What is the one huge health habit that is missing in so many of our daily lives? Laughter!
Our daily eating habits and exercise aren’t the only factors that affect our risks of heart and other chronic diseases. Stress is moving up on the list of negative effects, and yes, even with children. We all experience stress in our lives from managing a full day of work, family, chores, finances, road rage, illness, and many others. Our bodies can usually return back to its “unstressed” natural state, but when the stress doesn’t leave and we find ourselves in this mode constantly, the danger begins. It begins to cause inflammation in our bodies, increasing our risks of heart and other diseases. So what can we do about it?
One surprising thing we can do is LAUGH more!
Think of kids with their fantastic belly laughs. It may sound silly but laughing is something many of us don’t have enough of in our lives anymore and it naturally reduces the “fight or flight” stress response, allowing our body to return to a relaxed state. So find humor in your life by reading comics, watching the comedy channel on television, or telling jokes (even if they’re silly). If you need extra help, you can check out the “Laughter Yoga” website. Laughter yoga started in 1995 based on studies showing that laughter can reduce the bodies response to stress, and has caught on throughout the world. Its forced laughter, but once you start doing it you can’t help but laugh naturally.
For more info…
