Joy in July 2019: Healing is no laughing matter or is it?

This month I was invited to share about Reflexology at a Health and Wellness Expo that was held in a retirement residence. It was inspiring to talk with older people who are interested in using natural strategies to improve their health.  I even joined in on some of the fun and attended a short laughter Yoga workshop that had wonderful effects on all of us: younger and older, staff and residents.  

This humorous experience made me recall one of my elementary school classmates.  Her name was Cheryl and she was well-liked by everybody.  I recall that we would always get her to come and help if someone was injured on the playground.  "Better go and get Cheryl," we'd say.  She didn't have any special first aid knowledge, but she did have the knack for making us burst into giggles!  We all seemed to know inherently that this would make us feel better, soon forgetting any minor bumps and scrapes.  Even as young kids we knew about the value of laughter.  To discover more about exactly why laughter is the best medicine, see our July wellness tip below.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine" Proverbs 17:22a 

When we laugh our body releases endorphins, which are chemical neurotransmitters that are natural pain and stress fighters.  Laughter also massages our internal organs and increases blood flow by expanding our blood vessels to send more blood to all of our organs and muscles resulting in an increased sense of relaxation.  Studies show that laughter increases the presence of natural killer cells and antibodies in our bodies and this strengthens our immune system.  When we laugh, we inhale more oxygen, and this is similar to doing aerobic exercise.  Anyone can laugh, no special equipment is required.  Truly laughter is good for the body, mind, & soul!