Laugh Your Way To A Healthier You!

It is true that laughter is the best medicine. Think about it-you have had a horrible day and your cranky and starting to feel down. It seems that things are going to only get worse and you just can't shake your mood. Then you see something funny, read a funny book or watch your favorite comedy and you feel lightened, the dark clouds seem to fade and things just don't seem as bad as they did before your mood was lifted with laughter. I love to laugh. I laugh at myself (I'm pretty clumsy and have learned that I HAVE to laugh at myself otherwise I'd be pretty pathetic and embarrassed all the time), I only have friends that I can laugh with and I love to hear my children laughing. Isn't it fun to just listen to others laughing-sometimes I start laughing and don't even know why. The great thing is that as far as your health goes-laughter can actually reduce your stress levels and boost your immune system. Did you know that there is even an emerging therapeutic field called laugh therapy?

Laugh, Laugh And Laugh A Little More-Here Are The Benefits

**Hormones- Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, dopamine and growth hormone.
-
**Laughing relaxes the body and reduces problems associated with high blood pressure, strokes, arthritis, and ulcers
-
**Increases stamina through increased oxygen supply .
-
**Effective antidote for depression, anxiety and psychosomatic disorders: laughter boosts the production of serotonin, a natural anti-depressant.

**Laughter can help you burn calories-There is even a new exercise movement called Laughtercising .

**Medical experts in the USA found laughter helped children relax, which had a major impact on how they dealt with and accepted pain. They believe the healing power of humour can reduce pain and stimulate immune function in children with cancer, Aids or diabetes and in children receiving organ transplants and bone marrow treatments. More here.

** Laughter also helps breast milk to fight skin allergies. Breastfed babies with eczema experienced milder symptoms if their mothers laughed hours before feeding them, according to a study by Hajime Kimata at the Moriguchi-Keijinkai Hospital in Osaka, Japan. More here.

I've always known how laughing makes me feel but was surprised to find so many health benefits. Each night/day that I do my blogging I always make sure to visit a few blogs that make me smile. It is a fun distraction to doing research for my site and really keeps me going . One of my favorite sites is Sogeshirts presents by Tim. You know how some people just have a knack for being funny and they can say the most mundane thing in the world and have you laughing in stitches on the floor? That is what Tim at Sogeshirts does. He just has a way of turning just about anything funny. He updates his blog on a regular basis and is my daily dose of laughter. I don't know how he does it but if you want to reap some of the benefits of laughter check out http://sogeshirts.blogspot.com/ . He also has some really funny t-shirts that are unique and hysterical.
-
Go Enjoy A Laugh And Feel Better,
Heidi

14 comments:

  1. Fantastic tips. Too many of us forget to laugh. What's that saying, "Laugh and the world laughs with you."

    ReplyDelete
  2. I used to watch Seinfeld every day and I'd laugh out loud even by myself - I need to start watching the reruns, you're right that it helps to laugh (a lot!)

    ReplyDelete
  3. A day isn't good without a little laughter in it. I have always believed that are try to laugh as much as I can or try tp make those around me laugh, though it's often at my expense ;-)

    I knew laughther was good medicine, but I didn't know it was THAT good!

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are right that laughter is indeed best medicine.
    I sometime laugh even when I am alone.
    When I feel off=mooded, I go to or sometime call my friends and crack jokes sometime, watch favorite comedy as you have written.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your right laughter is the best medicine. I often laugh with myself...No everybody finds the little things funny...
    But as a rule I try to find the funny in all things simple...
    Thanks for stopping by...
    Ahhh I see you know Micheal..
    He is a clever one isn't he!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Humour, at every stage in day-to-day life is so important--even to such little things as saving yourself from the irritation of having to make a telephone warranty claim to a robot for a defective toaster.

    If you eat a live toad at breakfast nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. Even if you consider such bromides as this, humour will save you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Now that is my kind of fittness program. I agree, I have always said that the most beautiful sound in the world is a childs (true, not phony) laughter.
    As for the fox you asked about I don't know of any treatments that don't involve catching it..But if I hear of any thing I will be sure to let you know asap.. thanks for asking.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I agree with this post. Laughter is one of the most pleasurable day to day experiences. Scrubs and Family Guy are 2 of the shows that really make me laugh...BUT I think what makes me really laugh is the silly, funny things thoses around us do every single day. One of these moments put a positive spin on even the worst days.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love to laugh!!!!! Great post, missy! xxoo

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, if only I could have been laughing more during those years when I was nursing my babies. But I was so sleep deprived that laughing and sleeping were NOT the top two things I was doing!

    Thank God (literally) that my husband is quick to laugh and joke around. I've learned to laugh more and often. And you're right- it really does a heart good.

    ReplyDelete
  11. i totally agree with you. laughter is the best medicine and it makes you look and feel younger :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I heard laughter adds so many years to your life with each down deep roar - should never die then!

    Can't you hear me laughing now??
    great tips.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great tips! I really enjoy your blog. I believe that laughter is extremely important to your health. I feel a huge release after laughing. I can sense my stress level lowering as well. BTW, I love Sogeshirts blog too! Good stuff! Tim is hilarious! Anyway, keep up the great work!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love this! I love laughing. I make it a point to surround myself with people who make me laugh daily. Fortunately that's all taken care of!

    ReplyDelete

Fat, Fat I Ain't Down With That! Easy Tips To Revive Your Metabolism!

 I get a little lazy in winter since generally the swimsuit is many months away however this year I am determined to not let the holidays an...