Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine
April 30, 2013Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Laugh Today!
Do you remember the movie Patch Adams? The film was based on the true story of a remarkable doctor who used laughter as a form of treatment for his patients. But did you know that Patch Adams once suffered from severe depression? After being hospitalized three times as a teen, because he didn't want to live in a world with so much injustice and violence, Patch decided at the age of 18 that he wanted to live after all and in doing so, he would find ways to laugh and to be happy every day of his life. And he has been clowning around ever since! He has been a pioneer in establishing laughter as a form of medicine and many other professionals have followed his lead. He found that laughter and humor is good for the mind, body, and soul and it provides you with many health benefits. Here are 10 good reasons why you should laugh out loud today and every day:
1. Laughter can help to improve your breathing
When you laugh, your lungs expel more air than they take in. This creates a cleansing effect on your lungs. Some medical experts believe that laughter is especially helpful to those who have chronic respiratory conditions.
2. Laughter can help to build your immune system
Research shows that when you laugh, you increase the levels of immunoglobulin and T cells in your body which have infection-fighting antibodies.
3. Laughter helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases
Laughter helps to lower your blood pressure, increases blood flow and improves the function of your blood vessels which in turn helps to protect your heart.
4. Laughter can give you a workout
Do you remember the times when you have laughed so hard and long that you cried and your stomach literally ached? I bet you didn’t know that you had just given your body a mini-workout! Laughing exercises your abdominal muscles, your diaphragm and even your shoulders.
5. Laughing can help you to lose weight
Laughing not only increases your heart rate, it also speeds up your metabolism!
DID YOU KNOW? Research shows that laughing 100 times is equivalent to 15 minutes on a stationary bicycle or 10 minutes on a rowing machine.
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