December 2009

Laughter is the Best Medicine – and It's Free!

Laughter is a key component of a happy life and it has powerful physical and mental benefits. No matter what you're facing, you can learn to laugh and benefit from its healing ways. Studying therapeutic benefits of laughter began 20 years ago when Norman Cousins, in Anatomy of an Illness, told his story of overcoming a fatal disease by watching old Charlie Chaplin movies. “Laughter is a great antidote to illness,” he concluded. Since then, Drs. Lee Berk and Stanley Tan, of Loma Linda University Medical Center in California, have continued research on laughter. Their studies show that laughter

• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces stress
• Increases muscle relaxation
• Boosts the immune system
• Like exercise, laughter also releases endorphins
• Improves alertness, creativity, and memory
• Can ease pain
• Inflammatory compounds drop considerably after patients with rheumatoid arthritis watched a humorous film
• Positive effect on health and longevity
• Laughter is free and has no negative side effects.

The best prescription for a long, happy and healthy life is to eat a nutritious diet, exercise on a regular basis, and have a few good laughs each day. Is laughter is the best medicine? Studies show that a daily dose of “ho, ho, ho” is good for your health. And it just might be that laughter is the best medicine.