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| The Road to 100 Fit Tip #27, 2008 —
The Best Medicine
Laughter really is the best medicine. Besides putting you in a great frame of mind, laughter:
- Reduces stress
- Strengthens the immune system
- Blocks the secretion of adrenalin and cortisol, two hormones that increase blood pressure.
- Increases the production of serotonin, the happy hormone that makes you feel more content.
- Helps tone the stomach muscles
Now, when I say laughter, I am not talking about a little giggle like the thing you do when a baby does something cute. I am talking about a good old belly laugh, the kind Lynne and I do when we watch a Pink Panther movie or when we go out with old friends.
Everyone should have some games or routines they do with family, loved ones or great friends to promote laughter. One of the games Lynne and I play is a guessing game where I will ask a trivia question and Lynne will try to answer it. Or, I will start a line like, "It was the best of times" from Dicken’s masterpiece, A Tale of Two Cities and Lynne will try to complete it. ("It was the worst of times") The things Lynne comes up with are priceless and usually have both of us rolling in laughter. (To see Victor and Lynne playing this game on their cruise in the Mediterranean, click here!)
So, to reduce stress, reduce high blood pressure, strengthen your immune system, increase your sense of well-being and even tone your tummy a bit, laugh it up!
Answer to last week's fitness quiz:
What is the only muscle in the body only attached at one end?
The tongue.
Answer to last week's Question of the Week:
What is the greatest challange facing America today?
J.P.—Debt - financial and spiritual, personal and national.
J.O.—The greatest challenge facing America is the federal deficit that our elect leaders are passing onto the shoulders of our children and grandchildren.
D.D.—Obesity.
This week's fitness quiz:
What is Onychomycosis?
This week's philosophical Question: Again, what is the greatest challenge facing America today?
(Selected answers will be published. All answers will be posted on the Uncle Vic Message Board. Please answer in two sentences or less. Please include your first name or if you wish to remain anonymous, your initials)
Corny Joke of the Week:
What do get when you cross an orange with a comedian?
Peels of laughter.
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