The Funny Bone's Connected to the …

Studies show humor aids healing

Sure, laughing is fun. But is it really good medicine?

Research has shown there's a link between health and humor, according to an article on the BBC News Web site.

Some studies have shown that laughing can help stimulate the immune system. And, with "just 30 minutes of humor a day," heart-attack survivors are less likely to have a second attack, the story says. They also need less medicine and have lower blood pressure.

Other studies have demonstrated that laughter lowers the blood levels of steroid chemicals, which are associated with stress. Humor also increases tolerance of pain. And such psychological problems as anxiety can be helped with humor, according to the article.

To find out more about the therapeutic power of humor and "humor healers," you can read this article from the Saturday Evening Post. To find out more about the physiological effects of laughter, read this article from humor healer Patty Wooten.

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