The unique and emotional bond between women is about more than connecting with other women. These relationships can also have an impact on women's health.

Women all over are recapturing something that had been lost and forgotten for far too long. Becoming increasingly busy with organizing kids, careers, husbands, and the household, women have forgotten to nurture and organize the one thing that has remained constant in their lives—friends.

During childhood, the main source of companionship for women was girlfriends. But time changes everything. The older women get, different circumstances enter the picture, like boyfriends. Suddenly, ‘Bobby’, the cutest boy in school, is given priority over friends, the people who have remained constant—no matter what. But it doesn’t get better as different stages of life are entered and girlfriends are put on the backburner.

Connecting with Friends

Women are realizing the invaluable connection between women as websites for women grow, and merchandizing parties (candle parties, sex toy parties, pole dancing parties) geared towards women become more popular.

Women want to renew that bond with other women. They want to make the connection. They want to gain back the part of themselves that was lost when ‘Bobby’ came into the picture. These parties are only an outlet for women to interact with other women.

According to Dianne Ruth, PhD, female friendships can be extremely powerful.

“Friends eliminate isolation and loneliness. Having a friend is what keeps us sane, makes us laugh and allows us to be who we need to be. We empower each other and appreciate each other when no one else will. Sharing ourselves with another woman contributes to our emotional well being.” But the relationship must be a solid one to feel safe enough to open up to another woman. She believes that good relationships between women are the ones where listening, trusting and not keeping score are involved.

Healthy Friendships, Healthy Body

Being able to connect with women on various emotional levels can assist in lowering blood pressure, heart rate and cholesterol.

And since stress wreaks havoc on blood glucose levels, healing, bone density and the aging process, friends are able to counteract its detrimental effects as indicated in a Harvard Medical School—Nurse’s Health Study. The more friends a woman has, the less likely she is to develop health problems as she becomes older. Therefore, more friends equal more joy.

Friends Decrease Stress Levels

Friends act as the catalyst when helping another woman deal with stress. The reason for this is because a female’s body functions in a unique way compared to a man’s.

One UCLA study suggests that female bonding activities assist with the management of stress. The study, done by Dr. Laura Cousino Klein and Dr. Shelley Taylor, discovered that women react to stress differently than once was thought. Until recently, studies had shown that, when stressed, the body releases hormones that activate the flight or fight response. But new findings suggest that women are the exception to the rule.

According to Drs. Klein and Taylor, “Women handle stress by nurturing children or reaching out to other women for bonding and solace.” This is definitely not the flight or fight reaction that was once postulated.

In Touch with Emotions

When a woman is stressed, the hormone, Oxytocin, is released, which helps keep stress levels at bay. But when a stressed woman is interacting with children or other women, more Oxytocin is released, which provides an increased sense of calm, decreasing stress levels significantly.

Women are more in touch with emotions, which is what all relationships are based on.

Women also understand that one day they may be alone without an intimate partner, so they develop friendship-forming skills.

Now is the time to go out and celebrate your awesome connection with your female friends. Unite and make your relationships stronger—it’ll do your body good.