We’re near the finish line as the holidays are just about here.
I know many of you are experiencing even more stress with these variants interfering with holiday plans. I know it has forced us to postpone our holiday festivities as the bugger made its way through my entire family.
However, there is one timeless type of medicine that makes all these disruptions much easier to deal with. And it is certainly one that you should take advantage of every day and especially now.
Why? It helps protect your brain. It helps improve your memory. It can slash your stress levels and even boost your quality of life. It just makes you feel good.
In fact, you may just crack up with this simple remedy that can instantly help you alleviate tension and not take life so seriously.
Just go ahead and have a good laugh.
Laughter really is the best medicine as new research is showing.
In a laughter study, a group of seniors who watched funny videos did better on memory tests than seniors who didn’t watch the videos. The laughing seniors enjoyed measurable improvements in learning ability, memory recall and sight recognition.
Interestingly, while healthy seniors saw improvements, the biggest improvement went to the group of seniors with diabetes.
Another study measured the effect of laughter on blood sugar with a group of people with diabetes. After a meal, the group attended a tedious lecture. The next day, after eating the same meal, the group attended a comedy. The blood sugar levels after the comedy were markedly lower than after the lecture.
The focus of the benefits of laughter were first recognized in the 1979 memoir by Martin Cousin’s, Anatomy of an Illness. It reflected on positive attitude, love, faith, hope, and laughter induced by Marx Brothers films.
“I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep,” he reported.
We now know that laughter can promote relaxation, lower blood pressure and ease pain.
If you need a little help, there are lots of laughter classes. I was lucky enough to take a Laugha Yoga class in Yogaville (yes, there is such a place in Virginia!) by certified Laugh Yoga instructor, Bharata Wingham.
It was the last class I took before my departure, and it was one of the most enjoyable and memorable class I had ever taken.
Make it a point to laugh every day. Even if you’re grumpy or having a bad day and don’t feel great, force those lips to form a smile and push out a hearty laugh.
I wish all my wonderful readers a Merry Christmas, a belated Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa or whatever joyous holiday you may be celebrating. Just be sure to ring them in with lots of laughter:)
“It is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities.”
Live well and love more,
Jill Gordon
CHHC, HHC, CNHP, Digestive Health Specialist
www.JilltheHealthCoach.com
All material in this newsletter is provided for information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this publication;instead readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information provided has not been approved the Food & Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness or disease.
