Less stress and feelings of joy, of course, but can these seemingly simple effects give us a clean bill of health at our next doctor’s appointment? It’s possible.

Luks reports that many people who gave back experienced fewer headaches and backaches as well as help with weight control, sleeplessness, infections, stomach acid, arthritis, lupus, asthma and coronary heart disease. Many of these symptoms are initially caused by stress and even loneliness. When individuals begin spending time helping others in their community, stress levels drop, and so do many symptoms of illness.