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- Oct 25, 2005
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Everyone needs some laughter
By MIKE SCOGIN
2/11/07
I suspect that if someone wanted to describe me, funny would not be among the adjectives.
That's unfortunate.
Because laughter is universal, and more and more studies are showing that "laughter really is the best medicine." Even though some may find this shocking, being doubled over in laughter, tears streaming down my face from a well-told joke ranks high on my favorite things in life.
CBS News reported last year revealed that laughter has some of the advantages of a good workout. William Fry, an expert in laughter research, said that 10 minutes on a rowing machine was equal to one minute of a good hearty laugh. Maciej Buchowski, a Vanderbilt University researcher, conducted a study that found 10-to-15 minutes of good laughter would burn 50 calories.
A hospital in Arizona took the research to a new level. The Arizona Republic reported that Chandler Regional Hospital created a laughter club for nurses and staff members. The group get together weekly and spend time making each other feel better by being silly, breathing exercises and laughing.
Nobel Peace Prize medical research nominees Drs. Gael and Patrick Flanagan at California's Loma Linda University have conducted studies subjecting people to an hour of various videos that induced laughter. They discovered that the participants increased the levels of good hormones, reduced the level of stress hormones and improved the body's immune system.
They also discovered that as we get older we laugh less. Adults laugh about 15 times a day, compared to children who laugh 400 times a day, said the Flanagans' study.
I believe laughter is great for us. But don't take my word for it; here's a self-test.
See if you can make it through these observations without at least a chuckle, and if you chuckle see if it makes you feel better. I picked these up from a former editor who thought I needed them. He was right.
...
Feel better? I hope so.
Have a great week, and thanks for reading the News-Graphic.
