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The Power of Laughter

When’s the last time you had a good laugh? Take a moment to relive the good feelings that come with real laughter.


We pay money to laugh. At the movies and a comedy clubs. We stay up to catch the jokes on late night talk shows. We delight in finding something funny in our lives to laugh at. When we laugh, we get pleasure. What a joy! What a blessing!


Certainly there are times when life presents major challenges when we need to act clearly, but behaving responsibly and efficiently doesn’t preclude humor and light-heartedness. In fact, a flexible, fluid, upbeat approach and attitude is crucial to being effective and creative in our lives.


Laughter, play, spontaneity and improvisation are integral aspects of being human, healthy, happy—and successful. Tribal peoples laugh, sing, chant, drum, dance and act out stories as basic ways to relate socially, to make individual and collective decisions, and to achieve their goals in daily life.


Inspiration and breakthrough are often born from the spirit of playfulness and exuberance. A spontaneous wink, a funny smile, a comic gesture can facilitate change and harmony in the most blocked situation. Through conscious merriment our spirit can emerge and work its magic.


Take a Tip from the Kid In You


Preschool children laugh an average of 400 times a day. The typical adult only laughs 17 times per day. Perhaps it’s time to return to the power of living life through the wonderment of childlike adventure, innocence, lightheartedness, humor and irreverence.


Ancient Roots


Throughout history, spiritual traditions in China, Japan and India have revered the sacred strength of laughter. Lao-Tzu is always pictured smiling. Samurai are always laughing. “Laughter Yoga” was a practice of the ancient rishis of India over 5,000 years ago. Dr. Madan Kataria of Mumbai India started a “Laugher Yoga Club” a few years ago, and now there are thousands of laughter yoga clubs across the world. The club members get together just to enjoy a deep chuckle—and reap the many benefits of mirth.


Hawaiian Secret of Laughter


The ancient Hawaiians assert there are two chemical reactions within the human body that can accomplish Reconnection with Source Oneness. The first is the "sacred tear” beneath our sadness and hopelessness. Beneath that tear lies the second chemical reaction, said to be more powerful than all the healing agents known to humankind. It comes "out of the blue" with the power of a jackhammer, shattering the seriousness of the entire human estate. A power instantly freeing and balancing to all the body's chemistry. This is the power of laughter. When it comes in this manner, it comes through the "na'au" (gut level) and will pierce the hopelessness of any situation or attitude. It is not a power to be taken lightly, for the ancient Hawaiians say it holds the chemistry of immortality and will instantly heal any terminal disease. It’s said to be the "laughter of God" which shatters the ridiculousness of hopelessness.


Laughter Is the Best Medicine


A laugh a day keeps the doctor away! Having a good laugh has long been known to be very therapeutic. As we let laughter wash over and through us, its energy cleanses, purges, and rights imbalances and disharmonies in our mind and body. Hundreds of medical studies have shown the remarkable benefits of laughter.


DEEP LAUGHTER:


Frees Breathing


A good belly laugh opens up your lungs, stretches your diaphragm, eases chest tension, and has an overall healing effect on your well-being. Laughter aids ventilation and clears mucus, improving respiratory functions for those suffering from conditions like emphysema and asthma.


Aids Circulation


Laughter improves blood vessel function, reducing blood pressure and heart rate, enhancing blood oxygen levels and boosting overall circulation.


Boosts Immune Defenses


Laughter increases the immune system’s T-cells, which kill invading bacteria that are harmful to the body. Laughing increases the number of antibodies in saliva, which combat upper respiratory infections. Laughter increases immunity to infections by instantly flooding the system with immune cells and cancer fighting proteins.


Reduces Stress


Cortisol is a chemical produced in your body when you feel stressed, upset or frustrated. Elevated levels of cortisol in your bloodstream have the effect of suppressing your immune system function. Laughter lowers the cortisol levels in the body, thereby protecting your immune system from the negative effects of stress.


A good laugh increases endorphins, which make a person feel happy and have a brighter outlook on life. Laughter also causes secretion of an enzyme that protects the stomach from forming ulcers.


Cures Cancer


Since cancer thrives in an oxygen-depleted body, laughter is helpful in combating cancer. Norman Cousins, in his book “Anatomy Of An Illness,” explains how he laughed himself back from the death sentence of a terminal illness just by watching funny movies, laughing hard, and taking vitamin C. There are hundreds of cases of laughter healing patients described as “terminally ill” with cancer and other ailments.


Relieves Pain


Laughter releases endorphins, providing natural pain relief.


Reduces Weight


Laughter reduces food cravings. Laughing 10 minutes a day burns 40 calories.


Is Enjoyable Exercise


Laughing can be considered an exercise since it conditions the abdominal muscles and relaxes muscles throughout the body. Twenty seconds of laughing gives the heart the same workout as 3 minutes of hard rowing.


Makes You Look and Feel Younger


Laughter reduces the rate of cellular decay, which slows aging. Also, the effects of laughter include better mental function, improved mental alertness, memory and social responsiveness.


Saves 30% on Medical Expenses


In western Japan the government provided elderly people with a complete medical care program combining physical training and laughter therapy. "It’s the nation’s first attempt to launch a medicare business with laughter," commented university official Mitsutoshi Nishikawa. 92 participants reported their annual medical costs fell some 30 percent after they joined the program.


Helps Diabetics


A Japanese scientist is unlocking the secrets of the funny bone by cheering up people’s genes. Geneticist Kazuo Murakami teamed up with an unlikely research partner: stand-up comedians—who turn their one-liners into efficient, low-cost medical treatment. Murakami’s approach is to use laughter to trigger energy inside a person’s DNA, potentially helping cure disease.


Murakami had diabetics laugh at a comedy show performed by top stand-up comedians after listening to a monotonous college lecture. The two-day experiment showed that the diabetics’ blood glucose levels (a key gauge for development of diabetes) became lower after they laughed— as compared with their levels listening to the boring lecture. He identified 23 genes that are activated with laughter. 18 of these genes control immune response and cell signal transmission.


“A laughing therapy has no side-effects, meaning it’s an epoch-making treatment for clinical medicine," Murakami said. "One day it won’t be a joke to see patients receive a prescription for a comedy video at a pharmacy for medical treatment."


Maintains a Healthy Heart


University of Maryland Medical School discovered that laughter helps keep your heart healthy. The scientists found that laughter-provoking movies cause the tissue that forms the inner lining of blood vessels to expand, resulting in an increase of blood flow.


For their experiment, the team recruited 20 healthy volunteers to watch two segments of movies at the extreme ends of the emotional spectrum: the comedy "King Pin" and the war drama "Saving Private Ryan." They found that when the study subjects watched a movie that caused laughter, beneficial blood vessel relaxation increased in 19 of the 20 volunteers. In contrast, blood flow was reduced in 14 of the 20 volunteers following the movie clips that caused mental stress. Overall, blood flow increased by 22 percent during laughter—and decreased by 35 percent after watching a clip that caused mental stress.


Lead researcher Dr. Michael Miller suggests people should combine regular exercise with 15 minutes of laughter a day for good cardiovascular health. "It’s conceivable that laughing may be important to maintain healthy blood vessels and reduce the risk of heart disease," said Miller.


Laughter Inspires Clowning


Doctors, nurses and attendants now use "clowning" in hospitals to enhance the healing process with patients. They’ve discovered that when people are laughing and having fun, they experience less physical and psychological pain—and recover faster.


So … laugh more, heal quicker, live longer, and enjoy life as a kid again!

About the Author

Drawing from the wisdom of native and ancient spiritual traditions, Keith Varnum shares his 30 years of practical success as an author, personal coach, acupuncturist, filmmaker, radio host, restaurateur, vision quest guide and international seminar leader with “The Dream Workshops”. Keith helps people get the love, money, and health they want with his F-r-e-e Prosperity Ezine, F-r-e-e Abundance Tape and F-r-e-e Coaching at http://www.TheDream.com

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Health Insurance Reform Weekly Easy To Insure ME

Week of November 15, 2010

State budget problems are so dire and rising health care costs so worrisome that some states are considering what may have been unthinkable just a year or two ago -- opting out of the federal Medicaid program. The New York Times reported last week that Texas (see below) and a handful of other states are considering doing exactly that, especially given that federal health care reform will expand (as of 2014) the number of residents who are eligible for the state-administered health care program. In South Carolina, state officials there are considering not paying Medicaid claims as of March 2011 unless they can secure permission to run at a deficit. Some state leaders concede dropping Medicaid could have a devastating effect on their local economies, making such a course unlikely. The fact that it's on the table, however, speaks volumes about the growing problem of runaway health care costs, and the need to develop systematic solutions in the way that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) addressed access issues. Easy To Insure ME has the answers

Health Care Reform Implementation
For more detail about the ongoing implementation of the new health care reform law and its potential impact on you, read a new edition of our Eye on Implementation feature.

Federal

With Congress on recess last week, there is no Federal summary for this week.

States

ALASKA: A state health commission created by the legislature this year has begun reviewing rapidly rising medical costs and patterns of health care pricing among providers. Alaska's health care costs are rising faster than the national average. The commission held its first meeting in Anchorage October 14 and 15 after its members were appointed by Gov. Sean Parnell. Most members of the panel were on an earlier health care task force, but this panel has five new members, including two state legislators. In an effort to provide the Commission with relevant cost and quality data, Aetna has forwarded several relevant studies and documents produced by its Public Policy Department.

CALIFORNIA: The state is yet again facing a massive budget deficit -- $25.4 billion projected for 2011, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst Office (LAO). Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will call a budget special session starting December 6 to resolve the current-year $6.1 billion deficit. Next year's budget process will be impacted by two propositions passed during the November election. Voters approved Proposition 22, which limits the state's ability to borrow money from local governments, and they also approved Proposition 26, which makes it harder to raise fees. It also rolls back fees that were passed by less than a two-thirds vote this year. The LAO estimates these two propositions will create a $1 billion hole in the budget. Democrat Governor-elect Jerry Brown, who campaigned on a pledge of no new taxes, will release his budget proposal in early January.

NEW JERSEY: Last week the Assembly Financial Institutions & Insurance Committee took up legislation that clarifies out-of-network payment responsibilities under health benefits plans, requires certain coverage and procedure disclosures to consumers, and revises procedures for changes to managed care plan contracts. After more than two hours of testimony, Chairman Schaer used his discretion to withhold formal action on the bill. In his comments the chairman noted, "The rising cost of health coverage is crowding out other socially important efforts for government and resulting in economic stress for employers."  Led by the New Jersey Hospital Association and Medical Society, the provider community was virtually unified in its opposition to the legislation. The business community, NJ Association of Health Underwriters, and a large contingent of trade unions expressed their support for the bill.  Aetna, along with other commercial plans, remains concerned about provisions in the bill concerning non-participating, hospital-based physicians and the ability of out-of-network providers to waive member copayment, coinsurance, or deductibles. Aetna will continue to closely monitor the legislation.

TENNESSEE: The Tennessee Insurance Exchange Planning Initiative has announced the members of two newly created Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs). Members of these groups will provide expertise on specific analytical questions to help in the state's insurance exchange planning process. The state is in the process of deciding whether it will operate a health insurance exchange. Mark Schmidt, Aetna Market President, Southeast, has been appointed to the Governor's TAG for State Insurance Exchange Planning. The members of the Actuarial/Underwriting TAG and the Agent/Broker TAGs will provide expertise on specific analytical questions to help in the state's insurance exchange planning process. The volunteer members of each TAG will meet in Nashville this fall and winter. Members of the Agent/Broker TAG will provide a detailed inventory of options for state decision-makers and then post any resulting discussion papers. Once additional information is received from the federal government, the state also intends to convene TAGs of health care providers, consumer representatives, and marketing and outreach experts.

TEXAS: Several Republican lawmakers are proposing an unprecedented solution to the state's estimated $25 billion budget shortfall: dropping out of the federal Medicaid program. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, estimates Texas could save $60 billion between 2013 and 2019 by opting out of Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, dropping coverage for acute care but continuing to fund long-term care services. With 3.6 million children, people with disabilities and impoverished Texans enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission will release its own study on the effect of ending the state's participation in the federal match program. Some lawmakers say not being able to reduce benefits or change eligibility to cut costs is "bankrupting our state." State Rep. John Zerwas, an anesthesiologist who authored the bill commissioning the Medicaid study, said early indications are that dropping out of the program would have a tremendous ripple effect monetarily, and he worries about who would carry the burden of care without Medicaid's "financial mechanism." Currently, the Texas program costs $40 billion per biennium, with the federal government footing 60 percent of the bill. As a result of federal health care reform, millions of additional Texans will become eligible for Medicaid. Lawmakers want to examine whether Medicaid enrollees could be served more cost efficiently with better outcomes in a state-run program.

WASHINGTON: Governor Chris Gregoire says she gets the message following the recent elections, and as a result has announced that she will seek supplemental budget cuts of $55 million before the end of the year. Voters signaled a strong aversion to additional tax hikes to balance the budget by recently passing initiative 1053, which restores the two-thirds vote requirement for the legislature to raise taxes, and initiative 1107, which repeals a tax on bottled water and carbonated beverages. Also, voters rejected initiative 1098, which would have instituted a state income tax. Among the programs Gregoire is considering for possible cuts is the state's Basic Health Plan. The Governor said she is open to the idea of a one-day special session if there is agreement with legislative leaders on quick action.

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