GOOD HUMOR, GOOD HEALTH

From: Dr. Jai Maharaj (usenet_at_mantra.com)
Date: 10/07/04 

Date: Thu, 07 Oct 2004 21:23:35 GMT

GOOD HUMOR, GOOD HEALTH

Astrologers, doctors and pundits, incorporate humor
into your practice. Screenwriters, write more comedies.
 - Jai Maharaj

Forwarded message from fidyl@yahoo.com

[ Subject: Good Humor, Good Health
[ From: fidyl@yahoo.com
[ Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2004

Good Humor, Good Health

By David S. Sobel M.D.,
Institute for the Study of Human Knowledge

http://healthy.net/scr/column.asp?PageType=Column&id=187

"The arrival of a good clown exercises more beneficial
influence upon the health of a town than twenty asses
laden with drugs."
 - Thomas Sydenham, 17th century physician

When was the last time you laughed really hard - a
hearty, sidesplitting belly laugh that suddenly grabbed
you and sent you reeling out of control? Or you laughed
so hard that you forgot what triggered it, leaving you
laughing without reason?

Modern science is beginning to confirm that this kind of
laughter is not only enjoyable, it's also health-
promoting. Laughter is an invigorating tonic that
heightens and brightens mood, gently releasing us from
tensions and social constraints. Humor offers a valuable
perspective on ourselves and our world. What strikes us
as funny is usually triggered by a mismatch between what
we expect and what we see.

Laughter is an affirmation of our humanness, a face-
saving way to express our anxieties, fears, and other
hidden emotions to others. It breaks the ice, builds
trust, and draws us together into a common state of well-
being. Entertainer Victor Borge once quipped, "Humor is
the shortest distance between two people."

Humor may be one of our best antidotes to stressful
situations. When confronted with a threatening situation,
animals have two choices: they can flee, or they can
fight. We humans have a third alternative: to laugh. By
seeing the humor in a stressful situation, we may be able
to change our response to the threat. Humor allows us to
distance ourselves and replace paralyzing feelings of
anxiety with mirth. When we laugh, we simply cannot be
worrying deeply at the same time.

What the Research Shows

Laughter is called "inner jogging." A robust laugh gives
the muscles of your face, shoulders, diaphragm, and
abdomen a good workout, and sometimes even your arms and
legs. Heart rate and blood pressure temporarily rise,
breathing becomes faster and deeper, and oxygen surges
throughout your bloodstream.

Your muscles go limp and your blood pressure may fall,
leaving you in a mellow euphoria. A good laugh can burn
up as many calories per hour as brisk walking. During a
good hearty laugh your brain orchestrates hormonal rushes
that rouse you to a high-level alertness and numb pain.

Researchers speculate that laughter triggers the release
of endorphins, the brain's opiates. This may account for
the pain relief that accompanies laughter.

Norman Cousins claimed to nurse himself back to health
from a crippling arthritic condition, in part with old
tapes of "Candid Camera" television program and Marx
Brothers movies. He claimed that ten minutes of belly
laughter had an anesthetic effect and would give him at
least two hours of pain-free sleep.

In controlled studies, humor has been shown to lower pain
thresholds, reduce stress and even boost immune system
function.

In one study, people listening to twenty minutes of Lily
Tomlin joking about the telephone company were far less
sensitive to pain than those who listened to an academic
lecture. The Tomlin tape also blocked pain as effectively
as a standard relaxation tape-and you know which one was
more fun.

People who use humor a lot are less likely to get upset
when faced with negative events. In another study,
students had to solve increasingly tricky math problems,
becoming highly stressed in the process.

Afterwards, they could listen to relaxation tapes, watch
an exploration film on the Icelandic River, or see a
funny "Candid Camera" scene. The relaxation and funny
tapes both reduced stress. But humor only worked for
people used to laughing a lot. Laughter needs to be a
regular part of your life to get its full benefit.

Researchers also found that watching a funny tape of
Richard Pryor Live temporarily boosted levels of
antibodies in saliva (they help defend us against
infections like colds). Those who reported using humor
frequently as a way of coping with stress had
consistently higher baseline levels of these protective
antibodies. And finally, people with a strong sense of
humor tend not to have the expected drop in immune
function following exposure to stress.

How to Use Humor to Stay Healthy

Babies start to laugh when they are 10 weeks old: six
weeks later they are laughing about once every hour.
Four-year-olds laugh once every four minutes. The average
American grown-up is said to laugh only about 15 times
per day. Sadly, our culture tends to inhibit humor. We
learn to associate growing up with "getting serious." And
being "serious" is somehow equated with being solemn and
humorless.

We are ordered to "wipe that smile off your face" and
told that things are "no laughing matter."

Sometimes we repress our good humor, because we're afraid
that others will think we're frivolous or foolish. Our
funny bone gets broken.

Fortunately, a laughter prescription is not a bitter pill
to swallow.

Here are some suggestions for repairing your sense of
humor and regaining healthy laughter.

"Seven days without laughter makes one weak."

Expose Yourself to Humor

There's a lot of funny material around. Actively seek out
things that make you laugh:

Take in regular doses of funny films, joke books, and
comedians.

Browse through the humor section of a bookstore or
library.

Make a point of looking at the cartoons in the newspapers
and magazines.

Cut out the ones that appeal to you, and keep them posted
in places where you can see them: on the refrigerator,
bulletin board, or in your wallet, and change them
regularly.

Laugh at other people's jokes: you'll feel better,
they'll feel better, and they'll like you more.

Expose yourself to different styles of humor. If you hate
the Marx Brothers, it doesn't mean you don't have a sense
of humor. Try political cartoons or dry British humor.
The more you tune in to how much that's funny in this
world, the more you will enjoy yourself.

Keep a Humor Journal Get into the habit of listening for
the unintentionally amusing remark and note it down in a
diary. Watch for the wonderfully funny things young
children spontaneously say or write. Listen for the
amusing slips of the tongue, or the amusing error or the
clever pun. Watch the newspapers for humorous newspaper
headlines. Write down clever bumper stickers, license
plates, witticisms, funny events that happen to you or a
friend. Find (or make up) some funny saying to repeat to
yourself whenever the going gets rough, or you start
feeling stressed or disappointed.

For instance, "When you get to the top of the ladder, you
find it is leaning against the wrong wall," or as Charlie
Brown said, "I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to
dread one day at a time." The saying will give you a wry
smile and serve as a pick-me-up. The saying can become an
old friend reminding you to see the humorous side, even
when things don't feel very funny.

Tell a Joke

Having a good sense of humor doesn't mean you have to
have a store of jokes or tell them perfectly. Lots of
people who know a good joke say they can't tell them
properly, so they keep them to themselves. Or they forget
them the moment after they hear them.

Nurture your jokes. If you hear a good one, write it in
your journal and tell five other people as soon as
possible, so it imprints on your mind.

Don't worry about how well you are telling it. Sometimes
screwing up the delivery can create something that's even
funnier than the original joke.

If you can't remember a joke, tune in to the humor in
everyday situations.

Become aware of the sitcom of your own life. Sooner or
later we all have experiences that strike us as funny -
notice them, collect them, and share them.

Laugh at Yourself Focus the humor on yourself rather than
others. If you expect to do everything right all of the
time, then you can't afford to have a sense of humor. But
if you can allow yourself the inevitable mistakes and
stupidities that we all make, then you can laugh at
yourself. Being able to laugh at yourself helps you to
accept that your shortcomings don't really matter that
much. The people who are able to laugh at themselves have
a much stronger sense of self-worth and higher self-
esteem than those who can't.

If you think you are taking yourself too seriously, try
to back up and give yourself a sense of perspective. Keep
a pair of Groucho glasses to put on at such moments, then
twirl in front of the mirror and ask, "just how serious
is this?"

When you have a private moment, look at yourself in the
mirror and try to compose 10 different funny faces, e.g.,
sucked-in cheeks, pressed-in nose, crossed eyes, tongue
as far above or below your mouth as possible.

Work all your face muscles - it will reduce tension. When
you have perfected your faces, dare to use one of them on
some appropriate occasion: having fun with the kids,
fooling around at work, or to strangers on vacation.

Or do a "Candid Camera" on yourself. Take a step back
from your office or your kitchen and see what is going on
there with outsiders' eyes. How would they react to the
scenario that just now seems of such vital importance to
you - your clash with the boss or ambitious colleague or
disgruntled salesperson, or your broken dishwasher that's
spilled water all over the kitchen ?oor? The real test of
seeing whether or not you can laugh at yourself is if you
can take a bit of teasing. We all need a few things that
we are willing to be teased about by our nearest and
dearest - things like our clumsiness, forgetfulness, or
getting our words twisted, or perhaps a few physical ones
such as ?at feet or balding. But they really do have to
be things you can see the funny side of too. If you don't
feel okay about it, gently let the joker know the subject
is off limits.

Look for the Funny Side

A stressful situation can sometimes be transformed into a
bit of fun if you can see the humor in it. One traveler
tells of an airport "horror story":

After a long flight, the group of weary travelers finally
arrived, but their baggage didn't. After a long wait one
suitcase finally appeared. But it was obviously damaged,
and clothing and personal items spilled all over the
conveyor belt.

Everyone was becoming quite upset when one group member
commented: "Relax, this is really funny. In a few weeks
we'll be telling stories about tonight, and we'll be
laughing about it. Why wait? If it'll be funny then, it's
funny now!"

That comment broke the tension and drew the travelers
together. When the other bags didn't arrive, they smiled.
When the car rental agency ran out of cars, they laughed.
And when they heard there was a taxi strike, they howled.

Exaggerate

Try using humorous exaggeration to help put things into
perspective.

Expand situations into mock life and death proportions.
Woody Allen once remarked: "More than any other time in
history, humankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to
despair and utter hopelessness. The other to total
extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose
correctly."

Dear Mom and Dad, I am sorry that I have not written, but
all my stationery was destroyed when the dorm burned
down. The car crash that followed when we drove away
wasn't as bad as it seemed at the time, for we were all
alive. I am now out of the hospital and the doctor said
that I will be fully recovered within a few years, and I
may well be able to walk one day. I have also moved in
with the boy who rescued me, since most of my things were
destroyed in the fire.

Love,
Hilary

PS. There was no fire, no accident and my health is
perfectly fine.

In fact, I do not even have a boyfriend. However, I did
get a D in French and a C in Math and Chemistry, and I
just wanted to make sure that you keep it all in
perspective.

Try a Retake

Ever been stuck in the supermarket line that doesn't move
an inch while the lines you rejected are flying past you?
You might find yourself thinking, "Oh no, why me, why
now, I'm late!"

Try taking another attitude. Reframe the situation. Make
your moans into a comic routine for yourself.

Exaggerate, add funny extras, explore the humorous
possibilities:

"Just my luck. The man at the head of the line knows the
checker and they want to chat. So they pretend they don't
know the price of canned tuna. In fact, the shopper
probably looked everywhere for a can with no price so
that he could bring it to his friend the checker. Maybe
he has lots of items with no prices.

It probably takes him hours to do his shopping, looking
for those items.

He's just lucky that by the time he's finished collecting
all his unpriced items, his friend hadn't gone on break."

Try Humor Instead of Anger

Next time you are really livid about an inconvenience -
like poor service, try making your point with humor
instead of anger:

David went with his family to a fancy restaurant.
Everyone ordered clam chowder. David noticed a gritty
texture in the soup, scowled and began to complain
angrily. His nine-year-old son, Matt, also noted the grit
but replied with a grin, "The clams are so fresh, you can
still taste the sand in them!"

Use Humor to Handle Anxiety

Think of something humorous to say when you need someone
to know that you are frightened, anxious, or in some way
unhappy. It can lighten a tense moment and break the ice.

Nick was lying on a hospital gurney after he mysteriously
collapsed in the street. His wife was beside him,
anxiously wringing her hands.

The atmosphere was extremely tense as a young doctor took
down his medical details and asked, "Do you get
breathless at night?" "Only when I get lucky," he
replied.

Everyone suddenly exploded into laughter and the
unhelpful tension was broken.

Humor can help reduce anxiety in many different ways. If
you are terrified of speaking in public or fear making a
presentation at work, for example, imagine your audience
wearing funny hats or sitting there without their clothes
on. Suddenly they won't seem so threatening. Practice by
imagining a stressful situation. Then invent a humorous
response, and rehearse it.

Make up a Comedy Routine

Imagine sitting at a table on which an old tennis shoe, a
drinking glass, and an aspirin bottle have been placed.
Now make up a comedy routine for three minutes describing
the objects on the table in as humorous a manner as you
can.

Research shows that the funnier monologue you are able to
produce, the less likely you are to become tense,
depressed, angered, fatigued, or confused when confronted
with stress in your life. And it can be freeing, enabling
us to get detached from our problems.

After watching funny movies, people solve problems with
more ingenuity and innovation.

Hang Out with Happy People

Make sure there are people in your life whom you find it
fun to be around - ones who lighten the atmosphere and
make you feel good about yourself.

Often people who aren't especially witty as a rule can be
razor-sharp when they get together with someone who
inspires them, amuses them, or just loosens them up.
Certain people make you feel relaxed and happy.

Others are too full of gloom and doom, or are just
relentlessly serious.

Try to avoid getting brought down by those who are
negative. Spend more time with people whose presence
gives your mood a boost. If you don't know such people,
seek them out.

Put On a Happy Face Research has shown that just changing
your facial muscles can set off different physiological
changes. It can also trigger different thoughts that
affect moods of sadness, happiness, and anger. So when we
"put on a happy face" in times of adversity, or say "have
a nice day" or "smile at a camera and say cheese," we are
actually changing our neurohormone levels, and they
change our moods. A smile-like pose produces pleasant
feelings, whereas a pout produces feelings of
unhappiness. So even when you don't feel particularly
cheerful and you smile, blood flow to the brain
increases, and the production of positive
neurotransmitters are stimulated. In other words, if you
look happier, you might actually start to feel happier.
So if you can't laugh, smile. And if you can't smile,
fake it.

Humor can be a powerful medicine, and laughter can be
contagious.

It's reassuring in these days of deadly epidemics and
sometimes painful, expensive medical treatments that
laughter is cheap and effective.

And the only side effects are pleasurable.

For More Information:

American Association of Therapeutic Humor, 222 S.
Merrimac, Suite 303, St. Louis, MO 63105 (314-863-6232)

Baim, Margaret and La Roche, Loretta: "Jest 'n' Joy" in
Herbert Benson and Eileen Stuart, The Wellness Book, New
York: Carol Publishing, 1992.

Blumenfield, Esther and Alpern, Lynne: The Smile
Connection: How to Use Humor in Dealing with People.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986.

Hageseth, Christian: A Laughing Place: The Art and
Psychology of Positive Humor in Love and Adversity. Fort
Collins, CO: Berwick Publishing Co., 1988.

Klein, Alan: The Healing Power of Humor. Los Angeles:
Jeremey P. Tarcher, Inc., 1989.

Metcalf, C.W. and Felible, Roma: Lighten Up: Survival
Skills for People Under Pressure. Reading, MA: Addison-
Wesley, 1992.

The Humor Project. 110 Spring Street, Saratoga Springs,
NY 128666 (518-587-8770). Publishes Laughing Matters
Magazine, Humor Resources Catalog, and a clearinghouse
for theory, research, and practical ideas related to
humor.

SIDEBAR

When Laughter is Dangerous

Not all humor is positive and healthful. Following are
kinds of negative "humor" to watch out for:

Scorn, sarcasm, ridicule, and contempt. These can be used
to discharge hostile, cynical, and resentful feelings,
and are harmful. Inappropriate humor. When people are
deeply distressed by the death of a loved one, a joke
designed to "cheer them up" is unlikely to be
appreciated. Similarly, people who are severely depressed
are unable to respond to humor. It may make them feel
worse because they realize that once they would have
laughed, and now cannot. Someone seeking advice for a
troubling personal problem may or may not be helped by a
humorous approach. And don't joke about people's names.
They have to live with them. Whatever clever comment you
think you come up with is probably a very old remark to
them. It is important to be sensitive to each occasion
and know when humor really helps.

Excerpted from the Quarterly Newsletter, Mind/Body Health
Newsletter.

For subscription information call 1-(800)-222-4745 or
visit the Institute for the Study of Human Knowledge
website.

End of forwarded message from fidyl@yahoo.com

Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti

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The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:

     "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not so send
peace, but a sword.
     "For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
law.
     "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
 - Matthew 10:34-36.

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