Did you know that simple laughter can have a profound effect on your life? Adults laugh about 14 times per day while children laugh about 400 times – we become more serious as we get older and as is obvious in our society – more ill.

Researchers have found that that laughter produced healing effects as the body produces endorphins (a relaxing and feel good chemical) that has far ranging healing effects. Endorphins are an opiate like substance that our body produces. These chemicals lower pain, and give us a feeling euphoria- very similar to morphine and heroin. There about a dozen opiate like substances in our body. These substances are found in many different areas of our nervous system. They are broken down from large proteins and then attach to the brain opiate receptors sites.

There has been evidence that laughter has cured ankylospondylitis (painful back disease) – a man used funny movies and in six months was totally cured of this terminal disease. Laughter can heal because of the release of endorphins. Laughter has been shown to reduce stress, strengthen the immune system, lower blood pressure, Laughter increased levels of salivary immunoglobulin A(S-IgA), a vital immune system protein, which is the body’s first line of defense against respiratory illness. People that smiled and laughed had fewer repeat heart attacks. Young girls with burns were shown cartoons during very painfulhydrotherapy. Their perception of pain was reduced. Laughter leads to a better respiratory movement. A Japanese study found that humor shrank skin welts in allergy patients. Japanese researchers found that laughter helps people with Type 2 diabetes.

It has also been found that tactile (touch) signals from the stimulation of the large AB sensory fibers from peripheral tactile sensors can depress the transmission of pain, presumably from “local lateral inhibition in the spinal cord”. This can explain why rubbing the skin near painful areas results in less pain and why rubbing liniments result in less pain – it is the rubbing, not really the liniment.
This also explains why excitation of the central analgesic system results in pain relief by acupuncture. The needle stimulates the AB sensory system and thereby releases these endorphins/analgesic type proteins.

Just recently the AMA, American medical association, put out a report that it thought 85% of all western maladies could be solved (or never happen in the first place) if we all exercised, ate healthy, didn’t smoke, drank moderately, and kept out stress levels low. Laughing, smiling, and human touch are all important ways to keep our stress down our bodies healthy.

Next time you feel like frowning, turn that frown upside down and make it a smile. You will live longer and be much healthier for it.