’t mean you can’t be sad or angry. Instead, it’s about awareness to avoid rumination or staying in a negative state of mind. Research suggests that merely recalling your anger can reduce the antibody immunoglobulin A — your first line of defense against illness — for up to six hours.

The research emphasizes the importance of psychological well-being, showing that mental health interventions like mindfulness, therapy, or even small acts of kindness can enhance immune function and performance.

The next time you feel stressed, take a few minutes to meditate or practice gratitude. If you lack joy, connect with loved ones, spend time in nature, exercise, or watch your favorite comedy special or sitcom. Even small efforts to improve your emotional state can help support a healthier immune system.

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell