Boo_Boo Loc: Jellystone

I think the theme of this campaign season should be... Let's allow Americans to Laugh Again. Perhaps it is urban legend, because no one has studied this, but children laugh about 300 times each day and if you are a "happy" adult, you perhaps laugh 30 times each day! A couple of years ago, OPP had a member who made a daily effort to bring humor onto this site and guess what OPP members and Admin did.... they kicked them off the site... banned for life. And this seems to be the way our country is going... we do not tolerate laughter, we certainly do not encourage it. And if you do find humor, it is cruel.

Now, I will get off my soap box and tell you why, according to Psychology Today why we need to make an effort to find more humor in our life! https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-possibility-paradigm/201106/youre-not-laughing-enough-and-thats-no-joke

Laughter Enlivens Us

Norman Cousins famously chronicled the effects of his self-prescribed "laughing cure" in his book Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient (W.W. Norton, 1979, 2001, 2005). Cousins, who suffered from inflammatory arthritis, claimed that 10 minutes of hearty guffawing while watching Marx Brothers movies brought him two hours of pain-free sleep—and that both inflammation and pain were significantly reduced. Research since then has shown that laughter reduces levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine; increases health-enhancing hormones (such as endorphins), neurot***smitters, and infection-fighting antibodies; and improves blood flow to the heart—all resulting in greater relaxation and resistance to disease, as well as improved mood and positive outlook.

Laughter Changes Us

... and in the loveliest ways. When we lighten up we feel more positive and optimistic, more hopeful and engaged. We're friendlier, more resourceful, more attractive, more radiantly alive.

It is also an observation made on another website.... guys, do not be offended but it is called Ben's Prostrate... no joke, here is the link http://www.bensprostate.com/are-you-laughing-enough-every-day/


What Laughter Does to Your Physiology

When we laugh, we stretch the muscles in our face. Our pulse and blood pressure go up. We breathe faster, sending more oxygen around our body. Increased oxygen means increased blood flow. This, in turn, means lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of strokes and heart attacks.

Laughing also reduces stress and anxiety in your body. The reduction in stress hormones boosts your i****e s****m, which then releases antibodies, improving your resistance to disease. And don’t forget that when you laugh, your body releases endorphins. These are your body’s natural paink**lers. They can ease chronic pain and produce a sense of well-being.

There are also links between laughter and mental health. It has been shown to increase brain function, help us to think more clearly, and even produces brain waves similar to those in states of meditation. It also helps us to communicate emotion and breaks cycles of psychological negativity. Research has shown that laughter increases activity in the part of the brain associated with depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s.

Laughter = Improved Memory

A study from May/June 2015, reported in the journal Alternative Therapy in Health & Medicine, tested the effects of watching 20-minute humorous videos in older adults.

The videos were either a comedy skit with Red Skeleton or a compilation of America’s Funniest Home Videos. The average age of the study participants was 68 years. Some of them were diabetic.

The scientists in California who ran the study had the participants take a memory and verbal learning test both before and after watching the videos.

You’ll never guess what they found.

The learning ability of the study participants actually improved by 38.5% in those who were healthy and by 33.4% in those who were diabetic. Those who didn’t watch the videos at all only showed a 24% improvement in learning ability.

Memory also improved. In those who didn’t watch the funny videos, there was a 20% increase in memory, but this was nothing compared to the 43.6% jump in memory by those who were healthy. The diabetics improved the most: a 48% improvement.

Both the healthy adults and the diabetics who watched the funny videos showed significant decreases in cortisol levels as well, whereas the control group showed no change at all.

Glückliches Paar Senioren liegt im Sommer im Gras

Laughter = Strong Bones

Another study took place in Japan. Researchers set up 2-hour sessions of laughter and exercise for adults who were 60 years or more. The participants took part in the sessions one every week for 10 consecutive weeks.

At the end of the program, they found higher bone mineral density in those who were laughing. They also found significantly lower Hemoglobin A1c levels and increased self-rated health.

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

Those who laugh are less likely to die of heart disease, less likely to develop IBS, Ulcers and a host of mental health issues, especially clinical depression. Some people have died laughing, but as with all things - a little moderation is in order. Regular bowel movements are also associated with laughter, although some people have shat themselves laughing too hard, not to mention millions of women who pee a little with laughter - but a case of "Depends" solves that issue.

Your point about this e******n cycle, indeed, the last 4 or 5 cycles, is valid. I am amazed at all the candidates that can say the i***tic things they say, with a straight face, I certainly can't listen without giggling. OPP is absolutely rampant with delightful hilarity, both those that repeat someone else's ridiculous assertions and those that create their own humorous dissertations. Come to think of it, Trump looks a little like Red Skelton and Clinton looks like Milton Burl - so maybe they're channeling those two great comedians. They're both giving them a run for their money even so.

archie bunker Loc: Texas

The last time I checked my prostate, it seemed to be doing pretty good. I figure if early detection is critical, and self exams work for boobs.....why won't it work there!