Why Laughter is the Best Medicine

By Dr. Joe Kosterich

It is impossible to feel stressed when you laugh. Laughter has been shown to be beneficial for our health in a number of ways. When we laugh our physiology literally changes. Our blood pressure goes down and our heart health benefits. There is a release of the body’s natural “happy hormones” the endorphins, which lift our mood and a reduction in the production of the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol. We tend to breathe more deeply which is good for the lungs and the supply of oxygen to the cells. Our blood vessels relax improving blood circulation.

In addition to this, laughter has a positive effect on the immune system and also the brain. There are also social benefits. It is hard to be angry with someone when you are laughing. A shared laugh strengthens relationships and enhances teamwork. This is why many companies employ comedians for staff development days. In fact the overall effect of laughter on our well being is a similar one to the effect of exercise.

Between political correctness and general busyness people tend to laugh less these days. Somewhere in the growing up years we seem to lose our capacity to laugh spontaneously. It is estimated that children laugh over 300 times a day compared to around 20 for adults. Children see the funny side of just about anything and laugh at things adults regard as “silly”. Maybe it is the children who have got it right and it is the adults who are being silly by not laughing more.

The late Leslie Nielsen had the ability to make many people laugh. His roles in Flying High and The Naked Gun movies (amongst other roles) made millions of people laugh. To be honest, watching the academy awards scene in Naked Gun 33 1/3 made me laugh so much I cried. Even seeing it again years later I was in tears. The humor is classic and to a degree dateless as my children who were born some years after the film was made also cracked up despite it being “an old film, Dad”.

So what else can you do to laugh more? Reading the comics in the paper, watching comedies instead of serious films, getting a joke of the day calendar, watch funny videos on the net. Dare I say even laugh at the joke emails which do the rounds.

Some people really struggle to laugh and there are now classes being run on how to laugh. There is even a form of laughter yoga. Strange as it sounds some of us need to relearn how to laugh and these sorts of classes can be very beneficial.

Step one is a change in attitude. Everything has a funny side if you look for it. Next time, rather than get frustrated at events in life, laugh at them. We cannot influence all the events in life but we can control how we respond to them.

Choosing to look for the funny side and to be less serious will benefit your health and the more of us who do this the more society will benefit as well.

About the author:

Dr. Joe is an author, keynote and motivational speaker, general practitioner and health industry consultant. He previously held senior positions in the Australian Medical Association and sat on numerous industry and government boards. He also has extensive corporate experience in the setting up and management of medical centers.

To read other interesting articles please visit Dr. Joe's website Dr. Joe

*This information is for educational purpose only. It is not meant to diagnose or cure a disease.

Health Benefits of Chili Peppers

Chili pepper also called chile pepper or chilli pepper, from Nahuatl term "chilli," is the fruit of a plant from the genus Capsicum, in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Chili peppers originally grew in America, but spread around the world after the discovery of the continent by Christopher Columbus.

 

 

The fiery fruit found its way into many ethnic cuisines. Its medicinal qualities were quickly discovered and applied for variety of ailments. Modern science confirms most of the popular uses.

The main active compund that gives chili peppers their intensity when ingested or applied topically is capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide). Several other related chemicals, collectively called capsaicinoids, work in synergy to the same effect.

Chili contains vitamin A, C, B6, and folate. When ripe and red, it contains significant amounts of beta carotene. The hot fruit is also an important source of phosphorus, iron, sodium,  magnesium and silica. They are also rich in lycopene, lutein, and zeaxantin - compounds that help fight free radicals in the body.

Regular intake of chili peppers delays oxidation of serum lipids, and lowers and improves insulin and glucose profiles following a meal, both of which contribute to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

Australian researchers also demonstrated that the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar after a meal is reduced if the meal contained chili pepper. When chili was consumed on regular basis, the insulin requirements dropped even more.

The benefits of chili may even increase with a higher body mass index - an obesity indicator. In obesse individuals, chili not only significantly reduces the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar levels after a meal, but it also results in a lower ratio of C-peptide to insulin, an indication that the rate at which the liver is clearing insulin has increased.

The levels of C-peptide in the blood also indicate how much insulin is being produced by the pancreas. The pancreas produces proinsulin, which splits into insulin and C-peptide when it is secreted into the bloodstream. Each molecule of proinsulin breaks into one molecule of C-peptide and one molecule of insulin. Lower levels of C-peptide indicate that less insulin has been secreted into the bloodstream. Since chili positively affects this ration, regular consumption of chili may help prevent adult diabetes.

Capsaicin improves the ratio of bad versus good cholesterol in blood and stimulates the liver enzyme responsible for the fat metabolism.

Scientists found out that chili stimulates blood circulation and is a great anticoagulant. Both, capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin reduce platelet aggregation and the activity of blood clotting proteins in blood samples. Regular consumption of hot peppers may help reduce the risk of thrombosis and prevent stroke.

A team of scientists found out that capsaicin has the potential to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in the cells of the prostate cancer. The cancer cells alter their genetic information to avoid the genetically programmed apoptosis. Capsaicin demonstrated the ability to interfere with this maneuver and slow the proliferation of the cancer cells and the development of prostate tumors.

Hot peppers can provide some relief for cold and sinus problems because capsaicin has as expectorant effect. It increases lung function and facilitates the elimination of mucus.

There is a strong scientific evidence that capsaiconoids in chili boost metabolic rate. This brings hope to many who wish to lose weight. Chili stimulates receptors in the bowel when a spicy meal is eaten and increases thermogenesis. Increased heat means increased energy expenditure and thus the boost to the metabolic rate. It must be said, however, that excessive consumption of hot chili peppers may irritate stomach in sensitive individuals. A safer option for weight loss is available on the market in form of a non-irritant capsaicin pill.

Capsaicin has been used externally with great success to control pain. Such conditions as painful joints, arthritic inflammation, muscle pain, athletic injuries, and frostbite improved considerably with topical application of capsaicin containing ointments. Scientists in Scandinavia found out that capsaicin increases the DNA synthesis and triggers production of pain suppressing collagenase and prostaglandin.

Since capsaicin improves blood circulation, hot chili may be used as an aphrodisiac. It is wise, however, to avoid contact with the genitalia as the stinging may have an adverse effect.

Adding a little chili to daily meals not only makes a bland diet tastier and more appealing, but, most importantly, helps prevent disease and improve many degenerative conditions associated with aging.

By Dominique Allmon

*Information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or cure a disease.

Health Benefits of Chili Peppers by Dominique Allmon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.