FROM MY HEART HUG CHALLENGE   

Program 10  

“Hugging rejuvenates and invigorates and has absolutely no side effects” 

What Is it all About? 

The Seniors “From My Heart Challenge” 

Hug Your Way To Better Health 

The “Give A Little Love Challenge” Program 

The Lucky Square Contest 

The “Pick Me” Contest 

A Hug Challenge Fundraiser 

Wear a “HUG BUTTON/TSHIRT/HAT”   

Some “Love and Hug Words of Inspiration” From Ordinary People 

 

What is it all About? 

SOSOPWORLD created the “From My Heart Hug Challenge” because we are all looking for great ways to boost our immune system, reduce our stress, improve our sleeping pattern and even cure depression? We need to consider hugging. Hugging rejuvenates and invigorates and has absolutely no side effects, because there is no medicine involved. No medicine is no worry, no pesticides or preservatives, no artificial ingredients and no worries at all. Unlike electronic cures for ailments there are no check-ups required, no energy consumption, the price won’t go up, it won’t cause you to gain weight, no one can steal it or tax it and it doesn’t pollute. Hugging is almost perfect. Need more convincing? There are many great reasons why you should hug and allow yourself to be hugged every single day. 

 

                       The Seniors “From My Heart Challenge” 

                                 

The “From My Heart Challenge” with its slogan “Have You Hugged A Senior Today” was created to challenge everyone worldwide to “Give from Their Heart?” We here at sosopworld.com challenge you to give something of value (not just money) to support the organization, (see list of suggestions below) then you challenge two or more of your friends and family to either match your gift or do one better. Your challenge is not limited to friends and family, how about individuals or departments at work, or companies, or clubs, schools the list is endless. 

We all know the old saying, “A Journey of a Thousand miles starts with a single step.” SOSOPWORLD is asking you to be that first step, so send out that challenge that will go around the world over and over again. 

 

Here is a list of ways to give 

If you are celebrating a special occasion such as a birthday, Valentine’s Day, wedding etc. why not ask for money or something from the list instead of presents for you. 

• Gift Cards 

• Services – Pre-paid work from a electrician, carpenter, plumber, etc. 
• Tickets to – live stage shows, theater or admission to a museum or local/provincial historical site. 
• Trips – mini vacation across town, or a major vacation to a faraway place. 
• Seniors mobile aids – wheelchairs, walkers, canes, etc. 
• Drugstore needs – personal needs such as diapers, vitamins, etc. 

• Pay a bill – rent, electrical, groceries, travel, etc. 
•  Appointments – cab vouchers, etc. 
• Group giving – a group pools their money and buys a major gift, such as: a home renovation, a major appliance, vehicle, etc. You are limited only by your imagination.     

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

 

    “You make a living by what you do, but you make a life by what you give”   

 

Hug Your Way To Better Health 

“A hug a day just might keep the doctor away” 

 Stacey Colino – Feb. 3 2016 

Hugging “is a marker of intimacy and helps generate the feeling that others are there to help in the face of adversity.” 

Could a hug a day keep the doctor away? The answer may be a resounding “yes!” Besides helping you feel close and connected to people you care about, it turns out that hugs can bring a host of health benefits to your body and mind. Believe it or not, a warm embrace might even help you avoid getting sick this winter. 

In a 2015 study involving 404 healthy adults, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University examined the effects of perceived social support and the receipt of hugs on the participants’ susceptibility to developing the common cold after being exposed to the virus. People who perceived greater social support were less likely to come down with a cold, and the researchers calculated that the stress-buffering effects of hugging explained 32 percent of that beneficial effect. Even among those who got a cold, those who felt greater social support and received more frequent hugs had less severe symptoms. 

“Hugging protects people who are under stress from the increased risk for colds [that’s] usually associated with stress,” notes study lead author Sheldon Cohen, a professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania. Hugging “is a marker of intimacy and helps generate the feeling that others are there to help in the face of adversity.” 

Some experts attribute the stress-reducing, health-related benefits of hugging to the release of oxytocin, often called “the bonding hormone” because it promotes attachment in relationships, including between mothers and their newborn babies. Oxytocin is made primarily in the hypothalamus in the brain, and some of it is released into the bloodstream through the pituitary gland. But some of it remains in the brain, where it influences mood, behavior and physiology. 

How hugging fits in: “When you’re hugging or cuddling with someone, (he or she) is stimulated by pressure receptors under their skin in a way that can lead to a cascade of events. The hugging and oxytocin release that comes with it can then have trickle-down effects throughout the body, causing a decrease in heart rate and a drop in the stress hormones cortisol and norepinephrine. In a 2011 study of postpartum mothers, researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill found that higher oxytocin levels were associated with lower cardiovascular and sympathetic nervous system reactivity to stress. A 2005 study from the University of North Carolina found that premenopausal women who got more frequent hugs from their partners had higher oxytocin levels and lower blood pressure than their peers who didn’t get as many hugs. 

Moreover, in some studies involving animals, “oxytocin has been found to diminish inflammation following acute stroke and cardiac arrest,” notes Greg Norman, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Chicago’s Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience. 

There’s also some evidence that oxytocin can improve immune function and pain tolerance. A 2010 study from Ohio State University found that couples with more positive communication behaviors have higher levels of oxytocin and they heal faster from wounds. More recently, a 2015 study from King’s College in London found that oxytocin has analgesic effects, leading to a reduction in perceived pain intensity and lower pain ratings when participants were subjected to brief radiant heat pulses that were generated by an infrared laser. 

On the mood front, oxytocin is known to increase levels of feel-good hormones such as serotonin and dopamine, which may be why it has calming effects. “It reduces depression and anxiety, and it may have an effect on many disorders,” Field says. In fact, a 2010 study from Ohio State University found that when socially-housed animals were treated with a pharmacological agent that inhibited oxytocin signaling, they exhibited an increase in depressive-like behavior. 

The take-home message: Just because we may catch a few germs, that’s no reason to keep your distance from people you care about. “Like diet and exercise, you need a steady daily dose of hugging,” Field says. But the quality of the hugging counts, too. “If you get a flimsy hug, that’s not going to do it,” Field says. “You need a firm hug” to stimulate oxytocin release. 

Getting a firm, feel-good hug before going into a stressful situation (such as giving a presentation at work or going for a worrisome medical examination) could even help you stay calm, cool and collected during the event because your oxytocin levels are likely to stay elevated. A 2012 study from The Netherlands found that when oxytocin is administered nasally, saliva levels of the hormone stay high for more than two hours. 

Of course, you won’t actually know if your oxytocin level shoots up with hugging, but don’t sweat it. The hug itself is likely to make you feel supported and cared about. “I suggest not worrying too much about the oxytocin portion, since what really matters is how these interactions impact emotional well-being,” Norman says. “Good feelings can come by just believing in the power of oxytocin.” 

 

“Let’s keep this simple, hug someone today” 

 

 

The “Give A Little Love Challenge” Program 

“what’slovegottodowithit”  

What is it? 

The “Give a Little Love Challenge “is a way for us to look deep into our hearts and find out why we need to give and receive love! We’re asking for you to join the conversation on your social media sites with “#what’slovegottodowithit” and share with others your stories, images and videos. It’s important to give and feel loved, so let’s spread a little today! Share your content with us and be featured on our website and maybe even win a little prize or two.  

 

How Do I Share? 

It’s Easy! Join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Check back here to see what’s trending and how others view love. Don’t forget to use #what’slovegottodowithit. 

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

 

Where Do I Start? 

Be sure to check out the calendar below to see what the hot topic of the week will be! If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us at any time, with your questions, comments, suggestions or concerns? We’re always here to answer! Comment on any of our #what’slovegottodowithit social media posts, or contact us at: sosop@rogers.com 

 

Enter the challenge on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram  

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

Week
What We Love To Do
Let’s talk about all the stuff we love to do with family, friends and even strangers like, hiking, cooking, alone time, family games; you name it! 

 

Who We Love
Tell us all about the loved ones in your life: your spouse, family, friends and pets. 

Week
3 

How We Feel Love
It’s important to both give and receive love. Share what makes you feel loved: a handwritten note, a phone call, flowers, etc.? 

Week
4 

Why We Love
Let’s bring it all together and focus on why it’s important to love! 

 

The Lucky Square Contest 

The “Lucky Square” contest was created to allow all sosopworld.com members a chance to win prizes. 

How it works 

A grid is created with squares inside. Along the top of the square are numbers from 1 to 26 and the letters of the alphabet A to Z are written down along the side of the square.  

If a member has ticket “B-8,” they can go to the letter “B” and count over to number “8” they will win the corresponding prize in that square. 

Players will be chosen at random from the sosopworld.com membership.   

 

 

The “Pick Me” Contest 

The “Pick Me” contest was created by sosopworld.com to reward their members with prizes (randomly picked) when they buy products or services from sosopworld.com or one of their partners, sponsors, or advertisers.   

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

 

A Hug Challenge Fundraiser 

“HAVE A HUG PARTY” 

Everyone is asked to throw an “ONLINE HUG PARTY.”  These parties can be online, at your home, at a restaurant or anywhere 3 or more people get together. 

You can get your school, work, clubs, organizations etc. to join in. 

All monies raised will go to support the over 21 programs of sosopworld.com. Please go to the “sosopworld.com” homepage and choose your program and then follow the instructions on how to donate.  

Your support of this “Fundraising Project” will insure that the management, staff and volunteers of sosopworld.com will be able to fulfill their promise that:  

 

“NO SENIOR WILL EVER WALK ALONE” 

“Thanks for caring about the seniors of this world” 

 

 

Get your “HUG BUTTON/TSHIRT/HAT” today 

Buttons, Tee’s, Sweat Shirts, Hats, Coupons and more… 

All products will have the sosopworld.com logo with a saying underneath:  

• I need a “HUG”  

• I’m a “HUGGER” 
• I’m a “HUG EXPERT” 
• I’m a “HUGTOLGIST” 
• I LOVE to give “HUGS” 
• A “HUG A DAY”, keeps the “BLUES AWAY” 

• Just HUG me!  
• Can I give you a little Hug? 
•  Let’s trade “My Hug for your Smile” 
• “Hugs” have put my arms to work  
• I have an extra HUG, do ya want it? 

• I’m not happy, till I give and get a few Hugs 
• 100 Hugs have no calories 
• Hugs are “Glucose Free”  
• You don’t like Hugs, “Really”  

 

A “FREE” coupon download 

 

 

 

 

Some “Love and Hug Words of Inspiration” From Ordinary People  

 

Note: 

To have your say, just fill out the form below and send it to us: 

Place the “Love and Hug Words of Inspiration” form here 

 

Jean (location unknown)  

Yes, hugs make you feel wonderful! We as human beings are connected in many different ways and one of them is through the expression of appreciation, love and touch. Through hugs we connect not only physically, but mentally and emotionally having a big impact in our immune system and our state of well-being. Hugs are part of our social behavior and is feels great to the person that it gives it as well to the person that receives it. So please make sure you hug someone today for your own benefit and for the benefit of the one who is receiving it. It’s a win-win situation. 

As someone who never leaves home without her “Free Hugs sign” and who has had amazing, deep connections & conversations with people all across the world of all ages, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds (including purposefully seeking out the homeless and hugging them; remember we are all human) I agree emphatically! YES, Hugs boost our immune system and make us feel good. Every time we hug, we release oxytocin which as you said boosts the immune system, and lowers blood pressure as well as decreasing stress. my little card board sign saved my life and others many, many times. 

 

With Respect 

The SOSOPWORLD Team