Day 139 – Laughter is the Best Medicine

Laughter is the best medicine. We’ve heard the expression time and again. It has been found that laughing will lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, increase muscle flexion, and boost immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also  triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, and produce a general sense of well-being.

So, why don’t we laugh more? Human beings are not born serious. We begin life fully equipped with an innate playfulness and the ability to laugh freely. Sadly, we curb our playfulness and our laughter as a sacrifice to the serious business of adulthood. In order to keep laughing, we need to be in a partial state of playfulness, consciously or unconsciously.

And anyone can join the laughter movement. All it takes is a willingness to risk some loss of control. The timid may start with a few shy giggles. The courageous may jump in with deep belly laughter. A sense of humor is not required. There’s more than enough stress to go around and absurdity abounds in our daily lives. All we have to do is believe, let go, clap our hands and laughter will live again. Laughter is feeling deeply which allows us to live fully.

So, smile as you give gratitude for the gift of laughter, being with friends and family, while  extending life and promoting good health. You have the daily gift of 86,400 seconds to spend as you will—and you can almost certainly afford one second for gratitude.

Once there were four business men. They were sitting on a bench in a hospital waiting room because their wives were having babies. A nurse comes over and says to the first businessman, “Congratulations! Your wife had 1 baby.”The man says, “What a coincidence! I’m the president of And1!”The nurse goes away.Then the nurse comes back and says to the second businessman, “Congratulations! Your wife had twins!”The man says, “What a coincidence! I’m the owner of the Minnesota Twins!” The nurse goes away. The nurse comes back and says to the third businessman, “Congratulations! Your wife had triplets!” The man says, “What a coincidence! I work for Triple Crown!” The nurse goes away. The nurse comes back and sees the fourth businessman alone on the bench crying. She asks, “Why are you crying”? The man replies, “I work for Seven Up”!!

Make ‘em laugh!