Got this email from Andrew Weil today - The forum is of course a treasure trove of information - I also am here because I enjoy laughing with you!
The Laughter Effect
It's not often that we talk about laughter's effect on healing, stress and immunity. Yet it plays a role so important that we should mention it more often. Not only can laughter lighten one's load during times of stress or illness, but studies are finding that it may boost immunity, relieve pain and even help protect against heart disease. We don't yet know what factors in laughter are responsible for the positive effects. Perhaps it's the physical act of laughing that does it, or the way laughter helps us cope in tough situations. Perhaps it's the social bond we form with others when we laugh with them. Maybe it's the combination of all three.
Here are some healthy ways to inject a little laughter into your life:
* Children laugh around 400 times a day; adults, around 25. Find ways to bring more humor into your life.
* Lighten up. In line at the post office? Stuck in traffic? You have two choices: make yourself angry or make yourself laugh. Opt for the latter.
* Look for humor in difficult situations - even those you think you can't bear.
The Laughter Effect
It's not often that we talk about laughter's effect on healing, stress and immunity. Yet it plays a role so important that we should mention it more often. Not only can laughter lighten one's load during times of stress or illness, but studies are finding that it may boost immunity, relieve pain and even help protect against heart disease. We don't yet know what factors in laughter are responsible for the positive effects. Perhaps it's the physical act of laughing that does it, or the way laughter helps us cope in tough situations. Perhaps it's the social bond we form with others when we laugh with them. Maybe it's the combination of all three.
Here are some healthy ways to inject a little laughter into your life:
* Children laugh around 400 times a day; adults, around 25. Find ways to bring more humor into your life.
* Lighten up. In line at the post office? Stuck in traffic? You have two choices: make yourself angry or make yourself laugh. Opt for the latter.
* Look for humor in difficult situations - even those you think you can't bear.