Please read this...In the words of The Beatles: 'All you need is laughs'
<p class="p1">Back in the day, there was a musical group called The Beatles who became pretty popular. One of the group's hit songs was "All You Need is Love." </p><p class="p1">This week, with apologies to lads from Liverpool, I'd like to borrow the title of that song and change it to "All You Need is Laughs."</p><p class="p1">Keep the song in mind as you read on. I recently ran across an article written by Nina Chen, a human development specialist with University of Missouri Extension. The article was about, surprise, laughter. Enjoy...</p><p class="p1"> How many laughs have you had today? Researchers suggest that the average American laugh 15 times or more a day for health maintenance.</p><p class="p1"> If you don’t take time out for pleasure and always look at things in a serious or negative way, you are more likely to have health problems in the future. </p><p class="p1">If you are a true workaholic and don’t take time for humor or laughing, you may actually be less productive and effective than if you took a break for a little humor during the daily grind. </p><p class="p1">The following are some benefits of having laughter in your everyday life:</p><p class="p1"> Laughter can make you feel better. Laughter is a tool to lighten up your mood. Laughter helps you laugh at yourself and not take things too seriously. Laughter gives you opportunities to reduce conflicts and increase social interaction. </p><p class="p1">Good laughter is like a social lubricant to help break the ice and ease social tension, which makes you feel better and confident even when communicating sensitive or serious information.</p><p class="p1"> Laughter reduces stress. Some physicians report that laughter can result in muscle relaxation, which helps reduce stress and headaches. </p><p class="p1">Laughter is a powerful tool to release pent-up feelings of fear, anger and anxiety. Laughter is also known as an emotional weight-loss technique to help you feel lighter and healthier.</p><p class="p1"> Laughter is good exercise. Laughter has been called internal jogging. When you laugh, your muscles are activated, oxygen floods the blood, and the cardiovascular system dilates. </p><p class="p1">Laughter can also stimulate the production of endorphins in the brain, the body’s natural pain-reducing enzymes. When endorphins increase, the feelings of pain decrease. </p><p class="p1">Laughter can extend to every internal organ, giving them a healthy massage. For instance, the muscles in your face, arms, legs, stomach, diaphragm and thorax, as well as the circulatory and endocrine systems have a mini workout.</p><p class="p1"> Laughter is free. Laughter is non-fattening, non-polluting, non-taxable, no cost, constantly renewable and does not require batteries or special assembly. In addition, laughter is a free tool for team building. </p><p class="p1">Good laughter can help pull the group together and build a bond among group members. Laughter and humor can increase group cohesion, which also can enhance group problem-solving skills.</p><p class="p1"> So where do you get a steady supply of laughter? Start with being positive. Practice seeing the glass half full instead of half empty. Give yourself some rewards and time out for joy. </p><p class="p1">If you are a serious person and seldom laugh, set a goal of 15 laughs a day until it starts to become a habit. Begin to look for humor and laughter in everyday situations. Before long you will find yourself laughing and enjoying life more. Laugh your way to good health and wellness...</p><p class="p1">...soooo, in closing, just remember...</p><p class="p1">..."all you need is laughs, laughs...laughs are all you need..."</p><p class="p2"> </p><p class="p2"> </p>