By Patience Gondo
A simple hug can calm the body, ease stress and even protect the heart , if only people remember to connect.
That is the message from Dr. Maketo, who told Beitbridge women during the International Women’s day that oxytocin the so called love hormone, is the invisible thread that binds communities together.
“Oxytocin helps people stay calm under pressure,” she said .
“It encourages patience, empathy and understanding all the things that make life in a tough environment bearable.”
While the hormone is best known for helping mothers bond with their newborns, scientists such as Janice Kiecolt-Glaser and Karen L. Grewen anTaylor have shown its effects go far beyond childbirth.
Regular social connection a hug, a comforting word, even a smile triggers oxytocin, lowering stress, protecting the heart and boosting overall wellbeing.
Dr. Maketo said without these connections, people may feel isolated or irritable.
“Communities that lose touch with each other risk more than loneliness,” she said.
“They risk their health and their relationships.”
For the people of Beitbridge, where daily life can be unforgiving, the solution is simple a small act of kindness. A hug. A smile. A word of support.
Sometimes, that small gesture carries the power of a life saving medicine.