We are going to start things off here on our new path with MLWT Guest Blogger, Holistic Health Counselor & Laughter Yoga Teacher, Andrea Crisp~
At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. ~ Jean Houston
We’ve all heard the cliche “Laughter is the best medicine”. Well, I am here to tell you that it is not just a cliche. Science has stepped up to prove the health benefits of laughter that humans have suspected for millennia. Even the Bible had an inkling of the benefits of laughter. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.” What’s more is that those benefits can be directly related to autoimmune diseases such as Lupus.
First, let’s detail some of the amazing benefits of mirthful, hearty laughter.
Laughter is a great pain reliever. Science has shown that it increases endorphins, one of our body’s natural pain killers. A fellow Laughter Yoga colleague was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2004 and uses laughter daily as a tool to help decrease her pain. She has not been successful in halting the disease, but as she says on her web site “I consider Laughter Yoga a part of my “inner pharmacy” and so far I’ve not found it necessary to take any prescription drugs.” She is now speaking to the likes of the Arizona American Parkinson’s Disease Association Conference and other such associations in hopes of helping others through the use of Laughter Yoga.
A recent study at Stanford University concluded that laughter stimulates the parts of our brain that use the “feel good” chemical messenger dopamine. Laughter raises our serotonin levels, our natural anti-depressant. Laughter lowers the stress hormones epinephrine and cortisol, which in turn lowers blood pressure by allowing blood vessels to dilate.
Laughter strengthens the immune system by increasing Natural Killer (NK) Cells. NK cells are one of the functions of the immune system that tend to be naturally depressed in people with SLE, Sjogren’s syndrome and other autoimmune diseases. Treatments such as interferon and interleukin are often used in an attempt to increase NK cells, so that they in turn can do their job: killing infected-viruses, attacking tumor cells and keeping B cells in check.
Laughter also increases the amount of oxygen that reaches our brain and other vital organs. Lack of oxygen in cells has been linked to cancer.
Last, but not least laughter counts as a form of exercise! It is an aerobic activity, because it increases pulmonary and cardiovascular function.
Some of the other amazing research surrounding laughter indicates that it is the physical act of laughing and not the intellectual or emotional interpretation that we attach to it that produces these amazing benefits. So you can choose to laugh just for the health of it! Your body will produce happy chemicals regardless!
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If you are looking for more ways to get some laughter in your life on a regular basis check out Portland Laughter Yoga’s event schedule. A new 6 week series begins on October 14th.
When Andrea discovered Laughter Yoga she knew immediately that she wanted to be part of this global movement! Helping people through laughter was something that spoke directly to her heart. Andrea loves it for its ease and simplicity. Laughter has so many physical, spiritual, emotional and social benefits and anyone can do it!
Andréa is the founder of Portland Laughter Yoga and Soaring Eagle Wellness, a holistic health counseling practice. She is a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader & Teacher through Dr. Kataria’s School of Laughter Yoga. She is also a certified Health Counselor and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC. To learn more about her journey visit her website Soaring Eagle Wellness.
