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When is the last time you were hugged?

"Cuddling may be good medicine for the heart. A brief hug and 10 minutes of handholding with a romantic partner greatly reduce the harmful physical effects of stress, according to a study reported over the weekend at the American Psychosomatic Society meeting here. Loving contact before a tough day at work "could carry over and protect you throughout the day," says psychologist Karen Grewen with the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.”
“This is the latest of many studies suggesting humans are "hard-wired" to thrive as social animals, says Tiffany Field of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School. Field's research shows touch lowers output of cortisol, a stress hormone. When cortisol dips, there's a surge of two "feel good" brain chemicals, serotonin and dopamine.”

Brain chemicals may be the case, but, all I know is that hugging heals. We instinctively embrace someone in pain, whether emotional or physical. There is nothing like the relief of hugging someone you have been worried about, the sweet hug of a child, the embrace of a loved one you haven’t seen in a while.

What about the inspiration for the Australian "Juan Mann"? It was non other than a man from the US, formerly of Miami South Beach, and now in Atlanta, GA, Jason Hunter.

FREE HUGS was inspired by founder Jason Hunter’s mother Mrs. Josephine Clayton Hunter who passed away in 2001. Sitting at his mother’s funeral service, Jason listened as almost every speaker shared how Mrs. Hunter loved hugging people and letting them know how much they matter. Touched by the speakers, Jason acted on this inspiration and walked the streets of his hometown, Miami’s South Beach, with a sign that simply stated “FREE HUGS”. Hence, FREE HUGS was born.

Read about the Hugging saint is compassion in action.

Watch the video of Juan Man giving free hugs.

Watch the free hugs video in Korea.

Watch the video of the free hug founder Jason Hunter.

And don't forget to hug!

~ source HartsvilleToday