Laughter is Good Medicine

I don't know about you, but I'm a little (well, ok a LOT) tired of the endless stream of bad news regarding the economy, politics, food shortage, and the high price of gas.  The stress hasn't gotten to me, but I'm sure it's affecting most people. 

What to do?

I found this posting on a colleague's blog.  Her name is Rita Watson and her blog is a pretty good one. I think you'll enjoy it.

Sure, you know that your mood is better after you’ve had a good laugh, but did you know that your health may improve, too?  Depression is a major risk factor for heart disease and so it is good to both exercise and laugh.

A low tech solution to mild to moderate depression — aerobic exercise – can be as effective as psychotherapy.  Both exercise and laughter help the heart. Futher, reports from a team at Loma Linda University in California, show that laughter prompts changes in the body that may help the immune and endocrine systems to function better.

Laughter increases the number and activity of cells that help us fight disease and decreases stress-related hormones.

The nice thing about laughter is that it’s contagious, according to Robert Provine, Ph.D., of the University of Maryland. When you hear other people laugh, you tend to laugh too. Provine suggests that laughter does something special to our brains to trigger the laugh sounds in us.

So for the sake of your health, exercise, laugh, and maintain a positive attitude.

Have a great week!