The Funny Side of Health

HEALTH TIP OF THE DAY!

THE FITNESS LEGEND!

Laughter, The Best Medicine

LAUGHTER, THE BEST MEDICINE

1. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services 2004 Mar;42(3):18-25

A CHUCKLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY: THERAPEUTIC HUMOR AND LAUGHTER 

MacDonald CM 

There are several beneficial efforts attributed to humor and laughter, including improved immune function, increased pain tolerance, and decreased stress response. Humor therapy, laughter therapy, laughter meditation, and laughter clubs all have unique implications as group programs and as self-management techniques.

2. Humor therapy could one day be a part of preventive care. A good giggle helps you: 

Scorch calories - Laughing for 10 to 15 minutes increases your heart rate by 10% to 20%, which means you can burn an extra 10 to 40 calories a day. Over a year, that can add up to a four-pound weight loss. 

Ease pain - In a UCLA study funded by Rx Laughter, a group that promotes research on the connection between humor and health, experts discovered that children tolerated pain better than usual when watching a funny program or video. 

Stay healthy - Humor increases the production and effectiveness of natural killer cells that stomp out germs. These cells are elevated for at least 12 hours after just an hour of watching...Will Ferrell.... 

Tyranski, Kathryn M., "The Comedy Cure," READER'S DIGEST, September 2007, p. 210.

3. Stanford University psychiatrist Allan L. Reiss, MD, recruited 20 male and female college students. Inside an MRI, the men and women looked at 70 cartoons flashed on a small overhead screen and rated them on a funniness scale. When the results came back, Reiss made an unexpected discovery: Men and women process funny differently. The analytical region of women's brains was more active than the men's, suggesting women studied the cartoons more. When they found the cartoon amusing, the reward region of their brains lit up noticeably more than the guys. 

All of which is a fancy way of saying women appear to think a little more about whether they find something humorous. They don't necessarily expect to laugh, and so they enjoy it a lot more when the joke works for them. With men, apparently, it was more like, Hey ...cartoon. Must be funny. Funny is good. 

Colligan, Doug. "Why Men and Women Laugh Out Loud" READER'S DIGEST Sept. 2007, p. 99.

4. Humor has been shown to boost brain-power and improve immune-cell function (which can help ward off cancer). Not only that, but a positive attitude means you're more likely to do healthy things like walk, eat cruciferous vegetables and avoid saturated fats --three choices that substantially help the chance of survival after a heart attack, stroke or cancer. So instead of feeling blue, take charge of your life. 

"Health IQ" READER'S DIGEST Sept. 2007, p. 63. 

How To Fight Aging

Did you know that just walking for 30 minutes, 3 or 4 times a week is enough to combat aging? According to researchers at the University of California, one of the principle causes of deterioration of the human organism’s physical faculties is its diminished ability to metabolize glucose. And they showed that even leisurely exercise, like taking a walk, plays an important role in keeping glucose metabolism functioning smoothly.

Do you spend the whole day sitting at your desk or in front of a computer screen? Why not get up occasionally and do a few minutes of physical exercise? Don’t worry about what other people think.

In some Japanese companies, it is even become a collective habit. Every twenty minutes a bell sounds, and everybody gets up to do some stretching exercises, after which they sit down again as if nothing had happened. Japanese managers are convinced that their employees are more productive when they are relaxed.

Funny Health Quotes

Funny Quotes about Health

Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint. Mark Twain

Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing. Red Foxx

Muscles come and go; flab lasts. Bill Vaughan

My doctor recently told me that jogging could add years to my life. I think he was right. I feel ten years older already. Milton Berle

If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself. Mickey Mantle

How do I stay so healthy and boyishly handsome? It's simple. I drink the blood of young runaways. William Shanter

According to a new study, women in satisfying marriages are less likely to develop cardiovascular diseases than unmarried women. So don't worry lonely women, you'll be dead soon. Tina fey

Serious illness doesn't bother me for long because I am too inhospitable a host. Albert Schweitzer

I don't jog. If I die I want to be sick. Abe Lemons

What's the two things they tell you are healthiest to eat? Chicken and fish, ... You know what you should do? Combine them ... eat a penguin. Dave Attell

How to Fight Depression

Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity. A person going through a state of depression usually experiences a feeling of sadness, helplessness and hopelessness. It is a very common condition which affects more than one in 10 people at any one time. Depression is a mental health condition affecting a person’s energy, feelings, thinking and behavior. In its milder state a person may start to feel tiered, lonely, restless and may also develop insomnia. Such an individual usually may also lose interest in sex and want to be left alone, but it can be overcome with changes in lifestyle and social support. There are certain symptoms that signify depression. They are:

• Feeling down.
• Anger.
• Low energy level.
• Low self esteem and guilt feelings.
• Poor concentration.
• Fear of failure.
• Loss of interest in everyday life and hobbies.
• Unexplained aches and pains.
• Unable to control negative thoughts.
• Significant weight loss or weight gain.

On other hand major depression is characterized by inability to enjoy life ad experience its pleasures. The symptoms range from moderate to severe but if left untreated it can prolong up to 6 months.

Depression doesn’t just go away on its own. In addition to seeking medical help from a doctor or a therapist, here are a few things you can do to feel better.

1. Watch your diet. You might be over or under eating. Keep a strict look at your weight scale. Proper diet and nutrition is extremely vital in influencing a person’s mood. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and get regular meals.
2. Exercise. Even a small walk will help to stimulate nerve cells and give an energetic boost. Some yoga poses can also be very helpful.
3. Identify the reasons. Find out the situations that force you into a low mood. Once the exact reason has been pointed out, talk about it to a close and caring friend. You’ll feel better once you sir out those thoughts. Feeling connected to friends and family can relieve depression.
4. Express yourself. Start a new hobby. Unleash the creative part of your soul. Take some time out to hand out with friends. Laughter is the best medicine.
5. Look on the bright side. Try noticing the good things in life rather than the negative ones. Count your blessings, not your woes.
6. Be selective about your social circle. Avoid people who tend to put you in a lower mood. Being around them is exhaustive. Avoid them at every cost.

Hopefully these tips will help. In case your symptoms persist, please seek medical advice.

How to Cure Bad Breathe

Bad breathe or halitosis can be a big problem when you are about to whisper a joke to your friend or snuggle up with your sweetie!

The major reason for the halitosis is the bacterial accumulation on the bits of food left in your mouth, between your teeth. In short it strikes due to improper oral health. As the food particles decay and bacteria accumulate, bad breathe is produced.

There are certain myths about bad breathe and I am sure you must have heard about them but they are not true for sure.

Myth No. 1

Mouthwash will make the bad odor go away immediately. That’s not true at all. Mouthwash has a temporary effect. It masks the odor instead of tackling the source of your problem.

Myth No. 2

As long as you regularly brush and floss your teeth, you won’t have a bad breathe. Wrong again! Most people just don’t brush long enough to sufficiently clean all the surfaces of teeth. Ideal duration and frequency for brushing the teeth is 2 minutes, twice a day, and remember bacteria love to hang on your tongue, don’t forget to brush it as well.

A tooth brush is not always hundred percent helpful. Dental floss is equally important to remove the harmful plague and food remains, stuck tightly between your gums and teeth.

Myth No. 3

You can detect bad breathe by breathing in your hand. Not true again, despite the fact that you can find this act in almost every tooth paste advertisement. Bad breathe originates from the back of the mouth. When you talk, you tend to bring out odor from the back of your mouth, which is not the case when you breathe.

The best weapon against this unpleasant odor is saliva. It contains sodium bicarbonate which is antiseptic in nature. By washing away food particles and fighting bacteria, it helps to eliminate bad breathe. Chewing a gum is highly advised for treatment of mouth odor, especially after meals.

Avocados and guavas are also very helpful in getting rid of bad breathe. Juices, especially from green vegetables are very beneficial for eliminating bad breathe.

If you are sure that you conduct proper oral hygiene and still the problem persists, you might have a medical problem that may require a visit to your dentist.

10 Ways to Cure Heartburn

Heartburn is a burning sensation in the chest just behind the breast bone. The pain often rises in the chest, and may radiate to the neck, throat or angles of the jaw.

Despite its name, heartburn has got nothing to do with the heart. It usually results from excessive acidity in the stomach, or from improper functioning of the digestive system.

The point where esophagus (food pipe) and stomach join, a special muscle (sphincter muscle) controls the opening and closing of the esophagus. When we swallow food, it moves towards the stomach through esophagus and the sphincter muscles relax to let the food pass into the stomach and close again.

Sometimes this process malfunctions. As a result the contents of the stomach then rise back up the esophagus. When the stomach acid comes in contact the lining of esophagus, it causes irritation. This condition is termed as heartburn.

Heartburn is very common and almost 40% of the people worldwide experience heartburn at least once a month. Some individuals may also experience chronic heartburn, which occurs two or more times per week.

Heartburn could be due to a spicy meal or when you eat too much.

Heartburn can be avoided by practicing the following tips.

1.      Avoid acidic foods, for example, lemons, alcohol, fat or fried food, overcooked food, coffee, juices, tomato base products, chocolates and peppermint.

2.      Observe which foods bring on heartburn and avoid them.

3.      Don’t go to sleep right after eating.

4.      Don’t smoke especially after eating. Nicotine weakens the lower esophageal sphincter muscles.

5.      Eat your meals at their specified time. Frequently changing your meal time can lead to heartburn.

6.      Use fiber rich diet. Rice husk is the best natural remedy to heartburn. You can use it with yogurt for your convenience.

7.      Eat smaller and frequent meals instead of 3 large ones.

8.      Raise the head of your bed several inches. It’ll help prevent the reflux at night.

9.      Lose weight. Obesity is one of the major reasons of obesity.

10.  Wear Lose fitting clothes. Tight clothing squeezes the midsection and tends to push stomach contents upwards.

If still your symptoms persists, please seek immediate medical help.