The Thanksgiving holiday is all about being grateful for what’s present in your life — and giving thanks can also provide an unexpected health boost.

Practicing gratitude has been shown to improve people’s mood and mental health, according to experts.

In a conversation with Fox News Digital, M. David Rudd, PhD, distinguished professor of psychology at The University of Memphis, explained how emotional experiences are “defined by cognitive processes,” or how people think.

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“Gratitude is a reminder that, in many ways, perspective in life is everything,” he said.

The link between gratitude and happiness

When it comes to happiness, gratitude is a “central theme,” according to Rudd.

“In general, optimists tend to be happier in life than pessimists, even if their optimism is considered ‘naive,’” he said. “Gratitude is more common in optimists as well.”

The idea that there are “always things to be grateful for in life, regardless of hardships or daily challenges, is critical to an optimistic orientation in life and, ultimately, happiness,” Rudd added.

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As happier people tend to be more disciplined and generally productive, this proves a “critical link” between emotion and motivation, the expert noted.

The connection between faith and gratitude

The concept of gratitude is intertwined with faith, according to Rabbi Pinchas Taylor of Florida, who spoke about the early settlers expressing both sentiments.

“When they arrived on these shores, their first instinct was gratitude,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“They gave thanks to a God who, in their eyes, had delivered them from danger and granted them the opportunity to live freely and faithfully in a new land.”

“Gratitude is a reminder that, in many ways, perspective in life is everything,” an expert told Fox News Digital. (iStock)

A learned behavior

Gratitude is more than “just a perspective,” Rudd said — it is also a learned skill that can be “developed with practice,” much like exercise and social connections.

The human brain is “wired to be kind of critical,” according to clinical psychologist and NYU Langone Health associate professor Thea Gallagher.

“Gratitude is a reminder that, in many ways, perspective in life is everything.”

“If there’s a shirt and we see a stain on it, we’re going to notice the stain before we’re going to notice the rest of the shirt,” she used as an example in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Instead of focusing on the negative, Gallagher suggested training the mind to extend attention to “things that are good.”

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The goal is not to spread “toxic positivity” by pretending that “everything is fine,” Gallagher noted.

While it’s important to acknowledge and address challenges and stressors in life, she encourages people to highlight and identify the things that are going well or bringing happiness, and to be thankful for them.

Focusing on “mutual connections” at family gatherings, instead of disagreements, can promote gratitude and positive mental health, an expert said. (iStock)

This exercise can help “bring us back to the present,” which is another way to practice mindfulness, according to Gallagher.

“I have toddlers, and sometimes I’m like, ‘Oh, my gosh, it’s so stressful, so much work,’” she said. “But if I pause and laugh at something they’ve just done … it brings me back into that moment.”

“Let us not only celebrate our blessings, but also recommit to the faith and morality that make those blessings possible.”

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“And then I can say, ‘Yeah, parts of this phase are hard and challenging and overwhelming, but other parts are really fun.’”

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Mindfulness techniques are known to be important for mental health and a way to alleviate anxiety and depression, Gallagher added.

An expert recommended writing down three things that you are grateful for, whether big or small, at the end of each day. (iStock)

At the end of the day, Gallagher recommends writing down three things that you are grateful for, whether big or small.

“You actually are giving [these moments] the kind of honor they deserve,” she said.

Rabbi Taylor added, “This Thanksgiving, let us not only celebrate our blessings, but also recommit to the faith and morality that make those blessings possible.”

Fox News Digital’s Maureen Mackey contributed reporting.

The Biden administration is expanding coverage of anti-obesity drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy for people with Medicare and Medicaid through a new proposal from the Department of Health and Human Services, a White House official says. 

Medicare currently only covers these drugs for people who are diagnosed with diabetes or cardiovascular disease with obesity, or for people who are overweight, according to the official, who added that while some state Medicaid programs cover the GLP-1 medications for obesity, many do not. 

The new HHS proposal, they said, would require both Medicare and Medicaid to cover the drugs for people with obesity as a treatment for the condition.

“Today’s new proposal would expand access to these innovative medications for obesity, which is widely recognized as a disease and help an estimated 3.4 million Americans with Medicare. Medicare coverage would reduce out-of-pocket costs for these prescription drugs by as much as 95 percent for some enrollees,” the White House said in a statement Tuesday. 

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“Approximately 4 million adult Medicaid enrollees would also gain new access to these medications. This proposal would allow Americans and their doctors to determine the best path forward so they can lead healthier lives, without worrying about their ability to cover these drugs out-of-pocket, and ultimately reduce health care costs to our nation,” the statement added. 

The White House says that “for too many Americans, these critical treatments are too expensive and therefore out of reach,” and, “without insurance coverage, these drugs can cost someone as much as $1,000 a month.”

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide) receptor agonists are commonly prescribed to patients with type 2 diabetes (to stabilize blood glucose levels) or obesity (to assist with weight loss). 

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The anti-obesity medication Ozempic, made by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.  (Getty Images)

“These medications slow down digestion, which means food stays in the stomach longer,” said Dr. Alfred Bonati, the founder of the Bonati Spine Institute in Florida, previously told Fox News Digital. 

The White House says an estimated 42 million Americans today have obesity, “with increased risk of all-cause mortality and multiple related comorbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, some cancers, and more.” 

Three injectable prescription weight loss medicines — Ozempic, Victoza and Wegovy.  (Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

“Over the past few years, there have been major scientific advancements in the treatment of obesity, with the introduction of new life-saving drugs. These anti-obesity medications can help prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, these drugs reduce deaths and sickness from heart attack and other cardiovascular outcomes by up to 20%,” the White House added. 

Fox News’ Melissa Rudy contributed to this report. 

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