The Best Medicine Could Be Free
By Jean Linnell White, BSN, RN, Renaissance on Peachtree, North Atlanta LIVING WELL Magazine
What if a single medicine improved blood pressure, stimulated your brain, decreased stress, improved circulation, reduced pain, boosted the immune system, and improved your sense of well-being? What price would people pay? Some doctors, psychologists, and scientists say it does exist, is readily available, and it’s free. So what is this miracle substance? It’s laughter.
We all know the great feeling of a really great belly laugh. Well, many health professionals say laughter gives more than a good feeling. The body’s physiological responses produce changes in blood chemistry that contribute to better health. The belief in laughter’s long lasting health benefits has produced a trend to include laughter in one’s health regimen.
One article states, “Twenty seconds of heavy laughter equals three minutes of hard rowing.” Dr. Michael Miller, M.D, director of preventive cardiology, University of Maryland says, “The old saying, ‘laughter is the best medicine,’ appears to be true when it comes to protecting your heart.” Dr. Lee Burk of Loma Linda University postulates that laughter’s effects not only improve quality of life, but may very well extend it.
In 1995, Dr. Madan Kataria, M.D., founded the “Laughter Yoga” movement. He says the brain distinguishes no difference between self-induced laughter and laughter produced by external stimuli. The health benefits are identical. “What can seem silly and artificial at first almost always leads to natural, hearty laughter.” He calls it, “simulated to stimulated.”
Now in over 40 countries with more than 5,000 laughter clubs, participants in Laughter Yoga not only enjoy the health benefits of laughter, they discover that a more mirthful approach to life results in experiencing less stress when faced by life’s challenges. The key to maximizing laughter’s benefits is frequent, active participation, whatever the source.
Jean White, RN, is director of assisted living at Renaissance on Peachtree, 3755 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30319.For further information about the Renaissance on Peachtree, contact Ruth Matthews at 404-841-6163 or ruthmatthews@rop-atl.com.
