Give the gift of laughter for Father’s Day

Is laughter really the best medicine?

A study done at the University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that a good sense of humor and the ability to laugh at stressful situations helps moderate the damaging physical effects of distressing emotions.

In fact, laughter can:

• reduce stress
• lower blood pressure
• elevate mood
• boost immune system
• improve brain functioning
• protect the heart
• connect you to others
• foster instant relaxation
• make you feel good.

To put it in basic terms, the average blood flow increased 22 percent during laughter, and decreased 35 percent during mental stress. Research at Loma Linda University showed that in general, stress hormones--which actually constrict blood vessels and suppresses immune activity--decrease in the body as a result of laughter.

Therefore, “the old saying that 'laughter is the best medicine,' definitely appears to be true when it comes to protecting your heart," said Michael Miller, M.D., F.A.C.C., director of the Center for Preventive Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

“We don’t recommend that you laugh and not exercise, but we do recommend that you try to laugh on a regular basis. Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system,” Dr. Miller concluded.

Laughing is better than crying and is good for you as well, so why don’t you share some laughter with your father today:

Don’t you feel better? Does your father feel better?

Being happy is important, because

After all, it’s about a healthy lifestyle!

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Photo courtesy of annais