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Laugh Your Way to Better Health

American Fitness, March, 2000 by Trisha Yeager

How mental and physical well-being can be influenced by the simple act of laughter.

Have you had a good laugh today? If not, you may not know what you've missed. Laughter has been proven to provide significant health and fitness benefits. It improves our immune responses, lowers our serum cortisol (the hormone produced by stress), enhances respiration, stimulates blood flow and raises our pain threshold. Scientists also suspect it plays a role in increasing our endorphins and overall sense of wellbeing. In addition, a good belly laugh strengthens the diaphragm and abdominal muscles while burning calories. Although we don't know exactly how many calories a hearty laugh consumes, it is estimated that 100 good laughs equals 10 minutes on a rowing machine.

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Medical professionals and humor specialists throughout the country are utilizing the healing benefits of laughter in many different arenas. Here are some examples.

Dr. Patch Adams Clowns for Yugoslavian Refugees

Close to 55,000 displaced men, women and children in two refugee camps in Macedonia were recently treated to a surprise visit from Dr. Patch Adams, who was accompanied by his assistant, "Beachclown," and dozens of clowns from Austria, Italy, Canada and the United States. In November, 1999, Adams took 30 U.S. clowns into Russia to visit children in orphanages and hospitals. Later, he and the group will be making a similar trip to China.

In a recent phone interview, Adams told me this quest is to encourage people to live out their own creative dreams while connecting to the needs of our entire human culture--needs such as love, wonder, compassion, joy and humor. The author of two books, Gesundheit and House Calls, Adams travels the world lecturing, clowning and fundraising for the Gesundheit Institute, his new health center in West Virginia where patients will receive free, fun-filled medicine. He invites anyone wanting to be part of his dream to call (877) SILLYDR, toll-free.

Jest for the Health of It

Patty Wooten, R.N., is the founder and president of Jest for the Health of It, a company formed to explore, develop and promote the therapeutic benefits of humor. Wooten's humor career began in 1973, when she was the newly divorced mother of a one-year-old son. Today, she is a dynamic speaker and author of two best-selling books. She worked nights at a busy intensive care unit caring for neurologically damaged patients. Everywhere she looked, she found pain, suffering and loss, so she began looking for ways to rekindle her normally joyful inner spirit. Clown school was the perfect answer, giving her the ability to cope with the stress of nursing by using her sense of humor. On one occasion, Wooten took part in a parade, wearing a clown outfit and roller skates. Just ahead of her, she spotted a man and his elephant--and the elephant had on roller skates. She seized the moment. As she skated through the parade, she would pause and ask the audience, "Have you seen my mom? She's big and fat, has a long nose and is wearing roller skates." Creating wonderful wacky identities such as "Nancy Nurse" and "Nurse Kindheart," Wooten speaks to audiences worldwide, helping them learn, laugh and heal.

Seeing Demise Through Humorous Eyes

Comedians, cartoonists and psychologists have always known that laughter is a good way of confronting our fears and expressing our tears. Allen Klein, M.A., CSP, who calls himself a "jollytologist," travels around the country presenting seminars on using humor as a way of dealing with death and loss. His unusual career began shortly after his wife died from a rare liver disease. Soon afterward, he began exploring the value of humor because of the important role it played before, during and after her death. "Humor and death are frequently considered at opposite ends of the spectrum," says Klein. "Many people feel that laughing about anything dealing with death goes beyond the bounds of good taste. My feeling, however, is in complete agreement with George Bernard Shaw's statement that `life does not cease to be funny when someone dies anymore than it ceases to be serious when someone laughs.'"

Helping the Homeless With Humor

Florence Ditlow, R.N., works with homeless veterans in New York City, New York, teaching them to use humor to promote a safe environment, enhance feelings of well-being, stimulate free and interactive communication, and as an instrument for healing both body and soul. In a recent interview, Ditlow said, "Laughter certainly energized these people! One man who comes to my morning humor sessions works all night and, of course, is exhausted by the time he gets here. Others are lethargic from depression and substance abuse. So we stand up, do some stretching and breathing exercises, and then begin laughing. At first it feels contrived, but after a while, some of the guys are laughing so hard they nearly fall over. The more they laugh, the more energy they have." Recently, Ditlow and a small group of friends went into a park near her home. Holding a sign that read, "Laugh," they all began laughing. Soon, several passersby had stopped to watch, and they too began laughing. Laugher is contagious!

Laugh Your Way to Better Health

American Fitness, March, 2000 by Trisha Yeager

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