Can You Laugh Your Way To Better Health?
by Catherine Morgan

Diet and exercise are important for good health, but did you know laughter is too? If you want to be as healthy as you can be, than laughter needs to be part of your healthy living regimen. Is it?

Here are some of the Health Benefits of Laughter:

  • Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases infection fighting antibodies. It increases our attentiveness, heart rate, and pulse.
  • People who laugh heartily on a regular basis have lower standing blood pressure than the average person. When people have a good laugh, initially the blood pressure increases, but then it decreases to levels below normal. Breathing then becomes deeper which sends oxygen enriched blood and nutrients throughout the body.
  • Laughter, along with an active sense of humor, may help protect you against a heart attack, according to the study at the University of Maryland Medical Center (cited above). The study, which is the first to indicate that laughter may help prevent heart disease, found that people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease.

    • Here is a Humor Survey by the University of Maryland Medical Center...

    How Well Does Your Sense of Humor Protect You From Heart Disease?

    Are you someone who easily finds the humor in things? What advice would you give to your super serious counterparts?

    Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
    at Catherine-Morgan, Capessa Health, Women4Hope 

    Submitted by Catherine Morgan (view blog) on Mon, 11/17/2008 - 9:52pm

    Comments

     

    Yes, I think it can help

    Laughter can be great therapy, popular in yoga and ayurvedic traditions. Even if you aren't finding anything funny, to physically laugh is a great release of tension. And a forced laugh often sounds so odd and funny it creates a real laugh!

    http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com

    Submitted by Cherre on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 09:07
     

    It Couldn't Hurt

    This is so interesting, and it makes perfect sense.  I know so many people who walk around like they are mad at the world, and then they wonder why they never feel good, their BP is up, their blood sugar is out of whack, and they have muscle aches and pains.  I had an incident happen just recently where some people I thought I was close too hurt me very badly.  I cried for a week, literally.  I had a doctor's appointment and my vital signs so abnormal, they considered  running some tests, even though this was the first time they were like this.  Since that appointment, I've decided to look on the positive side of things, put a smile on, and raise my head high.  I've done nothing wrong.  When I feel like crying, I simply laugh...really!  At my follow up appt, all my vitals were back to normal and even better than they'd been before.  Laughter really is the best medicine.  Try it, you will be amazed.

    Pam Coley

    Look for Pam's holiday tips and hints at  www.momstheword.typepad.com

    Submitted by lv2sing on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 09:30
     

    I'm sure that it helps!

    Nancy Sutherland

    http://www.directsalesmarketingqueen.com

     

    I have had many times when the stress in my life was overwhelming. A good dose of laughter could change your mood, your attitude, your outcome IMMEDIATELY! Now I discover that there are health benefits! Wow! That's reason enough to prescribe laughter in a daily dose!

    Submitted by nancymkqueen on Tue, 11/18/2008 - 18:19
     

    Don't Take Yourself So Seriously

    I definitely think laughter helps. After all it's such a relief to be able to laugh at yourself. It's a great way to graciously accept our foibles. 

    Mary-Frances Makichen
    www.makichenbooks.com
    www.wordmedley.com

    Submitted by mfmakichen on Wed, 11/19/2008 - 10:26
     

    I agree 100%.  Last night

    I agree 100%.  Last night was a perfect case example:  I was feeling tired and grouchy when my three kids insisted I come outside and pull them around on the toboggan so they could 'surf' standing up.  WAtching their little faces shine from ear to ear and listening to their laughter was contageous and soon I too, was belly laughing for no real reason in the playground.

    Laughter brings you into your body.  And into the NOW.:)

    Submitted by Delaine Moore on Wed, 11/19/2008 - 11:43
     

    that's abolutely right

    Laughter helps elaxing your mind and does a lot of good to you! Laughter is being there since long long time but its now that we are knowing its importance!

     

    www.drugdelivery.ca/hcg-challenge.aspx

    Submitted by terese on Wed, 11/19/2008 - 23:48
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